Whose Sister? (Double Chapter)

Though the pace of excavating Frozen Soil was a little slow at present, it was still within Zhang Chen's tolerance and something he could accept. He was still young; he had plenty of time. He could afford to wait! Besides, he was not simply sitting around waiting for death—he was still thinking of other solutions.

Zhang Chen gathered firewood and, only when he was about to return home, lit it inside the earthen pit, planning to observe the results tomorrow.

"The underground space is fairly well-sealed. The flames will burn longer, and the heat will have longer to accumulate. Once the fire gets going, it'll be no different from a kiln cave. No matter how bitterly cold the Frozen Soil is, it should melt somewhat."

Zhang Chen took out a flint and steel, first setting the tinder grass alight. Only after he saw the pile of firewood burning did he withdraw from the cave.

"If I had coal, it would be best for melting the Frozen Soil. Unfortunately, I've never heard of any coal mines being found in the nearby mountains." Zhang Chen stood outside the cave. Before long, he felt a wave of heat rushing out from within, forcing him to retreat again and again.

The scorching heat distorted even the air. The dry heat in the air was already hot enough, but compared with the burning firewood in the cave, it was merely a witch before a giant.

With his basket on his back, Zhang Chen checked the traps. They had yielded three rabbits that afternoon. He directly drained their blood, then brought them to the stream to clean out their entrails, skin them, and remove their tendons.

Yet what puzzled Zhang Chen was that the stream had now narrowed to only one meter across. Its shallow waters trickled along, while fish swam restlessly through them, clearly sensing that something was wrong.

"Why is the drought advancing so quickly?" Zhang Chen's heart filled with doubt. He had already sensed a thread of danger, but there was nothing he could do.

He had no way to stop this natural disaster. The only way to reverse it would be rain, but Zhang Chen was no immortal and had no ability to summon wind and rain. All he could do was barely protect himself amid this calamity.

This was not merely a disaster for humanity—it was also a disaster for the Ten Thousand Mountains, for beasts and birds alike.

Birds might fare better. Once they sensed danger, they could spread their wings and fly away, escaping far more quickly, and might not be affected by the drought. But for beasts, crossing mountains and ridges was no simple matter.

"It truly is a natural disaster! I'm afraid that after the natural disaster comes an even more terrifying man-made calamity." Zhang Chen muttered, and unease rose in his heart when he thought of those Old Farmers forging swords, armor, and weapons.

"I only hope that before great chaos descends, I'll be given enough time to prepare. I need to make more gunpowder too, so I won't come up short when I need it later." The knife in Zhang Chen's hand danced nimbly across the rabbit's body. Then, with a casual tug, he tore off the entire pelt.

"Now isn't a good time to sell fur. Come autumn or winter, pelts will be worth money. But I don't plan to sell them this year. I need to make fur clothes for Mother, my younger brother, and Little Sister to get through the winter." Zhang Chen muttered to himself.

There was no cotton in this world. Poor people stuffed their clothes and quilts with floss, but the stuff did not keep out the cold at all, so many froze to death each winter. The wealthy had far better options. Most wore clothes made from animal hides and fur, or used animal hair as stuffing. Ancient versions of down quilts and wool felt also existed, but they were extremely precious—even ordinary landowning households could not afford them.

After dealing with the rabbits, he carefully treated the pelts, then used tools he had prepared beforehand to stretch them out and prevent them from shrinking. Only then did Zhang Chen wash his hands and pack away the rabbit meat and pelts. Rather than returning home directly, he trained his hunting falcon deep in the old forest. With one cry from the falcon as it streaked through the blue sky, birds and beasts on the ground scattered in panic.

After feeding the hawk and the hornets, Zhang Chen prepared another batch of gunpowder. Seeing the sky gradually darken, around three or four in the afternoon, he finally sauntered home.

He glanced at the neighboring house. Neither Fox Spirit nor the poor Scholar Zhang Chen was there. They had presumably gone into the mountains to study.

After returning home, Zhang Chen hung the treated rabbits in a cool place. Then he left the courtyard, picked up a sickle, and prepared to head into the mountains to cut some branches for weaving baskets. He could raise more wild chickens and ducks in the future. Even if a drought truly came, he would have some preparations in place, wouldn't he?

But just as Zhang Chen stepped out through the gate with his sickle, the sound of bells rang out in the distance. Then a carriage entered the village from outside.

