Chapter 29: Truly, life is a play, testing our acting skills at every turn!

Chapter 29: Truly, life is a play, testing our acting skills at every turn!

In modern society, where security is so good, parents are frantic when a child goes missing, let alone in an ancient feudal society.

Seeing the Lady of Nanling dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, Tang Shuyi inquired, "When did you notice he was missing?"

The Lady of Nanling sighed, "Three days ago, after his father reprimanded him, the next day he was gone. It seems he sneaked out that night."

Tang Shuyi pondered for a moment. Three nights ago was when she had planned to have a heart-to-heart with Xiao Yuming. She had noticed his restlessness, as if he couldn't sit still, but she thought it was just his temperament and didn't think much of it.

So, Yan Wu had run away from home. Was Xiao Yuming involved?

At that moment, the Lady of Nanling said, "Is your Yuming here? If he is, I’d like to ask him a few questions."

Tang Shuyi estimated the time; Xiao Yuming should have finished school by now. But a student who often slacks off might not return home right after school. She then instructed Cui Zhu, who stood behind her, "Go to the front courtyard and see if Yuming is there. If not, find him quickly."

Cui Zhu, having received her orders, lifted the curtain and headed toward the front courtyard. Xiao Yuming’s quarters were called Yi Ran Ju. Reaching its entrance, Cui Zhu encountered Yantai, Xiao Yuming's personal attendant, hurriedly exiting with a bundle in his arms.

Spotting him, Cui Zhu asked, "Yantai, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

Yantai, upon seeing Cui Zhu, stopped in his tracks, his face tense and words stumbling, "No... nothing. Just stepping out for a bit."

After speaking, he scurried away in a fluster.

Cui Zhu watched his retreating figure intently, then turned to enter the courtyard, where she saw Xiao Yuming crouching down, amusing himself with crickets, with his other attendant, Shimo, by his side.

She approached, performed a respectful bow, and said, "Second Young Master, the madam requests your presence."

Xiao Yuming, holding a cricket grass in his hand, tilted his head to look at Cui Zhu, "Is it time for dinner?"

Cui Zhu replied, "...No, the Lady of Nanling has arrived and wishes to see you."

Upon hearing 'the Lady of Nanling', Xiao Yuming pursed his lips, tossed the cricket grass on the ground, dusted off his hands, and said, "Alright, let's go."

Cui Zhu surmised that Xiao Yuming must know the inside story of the fifth young master of Nanling's disappearance. But being a maid, it wasn’t her place to ask more, so she silently accompanied Xiao Yuming back to Shi An Yuan. Reaching the entrance of the hall, she lifted the curtain for Xiao Yuming to enter, following closely behind.

Xiao Yuming entered the room, first paying respects to his mother before turning to Lady Nanling, "Greetings, Aunt Yan."

Lady Nanling rose, clutching Xiao Yuming's arm, her eyes filled with earnest concern as she asked, "Yuming, you and Little Wu are always together, do you know where he's gone?"

"Aunt, I truly have no clue!" Xiao Yuming lied with an unwavering face. But upon hearing his words, tears started rolling down Lady Nanling's cheeks, and with a mournful tone, she lamented, "Even you don't know... he's certainly untraceable now. He's taking my life with him... I might as well be dead..."

Lady Nanling, overwhelmed with emotion, gasped for breath and suddenly fainted.

Xiao Yuming quickly supported her, and Tang Shuyi also hurried to help. Tang Shuyi felt a tight grip on her arm and looked down to see Lady Nanling clutching it firmly. Glancing at Lady Nanling's face, she noticed her eyelashes trembling.

Tang Shuyi fell silent for a moment, thinking, "Life really is like a play, constantly testing our acting skills!"

But if she was expected to play along, a heads-up would have been appreciated!

After a moment to gather her emotions, Tang Shuyi looked up with tears in her eyes. Holding Lady Nanling's hand, she said, "Why would you think so negatively? If we can't find him, we'll just keep searching."

Lady Nanling kept her eyes tightly shut, showing no signs of awakening.

Tang Shuyi wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, then turned to Xiao Yuming with a stern gaze, "Human life is precious. Do you really not know where Yan Wu is?"

Xiao Yuming had never encountered such a scenario. Though Yan Wu had complained to him about his mother feigning chest pain and fainting spells, he was facing it for the first time and was uncertain whether Lady Nanling was truly unconscious or pretending.

He stammered, "I... I don't know where Yan Wu is."

Just as he finished speaking, he saw his mother suddenly reach out and grab his collar, her voice sharp and cold, "Xiao Yuming, think carefully before you speak. Do you really want to be responsible for someone's death?"

Xiao Yuming thought, 'How did it become my fault?'

Although he was internally grumbling, the severe look in his mother's eyes and Lady Nanling's seemingly dying state left him as flustered as wild grass in the wind, unsure of what to do.

Then he heard his mother's stern shout, "Speak now!"

Her sharp cry made Xiao Yuming's heart clench, and he blurted out involuntarily, "He's... at our Mei Hua Alley residence."

As soon as he spoke, Lady Nanling's eyes snapped open, and she stood up straight, her face twisted into a cold sneer, nowhere near the brink of death she had just been.

Realizing he had been tricked, Xiao Yuming quickly turned and yelled toward the door, "Shimo, hurry and go report..."

But before he could finish, Tang Shuyi's stern voice rang out in the room, "Stop him."

Outside, Shi Mo heard the young master's voice and started to run, but just as he lifted his foot, Madam Hou's voice came through. Then, several robust maids surrounded him in a flurry.

He could only squat on the ground and wail, "Young master, I can't get out!"

Inside the room, Xiao Yuming stood in anger and despair, while his two mothers conversed with smiling faces:

Lady Nanling: "I'm truly grateful for your help today."

Tang Shuyi: "Please, there's no need for thanks. It's all for the sake of the children, as it should be."

Lady Nanling: "Alas, having such a disaster of a child, I could lose years off my life."

Tang Shuyi: "The child is still young; with time and teaching, he'll improve. I'll accompany you to Meihua Lane right now."

Lady Nanling: "That would be truly appreciated."

As the two mothers got up to leave, they passed by Xiao Yuming. Tang Shuyi said, "Come with us."

Xiao Yuming clenched his fists, then followed the two mothers to Meihua Lane. Yan Wu would surely blame him for this, but he had no choice. Their mothers were too cunning.

Once they reached Meihua Lane, Tang Shuyi looked at the locked gate and called back to Xiao Yuming, who stood far behind, "You open the gate."

He must have the key; how else could he have hidden Yan Wu here? But where did he get this key from?

Xiao Yuming wanted to say he didn't have the key, but since he had managed to hide someone inside, he surely knew how to open the lock. Now that everything was exposed, there was no point in hiding the trivial details.

He walked to the door with his head lowered, reached his right hand into his left sleeve, and fumbled around for two pieces of wire. He inserted the wires into the keyhole and after some fiddling... the lock opened.

Tang Shuyi watched his adept lock-picking, took a deep breath in silence, and thought to herself. He was skilled in sneaking and lock-picking; was there anything he couldn't do?

However, with outsiders present, everyone had their pride. They would settle this matter back home.