Because the warehouse had a large iron gate with no glass, I couldn't see inside at all. There was a small window at the top of the warehouse, but it was too high for me to reach without a ladder.
My breath caught in my throat, and I instinctively pressed my ear against the iron gate, trying to discern any sounds coming from inside.
Perhaps the iron gate was too well sealed. Although I could hear the sounds inside, I couldn't make out what they were saying. I could only occasionally hear my mother's voice, but I couldn't understand what she was saying at all.
Who is it?
Who is Mom talking to?
It's just a little strange that I can only hear my mother's voice, but I can't hear anyone else's voice.
After listening for a while, I still couldn't make out what my mother was saying, and she wasn't talking continuously; it was intermittent, and there were no other sounds besides that.
Feeling that it was about time, I quickly stepped back and closed the door again.
Lying in bed, my heart was still pounding. I couldn't calm myself down. It seems I really can't do anything bad.
After calming down for a long time, I finally quieted down and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day at noon after school, Da Guo and I got together again. I told Da Guo about what happened the night before, and Da Guo couldn't help but sigh.
"You go study first, I'm going out for a bit, I'll talk to you again tonight..." Da Guo said to me after a moment of thought, as if he had also realized the seriousness of the matter.
My mother was alone in the warehouse, but she was talking in fits and starts, which was completely inexplicable.
"Here... this is for you..." When school ended that evening, Da Guo handed me a piece of clay-like material.
"What is this?" I couldn't help but ask.
"This is putty. When your mother isn't looking, find a chance to imprint the key to your family's warehouse on this. Make sure to imprint it on both sides…" Da Guo said with a serious face.
"You want... to have a key made?" I couldn't help but raise my voice at this point.
"Keep your voice down, are you trying to get yourself killed... This is the only way right now..." Da Guo said after quickly glancing around.
We rode our bikes home, but my heart was restless. Using this clay to imprint the key's mark was the only way at the moment.
When I got home, my mother made me dinner, but this time she didn't go to the storeroom. Instead, she stayed with me until the end of the meal, and then we started tidying up.
Strange, isn't Mom going to the warehouse today?
Thinking about it carefully, it seems that Mom really didn't go to the warehouse every night; she just went there more often than she didn't.
Because of past examples, I dared not ask further questions.
After dinner, I did my homework while my mother cleaned up the dishes and did housework in the kitchen.
I took out the clay that Da Guo had given me from my bag. My palms were sweating with nervousness, but driven by curiosity, I became much bolder, especially after eavesdropping last night, which helped me get used to it a bit.
But where did Mom put the key?
The warehouse key wasn't kept with the house key. Mom usually keeps the house key on the cabinet and only takes it out when she goes out.
Meanwhile, Mom is busy in the kitchen wearing pajamas. Could her key be hidden in her clothes?
My palms were sweating with nervousness. I listened to the sounds coming from the kitchen, but I didn't dare to move.
If the key is in my mom's clothes, I need to go to her bedroom, but she's in the kitchen right now. To get into her bedroom, I have to go through the hallway, and she'll definitely find me. I'm so nervous that I can't even finish my homework.
But at this moment, it was truly a stroke of luck. After a while, my mother actually went into the bathroom, and then I heard the sound of her washing clothes.
Although my family lives in a single-story house, it has an indoor bathroom with running water.
Washing clothes should take some time, and the sound of washing clothes can help me cover it up.
At that moment, I don't know where I got the courage, but I got up, walked down the corridor, and went into my mother's bedroom.
Fortunately, the door to my mother's bedroom was open and was always open for ventilation, so there was no noise when I went in.
As soon as I entered my mother's bedroom, I was greeted by a pleasant fragrance. My mother's bedroom was very clean, and everything was tidy and organized.
But I didn't have time to think about any of that. My mother's clothes and pants were hanging on the clothes rack by the bed. I quickly reached into my mother's pockets and rummaged through them, while glancing towards the door.
If my mother comes out of the bathroom at this moment, it will be too late for me to run back to my bedroom.
Finally, I found a key in my mother's pocket. Regardless of whether it was real or not, I pressed both sides of the key onto the clay. My hands were trembling at that moment.
After I finished everything, I quickly went back to my bedroom and put the modeling clay in my backpack.
My breathing remained erratic for a long time, because I had just entered the bedroom when my mother came out of the bathroom right at the right time.
Surprisingly, Mom didn't go to the warehouse tonight. After returning, she went into my bedroom to check, and then went back to her own bedroom.
The night was very quiet. After finishing my homework, I lay down on the bed to rest, but I could faintly hear my mother talking in the next bedroom, and it sounded like she was sending a voice message on WeChat.
My mother is almost always on her phone, and she even uses WeChat while eating, but I've never seen her actually chatting about anything.
By noon the next day, Da Guo took the clay out and returned shortly after. He then gestured to me with the newly made key in his hand.
Actually, I had no idea whether this key was the warehouse key or not, but since it was in my mother's pocket, it probably was.
"What should we do next?" I couldn't help but ask as I looked at the key that Da Guo handed me.
"Tomorrow is the weekend. Didn't you say your mom goes to town during the day on weekends? Then we can…" Da Guo said, looking at the keys in my hand.
"But my mother doesn't go to the street every week…" I said with some concern.
"We'll see. You can call me when the time comes..." Da Guo said, pointing to the phone I was holding.
Students are prohibited from carrying smartphones at school, but there are some special circumstances. For example, Da Guo and I are both from single-parent families, and the school made an exception and allowed us to carry smartphones after our mothers applied for permission.
The next day, which happened to be Saturday, after having breakfast with my mother, she really went out.
Firstly, she was buying things for the family, and secondly, my mother was going to get her hair done. She was going to take me with her, but I refused.
At that moment, I felt both surprised and worried. I was surprised that my mother was out, which would give Da Guo and me a chance to go and check out the warehouse.
What I'm worried about is seeing a scene I don't want to face, and also the fact that the key in my hand isn't the key to the warehouse.
After my mother left, I called Daguo, only to find out he was at an internet cafe.
To be honest, I've hardly ever been to an internet cafe. We do have a computer at home, but it's for my mom, and it's in her bedroom.
The computer has a screen lock, and I don't know the password. My mom won't let me touch it.
"Here he comes..." After waiting for a while, Da Guo finally arrived at my door on his bicycle.
"If you don't come soon, my mom will be back in a bit..." I said to this guy in a rather irritable tone.
"What's the rush... Have you tried this key? Is it the key to your storage room?" Da Guo walked into the yard and said to me.
"I haven't tried it yet..." I said nervously.
"Coward…" Da Guo patted my shoulder and said. In terms of courage, I am indeed not as good as Da Guo.
Da Guo led me directly into his house, and then headed towards the back of the house. He walked very quickly, without the slightest sign of nervousness or hesitation, which was in stark contrast to my own nervousness and fear at the time.
"The key…" As we reached the warehouse door, Da Guo turned around and reached out his hand to me.
I handed the key to Da Guo, but at the same time I couldn't help but feel nervous. What if this key wasn't for the warehouse?
"Click..." Da Guo inserted the key into the lock cylinder, and with a slight twist, he heard the sound of the bolt being pulled open.
The tiny sound made my body jolt open, and sure enough, it was the key.
"Creak..." After unlocking the door, Da Guo calmly opened the iron door of the warehouse. Instantly, everything inside the warehouse came into our view. Since my family moved here, this was the first time I had entered this warehouse and seen the scene inside.
The scene inside the warehouse was quite ordinary, seemingly without any abnormalities...
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