I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 182: Chapter 76: Covering the Sky

The next day, Fang Rui woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy.

In contrast, over with the Chang Family, Elder Wang was full of vigor and Mrs. Chang’s complexion was rosy. Only Chang Qing was yawning, looking utterly listless.

’Was that Young Master Chang given some kind of sleeping drug? A low-quality one, at that. It seems that Elder Wang doesn’t care much for Chang Qing, this son of convenience of his!’

With his Medical Skill, Fang Rui could naturally see what was going on, but he couldn’t be bothered to interfere. He called over Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Third Sister, Nannan, and Fang Ling. They each ate two boiled eggs and drank some honey water.

They continued on their way.

...

Three to five days passed in a blur.

The weather had been clear and sunny these past few days, which made traveling easier.

Led by the merchant caravan, they arrived at a planned location each day, right on schedule.

Fang Rui could tell the caravan was taking some detours, likely to find water sources and suitable places to camp and rest, while also avoiding certain dangers.

You could say this route was something the caravan had spent vast amounts of manpower and money to scout out through countless hardships. It was an enormous, intangible asset, and the source of the caravan’s confidence in charging a steep fee to followers like the Fang Family.

Along the way, they also encountered mountain bandits. The caravan paid them some silver coins to pass peacefully, and Fang Rui’s presence didn’t cause any extra trouble.

Aside from another wolf pack attack, there were no other incidents.

Fang Rui also paid close attention to the physical and mental well-being of Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, Third Sister, Fang Ling, and Nannan. He would occasionally have the four of them get down and walk, telling stories to lighten their spirits. As a result, they remained in quite good condition.

There was only one slightly annoying matter: over the past few days, at Mrs. Chang’s urging, Chang Qing would often sidle up to them, awkwardly trying to find topics of conversation with Fang Rui.

On top of that, thinking he was being subtle, he would constantly steal glances at Third Sister.

Anyone could see he looked like a teenager with his first crush.

Fang Rui could see it, and Third Sister could see it even more clearly.

Third Sister had never spoken to Chang Qing and intentionally avoided him. Chang Qing, for his part, didn’t actively try to speak to her either; he just stole glances, and a single look was enough to make him happy for half the day.

Fang Rui was rather irritated. It felt like watching a fly buzz around his sweetheart.

Ignoring him was unbearable. But giving him the cold shoulder and making it clear he wasn’t welcome didn’t work; the guy was like a shameless stray, always coming back under the pretext of ”making friends.” As for beating him up, he hadn’t actually done anything, and certainly hadn’t crossed any lines.

Eradicate him completely? That was going too far.

With no other choice, Fang Rui decided to find something for this Young Master Chang to do.

That day, during the caravan’s noon break, Chang Qing sidled over as usual.

Before Chang Qing could awkwardly search for a topic for small talk, Fang Rui spoke first. ”Young Master Chang, if I may ask, is your esteemed father still alive?”

”He has passed away.” Chang Qing’s expression soured. He didn’t know why Fang Rui would bring this up.

”No wonder!”

Fang Rui nodded as if in sudden realization, his gaze on Chang Qing strange. ”In that case, Young Master Chang, you should pay more attention to your esteemed mother and fulfill your filial duties...”

”Of course I will... No, wait. What are you trying to say?!” Chang Qing demanded angrily.

”How about this? I’ll tell you a story, Young Master Chang...”

Fang Rui began as he started a fire, ”Once upon a time, there was a son. He had a rather attractive mother, and next door... lived a family with the surname Wang...”

After finishing this twisted tale about being cuckolded...

He looked at Chang Qing with a concerned, sympathetic expression, as if to say, ’I have a friend whose father is being cuckolded, and I didn’t know how to tell him, so I told him a story.’

”You... you...”

Chang Qing wasn’t an idiot. After hearing the story, he froze for a moment before it dawned on him. His face flushed beet red, and he pointed a finger at Fang Rui, too furious to speak.

”I didn’t say a thing.”

Fang Rui spread his hands with an innocent look on his face. ”However, Young Master Chang, with some things, it’s better to believe they might be true than to believe they’re not...”

”Pah, that’s not quite the right way to put it. Anyway, if you don’t believe me, Young Master Chang, just observe for yourself!”

To make up for his slight slip of the tongue, he thought for a moment and added a reminder, ”Just one thing: whatever you’re thinking of doing, Young Master Chang, think about the consequences first. Don’t be impulsive. Of course, this is just a suggestion. You can take it or leave it.”

”Hmph!”

At that moment, Chang Qing wanted nothing more than to rush back and confront his mother and Elder Wang. But in the end, his reason, bolstered by Fang Rui’s warning, won out and he held himself back.

”I’ll verify it myself. If it’s true, then I... But if you’re spreading rumors, I won’t let you get away with it!”

He said through gritted teeth, no longer in the mood to stay. This time, he didn’t even steal a glance at Third Sister before turning and hurrying away.

After Chang Qing left, Third Sister could no longer hold back her laughter. Giggling, she covered her dainty mouth and tapped Fang Rui lightly. ”Brother Rui, you’re so wicked!”

She was clever and perceptive. Having been wary of the Chang Family for the past few days and watching them more closely, she had naturally noticed a few things herself.

’Wicked?’

Fang Rui shook his head, smiled, and said nothing. He just looked at Third Sister’s charming, girlish air and thought to himself, ’Wicked or not... that’s a question you can’t figure out during the day. It’s best to wait until night...’

”Brother Rui, um, was what you said just now true?” Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, who hadn’t been paying much attention to the Changs, asked curiously.

”Of course it’s true.”

Fang Rui didn’t want to say more on the matter, so he changed the subject. ”Mother, Third Sister, how have you two been feeling during the journey these past few days?”

”I’m fine, much better than I imagined!”

”Yes, it’s been like a spring outing, quite pleasant. Brother Rui, you don’t need to worry about us.”

”That’s good!”

Fang Rui nodded with a smile, but he knew in his heart that while Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and Third Sister said as much, the reality was anything but.