Chapter 99 My own sister is shameless, following a man...
Wu County, Wu Family Mansion.
The elders of the Wu family looked at each other, somewhat uneasy. This role of entertaining guests was too awkward. Someone nudged Wu's father, urging him to speak.
Mr. Wu glanced at his son, who was looking down with a deathly pale face, his heart aching, and a surge of anger welled up within him. His tone hardened.
"Sir, we've said everything we need to say. Is there anything else you need our help with?" This is a clear indication that they're trying to get rid of the customer.
The Wu family was somewhat embarrassed; this was extremely rude.
With a clinking sound, the crisp clinking of teacups made their hearts tighten. Lu Lin raised his eyes and glanced at them indifferently: "Student Wu, what do you have to say?"
Lu Chang, who was sitting next to him, couldn't contain himself and stood up angrily: "Help? You're good at washing your hands of the matter. My sister went missing from your house. It was him—" He pointed at Wu Xinbai, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, "He abducted my sister and now she's lost again. You've managed to shirk all responsibility with a simple 'help,' making it seem like you're innocent." He sneered a few times.
Everyone looked embarrassed. Wu Xinbai, a scholar, had indeed disgraced the Wu family by doing such a thing.
Wu's father's courage vanished again; he shrank back, too frightened to utter a sound.
Seeing her father's expression, Wu Xinbai suddenly became angry: "Don't bully me too much. This is my fault, it has nothing to do with my parents. If... if you insist on finding someone to convict, then come after me. It has nothing to do with them!"
Treating his elders like criminals is far too unfair.
Seeing him like this, Lu Chang became even angrier, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to hit him when the Wu family members quickly came to stop him.
"What are you saying? Our Xinbai kindly invited a friend to come and play. If she wants to leave, it's not our fault for not taking good care of her. She left in a huff, and we looked for her for several days. Young master, your young lady is all grown up and has hands and feet. If she wanted to come to the countryside with us, we couldn't refuse, and if she wanted to leave, we couldn't stop her. You're going too far with the word 'abduction.' Our Xinbai is a college student too..."
The crowd pushed and shoved each other, creating a noisy scene.
"Alright." Lu Lin pushed away the teacup and shut up the noise.
He turned to Wu Xinbai and asked, "Is that what you think too? Lu Xuan's disappearance has nothing to do with you?"
Wu Xinbai hesitated, about to say something, but seeing his father give him a look, he suppressed his words and said, "It's my fault for not taking good care of her."
Lu Lin glanced at him and smiled faintly: "It's not your fault. You're just classmates. You've done your duty. It's our Lu Xuan who's too willful."
"Brother!" Shen Chang disagreed. Letting the Wu family off so easily was too lenient on them. And this Wu Xinbai, he had no sense of responsibility at all, like a coward, letting the Wu family elders stand in front of him without daring to say a word. Was Lu Xuan blinded by shit to fall for someone like this?
According to him, there's nothing to ask. First, beat Wu Xinbai up to vent his anger, then throw him in jail for a few years and see if he dares to abduct innocent girls again.
Lu Lin raised his hand, signaling him to be quiet. Lu Chang was about to speak when a cold glare swept over him, and he obediently shut up.
"Wu, our most important thing right now is to find her. You and Lu Xuan are classmates, and we hope she's safe and sound. Did she say where she was going on your way here? Where do you think she might have gone after leaving your house?"
Wu Xinbai glanced at Lu Lin and saw that he looked calm, which made him feel a little more relaxed.
"Maybe I'll go to Jincheng," he said after thinking for a moment.
Lu Chang immediately retorted, "She didn't come." If she had come to Jincheng, she would definitely have come to see her third brother.
Wu Xinbai looked down at his toes: "We originally wanted to go to Jincheng first, she really wanted to go there, but she said she has an older brother there, so we'll go later."
"Anything else?" Lu Lin asked coldly.
***
At the gate of the Wu family's residence, the carriage came to a sudden stop, and the donkey cart following behind her also stopped.
"Third sister, look!" A woman hurriedly lifted the carriage lid and pointed to a car outside.
Wu Sanjie's face was very unpleasant. She got out of the car with her younger sister's help: "I told you that little girl was not from a good family. See, I was right. She left but caused trouble for our little brother. Do you think our Wu family is easy to bully?"
He looked aggressive and rolled up his sleeves, ready to rush in, but was stopped by Sister Wu at the door.
"Don't be ridiculous, the Lu family is just here to find someone."
Wu Sanjie raised an eyebrow, looking fierce: "Big sister, you're too soft. We didn't lose her. She ran away on her own. What does it have to do with us? Are you trying to extort money from us?"
