Apparently, he had also heard about the Fang Family’s ’contagious disease’.

Fang Rui had no idea that his cautiousness had unwittingly helped him and the Fang Family avoid a great deal of trouble.

...

Caozhi Hall.

Fang Rui paid the monthly fee and easily sent Lord Hu on his way.

—Of course, it certainly helped that Lord Hu turned pale at the very mention of disease, terrified of being tainted by bad luck.

A short while later, Fang Rui was attending to the hall when he suddenly heard crying from outside.

"What’s wrong?" Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family lifted the curtain to the inner room. Fang Ling popped her head out right after, trailing behind her like a little shadow.

"Mother, Ling’Er, you two stay here and keep an eye on things. I’m going out to take a look." Fang Rui had a guess as to what was happening. After giving these instructions, he went outside.

...

Just as Fang Rui had expected, it was indeed the Chus’.

"Uncle Da Chui, Sister-in-law Cai Gen, Uncle Zao Hua..."

Fang Rui greeted them one by one.

The neighbors smiled and responded, but they unconsciously kept their distance—clearly, they were afraid of the rumored ’contagious disease’.

Fang Rui saw this, but his expression didn’t change in the slightest. No matter how these people treated him or what their attitude was, he was always impeccably polite whenever they met. At the very least, no one could find fault with his manners.

Of course, beneath this surface-level politeness was a detached indifference.

Deep affection does not last, and extreme wisdom invites injury.

In this small Changshan County, tragedies happened every day. No one ever knew whose turn it would be next. Fang Rui didn’t expect any help from these neighbors, nor did he want to build a relationship that was too close. He wanted to avoid the heartache and emotional turmoil that would cloud his judgment when the inevitable tragedies occurred.

Only the Third Lady’s attitude was the same as ever. She came over to greet him. "Brother Rui, you’re looking more spirited by the day!"

"And you’ve grown even more beautiful, Third Sister."

Fang Rui returned the pleasantry, then asked, "Third Sister, what’s going on here?"

"What else could it be? The Chus’... SIGH!"

The Third Lady sighed, not continuing.

Fang Rui peered through a gap in the crowd that had parted.

He saw:

Old Chu was wrapped in a straw mat, lying on the ground. Xiaochu knelt beside him, clutching his hand, his own body covered in messy footprints.

Fang Rui immediately understood what had happened. It could only be that the Chus’ couldn’t pay the monthly fee, so Lord Hu had seized their house as payment and thrown them out.

"This is just..."

He looked at Old Chu, who was still wrapped in the straw mat.

Compared to the last time they’d met, Old Chu was now withered and gaunt, barely recognizable as human. His consciousness was hazy, his dry, shriveled eyes were sunken, and he unconsciously mumbled, "My love, my love... the bracelet..."

Even the neighbors who hadn’t gotten along with the Chus’ in the past couldn’t bear to see this, their hearts filled with pity.

But no one helped.

In times like these, life was hard for everyone. They were all just barely scraping by and simply had no extra energy to spare.

The reality was, apart from offering sympathy, there was nothing they could do.

"SIGH!"

"SIGH!"

"SIGH!"

...

Perhaps they couldn’t bear to watch, or perhaps they were afraid Xiaochu would turn to them for help. Shaking their heads or sighing, the neighbors dispersed one by one.

Fang Rui thought for a moment, then also went home. But a short while later, he returned with two pounds of Sorghum Flour from his house and placed it beside Xiaochu.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t have given more. The truth was, any more than that would have been a curse, not a blessing.

—That was true for both Old Chu and his son, as well as for the Fang Family.

Xiaochu’s head was bowed, his fists clenched, desperately gripping Old Chu’s hand. His eyes were glazed over, and he didn’t seem to notice Fang Rui at all.

Fang Rui didn’t try to take credit for his deed. He silently put down the burlap sack, left quietly, and didn’t say a word to disturb Xiaochu.

...

「Back at Caozhi Hall.」

About fifteen minutes later, a mournful cry suddenly rang out from outside.

Fang Rui quickly got up and went to the window to look.

He saw Xiaochu, clutching the straw-mat-wrapped body of Old Chu and wailing in grief.

He knew. ’It must be... Old Chu has breathed his last.’

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

Hoarse cries, one after another, drifted in from the window. They were heart-rending, like the ragged howl of the wind in the dead of winter.

At some point, Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family had come to stand beside him, also looking out the window.

"The Chus’... are gone now," Mrs. Xue of the Fang Family said.

She didn’t suggest helping the father and son any further.

She had tacitly approved when Fang Rui gave them the two pounds of Sorghum Flour, but the Fang Family was powerless to do any more.

"Yes, the Chus’ are gone."

Fang Rui murmured in agreement. He closed his eyes, and an image of Old Chu’s withered face appeared in his mind, his delirious voice calling out again and again, ’My love... the bracelet...’

"Fuck... this world..." he said.

...