Chapter Forty-Six: Inquiry

“Let’s go grab something to eat first, and then head straight to find that Liu Yuxiang!” An Changpu got into the car. Ever since Qin Ruonan had suffered a setback at Yao Chang’s place, she had sensibly refrained from competing with him over who would drive whenever they went out.

Qin Ruonan shook her head without hesitation. “Skipping a meal won’t starve us. Let’s go to Liu Yuxiang’s place first.”

“But your health—?”

“I just got kicked by accident, it’s not like I’ve been starving for days. My stomach is fine. Let’s go!” Qin Ruonan’s tone was resolute.

Seeing how insistent she was, An Changpu had nothing more to say. If a young woman like Qin Ruonan wasn’t afraid of going hungry, how could he, a grown man, possibly mind such a trifle? So he simply drove straight to Liu Yuxiang’s neighborhood.

Compared to the Lu family’s home, Liu Yuxiang’s was closer to the Jiangkou District, and the area looked much more bustling than where Lu Jun and Lu Min lived. Many residents had set up makeshift stalls in front of their homes, selling snacks or small items like socks and shoe insoles.

According to the information provided by Lu Jun, Liu Yuxiang’s house was next to an ancient tree—so thick that two people together couldn’t encircle it with their arms. Nearby, there was a small pharmacy called “Kangle.” Driving down the rather flat but not especially wide street, An Changpu quickly located the house. Passing by the gate, he noticed a large iron lock hanging on it, indicating that no one seemed to be home.

He parked, got out, and knocked on the door for quite a while, but as expected, there was no response.

“Let’s go. Leave the car here and ask around. Maybe someone knows where Liu Yuxiang went.” Qin Ruonan, seeing that An Changpu had knocked repeatedly with no result, felt her patience wearing thin. She decisively opened the car door and got out, moving a bit too quickly, which made her wince in pain.

“All right, let’s go.” An Changpu gave up on knocking any longer. If no one was home, pounding on the door endlessly wouldn’t help, and if someone was inside pretending to be out with the lock as a cover, nothing would change either.

They walked forward a few steps. An Changpu glanced at the pharmacy named “Kangle,” then at Qin Ruonan, and suddenly had an idea. “Let’s go buy you some ointment for your bruises.”

Qin Ruonan understood his intention and followed him into the shop.

The pharmacy looked modest from the outside, but was actually quite spacious within—a square room with a row of glass cabinets on one side, filled with boxes and bottles of medicine.

Behind the counter, a man in a white lab coat, looking to be in his thirties, sat at a computer desk, completely absorbed in whatever he was doing. On the other side of the room, several people were gathered around a table, noisily playing cards.

The moment An Changpu and Qin Ruonan entered, the bell above the door jingled crisply. The man at the computer glanced at them briefly before returning his attention to the screen. “Here to buy something? Wait a moment—I’ll be right with you!”

An Changpu and Qin Ruonan were in no hurry. They leaned against the counter, quietly waiting as they observed the people in the shop.

Counting the man at the computer, there were six or seven people inside—evidently long-time residents of the neighborhood, judging by their conversation. Most of those playing cards or watching were in their fifties, chatting easily, mixing in talk of everyday family matters.

“Just my luck! I’m doomed, completely doomed! Got wiped out—totally dead!” Soon, the shop owner slammed the keyboard down with a loud bang, grumbling at his own misfortune. The computer screen displayed a popular online game.

“What do you need?” The owner stretched lazily, strolled unhurriedly to the counter, and seemed rather indifferent to his business, greeting customers with a casual air.

“We’d like some ointment for bruising and swelling,” An Changpu said with a friendly smile.

The owner thought for a moment, rummaging behind the counter as he casually asked about the injury, to which An Changpu replied in kind, using the opportunity to strike up a conversation. The owner was an easy-going man—perhaps by nature, or perhaps due to years of dealing with customers. Hoping to keep the conversation going, An Changpu found a few more excuses to seek his advice on other medicines.

Since Liu Yuxiang’s house was right next door, and since the group playing cards seemed to be locals, An Changpu and Qin Ruonan were cautious about revealing their true purpose before knowing whether any of them were close to Liu Yuxiang. No one could say how deeply Liu Yuxiang might be involved in Lu Min’s case, and any careless word could spell trouble.

So An Changpu chatted with the owner in an easy, open manner, appearing especially good-natured and guileless in his casual clothes. Before long, the owner grew curious.

“You’re not from around here, are you? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you.” As he packed An Changpu’s purchases into a plastic bag, he asked.

An Changpu smiled, handing over the money. “That’s right, we’re looking for someone.”

“Who are you looking for? This is the only pharmacy around, and I know everyone who lives here,” the owner replied, his curiosity piqued.

“We’re looking for Old Liu’s place.”

“Old Liu? Liu Yuxiang’s family?” As soon as he heard the surname, the owner immediately thought of Liu Yuxiang. He gave An Changpu a scrutinizing look, then made a guess. “You must be his son’s classmate, right?”

“That’s right,” An Changpu admitted readily.

Pleased with himself for guessing correctly, the owner laughed. “I’m good at reading people! I could tell you’re a recent college graduate. Besides, who else but Liu Yuxiang’s son Xiaoyang’s classmates would come looking? Not many people visit the Liu house these days. Is this young lady your girlfriend?”

An Changpu nodded as he put his arm gently around Qin Ruonan’s shoulder. She didn’t push him away, though her face remained impassive and her posture a little stiff.

Naturally, the owner noticed none of these subtleties. As he handed An Changpu the change, he scratched the back of his head. “Xiaoyang hasn’t been back for a while—heard he found a job out of town. You two might be making a wasted trip.”

“So be it!” interjected a man in his fifties with a bushy beard, taking the opportunity to chime in from the poker table. “That boy still hasn’t found a girlfriend. If his classmate came home with one, his old man would probably nag him!”

“Nag about what? As if Old Liu has time to worry about his son! He barely has time for his own philandering!” sneered a sallow-faced man across the table.

“Philander? That heartless guy—he’s practically cold-blooded! You think he’s capable of philandering?” someone else exclaimed incredulously.

The sallow-faced man scoffed. “You’ve been away working too long! Old Liu’s quite the character now—not just philandering, but with a ‘ladyboy’ at that!”