Chapter 397: Does Second Uncle Still Like Fang Qingdai?

Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Does Second Uncle Still Like Fang Qingdai?

Shen Ningning’s lively, clear eyes darted about. "You tell me, and I’ll call you Second Brother!"

Xie Ming’an furrowed his brows.

’This clever little imp. I can’t get a single thing past her.’

He said in a low voice, "This pearl is perfectly round and a translucent jade color. If you hold it up to the light, can you see faint, flowing lines, like ripples in water?"

Shen Ningning immediately held it up to the sunlight to look. It was just as he said!

She exclaimed in surprise, "It really is!"

Xie Ming’an snorted coldly. "Legend has it that a Jade Pearl of infinite power was embedded in the gates of Bibo City. Considering that Brother just conquered Bibo City, I’m guessing he pried this thing off and brought it back just for you."

The more he spoke, the more furious Xie Ming’an became.

’Brother’s gift is so amazing. Doesn’t that just make me look bad?’

According to legend, the Bibo Pearl was a gift to the Changliu Country from an Immortal. It had been embedded in the gates of Bibo City for four or five hundred years, witnessing countless seasons of wind and sand on the border.

The local people regarded it as the incarnation of a deity.

And yet, as soon as Xie Mingxu conquered Bibo City, he immediately pried this incredibly important pearl right off.

After all, he wanted to bring something back for his little sister, and a common war trophy simply wouldn’t do.

When Shen Ningning learned the origin of the pearl, her big, dark eyes went wide.

"Wow," she said, her voice filled with adoration. "Brother is too good to me!"

’A pearl this big... the Immortal Realm would probably love to eat it, right?’

At this thought, Shen Ningning beamed, like a smug little cat.

Xie Ming’an scoffed. "What’s so great about that? The Ministry of Justice has an even more incredible treasure that guards the ministry—the fang of an Ancient Divine Beast, they say. It symbolizes righteousness and integrity. If you like it, I’ll get it for you too."

Uncle Pang was startled and quickly interjected, "Second Young Master, you mustn’t do that! If you brought that back, all the officials at the Ministry of Justice would be scared to tears."

That’s an item belonging to the Royal Family, not like this Bibo Pearl!

’Wouldn’t the Master grab a whip and chase the Second Young Master down for a good beating?’

Shen Ningning covered her mouth with her little hand and giggled. "Oh, just save it. I don’t want your fang. The one from Brother is enough for me!"

With that, she took off on her little feet, skipping and hopping away down the covered walkway.

Xie Ming’an froze for a moment, then immediately chased after her.

"I already told you the origin of the Bibo Pearl, but you still haven’t called me Second Brother!"

Shen Ningning just hummed a little tune in her sweet, childish voice, pointedly ignoring him and pretending not to hear.

Xie Ming’an’s sharp voice rose in exasperation. "Shen Ningning, you’re not going to go back on your word, are you?"

Only then did the little girl let out a laugh that sounded like silver bells. "I am going back on my word! My brother is back now. If you try to bully me, he’ll be the first to beat you till you cry!"

Xie Ming’an’s expression darkened. "Then you just try me. Brother won’t always be in the mansion. We’ll see if your Second Brother can catch you then."

"And what if you catch me?" Shen Ningning raised her cute eyebrows, not the least bit afraid of him.

Xie Ming’an chuckled. "I’ll tickle you."

Suddenly! Before Shen Ningning could react, he reached out to grab her!

"AIEEEE!" the little girl shrieked, quickly hiking up her skirt with her little hands and sprinting away.

"Don’t run!" Xie Ming’an chased the agile little figure as she darted all around the mansion.

Uncle Pang stood under the covered walkway, watching the scene with a warm gaze.

"Wonderful, just wonderful. The siblings are finally showing signs of putting their differences behind them. Now the Eldest Young Master is back, too. If only the Madam were still here, the family would be whole." His tone was tinged with regret.

The sounds of laughter from the Xie Mansion did not reach the separate courtyard.

Xie Yuanjiu lay prone on her bed, barely breathing.

"Water... give me water... I’m dying..." she struggled to call out.

But outside the tightly shut door, not a single maidservant came to attend to her.

Everyone knew she had the plague and wouldn’t live much longer.

Moreover, she had been shut out by the Xie Mansion, which no longer cared whether she lived or died.

So the maidservants also ignored Xie Yuanjiu’s plight, waiting for her to waste away and die in the room by herself.

Xie Yuanjiu tried to crawl off the bed on her own.

However, the moment she moved, an unbearable ache shot through her body, and her limbs were completely devoid of strength.

"AH!" Xie Yuanjiu tumbled off the edge of the bed, falling heavily to the floor and landing on her right arm.

The pain instantly drained all the color from her face.

Not long ago, she had caused Xu Jingxi to fall from a ladder, injuring his right arm in the very same way.

Xie Yuanjiu was in too much pain to get up. She struggled and squirmed, breaking out in a sweat, which only brought on an even more piercing pain that wracked her body.

She gave up the struggle and lay prone on the floor, letting out pained, hoarse sobs.

’Why did I end up like this? All I wanted was not to lose to Shen Ningning! On what grounds did she get to take everything from me and still be perfectly fine?’

’She didn’t believe in karma or fate; she only felt that everyone around her was unfair!’

An immense hatred surfaced in Xie Yuanjiu’s tear-filled eyes.

