When Xie Yuan arrived at the courtyard, what greeted him was the valiant and terrifying sight of Xiao Xue grabbing the whip with her bare hands and flipping her opponent.
If Xiao Xue was in perfect health and was not internally injured, Xie Yuan would have basked in the glory of her fierceness. He would have boasted to the heavens and beyond about how strong and perfect his wife is. But not this time. What he witnessed petrified him!
Xiao Xue faced the attack, filled with killing intent, that could have split her in half barehanded. She cannot use spiritual energy and had to rely purely on her physical strength to counter the assault. Although the attack deviated at the last moment, if Xiao Xue miscalculated she could have lost her arm and perhaps even her life!
Xie Yuan flashed to her side and saw her torn sleeve, it took all he had in him to restrain his fear and anger. He shouldn’t have agreed to meet with his uncle’s emissary. Leaving Xiao Xue alone, with her condition, was like serving her up for slaughter. The manor was well guarded but with the woman’s ability, none of the guards was a match to her. If an assassin with the same strength came, he dreads to think what could have happened.
Xie Yuan wanted to kick the woman lying dazedly on the ground but he knew it was not possible, at least not for now. And even if it was, he cannot.
“Take her away!” Xie Yuan angrily ordered Zhang Lao. “Keep her away from me and Little Xue, otherwise do not blame me for being ruthless!”
Though Xie Yuan was letting the woman off it does not mean he will not retaliate in the future. For now, he would have to grin and bear it. He should have warned Xiao Xue this would happen. Xie Yuan knew his family would send someone to investigate but he did not expect they would actually send this one. The woman was the last person Xie Yuan expected to see!
Knowing the situation was serious Zhang Lao did not hesitate to move and signaled He Heng and He Ling to help him. He silently cursed in his mind. How come they sent her? Zhang Lao expected someone would come but did not expect her!
For his age, Zhang Lao moved nimbly and with frightening speed. But before he could help the woman up she already flipped and stood tall before Xie Yuan.
“Little Yuan Yuan! Is this how you treat your elder sister?!” The woman screeched. Her hair was disheveled and her clothes were dusty. Instead of looking like an elder, the woman looked more like a beggar on the streets. “We have not seen each other for years and this is how you treat me?”
Xie Yuan snorted in disgust and took a defensive step back, shielding Xiao Xue, as he shouted back, “If you’re not my elder sister I would have strangled you by now!”
The woman paled, aghast. She could not believe the docile and quiet little brother that she cared about turned out to be a savage!
“Old man Zhang, did you hear that? Did you hear what Little Yuan Yuan just said? Is this how you teach him?” The woman turned to Zhang Lao and pointed a trembling finger at Xie Yuan. From the beginning, she was opposed to Xie Yuan being under Zhang Lao’s care. A caretaker should be wise and strong, Zhang Lao was too indulgent and gentle. Now, her little brother has grown to be a delinquent!
Zhang Lao, who seemed to have seen the scene a hundred times, was not phased. He stood between the siblings and bowed respectfully to the woman. “Young miss, please come with this old man for now. We will settle everything later.” He gently guided the woman away from the courtyard and secretly signaled the guards to look for her ‘companions’.
“I will not go! You cannot make me!” The woman avoided Zhang Lao’s reach and ran back to where Xie Yuan and Xiao Xue were standing. “Little Yuan Yuan, how could you be so cruel? You’re not sending me away, are you? Don’t you want elder sister anymore?”
“Shut up and leave, now!” Xie Yuan shouted, his body trembling from anger. Only the woman wailing in front of him has the talent to make him furious at every given opportunity. “What did you expect would happen? A warm greeting? You attacked my wife! Do not think about running to Father and Mother. If something happens to Little Xue, not even them can save you from me!”
The woman’s beautiful face scrunched up as crystal-like tears rolled down her cheeks. “Little Yuan Yuan, now that you’ve grown your wings you have started to become unbridled?” She cried dramatically. It would have been a pitiful and sorry sight if not for her next words. “I only wanted to test her strength a little. What’s wrong with exchanging pointers for a bit? I’m your elder sister, your wife has to be beaten up by me at least once. Besides, you saw yourself! I did not beat her, she beat me instead!”
Xie Yuan’s face reddened. He was beyond furious. The woman has not changed at all! Why did his family send her?
The one in front of them is Xie Yuan’s third older sister, Xie Shan. Among his three elder sisters, Xie Shan was the one Xie Yuan had trouble getting along with most.
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Xie Shan’s temper is erratic on most days and she’s quite childish as compared to Xie Yuan’s elder and second sister. To top it off, Xie Shan is a known battle maniac. She loves to fight and once Xie Shan’s interest is piqued, she would start a disturbance straight away.
Everywhere Xie Shan goes a commotion would surely follow. This is why their parents appointed a lot of guards to personally watch over her. No, it’s not for Xie Shan’s safety or to keep her from harm. It’s for other people’s safety so no one would get accidentally killed by her!
