At this time, Bai Shui was still busy in the yamen. Originally, there had only been two small cases, but as today was Qixi, many took their leave early. Moreover, just as the yamen retired for the day, two more cases came up, and she had to run to catch the criminals. She was currently in court listening to the hearing. After all this had occurred, the moon had long since tilted to the side.
She looked outside a few more times and someone asked, “Why do you keep on looking outside tonight, Constable Bai?”
She smiled. “Have I?”
“Yes, many times. Eh? Could it be that Constable Bai also wants to celebrate the Qixi Festival?” The man slapped her on the shoulder with a smile, “Then you better hurry up and find someone to bring.”
The slap came gently, the fingers nicking her neck. Bai Shui frowned and stepped forward lightly in a flash. The action was so natural and fast that even the other party did not notice. She said, “Constable Lin, these two cases are almost finished. I think…”
Constable Lin said, “I’ll take it from here. If you have something to do, you can go.”
Bai Shui gave her thanks and turned to leave. As the lighting was dim, the profile of her face caused Constable Lin to feel a little dazed. Then, he sighed.
Bai Shui heard the sound and turned around, “What’s wrong, Constable Lin?”
Constable Lin said with a smile, “I thought of an old friend.”
Bai Shui’s heart pounded. She knew why Su Yunkai had arranged for her to come to the Kaifeng yamen. Her brother had also been a constable here. This Constable Lin . . . had he worked with her brother before? She stopped and asked, “Which old friend?”
“Just like you, his surname was also Bai. He worked as hard as you. He was a good constable. Unfortunately, he disappeared suddenly. We still don’t know whether he’s dead or alive.”
Bai Shui clenched her fist and tried to cover up the grief in her heart. “How could he suddenly disappear? According to reason, those who can enter the Kaifeng yamen are not dumb. Could he have done something wrong?”
Constable Lin stared at her. “Ah’Ying is not that kind of person. He was the youngest in the yamen, but he was the most diligent. He was righteous and kind-hearted.”
Hearing her brother’s colleagues speak of him like this, Bai Shui’s eyes turned red in an instant. “How could he have just disappeared…”
“Who knows? At the time, the case was settled hastily and there was no detailed investigation. Later, a group of our brothers went to investigate secretly, but we couldn’t find anything out. We suspected that this matter was not simple, though,” Constable Lin said. Suddenly, he remembered that Bai Shui was still an outsider. To think that he unwittingly told Bai Shui…it must be because Bai Shui’s temperament was similar to Bai Ying.
Qin Fang and Su Yunkai had mentioned these things briefly, but the specifics were still under investigation. Bai Shui already knew of the things Constable Lin had mentioned. She wasn’t that surprised. However, her uneasiness increased.
Constable Lin sighed. “Every time we told him that he didn’t need to work so hard, he always responded that he was trying hard to save money so that he could bring his sister to Kaifeng and marry his sweetheart. He wanted for the three of them to live together happily.”
Bai Shui was stunned. “Constable Bai had someone he liked?”
Constable Lin said, “Yes, but it was mysterious. We don’t know which girl it was. However, one year after the disappearance of Bai Ying, there was always a girl walking around in front of the yamen. She never came inside to report a case. There were so many big cases that no one paid much attention to her. Later, over a year later, the girl never showed up again. I just remembered this girl when I mentioned Constable Bai just now.”
Bai Shui sighed heavily. Her brother had a girl in his heart, but she hadn’t known. Could the girl who walked in front of the yamen be the very one her brother liked? She suddenly thought of one thing. “Constable Lin, did you send money to his family after Constable Bai disappeared?”
Constable Lin shook his head. “No.”
Bai Shui was stunned. After her brother’s disappearance, she had received fifty silver. The letter had been sent from Kaifeng. She had always thought that it was sent by her brother’s colleagues, but she didn’t know that it wasn’t until today.
According to her brother’s letters, he was always at home when he wasn’t at the yamen. His only acquaintances were his colleagues.
Could it have been that girl?
Lovers will always share a lot of secrets. Bai Shui suddenly wondered if the girl might know something about her brother. For example, was her brother investigating a case before his disappearance? Had he told her where he was going?
She desperately wanted to find that girl. It was nearly four to five years after his disappearance, though. It would be impossible to find this girl without any clues.
She walked out of the yamen like a lost soul, only pausing to glance back at the place her brother had loved. The yamen looked cold and strange in the night. As the cold wind blew by, the door looked like a bloody mouth—one that could swallow people whole, especially those who didn’t pay attention.
Bai Shui sighed and was nearly halfway home when she realized she had forgotten something. It was until she saw a forgotten lantern on the ground that she suddenly remembered. Qin Fang!
She ran over as fast as she could. She happened to pass a watchman. She realized that it was already 1 AM. The sound of the stream was very clear at night. She called Qin Fang’s name twice, but no one answered. She was suddenly relieved that he was not waiting. There were so many mosquitoes in the summer night. With his weak body, he’d likely be bitten until he cried.
Still, she walked the length of the stream just to make sure.
She didn’t carry a light and the moonlight wasn’t very bright. As she walked, she suddenly kicked a soft object. She hurriedly retreated. “What was that?”
