Chapter 3.2: Gone Without a Trace

　　Beads of perspiration glistened on Xu Yunzhuo’s brow, his countenance frozen in an expression of sheer terror as though he had come face to face with a ghostly presence firsthand. An uneasy knot tightened in his chest, warring with his instincts on whether to stay or flee.

　　Met with silence, a tinge of concern flickered in Lin Feng’s eyes as he raised his voice to call out for the housekeeper. “Aunt He? Aunt He?”

　　Amidst the vast expanse of the mansion, Lin Feng’s voice boomed, filling every corner with its commanding presence.

　　Xu Yunzhuo was taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise.

　　Things have certainly taken a drastic turn! The CEO’s wife is missing, and we’ve no clue about the housekeeper’s whereabouts! Could it be that… they’ve been kidnapped?

　　Lin Feng reached into the inner pocket of his suit and retrieved his phone. Urgency pulsed through his veins as he swiftly navigated to the housekeeper’s contact and dialed the number.

　　In a matter of moments, the call was answered by the other party.

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　　Nkd Wldt iwlpvksdle, “Eblal yal usw, Gwdv Tl?”

　　“Ob? UOX Nkd? Zsw’al cynj?” Gwdv Tl lmnzykxle okvb elzktbv. “Ya. Fw oyp fwpv vyzjkdt ycswv usw y nswrzl sq eyup yts!”

　　Nkd Wldt’p qasod ellrldle, qsaxkdt vball ellr zkdlp¹ 眉头皱成“川”字: Rv kp y qktwayvkhl lmralppksd kd Ubkdlpl vbyv elpnakclp vbl yrrlyaydnl sq psxlsdl’p lulcasop obld vblu yal vktbvzu jdkvvle vstlvbla ewl vs y qasod. Mbl zkdlp qasx vbl qwaasole casop alplxczlp vbl Ubkdlpl nbyaynvla “川” (nbwād). Xd y pkel dsvl, vbl osae xlydp “akhla” sa “pvalyx.” clvolld bkp casop. Ekvb y qklanl cyvvzl aytkdt okvbkd bkx, Nkd Wldt pwrralpple vbl qzyxlp sq bkp qwau yde elxydele kd y nsze, aktke vsdl, “Mlzz xl dso. Eblal yal usw yde Fw Nkdt?”

　　Gwdv Tl bypvkzu alprsdele, “Ya. Fw vsze xl vs vyjl y vos-eyu calyj ulpvlaeyu, ps R blyele bsxl. Ebld R zlqv, Ya. Fw oyp pvkzz vblal!”

　　Nkd Wldt rascle, “Jlqsal usw zlqv, eke bl tkhl usw ydu kdpvawnvksdp sa lmrzykd yduvbkdt vs usw?”

　　Gwdv Tl rsdelale qsa y xsxldv clqsal alnyzzkdt, “Xb, ulp! R alxlxcla dso. Ya. Fw prlnkqknyzzu ypjle qsa usw vs blye pvayktbv vs vbl pvweu wrsd uswa alvwad. Tl xldvksdle vblal’p psxlvbkdt qsa usw sd vbl elpj.”

　　Ekvb vbyv, Nkd Wldt bwdt wr vbl rbsdl yde cszvle wr vbl pvykanypl. Tkp pvakelp alpsdyvle okvb watldnu yp bl eypble vsoyaep vbl pvweu wrpvykap.

　　Ekvb y iwkggknyz lmralppksd sd bkp qynl, Dw Zwdgbws vaykzle clbkde bkx yp vblu ypnldele vbl pvykap.

　　Since he had the housekeeper’s phone number, why hadn’t Lin Feng dialed her number sooner to get to the bottom of things? Lin Feng’s mind was indeed a mystery wrapped in perplexity.

　　As he entered the study, Lin Feng’s foot unintentionally stepped on a stack of rice paper² 宣纸 (xuān zhǐ): Rice paper, also referred to as Xuan paper, is a type of paper that has played a significant role in Chinese history. It is recognized for its contribution to preserving numerous ancient documents and artworks that may have otherwise been lost over time. It is also a traditional Chinese handmade paper that is primarily used for Chinese calligraphy and painting.

You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuan_paper
You can check out more about how it is created here: https://www.shine.cn/feature/art-culture/1801088751/  that crinkled under his weight. His features contorted into a storm of frustration and surprise at the sight of the disarray before him.

　　Following closely behind, Xu Yunzhuo’s eyes went wide in astonishment as he took in the disorderly sight of scattered books, Chinese paintings, Chinese calligraphy scrolls, brushes, ink, and more. At that moment, his heart raced as he realized what must have transpired here — a burglary.

　　Disregarding the objects around him, Lin Feng walked straight to the desk. There, he found a mobile phone and a stack of papers. When his eyes fell upon the words “Divorce Agreement” boldly written on the paper, his face instantly drained of color. It felt as though an onslaught of thunderbolts had struck him, leaving his mind reverberating with a deafening buzz. The wound on his forehead that was stitched together with five needles suddenly throbbed with a searing ache. His vision blurred, and his imposing figure began to sway violently.

　　With a gasp, Xu Yunzhuo lunged forward to catch him before he fell. Just as he was about to inquire about his well-being, his eyes landed on the words “Divorce Agreement” printed on the document, leaving him stunned with his mouth agape.

　　What? Madam Lin wants a divorce? A divorce?!

　　After a brief wave of dizziness passed, Lin Feng regained his composure and redirected his path toward the master bedroom.

