บท 42: Liu She
บรรณาธิการ: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Feng Jin thought the situation was amusing, but for Jiang Pengji, it was something else.
Liu Lanting's mother was more fascinating than she had originally imagined.
Jiang Pengji was not the only one who thought so. The stream's viewers were creative with their theories.
Da Zhuangzhu Furen: "Could your mother be a time traveler too? She knew that Master Yuanjing would be famous, and she made some investments first. That's why she provided help in his time of need."
Wufa Wutian: "This theory is pretty broad. But if it were me, I would totally hit on Master Yuanjing…"
Bairi Zuomeng: "Can you not be this disgusting? We just heard the introduction. Master Yuanjing was 20 years old, and the host's mother was six or seven, right?"
Shitang Dafan Ayi: "Hahaha… Don't you think it's pretty cute to see a team with an older guy and a cute girl?"
Jiang Pengji read the comments and could not help but sympathize with Liu Lanting's father.
"Lanting, what do you think?" Feng Jin turned and faced Jiang Pengji.
"I'll have to wait for father to return and talk to him about it. I still can't make decisions on my own yet," Jiang Pengji replied tactfully.
Feng Jin did not try to force her. It was just a suggestion. If she decided not to go, he could not do anything about it.
Chanshiguan: "Will you go?"
Jiang Pengji knitted her eyebrows together and took a gulp of tea. An indescribable taste spread in her mouth, and she pursed her lips a little before setting the cup down.
Host V: "Of course I'm going. The north of Xinjiang is growing stronger, and I have no idea how long can Dongqing's peace last. It would be better if I prepared in advance."
Even if the audience had no idea what she had meant, based on Jiang Pengji's style, it was definitely something meaningful.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Hejian County, a simple carriage flew across the public road.
"Master, once we've passed this road, we will be in Hejian. With our current speed, we should be home in four hours."
A man, who was simply dressed and looked like a scholar, pushed aside the carriage's curtains and looked out. The cool wind was blowing in his face.
The man had bright eyes and strong eyebrows. He looked handsome, but he was unnaturally pale, though his cheeks had some redness to them. He had bags underneath his eyes. His blue outfit made him look thin and weak, as though a strong gust could blow him over. He gripped a letter in his hands, and his fingers were white. It was obvious that he was anxious.
When he had received the letter from home two days ago, he nearly fainted after reading it. When he finally calmed down, he ordered his guards to carry most of his belongings and to make their way back at their own pace. He and his housekeeper, however, packed lightly and rushed out on the public road. The journey would normally take five days, but he ordered his carriage to get home within a day and a half.
"I wonder if Lanting is safe… If anything were to happen to her, how could I face Ah Min?" He coughed.
Liu She released the curtain and coughed again, and his face went red with the exertion.
"Second Langjun is lucky, and the heavens will protect him," the housekeeper said. The housekeeper was Liu She's page boy before he was promoted. He understood the Liu family well.
Liu She dropped his head and looked at the letter that was crushed in his hands. He felt as if he had been at death's door when he received the unpleasant news.
He did not dare imagine what had happened to his daughter. But if Lanting were dead, he would probably follow in her footsteps.
Liu She had not brought anything with him except for his fatigue. Thankfully, the guard at the door was an old man who recognized him and let him in. If the house had changed the guards, he might have been mistaken for a poor beggar and been chased off.
Once Liu She stepped foot into the manor, he rushed to the stepmother's room. The room was filled with the stench of medicine, and he could not help but knit his eyebrows.
"Don't get up. You aren't well. Just lay down and talk," he said, stopping the second lady from attempting to sit up.
"Brother-in-law, shouldn't it have taken a few more days to get back?" The stepmother did not listen to him and sat up. She adjusted herself into a more comfortable position. "You're back early for Lanting?"
Liu She said, "I rushed back the moment I received the letter. How dare those bandits… How's Lanting?"
The stepmother shook her head and smiled wanly.
Her voice was consoling as she spoke. "You're always so calm and collected until it comes to Lanting. Have you seen any hint of a funeral? Of course our Lanting is well. Her teacher is sick, but we should not let that impede her studies. She has gone to school this morning. There is still an hour left before she's done with school."
Liu She thought about the trek in the house to the lady's room. The house was bleak and lonely, but there had not been a single white banner. He had not noticed that in his anxiety and worry. If Lanting were dead, the whole manor would have been in mourning.
"I was careless."
Liu She's frown finally smoothed out, his body relaxed, and he let out a small smile.
"But this time was really dangerous. Talk to her about how dangerous it was. Even if she has the smarts and guts... If she were careless, she might not have survived… And how would my sister rest in peace if that had happened?" the stepmother said worriedly.
Liu She hurriedly asked what had happened, and the stepmother repeated what she had heard from Jiang Pengji. The more he listened, the brighter the master's eyes got.
"I'll talk to Lanting when she gets back."
Liu She started to sound more cheerful, and he smiled a little bit more. No one would be able to tell that he had looked like a wax figure earlier, devoid of any emotion.
The stepmother noticed his change and clenched her fists. She suppressed the stabbing pain in her chest.
She studied his appearance before laughing. "Are you going to see Lanting with those dusty clothes and tired face?"
Liu She looked anxious, and the lady used a silk handkerchief to hide her mischievous smile. "You should go wash up before Lanting returns. She always said her father was handsome when he was younger and that he always got attention from the ladies when he left home… If she saw you like that…"
Liu She always lost to his sister-in-law's glib tongue. He let out a bitter laugh and said, "You're this sick… And instead of resting, you're joking? Alright, rest well. I'll return to the main house and clean up before Lanting gets home and is disappointed at my appearance."
The stepmother loosened her fists only when Liu She's silhouette was no longer within her sight.
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