I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 82: Chapter 38: Profound Kindness, Part 2

Under Fang Rui’s influence, her personality had also gradually become more cautious and careful.

”Alright.”

Fang Rui thought for a moment before agreeing.

He could keep an eye on things from his home, listening for any disturbances from Third Lady’s House to ensure she was safe, but it was still no substitute for having her here, where he could look after her completely.

...

Before long, Fang Rui called Third Sister over.

Third Sister was a sensible woman. After Fang Rui explained the concerns of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, she suppressed her shyness and came over.

Now, seeing Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family again, she opened her mouth, but for a moment, she had no idea how to address her.

Calling her ’Sister-in-law Fang’ again seemed too distant, but calling her ’Mother-in-law’ was... too much. Besides, she had said she didn’t want a formal title.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family looked at Third Sister, who was all the more radiant and lovely after having washed up. She inwardly praised Fang Rui’s good taste, went over to take Third Sister’s hand, and said with a smile, ”My dear girl, if you don’t mind, just call me ’Auntie.’ No need to be so formal. Let’s act the way we always have!”

Because of Fang Rui, the seniority between them had become muddled, so she was also trying to find a new way to define their relationship.

As for ’Auntie,’ Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family was in her early forties, while Third Sister was twenty-six or twenty-seven. It wasn’t at all inappropriate for her to use that address.

”Auntie!” Third Sister suppressed her shyness and called out in a poised and natural manner.

”Yes, my good girl. This is unfair to you.”

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family pulled Third Sister into the room. ”Nannan, come on. Let’s go to sleep and leave them be!”

She, Fang Ling, and Nannan had already washed up while waiting for Fang Rui.

”Mother, can Nannan and I sleep with Brother?” Fang Ling asked, holding Nannan’s hand, not wanting to be separated.

Nannan looked at Third Sister, then at Fang Ling, a hesitant look on her face.

”Fine, fine, you two sleep together. It’ll give me a good chance to chat with Third Sister!”

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family pulled Third Sister into the room.

Her son had created this mess, and she wanted to comfort Third Sister and help Fang Rui keep the peace at home.

As Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family pulled her into the room, Third Sister glanced back at Fang Rui when Nannan wasn’t looking. She gave him an apologetic look and stuck out her tongue, as playful and lively as a young maiden.

’How wonderful,’

Fang Rui mused with a sigh, then went to wash up.

After washing up, he went into the room.

The two little girls, Fang Ling and Nannan, were already lying side-by-side on the bed. When they saw Fang Rui enter, they shot up in unison like springs, their wide eyes staring at him.

”Brother, I want to hear a story.”

”Yes, Brother Ah Rui, tell us a story.”

”Alright.”

Fang Rui didn’t mind.

Herding one sheep was the same as herding two, or so he thought.

But he hadn’t expected that the effort for one sheep plus another sheep would be far greater than for two sheep together.

Before, it had been fine when Fang Ling listened to stories alone. Now, with Nannan present, the two little girls actually started seriously discussing the plot, even arguing with him from time to time...

It was like trying to read a book while the comment section was open; you’d occasionally get into an argument, and your reading speed would drop by one, your enjoyment would increase by two, and the sleep-inducing effect would decrease by three...

It took a monumental effort, but Fang Rui finally lulled the two little girls to sleep.

He lay on his side, trying to get drowsy—the bed was a little small, and it was a tight squeeze for one adult and two children to barely fit.

Just as sleep was about to overcome him, there was a sudden THUD.

Fang Rui’s eyes snapped open. He sat up and saw that Fang Ling, who had been sleeping on the very edge, had fallen onto the floor.

’This girl!’ he chuckled, getting out of bed to pick her up.

”Brother, how did I get on the floor?” Fang Ling asked, her eyes heavy with sleep.

Fang Rui: ”...”

’You should be asking yourself that!’

”It’s nothing. Go back to sleep.”

”Oh!” Fang Ling mumbled, and fell deep into sleep once more.

He sighed.

To prevent another ’accident,’ Fang Rui gave the bed to the two little girls, found a straw mat for himself, and made a bed on the floor.

Given his Martial Arts Realm, he wasn’t worried about catching a chill and getting sick.

With this new arrangement, things finally quieted down, and the night passed just like that.

...

