Chapter 5 The Bet

Chapter 5: The Gamble

He claimed to have resolved not to marry, yet if there truly were a suitable person who truly cared for him by his side, who would willingly choose to live alone?

Jian Ru admitted to himself that the so-called solitary life, seemingly free and unrestrained, was not an active choice but a passive resignation—an escape and a compromise.

After Young Master Li Er finished speaking, Jian Ru cried. He was grateful for the screen between them, shielding his distressed state from the other's view.

The young master might have heard his soft sobs, and he remained silent for a while, giving Jian Ru enough time to compose himself.

Afterward, Jian Ru spoke.

Through tears, he said, "I don’t know what the future holds. Perhaps before long, you’ll find me increasingly detestable and unbearable. Or maybe, even if you’re as beautiful as an immortal, I’ll grow tired of looking at you and lose patience tending to you during a long illness."

His words were harsh and pragmatic, but Jian Ru spoke them anyway.

Hiding the truth only preserved appearances; the problems would remain.

The young master responded softly, "Then what do you intend to do?"

Choking back tears, yet with unwavering determination in his eyes, Jian Ru said, "I want to take a gamble—that the two of us can make a life together. I... I’ll marry you!"

From behind the screen, the young master’s voice was as gentle as a sigh. "Alright."

He said, "I will do my utmost to ensure you don’t regret it."

...

As soon as Jian Ru stepped out of the young master’s room, Granny Jin, who had been waiting in the corridor, opened an umbrella and hurried over. Granny Jin scrutinized him, trying to gauge how their conversation had gone.

The young man’s expression was complex—somewhat bewildered, yet tinged with a flicker of hard-to-suppress hope.

After observing for a moment without drawing any clear conclusion, she was about to ask when the young man suddenly stamped his foot and exclaimed, "Oh no, I forgot to mention something..."

Granny Jin barely had time to utter a "Hey?" before Jian Ru turned back, pushed the door open, and darted inside once more.

Inside the room, Jian Ru froze the moment he entered.

He was utterly stunned.

The person behind the screen had just stepped out. Seeing Jian Ru return, he instinctively turned to go back but, for some reason, stopped short right beside the screen. He bowed slightly and offered a courteous bow to Jian Ru, his demeanor refined and gentle as jade.

Though in his own room, perhaps because he had been expecting company, he was dressed neatly, his hair tied back meticulously. The azure robe accentuated his noble and handsome features. Though his complexion was somewhat pale and his frame slender, making the robe appear slightly loose, the way it swayed with his movements only enhanced his ethereal elegance, leaving one in awe of such a striking presence.

Outside the door, Granny Jin coughed heavily. Jian Ru was jolted back to reality and quickly returned the salute. As he straightened up, he averted his face in shame, instinctively hiding the scarred side.

"Was there something else you wanted to tell me?" the young master asked softly, looking at him.

Jian Ru kept his head turned, not daring to meet his gaze.

His expression was troubled, filled with regret and frustration. "I forgot to mention something very important earlier..."

"What is it?"

Unable to conceal his thoughts, Jian Ru’s face clearly showed hesitation and regret for what he was about to say. But he gritted his teeth and confessed, "When I dragged you into the cave that day, I think you might have woken up midway. I’m not sure if you saw..."

Afraid he might lose his nerve, Jian Ru spoke quickly and emphatically, "Not only do I have a scar on my face, but my leg was crushed by a wall in the fire. It’s not usually noticeable, but if I walk too quickly or too far, I limp slightly."

Hearing this, the young master by the screen was taken aback, but Jian Ru, avoiding his gaze, missed it.

Outside, Granny Jin sighed softly and shook her head.

After a moment, as Jian Ru grew uneasy, the young master finally said, "I already knew. Don’t worry."

Jian Ru’s rapid breathing gradually steadied, and the anxiety that had tightened his chest finally eased.

After bidding farewell to the young master and stepping out once more, Jian Ru realized just how much this marriage meant to him. For a moment, he had feared he might not even get the chance to take this gamble.

Seeing their conversation had concluded, Granny Jin approached and said to Jian Ru, "Go back to your room first. I’ll apply ointment for the young master and join you later."

Jian Ru asked in confusion, "What’s wrong with the young master? Is it an injury from falling into the water?" He recalled dragging the other across the pebbles that day and wondered if it had caused a serious injury.

