In another tree hollow filled with the fragrance of plum blossoms

"Second brother, Chaochao is wrong. This is a silver snake whip that the Empress gave me. It is most effective at whipping disobedient people. You just can't use too much force. When you whip me, be slow so that your hand doesn't hurt and you don't feel better."

Before meeting my second brother, I had thought of countless ways to say it, and this is the final version.

Whether I can escape being beaten depends on how genuine and sincere my acting is.

The whips provided are carefully selected, so even if the vehicle accidentally overturns, the driver will suffer less.

"Don't try that on me. I'm not like Feng Qingxiao, I'm not that easy to fool. Long time no see, your skills in scheming have improved quite a bit."

Although my second brother still maintains his elegant and refined demeanor, his actions are always deadly. My flattery skills are unparalleled, and those who have used them range from my maternal grandfather and several emperors to ordinary peddlers and laborers, all of whom have benefited greatly from them.

He kept running into obstacles with his second brother.

Helpless, I had no choice but to suppress my own thoughts, obediently lower my head, and listen to his reprimand.

"I was wrong, Second Brother."

His anger subsided considerably, and he lowered his voice.

He looked me up and down, then touched the destiny mark on my head, and only then did he relax a lot.

"It's good that you're alright. After three hundred years, your second brother has finally been found. You silly girl, you worried your father and mother to death. From now on, you're to stay at home obediently and you're not allowed to go anywhere."

"Three hundred years? Second brother, you must have misremembered."

I thought he would punish me severely before we could talk, but his opening remarks startled me.

Three hundred years? I've been kidnapped by my cousin for three hundred years? That can't be right. I just took a nap, had a dream, was forced to drink blood by my cousin for a few days, and was sacrificed to some unknown monster by my second aunt's husband. How could so much time have passed?

My second brother shook his head, and I turned my gaze to Lin Shen, who was keeping watch at the cave entrance.

They got the same answer.

"Let's not talk about that now. You're very weak. Rest for a while. Once your injuries have healed, I'll take you home."

I wanted to ask something more, but my second brother interrupted me, took a cloak and covered me with it, and helped me sit down against the wall. But I really wasn't tired, and I didn't have any injuries.

Although I struggled and was injured when I was sacrificed, and even felt that I couldn't withstand the immense spiritual power and was about to explode and die, I found out after I woke up.

All the injuries I sustained have healed, and my body is much stronger than before, so I don't need to recuperate at all.

Right now, I only have one question on my mind: how could I have been missing for so long? Three hundred years isn't a long time, but it can't be that fast either.

For a moment, the cave was deathly silent. No one spoke. Second Brother sat down to regulate his breathing, Lin Shen stared intently at the cave entrance, but I was the only one with a belly full of questions that I could only keep to myself and couldn't ask them. I felt so uncomfortable.

A quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour... An hour passed, and my second brother was still adjusting his breathing. I couldn't hold back any longer, so I spoke up.

"Second brother, where did you find me? Did you see eldest cousin and second uncle? Also, where is this place? How did you find your way here? Did you receive the flying crane I released? Are Father and Mother well? Eldest brother, why didn't you come with me? Oh, and Mo Han, he must be frantic with worry after I've been missing for so long."

The second brother didn't answer. He rubbed his temples and then continued to regulate his breathing.

Instead, it was Lin Shen, that perpetually cold and aloof man, who spoke up.