Shi Yan stared intently at the two people leaving together, his hand continuously wiping the table with a cloth.

Minister Zhao watched as the waiter’s cloth was about to wipe into the plate. Unable to bear it any longer, he coughed: “Waiter, the customer hasn’t left yet. Isn’t it too hasty to clear the table?”

Shi Yan suddenly came to his senses, smiled awkwardly at Minister Zhao, and retreated to the side, though his eyes remained fixed on the doorway.

If the master returned from battle and discovered Miss Luo had been won over by Lin Teng—he didn’t dare think about it. The master would be too pitiful.

Minister Zhao, on the other hand, thought of something happy: Hey, if Lin Teng caught Miss Luo’s eye, wouldn’t bringing Lin Teng here in the future mean half-price?

Maybe even free—ah, thinking that way was a bit greedy. Better to wait for half-price first.

The old minister leisurely sipped his hot tea, sinking into pleasant fantasies.

Outside the wine shop, the wind was still cold, blowing so that people’s hems fluttered lightly.

Lin Teng spoke under the sparse moonlight: “Miss Luo knows about First Miss Wang’s matter, right?”

Luo Sheng nodded: “Kou’er told me.”

Lin Teng stated his purpose: “The Wang family doesn’t want to report to the authorities. Second Miss Wang came to find me privately. I told Second Miss Wang that if there’s news, I’ll send it to the wine shop. I hope Miss Luo can do me the favor of passing a message to Second Miss Wang when the time comes.”

Luo Sheng agreed without hesitation: “It’s a small matter. Magistrate Lin can rest assured.”

“Then I thank Miss Luo.” Lin Teng stopped. The cool moonlight and orange lamplight intertwined and fell upon him, softening his stern expression somewhat. “Miss Luo’s wine shop opens in the evening. You should also be careful of your safety when returning home.”

“Thank you for the reminder, Magistrate Lin.” Luo Sheng hesitated slightly before asking: “Recently, those who have gone missing… it’s not just First Miss Wang alone, is it?”

Surprise appeared in Lin Teng’s eyes as he looked at her without speaking for a moment.

Luo Sheng explained openly: “Otherwise, Magistrate Lin wouldn’t have specifically reminded me. So I guessed that this is what Magistrate Lin has been busy with recently.”

After a brief silence, Lin Teng nodded in acknowledgment: “Miss Luo guessed correctly. Recently, we’ve received four reports successively, all related to missing women. I estimate that in reality, there may be even more missing women…”

“Do these women have any connection?”

Thinking of First Miss Wang, Luo Sheng’s mood grew somewhat heavy.

If one young lady suddenly disappeared, there might still be a glimmer of hope. But if girls were disappearing one after another, the outcome would likely be unthinkable.

Lin Teng shook his head: “Currently, we haven’t found any connection. Among the four missing women, plus First Miss Wang, some are unmarried young ladies, and some are already married. Their backgrounds have no commonality either. One is the daughter of a general goods shop owner, one is a carpenter’s wife, one is a young lady from an official family, and another works as a helper in a wealthy household…”

“Are they all very beautiful?”

Lin Teng smiled bitterly: “Not really. Actually, every year in the capital, women and young children go missing. Most of these people are abducted by human traffickers, but it’s mainly concentrated during festivals like the Qixi Festival and Lantern Festival. It doesn’t happen so frequently on ordinary days. Also, as Miss Luo asked, most missing women are outstanding in appearance, which makes them easy targets for human traffickers. But among the several women who’ve gone missing recently, after inquiring with their families, some are exceptionally beautiful while others are plain-looking. For example, the general goods shop owner’s daughter has a birthmark on her face and has been unable to find a marriage match…”

Speaking of these matters, Lin Teng rubbed his brow.

The five missing women had almost no commonality, making those investigating the case feel as if they’d crashed headfirst into a fog.

“There’s truly not a single common point?”

Lin Teng pondered briefly before saying: “If I must mention a common point, it’s that their ages are similar—they’re all nineteen years old.”

But this common point couldn’t become the key to solving the case. Looking at the capital, there were far too many nineteen-year-old women.

Nineteen years old—

Luo Sheng thought about this point and asked with sudden inspiration: “Magistrate Lin, have you asked about the specific birth dates of the several women?”

Lin Teng froze.

People believed that a person’s birth date and time determined that person’s destiny. Aside from necessary occasions like marriage arrangements, they wouldn’t casually mention it to others.

Naturally, victims reporting cases wouldn’t include birth dates and times in their reports, and those investigating missing persons cases wouldn’t ask about this either.

But Luo Sheng’s words were like a lightning bolt splitting through the chaos in Lin Teng’s mind, making his eyes light up.

If the several missing women were born on the same year, month, and day, the direction of investigation would need to change.

This might not be an ordinary missing persons case!

The feeling of clouds parting to reveal the sun made Lin Teng’s heart surge with excitement. Out of habit, he reached out to high-five the person who had given him this reminder.

Looking at the man whose eyes were shining brilliantly, Luo Sheng wasn’t coy. She generously high-fived him and said: “I wish Magistrate Lin success in solving the case soon.”

Only then did Lin Teng realize that the person before him wasn’t a subordinate investigating the case with him. His ears suddenly turned red.

He hurriedly lowered his hand and put on a serious expression: “Thank you, Miss Luo.”

“Magistrate Lin is too polite. I only mentioned it casually. If their birth dates are different, then it would be of no help to Magistrate Lin’s investigation.”

Lin Teng still couldn’t suppress his excited mood. The fatigue from recent days seemed to be swept away entirely: “If they’re different, at least we’ve ruled out one direction. Miss Luo’s reminder mainly made me realize I can’t let experience cloud my vision. The several missing women must have some connection. In any case, thank you first, Miss Luo. I’ll trouble Miss Luo to ask Second Miss Wang about First Miss Wang’s birth date and time. I’ll take my leave first.”

Seeing Lin Teng stride away briskly, Luo Sheng turned to walk back and saw Shi Yan standing eagerly at the wine shop entrance.

“Why are you standing here?” Luo Sheng asked casually.

Shi Yan said with a cheerful smile: “This humble guard must protect your safety. Otherwise, when our master returns, I won’t be able to explain!”

Though the young guard said this aloud, he sighed heavily in his heart: It’s over, it’s over. Miss Luo spent much more time seeing Lin Teng off than she spends seeing off our master.

This meant Miss Luo had more to say to Lin Teng!

Thinking of how the two used to stand silently under the persimmon tree in the past, the young guard felt despair. When he came back to his senses, he realized Luo Sheng had already entered the wine shop.

The next morning, Luo Sheng went to the wine shop and sent Hong Dou to deliver a calling card to the Wang family, inviting Second Miss Wang to come visit.

The Wang family’s atmosphere was low due to First Miss Wang’s disappearance, but they didn’t dare refuse Miss Luo’s invitation. Second Miss Wang smoothly left the house and came to the wine shop to meet with Luo Sheng.

Upon seeing Luo Sheng, Second Miss Wang immediately asked eagerly: “Miss Luo, does Magistrate Lin have news of my elder sister?”

“Not yet. Magistrate Lin asked me to inquire about your elder sister’s specific birth date.”

Though disappointed, Second Miss Wang quickly said: “My elder sister is nineteen this year. She was born on the seventh day of the seventh month during the mao hour. Why is Magistrate Lin asking about this?”

Luo Sheng’s heart shook, and she could no longer concern herself with answering Second Miss Wang’s question.

The seventh day of the seventh month during the mao hour—

This was the birth date of her former self, Princess Qingyang.

It was also the birth date of her current self, Miss Luo.

The only difference was the year of birth.