The thought filled him with regret and guilt. If he had known then what he knew now, he would have been more careful.

But Granny Jin shook her head, shooting him a reproachful glance. "It’s from you biting him!"

Jian Ru was stunned. Granny Jin rattled on, "On the carriage ride back that day, the young master was helping you drink water. You drank so greedily you bit his finger and broke the skin."

Hearing this, Jian Ru was utterly mortified. He considered going back to apologize, but the back-and-forth would make him seem absurd. Granny Jin deliberately teased him, clicking her tongue and remarking on how sharp his teeth were. Unable to bear it any longer, Jian Ru said nothing and hurriedly left the courtyard.

Behind him, Granny Jin watched his slightly limping gait, which he had forgotten to control, and shook her head again with another sigh.

After Jian Ru left the courtyard, she entered the room with the ointment.

The young master was in the inner room, having just removed his outer robe and washed his hands.

The index finger of his right hand was bandaged, and he was unwrapping the cloth.

Granny Jin took the removed bandage, opened the jar of medicine, and used a clean spoon to scoop out a small amount. She instructed the young master to dip another finger into it and carefully apply it to the already scabbing wound.

She watched as he finished, then brought over a fresh bandage to help him wrap it.

Once done, the young master thanked her and went to sit by the window, picking up a book from the table. But for a long while, he didn’t turn a single page.

Granny Jin, tidying up nearby, noticed he wasn’t really reading and struck up a conversation. "Jian Ru seems clever and sharp-tempered, but he’s actually too straightforward. He could have hidden his limp, and once he married into the family, even if it were discovered, there’d be no backing out. Yet he insisted on telling you everything upfront. What a silly boy."

The young master smiled and said, "He wanted to lay all his flaws bare for me to accept willingly. That way, I’d have no excuse to resent him later."

Granny Jin paused, then laughed in realization. "And here I was worried for him. It seems I overthought it."

The young master gazed toward the door, his tone admiring. "Still, he... truly possesses a rare honesty and genuine nature."

Granny Jin nodded.

The Li family valued propriety. Had Jian Ru not been so blunt, the outcome might have been different.

After a moment’s thought, she frowned slightly. "When you asked the madam to permit the marriage, you didn’t yet know about his limp. If she finds out, she might be even more displeased. Should I go back and test the waters first?"

The young master shook his head. "I’ll tell her myself. I’ll write to Mother now. She has always been open-minded and will grant her permission."

Granny Jin looked at the young man she had watched grow up, thinking how exceptional he was in every way. She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. "It’s not that Jian Ru isn’t good. These past few days, I’ve seen that he has a fine character and is reliable. But... if not for the incident with the fall into the water and the debt of gratitude you owe him, it’s still..."

Her words were vague, but the meaning was clear: she felt the young master was settling.

The young master looked up, his expression no longer relaxed but serious and stern.

Seeing this, Granny Jin knew her words had displeased him. She quickly set down her work and lightly slapped her own hand. "My fault for speaking carelessly."

The young master shook his head. "It’s not your fault, Granny."

"If it were for repaying a debt of gratitude, there are other ways—either offering financial compensation or finding him another good family. It doesn't mean you have to marry him."

"Then why...?" Granny Jin was confused.

The Second Young Master looked toward the window and suddenly changed the subject. "I heard from the farmhands at the estate that although there has been a lot of rain this year, the mountain summer flowers are especially beautiful."

As he spoke, his eyes held admiration and longing. "I also want to go up the mountain to see for myself, to touch those flowers and plants."

Granny Jin quickly advised against it, "The mountain path is slippery, and the wind at the summit is much colder than down here. It’s better to wait until you’re feeling better before going."

Hearing this, the Second Young Master smiled—a self-mocking smile. His expression remained unchanged, but the light in his downcast eyes dimmed.

"My father and mother fell in love and got married through mutual affection, supporting each other throughout their lives in perfect harmony. I grew up watching them and really looked up to their relationship. I also thought about following in my father’s footsteps and marrying someone I love," the Second Young Master mused. "Actually, I once had doubts about this marriage—not because of his appearance or anything else. Having been ill for so long, and nearly at death's door several times, how could I still care about so-called beauty and appearance?"