The Wu family is a well-known wealthy family in Wu County; they might just be trying to extort money from you.
She spat and said with disdain, "I knew it. What kind of good person would elope with a man? Their family must be down on their luck. I think their parents are too easy to talk to. They think you're easy to bully, so they'll come after you."
Second Sister Wu stepped forward and told her to keep her voice down. "Third Sister, don't talk nonsense. They don't look like they're short of money." She pointed to the car parked outside.
Wu Sanjie sneered: "Could she be a young lady from some wealthy family? Wealthy families wouldn't be so ill-mannered as to run off with just any man. Who knows if she saw that our Wu family wasn't easy to get, so she's hooked up with another man."
"Your words are getting harsher and harsher, Third Sister. We're guests, you can't be so disrespectful," Sister Wu frowned.
Wu Sanjie glanced at her faded clothes and curled her lips in disdain: "Why are you in such a hurry, eldest sister? I didn't say anything to you. You're our own sister, and no one will say anything if you freeload."
"You!" Sister Wu trembled with anger.
Wu Sanjie slapped her finger away and led the group inside.
"Don't be angry, eldest sister. That's just her outspoken nature. She's actually just worried about you," said Second Sister Wu, coming over to support her and offering words of comfort.
Sister Wu could no longer hold back her tears: "What's so arrogant about her? So what if she married into a rich family? Every family has its downfalls."
The younger sister of the Wu family handed over a handkerchief and shook her head: "Why bother arguing with her, elder sister? Her vision is limited to Wu County. Does she think the whole world is like Wu County?"
"Second sister, what's the background of the Lu family?" she asked the two of them.
Sister Wu didn't know either, as she had never left Wu County since childhood and had no experience: "It seems to be an official, even the clan chief was alarmed. This time, it was the girl's brother and sister-in-law who came."
"Looking at his imposing manner, he's not like an ordinary person," she thought to herself, feeling as if her family had offended someone they shouldn't have.
Wu's younger sister looked at the car outside and asked, "Did they drive this car too?"
Sister Wu nodded.
There are cars in Wuxian too, but not many. My third sister's husband's family is the richest in Wuxian, and they also have one.
The sisters thought it might be rented.
Wu's younger sister frowned: "Little brother still hasn't told us about Miss Lu's background?"
The older sister sighed, "You know my brother's temper. No one can force him. He said he promised not to tell anyone, and he won't tell anyone if they ask."
Wu Erjie and Wu Xiaomei exchanged a glance, fearing that the Lu family was not the humble and insignificant family they had imagined.
"Where is their driver?" Wu Xiaomei wanted to find out more about the family by talking to the driver first.
Sister Wu shook her head. She had come to her parents' home to borrow some money and happened to run into the Lu family. "I didn't see the driver. They drove themselves here."
Wu Xiaomei's expression changed: "Let's go inside." She was afraid that her third sister's mouth would cause trouble.
I drove here myself; these days, not many people can drive.
As soon as I reached the door, I heard Wu Sanjie spouting nonsense.
“Our Wu family is a prominent family in this area, and my younger brother is the only son in the family. His marriage is not something that just any nameless woman can marry into. As the saying goes, bamboo door meets bamboo door, and wooden door meets wooden door. People should know their place. Don't think that you can climb up to our family just because of this. Don't you know your own status…”
"Third Sister, have some tea." Seeing that she was getting more and more outrageous, Wu Xiaomei, who had just entered the room, rushed over with a cup of hot tea, leaving a large wet patch on Wu Sanjie's chest.
She jumped up and slapped her sister: "Are you blind? This dress is brand new, it cost me a dollar!"
Second Sister Wu quickly stepped forward and pushed her to the back: "Go change your clothes. I'll wash them for you myself later. Fourth Sister, go help your Third Sister change her clothes."
Wu Simei, who was eating melon seeds on the side, slowly got up. Her big, beady eyes darted around. She had seen it clearly just now: her younger sister had deliberately touched her third sister with tea.
What are my second sister and the others up to?
Her eyes fell on the beautiful woman who stood motionless at the head of the table. The clothes that her third sister was wearing cost one silver dollar, while the clothes that this lady was wearing cost at least ten silver dollars.
Those clothes are really nice, and the shoes are nice too.
Her eyes darted back and forth reluctantly. Could it be that the girl's family was wealthy, perhaps even richer than her third sister's in-laws?
If my younger brother could marry her, maybe I could wear these clothes and shoes myself. It's all my third sister's fault for misjudging her, saying that girl was a poor wretch.
"What are you daydreaming about? Go help your third sister." Wu's mother slapped her hard.
