Chapter 12: A Family Reunion

“Big brother…”

Upon seeing Hao Bai, Ning Yuan’s eyes instantly welled up with uncontrollable tears.

“Sister, don’t cry!”

Seeing Ning Yuan weep, Hao Bai panicked at once, swiftly dismounting and rushing to her side.

He awkwardly wiped away her tears. “Sister, did the Ji family bully you? If you’ve been wronged, tell your big brother. I’ll make them pay!”

Still crying, Ning Yuan’s tears stirred a fierce resolve in Hao Bai’s eyes. Gritting his teeth, he growled, “I knew it. After Yun Chuan left, that pack of wolves in the Ji family would mistreat you. Big brother will go crush the Ji family and avenge you right now!”

With that, Hao Bai glared furiously at the Ji estate gate, spear in hand, ready to charge inside.

“Big brother—”

Ning Yuan hurriedly stopped him.

“Hao Bai, come back!”

Father Po Tian’s stern voice rang out.

Only then did Hao Bai relent, turning reluctantly to look at his father.

“Father! Are we just going to stand by and watch them bully my sister?”

His hands clenched until the veins stood out in anger.

“At first, the Ji family sent word that sister died for Yun Chuan… but now, she’s standing right before us. There’s no way there’s no foul play behind all this—I refuse to believe it!”

Hao Bai’s rage grew with every word, his eyes nearly bloodshot.

Ning Yuan knew her brother was usually gentle despite his warrior’s spirit and rarely lost control.

His anger now was only because he saw her suffering.

Thinking this, Ning Yuan reached out and squeezed his hand just like when they were children.

Softly she said, “Big brother, let’s talk about it after we get home.”

Hao Bai looked at her and gradually calmed down.

Cui Jin came beside the siblings, her voice low and firm. “Yuan’er is right. We’ll discuss this when we return.”

With that, she helped Ning Yuan onto the carriage.

Seeing this, Hao Bai swallowed his fury and mounted his horse, heading toward the Shen residence.

Behind the Ji estate gate, a servant who had been hiding finally slipped away hurriedly after confirming the Shen family had left.

The servant rushed to the backyard to report the situation to Ji Zehai and Madam Chen.

Upon hearing this, Ji Zehai asked skeptically, “The Shen family left just like that? Without leaving a single soldier behind?”

The servant nodded quickly. “They all left. Not a single one stayed.”

Madam Chen breathed a sigh of relief. “Seems the Shen family still has some caution.”

She glanced at Ji Zehai. “Master, I told you there’d be no trouble, right?”

Ji Zehai ignored her and fixed his gaze on the servant with a grave expression. “Did the Shen family say anything as they left? Or act strange in any way?”

The servant shook his head. “No, nothing. But the young General Shen looked very angry, spear in hand, wanting to rush in. It was the young madam who stopped him.”

Ji Zehai’s heart skipped a beat.

“They must have sensed something, which is why there was such a commotion!”

He glared fiercely at Madam Chen.

Pointing at her, he scolded coldly, “Didn’t I tell you, if you wanted to deal with Ning Yuan, don’t do it at Yun Chuan’s funeral with so many eyes? Accidents are bound to happen… If you had listened to me, none of this would have happened!”

Feeling wronged, Madam Chen mumbled, “But when I proposed the plan, didn’t you also agree? You even advised me to have Huan’er poison Ning Yuan.”

“Don’t you dare argue!” Ji Zehai’s voice deepened. “You made a mistake, and I have every right to scold you!”

“Master, I—”

Smack!

Before she could speak, Ji Zehai slapped her hard.

“How dare you talk back!”

“We are a noble military family. How did I end up marrying such a foolish woman?”

Madam Chen was stunned, clutching her face in disbelief as she looked at him.

“Master, is this because you despise my lowly birth?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t have married you in the first place!” she cried. “I bore you two children, yet you treat me this way. Sometimes I wonder if it’d be better if I were dead!”

Seeing her cry only made Ji Zehai more irritated.

He soothed her with a few careless words and sent her to check on Ji Yunhuan.

Since losing consciousness earlier, Yunhuan had yet to awaken.

After Madam Chen left wiping her tears, Ji Zehai sank into his chair and sighed deeply.

“Chuan’er, the fate of the Ji family rests in your hands…”

“The Shen family must die!”

—

Meanwhile, Ning Yuan traveled back to the general’s mansion with her parents and brother.

The carriage jolted along the way, finally stopping at the mansion’s gate.

“Mother, Yuan’er, we’re home.”

Hao Bai’s clear voice came from outside.

Cui Jin patted Ning Yuan’s hand. “Yuan’er, get down. We’re home.”

“Alright.”

Ning Yuan nodded, following Cui Jin out of the carriage.

Stepping onto familiar ground, she gazed at the well-known gate and its plaque.

For a long moment, she couldn’t shake off the daze.

In her past life, from the moment she married into the Ji family until her death—until her soul was trapped on the chastity archway, until she witnessed her family turned into human pigs—

She hadn’t returned to the Shen family for a full four years.

Staring at the plaque of the general’s mansion, Ning Yuan felt faint.

She feared it was all just a dream.

Once she woke, she’d be forced back to that cold chastity archway.

“Sister!”

At that moment, a clear voice pulled her from her trance.

Ning Yuan looked up to see Hao Yue in white, running anxiously toward her from inside the mansion.

“Se- Se…”

Ning Yuan opened her mouth.

She could not utter a full “Second Brother” due to her choked sobs.

Her mind replayed countless images of her past life—the jar holding the human pig that was her second brother, pressed tightly against the chastity archway.

Only when Hao Yue reached her did she finally cry out clearly.

“Second Brother!”

Then, Ning Yuan threw herself into Hao Yue’s arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

“Wuuu, Second Brother, it’s really you… it’s really you. I thought I’d never see you again in this life!”

Caught tightly in her embrace, Hao Yue stiffened, his hands spread awkwardly, unsure where to place them.

“Yuan’er, you…”

Hao Yue opened his mouth but found no words.

They had not been this close for many years.

He had raised Ning Yuan from childhood, caring for her more than his own parents ever did.

The old saying that girls should avoid their brothers did not apply to them.

But ever since Ning Yuan fell for Ji Yun Chuan, she inexplicably distanced herself from him.

So it had been a long time since they had embraced like this.

Thinking this, Hao Yue finally summoned the courage to wrap his arms around her.

His voice hoarse and choked, “Yuan’er, your second brother has finally waited for you… to come home.”