1.18 You Sanjie: Either way... it's all for his use.

Volume One

Chapter 1.18 You Sanjie: No matter what... it’s all for him

That night, at the Salt Patrol Inspector’s office.

After “discussing” with Jia Min at noon, Lin Rui practically fled back, not even stopping to eat lunch. He just wanted to resolve the matter quickly and bring the person back to the capital as soon as possible.

Seeing her unwavering resolve, he immediately wanted to nip the problem in the bud.

But as he prepared to speak, he suddenly wondered how to persuade her?

After all, in the feudal era, if a husband died and the wife “followed him in death,” this could be spread as a “noble deed” and even be used to apply for an honorary archway. This would greatly benefit Miss Lin’s reputation in the future — a father who died in office and a mother who died for love would bring her considerable social advantage.

It was likely Jia Min’s intention as well, probably out of distrust towards him and some financial concerns. No doubt, his recent behavior had also made her suspicious. So she was prepared to stake her life to draw a big curtain over this problem and bury it completely.

With matters already so grave, Lin Rui, as the person involved, thought it better to feign ignorance rather than open a direct confrontation, which could easily backfire. He would wait until he was confident before resolving everything at once.

After much thought, he still found no way in. He could only give a few casual orders and leave. Fortunately, Miss Lin was still ill with a high fever; with her constitution, it would take at least a month or so for a full recovery.

At a time like this, she absolutely could not be left unattended. Jia Min would never be at ease otherwise, and there was still plenty of time.

Still, Lin Rui spent the entire afternoon restless.

“Sir?” Lin Yu, whom he had called over, curiously asked, “What’s the matter with you?”

“Nothing!” Lin Rui quickly shook his head while inspecting the corpse in a room at the front courtyard of the office, trying to drive away the chaotic thoughts. “I had you bring people here just to ask — do you recognize this person?”

The corpse lying on the straw mat before him was naturally the assassin leader he had shot last night.

“No, I don’t!” Lin Yu answered without hesitation. “You said he had official status, but although I’m a simple man, my memory isn’t that bad. At least in the Yangzhou jurisdiction, no official department has anyone like this, absolutely not!”

“Then he must be from outside.” Lin Rui nodded, recalling Lin Ruhai’s instructions. This indirectly confirmed the complexity of the mastermind behind the scenes. “Alright, take two men, find a secluded place, and burn the body. Make sure it’s reduced to ashes!”

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll make sure to grind him to dust!” Lin Yu stared at the corpse intently.

“Uh... fine!” Lin Rui knew his subordinate misunderstood but didn’t bother to explain. “Go!”

Watching his men carry off the body, he did not waste any more time and strode toward the rear residence.

“Master is back?” Just entering the gate, a delighted female voice greeted him. “I heard you took people to the front courtyard, so I’ve been waiting. I didn’t expect you’d be delayed this long. Is there any official business you can’t handle quickly?”

“Not really a bother!” Lin Rui gave a vague reply and then took You Erjie by the arm to his room.

“But you don’t even want to see us sisters, even after going to the front courtyard?” You Sanjie, as usual, spoke with a cheeky tone. “No wonder. What are we? How dare we compare to those young ladies and maids?”

“What are you saying, sister?” You Erjie hastily tried to calm her.

“You’re just too adorable with that mouth of yours!” Lin Rui forced a smile, pulled her into his embrace, and kissed her. After a long moment, he raised his head to hide his guilt toward the two.

Last night, hearing the commotion at the neighboring Lin residence, he rushed out to assist immediately, completely neglecting the You sisters. In fact, when he left, he took all the guards with him, leaving no one to watch the door.

If he hadn’t returned at noon, he might have almost forgotten he had just taken in two concubines.

---

“Second Master, have you eaten?” Seeing he wasn’t angry, You Erjie asked softly.

“I didn’t have time.” Lin Rui shook his head and then gave a bitter smile. “What about you two?”

“There’s not a single soul here at the office. Even if we wanted to eat, what could we have?” You Sanjie rolled her eyes. “Last night, the West Mansion held a fire god ceremony. Today you were busy again. Who dares speak up? We just grabbed some snacks to get by.”

“Sorry to trouble you!” Lin Rui held both sisters close. “I’ll have someone arrange something now.”

He had lived alone here before, eating enough for himself but leaving his whole household hungry. Usually, he either found food outside or took advantage of Lin family banquets to improve his meals. He was too lazy to cook and never hired a cook.

Even after taking in the You sisters, his meals remained the same. He was either at the front office or sleeping at the back residence, so the two maids wouldn’t go hungry. Twice he attended Lin family banquets and still remembered to have food sent over.

Today was just an exception.

Watching him leave to arrange dinner at the front courtyard, You Erjie looked worriedly at her sister.

“What’s the matter?” You Sanjie was completely indifferent.

