A Good Country Wife
Chapter 485 - 479_1

Chapter 485: Chapter 479_1

Lin Yue, having been delayed in the carriage for a moment, followed into the room. Hearing what Manager Liu was saying, she knew he meant well. However, her face showed a touch of embarrassment. After all, it was a quarrel between her and husband that had become public knowledge. She blamed Zhao Erhu, the meddlesome old man, and resolved to settle accounts with him later.

Glancing at Zhao Erhu secretly, Lin Yue then pretended as if she hadn’t heard anything and walked in gracefully, "Manager Liu, Doctor Zheng, don’t mind the nonsense from Zhao Erhu. I simply went to the perfumery to buy some things and forgot to tell anyone before leaving. Who knew he would get the wrong idea, causing both Manager Liu and Doctor Zheng unneeded worry? It’s our fault."

Manager Liu and Doctor Zheng finally relaxed upon seeing Lin Yue. Doctor Zheng had known Lin Yue for a long time and felt some affection for her, which is why he worried. Although Manager Liu wasn’t as close to Lin Yue as Doctor Zheng, the Family Head had explicitly instructed him to take good care of her. If something had happened to Lin Yue, the Family Head would surely have blamed him. His hoped-for prospects, let alone the Family Head’s esteem for Madam Lin, would be at great risk. Therefore, seeing Lin Yue safe and sound was a relief for both men.

"It’s good that nothing happened to Madam Lin. These days, the city has been unsettled. From now on, you must be more careful when going out, and take more people with you. A woman should never go out alone again; otherwise, if something bad happens, we won’t even have someone to send for help," Manager Liu said, voicing his concerns about the possibility of real trouble and the Family Head’s potential blame, especially since he did not wish any harm to come to someone as generous and understanding as Madam Lin.

In the past, Lin Yue had gone out alone without incident. In fact, during the days when Zhao Erhu was unconscious, she alone had held the family together, frequently traveling alone between Xin’an City and Zhao Family Village. Neither Manager Liu nor Doctor Zheng had worried so much then. Lin Yue thought their concerns were exaggerated, as it was broad daylight and nothing could happen. But now that Manager Liu again emphasized caution, she sensed that something must be amiss in the city.

"Manager Liu, Doctor Zheng, it seems you’re so worried for a reason. Has something happened in the city? We live in Zhao Family Village; we closed our city businesses a few months ago and have been somewhat out of touch," Lin Yue inquired.

Earlier, Zhao Erhu had been so concerned about Lin Yue that he hadn’t given much thought to the unusual atmosphere he sensed in the streets. Hearing Lin Yue’s questions now, he shared her curiosity, "Yes, what has happened? When searching for people in the streets earlier, I felt that the city’s atmosphere was somewhat off, as if there were fewer people out than usual."

"Ah, you’ve noticed too. The Magistrate has been neglecting his duties, and the city is in chaos. With such incidents occurring, it’s better to stay indoors if possible, or an unexpected disaster might strike you," Doctor Zheng said with a shake of his head and a sigh. Knowing that Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue were confused, Manager Liu explained the situation again.

"You’re unaware, but recently, several bizarre cases have occurred in Xin’an City. The first involved the disappearance of people, specifically young women from reputable families. These girls went missing while shopping for fragrances or other personal items, or while visiting temples outside the city. They vanished without a trace, and despite the Government Office initially issuing routine notices to find them, they soon stopped bothering. Those missing girls seemed to have disappeared into thin air, neither seen alive nor found dead."

"How could this be? Has not a single one of the missing women been found? The government officials are too irresponsible. Faced with such strange occurrences, how can they do nothing!"

Hearing of these matters, Zhao Erhu felt a tightness in his chest. His wife was the right age and beautiful, fitting the profile of the missing women. He was relieved to have found her sooner; the thought of her being targeted by villains was unbearable.

Just imagining such a scenario sent chills down Zhao Erhu’s spine. He was uncertain he could continue to live if something like that happened. After acknowledging his feelings for Lin Yue, he had sworn that she would be his only wife, and he planned to support her until they grew old together. He couldn’t fathom having another woman in his life.

"Wife," Zhao Erhu called out softly, with a trace of fear as he took Lin Yue’s hand and held it tightly, refusing to let go.

Both Manager Liu and Doctor Zheng, being experienced men, understood Zhao Erhu’s emotions. Fortunately, Lin Yue was lucky not to have encountered such a tragedy.

"Indeed, it’s because of this incident that Old Zheng and I were so worried earlier. But it’s fine now that Madam Lin is safe. From now on, you must take your wife’s safety very seriously and prevent anything like today’s scare from happening again. Who knows if you’d be lucky as today next time? We don’t mean to be alarmist, but with over a dozen such cases happening in just the past couple of months, anyone hearing this would naturally be scared. People are staying off the streets unless it’s necessary," Manager Liu advised.

Grateful to Manager Liu and Doctor Zheng for their warnings, Zhao Erhu gave them a respectful bow, "Thank you both for the reminder. I will certainly be careful in the future."

"Wife, did you hear what Manager Liu and Doctor Zheng said? You absolutely must not go to the city alone anymore. If you get abducted, you might be sold to someplace terrible; otherwise, why would all the disappearances involve young women?" Zhao Erhu urged, partly to scare her but also scaring himself, and he resolved that she should not leave home at all for a while. After all, staying at home was the safest option.

Upon abruptly learning of such incidents in the city, Lin Yue’s composure was only superficial; inside, she was perturbed and silently thankful that she had not been unfortunate enough to encounter such a fate. Now concerned about the safety of Dalang and the others, she felt reassured by the firm grip of Zhao Erhu beside her.

"Erhu, let’s visit the academy and check on Dalang and the others today. I’m a bit worried," Lin Yue suggested suddenly, concerned about the boys who were still studying in the city. Though so far, only women had reportedly disappeared, the occurrence ofsuch events made other misfortunes seem possible. Kidnappings of children were not unheard of, and it was always better to be proactive with safety precautions.