Discussion

Chen Chunmiao had just stepped out of the back hall when she saw Manager Ren—who usually scolded her at every turn and complained about her being slow—now beaming with smiles, nodding and bowing to a muscular man sitting in a chair.

However, the man had his back to her, so Chen Chunmiao could not see his face.

"Who is he..."

Looking at the man's sturdy frame, Chen Chunmiao felt a tremor in her heart.

The stranger exuded an intense sense of oppression, completely unlike anyone she encountered in her daily life.

Was he here for her? What did he want? Or what was he planning to do?

The less Chen Chunmiao could guess, the deeper her fear grew, yet she stood her ground, bracing herself.

"My lord!"

Seeing Chen Chunmiao, Manager Ren looked as if he had found a savior and immediately said to the man with great deference, "Chen Chunmiao is here!"

He then lowered his voice to a whisper, asking, "I wonder how Chunmiao has offended you?"

Hearing Manager Ren's words, Chen Jing waved a hand and turned to look at Chen Chunmiao.

Seeing Chen Chunmiao still eyeing him with a confused expression, Chen Jing couldn't help but call out, "Second Sister, don't you recognize me?"

"You are... Little Jing!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Chunmiao froze, then widened her eyes, scanning Chen Jing's face back and forth. It took a long moment of confirmation before she spoke in disbelief.

The broad-shouldered, thick-backed man before her was a completely different person from the brother who, two months ago, had been so thin he looked like a gust of wind could blow him away!

If not for his unchanged voice and the faint traces of his old self in his brow, Chen Chunmiao would never have recognized him.

"Little Jing, how did you grow so tall! Two months ago you were the same height as me, and now you're a whole head taller!"

Looking at Chen Jing, Chen Chunmiao said with a smile.

Seeing Chen Jing's robust physique, she knew his martial arts training over the past two months had gone quite well.

Thinking of this, she felt relieved.

Manager Ren, standing to the side, was stunned by this revelation.

"Chunmiao... this is your brother?"

After a long pause, Manager Ren took a deep breath and asked in a low voice.

"Yes!"

Chen Chunmiao nodded heavily in response.

"Second Sister, how has work been lately? Have you been bullied?"

Chen Jing glanced at Manager Ren before asking softly.

"No, no!"

Before Chen Chunmiao could speak, Manager Ren blurted out almost immediately, his voice trembling, "Chunmiao is the most diligent worker we have, and the young mistress likes her too. No one has bullied her at all."

After speaking, Manager Ren turned his face away, casting a cautious glance at Chen Chunmiao.

Sensing Manager Ren's gaze, Chen Chunmiao nodded with a smile and said softly, "Everyone takes good care of me. I haven't been bullied!"

"That's good."

Seeing that Chen Chunmiao's expression didn't seem forced, Chen Jing stopped pressing.

Now that he was a First Blood Martial Artist, if his sister were suffering any grievances in a place like this, a single word from him would be enough to move her somewhere better.

With that in mind, Chen Jing continued, "By the way, Second Sister, I want to go to Eldest Sister's opera troupe later. Can you come with me?"

"Go to Eldest Sister's place?"

Chen Chunmiao was tempted, but she immediately thought of the docked pay for taking leave and the fact that Manager Ren might not let her go. Her spirits sank, and she said quietly, "I... I probably can't get time off."

"No problem!"

Before Chen Chunmiao could finish, Manager Ren cut in, eager to show his stance, his voice surprisingly loud, "Chunmiao, since your brother is here and you want to see your eldest sister, take the day off!"

The sycophancy on Manager Ren's face was practically overflowing, as he feared that being a second late would displease Chen Jing.

"This..."

Seeing the rapid shift in Manager Ren's attitude, Chen Chunmiao was momentarily stunned.

The last time she had seen Manager Ren act this servile was when he was dealing with the martial artist who wanted to propose to the young mistress.

And now... he was showing this side to her?

