It turns out that the sister Xiao Ling had been searching for all these years was actually right in front of him, even though she was far away.
Shen Yuan held Tian Tian's hand, pointed at Xiao Ling, and asked her, "Do you like this older brother?"
Although Tian Tian didn't understand why they were looking at the injuries on her arm and head at first, when she met Xiao Ling's slightly reddened eyes, a bold guess suddenly arose in her mind.
The person my older brother has been searching for... is her!
Sweetie nervously gripped the hem of her dress and looked up at Xiao Ling.
Noticing Tian Tian's gaze, Xiao Ling squatted down to meet her gaze.
Sweetie looked at Xiao Ling and nodded vigorously, "Sister Yuanyuan, I like big brother!"
"Now, he's your brother all to you." Shen Yuan placed Tian Tian's little hand in Xiao Ling's palm and smiled encouragingly at her.
Sweetie called out softly, "Brother!"
Before, Tian Tian called Xiao Ling "brother" or "big brother," but now she calls him "brother."
Xiao Ling felt a little awkward.
He held Tian Tian's hand, his fingertips gently stroking the scars on her arm, as if asking her if it hurt.
Sweetie chuckled nonchalantly and replied, "It doesn't hurt. It's been so long, I don't even remember how I got this scar. It doesn't hurt anymore!"
"Besides, if it weren't for this scar, my brother might never have found me. I think this scar gives me another brother, which is a great deal!"
Sweetie gazed at Xiao Ling, her large, watery eyes filled with nothing but his image.
She has an older brother now, blood relatives, and her own home!
She is no longer an orphan!
It was the scars on her body that gave her family, so Sweetie felt from the bottom of her heart that the scars on her arms were especially worth it.
The child's innocent thoughts brought tears to the eyes of Granny Liu and Shen Yuan.
Jiang Yuchen knew about Xiao Ling and Xiao Jinmeng's ordeal, and seeing the two siblings reunited, he couldn't help but shed tears on the spot.
His aunt never saw her biological daughter, Xiao Jinmeng, before she died. Now that Xiao Ling has found Xiao Jinmeng, his aunt can finally rest in peace.
[These scars didn't give you a brother; I was always your brother.]
Xiao Ling straightened Tian Tian's sleeves, and a bitter feeling gradually spread throughout his body.
[It's because I...didn't protect you well.]
Xiao Ling closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the hatred that kept raging in his heart.
The torture of pressing a red-hot iron onto the skin is a cruel form of torture in prison that even adults cannot endure, let alone an infant.
How much pain must his sister have been in at that time?
She just couldn't speak, she was just too young to remember, but that doesn't mean she didn't cry or feel pain at the time...
Thinking of the old woman's casual remark, Xiao Ling felt as if his heart was being stabbed, and his eyes filled with intense ferocity. He wanted to kill someone!
Everyone who hurt his sister deserves to die!
Especially that one in the palace, she deserves to die the most!
Xiao Ling frowned, and the atmosphere around him instantly became tense.
Sweetie didn't know why Xiao Ling was suddenly unhappy, and stared at him nervously and helplessly.
Xiao Ling knew he shouldn't show his bad side to Tian Tian, but he couldn't quite control his emotions.
Just then, a cool hand landed on the back of his hand.
"It's a joyous occasion for siblings to be reunited, so please stand up and speak!"
Shen Yuan's voice was soft, yet it easily soothed Xiao Ling's heart.
Xiao Ling suddenly came to his senses. He looked at Shen Yuan and silently pulled Tian Tian to her feet.
"I'll go cook!" Granny Liu clapped her hands and said with a smile, "Brother Ling has been gone for more than half a year, searching for Tian Tian's whereabouts with great difficulty. He must have suffered a lot, and he's lost so much weight! Granny will cook you all a good meal!"
After saying that, Granny Liu picked up the kitchen knife and rushed off to the chicken coop.
Jiang Yuchen moved closer to Tian Tian, his face full of flattery: "Tian Tian, I'm your cousin!"
Thinking of how Sweetie had served him tea and water yesterday, Jiang Yuchen felt like slapping himself.
Sweetie's status is so noble... Not only can he not accept her tea, but no one in Jian'an City can accept it!
Sweetie looked at Jiang Yuchen and obediently called out, "Cousin!"
Jiang Yuchen happily responded, then rummaged through his clothes, pulled out the money bag he was carrying, took out the gold ingots inside, and handed them to Tiantian with both hands.
"Since it's our first meeting, I didn't prepare any gift for you beforehand. I hope you'll accept this small token of my appreciation!"
Seeing that the gold ingots weighed several dozen taels, Tian Tian quickly took two steps back and shook her head in refusal: "Cousin, this gift is too valuable, I can't accept it!"
Jiang Yuchen: "It's not much money, please accept it first, consider it a red envelope from your cousin on the first day we met!"
Sweetie nervously clenched her hands, unsure whether she should take it.
Xiao Ling made the decision for her directly, taking the gold ingot from Jiang Yuchen and giving it to Tian Tian.
He has plenty of money, so take it!
Sweetie put the gold ingot into her pocket and smiled sweetly, "Thank you, cousin!"
Jiang Yuchen waved his hand: "You're welcome. I'll prepare another gift for you when I return to Jinling!"
After the meal, Jiang Yuchen was invited back to the inn by Qian Chuan and the others.
Sweetie clung to Xiao Ling. She glanced at Xiao Ling, then held the bronze mirror and stared at herself in the mirror for a long time.
"Brother, am I really your sister? Why do I feel like I don't look much like you? My eyes are round, and my eyelashes are short and thick, while your eyes are long, and your eyelashes are thin and long..."
Sweetie looked at herself in the mirror, and her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.
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