Chapter 114

Chapter 114

"Yes, Young Master." The elder replied respectfully.

"Are you sure there's no mistake?" The young master asked again, still uneasy.

"Absolutely certain." The elder affirmed, "Though her attire is vastly different from that day and her face has matured somewhat, I would never mistake those lively eyes. And that unwillingness to be taken advantage of is exactly the same as the young lady from that day."

"Indeed, she won't suffer losses."

Confirming that Lu Wanxiao was the person he was looking for, the young master raised a hand and instructed those in the shadows, "Go investigate where she lives now and what her current situation is."

"Yes, Young Master." Seeing that his master seemed to have more to say, the hidden figure did not leave immediately.

Sure enough, after a moment, the young master unhurriedly added, "Report back immediately once you have clear information. Do not act rashly."

Finally, he added, "If you're discovered, you need not return."

"Understood."

After the hidden figure left, the young master turned and went downstairs.

The elder followed, and after leaving the tea house, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Young Master, is that young lady the one we're looking for?"

"Nine times out of ten." The young master said, then quickened his pace and departed.

****

Meanwhile, Lu Wanxiao returned to Biren Creek and saw Song Changting seemingly ready to go out. He was wearing a human skin mask and not in his wheelchair. Thinking something had happened, she walked over and asked, "What's wrong?"

Song Changting’s legs still couldn’t recover in front of outsiders, and he had been busy studying the account books taken from Luo Minghui these past few days. He wouldn’t go out unless it was important.

Moreover, the streets had been unsettled lately, crawling with Luo Minghui’s dogs—hardly a good time to go out.

Seeing Lu Wanxiao, Song Changting breathed a sigh of relief. "You were gone so long; I thought something had happened to you." He pulled her into his arms, as if only then feeling at ease.

"So you were about to come looking for me?" Lu Wanxiao felt warmth in her heart. Looking up at his handsome, refined face, still bearing traces of tension, she comforted him softly:

"Changting, you really don't need to be so worried. I just went out to buy medicine. You know my skills, and it’s broad daylight. I won’t be in danger."

Song Changting tightened his arms around her and sighed softly, "I know."

Even a tiger dozes; even the most skilled can make mistakes. With the chaos outside now, she was his wife—how could he not worry, how could he not be tense?

He was no longer the Song Changting from months ago who couldn’t even walk. His feet had healed, and he had learned self-defense. She had been gone a long time; as her husband, it was natural for him to go find her himself.

Otherwise, how could he be at ease, how could he feel secure?

"Relax." Lu Wanxiao knew he was worried about her and hugged him back. "I really will be fine. Don’t forget, I still have Hua Hua. If I ever face danger I can’t handle..."

How could Song Changting not know? He was simply caring too much—anxiety clouded his judgment.

And also, afraid of what-ifs!

Song Changting kissed her forehead, didn’t respond to that, took the medicine from her hand, and led her back.

"Why did you take so long? Was the herb hard to buy?" Song Changting asked.

"No, I ran into a stray dog on the way back and got delayed." Lu Wanxiao shook her head with a smile and briefly told Song Changting what had happened.

After hearing it, a cold gleam flashed in Song Changting’s eyes. "Damn it!"

"Alright, don’t be angry." Song Changting rarely showed such emotion. Lu Wanxiao reached up and peeled off his human skin mask, then stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

"I’ve already crippled his hands. His days won’t be easy from now on."

Having said that, she snatched the medicine bag from his hand and quickly ran back into the room.

"It’s still early. I’ll go process the herbs."

Watching Lu Wanxiao’s swiftly retreating figure, Song Changting touched the spot where she had kissed him. The corners of his mouth lifted into a beautiful curve, and tenderness spread across his brow.

But soon, as the door of their house "banged" shut and his view was blocked, Song Changting’s face resumed its cold, aloof expression.

"Cang Wu."

"Master." Cang Wu emerged from a corner.

"Find out which officer stopped Madam on the road today. Before dawn tomorrow, send him to see Luo Shao."

Since he doesn’t know how to behave, then let him stop behaving!

Words that demanded a life were spoken in such a flat tone, as if he were ordering someone to buy a head of cabbage.

Cang Wu felt a slight shock. He cupped his fists and respectfully replied, "Yes."

"Leave."

"Yes."

After Cang Wu withdrew, Song Changting walked to the table in the courtyard and sat down, taking out a chessboard placed underneath.

He held black stones in his left hand and white stones in his right, playing chess against himself...

After a moment, seven or eight stones of each color had been placed.

Suddenly, Song Changting’s hand paused mid-move. He turned his head to look behind him. "Since you’re here, why not come and play a game with me?"

"Quite alert." A young man in fine clothes leaped down from the wall, walked over to sit opposite Song Changting, picked up a black stone, and casually placed it on the board.

Between Song Changting’s fingers lay a silver-white stone. He raised his eyes to look at the man across from him. "Isn’t it that you deliberately let me discover you?"

As he spoke, he set down his stone—white against black, creating a stark contrast that highlighted his slender, fair, and well-defined fingers.

The young man picked up a black stone, flicked it lightly, and it landed on the board. "Are you really Song Changting?"

From what he had investigated, Song Changting was just an ordinary rural scholar with some talent. He would have passed the imperial exam without issue, but Luo Minghui and his son, out of selfishness, had crippled one of his legs, ruining his future and his life, and shattering his family...

But this man before him—aside from looking like the portrait he had seen—seemed to be an entirely different person.

His bearing, his eyes, his speech and manner, his alertness—none of it resembled someone raised in an ordinary farming family.

And his leg, which doctors had declared beyond healing, was now whole and sound...

"Whether I am or not, doesn’t Young Master already have an answer in his heart?" Song Changting replied with a counter-question, his voice cool as water, betraying no emotion. "Otherwise, why would you be sitting here playing chess with me?"

"Interesting." The young man laughed heartily, picked up a chess piece, and twirled it in his hand.

Song Changting placed his stone down, picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it over. "May I ask what brings Master Duan here?"