Speaking to Your Sister-in-Law Like That Isn’t Very Polite
The next day, before Rong Ci returned, Su Jingyang wanted to head out again to try his luck, hoping he might be as fortunate as last time and gather a bit more energy. The result, however, was far from ideal. He wandered around the streets of Rongcheng for a long time without gaining anything at all.
By the time it was noon, his stomach was hungry, yet he had no appetite. He casually bought a shaobing A traditional Chinese baked flatbread, often sprinkled with sesame seeds and sold at street stalls. It can be made with or without stuffing. Shaobing is inexpensive, filling, and easy to eat by hand, making it a common everyday food in street stalls, especially in historical settings. from a street stall and sat in a corner nibbling on it. The blazing sunlight shone down on him, warm and comforting, making him feel pleasantly at ease.
The four Yulin Guards who had been ordered by Rong Ci to follow him at all times exchanged glances when they saw this. One of them stepped forward and said, “Furen, there’s a restaurant not far ahead. Why don’t you go inside and eat something? If you only eat this, the City Lord will blame us when he finds out.”
Su Jingyang’s cheeks moved as he chewed. He narrowed his eyes and glanced at him, swallowing what was in his mouth before smiling. “I just want to eat this right now. He won’t blame you, don’t worry.”
The people following Su Jingyang had been changing frequently these days, but this one had never been replaced. Su Jingyang knew his name was Yun Qi. He was not very old, yet he handled matters with great seriousness and diligence. He also seemed to admire Rong Ci quite a lot and often praised him.
After Yun Qi tried persuading him a couple more times without success, he could only retreat to the side and stand there.
Su Jingyang continued nibbling on his flatbread while basking in the sun, chatting a few words with System #1, who had finally managed to come out after much difficulty.
#1 told him that ever since he became pregnant, #2 had once again gone completely mad, dragging other people into other worlds to carry out “punishments.”
Su Jingyang’s expression changed. He cursed under his breath, calling it utterly deranged. “Why hasn’t it just dropped dead already?!”
#1 spoke with a hint of heaviness and sorrow. “The situation is becoming more and more severe. The chances of me turning things around are truly very slim, so I came to tell you… If it really comes down to it, I can only choose to self-destruct, destroying it along with me so that neither of us exists in this world anymore.”
Su Jingyang clutched the half-eaten flatbread in his hand and froze. Self-destruct? Hearing #1 say this, he felt surprised and, unexpectedly, a little heartbroken. After all, the system’s original intention had been good. Perhaps it had once helped many people. Yet fate was unpredictable, and now it had reached the point of self-destruction. #1 must have already done everything it could and truly had no other choice.
Su Jingyang asked, “If you want it to disappear, does that mean you also have to disappear?”
“Yes. It and I are one.”
In that case, there was no way around it. Su Jingyang said again, “Then if you destroy it, does that mean I can…”
“I’m sorry. For safety reasons, you still need to continue collecting energy,” #1 said, its voice thick with guilt. “Because the time I can appear is extremely limited, there’s actually no great certainty. I don’t know when the self-destruction program will finish loading. I’ve mentioned before that our sense of time is different. Perhaps by the time I succeed, twenty years, thirty years, or even longer will have passed for you.”
Su Jingyang felt his heart go cold. His gaze turned vacant, and after a long while, he lowered his eyes without a word. “Then you might as well not have told me this.” Waiting twenty or thirty years would mean spending most of his life here.
#1 sighed. “I told you because I wanted you to at least hold onto some hope and not give up.”
Su Jingyang said, “I won’t give up.”
“No matter what, I’ll do my best and try my hardest to turn things around as early as possible. Jingyang, you have to keep going too.”
Su Jingyang suddenly thought of something. “Hey, can you give me a little hint about the protagonist’s whereabouts, like whether they’re around me or not? #1? #1?”
The system fell silent. It had once again gloriously gone offline.
Su Jingyang lowered his eyes and glanced at his stomach, letting out a wistful sigh. He finished the rest of the flatbread and continued wandering aimlessly through the streets.
When he reached a place that looked like a sacrificial platform, a thought stirred in his mind and he began climbing up. The people guarding the altar saw that it was him and all bowed respectfully, not stopping him.
Panting, Su Jingyang climbed to the top of the platform and gazed into the distance at the rolling mountain range shrouded in faint bluish mist. He couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration and asked Yun Qi, “That’s Wuqun Mountain?”
Yun Qi replied, “Yes, Furen.”