　　Xu Yunzhuo hesitated momentarily, then tentatively proceeded to follow him.

　　With a dramatic creak, the door to the master bedroom burst open, revealing a scene of disorder that surpassed even the wildest disarray in the study.

　　All the cabinet doors stood ajar, and clothes were scattered haphazardly — some in one spot, others in another. The bed was even more inundated, as though the “trespasser” had no discernment of their worth, audaciously discarding the world’s most prestigious designer clothes onto the floor with careless disregard.

　　Skillfully sidestepping the clothes strewn on the floor, Lin Feng stepped into the bedroom and cast a sweeping glance around. As he settled onto the bed, he reached for his phone and made a call.

　　After a moment, Lin Feng waited for the click on the other end of the line. Without a second to spare, he dove straight into the heart of the matter. “Where’s Su Ling, Lin Zhou?”

---

　　Su Clan Ancestral House

　　With a sudden jolt, Su Ling snapped out of his reverie and quickly reached for a tissue to wipe away the instant noodle soup that had splattered on the table. Nonchalantly, he probed, “What did he say when he called you?”

　　Peering at Su Ling through his phone screen, Lin Zhou’s gaze swept over every detail of his friend’s expression. If it were not for the telltale frown and lip-biting, he might have actually fallen for Su Ling’s facade of calmness.

　　”Lin Feng asked me where you’d disappeared to.”

　　”How did you respond to him?”

　　With a casual flick of his wrist, Su Ling flung the used tissue into the brand-new dustbin beside the table.

　　Lin Zhou’s shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Of course, I acted out of loyalty to our brotherhood and kept my lips sealed.”

　　Su Ling’s fingers tightly interlocked as his gaze remained steadfastly glued to the screen. “Care to elaborate?”

　　A knowing smile curled on Lin Zhou’s lips, as he caught onto the subtle signs of impatience from the other person. “I made it clear to him that I’ve no clue about your whereabouts.”

　　Wide and mesmerizing, his eyes held a captivating blend of black and white within their depths. “Did he actually believe you?”

　　“Of course, he didn’t.” Lin Zhou absentmindedly stroked his silky-smooth chin as his mind drifted back to the phone call from that unforgettable afternoon.

　　Lin Feng’s voice crackled through the phone line. “Where has Su Ling gone?”

　　The response came in a puzzled tone. “Su Ling? Doesn’t he usually stay home every day?”

　　Lin Feng stated, “He’s not at home.”

　　Lin Zhou’s feigned ignorance reverberated through the phone. “Not at home? That’s impossible! He’s practically a homebody, so where could he have vanished to? Could he have slipped away to the park for some nature sketching?”

　　Lin Feng’s voice carried a heavy weight as he uttered, “He left me divorce papers.”

　　Lin Zhou’s voice rang out with a mixture of disbelief and confusion, “Wait, what? Divorce papers? That can’t be… Tell me, CEO Lin, have you done something to Su Ling? Otherwise, why would he want to get a divorce?”

　　Upon hearing that, Lin Feng vehemently denied, “No, I haven’t!”

　　Despite that, Lin Zhou’s doubt seeped into his words. “Is that so? Perhaps… it’s worth taking a moment to think it through?”

　　Lin Feng proclaimed, “I always cater to his every need and ensure he lives life at its absolute finest.”

　　Lin Zhou countered, “Even if his material desires are fulfilled, what about his emotional needs? CEO Lin, I’m curious: as an esteeming leader of your company, where does your wife stand in comparison to your career? Considering your workaholic tendencies, are you able to immediately detect when your wife is ill, lonely, upset, or unjustly treated right from the very beginning?”

　　CEO Lin lapsed into silence, a pregnant pause stretching out before finally declaring, “Our affairs are of no concern to you.”

　　A chuckle of exasperation and amusement escaped Lin Zhou’s lip. “Alright, alright, it’s got nothing to do with me. But let me say this: marriage isn’t about having a pretty face on your arm or treating your partner like some trophy. Su Ling’s a person with all the emotions that come with being human! He can feel pain, he can feel sadness, and he can experience the loneliness and anguish that arise from waiting! In order to be with you, he’s even willingly to cut ties with the Su family and pass up on job opportunities to become a homemaker. And yet, here you are, not only failing to throw a wedding reception, but also neglecting to introduce him to your relatives and friends. Heck, you never bring him along to social gatherings either. Tell me, how’s that any different from having a pet?”

　　The relentless onslaught of questions hit Lin Feng like a tidal wave, leaving him breathless and boiling with rage.

　　In a display of cold-heartedness, Lin Zhou abruptly ended the call without giving him a chance to respond.

　　“There you have it,” Lin Zhou stated.

　　Su Ling pressed his hand to his forehead and kneaded his temples. “Lin Feng must be really pissed off.”

　　Lin Zhou shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not like he’s my husband, so why should I care whether he’s pissed off or not?”

　　Su Ling sighed, “He’s… not good with words.”

　　Raising an eyebrow, Lin Zhou commented, “Not good with words? To put it bluntly, he’s a mensao³ 闷骚 (mēn sāo): It is a Chinese term that refers to individuals who may seem stoic and expressionless outwardly and rarely express their thoughts or emotions openly, but on the inside, they’re very passionate and caring, at least when it comes to their love interest.

Since it doesn’t have an English alternative, the closest I can think of is Kuudere. You can read more about it here: https://the-dere-types.fandom.com/wiki/Kuudere !”

　　In a split second, Su Ling was struck dumb by the impact of Lin Zhou’s words.