131. My Drifting Life, Like Duckweed Beaten by Rain

The carriage traveled for a while before coming to a stop. Lu Jin was the first to jump out.

The two women followed, having no choice but to abandon their former formalities given their current plight. However, upon jumping down and seeing the surging, endless Lan River, they were stunned. No wonder the sound outside had been so deafening from within the carriage.

"Ladies, this is the Jianglin Wharf. Heading east leads directly to Jinling, and west leads to the Ling River, from where you can travel further into the southwest," Lu Jin said, looking at them.

"Sir, what does this mean?" Liang Muxue was confused by Lu Jin's intentions.

"You are both free now. You may go wherever you wish." As he spoke, Lu Jin pulled out the contract and tore it to shreds. The scraps of paper drifted away in the wind like snowflakes, scattering over the Lan River before being swallowed by the current.

"Xiaobai!" Lu Jin called out before they could react, and Xiaobai immediately ran over.

"This gold is worth two hundred taels of silver. If you manage it carefully, it should sustain you for quite some time. This is all I can do for you. I hope you both find good men and live peaceful lives."

"Sir! My servant..." Liang Muxue’s tears streamed down her face. She had hoped to escape the fate of being treated as a lowly object by relying on his status as the Shen family’s son-in-law, but she never expected Lu Jin to set them free.

Nie Wuci was also stunned, momentarily at a loss. Did she want freedom? Of course, but this man was just...

"There is no need for this. We met by chance, and being able to resolve your predicament is my good fortune. And please, do not speak of being servants anymore." As he spoke, Lu Jin placed the gold into a small pouch and put it into Liang Muxue’s hand.

"The day is growing late. My guards have already found a boat for you. Please, hurry. If you find peace and prosperity in the future, if you ever have the chance, call out toward the Lan River; I will be sure to hear it," Lu Jin said with a smile.

Even the usually carefree Nie Wuci could not hold back, her tears falling like broken beads. How could such a man exist in this world?

"Sir, I’ve found a boatman, we can depart at any time." Yuan Fang arrived just then.

"Good, good. Ladies, please board the boat. Just tell the boatman where you want to go." Lu Jin took a bundle from Xiao Wu. "I bought some food. Eat a little once you’re on board, and get something better at your next stop. Go on!" He handed the bundle to Nie Wuci.

Lu Jin watched as Liang Muxue and Nie Wuci walked toward the shore, looking back at every step, weeping. He waved with a smile.

"Sir," Xiaobai urged from the side.

"Don't move, just smile and wave!"

Liang Muxue suddenly pulled her arm away from Nie Wuci and ran back, her face streaked with tears, her ribbons fluttering. Before Lu Jin could react, she threw herself into his arms.

*Damn it!* Lu Jin was startled. *What is this?* He hurriedly reached out to steady her.

"Nanqing, don't move. Just let me hold you for a moment," Liang Muxue sobbed, resting her head on his shoulder.

Lu Jin’s arms froze. After hesitating for a long moment, he finally patted her back gently.

"Nanqing, could you call me Muxue?" Her soft voice drifted into his ears like a breeze.

"Muxue, the world is vast and the journey is long. Please, take care."

Nie Wuci, who had followed, hadn't stopped crying. She stood before him, clutching her bundle. "How can you be like this, you man!"

*Damn it!* What did I do? I set you free... Wait, you!

Lu Jin was speechless as Nie Wuci hugged him as well. *Am I some kind of celestial delicacy? Why are you so attached to me? And stop strangling my neck!*

Liang Muxue released him, wiped her tears, and stared at him, as if trying to carve every detail of his face into her memory.

Feeling her sister pull away, Nie Wuci immediately squeezed into Lu Jin's arms. Her extreme curves nearly cost Lu Jin his life.

"Miss Nie, I am a man, after all. You doing this..." Lu Jin said, at a loss.

"Pfft! And here I thought you couldn't feel anything."