Wu Simei was grumbling about her third sister, a nameless anger rising in her heart: "I'm not going. Does she think she's some kind of young mistress when she has no hands or feet? I'm not her maid."
Everyone was startled by her. What happened? She usually loved to flatter her third sister. Had they fallen out?
"Fine, Fourth Sister Wu, if you're so capable, then don't ever set foot in my house again." Third Sister Wu was so angry she almost fell over, uttering harsh words.
Wu Simei regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth. Her younger brother was still unsettled, and she couldn't afford to fall out with her third sister. The occasional sting from her third sister was enough for her to live on at home for a long time.
Who can blame her when her in-laws are rich?
Fortunately, she was thick-skinned. She smiled awkwardly and stepped forward, respectfully helping Wu Sanjie up: "Third Sister, are you angry? I was just joking. How could I be that kind of person? Come on, I'll help the young mistress change her clothes."
After watching the drama unfold for half a day, Shen Rong chuckled and turned to Mrs. Wu, saying, "Madam, your family is certainly lively." Three women make a drama, and Mrs. Wu, with five daughters, certainly has a good show to watch every day.
"I just heard from your daughter that Wu is getting married. If you set a date, please remember to let us know and send us a congratulatory gift."
Wu's mother was just an ordinary old lady from the countryside. She could be sarcastic, but she really had a hard time being polite.
Wu Xiaomei stepped forward to smooth things over for her mother: "You're too kind. Madam has already met my younger brother, hasn't she?"
Shen Rong glanced at her and smiled faintly, "I've met them before. I even invited them to my home for dinner in Bincheng. If we didn't trust Wu's character, we wouldn't have felt comfortable letting my little sister go out with her classmates. What a pity..."
Wu's mother was a little embarrassed: "The child is grown up and can't go very far. Maybe he'll come back in a few days."
Shen Rong sneered: "I'm young and not as open-minded as Mrs. Wu. My little sister has never suffered since she was a child. The elders in the family dote on her. When she went to study in Bincheng, the family was worried and even asked her second brother and sister-in-law to send her off. Now, we don't know where she is wandering alone. We wonder if she has suffered?"
She glanced at the furnishings in the Wu family's house, her expression somewhat critical: "She's just so curious. She's never seen what the countryside is like, but she insisted on coming to see it. I wonder where she's gone?"
This flippant attitude made the Wu family mother and daughter look rather unpleasant. It was a rebuttal to what Wu Sanjie had just said, something the Wu family looked down on.
Mrs. Wu chuckled awkwardly, her heart pounding with anxiety. Lu Xuan's angry departure was inextricably linked to them all.
"Maybe they went to Jincheng. We're not far from Jincheng," Wu Erjie interjected from the side.
"Yes, Jincheng is such a dazzling world, maybe they'll be so captivated that they won't want to go back?" Sister Wu changed her clothes quite quickly and came back right away.
Wu Erjie immediately pulled her to her side, and Wu Simei looked around and chose a spot closest to Shen Rong.
Her jewelry was beautiful too. Was that pearl necklace real? She craned her neck to look. The pearls were so big; even her third sister's mother-in-law didn't have any.
Wu's mother nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, they might have gone to Jincheng."
Her son had been clamoring to go to Jincheng to find someone, but she wouldn't let him go and wouldn't give him any money, so he didn't go. Mrs. Wu was heartbroken, afraid that if the other person found out, they would cause her trouble.
"If we had gone to Jincheng, why would we have bothered your family?" Shen Rong's expression turned cold. She finally understood why Lu Xuan had run away.
It seems Wu Xinbai is the pride of the Wu family. With so many troublesome sisters-in-law, it's no wonder he's driven away by them.
Wu Sanjie thought she was exaggerating and snorted, "Jincheng is so big, you can find her no matter where she's hiding." Who are you kidding?
Shen Rong glanced at her and said, "It's impossible to search the entire city of Jin, but finding someone is still possible."
There was movement outside the door; it was Lu Lin and the others coming out of the study.
Shen Rong got up and walked over. Wu Si Mei sniffed, looking completely intoxicated.
Wu Xiaomei nudged her and whispered, "What are you doing, acting all weird?"
"Wow, she smells so good, little sister! Does everyone in the city smell like that?"
Looking at the Lu family members in front of her, Wu Xiaomei casually replied, "It's probably perfume; people in the city like to use it."
Is it expensive?
Of course it's expensive.
Lu Lin was already saying goodbye to the Wu family: "Sorry to bother you."
Wu Xinbai stepped forward: "Commander Lu, I... I'll go with you to look for it."