“What else could it be?” You Erjie was familiar with her sister’s temper and wore a helpless expression. “The master has important business and might forget sometimes. It’s just one meal; you won’t starve, right? What were you saying just now?”

“Hmph!” You Sanjie’s expression changed, and she instinctively turned away from her sister’s gaze but still looked defiant. “Why should we have to starve? One meal won’t kill us, but who knows if next time we’ll be left without any food at all?”

“You—” You Erjie nearly lost her temper. “Why can’t you keep your mouth shut?”

“No matter what... it’s all for him.” You Sanjie suddenly lowered her head, blushing. “At worst, when he comes back, I’ll kneel to him again... whatever he wants. Master’s always soft-hearted. Even though in these two years he’s made us kneel and stand so much, he’s never truly discarded us.”

“If you know that, why do you still act like this?” You Erjie couldn’t understand.

“My silly sister, haven’t you heard the saying: ‘The child who cries gets fed’?” You Sanjie looked at her seriously. “If we were like the maids yesterday, standing there until he made us kneel, what’s the difference? Women will have what they’re meant to have anyway. If it’s going to be used by someone, why not him?”

“Ah?” You Erjie had never thought about it that way and was dumbfounded.

“Better to put on a show—argue today, then kneel to him tomorrow, doing whatever he wants.” Even the fiery You Sanjie’s pretty face flushed. “No matter what... it’s all the same.”

“That’s not—” You Erjie was very embarrassed. “Like the girls in the brothel?”

“We are concubines after all. Should we act like the future madam with a dignified air?” You Sanjie bit her lip. “Might as well be a cunning fox, let him mistreat us!”

You Erjie was completely stunned and speechless.

Seeing her sister’s expression, You Sanjie said no more, and the room fell silent.

“What... is going on here?” Almost fifteen minutes later, Lin Rui returned and was puzzled by the scene. “How long was I gone? What were you two talking about to end up like this?”

Not wanting to wait for a banquet, he had gone to a nearby restaurant and brought back some ready-made food.

“Nothing!” You Erjie hurriedly stood, taking the bundle of food from his hand. She glanced at her still turned-away sister and blushed, recalling their earlier conversation. “It’s just that this brat never shuts her mouth. I scolded her a bit.”

“Oh?” Lin Rui’s expression shifted slightly. Something felt off.

You Erjie was soft by nature, evident in her looks and demeanor, while You Sanjie was bold and sassy, somewhat a “low-budget Wang Xifeng.” Though sisters, the younger sister often took the lead.

Now, the elder sister said she had just scolded the younger?

---

“What, can’t we sisters talk?” You Sanjie turned back with impatience.

That was more like it!

Uh... suspicious when soft, accepting when firm—are they masochistic?

“Time to put you in line, huh?” Lin Rui grabbed her in front of him. “Speak properly!”

“Hmph!” You Sanjie rolled her eyes and knelt down, lowering her head.

“Ugh—”

If a few harsh words came with such treatment, it wasn’t so bad.

“Master, will you eat now?” After quickly arranging the food, You Erjie asked with a flushed face.

She deliberately avoided looking at her sister beneath the table.

“Not yet.” Lin Rui pulled her close. “I was just thinking, since we’ll be together for life, we can’t keep calling each other ‘Second Miss’ or ‘Third Miss.’ What are your pet names?”

“You’ve treated us so badly, this is the first time you’ve asked!” You Erjie spoke softly, and seeing his embarrassed look, she stopped complaining. “We don’t really have proper names. Since childhood, we’ve just been called Second Sister and Third Sister.”

“No names?” Lin Rui thought again of the You sisters’ late mother buried in the mass grave.

Even if daughters were treated as tools, it shouldn’t have come to this.

“Even my eldest sister, whom I haven’t seen in years, had no name,” You Erjie shook her head.

The You family? If neither had names and were unrelated by blood, the problem went beyond their mother. Their damned father was probably just as bad. It wasn’t surprising; in the feudal era, the status of women was so low that many simply were never named.

“Forget it.” Since it was in the past, Lin Rui no longer pressed the matter. “I don’t have much learning, but I remember a poem: ‘Wishing us long life to share the beauty of the moon even thousands of miles apart.’ The last two words are beautiful. How about you two take those as your names?”

“You Chán, You Juān?” You Sanjie looked up softly, murmuring.

“Chán’er, Juān’er?” Lin Rui smiled and patted her head.

The You sisters exchanged glances, their cheeks blooming with charming blushes.

“Good master, please accept us tonight!” You Erjie watched as her sister knelt again.

“We have to eat first!” Lin Rui laughed and patted her.

“I’ll serve you right away!” You Erjie nodded eagerly. “Master, last night the Lin residence had a fire god ceremony. You’ve been busy until now. Has everything been taken care of?”

Is it done?

Lin Rui’s mind flashed again with two extraordinarily beautiful faces.