When they were young Xie Shan would practice new moves on Xie Yuan on a daily basis and because Xie Yuan was much younger he was constantly beaten up. Xie Shan shamelessly called those beatings ‘lessons’. To her, a smack on the face and a kick on the gut was considered a show of affection between siblings.
During those dark days, Xie Yuan often wondered if Xie Shan really was his elder sister. He even asked his father, once, if there was a slight possibility that they were not related. His father did not answer but smiled enigmatically and told Xie Yuan to train harder instead. The thought, that Xie Shan was not a blood related sister, lasted until Xie Yuan saw his mother fight for the first time. He belatedly realized where Xie Shan got her demonic tendencies.
“Little Yuan Yuan, you naughty boy! Do you know how worried we were when we found out you were missing? I wanted to come and find you but before I could you suddenly sent word that you wanted to get married! Us, sisters, were very unhappy when we heard, did you know? We doted on you since you were young and you did not even invite us to come!” Xie Shan, who does not seem to notice Xie Yuan furious glare, continued at her own pace. Her incoherent rant was a mix of old and new grievances. “I wanted to come to teach you a lesson as your elder sister. Zhang Lao clearly is inept! But Father forbid us to go look for you. He said you would bring your wife home if and when you’re ready to come. But when would that be? You are so callous. It’s been so long since you came you probably forgot the way home! And why was Old man Zhang allowed to see you and we weren’t? I wanted to come and see you too!” Xie Shan whined and continued to cry about trivial stuff. She spouted nonsense, left and right, that only she could understand.
Xie Yuan rubbed his aching temples and growled. “Zhang Lao, take her away!”
If Xie Shan continues talking Xie Yuan would not be able to restrain himself from making a move. And if he moves against her, who knows how long that fight would last? It was better to let Zhang Lao handle her.
From Xie Shan’s rant it was clear that someone else was coming as representative of the family and she was actually not supposed to be here. Xie Yuan consoled himself with the thought that he would get retribution once the other person arrived.
“Young miss…”
“Little Yuan Yuan!”
“Zhang Lao!”
Xiao Xue watched the commotion from the side and felt amused. The aura emanating from Xie Shan was now different. Earlier, when Xie Shan was waving her black whip, the feeling Xiao Xue got from her was extremely dangerous. She had not felt that way since the beast tide. It was like facing a ferocious beast that would devour her whole, given the opportunity.
When Xiao Xue heard Xie Yuan call the woman ‘elder sister’ she was surprised. But when Xie Shan started acting immaturely, aired out her grievances and unearthed all the naughty things Xie Yuan did as a child, Xiao Xue felt the situation was quite comical.
Xiao Xue paid close attention to Xie Shan’s every word and Xie Yuan’s response. Watching the two of them bicker made her feel warm inside. She never had a sibling to quarrel with, not during her previous life and in this life. The woman obviously dotes on Xie Yuan. Though Xie Yuan seemed furious enough to spit hellfire, there was no vicious energy around him. It was clear that the siblings have a good relationship.
When Xiao Xue heard Xie Shan say, “Little Yuan Yuan, do you want elder sister to take you home? We should resume your ‘lessons’. Elder sister will definitely guide you well!” and noticed Xie Yuan’s ugly complexion, Xiao Xue could not contain herself any longer. She doubled over and laughed out loud.
The ruckus immediately died down as the siblings and Zhang Lao stared, bewildered, at the laughing Xiao Xue. She was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach and tears formed on the corner of her eyes. It took a while for her to calm down.
After Xiao Xue managed to compose herself, she bowed towards Xie Shan and greeted respectfully. “Xiao Xue greets Elder Sister Xie. Xiao Xue apologizes for being impolite earlier.”
Xie Shan immediately brightened. No one has called out ‘elder sister’ to her in such a gracious and lovely manner before. Xie Yuan, the stinky brat, only snarls and yells at her. Once Xie Shan’s attention was diverted away from Xie Yuan, her mood and behavior instantly changed.
“Aiya! Little sister is too polite.” Xie Shan blushed happily and grabbed onto Xiao Xue’s hand. The move was so smooth and was executed with so much familiarity no one would believe they were exchanging fierce blows mere moments ago. “Having a well-mannered little sister is better than having a troublesome little brother!”
Xiao Xue suddenly looked angelic in Xie Shan’s eyes. How come such a gentle lady agreed to marry her wayward little brother? Xie Shan decided then and there to take Xiao Xue away at the earliest opportunity in order to get to know her better.
Xie Shan was engrossed in her impetuous thoughts but did not wholly forget Xie Yuan’s presence. She naughtily turned to him and stuck out her pink tongue. And without another word, Xie Shan pulled Xiao Xue closer to her body, wrapped her arms protectively around her and started to lead Xiao Xue away from Xie Yuan.
Xie Shan’s intimate and brazen actions were very unpleasant to Xie Yuan's eyes. He advanced threateningly, to separate the two, and bellowed angrily at Xie Shan. “Shameless woman, get off of my wife! Little Xue is not someone you can casually touch!”
But before Xie Yuan could reach them, Xiao Xue missed a step and swayed to the side. Face pale, she hunched forward clutching her chest and coughed out a mouthful of blood.