The fragrance of medicine fills the countryside in 1990

Chapter 112: Qin Family Trouble, the Truth Hidden Under Water
From that moment on, Yao Lao seemed to have buried the matter of Xing Miao deep in his heart, like an ancient scroll covered in dust by time, lying quietly in the corner of history, no longer easily opened to others.

There was no longer any trace of that incident in his words and deeds, as if the storm that had once been caused was just a vague and helpless nightmare in his life that had never really touched the edge of reality.

Yao Lao still maintained his usual calmness, but within that calmness, there seemed to be a hint of elusive loneliness.

He is like a quiet lake, although there are no waves, but deep in the lake there are endless depths.

Gu Xinliang and Su Chenjin had just stepped out of Yao Lao's mansion. The calmness and perseverance they had when talking with Yao Lao still wrapped around the two of them like a persistent goal and had never completely faded away.

They tried hard to withdraw from this serious atmosphere and calm their minds, but the unrest still seemed to be quietly playing tricks in their hearts.

Just as the two were trying to put that thought behind them, a servant from the Qin family suddenly came in a hurry. The servant's face was as solemn as an impending rainstorm, with dark clouds covering the sky, as if swallowing up the whole world.

The servant's tone was urgent, urging the two to go to Qin's house as soon as possible.

Gu Xinliang and Su Chenjin looked at each other and saw confusion and curiosity in each other's eyes.

However, under the urging of the Qin family servants, they knew that they did not have much time to think and hesitate.

So the two of them had to suppress their doubts and hurriedly left with the servant.
They followed the servants, passed through the winding corridors, and finally arrived at the Qin family's meeting hall.

As soon as I stepped into the hall, a heavy atmosphere hit me, like a solidified dark cloud pressing on my heart, so heavy that I could almost squeeze water out of it.

The elders of the Qin family usually appear dignified and steady, but now they have changed their usual behavior and are sitting in the main seats with solemn expressions.

Their brows were furrowed as if they were bound by invisible chains, and their eyes flashed with complex lights, showing both worry and determination, as if they were experiencing an inner storm.

On the side, several children of the Qin family stood quietly, revealing a premonition that something big was about to happen, casting the entire Qin family under a shadow.

"Director Gu, student Su Chenjin, you two are finally here."

The head of the Qin family, the weathered old man Qin, twitched his facial muscles slightly when he saw the two of them, trying to force a smile.

However, that smile was like the remaining sunshine in autumn. Although it was warm, it could not dispel the haze in my heart.

There were complex emotions flashing in his eyes, and the worry was as deep as the night. It seemed that a heavy burden was weighing on his heart, and he couldn't let it go.

Old Master Qin's gaze lingered between Gu Xinliang and Su Chenjin, as if looking for some comfort or hope.

The look in his eyes was like the fallen leaves in late autumn. Although they were blown lightly by the wind, they left deep marks that could not be ignored.

There was a hint of fatigue in his voice, yet he remained firm. In this difficult time, he was still the pillar of the Qin family, supporting the hopes of the entire family.

Gu Xinliang, who was usually as calm and composed as a mountain, could not hide his anxiety at this moment, and asked directly: "Mr. Qin, seeing your appearance, has the Qin family encountered any difficulties? What happened?"

His voice was low and firm, like a lonely but firm light in the dark night, trying to penetrate the layers of darkness and illuminate the haze in Mr. Qin's heart.

Old Master Qin sighed deeply, and that sigh echoed in the empty hall, carrying with it the heaviness and vicissitudes of time.

His eyes were like an ancient well that had been weathered by wind and rain over the years, deep and distant, but at this moment they vaguely revealed an indescribable worry and confusion.

He slowly opened his lips, his voice steady and magnetic, like an old wine that has been stored for many years, with a faint aftertaste in the mellow fragrance: "Recently, my Qin family received a mysterious letter. The origin of the letter is confusing, and the handwriting is also a bit weird. The content of the letter is like a heavy bomb, which has set off a storm in our peaceful life and shocked us."

He paused and continued, "What was said in the letter actually concerns the life and death of my Qin family. It is like an invisible sword hanging over my head, making my heart tremble. Every time when it is late at night, the content of the letter hovers in my mind like a ghost, lingering and making me toss and turn, unable to sleep at night."

Old Master Qin frowned, as if he was sorting out every detail of the letter in his mind.

His gaze slowly swept across everyone's faces, finally stopping on Gu Xinliang, his eyes flashing with expectation and trust.

"We in the Qin family have discussed repeatedly and tried to decipher the mystery of the letter, but it is always like a blind man touching an elephant, unable to see the whole picture." Old Master Qin shook his head helplessly, "Perhaps, only young people like you can reveal this mystery for us. You are young and energetic, with sharp minds, and perhaps you can find the key clues that we have overlooked from the subtle details that we have not noticed."

