[System Binding Complete]

As the voice echoed in his ears, a transparent panel suddenly appeared in front of him.

[Daily Intelligence Updated (Level 1)]

1. Yesterday, you gambled with dice at Yu Family’s Gambling House and obtained intelligence: The dice there are filled with mercury, allowing them to manipulate the numbers at will.

2. Yesterday, you passed by the back mountain and obtained intelligence: This morning, a rabbit crashed into a locust tree and died at Black Bear Valley.

3. Yesterday, you met Lai San and obtained intelligence: Yu Family’s young master, Yu Sanliu, has taken a liking to your wife. He is conspiring with Ma Liu to trick you into the gambling house and win Su Yunjin from you.

4. Today, you saw Su Yunrui and obtained intelligence: Su Yunrui is terrified of you. Last night, she had a nightmare about you beating her sister but didn’t dare to cry out loud.

5. Today, you met Su Yunjin and obtained intelligence: Su Yunjin has lost the will to live. Three days ago, she exchanged her mother’s hairpin for a packet of arsenic and a pound of rice.

Seeing the last piece of information, Chen Jie swallowed hard.

He looked up at Su Yunjin, who was watching him. The moment their eyes met, she avoided his gaze.

Arsenic!

Chen Jie’s mind immediately recalled the mention of arsenic in the intelligence.

Could it be that the poison was already in this bowl of porridge?

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

Su Yunjin's expression froze slightly.

"I… I pawned my hairpin. You were right, we couldn’t even afford food, so what’s the point of keeping that useless hairpin..." she said, lowering her head to hide her expression.

Chen Jie recalled that his former self had once tried to take Su Yunjin’s hairpin in a fit of rage, but she had refused to part with it, enduring beatings instead. That hairpin was the only thing her mother had left her.

And yet, now she had pawned it—for arsenic. Just how desperate must she have been?

Chen Jie pressed on. "So you exchanged the hairpin just for some rice? Nothing else?"

Su Yunjin stiffened, her eyes darting nervously. "N-No… nothing else."

"Really? But I heard that you also bought a packet of arsenic."

"Wife, tell me honestly—did you poison this porridge?"

Boom!

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

No, it was impossible!

Her body started trembling—an extreme reaction of fear. Seeing her reaction, Chen Jie was almost certain. The porridge was poisoned!

Before he could speak again, Su Yunjin suddenly raised her head. Despair filled her eyes.

Her plan had failed. And it failed so easily.

Yesterday, Chen Jie lost the family’s last three acres of fertile land—losing their final hope for survival. Later, he even tried to sell his younger sister to a brothel. If she went there, her life would be ruined forever.

Su Yunjin’s life was already over after marrying this beast. But she refused to let her little sister suffer the same fate.

She couldn’t fight him, nor could she escape his control. She couldn't just stand by and watch her sister’s future be destroyed.

So, she had thought of the arsenic she bought—for herself.

But now, she had to use it on him first.

Yet everything had failed. There was no hope left.

She knew what was coming—a brutal beating, or worse, death. And her little sister? She would still be sold to a brothel, her life reduced to that of a plaything.

No. No!

Suddenly, madness flashed in Su Yunjin’s eyes. She grabbed the porridge bowl and screamed, "Rui Rui, eat the porridge!"

Then, she opened her mouth, attempting to swallow the poisoned porridge herself.

If she couldn’t kill this beast, then she would die instead.

At least in death, there would be no more beatings, no more curses…

Hearing Su Yunjin’s desperate command, Su Yunrui hesitated for a moment before reaching for the ladle in the clay pot.

"Put it down! Don’t eat!" Chen Jie roared.

He slapped the porridge bowl out of Su Yunjin’s hands. At the same time, he turned and lunged toward Su Yunrui, who had already scooped up a large spoonful and was about to eat it.

Chen Jie panicked. If she swallowed that, she’d die instantly!

Seeing the porridge bowl shattered on the ground, Su Yunjin lost it.

He beats me when I live, and he won’t even let me die?! What does he want?!

Then, seeing that Chen Jie was stopping Su Yunrui from eating, a sudden surge of strength overtook her. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Rui Rui, eat! Hurry and eat!" she screamed as tears streamed down her face.

She would never let her sister be sold to a brothel. If there was no other way, she would rather her sister die than live that nightmare.

"Rui Rui, eat it! Hurry!"

Chen Jie struggled, trying to break free, but Su Yunjin held on tightly.

Desperate, he shouted, "Don’t eat it! Put the spoon down!"

"Chen Jiu Si, what the hell do you want?!"

Su Yunjin finally snapped, roaring at him with all her might.

Chen Jie froze.

Tears streamed down Su Yunjin’s face as she screamed, "What do you want?! What else do you want from us?! I’m begging you—just let us die! Let us die!"

"Let us die! Wuuu…."

She collapsed on the floor, crying hysterically.

Little Rui Rui saw her sister sobbing uncontrollably. She looked at the spoon in her hand, then at Chen Jie. Suddenly, she threw the spoon away and wailed, "Wuuu—Brother-in-law, Rui Rui won’t eat! Please don’t hit my sister! Please don’t hit my sister! Rui Rui will listen to you! Rui Rui will do whatever you say! Wuuu…"

The whole house was filled with cries.

Chen Jie listened to the heart-wrenching sobs, and a wave of sorrow surged in his heart.

Look at what they’ve been through…

Sigh.

He let out a deep sigh. The root of this tragedy was his former self. And now, since he had taken over this body, the only one who could fix this mess was him.

Thinking this, Chen Jie turned his gaze to Su Yunjin, who sat on the floor, weeping uncontrollably.

The once gentle and educated lady from a scholarly family had been completely ruined by his past self.

That bastard deserved to die.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Jie sighed again.

He reached out, gently stroking Su Yunjin’s disheveled hair.

Meeting her confused gaze, he softly said—

"Don’t cry anymore."

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