Chapter 5: Beware of Old Man Lu

When Liu Jinyi’s small courtyard finally fell quiet, Lu Shijiu seemed to have been forgotten by everyone. From start to finish, not a single person from the Lu family had cast so much as a glance in her direction.

Because little Liu Niu had yet to wake up, his mother remained at Liu Jinyi’s place, too worried to leave. Madam Liu and the couple Wang Dayi and his wife also stayed behind to offer comfort.

"Father, you’re back!" the thirteen-year-old boy exclaimed, his eyes shining brightly as he trotted over to greet his father.

"Hmm. Are you the little rascal who reported this to the authorities?" Wang Dayi glanced at his son. He had already learned from his wife that this brat had been quite capable today.

Stone neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, his eyes, bright as lanterns, remained fixed on his father. "Father, you’ll never guess what I found in the Lu family’s cellar."

"Don't tell me there were other children?"

"No! Father, it’s beyond anything you could imagine. Their cellar is huge, with tunnels leading in all directions."

Liu Niu’s mother, who had some impression of the Lu family’s cellar, added, "Their cellar is indeed dug deeper than others. It’s square and larger than the average family's, but surely it’s not connected to everything?"

"Oh, it is. There are several exits and compartments inside. Auntie, you wouldn't know—when you were there, those openings were all covered with corn stalks and sorghum stalks."

Liu Niu’s mother gasped in horror. "Why would they dig such a strange cellar?"

Stone shrugged. "What else? To make it easier to hide the children they’ve kidnapped!"

"What did you say?" Madam Liu cried out. "Those heartless devils! If I hadn't come here to make a scene and draw the Lu family out, then..."

Liu Niu’s mother’s face turned deathly pale. "Then we might never have found Niu!"

"Right. I figured this wasn't their first time kidnapping children, so I just took Third Master’s ox cart and went straight to the county magistrate to report it."

Clutching Madam Liu’s arm tightly, Niu’s mother asked anxiously, "Sister-in-law, when Old Man Lu and his lot were taken away, they didn't look flustered at all. Could it be that they really have connections with the magistrate? If so, what will happen to Niu? And what about the other children in the village?"

"Auntie, don't you worry! I made sure to ask around before I reported them. The current magistrate is an upright official who stands up for the people; he’s solved several major cases in less than two months. If the commoners have grievances, they can just go and report them. When I went, he didn't dismiss me for being a child; instead, he asked me several questions in great detail."

Madam Liu slapped Stone on the forehead. "You reckless child! Is the county magistrate someone you can just go see? What if you had offended him and ended up in jail? What would we have done then? Couldn't you have found an adult to report it?"

"Mother, I’m thirteen! Stop hitting my head!" Stone grumbled, looking thoroughly disgruntled.

"If you act so recklessly again without knowing your place, I’ll break your legs!" Madam Liu poked his forehead viciously.

Stone hurriedly jumped behind his father and poked his head out. "Father, just tell me! Did I do the right thing this time?"

Wang Dayi nodded. "It wasn't entirely rash. You used your head."

"Oh, go ahead and spoil him! He’ll bring the sky down on us sooner or later!" Madam Liu glared at her husband in frustration.

"Hui-niang, Stone is thirteen now. We can't treat him like a seven or eight-year-old anymore."

"I don't care what he does otherwise, but to act so recklessly on such a serious matter..." Madam Liu turned her head away, refusing to acknowledge the father and son.

"Mother, I thought about it many times before I decided. I wasn't just acting on impulse," Stone explained weakly.

"Come here," Wang Dayi said, pointing to the space on his right. "How did you know Niu was in the Lu family’s cellar?"

Stone gestured toward the bed where Lu Shijiu lay. "She told me! It was her idea to ask Mother to go and make a scene at Grandpa Liu’s place. She even wanted me to have the village head send people to search their cellar, but I figured it would be safer if our own people handled it, so I only had someone tell the village head that there was a disturbance."

Wang Dayi’s lips curled upward involuntarily. Seeing his son staring at him expectantly, he gave a quick, forced cough to cover it up and asked with feigned seriousness, "So you only discovered there was something strange about their cellar because of that little Lu girl?"

Stone grinned. "Exactly! I was wondering why it would be so troublesome to save Niu. Thankfully, I listened to her."

"Stone is becoming more methodical. If you hadn't been so sharp today, the Lu family might not have been brought to justice so easily," even the cool and detached Liu Jinyi couldn't help but praise him.

"Uncle Liu, I fear the matter of the Lu family is not simple," Wang Dayi said, pouring a cup of tea for Liu Jinyi now that he had finished his work.

Liu Jinyi drank the tea in one gulp, his expression stalling at these words. "Indeed. I fear there is more trouble to come."

"Tell me, how did everyone allow their family to settle in Wangjiadai in the first place?" Wang Dayi asked.

"They must have paid a bribe to get the heads of the three great clans to agree," Liu Jinyi said, pouring himself another cup and downing it again.

"That family is like a troublemaker’s stick. Aside from Old Man Lu, the men are unreasonable and boorish, and the women are either greedy or love to spread gossip. It’s infuriating!" Madam Liu said, her face full of anger.

"And now they’ve even kidnapped children. I truly hope the magistrate cuts off all their heads!" Niu’s mother added, gritting her teeth.

"The Lu family is not as simple as they appear on the surface. From now on, everyone should keep their distance from them," Liu Jinyi said after a long silence.

"Understood!"

***

When Lu Shijiu woke up again, the room was dim, with only a bean-sized lamp flame flickering in the draft.

"Hiss..."

The pain in her chest struck again, and she couldn't help but let out a soft cry.

"You’re awake. Drink some thin porridge first to settle your stomach," Liu Jinyi said, approaching with a bowl.

"I..." Her voice was dry and hoarse.

"Don't speak. Drink the porridge first. An empty stomach will only worsen the pain."

Lu Shijiu didn't stand on ceremony and obediently drank the porridge, which was as thin as water. Before she could recover, Liu Jinyi brought over a steaming bowl of pitch-black medicine.

"Drink this, and you’ll be able to sleep soundly tonight."

This time, Lu Shijiu did not move. "I have no money to pay for the medicine."

Liu Jinyi was silent for a moment. "When you are better, you can do some chores for me. We can deduct the cost from that."

"Everyone says I’m a jinx. Aren't you afraid?" Lu Shijiu asked.

"Then why did you help everyone?"

Lu Shijiu lowered her eyelids. "Because I hate them."

"Because they abused you and didn't feed you enough?" Liu Jinyi asked.

"Not entirely."

"Then why?"

Lu Shijiu downed the medicine in one breath. "I can start working for you tomorrow!"

"There’s no rush. Focus on recovering your health first."

"I can handle this much pain."

"You are the patient. In my house, you listen to the doctor!" Liu Jinyi snatched the empty bowl and turned sharply, his robe sweeping a wide arc through the air.

*Is he that angry?*

Lu Shijiu lowered her eyes. "Grandpa Liu, be careful of Old Man Lu!"

"Why?" Liu Jinyi’s breath hitched, and he turned to ask her, but Lu Shijiu had already closed her eyes, feigning sleep.