At the third quarter of the You hour, in the main hall of Jingrui Courtyard, five tables were laid out. Chopsticks and bowls were set, and the dishes were already arranged in full.
The County Magistrate invited Lu Wumou to take the seat of honor. He refused repeatedly. In the end, Lady Huang sat to the left, with the County Magistrate below her. Madam Qian and Jiang Yan, who had hurried back, sat to the right. At Miss Player’s request, Lu Wumou joined them at the same table, taking the lowest seat to show respect to the hosts.
Once everyone was seated, Lu Wumou took out an oil-paper parcel and placed it on Miss Player’s table.
“Miss, I returned too late. The osmanthus cakes have already gone cool. If you don’t eat them soon, they’ll be completely cold.”
The County Magistrate’s mouth twitched. So Lu Wumou’s urgent matter had been delivering a packet of pastries to a child. He had ridden hard in anxiety, his heart burning the entire way, unable to imagine anything more urgent than the crisis at the dam.
He could not accept that Lu Wumou had sold himself into servitude.
This was a man who need not kneel even before the emperor—a pillar of the state… and now he had sold himself as a servant? It was absurd. He half suspected he was dreaming.
Even if the contract was real, how could such a man be sent to run errands for pastries like an ordinary servant? It was disrespectful—and a waste beyond measure.
Miss Player paid no attention to the sparks practically flying from the County Magistrate’s gaze as it fixed on the oil-paper parcel. She took out a piece, tasted it, and said honestly, “It’s already cold.”
Lu Wumou immediately stood to apologize.
“This old servant delayed too long on the road. Please punish me, Miss.”
The County Magistrate and Lady Huang both rose at once. They had long known Lu Wumou’s reputation and did not dare treat him lightly. Jiang Yan and Madam Qian, seeing this, naturally stood as well.
Only Miss Player remained seated.
She looked at one, then another. Her face was expressionless, yet to everyone present she seemed bewildered and innocent. No one would accuse her of discourtesy—if anything, her confusion appeared rather pitiful.
Lady Huang even found herself wondering: Had she moved too abruptly and frightened the child?
When one’s Appearance was high enough, one could do nothing at all and others would supply countless favorable interpretations.
At last, Miss Player’s gaze settled on Lu Wumou. Faced with the continuous sequence of moves from this SR character, she still had not figured out why the County Magistrate treated him with such respect.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’ll have Sister Taozi warm it for me. Mister Lu, please sit. You don’t have to be so strict about etiquette.”
Lu Wumou sat. The others followed.
The County Magistrate cleared his throat. “I wish to request that you assist in reinforcing the dam.”
Lu Wumou replied, “The method of reinforcement and the required materials—I have already written everything down in detail. The County Magistrate need only have the county’s engineers follow the instructions.”
The County Magistrate gave a dry laugh. “Our engineers lack the learning to understand your diagrams.”
“Waterworks are a serious matter,” Lu Wumou mused. Aside from myself, who could fully understand those drawings? If there were such a person, I would swallow the entire scroll on the spot. Yet outwardly, he only showed mild difficulty. “What exactly do they not understand? When I am not occupied, I can answer their questions.”
The County Magistrate recalled the awkward expression of his engineer and suspected the answer was: everything.
As Lu Wumou had said—waterworks were no small matter. The threat of the dam collapsing was like starvation gnawing at the organs. With roasted meat right before him, how could he settle for wild fruit that barely filled the stomach?
He smiled. “Answering questions cannot compare to your personal supervision.”
Lu Wumou refused outright. “I have duties. I cannot spare the time.”
Jiang Yan caught the County Magistrate’s glance. He knew neither what had happened in the county yamen nor Lu Wumou’s background—but he knew what he was supposed to do. Following his superior’s lead would not be wrong.
“I will arrange other attendants for Youyou,” Jiang Yan said. “Please agree to the County Magistrate’s request, Mister Lu.”
Lu Wumou shook his head. “The Jiang family owes me no favor. I serve only one master—Miss Jiang Yushu.”
Jiang Yan turned to Miss Player and spoke gently, “Youyou, lend Mister Lu to the County Magistrate for official matters.”
At last, Miss Player understood. Lu Wumou’s specialty lay in hydraulic engineering. When he had earlier told Madam Sun he was skilled in masonry, carpentry, compass work, and surveying, she had thought it nonsense. It turned out every word was true.
Surveying terrain, determining orientation, combining water and wood—everything required to begin such a project was already in place.
The County Magistrate’s reaction said it all—he needed Lu Wumou desperately.
Miss Player smiled.
She shook her head. “No.”
Jiang Yan tried to harden his tone, to appear intimidating, but his voice came out soft.