It really did look mysterious and otherworldly. Su Jingyang recalled that Rong Ci had gone to Wuqun Mountain this time to replenish its energy. Although he didn’t know the exact process, he still couldn’t help sighing with emotion. “Being a clan leader like Rong Ci isn’t easy either. Offering himself up, bearing such heavy responsibility.”
Yun Qi thought he was worried about Rong Ci and said, “Furen need not worry too much. The Clan Leader is very powerful. Besides, when Furen gives birth to an heir, that will be sharing the burden for our Clan Leader.”
Su Jingyang tugged at the corner of his mouth in a dry smile. He really couldn’t respond to that.
Thinking of something, Su Jingyang turned his face slightly and asked, “By the way, I noticed that Rong Ci didn’t bring many people with him. Is it always like that? Is it dangerous?”
“Furen can rest assured,” Yun Qi answered. “Anyone who isn’t of the Rong clan’s direct bloodline finds it extremely difficult to approach Wuqun Mountain. Even the Grand Shaman and the Saintess can only remain at the foot of the mountain to act as guardians. Moreover, the Clan Leader’s martial arts are exceptional. He usually doesn’t bring many people with him when he travels.” There was a distinct sense of pride in Yun Qi’s tone as he spoke.
Su Jingyang gave a sudden “oh” of understanding. “No wonder Rong Ci didn’t take me there.” Before Rong Ci left, he had been quite curious and wanted to follow along to take a look, but Rong Ci refused and told him to stay home and rest properly. So that was the reason.
“That’s not actually the case,” Yun Qi said, blinking as he looked at him. “If Furen carries Rong clan blood, then you would be able to go. The City Lord likely didn’t bring you because he was worried that Furen is pregnant and that the journey would be too tiring.”
“……” Su Jingyang raised a hand to cover his stomach, feeling a little guilty inside. He pressed his lips together tightly and decided it would be better not to speak.
After spending some time with Ling Li, Su Jingyang returned to Shuitian Yise. A servant informed him that Madam Ru had sent someone over with gifts. Su Jingyang took a look and saw that it was all various supplements again.
Ever since he married Rong Ci, she had been sending things over frequently, but Su Jingyang hadn’t touched a single item. She had dared to harm even Rong Ci, let alone him. Who knew what kind of malicious intent was hidden within those things.
Just as he was having someone take the items away, he heard a servant announce from outside, “Furen, the Second Young Master has arrived.”
Su Jingyang turned his head and saw Rong Xia suddenly swagger in with his hands clasped behind his back. He was only about ten years old, dressed in a snow-blue round-collared brocade robe. His brows and eyes still carried traces of childishness, yet he always deliberately put on an air of maturity and composure, which Su Jingyang found quite amusing.
Su Jingyang said, “Oh? What are you here for?”
Rong Xia stood at the doorway, furrowing his small brows as he watched the servants take away everything Madam Ru had sent. He immediately snapped at Su Jingyang in displeasure, “What is the meaning of this? Looking down on what my mother sent?”
Su Jingyang lifted his teacup and swirled it slightly. Hearing this, he said, “Yes.”
“You!” Rong Xia was thoroughly angered by his unconventional response. He glared viciously and said, “You, this person, are truly detestable! You’re completely unworthy of my elder brother!!”
After saying that, he turned around and plopped down at the doorway, sitting there angrily without going inside.
Su Jingyang was utterly indifferent to his words and raised his voice. “Why are you sitting there? Come in.”
Rong Xia turned his head and glared at him fiercely. “Don’t flatter yourself! I’m waiting for my brother, not looking for you!” His eyes reddened as he pressed his lips together, his voice tinged with grievance and resentment. “Ever since you got married, he barely pays attention to me anymore and doesn’t take me out to play either… I’ll just wait for him here. Don’t worry about me!”
Su Jingyang laughed lightly. “Who said I was going to worry about you? Sit there if you want.”
This wasn’t Su Jingyang’s first interaction with Rong Xia. At first, he had thought the child was no different from Madam Ru and not someone good to deal with. Later, however, he realized that aside from having a bit of a temper and being overly attached to his brother, there wasn’t really anything wrong with him.
At least, nothing obvious had surfaced so far.
Su Jingyang said he wouldn’t bother with him and truly didn’t. He ate dinner on his own, strolled around the garden for a bit, then returned to bathe and sleep. While lying in bed and still not asleep, he heard Yun Qi outside trying to persuade Rong Xia to leave. Rong Xia angrily replied, “Stop bothering me!”
