Chapter 308: Disappearance

Chapter 308: Disappearance

Wei Sanniang, seeing that Xingxing had not returned for a long time, had already become restless and sent Jiang Mengniang out to look for her.

Jiang Mengniang had just looked around but couldn't find her, so she thought to come back and see if Xingxing had returned, which was almost at the same time as Xingxing's return.

Seeing Xingxing return, Wei Sanniang quickly grabbed her, relieved to see her, and looked her up and down: "...You scared me, you were gone for so long, I thought something had happened to you."

Xingxing hurriedly apologized, feeling very guilty: "Third Aunt, Cousin-in-law, I'm sorry, I saw a weasel chasing a kitten in the garden and wanted to help chase the weasel away... I made you worry about me."

Wei Sanniang's face was full of affection: "It's good that you're safe, that's all that matters."

Jiang Mengniang also smiled and wiped the sweat from Xingxing's forehead with a handkerchief: "It's alright, look at you, all out of breath... Would you like to eat some more?"

Xingxing touched her stomach; she was feeling a bit hungry again!

The atmosphere here was harmonious as they ate, but Li Lanzhu, sitting two tables away, was growing restless.

She came over to ask Xingxing: "Did you see Wang Qianer outside just now?"

Xingxing shook her head: "No, why?"

Li Lanzhu was a bit anxious: "...She's been gone for a while and hasn't returned, I don't know where she went."

This time, Wang Qianer had begged Li Lanzhu, saying that since they shared the same surname, she had never been to the Wang family in Huibei Alley. She heard their garden was nice and wanted to see it.

Li Lanzhu, always generous with her friends, agreed to bring Wang Qianer to the Wang family.

However, the invitation in Li Lanzhu's hand only had her name on it, so she didn't bring a maid, only Wang Qianer.

Earlier, Wang Qianer said she needed to use the restroom and hadn't returned since.

Xingxing thought for a moment and comforted her: "Maybe she got held up like I did. Don't worry, Sister Li... If necessary, you can walk around the garden and see if you can find her."

Li Lanzhu nodded randomly and left the table.

However, by the end of the banquet, Xingxing still hadn't seen Li Lanzhu or Wang Qianer return.

Madam Wang reappeared, smiling charmingly, looking very alluring, saying she had specially invited a famous actor from the city to perform at the mansion for everyone's entertainment after the banquet.

Indeed, most of the ladies were very interested and showed delighted expressions.

This was a hit with the elderly, and Wei Sanniang enthusiastically took Jiang Mengniang and Xingxing to find a good spot to watch the opera.

Xingxing also enjoyed listening to opera. She glanced at Madam Wang, who was chatting and laughing with other ladies, and thought to herself, she wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Madam Wang's smile didn't seem genuine, it was too superficial.

Oh well, Xingxing thought, it's none of my business, she's not part of the Wang family anyway.

Madam Wang and her nephew can do as they please!

Listening to the opera was more important.

Xingxing was about to happily sit down with Wei Sanniang when she saw Li Lanzhu coming over with a worried look, asking again: "Did you see Wang Qianer?"

Xingxing shook her head again.

Li Lanzhu looked like she had been searching for a long time, with beads of sweat on her forehead.

She stamped her foot in frustration: "Where has that girl gone to!"

After saying that, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief and was determined to keep searching.

Xingxing thought for a moment and said to Wei Sanniang, "Third Aunt, you and Cousin-in-law can enjoy the opera. I'll take Huya to help Sister Li with the search."

Last time, when Si Ge'er accidentally bumped into Wang Qianer and broke a porcelain bowl, Li Lanzhu stood up for her and spoke fairly. Xingxing was still grateful for that.

Wei Sanniang and Jiang Mengniang gave Xingxing a few instructions before letting her leave with Huya.

Li Lanzhu's eyes sparkled with tears, feeling a bit moved.

"You're not great, but you're not too bad either, just barely acceptable," Li Lanzhu reluctantly gave Xingxing a compliment.

Xingxing smiled slightly, not taking Li Lanzhu's words to heart, "Well, thank you, sister."

Xingxing took Huya and went with Li Lanzhu to search for Wang Qianer in the garden.

As Li Lanzhu searched, she couldn't find any sign of Wang Qianer. After worrying, her temper flared up, "...Where on earth has Wang Qianer gone! We've searched the whole garden! Not even a piece of her clothing is in sight!"

Xingxing was also confused.

Where could she be?

How could someone just vanish without a trace?

Huya suddenly thought of something and whispered to Xingxing, "Young Mistress, there's one place we haven't checked yet."

After a pause, Huya let out a meow.

Li Lanzhu was startled and gave Huya a strange look.

A maid, why would she suddenly meow like a cat?

But Xingxing immediately understood.

Oh right, there's that remote courtyard we haven't looked at yet.

But... Wasn't Madam Wang with her husband's nephew at that place...

But since Madam Wang has already returned, the nephew must have left too, right?

Xingxing was hesitant.

But Li Lanzhu grew anxious, "What do you mean? What are you two getting at?"

Xingxing made up her mind, took Li Lanzhu's hand, and said, "Sister Li."

Li Lanzhu's face immediately turned red, her lips moving but no words coming out, clearly very flustered.

Finally, Li Lanzhu managed to muster her courage, though her words came out weakly, "...Just say what you have to say!"

Xingxing said, "There's a pretty remote courtyard that looks abandoned. I accidentally wandered there once while chasing a kitten. I'm afraid Wang Qianer might have gotten lost there too."

Hearing this, Li Lanzhu urgently said, "Then let's hurry over. If there's any problem, I'll talk to Auntie."

Only then did Xingxing realize that Li Lanzhu was also related to the Wang family, calling Madam Wang her aunt.

Xingxing, Huya, and Li Lanzhu, the three of them headed towards the remote courtyard.

As they neared the dilapidated and remote courtyard, they saw an elderly servant with graying hair sweeping up fallen leaves in the courtyard.

There was no one else in the courtyard.

Li Lanzhu quickly asked the old servant if he had seen a young girl wearing a light purple dress.

The old servant let out an "Ah," as if recalling something, and gestured, "Did she have an osmanthus hairpin on her head, right here?"

Li Lanzhu's eyes lit up: "That's her! You saw her? Where did she go?"

Wang Qianer indeed wore an osmanthus hairpin.

The old servant said, "I saw a girl like that just now while working at the mansion gate. The girl seemed to be in a hurry and hurried out of the mansion."

Li Lanzhu was stunned: "She left?"

She was in disbelief: "I've been looking for her like crazy, and she left?"

The old servant said, "I'm old, my eyes aren't what they used to be, I can't be sure. Maybe the young mistress should check with the doorkeeper."

Li Lanzhu didn't care about anything else and ran towards the doorkeeper.

Xingxing hurried after her with Huya.