「The next morning.」

The morning light was cool and faint, and plumes of cooking smoke curled into the air. As the Fang Family started making breakfast, the aroma of grains drifted out with the smoke. Many neighbors were pressed against their windows, sniffing greedily in the direction of the Fang residence.

Faint discussions could be heard as well.

”In our Willow Alley, it’s only the Fang Family and a few others who can afford breakfast these days.”

”Isn’t that the truth? We have to be frugal with our one meal a day of willow-leaf paste!”

”Well, what can you do? Brother Rui of the Fang Family is an Entry Grade Martial Artist. Haven’t you seen how polite even Lord Hu is to him when he comes to collect his dues?”

”What’s the use of envying them? Let’s just focus on getting by ourselves.”

...

At the invitation of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Third Sister and Nannan stayed to have breakfast with the Fang Family.

Today’s breakfast was cornmeal porridge, cornmeal buns, and a large bowl of stir-fried bean sprouts.

To be honest, when Third Sister had decided to be with Fang Rui, she had mentally prepared herself for a hard life. She never expected that the Fang Family’s daily meals would actually be better than what she was used to.

Compared to the other families in Willow Alley, who were struggling so much they had resorted to eating willow leaves, the difference was like heaven and earth.

’It’s one thing for Brother Rui’s family to get their hands on some nice things now and then, that’s understandable... But when we were cooking, I saw that their main staple is cornmeal, which is even better than what my family has...’

’There must be some other secret...’

Fang Rui didn’t volunteer an explanation, and Third Sister didn’t ask, nor did she feel any discontent.

As far as she was concerned, Fang Rui would tell her when he wanted to. If he didn’t, he had his reasons.

She had chosen Fang Rui, and she believed in him. She wouldn’t doubt him or let her imagination run wild.

”Here, my dear girl, Nannan, have some more!” Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family said, serving more food onto Third Sister’s and Nannan’s plates.

”Thank you, Auntie!”

”Thank you, Grandma!”

With Nannan as her competition, little Fang Ling’s appetite grew, and she seemed to be enjoying her food more than usual.

Of course, the one who ate the most was still Fang Rui. Of the large pot of cornmeal porridge, the large platter of cornmeal buns, and the large bowl of stir-fried bean sprouts, he alone ate three-quarters of it all.

The five of them sat around the table, eating and chatting idly. Having more people around made things feel livelier, and so breakfast ended in this cheerful atmosphere.

After the meal, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family went to wash the dishes; of the two little girls, Fang Ling wiped the table while Nannan swept the floor.

Third Sister had wanted to help in the kitchen, but Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family firmly pushed her out, telling her to rest.

She found Fang Rui. ”Brother Rui, the pimples and freckles on Auntie’s face, and on Ling’Er’s... they didn’t just appear naturally, did they? And it’s not some kind of contagious disease?”

”Should Nannan and I put some on our faces as well?”

With her intelligence, Third Sister had seen through it long ago, but before their relationship had become intimate, it wasn’t her place to ask.

Now that she was with Fang Rui, she could finally ask—not to seek an answer, but to offer to make herself ugly as well...

She was willing to uglify herself and conceal her beauty to reduce any potential trouble for Fang Rui.

”You’re right.”

Fang Rui admitted it freely. ”But there’s no need for you and Nannan to do it, Third Sister. You’ve both been fine all this time. If you were to do it now, it would only look deliberate.”

”As for any potential trouble, trust me. It’ll be fine.”

If he were to rate her objectively, Third Sister’s looks were perhaps an eight out of ten. What was far more captivating was her mature charm.

In this world, women with such mature allure were not plentiful, but they weren’t exactly rare, either.

Besides, her type of beauty didn’t quite fit the mainstream aesthetic, which favored the slender, delicate type—like a fragile willow swaying in the wind.

But the most crucial factor was Fang Rui’s own strength.

Putting aside his true Sixth Grade status, even his publicly known Ninth Grade cultivation was enough to protect her. For powerful men, an attractive woman is hardly a rare commodity. They have too much to lose; they wouldn’t risk their lives for one.

Of course, a peerless beauty whose fame could shake the world and topple nations was another matter entirely.

”Brother Rui!”

Just then, a familiar voice called out from outside the door.

”Lord Hu?!”

Fang Rui’s eyes narrowed. ”Third Sister, go to the inner room and stay with my mother, Ling’Er, and Nannan. I’ll go take a look. Don’t worry, nothing will happen!”

...