His voice gradually became low, but every word he said was like a heavy hammer hitting everyone's heart, and the hall fell into a brief silence.

Su Chenjin's heart suddenly surged with inexplicable throbbing, and her thoughts involuntarily drifted towards Yao Lao's mysterious figure and attitude.

A faint doubt, like an elusive wisp of smoke, quietly spread in her heart.

She vaguely felt that there seemed to be some unknown connection between the two things, like a secret hidden in a deep fog, waiting to be revealed.

Su Chenjin closed his eyes slightly, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turbulent waves in his heart.

She felt her heartbeat gradually returning to its previous steady rhythm, and the sudden throbbing slowly faded away like flowing water.

When she opened her eyes again, her usual calmness and determination had returned to them.

She calmed herself down and adjusted her voice to make it sound steady and powerful: "Mr. Qin, can you give us the letter to read?"

Old Master Qin stared at her, with a complicated light in his eyes.

He was silent for a moment, as if weighing some pros and cons in his mind.

Finally, he nodded slowly and handed the yellowed letter in his hand to Su Chenjin, his eyes revealing an elusive depth.

Su Chenjin took the letter carefully, his fingertips lightly touching the slightly rough paper, and his heartbeat seemed to speed up a little.

She sat next to Gu Xinliang, and the two of them sat side by side, immersed in the obscure words in the letter.

Every word in the letter seemed to be shrouded in mist, revealing an unpredictable atmosphere.

They are combined into sentences and then into paragraphs, seeming to hide some unfathomable secret.

Su Chenjin and Gu Xinliang frowned and looked solemn. They were deeply attracted by the contents of the letter, yet confused and puzzled.

The two looked at each other and saw the same confusion and curiosity in each other's eyes.

This letter seemed to contain some unknown power. Every word and sentence in it pointed to a whole new world, a realm they had never set foot in.

Perhaps, this letter will become a turning point in their destiny, leading them to a new world full of unknowns and possibilities.

The night falls silently over the city like a thick ink-splashed canvas.

The night is like thick ink, spreading freely across the sky, like a masterpiece casually created by a master, deep and mysterious.

The hour hand silently wandered around the edge of the dial, like a ghost wandering in the night. Finally, it gently landed on the ten o'clock mark, freezing the silence and anxiety of this moment.

The Qin family's hall was brightly lit, like a starry sky. The exquisite chandeliers were like falling stars, casting a soft and warm light, illuminating every corner of the hall as bright as day.

However, this bright light could not dispel the gloom on everyone's face. Everyone's face looked solemn and heavy, as if they were restrained by invisible pressure and could not relax their brows.

The Qin family compound was full of relatives and friends today, but the laughter and joy of the past were no longer there. Everyone's face was filled with worry and concern, and the air was filled with an indescribable sense of depression.

Qin Yu, the apple of the Qin family's eye, usually had a smile on her face, always bringing endless warmth and joy to the Qin family compound. However, at this moment, she disappeared for a full ten hours, with no news at all, causing panic among the Qin family.

Panic surged through the crowd like an undercurrent, silently corroding everyone's heart. It was as if an invisible sword was hanging over everyone's heart. With every passing minute and second, the sword seemed to become heavier, almost crushing people's hearts.

During this long wait, the Qin family compound seemed to have become an isolated island, cut off from the world. Everyone looked out the door at the same time, expecting that familiar figure to suddenly appear and bring a sense of relief and comfort.

In a corner of the spacious and solemn hall, the head of the Qin family, Old Man Qin, who was usually as calm as a rock and as majestic as the ocean, now had a frown on his face and a solemn expression.

His eyes were like a tranquil lake in autumn being violently blown by a violent storm, with waves rolling and difficult to calm down.

The phone in his hand was picked up and put down repeatedly by him, as if it weighed a thousand pounds. He had dialed Qin Yu's number countless times, but every time, the only response he got was the cold and mechanical "beep" sound, like an echo from an ice cellar.

The "dudu" sounds were like sharp ice arrows, piercing his heart mercilessly again and again.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table. The subtle and even tapping sound seemed to become the melody of his anxious heart, one by one, as heavy and powerful as drumbeats.

Old Master Qin has always been as calm as a mountain, and he would remain calm even when faced with a huge crisis.

But at this moment, the wrinkles on his face seemed to become deeper because of this deep worry, like heavy marks carved by the years.

He knew Qin Yu's character very well. The granddaughter he raised was strong and independent. If she hadn't encountered something extremely serious, she would never have been out of touch for such a long time.

