I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 252: Chapter 101: Fleeting Years (Part 2)

"That won’t be necessary." Fang Rui stated pointedly. "I’ll say no more on other matters, but Li Dadan’s family must not be wronged. Do you understand me?"

In this world, it wasn’t uncommon for people to prey on a family left without a male heir. Sometimes, the closer the relative, the more ruthless their methods.

However, if Li Tieniu was a smart man, that one sentence would be enough for him to know what he should and should not do.

"I swear, I won’t let my cousin’s family suffer even the slightest injustice," Li Tieniu declared, thumping his chest.

...

For some reason, without Li Dadan, the Southeast Branch lost its usual cheer. Even the group meals didn’t feel the same.

Fang Rui no longer grew close to his subordinates as he had before. With Li Tieniu, for example, he always maintained his distance, keeping their relationship strictly professional.

’Is this the sorrow of an Immortal?’

’Losing someone who was barely a friend has left me this melancholic. What will happen when it’s Mom, Third Sister, Ling’Er, or Nannan?’

Fang Rui shook his head, instinctively pushing the thoughts away.

It’s said that deep affection shortens one’s life and great wisdom brings certain pain. From that day on, though Fang Rui’s outward demeanor remained unchanged, he carried a sense of detachment within. He consciously kept strangers at arm’s length, finding it nearly impossible to open his heart to another.

...

On this particular day, Fang Rui slipped out of the office early. He returned to his estate, bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

The moment he stepped through the gate.

"Brother, our Jade Lotus bloomed! It’s super pretty!"

"It bloomed! It’s pretty!"

Fang Ling and Nannan, the two little girls, came skipping over. A gaggle of little ducks waddled behind them, bottoms swaying, QUACK QUACK QUACKING.

A closer look revealed that the ducklings were more than a little chubbier than they were half a month ago.

And why wouldn’t they be?

Since the Jade Lotus in the estate kept the insect population low, the two little girls had been using their own allowance to have a young maid buy bugs from outside to feed the ducklings. How could they not get fat?

’Perhaps people can only be this carefree and pure of heart when they’re children.’

Fang Rui smiled and patted the two little girls on the head. "Oh, really? Show me."

"Brother, hurry!"

"Come on!"

Fang Ling on one side and Nannan on the other, they grabbed Fang Rui’s hands and took off running, disappearing amidst a flurry of waddling, QUACK-QUACK-QUACKING ducklings.

When they reached the pond, he saw that the Jade Lotus had indeed bloomed.

Under the setting sun, the Jade Lotus, which was the color of green jade through and through, had produced a golden bud at its peak. The bud was shaped like a lotus flower and was about the size of a jujube, wreathed in a hazy, constantly swirling aura.

It looked utterly mystical.

"Wow, it really is beautiful," Fang Rui said, surprised himself.

"Right?"

Fang Ling clasped her hands behind her back, rose onto her tiptoes, and nodded smugly. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned and scampered off. "I’ll go get my art supplies! I’m going to paint it!"

"Wait, Sister Ling’Er, I’m coming too!" Nannan shouted from behind, hurrying to catch up.

Ever since Fang Rui had taught them the basics of painting, the two girls had gotten quite good. Now, whenever they saw something beautiful, they were eager to paint it—just like the girls from Fang Rui’s past life, who seemed to want to take a picture of everything.

A short while later, Fang Ling and Nannan returned.

The two little girls lay side by side over the stone table in the pavilion. With their bottoms sticking up and their heads tilted, they would occasionally chew on the ends of their brushes before adding another stroke to the rice paper.

At that moment, it was dusk. The sky was filled with a warm, gentle glow, not the scorching heat of midday. A soft evening breeze rustled by, carrying the crisp, clear sound of wind chimes hanging in the corridors.

The pond’s surface reflected the orange-red twilight, its water flowing slowly, like the gentle passage of time itself.

Fang Rui sat on the edge of the pavilion, one leg propped up. Gazing at the scene, he found himself momentarily transfixed.

In truth, for the past few days, he had gone about his life as usual, eating and drinking normally. But deep down, a dark cloud had been hanging over his heart, one he couldn’t seem to shake.

The history books of his previous life, if read closely, were filled with two words from start to finish: "eat people." During great disasters, there were even records of "in years of famine, people devoured each other"...

But how could that possibly compare to this world?

In this world, the "man-eating" was blatant and raw. In terms of "dining etiquette," it was far more brutal and barbaric than anything in the histories of his past life.

For instance, taking infants, boys, and girls, and using them to cultivate medicinal ingredients amidst their extreme suffering—is that something a human is even capable of doing?!

What he had witnessed at Nanshan Garden had completely shattered his moral compass.

He was in a terrible mood, but he didn’t let it show. After all, telling Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family and the Third Lady about it would only make two more people unhappy.

But now—

Looking at the scene before him, Fang Rui inexplicably felt his perspective begin to shift.

’After witnessing the evil of Nanshan Garden, I won’t fall into despair and pessimism, nor will I become decadent and dejected. I won’t grow to despise the world and develop a desire for destruction.’

’To have eyes that can still hold light after seeing the world’s darkness and ugliness; to be able to discover beauty after witnessing the world’s filth and depravity.’

’To understand the ways of the world without becoming cynical. To live in this world, no matter the circumstances, and always preserve a sanctuary in my heart, to hold on to a piece of purity...’

"Brother Rui!"

Just then, a voice interrupted Fang Rui’s thoughts.

He turned to see the Third Lady approaching, a stack of books in her arms.

"These are some miscellanies, travelogues, and interesting anecdotes. I thought you might be interested..."

The Third Lady had, of course, noticed Fang Rui’s foul mood over the past couple of days. She had been thinking of a way to cheer him up and take his mind off things.

But Fang Rui didn’t have many particular hobbies. Besides fishing, he mostly just read books. So, she had gone through the Four Seas Commerce Association to track these down for him.

"Thank you, Third Sister." Fang Rui understood her intentions, of course, and was touched by her delicate thoughtfulness.

"It’s nothing."

The Third Lady smiled, her lips pressed together. "Brother Rui, how about I play the zither for you?"

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