Once the rabbit was fully prepared, Lu Gu washed his hands in the nearby basin, then lifted his sleeve to wipe his tears.
Out front, the shop was filled with the clamor of voices. Most of the horse caravan's men were from Fenggu Town. Not all corpses had been found—some families identified their husbands or sons among the dead, while others, like Shen Yaoqing, still searched in vain.
Those who had ridden back with him in the mule cart now dispersed, shaking their heads, sighing, and wiping their tears as they returned home.
At the entrance of the butcher shop, the fulang who had come to buy a rabbit overheard bits and pieces of the conversation. Though he couldn’t grasp the full story, he guessed most of it and feared the situation wasn’t good. He hesitated in front of the shop, if the rabbit hadn’t been properly slaughtered, he wouldn’t take it, not wanting to add to the family’s troubles during such a difficult time.
Before he could voice his thoughts, Lu Gu came in from the back with the freshly slaughtered rabbit.
"Ahma, here you go." Though his eyes were slightly red, his voice remained steady and his movements normal as he handed over the rabbit. He even managed a faint smile while accepting payment.
When Shen Yaoqing and Shen Yan discussed the matter, they kept their voices low, careful not to let the child hear.
Lingjun was too young to understand much of what adults said, but sensing the grim expressions on his aunt and uncle’s faces, he sat quietly on his little stool without a word. Only when Lu Gu came to pick him up did he cling tightly to his amu’s neck, pressing his face against Lu Gu’s cheek and peering at the adults with wide, confused eyes.
The town was small, and with most people idle in winter, even the slightest whisper or rumor could spread quickly.
Shen Xuanqing's absence hung over the household like a dark cloud. The news had reached even Wei Lanxiang and Ji Qiuyue back in the village, leaving them anxious. Shen Yaoqing sent messengers urging them not to act rashly while he organized a search party with the Qiu family to scour Tianying Ridge.
Even the Gu family caught wind of the news. Gu Chengyue and Mrs. Gu hurried over, careful not to speak too much in front of Lu Gu. Privately, they asked Shen Yaoqing for details. Gu Chengyue’s elder cousin, Gu Chengyuan, was a boat trader who traveled far and wide hauling goods for others—he knew people and offered to help gather information.
Shen Yaoqing left with the mule cart. With no one to fetch rabbits from home, the shop remained closed. The few remaining chickens and ducks, Lu Gu decided to keep for Shen Xuanqing to eat when he returned.
The first few days of the twelfth lunar month passed without snowfall, making the roads easier to travel.
After seeing Shen Yaoqing off, Lu Gu and Shen Yan sat in the yard for a long time. Little Lingjun played by himself, and even Guaizi lay on the ground, his expression seemingly tinged with gloom.
"Guzi, Yan Yan." Yan Shi entered with a basket, her eyes nearly welling up at the sight of the two adults and the child.
The night before, Shen Yaoqing had asked her and Lao Yang to look after the household while he searched for Shen Xuanqing. With so many in the caravan dead and Shen Xuanqing missing, she hadn’t slept well, crying several times. Early that morning, after settling things at home and leaving her daughter and grandson with Lao Yang, she came straight over.
"Come, come. Grandma brought you something good to eat. I’ll cook for us at noon and make a delicious egg custard for our dear Lingjun." She picked up the quiet, bewildered little Lingjun and held him close, her heart aching.
With someone else to talk to, Lu Gu grew less silent.
He had made up his mind, he would wait for Shen Xuanqing’s return. Moping wouldn’t do, little Lingjun still needed him. He couldn’t just sit there doing nothing.
There were still unresolved matters regarding Shen Yan and Gu Chengyue’s marriage, but with Shen Yaoqing away and the family in such a state, the Gu family wasn’t in a hurry. They set it aside for the time being.
Since Gu Chengyue was a man, it wasn’t proper for him to visit often. Instead, his mother and elder sister dropped by frequently to offer comfort and distraction.
By the fifth day, Shen Yaoqing still hadn’t returned. The sun was bright, so Lu Gu took Shen Xuanqing’s quilt to wash and aired out Luo Biao’s bedding as well.
Shen Yan was cooking in the kitchen while little Lingjun played next door with Xiao Hong. Hearing the child’s laughter from the neighboring yard put Lu Gu at ease.
"Brother Guzi, call Ling ger back. I’ll serve the food," Shen Yan called from the kitchen.
He had been soaking Shen Xuanqing’s thick winter clothes in a large wooden tub. At her words, he stood and replied, "Alright, I’ll go check."
Next door, Granny Liu was also preparing a meal. In her yard was Lu Fulang from the neighboring alley, around the same age as her. Lu Gu usually addressed him as "Lu Ahma."
Lu Fulang was gossipy, fond of backbiting and always looking to take advantage. Granny Liu sometimes got along with him, but when he overstepped, she’d distance herself. Now, with mealtime approaching and Lu Fulang lingering, Granny Liu muttered complaints in the kitchen but still half-heartedly invited him to stay.
"No, no. My man’s not home, but I can manage something simple on my own," Lu Fulang said—yet made no move to leave.
Granny Liu wasn’t particularly stingy, but Lu Fulang rarely let her gain anything in return. Hearing this, she cursed under her breath but said nothing more, dawdling in the kitchen.
Lu Fulang set down the shoe sole he was working on and noticed little Lingjun playing in the yard. Though the child was only two years old, he couldn’t resist spouting his usual venom.
"People say your father died out there. Did you know that?"
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