Chapter 31: The Kind-Hearted Boy Next Door

For several consecutive days, Lu Jin roamed idly around Lin City, taking Xiaobai and Yuan Fangmanjiang with him. Besides wandering from place to place, he indulged in tea and meals wherever he pleased, thoroughly immersing himself in the leisurely life of ancient times.

Truth be told, it was rather enjoyable.

Lu Jin even entertained the idea of visiting one of the famed brothels of antiquity but ultimately lacked the courage. After all, a live-in son-in-law was hardly afforded such freedoms.

Shen Yanxi had also come by Crescent Residence several times in recent days, but either Lu Jin was out or he politely sent her away. Since he’d already made up his mind, it was best to avoid seeing that girl as much as possible. Too many encounters would only weaken his resolve—she was truly a siren!

“Young master, young master…”

Lu Jin was meandering absentmindedly down the street when he heard someone calling out to him.

Turning his head, he saw a woman of mature charm, still in her prime, hurrying toward him with a sheepish smile.

“Young Master Lu, you have been most difficult to find…”

Lu Jin’s mind went blank. What was this about? Could this be some amorous entanglement left behind by his predecessor? The original Lu must have been quite reckless.

Xiaobai and Yuan Fang exchanged glances with their new master. Who was this woman?

How on earth should I know?

“Stop right there! Do you know our master?” Yuan Fang blocked the woman with his sword scabbard just as she was about to reach Lu Jin.

The woman glanced down at the scabbard and halted abruptly, startled.

“And you are?” Lu Jin asked, feigning calm. There was no escaping the situation now.

“Oh, Young Master Lu, where have you been these days? I waited and waited, but you never returned…”

Lu Jin was bewildered, and even Xiaobai’s expression soured at her words. When had their young master gotten involved with such a woman? Did the young lady know?

“Ma’am…are you sure you haven’t mistaken me for someone else?” Lu Jin braced himself. He’d considered addressing her as ‘Auntie,’ but if there truly was some unsavory connection, that would only make things more awkward.

“What are you saying, young master? My eyes are perfectly clear—I could never mistake you. And you’ve grown even more handsome since I last saw you…”

Lu Jin flushed. Was this woman up to anything serious, or was she simply in the habit of flirting with men on the street?

“Is there something you need?”

“Oh, Young Master Lu, you stayed at my inn for nearly a month. Why haven’t you come back? Your belongings are still in my care…”

Lu Jin breathed a sigh of relief. The woman’s roundabout way of speaking had nearly scared him out of his wits.

Now it made sense: the original Lu had been living at an inn. No wonder he’d seemed so down and out.

“Oh, I’d forgotten about that. Would you be so kind as to show me back to your inn to collect my things?” Lu Jin quickly put on a smile—he was curious to see what secrets his predecessor might have left behind.

Xiaobai stared at his master in disbelief. This was shameless—accepting just anyone as an ‘older sister’ on the street?

Yuan Fang crossed his arms and looked off into the distance, his face carefully composed.

The woman’s smile blossomed like a peony when Lu Jin addressed her as ‘sister.’

“Young master, you’ve not only become the top scholar, but your tongue has grown even more silver…”

“So you know about that, too?”

“All the scholars who came for the provincial exam stayed at my inn. How could I not know? I always thought you were a young man of promise, and sure enough, you succeeded.”

“It was all thanks to your good fortune, sister…”

They arrived at a modest storefront. Three or so customers sat in a corner eating, and a rickety staircase led to the upper floor.

Lu Jin’s smile froze. To have stayed in such a shabby place, his predecessor must have been quite destitute.

“Please wait a moment, young master. I’ll fetch your things,” the woman said as she disappeared into a side room.

Behind the counter stood a thin, undernourished youth. Lu Jin smiled at him, and the boy blushed, quickly lowering his head.

In a flash, the woman returned carrying a cloth bundle.

“These are your belongings, young master. I was afraid the mice would get to them, so I put them away for safekeeping,” she said, handing over the bundle.

Lu Jin frowned as he took it. This was hardly a bundle—just a piece of cloth tied around his things.

He’d hoped his predecessor might have left behind something of value, but with this bundle, it was clear there was nothing. If there had been, the woman would certainly have taken it.

“Is this all? There’s nothing left in the room?” Lu Jin’s expression darkened.

“You jest, young master. Your classmate waited for you for several days, but when you didn’t return, he checked out and asked me to hand you your things…”

So it was a shared room.

“Did I leave a horse behind by any chance?” Lu Jin asked, grasping at straws.

“How would you have a horse?” The woman’s face soured as well. Was he trying to trick her?

“No matter, just asking.” Lu Jin opened the bundle—there was nothing precious, so he might as well look inside.

A few dog-eared books he couldn’t be bothered to inspect, and a change of clothes. That was all. His predecessor had truly been penniless.

Whether there had never been anything of value, or it had been taken, he would never know.

Turning on his heel, Lu Jin left.

“Young master, your bundle…”

“Auntie, keep it.”

The woman, halfway to the door, was momentarily speechless. Just a moment ago, she’d been addressed as ‘sister,’ and now she was ‘auntie.’ Scholars truly turned on a dime.

Still, remembering the silver she’d quietly kept, her annoyance quickly faded.

What Lu Jin didn’t know was that, though there was no silver in his bundle, he had left dozens of taels deposited at the inn, drawing from the owner as needed.

Since Lu Jin didn’t mention it, neither did the woman.

Still, she found it odd that Young Master Lu seemed to remember nothing, not even her. Had she known it would be like this, she wouldn’t have bothered seeking him out.

No matter—humming a little tune, she headed back inside, pleased with her good fortune.

“Auntie, didn’t that young master leave dozens of taels with us…” The youth behind the counter finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Keep your mouth shut! Born a pauper, lazy, greedy, and no sense at all…” The woman erupted before he could finish, scolding him relentlessly.

The boy hung his head, eyes brimming with tears.

Since his mother’s death, he’d come to rely on his uncle, but his aunt treated him like a servant—meager food, thin clothes, and constant scolding.

He usually turned a blind eye to her petty schemes, but how could she keep that young master’s silver?

As he thought of it, the memory of that kind, warm smile came to him—a smile like sunlight, warmer than any he’d ever known.

When the woman disappeared into the back, the boy stepped out to tidy up the clothes and books left on the table. Such fine garments, yet the young master had discarded them without a second thought. The boy shook them out, and something thin and light fell to the floor.

He bent to pick it up—a slender booklet. On opening it, his cheeks flushed red.

“What are you doing? Hiding something? Give it here!” The woman returned and saw the boy trying to conceal the booklet.

He had no choice but to hand it over. She glanced at it, then tossed it to the floor in disgust.

“No man is any good!” she grumbled, rummaging through the clothes herself.

When she’d heard he’d become the top scholar, she hadn’t dared to go through his things for fear of being discovered. Now that he’d disowned them, it didn’t matter. Yet, search as she might, there was nothing more to be found.

After she left, the boy picked up the booklet again and dashed out the door.

But on the bustling street, there was no sign of the young master.