Chapter 72: May I Ask Where My Home Is

Lu Jin stood to the side and wouldn’t leave, so the carriage couldn’t move either. The maids and household guards gathered around Lu Jin and Shen Yanxi.

It was time to go—there was no way to delay any longer; the mood had reached its limit.

Lu Jin took Shen Yanxi’s hand and headed for the village entrance. Occasionally, a child or villager would pass by, but they only glanced at him from a distance before hurrying away.

Lu Jin was puzzled. Did no one here recognize him?

But he couldn’t very well call out to someone himself. Whether they knew him or not, what if he greeted a relative and got it wrong? That would be mortifying.

“Hey, little brother, do you know where my house is?” At last, he spotted a slightly older boy and quickly approached to ask.

Among boys, conversation should be easy, and even if he got it wrong, it wouldn’t be as awkward.

The boy looked at Lu Jin, appearing rather confused. Lu Jin, seizing the moment, took a few pastries from Xiaobai and handed them over.

The boy accepted the pastries and shook his head. “Who are you?”

Watching the child run off, Lu Jin was speechless. Not only had he failed to get directions, but he’d lost a pastry as well!

“Xiaobai, go ask someone else where Lu Jin’s house is,” Lu Jin instructed. If he couldn’t ask, someone else could.

Xiaobai stood there, stunned. You’re right here, and you want me to ask where your house is? She knew he’d forgotten things, but this was just odd.

“Xiaobai, go quickly!” Shen Yanxi couldn’t bear it and urged her.

With no other option, Xiaobai looked around. As it happened, a middle-aged man approached.

“Uncle, do you know where Lu Jin’s house is?” Xiaobai asked politely.

The man stared wide-eyed at Lu Jin, then shook his head and walked away.

What on earth was going on? The group was left dumbfounded—not only did they refuse to answer, but what did shaking their head even mean?

“Uncle, wait a moment!” Lu Jin refused to believe he would be defeated here. In a few strides, he caught up to the man.

“Uncle, I’m Lu Jin. Do you know me? And what did that headshake mean?”

“I’m your second uncle!” the man spat, his tone fierce.

What the hell? Was the man insane, cursing people right off the bat?

“Can’t you speak properly? I just asked for directions. If you don’t know, fine, but why insult me?” Lu Jin struggled to keep his temper in check.

“Get lost! You become a case top-scorer and now you think you’re above everyone else!”

In that instant, Lu Jin’s anger flared. Already irritable about the situation he faced, now he was being lectured for simply asking directions. So what if he’d been the top candidate? Was that any of this man’s business?

He now realized the man definitely knew him, but it no longer mattered. If all his relatives here were like this, at least he’d be free of any ties.

If he didn’t put this man in his place, he’d never know Lu Jin was now the Shen family’s son-in-law.

“Yuanfang, come here! Teach this old fool a lesson!” A person this rude deserved a proper rebuke.

“Dare you?” The man’s eyes burned with fury.

“Just watch me. Yuanfang, do it!”

“Husband…” Shen Yanxi hesitated.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

Yuanfang strode forward and kicked the man to the ground, who clutched his stomach and howled in pain.

Lu Jin stepped over and, smiling coldly, said, “Still got a foul mouth, old man? If I don’t teach you a lesson, you’ll never know your place.” After speaking, he gave him another kick. Truly, some people needed to be taught. Already in a foul mood, and now this man had to make it worse.

“So, can you tell me where Lu Jin’s house is now?” Since he’d already beaten him, he might as well get directions. If the man refused, he’d just get another beating. He ignored the frightened children who scurried away.

“Hmph, just you wait…” The man still tried to be tough.

“Are you going to talk or not?” Lu Jin kicked him again. He’d met this kind of person plenty of times.

“Go… go west, it’s the house by the big tree, that’s your home.” The man finally gave in, clutching his stomach, some people really did ask for it.

Taking Shen Yanxi by the hand, Lu Jin continued west, taking in the surroundings and gaining a rough impression of rural life in this era.

“Have you ever been to a place like this before?” he asked, guessing this young lady had never set foot in a village like this in her life.

“Never, but it does have its own charm.”

In truth, both of them were anxious inside. They’d made up their minds and mentally prepared for what lay ahead, but it was still different in reality. Lu Jin was uneasy about his family’s situation; Shen Yanxi worried about her unseen in-laws and Lu Jin’s original wife and children. They both imagined the worst.

Now, they were just making small talk to ease the awkwardness.

There is always a nervousness when approaching home, especially for someone like Lu Jin, who had no memory at all. He almost wished the road would stretch farther, that he could walk a little longer.

But at last, they arrived. Lu Jin stopped beneath a massive tree, so thick it would take two or three grown men to encircle it. Its canopy blotted out the sun, and its roots were sturdy and deep—who knew how far into the ground they reached?

Trees grow upon the earth, and wanderers must always return home. Would this really be his home?

Seeing Lu Jin standing motionless, Shen Yanxi gently tugged his hand. It was time—they couldn’t avoid this meeting forever.

“Let’s go,” she said softly, her voice full of encouragement.

By the great tree was a single residence—a sprawling estate! Lu Jin’s heart skipped. Was he really the foolish young master of a landowning family?

He wasn’t worried about being tricked, not with ten or so household guards at his back. What trouble could possibly arise here?

They followed the earthen wall south and soon reached the gate, upon which was inscribed “Lu Residence.” Now Lu Jin was truly excited.

This must be his home—no mistake. Not a poor tenant farmer, no surly servants blocking the door; it was already far better than he’d feared.

“Is this my house?” Lu Jin turned to ask Shen Yanxi.

Shen Yanxi: “…” You’re asking me?

“Knock and see for yourself.” She had no choice but to humor this fool.

Lu Jin didn’t trouble anyone else and stepped forward to knock himself—it was his own home, after all, how could he let someone else do it?

Just as he reached for the door knocker, voices sounded from within. Startled, Lu Jin hastily stepped back. He didn’t want to frighten anyone. (He would never admit to being nervous.)

He quickly retreated to stand beside Shen Yanxi. Before he could speak, the gates swung open and a plump woman in her thirties appeared.

The moment she saw Lu Jin, tears streamed down her cheeks. Lu Jin felt his own heart twist in response.

Before he could react, the woman rushed forward, sobbing, and threw her arms around him. “My son!”

Her voice was thick with genuine emotion and longing, and Lu Jin was swept up by it.

“Mother!” Perhaps moved by her feelings, the word came naturally to him.

Good heavens, his mother really was quite young! Still, Lu Jin was delighted—who wouldn’t want a youthful mother?

What’s with all those stories of old, gray-haired women? He’d clearly read too many novels!

But as soon as she heard him call her “Mother,” the woman froze, then wept even harder.

“My Jin’er has grown up. You used to refuse to even call me Aunt… Oh, my…”

Lu Jin: (O≧口≦O)

Shen Yanxi: (⊙ˍ⊙)