Su Jingyang opened his dark eyes and glanced toward the slightly ajar doorway. He saw Rong Xia’s stubborn back but didn’t say anything.
In the middle of the night, Rong Xia fell asleep outside. After falling asleep, he toppled forward into the room, and his pained cry woke Su Jingyang. Su Jingyang, in a moment of mercy, allowed him to sleep on the couch in the room.
Rong Xia was probably truly exhausted. He didn’t argue with him and climbed onto the couch, wrapping himself in a blanket and falling asleep while rubbing his aching head.
After being woken up like that, Su Jingyang found it hard to fall asleep again once he returned to bed. He simply closed his eyes to rest, not knowing how much time passed before faint rustling sounds suddenly arose in the room.
Su Jingyang’s heart tightened. His eyeballs rolled beneath his eyelids, but he didn’t open his eyes.
Before long, someone cautiously sucked in a breath and climbed onto the bed. After a moment of stillness, Su Jingyang felt a small hand finally begin groping its way over. Along with a faint sound, Su Jingyang abruptly opened his eyes and forcefully grabbed Rong Xia’s slender wrist. Using the light from the lamp that hadn’t been extinguished, he saw clearly what the child was holding in his hand: a small pair of scissors!
In his other hand, he was clutching a tuft of freshly cut hair!
Rong Xia stared at him in shock. “Y-you, you were pretending to sleep?!”
Su Jingyang sneered coldly at him. “Little brat, I’ve caught you red-handed, haven’t I?” Then he raised his voice. “Yun Qi, come in!”
From Rong Ci, Su Jingyang had learned that among the Wu clan, only casting malicious curses required a person’s hair. At the time, he had been puzzled and even asked whether people who shed hair easily or prone to hair loss wouldn’t be cursed to death. Rong Ci had laughed for a long time before telling him that a few strands weren’t enough. At the very least, a whole tuft was required, and not just anyone was capable of casting such curses.
Rongcheng also strictly prohibited casting malicious curses. Once discovered, the punishment was death.
Looking at the hair in Rong Xia’s hand, Su Jingyang didn’t believe for a moment that this child had crept in during the night to cut his hair just for fun or excitement. At such a young age, he already harbored the intent to harm others. That was truly unacceptable.
Yun Qi responded and burst in with the guards. Su Jingyang snatched the small scissors from Rong Xia’s hand and shoved him off the bed, sending him tumbling onto the ground. Pointing straight at the person on the floor, he ordered Yun Qi, “Take him away. Lock him up and guard him properly.”
“Yes!” Yun Qi answered grimly, dragging Rong Xia up to take him away. Rong Xia, however, flung the hair he was holding and scattered it everywhere. Struggling fiercely, he glared at Su Jingyang with reddened eyes and shouted, “What right do you have to lock me up?! Who do you think you are?! I’m the Second Young Master of Rongcheng! If you dare touch me, I’ll make you pay! When my brother comes back, you don’t have any evidence. He won’t believe your nonsense!”
Su Jingyang cast him a cool, indifferent glance. “That’s fine. Just wait for him to come back and see whether he believes your words or mine.”
Su Jingyang was extremely confident, because without even thinking, he knew Rong Ci would definitely believe him.
He also remembered Rong Ci mentioning that the old City Lord seemed to owe Madam Ru a favor. Because of that, even when Madam Ru had previously cursed Rong Ci, she hadn’t been executed and had been indulged instead. Rong Xia was her son, so in the end he probably wouldn’t suffer any serious consequences either. Still, Su Jingyang was unwilling to let him off so easily.
Moreover, after thinking it over again just now, Su Jingyang felt that this child had very likely been acting under someone’s instructions. As for who that was, it was painfully obvious.
“Yun Qi, wait.” Barefoot, Su Jingyang got out of bed and walked over to Rong Xia. He raised the small scissors and made a few snipping motions in the air, curling his lips into a sinister smile as he looked at Rong Xia.
Rong Xia stared at him in panic. “Y-you, you, what are you trying to do?!”
Unable to move or struggle free, he was completely helpless as Su Jingyang cut off a large handful of his hair.
When Rong Xia saw the hair in Su Jingyang’s hand, he thought he was about to be afflicted by a malicious curse. He nearly fainted on the spot and let out a hoarse scream, “You big villain, I hate you to death!!!”
“Big villain?” Su Jingyang used his free hand to pat Rong Xia’s pale little cheek and smiled. “Little friend, speaking to your sister-in-law like that isn’t very polite. You should pay attention to your manners in the future.”
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