Shen Zhiyi was busy getting dressed and washing up when she heard a noise in the courtyard. She hurriedly went out and saw a familiar figure standing in the courtyard, directing the servants to move things.
"Be gentle." The voice was rough, and the speaker was trying his best to control his volume.
With his back to her, he was still in his military uniform, which made his tall, broad-shouldered, and imposing figure stand out.
"Second Brother..." Shen Zhiyi called out softly.
Shen Muzhi turned around. His skin was dark, his hair was tied up high, and when he smiled, he had the spirited air of a young general.
In his previous life, he followed his father to the southern border and died in battle from exhaustion.
He took a few strides toward her.
Shen Zhiyi rushed over and hugged him tightly. Her nose stung, and her eyes involuntarily reddened. "Second Brother!"
Shen Muzhi was completely dumbfounded.
Because the two were of similar age, they had argued and fought a lot since childhood and rarely showed any affection.
Little sister, what is this...?
What's wrong?
What kind of evil spirit possessed it?
"Shen Yiyi?" Shen Muzhi frowned. "Are you... alright?"
"I'm fine, I just miss you."
Shen Muzhi went even crazier, but being held and relied on by his little sister like this, he felt a warmth in his heart. He coughed twice and tentatively reached out to pat her head.
"Sister!" A childish voice suddenly rang out.
Shen Zhiyi immediately looked over.
Then she saw her younger brother, Shen Qi'an, who was twelve years old and still a child.
Before Shen Zhiyi could speak, he shouted, "Dad, something bad has happened! Second brother is bullying sister again! Come quick!"
Shen Mu was stunned, and Shen Zhiyi hadn't even reacted when she saw her father rush into the courtyard with a murderous look on his face.
"Shen Lao Er, you just got home and you're already bullying your sister? Are you asking for a beating?!"
"Dad, please let me explain, I didn't..."
Before Shen Muzhi could finish speaking, he saw his father rushing towards him, and his instinct was to run.
"You brat, stop right there!"
"I didn't bully my sister."
"If you didn't bully me, then why are you running away? You're clearly guilty."
"If I don't run, am I supposed to just stand here and let you hit me?"
"You little rascal..."
"Little sister, help!" Shen Muzhi said, rushing to Shen Zhiyi's back in two strides. Shen Chongde raised his arm, but seeing his daughter's red eyes, he quickly lowered it.
"Hiding behind your own sister, you shameless brat."
"Dad, what's more important than your life?"
Shen Chongde snorted, and when he saw his daughter, all the hostility and anger on his face vanished instantly. "Zhiyi, tell me, did Muzhi bully you?"
"It has nothing to do with my second brother. I just miss my father too much."
Upon hearing that he missed her, Shen Chongde was both happy and heartbroken. His eldest son had already written to him about the recent events in the capital. He looked at his daughter with heartache and said, "You have been wronged. If I hadn't heard that Song Yuxiu had been arrested, I would have rushed to the Song family and killed that bastard."
“How could we allow him to humiliate our daughter like this?”
Shen Muzhi muttered, "I told you long ago that Song Yuxiu is unreliable."
"So what if he saved your life? Does saving someone's life necessarily mean repaying them with your body?"
"What's so good about that Song dog besides his face? So what if he saved you? If he were a good person, he wouldn't be taking advantage of your kindness, living off you, and keeping a mistress. He's truly shameless."
"You really have never seen a man before."
Shen Zhiyi pursed her lips.
So there's a reason why she and her second brother have always been at odds.
Although what he said made sense, however...
That's too rough!
Shen Chongde frowned upon hearing Shen Muzhi's words. "Tell me, how do you want to die today?"
“Father, I’m telling the truth.”
"Zhiyi is already in a lot of pain, can you please say less?" Shen Chongde had just taken his daughter's hand when he saw his wife rushing into the courtyard.
"The meaning of the branch..."
When Shen Zhiyi saw her mother, she was overjoyed, but also filled with emotion.
Xu Yunyi spent most of her life on the frontier. Although she was not yet fifty, the harsh conditions of the border made her look more weathered than the noble ladies of the same age in the capital. She wore simple, plain clothes and had no other jewelry except for two pearl hairpins in her hair.
Even the hand that held hers was unusually rough, with cracks and scars from frostbite.
"Mother—" Shen Zhiyi's throat tightened and became hoarse involuntarily, and even her voice was tinged with sobs.
"You've lost weight." Xu Yunyi frowned.
"mother!"
Shen Zhiyi hugged her mother.
The family rarely gets to see each other, and just as everyone was immersed in the joy of their reunion, Shen Muzhi suddenly said, "Where exactly has she lost weight? I think she's actually gained some weight."
Shen Zhiyi was stunned.
She was indeed in a good mood after her divorce from Song Yuxiu.
In addition, Xiao Zhongxuan is very good at cooking, and he is too lazy to move in the summer, so he has indeed become a bit rounder than before.
"Get the hell out of here!" Shen Chongde kicked his second son out of the yard. "Get away from me and don't get in my way."
Xu Yunyi then led her daughter into the room. Before Shen Chongde went in, he looked at his youngest son and said, "Go and tidy up your room."
Shen Qi'an was quick-witted and even bowed to Shen Zhiyi, saying, "Sister, I'll come to see you again later."
The mother and daughter rarely get to meet, so they naturally have a lot to say to each other.
——
Time flies, and by lunchtime, Shen Jingchuan had returned. The Shen family gathered around the table.
In their past life, ever since their eldest brother passed away, their family had never been able to gather together so neatly.
Chen Zhiyi couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
There weren't many rules at the Shen family's dinner table, but Shen Chongde was strict in managing his troops and was used to having a cold face, so everyone was quiet during the meal, except for Xu Yunyi who kept putting food on Shen Zhiyi's plate.
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