Chapter 118: The Reunion of Siblings

"A-Xue." Cheng Dong reached out, his hands trembling as he wiped the tears from her face, but they only flowed faster, as if his touch were a catalyst for her sorrow.

"Cousin..."

Dongxue buried her head in Cheng Dong’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably. She longed to pour out all her bitterness and misery, to release the pain of the last decade in a torrent of tears.

Her scorching tears soaked Cheng Dong’s shoulders and collar, seeping through his clothes and into his heart. Thinking of the inhumane torment his cousin had endured all these years, and his own agonizing, fruitless search, he too burst into loud, broken sobs.

As the two siblings wept in each other's arms, the young maid who had gone to fetch fruit was about to enter, but was blocked by Chang’an and Changkang, who were standing guard outside. Changkang gave a mischievous smile. "Don't go in and disturb our young master's good time."

The maid understood immediately. Blushing, she handed the fruit to Changkang and turned to leave. Yet, as she walked away, her heart drummed with doubt. *That doesn't sound right,* she thought. *From the sound of it, they are crying. Could it be...* She recalled a time when a brutal guest had beaten a girl in the house until she was covered in wounds, a sight too tragic to behold.

At this thought, the maid shrank back. She hadn't expected such a refined and handsome young master to be a beast, and she couldn't help but worry for Dongxue.

But what use was it? She had no say in the house, and even a popular girl like Dongxue had to submit to the guests. Unless one could escape this demon's den, one had no choice but to endure it.

Unaware of the maid’s worried departure, the siblings in the room gradually regained their composure. They sat down and shared what had happened since they were separated.

Cheng Dong told Dongxue that after she went missing, both families had exhausted their manpower and wealth in a desperate search, but there had been no news. Her parents, having only a single daughter, could not withstand the blow; they fell ill one after another and eventually passed away.

Hearing that her parents had died of grief for her, Dongxue wept once more.

When she learned that her cousin had never given up and had been searching for her all along, she felt a measure of peace. The resentment she had harbored for over a decade began to slowly dissipate.

As for her own story, Dongxue recounted it calmly, as if she were speaking of someone else’s past. After being abducted, she had been sold from hand to hand, eventually ending up in Wucheng, where she was trained by the Zui Chun Pavilion to become a popular courtesan.

A few brief sentences summarized a decade of her heartbreaking life.

"A-Xue, come with me. Master Jia said he would help us."

Cheng Dong gazed at the woman before him, whom he had dreamt of countless times. Now that she stood before him in the flesh, it felt almost surreal.

"No, Cousin. Go back. Don't... don't come here ever again. Just pretend you never saw me."

"Why, A-Xue? Master Jia promised to help redeem you from your contract. You don't need to worry about the money. I'll sell my house the moment I return. When we marry, though life may be modest, I will work hard. I won't let you suffer."

"Marry?"

"Yes. We have been betrothed since we were children. In this life, I will marry no one but you."

Hearing this, Dongxue was moved, but her pain only deepened. She buried her face in her handkerchief and wept again. Marriage was such an extravagant dream for her.

"Cousin, I am a broken, withered flower. I am not worthy of you."

"I don't care, A-Xue. I don't care at all."

"Cousin..."

Dongxue looked into Cheng Dong’s resolute eyes, believing his sincerity, which made her heart ache as if pierced by a knife.

If it were possible, she desperately wanted to leave with him. Even if they had to live on chaff and wild vegetables, she would be willing. But it was impossible; she couldn't leave. The Zui Chun Pavilion would never let her go, and if they found out about her cousin, they would surely take his life as well.

A look of determination flashed in her eyes. She moved away from Cheng Dong and knelt before Changxing, who was masquerading as "Master Jia."

This sudden change caught Changxing off guard. He wanted to help her up but felt it improper, so he quickly said, "You... please, stand up. There is no need for this. Just speak."

Dongxue remained on the floor and knocked her head heavily three times before saying, "Although I do not know why you are helping my cousin, I must thank you. I beg you to take him away from this place—as far as possible. I have nothing with which to repay your kindness, but if there is an afterlife, I will repay you for saving him."

"A-Xue, what are you doing?"

"Cousin, please leave. This place is not as simple as you think. If you don't go, I fear... neither of us will survive."

"How can that be?"

Cheng Dong was stunned. He couldn't imagine the reason and grabbed Dongxue in panic. "A-Xue, what is going on? Tell me clearly."

"Cousin, I cannot say."

"A-Xue..."

Chang-sheng, who had remained silent, stepped forward. "Dongxue, tell us what is happening so that we can help you. You must believe that my master has the power to do so."

A flicker of hope rose in Dongxue’s eyes, but it quickly faded, and she shook her head. "No, you cannot help me, unless..."

Changxing snapped his fan open, tilted his head, and smiled without speaking.

Beside him, Chang-sheng curled his lip at his master's affected air of gallantry. Realizing he couldn't let things go wrong, he rolled his eyes and took over. "I know this Zui Chun Pavilion is owned by the Fang family, and you are afraid to cross them. Rest assured, we have people behind us as well. We can certainly protect you."

"Really?"

"If my master weren't certain, he wouldn't be wading into these muddy waters. If you don't believe us, there is nothing I can do, but there is only one chance. If you lose it, you will never escape the Fang family’s clutches for the rest of your life."

Dongxue was tempted.

Seeing her hesitation, Cheng Dong stepped forward and held her hands tightly. "A-Xue, trust Master Jia. He can do it. If it fails, we will simply die together."

Cheng Dong’s words broke down all of Dongxue’s defenses. *Yes,* she thought, *at worst, it is only death. Even death is better than this life worse than death—and at least I would have my cousin by my side.*

With her defenses gone, Dongxue revealed a major secret regarding the Zui Chun Pavilion.

The next day, in front of Liu Qin, Chang-sheng recounted the previous night’s events with great flair.

Liu Qin listened with keen interest, wishing she could have experienced it herself.

Chang-sheng embellished Changxing’s behavior, adding, "My lady, you have no idea how convincing Changxing was. The way he carried himself and the tone he used—no one would believe he hadn't frequented such places before."

Changxing rolled his eyes beside them.

Chang-sheng, relentless, asked Jiang Li, "Young Master, do you think Changxing has been sneaking off to such places behind your back?"

This time, Changxing wouldn't have it. "Second Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? Why would I go to a place like that?"

"How is it nonsense? Look, look, you're blushing! If you haven't been there, how did you come up with all those lines?"

"If I haven't eaten pork, I've at least seen the pig run," Changxing said dismissively. "Besides, I asked someone for advice."

"Who? Who did you ask?"

"I won't tell you."

"Tch..."

This little interlude completely dispelled the somber mood caused by the plight of Cheng Dong and Dongxue. However, the information that followed made Liu Qin jump with excitement.

Having learned this secret, Liu Qin was absent-minded for the rest of the day, pondering how to make the best use of it. She thought about telling her father and eldest brother, but realized that dragging the Liu family into this was a poor idea.

It seemed this matter would require careful planning.