I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 80: Chapter 37: Sin (Part 2)

Third Lady’s expression suddenly turned serious. She stared into Fang Rui’s eyes. ”Brother Rui, I may not be some young, untouched maiden, but I understand the importance of fidelity. If I am with you, I will keep myself only for you...”

”No matter what happens in the future, you will be my last man. If anything happens to you, I... I won’t continue living without you!” Her voice rang with determination.

”As for... official status or titles, you don’t need to give me any, and I won’t ask for them.”

”In times like these, I’ve also made some preparations. I have two other small courtyards in the city, a horse-drawn carriage, and several hundred pounds of stored grain...”

”Finally, I have some talent for business. Perhaps I can be of help to you.”

”This is what I can give you... my everything...”

Third Lady paused, then continued, ”Brother Rui, if I am with you, I hope you can protect Nannan and me. No matter what, whether we stay in the city or go elsewhere, please take us with you... Of course, if the worst should happen, your family must come first. You can abandon me first, and then Nannan...”

”That’s all I wanted to say... Brother Rui, if you are willing to be my great tree, I am willing to be the dodder vine that entwines it!”

Third Lady had clearly thought about this for a long time, having prepared her speech in advance. She said it all in one breath, her face flushing slightly from the effort. She looked at Fang Rui nervously, looking quite adorable.

”Third Sister!” Fang Rui sighed.

’A beautiful woman’s favor is a heavy burden. What am I to do?’

How could one not be moved? Here was a beautiful, sensible woman, asking for no official status, offering her property, contributing her wisdom, and promising to remain faithful, all in exchange for simple protection.

In fact, what he had wanted to say earlier was also along these lines.

”Third Sister, you’ve had your say. Now let me speak!”

Fang Rui met Third Lady’s gaze without flinching and said in a deep voice, ”Third Sister, I promise you: if you are with me, no matter what, I will never abandon you and Nannan for personal gain... I will treat you as I would my own mother and sister... and do everything in my power to give you protection!”

”The Celestial Secret has fifty variables, but man can only plan for forty-nine. If... and I’m just saying if... if a truly unavoidable situation arises, please understand, Third Sister, that I will do as you said...”

”Of course, I will do my best to prevent that from ever happening.”

”Beyond that, actions speak louder than words. Third Sister, you can just watch what I do.”

Fang Rui might seem capable of fawning and scraping before Lord Hu and Young Master Lin, humbling himself completely, but he was, in truth, a proud man at his core. At this moment, he straightened his back, revealing a hint of his pine-like, unyielding spirit from beneath his usual disguise.

”Third Sister, please believe in the choice you’ve made today. When a great tree grows to pierce the heavens, the dodder vine that entwines it will also reach great heights and see the distant scenery.”

Third Lady was an extremely intelligent person. Since she was baring her heart, she was being completely honest, revealing all her hidden cards, like a cat exposing its vulnerable belly.

And he was not a cold-hearted man. How could he not cherish a woman who was entrusting her entire self to him like this?

After everything was out in the open.

Both of them felt that their hearts had grown that much closer.

Having reached this level of intimacy, Fang Rui didn’t bother being coy. He asked what he wanted to know. ”Third Sister, where are the two courtyards you mentioned?”

”And... a carriage?! I’ve been looking for one of those, but they’re incredibly hard to buy. Third Sister, when did you prepare that?”

As he spoke, he took two steps forward and took Third Lady’s hand.

Third Lady’s body trembled. The blush that had just faded from her fair, pretty face returned, burning hot. Even her voice trembled slightly. ”One is in South City’s Sweet Water Well Alley, the other in East City’s Bai Yang Alley... All these years helping that group manage their assets, I wasn’t just sitting idle. Those two courtyards...”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but Fang Rui understood. ’It was probably through scheming and lining her own pockets!’

”As for the carriage, Brother Rui, you know about it!”

Perhaps because they had just bared their hearts, Third Lady shed her usual protective shell. Amidst her gentleness, her tone held a hint of playfulness. ”It was that day, on Nannan’s birthday...”

”Oh?”

Fang Rui thought back and remembered.

—That day, he had asked Third Lady what she was doing in the afternoon, and she had replied, ”Buying some things. Today is Nannan’s birthday.”

Connecting ”buying some things” with ”Nannan’s birthday,” Fang Rui had naturally assumed she was buying things *for* Nannan’s birthday. He never expected she was actually buying a carriage.

Looking back now, Third Lady hadn’t lied. ”Buying some things” was true, and ”Nannan’s birthday” was also true. He had simply misunderstood... No, it would be more accurate to say that Third Lady had deliberately misled him!

”It’s true: the more beautiful a woman is, the better she is at lying!” Fang Rui exclaimed subconsciously, tightening his grip on Third Lady’s hand.

”I won’t lie to Brother Rui anymore.” Third Lady looked at Fang Rui with adoration. Though her body trembled with nervousness and she was overcome with shyness, she boldly squeezed his hand back, interlacing their fingers.

Choosing Fang Rui was a gamble for her... On the surface, Fang Rui only had the strength of an Entry Grade Martial Artist. In the circle of connections she had cultivated, there were many other Entry Grade Martial Artists, and even some who were stronger.

And yet, she had chosen Fang Rui.

Not to mention, she had done so without any reservations, laying all her cards on the table.

If Fang Rui hadn’t genuinely captured her heart, how could Third Lady have done such a thing?

For years, the people she dealt with were all schemers, full of calculations and counter-calculations. In that environment, she had to wear a mask all day, with not a single genuine person around... She had long grown weary of it.

And Fang Rui was the only ray of light in these difficult years... Third Lady couldn’t help but recall that morning, the young man standing under a sliver of sunlight, as gentle and smooth as jade.

”Third Sister!” Fang Rui called out, unable to help himself.

He had to admit, this feeling of being liked and looked at with adoration was quite pleasant.

It was very satisfying to a man’s ego, making him feel proud, and then... desire began to stir...

”Third Sister, what’s that on the red string around your neck?” Fang Rui asked suddenly.

”Ah? Brother Rui, do you want to see?”

Third Lady pulled it out. ”It’s just a Jade Pendant!”

It was a teardrop-shaped Jade Pendant...

”It’s beautiful!” Fang Rui praised.

”It’s a family heirloom... Ah!”

Third Lady let out a cry of surprise...

”Brother Rui!” she moaned, tilting back her beautiful, slender neck.

”Don’t worry, Third Sister.”

...

...

「The Fang Residence.」

Fang Ling and Nannan, the two little girls, were playing together—cat’s cradle, hide-and-seek... They were full of energy, having a wonderful time.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, on the other hand, kept glancing outside. ’It’s been so long. Why aren’t Brother Rui and that Third Lass back yet?’

She thought for a moment, said something to the two little girls, and went out.

Third Lady’s House was just a stone’s throw from the Fang Residence, so she arrived quickly.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family was about to knock, but she suddenly heard a faint noise, which made her pause.

She thought for a moment, pressed her ear to the door, and listened. Her face instantly flushed beet-red. A thousand words swirled in her mind, but they all boiled down to a single sentence: ”What a sin!”

...