(ꐦಠ ಠ) *This woman is definitely a succubus.*

Yuan Fang and Xiao Wu, standing nearby, had their mouths hanging open. Their master was truly defying the heavens. They couldn't understand it at all!

"Wuci!" Liang Muxue called out, and Nie Wuci obediently loosened her grip on Lu Jin’s neck.

***

"Young Master!" Liang Muxue shouted, then plopped to her knees.

"Miss Liang, you..." Lu Jin was shocked.

"Young Master, stay your step and hear a few words from Muxue," she said, her expression grave.

"Very well, please speak."

"Muxue comes from a family of high officials, but now I am the descendant of a disgraced one. If not for meeting you, my life's trajectory would not be hard to predict. Perhaps I would be fine for a year or two, but after that, I would inevitably be forced to serve men with my beauty. Then, as I grew old and withered, I would live a miserable life, loathing my own filth," she said, tears falling again.

"I only wanted to escape that dirty place. Even as a slave, I wanted to live cleanly. I knew you were the son-in-law of the Shen family and likely the only one who could help me escape that cage. So, I cast aside my pride and begged you to take me in. Even though my heart was once filled with lofty pride, I had to accept my fate. As long as I could leave that place, I was willing to do anything," she wept.

"Miss Liang, that is all in the past now."

"But I never expected you to grant us our freedom. That was two hundred thousand in silver! If you let us go, how will you answer to the Shen family? And how can I be at peace?"

"Rest assured, I have my own ways of handling the Shen family. My parents-in-law treat me very well; they will not reproach me. You have nothing to worry about," Lu Jin comforted her.

"But where can a daughter of a disgraced official go? And where could I find another good man like you? I used to think all men were the same. Only after meeting you did I realize there are good men in this world. You tell me to leave, but you have stolen my heart!"

"Miss Liang, do not think this way. You are well-read and virtuous; there is no reason you won't find a good man. Besides, I am already married; I am not worth your deep affection." Lu Jin had never imagined her emotions would be so intense.

"I know you and your wife share a deep bond. I dare not harbor delusions; I only lament my own lack of fortune. So, I only ask to stay for a moment."

Lu Jin realized then that this was why she had insisted on hugging him.

"Young Master, I, Liang Muxue, will never marry. I only wish to follow by your side, through life and death. I hope you will not forsake me!" Having said this, she kowtowed deeply.

"Miss Liang, you must not. I understand your feelings, but you really mustn't think this way..." Lu Jin reached out to pull her up.

"It was you who allowed me to keep my purity, so I return this pure body to you." She straightened her posture again, then forcefully slammed her head toward the ground.

Lu Jin was terrified, abandoning all caution: "Fine, fine, fine! Whatever you say!"

Lu Jin was numb. How was this girl even more stubborn than Nie Wuci?

"Thank you, Young Master. Though I am a woman, please believe that I am not entirely useless."

"Yes, yes, I believe you. Just don't do that again." Lu Jin helped her up, finally understanding why she had suddenly called him 'Young Master'.

"Wuci, I cannot stay with you. My family dragged you into this, but now that he has set you free, go back to the Nie family and live well. Even though our parents are gone, you still have a home," the calmed Liang Muxue said to Nie Wuci.

"I’m not going. Where my sister goes, I go. Besides, the Young Master won't want to let me go either," Nie Wuci said firmly.

(⊙ꇴ⊙) *Damn it! Who doesn't want to let you go? Don't spout nonsense and make it sound like we have something going on!*

"Miss Nie, do not talk nonsense. A proper young lady should not slander herself," Lu Jin said angrily.

Nie Wuci, far from being cowed, stepped forward and whispered into his ear: "Then why were you aroused earlier? Do you not like having both sisters?"

(⊙ꇴ⊙) *Damn it!* Lu Jin had lost count of how many times he’d cursed. It was always because of this little demon. *That’s a natural physiological reaction, do you understand?*

"Stop talking nonsense," Lu Jin stepped back in a panic.