"Alright, my lord, please go ahead and attend to your business with Chunmiao..."

Manager Ren said to Chen Jing with a fawning smile.

Chen Jing gave a faint nod. "Let's go, Second Sister."

"Then let's go."

Chen Chunmiao nodded as well, and together, she and Chen Jing left Spring Return Hall.

Once they were gone, Manager Ren collapsed into his chair as if his strength had been drained, cold sweat pouring down his face.

To be honest, the feeling Chen Jing gave him now was far more oppressive than the pressure he had felt from that martial artist at the Eight Desolations Academy last time—the guy called Xie Chong!

"Chunmiao's younger brother is actually such an expert..."

Manager Ren couldn't help but swallow hard, a thought flashing through his mind.

Isn't the young miss being forced into marriage by Xie Chong? If we could get this Chen Jing to step in...

After all, the young miss has always treated Chunmiao quite well...

Thinking of this, Manager Ren hurriedly ran toward the back hall.

"Young miss, young miss!"

As soon as Manager Ren reached the back hall, he saw Ren Zhining and Lvzhu standing in the courtyard waiting.

"Is Chunmiao alright? Who was that martial artist? What did he want with Chunmiao?"

Ren Zhining looked at the rushing Manager Ren and asked immediately.

"Young miss, that martial artist is Chunmiao's younger brother, Chen Jing. He came here to take Chunmiao to see their eldest sister."

Manager Ren began to explain.

"Chunmiao's brother? Didn't she say before that her brother was a cart puller? How did he become a martial artist?"

Lvzhu, standing to the side, recalled this and spoke in disbelief.

"I don't know, but judging by their conversation, they are indeed siblings!"

Manager Ren shook his head, but his voice was firm: "And young miss, I can feel that Chunmiao's brother is definitely a First Blood Martial Artist. Furthermore... the pressure he exerts on me is even stronger than Xie Chong's!"

"Why don't we ask him to step in and see if he can help us fend him off!"

Manager Ren took a deep breath and laid out his entire plan.

"Stronger than Xie Chong? I never expected Chunmiao to have such a brother!"

Lvzhu gasped upon hearing this.

Manager Ren had practiced martial arts; although he hadn't broken through to become a First Blood Martial Artist, he was very sensitive to the aura of martial artists.

Therefore, both Ren Zhining and Lvzhu believed Manager Ren's words.

At this moment, Lvzhu quickly turned to look at Ren Zhining: "Young miss, why don't we ask Chunmiao's brother to help us block Xie Chong!"

Ren Zhining frowned upon hearing this: "But Xie Chong is not only a First Blood Martial Artist, he is also the brother-in-law of Hu Duanzhuo, the head of the Eight Desolations Academy... Would Chunmiao's brother be willing?"

If that Xie Chong were just an ordinary First Blood Martial Artist, Ren Zhining wouldn't be so worried, but more importantly, Xie Chong also held the status of being the brother-in-law of Hu Duanzhuo, and Hu Duanzhuo was one of the few Three Blood Martial Artists in Red Rock County.

Under these circumstances, apart from the three great families in the inner city, basically no one was willing to provoke Xie Chong.

"Young miss, in this situation, we can only try; otherwise, you will really have to marry that Xie Chong!"

Manager Ren sighed heavily as he said this.

"Sigh, then we can only ask if Chunmiao's brother is willing to help!"

Ren Zhining was silent for a long time before finally nodding with a sigh.

"Even if he is unwilling to help when the time comes, we cannot hold a grudge against him!"

"After all, we have no ties to him, so it would be normal for him to refuse!"

Ren Zhining added at this moment.

"Yes!"

Manager Ren and Lvzhu responded in unison.

Meanwhile, Chen Jing and Chen Chunmiao were walking toward the theater troupe where their eldest sister was staying.

As they walked, they exchanged updates on their lives over the past two months.

One had been reborn, while the other felt both gratified and shocked.

The air was filled with the scent of... family.