The carriage was exceedingly luxurious. The entire frame was built from fine elmwood, polished to a smooth, lustrous sheen. Unique patterns and designs were carved into it, and it looked extraordinarily valuable. The horse pulling it was chestnut-red all over, plump and strong, with perfect muscular lines. Even someone who knew nothing about judging horses could see that this Horse was worth a fortune.

The saddle was inlaid with little green ornaments, impossible to tell whether they were gemstones or colored glass. All the patterns on the saddle were embossed, making it truly priceless.

The driver was no ordinary man either. He was a brawny fellow built like a bear, with ferocity glinting in his eyes. Behind him hung reddish-green carriage curtains, sewn from several layers of silk and embroidered with all sorts of exquisite designs that seemed almost alive. The birds embroidered on the door curtain appeared to come alive with the swaying of the carriage, flapping their wings as though about to fly.

Two servants in yellow robes followed behind the carriage. They too were powerfully built, each appearing to stand nearly two meters tall. Standing behind the carriage, they resembled two moving hills.

"Are we there yet?" An anxious voice came from inside the carriage.

"Madam, Young Master's home is just ahead. Please do not worry; we'll be there shortly. This lowly one spent considerable effort asking around for news and clues about Young Master Zhang Chen. It was not easy to obtain an accurate lead. This time, Madam certainly will not return empty-handed." The driver took the chance to claim credit.

"Rest assured. So long as you can find my younger brother Zhang Chen, when we return, I'll speak of your merits before the Prince. You certainly won't be denied your reward," the person inside the carriage promised.

At that moment, Zhang Chen looked at the carriage in surprise.

"A carriage? Someone of this stature actually came to this godforsaken backwater?"

Seeing the carriage's imposing display, Zhang Chen hurriedly stepped back to give way. He did not dare offend whoever was inside and invite unnecessary trouble.

For him, the most important thing was to lie low and develop in secret. If taking a single step could avoid trouble, why stir up needless complications?

Zhang Chen secretly found it strange. "How odd. Strange things have been happening one after another in this little village. First, farmers came to forge swords, armor, and weapons. Now a great personage has come in person. This is strange beyond measure."

Golden light flowed through Zhang Chen's eyes as he looked toward the carriage. He saw no circulating aura; clearly, everyone before him was an ordinary mortal.

Zhang Chen had stopped by the roadside to yield, but the carriage came to a halt before his courtyard. The driver sharply pulled the reins, and the Horse kicked up clouds of dust before standing still on all four hooves, as though struck by a freezing spell.

The driver jumped down and respectfully said to the carriage curtain, "Madam, we've arrived."

The curtain was lifted, revealing a sweet face before Zhang Chen. As he looked at the woman, only one word flashed through his mind: sweet.

She could not necessarily be called peerlessly beautiful, beautiful enough to eclipse the world, but she was sweet to the very extreme.

Her skin was also very fair, almost dazzling beneath the sunlight.

Her hair was gathered into a simple bun, held in place by a hairpin. Flecks of emerald-green gemstones adorned it, adding an air of nobility for no reason at all.

"Which home belongs to my little brother?" the woman asked.

Her voice was crisp, carrying a uniquely soft, syrupy quality, somewhat like the accent of Taiwan in Zhang Chen's former world. It was deeply captivating.

"This lowly one does not know, but there are only two households here. We'll know which one it is if we simply ask," the driver replied.

At his words, the woman's large eyes swept over the area ahead. She spotted Zhang Chen standing to one side, and light suddenly flashed in her eyes. "There's no need to ask. I already know which one belongs to my little brother. In such a poor backwater, my little brother stands out from the crowd like a crane among chickens. I recognized him with a single glance."

As she spoke, the woman's gaze settled on Zhang Chen, filled with certainty. Zhang Chen found her radiantly wealthy and imposing, but he did not know that when she looked at him, her eyes had lit up as well.

As mentioned earlier, after Zhang Chen shed his skin, his complexion had become snow-white and flawless. He looked like a pampered Young Master, and combined with that peculiar temperament from his former world, he naturally drew people's eyes toward him.

Such snow-white skin, coupled with such a bearing, was not something that could be cultivated outside a wealthy and noble household.

In such a poor backwater, other than her little brother, who else could possess such a temperament?

"Little brother, I finally found news of you. Ever since you ran away from home four years ago, vanishing without a trace, gone never to return, I've been worried sick."

The driver knelt on the ground and made himself into a human stool. The woman stepped on him to climb down from the carriage, landing lightly on the ground and kicking up a faint swirl of dust. Then she moved with graceful, lotus-like steps, quickly coming before Zhang Chen. Her soft voice brimmed with delight.

