Xu Zhongyi was definitely at the scene of the incident.

The timing matched, and the burns on Xu Zhongyi when Ben Field rescued him the morning after the incident also lined up.

A crucial piece was still missing from the puzzle:

“Did Mr. Ben Field ever mention what happened to Uncle Xu’s wife and son? Field cared for Uncle Xu for half a year without betraying him to the gangs, so Uncle Xu must have trusted him!”

Jim shook his head, “Field said Xu rarely spoke, staying very quiet in the basement – so quiet that Field checked daily to make sure he was still alive. He didn’t communicate with anyone, either sleeping or writing something on paper. The field could read Chinese characters. The day before Xu secretly left, he burned everything he had written, flushing even the ashes down the toilet!”

These symptoms sounded similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PTSD, occurring after someone experiences a sudden, threatening, or catastrophic event, typically manifests as nightmares, personality changes, insomnia, and irritability. Patients avoid anything that might trigger traumatic memories.

“Could I meet Mr. Field in Los Angeles?”

Xia Xiaolan still wanted to learn more details directly from Ben Field.

Jim found it quite awkward: “Xia, after I traced the vase to Field as the seller, he became very frightened. When I went to Los Angeles again, he was already selling his house, and planning to move elsewhere with his family. I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to meet Field – it would frighten him more, and he wouldn’t see you.”

Grandmother Yu understood.

Normal people wanted to stay far away from such complicated matters. Ben Field feared involving himself and his family in trouble. He had already shared what he knew and didn’t want any further contact with them.

“Xiaolan, let it be. Don’t pressure others. I’m grateful to Mr. Field for saving Zhongyi. Confirming through him that Zhongyi is alive is enough for me.”

Having caused such a commotion in America, Grandmother Yu was now worried: Xiaolan would surely want to continue investigating, even if the costs exceeded the value of the Erqi Square building. Money and effort aside, how could personal safety be guaranteed?

This Ben Field was rushing to move just because a detective traced the vase to him.

The gang forces that harmed Zhongyi were very powerful. Grandmother Yu wasn’t worried about her own life but feared for Xia Xiaolan.

“Xiaolan, let me speak with you privately.”

Liu Fen was puzzled – what couldn’t she hear?

But Grandmother Yu’s authority prevailed, so Liu Fen left with Jim.

With just Xia Xiaolan and Grandmother Yu remaining, the elder had her sit down:

“Let’s end this here. Tomorrow we’ll leave San Francisco for New York. Take me and your mother to Ithaca for two days to see your Cornell University, then we’ll return to China!”

Xia Xiaolan’s heart tightened.

Sharp as she was, how could she not understand Grandmother Yu’s subtext?

It was hard to believe – finding the Xu family had been Grandmother Yu’s obsession for years. Now, just as they were closing in on the truth, Grandmother Yu chose to give up!

“You-“

“It’s exactly what you’re thinking. We can’t be too selfish. We haven’t found Zhongyi’s family but have dragged you and your mother into this. I’m already very grateful you’ve investigated this far for me. Zhongyi is alive – that’s what I most wanted to know, and I believe he’s still alive… But if he doesn’t dare return home to find me, how difficult must these years have been for him? Xiaolan, let’s stop here. I don’t want to endanger you all, nor do I want to find him only to harm him. He must have his reasons for hiding!”

Were the bad people still looking for Zhongyi?

Grandmother Yu thought it highly likely.

With all this commotion, the criminals knew they were searching for Zhongyi – were they just waiting for them to find him?

America’s public safety was too chaotic. In China, Grandmother Yu wouldn’t be afraid – neither Tang Hongen nor the Zhou family would let anything happen to Xia Xiaolan and her mother. In China, their safety was guaranteed. Gun control was strict there, with recent crackdowns making it much safer than San Francisco!

Xia Xiaolan hesitated: “Are you hoping that after Uncle Xu learns we’re looking for him, he’ll contact us secretly in a safer way?”

Leave San Francisco behind.

Show those gang members they’ve given up searching for Xu Zhongyi.

Once Liu Fen and Grandmother Yu returned to China, with Xia Xiaolan just a young college student, those people would lower their guard, perhaps watching her for a while before giving up.

Xia Xiaolan would stay in America for another half year. If Xu Zhongyi was truly alive, he’d appear eventually.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xia Xiaolan agreed Grandmother Yu’s approach was correct.

San Francisco had seen the exhumation, police investigation, TV and newspaper coverage – all eyes were focused here, like a volcanic crater brewing with hot magma.

One wrong move and the magma would erupt, hurting their people.

“I agree with your proposal in principle, but after we leave, I’ll still have Jim continue investigating. Uncle Xu brought more than one antique abroad. The vase in Ben Field’s possession entered the market by chance and was traced by Jim – what about the other antiques Uncle Xu brought? And since Uncle Xu gave Field the vase after recovering, it proves his situation wasn’t as bad as we thought. He had managed to keep at least some of his valuables.”

If he saved one vase, might he have saved other items?

Had he sold other pieces over the years?

Xia Xiaolan felt that tracing the antiques Xu Zhongyi brought abroad would lead to two possible outcomes:

Either finding the gang members who harmed Xu Zhongyi or finding Xu Zhongyi himself!

Grandmother Yu considered this before agreeing:

“You can investigate, but stay far away from Jim. Even if he’s discovered, others won’t find you!”

Xia Xiaolan nodded firmly.

“I’ll cut contact with Jim, have him temporarily leave San Francisco, and let others see clearly that we’ve exhausted our money and left San Francisco in disappointment!”

Xia Xiaolan followed through.

First, she downgraded their accommodation, moving from a good hotel to a poorer motel.

Then she reduced the reward for information from $10,000 to $2,000, staying in San Francisco until June 1st before leaving with apparent disappointment.

“No one is following us.”

Min Xiaoju relaxed completely.

After losing that homeless person, Min Xiaoju had become paranoid, seeing potential surveillance in everyone.

She wanted to set off firecrackers to celebrate leaving that haunted place called San Francisco!