This unknown blankness was like a huge rock pressing on his heart, making him feel unprecedentedly depressed and uneasy.

The lights in the hall were mottled, like a broken dream, casting deep shadows on his face.

This made his already stern expression appear even more solemn and profound.

He sat there, lonely and tenacious, like a towering mountain, standing firm against the wind and rain.

Qin Yu's mother, the woman who was known for her heart of stone, was now sitting silently by the side like a puppet that had lost its soul.

Her tears slid down silently, and her eyes were empty and lifeless, like a night sky without the stars, deep and lonely.

She held a photo of Qin Yu tightly in her hand, which was a testimony to the happy times they had spent together. In the photo, Qin Yu smiled brightly, with youthful light in her eyes.

That innocence and happiness seem to be able to penetrate the dust of time and hit the softest part of people's hearts.

However, at this moment, she could only look at her daughter in the photo silently, her heart filled with endless longing and worry.

Other people in the hall were also talking and guessing where Qin Yu might have gone.

Old Master Qin's face was as gloomy as a dark cloud, weighing heavy on people's hearts.

His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, shooting straight at Gu Xinliang, trying to see through him completely.

The air seemed to be frozen, filled with a suffocating feeling of oppression, like the calm before a storm.

He spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful, every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, with an unquestionable majesty: "Director Gu, Qin Yu has just arrived and transferred to Jiangda, and the first person she came into contact with was you. But today, she neither showed up in class nor returned home. Shouldn't you take up this responsibility?"

Although Mr. Qin's tone was calm, the anger and blame contained in it were as hot as a raging fire.

Gu Xinliang's heart trembled. He knew very well that he was indeed to blame in this matter, but he did not expect that Mr. Qin would point out his mistake so directly.

Gu Xinliang took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner turmoil, and replied in a deep voice: "Mr. Qin, I will keep your teachings in mind. I have immediately started to find out Qin Yu's whereabouts and ensure her safety. At the same time, I will also strengthen the management of students to prevent such incidents from happening again."

After listening to Gu Xinliang's answer, the seriousness on Mr. Qin's face eased a little, but he still remained vigilant.

He nodded slightly and said in a deep voice: "Okay, then I will wait for your news. Remember, Jiangda is like a big family, and every student is our relative. We must not let any of our relatives get hurt."

Gu Xinliang paused for a moment, as if he was organizing his words, and then continued: "We have urgently launched a search plan, and all the teachers and students in the school have invested in this search operation. At the same time, we have also reported the case to the police and requested their professional assistance in the investigation. I am confident that with the close investigation of the police and the full cooperation of the school, the whereabouts of Qin Yu will be found out as soon as possible."

Although his voice was a little low, it contained a power that should not be underestimated.

Those words are like a bright light in the dark night.

Just as Mr. Qin and Gu Xinliang were talking, a burst of hurried and heavy footsteps suddenly sounded in the quiet courtyard of the Qin family.

The sound was like breaking the calm of a lake, causing the two people who were talking to feel a chill in their hearts. They raised their heads at the same time, and their eyes turned to the entrance at the other end of the courtyard.

The Qin family's housekeeper, who was usually as calm as a mountain, was out of character at this moment. He was sweating profusely, his face was as pale as paper, and he rushed into the house in a hurry.

He was holding a schoolbag tightly in his hand. The color of the schoolbag was dazzlingly bright, and the style was exactly the same as the one that Qin Yu, the little princess of the Qin family, carried every day.

At this moment, the schoolbag was shaking in the housekeeper's hand, and its bright colors danced in the dim light, like an uneasy elf, carrying an indescribable ominous aura.

Master Qin and Gu Xinliang looked at each other and saw surprise and uneasiness in each other's eyes.

Why is the schoolbag being held so nervously in the housekeeper's hands at this moment?
Could it be that something unexpected happened?

The butler came hurriedly, taking two steps at a time, and stood in front of Master Qin in the blink of an eye.

His face was as pale as a piece of thin paper, as if it had been blown by a biting cold wind.

Those eyes, which were usually as calm as a mountain, were now flashing with panic, as if their original rhythm had been disrupted by the sudden storm.

His lips trembled slightly, his voice trembling uncontrollably, and he reported to Master Qin with difficulty: "Master, something bad has happened...something bad has happened!"

These short and hurried words, like a heavy rock, hit Mr. Qin's heart hard, causing him to feel a dull pain.

Master Qin's heart suddenly tightened, his brows furrowed, and a trace of solemnity and uneasiness flashed in his deep eyes.

He raised his hand slightly and gestured to the butler to continue, wanting to find out as quickly as possible how serious this sudden change was.

