"Elder Sister, does it still hurt? Yun'er will blow on it for you, and we'll never speak to Eldest Brother again."
The child before them was clumsy in every movement, but the concern in his eyes was genuine. His large, bright black eyes were filled with tears, suggesting he was deeply upset.
"I'm fine," Jun Jiu Ling said faintly. Beside her, the little maidservant anxiously burst into tears.
"It's all my fault, Miss. I shouldn't have left you there alone." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"It's not your fault. You can go out now."
"Yes."
The little maidservant wiped away her tears and left, looking back repeatedly. She felt a little scared; her young lady had been different since last month, no longer acting as spoiled or crying as much.
Instead, she acted with decisiveness, even a touch of ruthlessness. Several people had been dealt with in the courtyard recently, leaving the rest like birds startled by a bow.
"Men don't cry."
"Waaah~ hiccup, I won't cry anymore. Elder Sister, please don't ignore me." He quickly wiped away his tears with his chubby little hands.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely make Chu Chao Jin pay for this slap."
"I'll hit him for Elder Sister. Can Elder Sister stop arguing with Eldest Brother from now on?"
"Chao Yun, you must remember, it's not that I want to argue with him. It's that Chu Chao Jin, for the sake of a woman, is no longer our Eldest Brother."
The child was startled, managing a strained smile.
"What nonsense is Elder Sister talking? Chao Yun doesn't understand. But Chao Yun knows we are a family, why must things be so serious?"
"Elder Sister will take you to see a good show."
The cold wind howled past, completely reshaping the child's worldview. He stood like a statue, not daring to move, his nose dripping in the wind, yet he dared not wipe it.
Finally, they stopped on the rooftop, and the child's heart settled back into his chest. He stared unblinkingly at Jun Jiu Ling, his eyes shining.
"Elder Sister, you are so amazing, even more amazing than Eldest Brother."
"This is nothing, just basic stuff. Hurry and wipe that snot bubble, or don't say you're my brother, Chu Lan Yi."
"Oh, okay."
He took out a handkerchief and quickly wiped his nose, his feet rooted to the spot, afraid to move. After all, they were on someone else's rooftop, and the child was still very scared.
Jun Jiu Ling lifted a roof tile, and the child immediately leaned down to listen and observe carefully. His pupils dilated in shock; he recognized both people inside.
However, a man and woman of different ages should not be in the same room, especially since his Eldest Brother was already fifteen. The young lady from the Zhao family was thirteen this year, and their intimate actions...
It seemed their interactions weren't just for one or two days. Eldest Brother had punished Elder Sister today, was it truly for the Chu family's reputation, or just for this young lady?
"Chao Jin, it's all my fault, it's all my fault. My presence provoked Lan Yi; she's back too. She remembers everything. I harmed her; I've wronged your Chu family."
"Hai Tang, what nonsense are you talking? It was Lan Yi who was being unreasonable. Your facial injuries are so severe. A girl's face is most important, which shows how vicious her heart is."
Zhao Hai Tang shook her head repeatedly, her eyes red with tears. She seemed to want to speak but dared not, appearing extremely self-reproaching.
Chu Chao Jin felt his heart ache even more. For a moment, he wanted to tell the woman before him about his return.
But he feared it would frighten Hai Tang, making her feel even more wronged. She would never step foot in the Chu mansion again. This was the woman he cherished with all his heart in both his past and present lives.
Seeing his self-reproaching demeanor, her aversion to the original owner deepened. All of it was in the past, why still dwell on it?
Did Hai Tang also have to die once for her to forgive? How many times could one relive their life? Why couldn't she choose to let go, to forgive others and herself?
This time, he only wanted to cherish Hai Tang; nothing else mattered. He would kill gods and buddhas who stood in his way, not even sparing his own sister.
Zhao Hai Tang suddenly screamed with heart-wrenching anguish, "You don't understand, you don't understand. I owe her; I can never repay it no matter what."
Chu Chao Jin pulled her into his arms, "Tang'er, please don't cry, don't cry anymore. What do I need to do for you to feel better? You owe Lan Yi nothing."
"Even if you owed her before, this whip has repaid it. It's repaid, understand? Stop making yourself suffer, stop hurting yourself."
Zhao Hai Tang looked up, her eyes blurred with tears like a lost fawn. Chu Chao Jin was her last lifeline, and she murmured,
"Is it true? Is it really repaid? I am not a sinner, I can still be myself, right?"
Chu Chao Jin firmly clasped her shoulders, speaking word by word with solemnity.
"My Tang'er never owes anyone anything. You are just too kind and always hard on yourself. You just need to be yourself; I will handle everything else."
"Chao Jin, it's so good to have you. It's so good to see you again, thank you for not disliking me."
"What nonsense are you saying? My Hai Tang is the best, the absolute best girl in this world."
The two gazed at each other affectionately, and Chu Chao Jin kissed her with aggressive passion. The sound of wet lips kissing filled the air, and they kissed passionately, unwilling to part.
Chu Chao Yun on the rooftop immediately covered his eyes. Jun Jiu Ling grabbed him by the back of his neck and, in a few moves, they were outside the courtyard wall.
The little child was dazed for a long time. He stomped his foot forcefully on the ground, finally letting out a sigh of relief and continuously patting his chest.
"Did you see anything?"
"Eldest Brother's actions are not those of a gentleman, but our climbing the roof is also not a gentleman's act."
"I climbed the roof; it has nothing to do with climbing walls."
"Uh..."
"You blockhead, I'm asking you. If Mother and that woman fell into the water at the same time, who do you think Chu Chao Jin would save?"
The child clearly knew the answer. He tightly clenched his sleeves but still hesitated before speaking:
"Eldest Brother... Eldest Brother is filial and benevolent; he would never abandon Mother. That woman is Eldest Brother's beloved. Although her conduct is not in accordance with propriety, Elder Sister and I both respect her to some extent."
"Do you know why she owes me?"
"This younger brother does not know. Please enlighten me, Elder Sister."
Under the child's gaze of seeking knowledge, Jun Jiu Ling said directly, "She not only owes me; she owes our entire Chu family. Over a thousand people in the clan, all because of her, became decapitated souls."