"Hmph! A man with the heart of a thief but no guts." Nie Wuci’s smile grew wider, leaving Lu Jin in a state of deep embarrassment.

Watching the two women board the carriage, Lu Jin sighed.

"Why is the Young Master sighing?" Xiaobai asked, confused. *You just brought two women home; why are you sighing?*

"Because your master is not a good man, that's why!"

*What is he talking about?* Xiaobai thought, his head full of question marks.

***

Inside the carriage, Lu Jin looked distressed. Where had things gone wrong?

"Young Master, are we returning to the Shen family?" Liang Muxue asked.

"Ah? Yes, back to the Shen family."

"Perhaps you should find us a different place to stay?" she hesitated.

"No, you are coming with me to the Shen family." Lu Jin did not hesitate.

Setting aside the fact that he needed to provide an explanation for taking them away, leaving them outside would be a total disaster. Any blind man would see that he and the Shen family were not on the same page if he were hiding women elsewhere. Even placing them in the Lu family wouldn't work. Compassion was one thing, but Lu Jin knew his priorities.

"Don't worry, my wife is not a shrew. She won't make things difficult for you."

"My wife is famous throughout the world; I am not worried about that, I only fear causing you trouble."

Liang Muxue was a truly sensible woman. After kneeling to express her heart, she never again spoke or acted out of line.

"By the way, I have felt your intentions, but please continue to call me 'Young Master'," Lu Jin said.

It wasn't that he was being deliberately pretentious. If he wasn't mistaken, this whole matter was not simple. He couldn't have the people and the reputation at the same time. Moreover, there was no need to cause misunderstandings over a title. This was different from the children.

"Let me in, I have an urgent matter..." Suddenly, a noisy commotion came from outside.

"Young Master, we have arrived," Xiaobai called from outside.

"Follow me," Lu Jin said, jumping out first. But what was going on at the gate? Why the noise?

"Second Master! Second Master!"

Before Lu Jin could see clearly, a figure lunged forward and grabbed him.

*Damn it, did I not check the calendar today? Why are there surprises everywhere?*

"Who are you?" Lu Jin demanded harshly.

"Second Master, it’s me! The Chief sent me to find you," the man said excitedly.

"Is Yuan Fang dead? Quickly, grab this man!" Lu Jin’s face turned black as iron. The two women following behind were stunned. What was this "Second Master"?

"Second Master, something big has happened in the gang! Hey, let go of me! Second Master, did you lie to us..." the man shouted urgently.

Following Yuan Fang’s lead, the guards at the gate moved in and restrained the water bandit.

"Plug his mouth! He’s babbling nonsense. Yuan Fang, lock him in the dungeon and hand him over to the authorities tomorrow." Lu Jin wouldn't let the bandit speak another word.

"Why do you let just anyone in? Didn't you know he was a water bandit?"

"Young Master, we didn't know he was a bandit. He just said he wanted to see you. You are such a noble person, we didn't think you’d know someone like this. We were going to chase him away, but then he saw you..." the guard explained.

"Young Master, what did they mean by 'Second Master'?"

"You don't know? Last time I was captured by water bandits, I told them I wanted to be one, and they actually believed me and made me their Second Master. A bunch of brainless fools."

The guards finally remembered the rumors circulating in the mansion. *These bandits are also stupid; why be a Second Master when you could be a proper son-in-law?*

"Mmph! Mmph!" The bound bandit glared at Lu Jin with hatred. Lu Jin kicked him a few times in frustration. *How could Lu Wei find such an idiot?*

Calling him "Second Master" so brazenly—even if he could hide it from the Shen family, if it got out that the Shen family was colluding with water bandits, how could the Shen family maintain their authority in Jianglin?

The two women behind him were also startled, never expecting the gentle and jade-like young man to turn so fierce.

"Follow me," Lu Jin suppressed his anger and smiled at them.

The two women hurriedly stepped back in confusion, and the corner of Lu Jin’s mouth twitched.

The most arrogant son-in-law of the Shen family had returned home!