Liang Xing and An An: The Beginning of Lu Bai House of Children

Kidnapped

One month passed quietly with the two love birds meeting occasionally. 

Su Su had healed within a week of the incident except for her arm which took two more weeks than that to heal.

Lin Ruo hadn't been heard from again by anyone in the Ru estate and even Liang Xing had not seen her since the day of the incident. 

An An had finished her dress and was now working on the decoration patterns. Su Su was watching on the side as she quietly hummed a tune and ate a small cake.

Swallowing her cake Su Su opened her mouth, "Miss you are incredibly talented. Your needlework almost looks alive!" Su Su praised An An's work as she hovered around her Miss. Su Su's eyes were big, almost as if she watched An An's hand movements closely she too might become a master at embroidery. 

An An nodded." I enjoy needlework after all."" An An said straight forwardly.

Su Su giggled and looked down at the basket with all the threads. "Miss! You are running out of yellow thread. Shall I buy more?" Su Su asked.

An An took a look at her supplies and quietly counted. "Yes, I will also need some ornaments for my hair. Perhaps we should visit the jeweler today and buy some jewels while I take a look at the progress they have made with my headdress." An An said as she finished the stitch she was working on.

Su Su nodded and quickly left to summon the carriage.

That day Su Su and An An disappeared.

-----_------

Madam Ru hurried to the Liang estate after she had searched everywhere for her daughter to no avail. Her husband was away on business, so she was by herself and she did not know what to do. Her thoughts were muddled with worry and she was making no progress.

Seeing the guard once again at the same spot, in front of the Liang manor gate, Madam Ru ran up to him. "Quickly go and get the Young Master!" She told the guard.

The guard unhurriedly tapped his weapon just like the previous time and in moments a servant boy came out.

"Take the Madam inside and ask the Young Master if he would like to see her." The guard commanded.

Even though Madam Ru was soon to be the mother of the young mistress of the Liang family she was not yet, thus the guards did not give her appropriate respect just yet. 

Madam Ru followed the servant boy inside and urged him to hurry.
Before long she was pacing back and forth impatiently as she waited for Liang Xing.

However, instead of Liang Xing it was Madam Liang. The woman took small steps and had a gentle air. However right now those tiny steps only served to frustrate the very frazzled Madam Liang. 

"Madam Ru, what has brought you by today?" Madam Liang observed all proper decorum and her greeting was slow and respectful.

Madam Ru nearly fell to her knees as tears spilled from her worry filled eyes.

"Please you must help me! My daughter has disappeared! I have searched everywhere, and no one can find her." Madam Ru sobbed as her heart clenched in worry.

Madam Liang lost her calm expression.

Reaching out Madam Liang helped the younger woman to stand steadily. "You need to calm down. If your daughter is missing then you need to be like a rock. Only once she returns can you afford to break down. Tell me first where you have looked." Madam Liang looked straight into Madam Ru's eyes as if willing Madam Ru to calm down.

Madam Ru took a breath and let it out shakily. "You are right, I'm sorry. My daughter went out to look at jewelry in the afternoon. When dinner time came and she did not return, I sent people to look for her, but she was not found. Two hours later her empty carriage was found. Her guard was knocked out and he still has not woken up. Since then my people have been looking everywhere throughout the capitol." Madam Ru said quickly.

At that moment Liang Xing walked in.

"Mother," he referred to Madam Ru, "Did they find anything in the carriage? " He asked with a straight face, he had overheard An An was missing and his world had frozen, in a single moment his goal was pinpointed: find An An.

Madam Ru shook her head. "Everything, but the people, was there. Even the jewelry was still packed neatly in the boxes. " Madam Ru said.

Liang Xing furrowed his brow. If the jewelry was still there than robbery was not the motive. This made matters even more complicated. 

"Have you received any message for ransom? " He asked next, just to check if his hunch was right.

It was no secret that the Ru family was ridiculously wealthy. Some even rumored their wealth was only second to the imperial family. It was actually often wondered why the Ru family had not simply bought a noble title, but no one really knew.

Madam Ru again shook her head she took out a handkerchief to wipe her wet eyes.

"Alright, Madam Ru, come and sit with me. Leave this to Xing. He knows better than us women how to handle this." Madam Liang led Madam Ru to sip some soothing tea so the younger woman could calm down her frazzled nerves. Once the women sat down Madam Liang gave a steady look to her son and nodded for him to go quickly.