Night had fallen, the moon hung low upon the treetops, and it was already the hour of Hai. The main hall remained brightly illuminated. Lou Xiyan sat solemnly in the seat of honor, her index finger tapping lightly against the wooden armrest—soft, rhythmic taps that echoed clearly in the hushed hall. Lou Xiwu glanced up discreetly, stealing a glance at Lou Xiyan. Their elder brother neither spoke nor scolded her; his expression was unreadable, neither pleased nor angry.
A sudden downpour earlier had drenched her from head to toe. Now, chilled and famished, she shivered uncontrollably. Yet, Lou Xiwu obediently kept her head lowered, not daring to utter a single word. Her earlier departure, marked by a written note, had been an impulsive act born of youthful recklessness—later regretted, but returning on her own accord was unthinkable. She guessed Jing Sa and their brother would find her soon enough, and indeed they had. Had she known this cursed storm would rage so fiercely, and that their brother would be so terrifying now, she would have never run away in the first place.
"Mo Bai," Lou Xiyan's low voice suddenly broke the silence, startling Lou Xiwu. She glanced again, only to see that Lou Xiyan was not looking at her but speaking softly to Mo Bai beside her: "Go and tell Tianyu and Qingfeng that Xiwu has been found. They needn't search any longer."
"Yes, mistress." As Mo Bai passed Jing Sa, he shot him a calming glance before hastening out. Seeing Lou Xiwu trembling like a fallen leaf in the wind, Jing Sa intended to say something, but Mo Bai's look silenced him, and he swallowed his words. The hall fell back into suffocating silence.
Half an hour later, Lou Xiwu could endure no longer. Whether she was beaten or scolded, she was done with this torment. She lifted her head and whispered, "Brother—" but before she could finish, Lou Xiyan's voice rang out coldly: "Send someone to escort the young lady back to her chamber. Without my order, she is not to set foot beyond that door."
The guards outside entered, exchanged a glance, and then stepped forward to escort Lou Xiwu away.
"Brother! You cannot confine me like this!" Lou Xiwu cried out, regaining her senses. Yet from beginning to end, Lou Xiyan did not once cast her a direct glance. Lou Xiyan remained calm, utterly unruffled. Jing Sa, however, knew all too well the anger simmering beneath that tranquility.
Stepping forward, he said gravely, "Mistress, this matter arose because of me and has nothing to do with the young lady. Please punish me accordingly."
Lou Xiyan raised a hand gently to stop him and replied coolly, "I am fully aware of the situation. You may go rest now."
"Yes, mistress." Resentful that his words were dismissed, Jing Sa bowed stiffly and left, his retreating figure radiating stubborn coldness.
Lou Xiyan shook her head helplessly. Xiwu had feelings for Jing Sa—he had known this for some time—and Jing Sa was not a narrow-minded man. If the two were truly well-matched and united in marriage, it would be a happy thing. Yet Jing Sa's obstinate adherence to master-servant boundaries meant he would never consent even if she made the decision for them. To avoid conflict, Lou Xiyan had simply chosen to ignore it. But Xiwu's fiery temper, her inability to grasp the power of persistence, made things difficult. Massaging her temples, Lou Xiyan rose to return to her chamber, but Mo Bai hurriedly approached, his steps urgent and troubled. An uneasy premonition stirred within her.
"What has happened?" Lou Xiyan asked before Mo Bai could speak.
"Qingfeng is missing."
Missing?! Lou Xiyan's gaze flickered with a sudden ripple of emotion.
Without waiting for further questions, Mo Bai answered truthfully, "We have searched the entire Hot Spring Garden but found no trace of her. This afternoon, the estate's people all went searching for Miss Xiwu, but nobody witnessed how she disappeared."
Had she run away? Unlikely—Qingfeng was no fool. If she intended to flee, she could have found another chance, not in this remote valley. Moreover, fleeing would only make it harder to find her sisters. Or—had she been captured? The thought darkened Lou Xiyan's face as her voice grew urgent: "Summon all the guards brought along. Search every inch of Hong Mountain until she is found."
"Yes." Mo Bai frowned involuntarily. Qingfeng evidently held Lou Xiyan's heart captive.
She was a fool! A complete and utter fool! Why did she care so much for Lou Xiwu's fate? Why not wait peacefully in the garden for news? Why seek trouble by searching the surrounding area? Why must the heavens suddenly unleash such a violent storm? Why had she gotten lost?
Yes—she was lost. For the first time in her life, the girl with a remarkable memory had lost her way.
In her heart, Zhuo Qing cursed herself relentlessly, yet she dared not pause. After the rain, the mountain was shrouded in mist, surrounded by uneven trees, pitch-black with no visibility. She could only grope forward.
She was likely still on the mountain of the Hot Spring Garden, so the chance of encountering large wild beasts was slim. With hot springs came streams; if she could find running water, she could find her way out.
The night wind was chilling; hungry and cold, she wandered for an unknown length of time in the darkness. At last, faint flickers of firelight appeared in the distance. Almost overcome with hope, Zhuo Qing quickened her pace—fire meant people!
Drawing nearer, just as hope seemed within reach, a fierce roar froze her in place:
"Shut your mouth! Cry again and I'll gut you!"
Zhuo Qing's body stiffened. Heaven above—how unlucky could she be? After glimpsing salvation, she now faced despair.
Close to the cave emitting the firelight, fearing to alarm its occupants, Zhuo Qing took a deep breath, steadied herself, and tiptoed quietly backward.
Only a few steps away, a gruff male voice swore loudly:
"The Qi family are nothing but scoundrels, running a gambling den and cheating me out of money. Don't think you can bully me, you have no idea who I am! If Qi family doesn't pay up soon, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Qi family? Could it be? Was this the man Qi Tianyu sent Qian Jing to capture? Clever as he was, Qi Tianyu wouldn't have guessed this man was hiding right under his nose. In such dense woods, it was easy to conceal one or two people.
A soft, trembling female voice, tinged with tears and fear, pleaded:
"Please don't kill me, my brother will pay the ransom!"
The clever girl had not revealed her servant identity; otherwise, if the bandit grew angry, her life would be forfeit.
Zhuo Qing took another step forward, silently praying she could escape safely. The girl's wit gave her the strength to endure a little longer until help arrived.