“A father’s words… you must listen.”
Jiang Yan… tried again, but the County Magistrate raised a hand to stop him.
This would not work. It would only make Lu Wumou think they were trying to deceive a child.
“Youyou,” the County Magistrate said, “if you agree to lend Mister Lu, whatever you want, I will do it for you.”
Miss Player’s eyes flickered. Her goal had been achieved.
She turned to Lu Wumou. As expected of an SR character—he had orchestrated everything in the room according to his script.
Yet when struck at close range by her Appearance, the SR character seemed to lose all capacity for thought. His mind went blank.
“If the Miss is unwilling,” Lu Wumou said stiffly, “you may refuse.”
Miss Player: ???
Weren’t you supposed to give me a cue?
Still, it was already the final stage. A minor flaw did not matter.
She stood and pointed at Madam Qian.
“I want Mother to give me ten thousand taels of silver.”
Madam Qian, who thought herself merely accompanying: “…”
Jiang Yan quickly said, “Youyou, the family does not have ten thousand taels. What would your mother give you?”
Miss Player ran to the high table, grabbed the design drawings, and slapped them down.
“We don’t have it now, but we can earn it. These are designs Grandmother Huang and I made. Mother owns a cloth shop—if she produces garments based on these designs and sells them, it will definitely make money.”
“You want your mother to engage in trade?” Jiang Yan rejected immediately. “That is not acceptable.”
But the County Magistrate’s eyes lit up. “No need to decide so quickly. Let us hear Youyou out.”
Miss Player continued, “The time limit—”
The task required ten thousand taels within six months, but she could not give that much time.
She lowered her head. “Mister Lu, how long will you be borrowed?”
“Three months,” Lu Wumou said.
“Then within three months, Mother must earn ten thousand taels and give it to me.”
Lu Wumou added, “Miss may open an account at the bank tomorrow. The Madam need not hand over silver directly—she may deposit the amount within the time limit.”
Jiang Yan: “…”
Madam Qian: “…”
They stared, dumbfounded. They had not even agreed—how had it already become a settled matter?
Madam Qian waved her hands. “I will not agree.”
“Then forget it.”
Miss Player shrugged lightly and touched her stomach. “Grandmother Huang, can we eat? I’m hungry.”
“Of course,” Lady Huang said immediately, ignoring everyone else. “I’ve already eaten—you should eat too. Start with the cold dishes. The rest can be reheated.”
Miss Player squeezed beside her, breathing in the faint scent of ink that always clung to her.
Meanwhile, the County Magistrate rose and led Jiang Yan out.
…
In the study, after dismissing the servants, the County Magistrate explained everything about the dam.
When Jiang Yan finished listening, he swore, “If I have ever embezzled dam funds or concealed the defect, may I be struck by lightning—”
“No need,” the County Magistrate said. “If I did not trust you, you would already be in prison.”
He then revealed the truth of the past—how Jiang Yan had been set up, how the position itself had been a trap.
Jiang Yan finally understood.
No wonder he had been sidelined for years.
No wonder his family had been targeted.
He had been mistaken for an investigator all along.
The County Magistrate sighed. “To reinforce the dam, only Mister Lu can do it. To have him act, he must be willing.”
Jiang Yan hesitated. “My wife’s family are merchants…”
“That is not a problem,” the County Magistrate said. “She will be acting under official order. I guarantee it.”
Then, grasping Jiang Yan’s hand, he spoke earnestly, offering him advancement, power, and future prospects.
Jiang Yan, overwhelmed, agreed.
…
That night, in the courtyard—
Madam Qian spoke quietly, “If I engage in trade, it will bring criticism upon your father and me.”
“Lift your head and look at me,” Miss Player said coldly.
Seated high on Wen Yan’s shoulders, she looked down at her mother like a bright, untouchable moon.
“Understand this clearly. I made the demand. Jiang Yan agreed to it.”
Madam Qian faltered. “How can you call your father by name—”
Miss Player laughed.
“How can someone be so foolish—sold off and still counting the money for others? He made the decision without even consulting you. Why? Because in this household, you have no self. No independence.”
Madam Qian tried to defend herself.
Miss Player looked straight through her.
At that moment, she realized something with absolute clarity—
Madam Qian was only an NPC.
A line of code.
Why had she ever formed attachments in her previous run?
Family, love—those belonged only to beings of the same kind.
She was a player.
This was a game.
“Go on living in self-deception,” she said without pity. “It’s pathetic.”
Then she tapped Wen Yan’s head.
“Let’s go.”
He carried her away at once.
Behind them, Madam Qian stood frozen, her mind replaying those cold, indifferent words again and again.
Only after a long time did she finally move.
And for the first time—
she began to reflect.