"Little brother?" Zhang Chen was stunned by the form of address. He stared blankly at the woman before him as a thought flashed through his mind. Could she be my elder sister?

Yet the woman before him bore no resemblance whatsoever to the eldest sister in his memories.

Still, Zhang Chen remembered that his elder sister had been away from home for years. She had left without saying goodbye and sent no word back then. A girl changed beyond recognition as she grew; it was only natural that he might not recognize her now. Perhaps his elder sister had gone with the mother he had never met.

Then Zhang Chen became certain—this was his sister who had run away from home. His eyes immediately reddened as he threw himself forward and hugged her. "Sis~"

His voice brimmed with grievance and closeness. Amid waves of intoxicating fragrance, brother and sister embraced.

The coachman beside them looked at Zhang Chen, his brow furrowing. Strange. Though the Young Master is illegitimate, why does he not resemble the master or madam in the slightest?

The woman wrapped her arms tightly around Zhang Chen. Tears streamed down her face as she choked back sobs, too overcome to speak.

The brother and sister wept in each other's arms for a long while. The woman was the first to regain her composure, patting Zhang Chen on the head. "This is where you've lived for all these years? Aren't you going to invite me inside to sit?"

Zhang Chen came to himself at her words, then smacked his forehead. "My sister has come, and I was so excited that I forgot all about it."

Then Zhang Chen opened the gate and invited the woman in white into the courtyard.

Standing in the courtyard, the woman in white looked over its shabby state. Tears fell from her eyes again as she said with heartache, "It must have been so hard, surviving in a place like this for years."

"It wasn't hard. Being able to stay alive was already no easy thing—what hardship is there to speak of?" Zhang Chen shook his head and picked up a stool, intending to invite the woman to sit. But when he saw how dirty it was, then looked at her luxurious clothes, he suddenly felt too embarrassed to offer it.

The woman seemed to see Zhang Chen's awkwardness. With a gentle smile, she stepped forward, took the stool from his hands, and sat down gracefully. "We're real brother and sister. Don't be so restrained. Back when I ran away from home, once I heard news of you, I had wanted to send someone to bring you away. But something went wrong along the way. Fortunately, you're still alive. A great stone has finally fallen from my heart."

As she spoke, the woman looked at Zhang Chen's ragged clothes, and tears began swirling in her eyes again. "You grew up in Brocade Clothes and Jade Meals. When have you ever suffered like this?"

"I grew up in Brocade Clothes and Jade Meals?" Zhang Chen froze, then shook his head. "I've forgotten everything from the past."

Hearing Zhang Chen's words, the woman's heart ached all the more. She hurriedly called toward the gate, "Why aren't you bringing in the things from the carriage already?"

At her words, the two men dressed in yellow came down from the carriage carrying seven or eight Food Boxes. They spread a magnificent hide across the ground, then opened the Food Boxes and laid out dish after exquisite dish.

"When I heard you were living in seclusion here, I hurriedly ordered food and wine from Huifeng Restaurant and rushed it over to you. These were your favorite dishes when you were little—eighteen dishes in all. And your favorite pastries from Lao Feng Tang; I brought you thirty jin of them. There are also eighteen bolts of brocade, shoes from Bu De Xiang—ten pairs in every size—and a Sable Coat, along with all sorts of daily necessities. I brought everything for you. Writing brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and books—not a single thing is missing." At this point, the woman looked at Zhang Chen, her gaze soft and tender. "I've only just gained a foothold in the Pacifying Border Prince's Mansion, so for now I can't bring you there. Stay here a while longer. Give me two or three years—once I'm firmly established, I'll bring you into the Pacifying Border Prince's Mansion and ask the Prince to secure a future for you."

The woman grasped Zhang Chen's hand, her eyes full of self-reproach.

Zhang Chen was rather dazed. He had no idea what his sister had gone through, or how she had become involved with some Prince's Mansion.

Watching bolts of brocade, fur coats, clothes, pastries, and other things continuously being carried into the house, Zhang Chen felt bewildered. She had brought far too much.

"Sis, where did you go back then? And how did you..." Zhang Chen pointed at the things in the courtyard, unable to continue for a moment.

"Don't ask. What you should know, you will naturally come to know. What you shouldn't know, there's no use asking about." The woman looked troubled, then picked up her chopsticks, placed a Lion's Head into Zhang Chen's bowl, and said, "Come, taste it. This was your favorite back then."