Chapter 62 Guessing Lantern Riddles

Luo Huifeng was utterly defeated by the riddle that had been pulled out, his little face dropping completely. Meanwhile, Luo Huiqing was still gazing longingly at the rabbit lantern on the side.

Realizing his younger brother was completely unreliable, Luo Huiqing cast a hopeful look at his eldest brother, Luo Huan.

Luo Huan patted Luo Huifeng's small head by way of comfort and said, "Let me take a look."

Tong Chuxue was equally curious and leaned in close. What kind of answer could "A rustic gate hears a barking dog" possibly have? She couldn't figure it out either.

The stall owner urged them at that moment, "These riddles have a time limit. If you still can't guess it, it'll be voided."

Hearing that time was limited, Luo Huiqing grew even more anxious and tugged at Luo Huan's sleeve. "Brother!"

Luo Huan smiled and handed the envelope back to the stall owner. "The answer is the character 'Run'."

The stall owner smiled and accepted the envelope. "This young master truly has talent, but to get the rabbit lantern, you still need to answer four more riddles correctly."

Luo Huan said nothing more. He simply picked up the envelopes on the table and answered the corresponding riddles one by one.

True to his word, the stall owner took down the rabbit lantern and handed it to Luo Huan.

Luo Huan turned around and immediately gave the lantern to Luo Huiqing. Beaming with joy upon receiving the lantern, the little girl happily went over to show it off to Lin Chunyan.

Tong Chuxue walked beside Luo Huan. "How is your matter regarding finding a tutor going?"

Luo Huan seemed to pause for a fraction of a second, a fleeting, unreadable emotion flashing across his face. Recovering quickly, he said with a facade of calm, "There's no rush about this. We'll talk about it after some time."

"No rush?" Tong Chuxue was somewhat surprised. In ancient times, Luo Huan's age meant he was already regarded as a young adult; how could he not be in a rush? Finding a teacher took time, and studying under one took even more time. Naturally, the sooner the better. After pondering for a long time, Tong Chuxue concluded that it was most likely due to a lack of money, which was why the matter had been delayed.

"How about this? I'll go back and give you the silver first. Finding a tutor right now is the most important thing for you," Tong Chuxue said with a sincere expression.

Luo Huan was somewhat astonished. He had noticed long ago that Tong Chuxue seemed remarkably persistent about matters of education. From her initial suggestion that Luo Huifeng should study to her current concern about him finding a tutor, she was utterly invested.

What he did not know was that in the era Tong Chuxue came from, everyone fully understood the importance of education. It was simply unimaginable for someone to grow up without even knowing how to read.

"I have this matter in mind. It doesn't matter if it's delayed by two or three months," Luo Huan said, feigning nonchalance.

His original intention was to keep Tong Chuxue from learning about the conflict between himself and Yao Tianyuan, so he had deliberately concealed part of the truth. However, since he was not particularly adept at lying in front of Tong Chuxue, his behavior always seemed somewhat off in her eyes.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Tong Chuxue asked.

"No," Luo Huan denied instantly.

Tong Chuxue did not press further, knowing well in her heart that something was definitely amiss. With his tone sounding so unnatural, something had unquestionably happened. No matter; she would have plenty of time later to slowly find out.

As the two of them chatted, they gradually lagged behind Xu Jinniang and the rest of the group.

Before long, a sudden commotion broke out on the street. A crowd of sturdy, servant-like men were barging recklessly through the crowd, while the onlookers on the street dared to be angry but spoke no words.

Tong Chuxue couldn't help muttering a complaint, "Whose people are these? They have zero manners."

Someone nearby chimed in, "Miss, you must not be from the town. How could you not recognize the people of the Gu family?"

Tong Chuxue genuinely had no idea what the Gu family was.

The person continued, "The Gu family is the wealthiest household in our Guyu County, and they are immensely rich. Look at the clothes their servants wear—they're nicer than what we wear."

Tong Chuxue's eyes lit up. The wealthiest household? Weren't those precisely the clients she wanted to "rob"? Oh, wait, "collaborate with."

"What are they doing?" Tong Chuxue felt these servants were acting far too outrageously.

"It looks like they're looking for someone," Luo Huan observed for a moment and concluded.

"Looking for someone?" Tong Chuxue listened closely and indeed heard the servants shouting about the young master, appearing as though the Gu family's young master was lost.

Tong Chuxue pulled Luo Huan back. "Listen, it sounds like they're looking for the young master."

"Oh my, how did the Gu family's precious golden grandson get lost?" the person who had answered earlier remarked. "Old Master Gu holds this little grandson up to the heavens, giving him whatever he asks for. Whenever he goes out, a dozen people surround him front and back. How could he possibly get lost?"

Although there were many people, children were small, and the street was crowded; getting lost was normal. In any case, a child wouldn't walk far, and given how much importance the Gu family attached to him, she believed he would be found soon.

Originally, Tong Chuxue had no intention of meddling in this idle business, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a tiny black figure inside a small alley. She quickly pointed it out to Luo Huan.

"Judging by the look of it, that should be the person they're looking for," Luo Huan judged.

Though she had claimed she didn't want to get involved, seeing such a small child with zero self-defense instincts—and stumbling upon her by pure coincidence—how could she just ignore it?

Right away, she and Luo Huan detoured around from the side.

Crouching at the base of the wall was a tender, fair-skinned child dressed in brocade. Judging by his attire, nine times out of ten, he was the missing young master of the Gu family.

Tong Chuxue squatted down and asked, "Little brother, why are you all by yourself here?"

The child was startled by Tong Chuxue and looked at her with extreme vigilance, seeming quite unwilling to converse with her.

Tong Chuxue said, "Are those people outside looking for you? If you don't speak up, I'm going to call them over."

The little boy seemed desperately averse to being found by his family and immediately spoke up to stop her, "Don't!"

"Alright, then tell older sister why you're hiding here by yourself. Do you know how dangerous it is?" Tong Chuxue softened her tone to lecture him.

"I..." The child aggrievedly pouted his lower lip. "I don't want to eat anymore."

Tong Chuxue let out a dry laugh. He didn't want to eat? What kind of reason was that?

Then, the child continued, "All those things taste so terrible. I told grandfather I wouldn't eat them, but grandfather insisted that I eat."

As he spoke, he grew sorrowful, tears swirling in his eyes, looking as though they were about to fall at any moment.

Tong Chuxue swiftly took a handkerchief from her pouch and wiped away the tears in the child's eyes. "Listen to older sister: if you don't like those things, you can talk nicely to grandfather, but you mustn't run off secretly like this. Do you know how worried grandfather will be?"

The child seemed to understand Tong Chuxue's words, and a trace of guilt flickered across his face.

Fortunately, although this child was heavily doted on, he had not been spoiled rotten; he was still a kind and sensible child.

"Alright, older sister will take you to find grandfather," Tong Chuxue gently took the child's hand, preparing to seek out the Gu family's people.

Luo Huan walked on the other side, also holding the child's hand.

As the three of them emerged from the alley, they ran straight into the Gu family's servants. Upon seeing the young master being held by two strangers, a servant immediately roared angrily, "Let go of our young master!"