Chapter 2: Daily Intelligence System

【System binding complete】

Listening to the voice beside his ear, a transparent panel appeared before his eyes.

【Daily intelligence updated (Level 1)】

【1. You gambled with dice at the Yu Family Gambling House yesterday. Intelligence obtained: The dice at the Yu Family Gambling House are weighted with mercury, allowing the opponent to manipulate the results at will.】

【2. You passed by the back mountain yesterday. Intelligence obtained: This morning, a rabbit died after running into a pagoda tree in Black Bear Gully at the back mountain.】

【3. You met Lai San yesterday. Intelligence obtained: Yu Sanliu, the young master of the Yu Family Gambling House, has taken a fancy to your wife. He is currently discussing with Ma Liu how to trick you into the gambling house to win Su Yunjin from you.】

【4. You saw Su Yunrui today. Intelligence obtained: Su Yunrui is very afraid of you. She had a nightmare last night about you beating her sister, but she didn't dare to cry out loud.】

【5. You saw Su Yunjin today. Intelligence obtained: Su Yunjin has developed a death wish. Three days ago, she traded the hairpin left by her mother for a packet of arsenic and a catty of rice.】

Looking at the transparent panel in front of him, Chen Jie swallowed hard.

He looked up at Su Yunjin, who was watching him. To his surprise, her eyes darted away, not daring to meet his gaze.

Arsenic!

The arsenic from the last piece of intelligence flashed through Chen Jie’s mind.

Could this arsenic be in this bowl of porridge?

Chen Jie slowly set the bowl down, then looked at Su Yunjin and asked, "Wife, I remember we couldn't even afford millet at home. Where did this rice come from?"

Su Yunjin’s expression faltered at his words.

"I... I pawned my hairpin. You were right, we can't even afford to eat, so what’s the point of keeping that old thing..."

Su Yunjin lowered her head, her expression unreadable.

Chen Jie remembered that when his predecessor was desperate from gambling, he had once eyed Su Yunjin’s hairpin. But back then, she would rather be beaten than give it up, as it was the only memento left by her mother.

Yet now, she had actually pawned it for arsenic. How much despair must she have been in to do such a thing!

Chen Jie continued, "You only got this bit of white rice for that hairpin? Didn't you get anything else?"

Su Yunjin’s expression stiffened, and she said nervously, "No, nothing else."

"Is that so? I seem to have heard someone say you also bought a packet of arsenic?"

"Wife, you didn't put anything in this porridge, did you?"

Boom!

Chen Jie’s words exploded in Su Yunjin’s mind. How, how did he know?

No, that’s impossible!

Su Yunjin’s body began to tremble slightly—a sign of extreme terror. Seeing her like this, Chen Jie confirmed it: the porridge was indeed poisoned!

As Chen Jie thought this, he suddenly saw Su Yunjin look up abruptly, her eyes filled with despair.

Her plan had failed. It had failed so easily.

She had absolutely no way out now!

Yesterday, Chen Jie had lost the family’s last three acres of fertile land—the family’s only hope. Later, he even wanted to sell her younger sister into a brothel. What kind of place was that? If her sister went there, her life would be ruined forever.

She had already ruined her own life by marrying this beast, Chen Jiu-si, but she didn't want her sister’s life to be ruined too.

Her own life was over, but her sister was still young; she should have a bright future.

She couldn't let this piece of trash destroy her sister’s life.

But she couldn't beat this scum, nor could she escape his control. She couldn't just watch Chen Jie ruin her sister.

So, she thought of the arsenic she had bought. She had bought it for herself, but now, she would use it to poison this scum first.

But now that everything was exposed, there was no light left in her life.

She could imagine the brutal beating that would follow. Maybe he would beat her to death. As for Rui-rui, she would likely be sold to a brothel, becoming a plaything for others, living like a dog.

No, no!

A hint of madness suddenly appeared in Su Yunjin’s eyes. She snatched the bowl of white rice porridge from beside Chen Jie and roared, "Rui-rui, eat the porridge quickly!"

With that, she opened her mouth, intending to swallow the porridge.

If she couldn't poison this beast, she would poison herself. She had had enough of this life; she didn't want to live anymore.

Perhaps after death, there would be no more beatings, no more curses.

Hearing Su Yunjin’s words, Su Yunrui looked at Chen Jie in terror and reached out to grab the spoon from the clay pot.

Seeing this, Chen Jie roared, "Put it down! Don't you dare eat it!"

He knocked the bowl out of Su Yunjin’s hand. Su Yunjin was shocked, but Chen Jie lunged toward Su Yunrui, who was already scooping a large spoonful of porridge toward her mouth.

Chen Jie was horrified; if she ate that, she would be poisoned on the spot.

Seeing the broken bowl on the floor, Su Yunjin went mad. "You beat me when I’m alive, and now you won't even let me die? What exactly do you want?"

Seeing Chen Jie stop Su Yunrui from eating, she found strength from somewhere and charged at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and screaming, "Rui-rui, eat! Eat quickly!"

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face.

She absolutely could not watch her sister be sold into a brothel. If there was no other way, she would rather her sister die!

It would be better to be dead. Once dead, they could escape this filthy world and this devil.

"Rui-rui, eat! Eat quickly!"

Su Yunjin held onto Chen Jie like a madwoman. Chen Jie was frantic, shouting at the little girl, "Don't eat it! Put the spoon down!"

"Chen Jiu-si, what exactly do you want!"

Su Yunjin finally snapped, screaming at Chen Jie.

Chen Jie was stunned by her shout. Su Yunjin cried hysterically, "What do you want? What do you want from us? I beg you, just let us die! Let us die!"

"Let us die! Wuu wuu..."

Su Yunjin sat on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Chen Jie froze; he didn't know how to answer.

The little girl looked at her crying sister, then at her spoon. With a wail, she dropped the spoon and cried, "Wuu wuu, brother-in-law, Rui-rui won't eat it anymore. Please don't hit my sister, don't hit my sister. Rui-rui will listen to you, Rui-rui will do whatever you say, wuu wuu..."

The whole room was filled with crying. Listening to the sounds, a sense of pity rose in Chen Jie’s heart.

Look at what he had forced these sisters into.

"Sigh~"

Chen Jie sighed inwardly. This situation was caused by his predecessor, and now that he had taken his place, he was the only one who could resolve it. The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it.

Thinking this, Chen Jie looked down at Su Yunjin, who was slumped on the floor, sobbing. This young lady from a scholarly family, who should have been gentle and refined, had been tormented by his predecessor until she was a shell of her former self.

His predecessor was truly a wretch!

With this thought, Chen Jie sighed and decided to comfort this woman.

Not for any other reason, but for that sliver of pity in his heart...

He reached out and stroked her hair, meeting her bewildered gaze as he said

"Stop crying!"