Chapter 124: Bai Yun’an – Big Brother, You…

When her mother asked, Juanjuan only shook her head, but she still described what she had seen.

“There was a huge patch of fog, and then I couldn’t see anything anymore.”

She glanced in the direction where her eldest brother should have been. Judging by the voice, it had come from that way.

She knew it was her brother’s secret, and she didn’t dare speak of it.

Some instinct in her warned that if she revealed her brothers’ secrets, something big would happen at home.

Avoiding harm and seeking safety was a natural instinct for everyone.

“Mama, let me down. I can walk on my own.”

Juanjuan looked at her mother’s bleeding arm and hurried to get down.

Just as her feet touched the ground, a flurry of hurried footsteps rang out. She peeked around and saw a group of people dressed in the same uniform, all carrying blades.

Behind them walked a young man in elegant purple robes.

Juanjuan recognized him. He had visited their home once before. He was the second son of the County Magistrate.

He was also the one Mama had just sent Second Brother to find.

“Mama!”

Bai Yunxing came running from behind, panting heavily. When he saw his mother’s bleeding arm, he quickly began checking her wound.

The cut wasn’t short, but fortunately, it wasn’t deep either. It hadn’t reached the tendons or bones.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

Jiang Dai looked at her son, who was drenched in sweat and gasping from the run. She smiled gently and raised her hand, wanting to wipe the sweat from his forehead. But seeing her hand covered in blood, she paused and didn’t lift it after all.

“Our Yunxing really worked hard.”

Fetching help wasn’t an easy task.

He had carried the hopes of the entire family on his back. That kind of run was a race against death.

Thankfully, everything turned out fine.

“Madam Jiang.”

Jiang Dai bowed slightly to Li Pingqing. “Second Young Master Li.”

“Madam Jiang, please come with me to see the doctor! You’re bleeding so much…”

Li Pingqing was clearly anxious. Who wouldn’t be?

He had been entrusted with this task, and Liang Tian’er had told him that Madam Jiang was the true author behind the storybook.

The Legend of the Great Sage¹ was just too captivating. He was practically obsessed with it now. And now that he knew who the author was—

How could he let anything happen to Madam Jiang?

What if he never got to read the ending?

Unacceptable. Absolutely not!

“Thank you. Then I’ll trouble you with things here, Young Master.”

Jiang Dai glanced at the wound on her arm. She didn’t refuse. It really did hurt.

Especially now that the tension had eased, the pain was sharp and biting, creeping in with a vengeance.

“Not at all. Madam Jiang, take care and recover well.”

Li Pingqing gave orders for the unconscious to be carried back. In broad daylight, a group of people had suddenly appeared to kidnap someone—completely lawless.

His father would definitely take this matter seriously.

…

“Big Brother?”

A familiar voice called out from nearby.

Bai Yunqi, who had been about to search for the person who had just attacked him from the shadows, turned around.

He saw his third brother, Bai Yun’an, carrying a small satchel and smiling brightly as if delighted to see him.

“Big Brother, are you heading home too? What a coincidence.”

Bai Yun’an smiled at him.

Bai Yunqi gave up chasing the attacker and greeted his brother instead. “Yeah, what a coincidence.”

“Then let’s go. Let’s head home together!”

Bai Yunqi motioned for his brother to follow. Things at home were mostly under control now.

Only their mother’s bleeding arm still bothered him.

Protecting his family was something Bai Yunqi had grown up learning, and he was more than willing to act on it.

Though he hadn’t been with this family long, he already considered them his own.

Those people had kidnapped his little sister, injured his mother, and knocked out their useless father.

Bai Yunqi felt that he had gone too easy on them earlier.

“Big Brother?”

Bai Yun’an called out tentatively.

Something about his big brother’s sudden appearance felt… a little too coincidental.

“Hmm?”

Bai Yunqi turned to look at him, seemingly puzzled by the sudden call.

The next second—

Bai Yun’an’s expression shifted slightly. “Your foot…”

Bai Yunqi: ?

Splat.

Bai Yunqi felt something soft and squishy underfoot.

It was a strange sensation—and not a good one.

Bai Yun’an said, “You stepped in dog poop.”

Bai Yunqi: …

The air fell silent for a moment, a brief beat of awkwardness.

“AAAAAHHH! Dog poop!!!”

Realizing what had happened, Bai Yunqi lifted his foot and began furiously scraping it against the ground, trying to wipe it off.

This was his first time stepping in dog poop. The last time didn’t count—there had been gold in that one, and he had endured it for the reward.

But this time? No gold. Just pure poop!

Bai Yun’an tilted his head, silently watching his “deranged” big brother.

Well… whatever. He didn’t seem all that smart anyway.

Besides, this was the same big brother who had once fallen into a latrine pit. And now he was freaking out over a bit of dog poop?

Or maybe… that latrine pit trauma had left a lasting scar, and now even the sight of poop sent him spiraling?

Still, thinking back to what he had just witnessed, Bai Yun’an didn’t want to waste time here with Bai Yunqi.

“Big Brother, let’s go. I’m hungry. Let’s hurry home.”

Who knew how Juanjuan was doing right now? Something had definitely happened at home.

Killing Kang An had clearly been the right decision.

They hadn’t even reached the front gate yet—just turned a corner—when they saw someone carrying their unconscious father.

The two boys, who had already guessed what had happened, both put on surprised, innocent faces.

The kind neighbors who had come to help started telling them what had happened, each adding their own piece.

“Go to the clinic first. Your mother’s there too.”

Translator’s Notes