I Am Immortal in Great Yu

Chapter 10: Chapter 6: Tranquility

After leaving the scene, Fang Rui ran for two or three streets and took a long, roundabout path. He only slowed down once he was certain no one was following.

HUFF! HUFF!

He gasped for breath.

Only then did he take a moment to check the contents of the satchel. He wanted to inspect it first, just in case he was bringing something unpleasant home.

He opened the satchel.

Inside were three large coins, a small linen pouch, and a palm-sized clay pot.

"Three large coins?" frёeωebɳovel.com

Fang Rui’s expression soured.

From a purely monetary standpoint, this was a huge loss. It wasn’t worth taking such a great risk. Simply put, the risk far outweighed the reward.

He then opened the small linen pouch. Inside, he saw a splash of golden yellow.

"Soybeans?!"

Fang Rui’s expression brightened. He weighed the pouch in his hand and estimated it was over three jin.

’This is more like it,’ he thought, nodding to himself.

In this day and age, soybeans were a precious commodity. They were nutritious, could be pressed for oil, and were fragrant and convenient when fried.

He had seen soybeans in the Black Market before, but compared to bulk grains like wheat bran or Sorghum Flour, they were much scarcer—and ridiculously expensive.

Finally, there was the palm-sized clay pot.

Fang Rui opened it and took a sniff. An even wider grin spread across his face. "Pork lard!"

This was even more valuable.

His family only had low-quality vegetable oils like flaxseed oil to cook with, and even then, they dared not use much. They used just a tiny drop each time, rationing it carefully.

Pork lard was so much better than vegetable oil. It was fragrant, provided energy, and left you feeling full and satisfied.

You could say that this one jar of pork lard was worth more than twenty large coins.

"What a haul! With these soybeans and pork lard, I can finally get Mom and my sister some proper nutrition!"

Joy flashed in Fang Rui’s eyes.

After a moment’s thought, he threw away the stolen satchel, transferred the large coins, soybeans, and pork lard into his own sack, and set off again, hurrying home.

...

The Fang Residence.

Little Fang Ling was already sound asleep.

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family, however, sat in the main hall, sewing a shoe sole by the light of a dim oil lamp. Every so often, she would get up and glance out the window.

Clearly, she was waiting for Fang Rui.

A moment later, there was a knock.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Who is it?" Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family asked warily, setting down her needle and the shoe sole. She picked up a pair of scissors from her sewing basket.

"Mother, it’s me."

Hearing Fang Rui’s voice, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family quickly unbarred the door to let him in. She glanced outside before shutting it and sliding the bolt back in place from the inside.

"Brother Rui, you’re finally back! I was just looking out the window, but I didn’t see you at all..." Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family fretted.

Fang Rui just smiled and said nothing.

’He had been careful and stealthy. If she had been able to see him, wouldn’t that mean the neighbors might have seen him too?’

Of course, his mother hadn’t really expected an answer. She was just venting the anxiety she’d felt while waiting.

At that moment, she pulled Fang Rui in front of her, looking him over from head to toe. Suddenly, her expression changed. Touching his stomach, she asked, "Brother Rui, how did your clothes get torn here? It looks like a cut..."

"It’s nothing. Some idiot thief targeted me, but I sent him packing," Fang Rui said, downplaying the incident.

"Brother Rui!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family’s expression turned stern.

How could she not know? Though Fang Rui had made it sound trivial, the reality couldn’t have been that simple.

’It must have been incredibly dangerous!’

But her stern façade didn’t last long. Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family’s composure broke, and she lowered her head, sobbing and wiping away tears.

"Mother, what are you crying for?"

Fang Rui, who could calmly face even the ferocious Three Eyes, was stunned. He felt like a helpless child, unsure of what to do. He could only force a smile. "Mother, look what I brought! Thirty jin of Sorghum Flour, plus soybeans and pork lard..." free𝑤ebnovel.com

But in the past, any one of these items would have made Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family happy for half the day. Now, she didn’t even spare them a glance, choking out, "Brother Rui, buying grain is one thing, but... can’t we do it without you risking your life?"

She was not a foolish woman. Knowing her son and hearing his words—’sent him packing’—she could easily guess that Fang Rui had been the one taking the risk.

Fang Rui fell silent.

Faced with his mother’s tears, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse. After a moment’s thought, he promised, "Mother, I promise. From now on, I won’t go looking for trouble."

’In truth, this incident had left him with lingering fear. He had already been wondering if he should stop.’

’This ’fishing’ business had uncertain returns to begin with. If his luck ran out and he ran into someone stronger than him, it would be all over.’

’Even with Tribulation Points as compensation, it wasn’t a good trade. Fang Rui might have Immortality and infinite time, but he only had one life to lose.’

’As for money, he could find another way. If he put his mind to it, he’d find a solution. There’s always a way out of a tough spot.’

Hearing Fang Rui’s promise, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family finally relaxed a little.

Fang Rui quickly changed the subject. "Mother, where’s Ling’Er? Is she asleep?"

"Yes, she is. She was fussing, insisting she wanted to sleep with you in your room... but she’s fast asleep now..."

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family began sorting through the things Fang Rui had brought back, finding hiding places for the Sorghum Flour, soybeans, and pork lard.

She was a sharp woman and didn’t press him on where luxuries like soybeans and pork lard had come from. As long as Fang Rui promised not to take such risks again, she was content.

"I’m going to wash my feet..."

"Wait."

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family stopped him. "Take that shirt off. I’ll mend it for you."

"Mother, you can do it tomorrow. It’s getting late, you should get some rest..."

"I know."

Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family agreed, but she paid him no mind, picking up his shirt and beginning to sew, stitch by stitch, under the light of the oil lamp.