Someone murmured, as if they were in the middle of a dream. The voice was light and soft. Bai Shui was startled. “Qin Fang?”
Qin Fang, who was drowsy, quickly sat up and looked around. His eyes were hazy. He didn’t see anyone for a moment. “Shui Shui?”
He reached out to find her, but a soft body suddenly landed in his arms and held him tightly.
Qin Fang, who had been bitten by mosquitoes all night, opened his mouth. It was as though all the pain of getting bitten and the suffering of waiting disappeared in a flash because of the hug. He hugged Bai Shui back and patted her on the back. “Let’s release the river lanterns.”
Bai Shui’s eyes were already watery. Fortunately, it was dark, so Qin Fang wouldn’t be able to see her red eyes. She didn’t let go. “Did you have dinner?”
“Yes. I know you eat a lot, so I brought two food boxes, but I was hungry, so I ate one first. It’s all cold food. You can still eat it. When I had nothing to do, I put a river lantern in the river, but I left one for you…”
A drop of water fell onto Qin Fang’s neck. He was stiff and did not ask why she was crying. Bai Shui was always so anxious about giving off the image of being strong.
“…… Ever since I was a child, I didn’t have a father. My mother raised us. Later, my mother passed away and my brother went to Kaifeng. At the time, the most important thing he mentioned in his letters was buying a small house and bringing me to Kaifeng when he earned enough money. He was very hard-working and very ambitious. I always thought I’d be able to see my brother soon. But I didn’t expect…”
She considered the possibility that her brother had done something drastic, or even stole money before disappearing, so that she did not have to confront the possibility that her brother might no longer be in the world. As she continued to work at the yamen, she began to understand that this theory would not hold.
How could a person who told his colleagues that he wanted to pick up his family and marry his favorite girl suddenly disappear?
The more she understood this truth, the more pained she felt. After being enveloped by Qin Fang’s warmth, her weakened heart was suddenly unable to support itself anymore, so she found herself in tears.
“Shui Shui, we will find your brother.” Qin Fang stroked her back and felt that she was too thin. “I have been checking and my brother-in-law is also checking. It’s just that we don’t have any news for the time being. Don’t panic.”
Bai Shui’s tears flowed even faster and harder. She had resisted the urge at first, but now, she couldn’t hold out any longer. She cried out, the years of pain translating into flowing tears.
Qin Fang hugged her. Suddenly, he felt that if he left Bai Shui, she would really collapse. He did not dare to do so, nor could he find it in himself to do so.
In any case, he must find an appropriate time to tell the truth to his parents.
He fell in love with a girl. That girl was a constable, the best one!
*
Last night, after being detained by Li Kang for an eternity, Su Yunkai and Ming Yue were ultimately unable to go to the Yuelao Temple. The next day, there was a visit from a vassal state, so Su Yunkai was busy. With the delay, the dog days had already begun.
The weather is very hot during the dog days. Even the cicadas stopped their calls. The government was considerate, giving the officials three days to rest.
It just so happened that Qin Fang had always wanted to take Bai Shui out to relax. After some inquiry amongst his friends, he learned that a newly opened summer resort was very good, so he made plans to go there. However, if he only went with Bai Shui, his family might raise questions, so he called on the person most trusted by his parents, Su Yunkai, to go with him.
Su Yunkai wanted to take advantage of the next three days to find a time to talk to Ming Yue and solemnly finish what he had started last time. Now, after hearing Qin Fang’s proposal, Su Yunkai said, “That summer resort on the Gu Mountain is so far away. It’s in dangerous terrain and it’s a two-day round trip. I’m not going.”
“Ming Yue has never been to a summer resort. Isn’t she very fond of playing? Maybe she’ll like it! Brother-in-law, you should not be so quick to reject my proposal. You have to ask Ming Yue first.”
Su Yunkai felt that Ming Yue was a person who was afraid of trouble. He doubted that she would like the idea any more than he did, but he agreed. “I’ll go ask her what she thinks after I’m released from the yamen.”
Qin Fang immediately nodded. He retreated from the Ministry of Rites and ran to Ming Yue’s house.
“I want to take Bai Shui out to relax, but it’s not suitable for her to go out alone with me. Why don’t you come with my brother-in-law?”
Hearing that Qin Fang was doing this for Bai Shui, Ming Yue said, “Okay, I’ll go pack my things immediately.”
Qin Fang was all smiles. “Great.”
An hour later, Su Yunkai completed his work and went to find Ming Yue. He was surprised to see that she had already packed all of her things. Since she was willing to go, Su Yunkai had no choice but to pack his own things as well.
Unfortunately, even though Qin Fang had planned everything out, Bai Shui had some last-minute business to take care of. When Qin Fang, Su Yunkai, and Ming Yue rode over to pick her up, Bai Shui was unexpectedly busy.
Qin Fang was dumbfounded. He wanted to get out of the carriage, but he was pushed back by Bai Shui. She said, “When I’m finished, I’ll get a horse and find you.”
Qin Fang still wanted to get down, but Bai Shui wouldn’t let him. She headed back into the yamen and called, “Wait for me.” Qin Fang could only stay in the carriage and wait. As he watched the two people chatting and laughing in front of him, he was immediately choked up with envy. How unlucky!
.
A Hint of Spring 