’She hated Xie Dizhi! As her father, if he decided to bring her into this world, why wouldn’t he treat her well?’

’She hated the Xie Mansion and Shen Ningning even more for leaving her to die.’

’If she had the chance to survive, she would seize every opportunity to make them all wish they were dead! Including Xie Dizhi!’

Just then, the door was pushed open with a CREAK.

The darkness in the room was pierced by a sliver of light.

Xie Yuanjiu squeezed her eyes shut, unable to adjust. When she slowly opened them again, she saw a figure standing in the doorway.

"Who is it? Who are you?" she called out nervously. "Someone! Help!"

Her intuition told her that the person had a cold aura; this visitor did not come in peace.

The person stepped slowly into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I was sent by Princess Consort Qi to save you." The speaker was a man with a strange tone of voice.

He wore a mask. Xie Yuanjiu stared at him blankly as the man took a packet of medicinal fruits from his sleeve and tossed it in front of her.

"Eat it. I disguised myself to get these medicinal fruits from Princess Funing’s charity clinic. You’ll get better once you eat them."

Xie Yuanjiu’s lips trembled. "Her Highness... Why would Her Highness save me?"

The man let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Because she doesn’t want you to die, of course. Xie Yuanjiu, you must stay alive and fight them to the bitter end!"

"You must remember that you were born for extraordinary things. Don’t let a wet-behind-the-ears little brat completely defeat you."

"And more importantly, do not disappoint Her Highness."

With that, the man turned and left.

He was like a phantom who had never been there at all.

If not for the packet of medicinal fruits before her, exuding an alluringly fresh fragrance,

Xie Yuanjiu would have thought she was dreaming.

’It seems fate has decreed that I must live!’

「That night.」

Chaos erupted in the Xie Mansion.

Xie Mingxu had learned that Xie Ming’an not only refused to accept Shen Ningning at first but had also bullied her, even cutting the little one’s ear.

He flew into a rage, grabbing Xie Ming’an by the collar and dragging him to the ancestral hall. There, in front of Shen Siyi’s memorial tablet, he began to furiously beat his younger brother.

Shen Ningning hugged the doorframe, hesitating over whether to plead for him.

Xie Suzhi rushed over to find Xie Mingxu holding Xie Ming’an down, striking his back with the family punishment rod.

"Mingxu!" Xie Suzhi scolded. "That’s enough. Your brother is the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice now, for heaven’s sake. If you keep beating him like you did when you were children, what dignity will he have left if word gets out?"

Xie Mingxu stood up and coldly tossed the rod aside.

"I recall writing you a letter, telling you to take good care of Shen Ningning. Did you really not understand what I meant?"

Xie Ming’an winced in pain as he straightened up, holding his back. He retorted angrily, "How was I supposed to know? You and Father knew the details but wouldn’t tell me, just expecting me to figure it out on my own. I had just returned to the mansion! How was I supposed to understand your hints?"

’If he had known earlier that Shen Ningning was his biological sister, he never would have dared to treat her poorly.’

’And now he was still suffering the little girl’s punishment!’

Xie Mingxu shot him an icy glare.

Then, Xie Mingxu strode over to Shen Ningning and lifted the little girl into his arms.

"Ningning, are you willing to stay in the same house as this guy? If not, Brother will take you to live somewhere else. As it happens, the Emperor bestowed a mansion upon me today."

Xie Suzhi’s expression changed. "She’s my daughter! You want to split the family and take her with you?"

Xie Mingxu glanced at him, clearly displeased. "It’s not as if Father has been particularly reliable, either."

’He couldn’t trust his sister’s care to anyone but himself.’

Shen Ningning quickly hugged Xie Suzhi’s arm while holding onto Xie Mingxu with her other little hand.

A master diplomat, she made sure to appease everyone.

"No, no, I won’t go. I can’t bear to leave Daddy and Brother."

The little girl looked up and saw Xie Ming’an clutching his back, his stern face fixed on her with a gloomy, resentful expression.

Shen Ningning had no choice but to pout. "Well, without Lord Xie around, things would be less fun."

"Call me Second Brother!" Xie Ming’an yelled.

Xie Mingxu immediately raised his cold eyes and shot him a warning look.

’Lower your voice when you talk to our sister. Don’t you get it?’

Xie Suzhi quickly scooped Shen Ningning up, afraid that Xie Mingxu might snatch his daughter and run off the moment he wasn’t looking.

"Let’s go. None of you have eaten yet. Making such a racket, and in front of your mother’s tablet, no less. Aren’t you afraid she’s laughing at the spectacle?"

And so, the father carried his daughter, followed by his two sons, and the family of four walked toward the flower hall for their meal.

Xie Mingxu remembered a serious matter.

He said, "Father, General Fang mentioned she would like to visit Mother’s grave to pay her respects the day after tomorrow."

Xie Suzhi suddenly fell silent.

When Shen Siyi was alive, she and Fang Qingdai were the closest of friends.

But when Shen Siyi passed away unexpectedly, Fang Qingdai was guarding the border. By the time she learned of her friend’s death, she was unable to return to see her one last time.

This had always been a source of regret for Fang Qingdai.

"I have no objections, but your second uncle..." Xie Suzhi trailed off.

Xie Mingxu frowned. "Don’t tell me Second Uncle still hasn’t gotten over General Fang?"

Shen Ningning’s little ears perked up, and her round, dark eyes watched on as she quietly eavesdropped.