"My worry was that we’ve only spent a short time together. I don’t understand his temperament, and he doesn’t understand me. It's not like we're in love. Moreover, I’m afraid my health might become a burden to him in the future."

Granny Jin, worried that he was overthinking, wanted to offer words of comfort, but she had already repeated all the reassuring phrases countless times, like a broken record, and found herself momentarily speechless.

"I never intended to marry and burden someone else, but heaven arranged things this way," the Second Young Master suddenly smiled, the loneliness in his eyes fading slightly as his expression gradually relaxed. He looked at Granny Jin and said, "After meeting him tonight, my doubts are gone. He helped make up my mind."

"He said he wants to take a gamble. Well, then, I’ll gamble with him—for a lifetime."

...

The next day, Jian Ru still left the estate and returned home.

The Second Young Master had a carriage prepared to take him, but Jian Ru, not wanting to attract gossip, not only asked for the carriage to be replaced with a donkey cart but also had the driver stop outside the village. He entered the village on foot, avoiding attention.

After returning, he discovered that, although he had thought the matter of sacrificing to the River God had come to light, the villagers actually knew nothing about it.

Zhang Jiao was missing, and the villagers believed she had truly been thrown into the river.

As for Jiang Maocai’s absence, it was normal since he often worked away from home and rarely returned to the village.

And Jian Ru—no one had even noticed he hadn’t been home these past few days.

So, unexpectedly, the village was calm.

But it wasn’t as peaceful as it seemed. After all, the rain had started again, and the river water was visibly rising. While Jian Ru was away, several more households had been flooded.

The influential figures in the village had all gone to the Village Head’s house to discuss the matter. The shaman, stroking his greasy chin, said that giving the River God a boy as a bride wasn’t enough—they needed to offer a beautiful girl as well.

This was easy to decide, but convincing another family to sacrifice a living person to the river was no simple matter. Besides, throwing Zhang Jiao into the river hadn’t shown any effect.

Because of this, the Village Head visited several families, alternately persuading, threatening, and enticing them, resulting in fearful cries from girls being heard throughout the village at night.

Other families without daughters also joined in, urging and rolling their eyes, cursing these families for unwillingness to sacrifice for the whole village, saying they would surely come to no good end.

After returning, Jian Ru learned about this but didn’t involve himself in the messy affair. Even if he wanted to intervene, he had no sway, and the villagers wouldn’t listen to him.

He only took the opportunity, while out digging for wild vegetables, to casually chat with other villagers. He mentioned that a few days ago, he had run into the Village Head’s eldest daughter in town—that the girl had been living with her aunt in town and had turned out to be a real beauty.

Running into her was a lie, but it was true that the Village Head’s eldest daughter lived with her aunt, something most villagers knew. However, since she rarely returned, no one had thought of her.

His seemingly casual remark was taken seriously by the listeners.

One man’s sister had been approached by the Village Head and was feeling resentful. After returning home, he discussed it with other families who had daughters, and that very day, they all went to the Village Head’s house to protest, demanding that the old man bring his own daughter back to be thrown into the river.

They said that if even the Village Head’s eldest daughter thrown into the river didn’t work, their families would be willing to throw their daughters in as well.

At this, the Village Head’s wife sat on the ground, crying and making a scene, scratching the Village Head’s face until it was covered in marks.

After this commotion lasted most of the day, the matter of sacrificing to the River God ended with the shaman being driven away.

The Village Head no longer dared to bring it up.

Jian Ru did not report Jiang Maocai and Zhang Jiao.

He had never agreed with sacrificing a living person to the river. In this matter, Zhang Jiao was indeed a victim.

If he hadn’t been tricked by those two and thrown into the river himself, Jian Ru would have fought desperately for Zhang Jiao.

Jian Ru hated them and would never forgive them.

But he didn’t want anyone to bring Zhang Jiao back. If that happened, the villagers might think the rains hadn’t stopped because she hadn’t been sacrificed, and they might throw her into the river again.

After going through this once, Jian Ru didn’t want anyone else to suffer what he had, no matter who they were.

Those two had run away. Who knows what kind of life they would have outside?

Jian Ru thought, they grew up with him and know how narrow-minded he can be.

If they never return, so be it. But if they ever come back, this matter isn’t over.