Lu Lin glanced at him and said, "No need, this is a matter for the Lu family. Thank you for your hospitality."
He took Shen Rong with him and walked towards the door. Shen Chang stopped in front of Wu Xinbai.
"You just wait, kid. If my sister's alright, fine, but otherwise..." His eyes hardened, a murderous glint in them.
Wu Xinbai's expression changed.
Wu Sanjie rushed over, shielding her brother, and stomped her foot angrily, cursing, "Who do you think you are? Threatening our Wu family! No one in Wu County has ever dared to speak to our family like that. Do you think we're afraid of you? Your own sister is shameless, running off with a man..."
"Enough!" Wu Xinbai shouted, interrupting her harsh words.
"Third sister, please watch your mouth."
Wu Sanjie's face changed drastically. She sat down on the ground, pounded her fists on the ground, and cried out, "Who did I do all this for? What have I done wrong as a sister? God, open your eyes and see! My brother treats me like this! I don't want to live anymore!"
Wu's mother also stepped forward to persuade her, "Son, your third sister is doing all this for you."
The elders of the Wu family sighed, "Xinbai, your sister may be a bit shrewish, but it's all for your own good."
Wu Xinbai's face turned pale and then red, and after a long pause, he finally managed to utter, "Please stop being so nice to me."
She says she's doing it for his own good, but secretly she drives away the person she likes. Is that really doing it for him? I never knew there was such a thing as "doing it for him."
He staggered toward the door, and Wu Sanjie scrambled to her feet, chasing after him and yelling, "Go away, go away! Let's see where you can go without money!"
They're using this same tactic to threaten me again.
Wu Xinbai's chest heaved, his eyes hardening. He lifted his foot to rush out, but Wu Erjie grabbed him and pulled him back into a hug.
"Little brother, you can't listen to such angry words. If you leave, what will happen to our family? What will happen to our parents? You are our family's only son!"
The sound of a car approached from outside; the Lu family's car had driven away.
Wu Xinbai suddenly deflated, clutching his throat, his expression more painful than crying: "I can't breathe, I'm suffocating, do you know that?"
What kind of talk is this? Everyone was confused.
Wu's mother rushed over with a heart full of worry: "Son, where do you feel unwell? Why can't you breathe? Are you injured somewhere? Quick, get a doctor."
The Wu family members were busy running in and out.
The Wu family patriarch and elders also bid farewell to Wu's father: "It seems that the Lu family is reasonable and did not blame your family. The matter can be considered completely settled. Xinbai is not feeling well, so please invite a good doctor."
As they were talking, Wu's long-term worker suddenly ran in with a look of horror: "The car...the car is back again."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Sister Wu spat and said, "I told you they were here to extort money. They won't leave until they get it. Stop pretending!"
She shoved the farmhand aside, rolled up her sleeves, and headed for the door: "Want money? No way."
The group gave chase.
Two cars arrived this time, and all the people who got out of them were men.
The middle-aged man straightened his clothes, glanced up at the Wu family's gate, and a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes.
"Is Commander Lu in?" he asked respectfully.
Chief Wu had attended a meeting in the county and had met this person.
"County Chief Liu, what brings you here?"
The county magistrate! The Wu family was shocked.
"I heard that Commander Lu has come to our Wu County, so I have come to request an audience." County Magistrate Liu's expression was devout, with just the right amount of flattery.
The Wu family members made a buzzing sound.
"Commander Lu, you're not talking about the Lu family, are you?!" Clan Chief Wu felt a sense of desolation. The person who could command such respect from the county magistrate must be a big shot, perhaps that young man who never showed his emotions.
Yes, it can only be him.
Clan Chief Wu pulled Wu Xinbai aside, his voice filled with anxiety: "Just what is the background of this Lu family, and what is this Officer Lu all about?"
Wu Xinbai retorted sarcastically, "What does this have to do with you?"
Mr. Wu came over and grabbed his arm: "Son, this is no small matter." What will happen to the family if we offend someone important?
After listening for a few moments, County Chief Liu seemed to understand something. It turned out that the Wu family didn't know the details of the other people's backgrounds.
"Don't you know that Lu Lin is the Chairman's personal attendant?"
The Wu family members might not understand what an attendant was, but the Chairman and his group did, and they were all dumbfounded.
Upon hearing that the person had already passed away, County Chief Liu was filled with remorse and rushed over as soon as he received the news, but he was still a step too late.
He got into the car dejectedly, having missed another golden opportunity to climb the ladder!
The Wu family was quiet for a moment, then Wu's father suddenly slapped his son, his heart filled with regret: "Why didn't you say so sooner, you child!"
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