The butler's hands trembled slightly, and he clasped them tightly together, trying to grasp a little bit of stability.

He took a deep breath of the fresh air, trying to suppress the unspeakable worry and uneasiness in his heart like a haze deep in his heart.

He tried hard to calm himself, forced himself to stay calm, and reported the situation to the master in the calmest tone possible.

"Master, I just led a group of people to the places Miss Qin often went to and conducted a thorough search." The housekeeper said in a deep voice, and every word seemed to carry a heavy burden. "However, apart from Miss Qin's schoolbag, we did not find any clues about her."

He paused, a trace of confusion and uneasiness flashed in his eyes, "That schoolbag, lying alone on the park bench, seemed to have been placed there deliberately."

The housekeeper shook his head, his tone revealing deep helplessness, "As for Miss Qin herself... we still haven't found any trace of her. It's as if she disappeared from this world, and there has been no news from her."

His voice gradually became lower and lower, and every word fell as heavy as a stone on Master Qin's heart.

Upon hearing the news, Mr. Qin's face suddenly turned as cold as the frost in severe winter, and turned ashen and bloodless.

He stood up suddenly, clenched his hands into fists, his knuckles turned blue and white from excessive force, like dead branches in winter.

There was a flash of anger and deep worry in his eyes, like dark clouds rolling in, about to turn into a violent storm.

Qin Yu, the treasure he held in his hands, was also the shining star of the Qin family's future, and the person on whom all the Qin family's hopes and pride were pinned.

Her disappearance was like a bolt from the blue to him, instantly shattering his inner peace and making him feel heartbroken and extremely desperate.

Qin Yu’s disappearance is by no means a trivial matter, but a severe test for the entire Qin family.

He must act quickly and find her as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.

This is a race against time, a contest concerning the fate of the Qin family. He cannot lose, and will never lose.

"Have you made any other discoveries?" Mr. Qin's voice was low and solemn, and every word seemed to carry a heavy weight of question.

He tried to find a clue in the fog before him to solve this sudden mystery.

The butler shook his head helplessly, his face full of powerlessness: "Master, I don't know anything either. I have sent people out to look for it, but there is no news yet. What do you think we should do next?"

Master Qin fell into a brief silence, and suddenly, a firm strength gradually gathered in his eyes.

He cannot panic at this moment, he must remain calm and find a solution.

He took a deep breath and said to the housekeeper: "After calling the police, notify everyone in the family and ask them to help find Qin Yu. No matter what, we must find her!"

After hearing this, the butler immediately nodded and turned to carry out Master Qin's order.

Master Qin stood where he was, looking into the distance with a determined gaze, praying silently in his heart that Qin Yu would be safe and return soon.

On the other hand, the anxiety in Mr. Hou's heart was like a raging fire, burning fiercely. He could no longer endure the torment brought by the endless waiting and endless speculation.

He stepped forward resolutely, unafraid of everyone's doubts and opposition, and decided to go there himself, driving to Jiangda to look for Qin Yu who had been missing for a long time.

In his mind, only by searching for it personally can he uncover this foggy mystery and calm the turbulent storm in the family.

But at this critical moment, Chen Xue was alone, with her bulging belly, standing quietly at the solemn and stern door of the Marquis' Mansion.

Her eyes were filled with complex emotions, including anticipation for an unknown future and anxiety about the current predicament.

However, Mr. Hou drove past her as if he was unaware of her existence, without even giving her a glance.

Looking at Mr. Hou's receding back, Chen Xue felt an indescribable sense of loss and helplessness in her heart.

She understood that she had become so insignificant in this huge family, like a chess piece that could be abandoned at any time.

The Qin family, which was once a peaceful harbor, is now full of turbulence and constant disturbances.

An invisible storm, like a wild gale, mercilessly swept through every corner of the family, making the hearts of every family member sway like a candle flame swaying in the wind.

The harmony and intimacy of the past, under the erosion of suspicion and contradiction, gradually faded like an ancient painting eroded by time, until it was broken into pieces.

The relationship between family members has become complicated, like an unresolved chess game. Everyone is fighting openly and secretly for their own interests, but they are all dragged into the bottomless abyss by this turmoil.

However, behind this seemingly chaotic storm, there is a huge mystery.

There seems to be an inextricable connection between the mysterious letter and Qin Yu's bizarre disappearance.

It is like an ancient well with no bottom to be seen. The surface is calm, but under the water there are undercurrents.

The truth seems to be hidden in it, but it is shrouded in a thick fog, making it elusive.

Every family member has the desire to lift the veil and search for traces of the truth.

However, every attempt seemed to hit an invisible barrier, preventing them from seeing the true face of the truth.