Chapter Forty-Two: Vanished

Time passed swiftly, and before she knew it, dusk had descended.

That day, Lu Ying wrote only a few words and felt too lazy to go out and sell them. Resting her chin beneath the banyan tree, she sat quietly, lost in thought.

She did not know how much time had slipped by until she heard her brother calling. Lu Ying hurriedly opened the door, following behind Lu Yun, who was hopping with sweat streaming down his face. She asked, “Ah Yun, are you happy today?”

Lu Yun replied with a simple “Mm.”

“And why are you happy?”

He glanced at his sister, puzzled, and said, “Just happy, that’s all.”

So everything seemed normal; no one had meddled with him. After all, who was she? Merely a fallen beauty of modest charm. That nobleman had seen countless beauties; his words were nothing but a fleeting whim. As long as the Ping family withdrew, the rest posed no threat.

The boy played at home like a flea for a while, then ran out again. When he returned at dusk, a hint of seriousness clouded his expression.

Approaching Lu Ying, who was busy cooking, Lu Yun asked in a muffled tone, “Sister, did you turn away our third aunt yesterday?”

Lu Ying glanced at him, then turned back. “Yes.”

“I heard she was furious and said she’d ruin my prospects... Sister, don’t mind her, and don’t be afraid.”

Lu Ying caught the aroma of the rice, set down the firewood, and went to the stove to serve it. “I’m not afraid.” She smiled and said, “The people from the Ping family dare not offend me now. If things turn for the worse, we can move to Chengdu. As for being recommended for filial piety, reputation and public opinion matter, but as long as it’s not something recent, I’ll have ways to make everyone speak well of you.”

Lowering her gaze, Lu Ying continued calmly, “They say to be recommended for filial piety, your conduct must be spotless, but that’s to fool simple minds... Everything in this world can be achieved through clever means.”

“Huh?”

Lu Yun stared wide-eyed at his sister, dumbfounded. He had studied the classics since childhood, and never before heard such heretical words!

Lu Ying turned, glanced at the silly boy, curled her lips into a smile, and whispered, “Foolish Ah Yun, come, hurry and eat.”

“Oh? Alright.”

That night passed dreamlessly.

The next day, Lu Yun went to school as usual, while Lu Ying buried herself in her scrolls. Compared to the liveliness of the previous day, this one was particularly quiet. Only when she went out or came in did she catch a few curious glances.

Dusk came.

As usual, Lu Ying carried twenty or so bamboo slips to wait outside Lu Yun’s school. Before long, the boys rushed out in a lively crowd.

Seeing the gleeful youths pouring out, Lu Ying quickly raised her head, watching them intently.

By now, Lu Ying herself had become a part of the scenery at the school—not only for her beauty, but also for her reputation. First she had performed brilliantly in the Qiu case, then dissolved her marriage with her husband’s family; the young woman was constantly a topic of conversation. In these times, so starved for entertainment, Lu Ying had unwittingly become a local celebrity.

She skimmed past the boys who glanced at her, searching for the one she knew best, until she was surrounded by students eager to buy her writing.

Now, her work was always in high demand. There were others selling words, but none offered explanations as precise or detailed as hers.

In moments, the twenty slips were gone, but Lu Yun had yet to appear.

Lu Ying frowned. Then she spotted a student who studied with Lu Yun. She hurried over and called, “Sir.”

The boy, dark-skinned and small-eyed, turned to face her. Meeting her beautiful gaze, he blushed.

Lu Ying took a step forward. “May I ask, have you seen my brother, Lu Yun? Why hasn’t he come out?”

“Lu Yun? Didn’t he leave an hour early today? I heard him tell the teacher he had some urgent matter.”

Urgent matter? Left early?

Suddenly, Lu Ying’s face went pale.

Noticing her change, the boy asked uneasily, “Miss Lu, are you alright?”

Lu Ying shook her head and answered softly, “It’s nothing.” After thinking for a moment, she looked up. “Is the teacher still here?”

“He just left.”

“What exactly did Ah Yun say at the time?”

“Nothing much. He just told the teacher he had an urgent matter.”

“Did anyone come looking for him?”

The boy pondered for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t know, but I don’t think so.”

Suppressing the surge of unease in her heart, Lu Ying questioned several other students who studied with Lu Yun, but all of them knew nothing further. Gripping her basket, she strode toward the Ping family estate.

Barely ten steps in, she stopped.

...No, it shouldn’t be the Ping family. They still hoped she would help them curry favor with the nobleman; they wouldn’t dare do anything to make her resent them!

Lu Ying lowered her head, thinking it over and over. Just then, a familiar voice called, “Ah Ying.”

Compared to any other time, this voice was especially cautious—it was Zeng Lang.

Lu Ying turned around.

Zeng Lang had already stepped down from his donkey cart and walked quickly to her, speaking gently, “Ah Ying, you...” Hesitating, he glanced around her, “Hey, where’s Ah Yun? Didn’t he come home with you?”

Lu Ying raised her eyes, looking at Zeng Lang. She spoke slowly, “Ah Yun is missing.”

“What?” Zeng Lang was shocked, but quickly his eyes brightened as he gazed at Lu Ying, his voice soft and comforting. “Ah Ying, don’t worry. Tell me everything, and I’ll send people to help you search.” As he spoke, he reached out to touch her shoulder.

At that moment, joy swelled in Zeng Lang’s heart: this was an opportunity, a chance heaven had granted him to approach Ah Ying. If handled well, perhaps she would return to him.

While Zeng Lang was thinking this, Lu Ying lifted her gaze to glance at him, then lowered her eyes and said, “Sir Zeng, do you know where the nobleman from Luoyang is staying?”

She was asking about the nobleman from Luoyang! Suddenly, it was as if a cold bucket of water had been poured over Zeng Lang. He suppressed his displeasure and asked softly, “Ah Ying, why do you want to know about him?” That nobleman was interested in Lu Ying now, but someone of his status had seen every beauty there was. Maybe today he mentioned her, but tomorrow she would be forgotten. Zeng Lang certainly didn’t want Lu Ying to present herself to the nobleman at such a critical moment.