Chapter 197: Depending on Each Other for Survival

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“It is nothing, really. I just heard some time ago that Big Brother was not faring well in his battle against the Southern Barbarian, and I also heard that my Sister-in-law was running around everywhere, raising military rations and weapon s for Big Brother. As his younger sister, I was moved, so I came over to see if I could be of any help.” Madame Zhen put on a virtuous and gentle air, walking over with elegant steps.

Anyone unaware of the true situation, upon hearing these words, would truly think she was a noble, beautiful, and virtuous woman.

Unfortunately, the title of the Poisonous Widow, Madame Zhen, would make many people’s hair stand on end. Beneath that delicate and enchanting beauty, her heart was as venomous as snakes and scorpions.

This act sent a chill shooting from Lei Qing’s tailbone straight to the top of his head. From her seemingly gentle voice, Lei Qing sensed thick mockery and danger. What he wanted to do most was turn around and run, as far as he could.

However, his Godmother was here. Given the Poisonous Widow’s seemingly hostile attitude toward his Godmother, if Lei Qing were to run away, who knew what the consequences would be? Thus, Lei Qing could only watch and wait for now. He gripped the hilt of the Lian Zhan sword tightly, staring dead at the Poisonous Widow, Madame Zhen. If she made the slightest strange move, he would fight her to the death, no matter what. Seeing Lei Qing so tense, the other two guards of the Divine Sword Villa also stepped in front of Zhu Xiyu.

“Hmph! If you truly wanted to help, why would you bully my child? Also, what exactly happened between you and Cangqiong to cause such a falling out? You are brother and sister; is there anything that cannot be talked out? Why stay angry for so long?” Zhu Xiyu did not believe her words either, but she was always kind-hearted and did not think of things in the worst light. In her mind, Dongfang Si was her sister-in-law after all. Even if she had conflicts with her husband, the misunderstanding between the siblings should eventually be resolved. Just like her, sometimes she would secretly get angry over some things regarding her Big Brother Zhu Shenhou. But after a short while, the anger would naturally fade, and everyone would be at peace again.

“Hahaha, good Sister-in-law, you are terrifyingly naive.” Suddenly, Madame Zhen laughed maniacally, her delicate body trembling like a flower in the wind. Abruptly, her smile vanished, and she stared at Zhu Xiyu like a venomous snake: “Little Guanyin, oh Little Guanyin, the only conflict between my brother and me is you. If not for you, my brother would definitely not have abandoned me. He would still be like before, protecting me in every way, treating me as the treasure in his palm.”

Zhu Xiyu trembled under her gaze but still spoke gently: “Si’er, I know you might think I stole your brother. But even if you are attached to your brother, that is just sibling affection. Si’er, you are not a child anymore. Why are you still angry with your brother over this?”

“Angry?” Madame Zhen giggled, her eyes becoming dreamy: “I will not be angry at my brother. Zhu Xiyu, since I have come to you today, I am prepared to resolve everything completely. I will make my brother return to my side. Just like, just like before, he has, and only loves me alone.”

Zhu Xiyu’s usually calm face gradually showed anger, and she scolded in a low voice: “Si’er, how can you speak such nonsense? If… if these words get out, won’t… won’t people laugh at our Dongfang Family?”

“So the world-famous Zhu Xiyu, known for her compassionate heart, can actually get angry too.” Zhu Xiyu’s scolding apparently made Madame Zhen even more smug, and she laughed loudly: “Since that is the case, I will make you even angrier. I will tell you a huge secret. Before I married into the Zhen Family, I had already given my most precious thing, my virginity, to my brother.”

“What?” Zhu Xiyu was as if struck by lightning. She stumbled back a few steps, her eyes showing a look of complete disbelief. She covered her heart in panic, her face pale: “How… how is this possible? You… you are his sister, his own sister.”

Even Zhu Yuer, who had been silent all along, changed her expression. How… how could such a thing happen?

“Godmother, do not get agitated.” Lei Qing hurriedly supported Zhu Xiyu and comforted her in a low voice: “Do not listen to this snake-hearted woman. She is probably here to provoke you on purpose, to drive a wedge between you and Godfather.”

“That is right, Little Aunt.” Zhu Yuer stood on the same side as Lei Qing this time. She supported the swaying Zhu Xiyu from the other side and said: “I have long heard that the Madame Zhen of the Zhen Family Ranch is vicious and leads a loose life. How can her words be trusted? Little Uncle is an upright man with outstanding Fighting Techniques, known as ‘One Sword Shakes the Heavens’. How could a hero like him possibly commit such an incestuous act? It must be this Poisonous Widow. Her husband died, and she cannot stand seeing a couple in love, so she is deliberately sowing discord to ruin your relationship with Little Uncle.”

“Sowing discord? Haha.” Madame Zhen laughed, her laughter crazy and exhilarated: “Hehe, my brother is indeed a hero; otherwise, why would I like him so much? My brother’s and my mother was just a concubine of our father, and she died early. My brother and I suffered greatly since childhood. The days we lived were worse than those of the servants. We were suppressed and bullied everywhere. It was my brother, my brother who never left my side, guarding me, comforting me, protecting me. I still remember when I was eight, I was bullied by a cousin from a side branch. My brother tried to help me and got surrounded and beaten. Covered in wounds, he still held a wooden sword in front of me, not letting me suffer any harm. I remember even more clearly, he coughed blood and looked at me with tender eyes, telling me, ‘Si’er, my sword was born to protect you. I will become a peerless expert, and I will definitely protect you for my whole life.'”

By the end, Madame Zhen had fallen into a strange state of reminiscence. Her eyes were soft as water, her expression happy and enchanting. As she imitated Dongfang Cangqiong’s words, tears unconsciously streamed down her cheeks.

Everyone looked at her with complicated eyes, feeling both sympathy and fear. This Madame Zhen had probably fallen into a demon’s barrier.

Zhu Xiyu had a soft heart. Hearing this, she could not stop her tears from flowing. Although she knew before that Dongfang Cangqiong and Dongfang Si were both born of concubines and their mothers died early, she had not imagined they had such a tragic past. Just think about it: a boy of just over ten and a weak girl of seven or eight, helpless and bullied. Only the two of them, depending on each other for survival, struggling to live.

“Therefore, my brother is the only family I have in this life, and the most important person. For my brother, I, Dongfang Si, would not hesitate to die a thousand times, ten thousand times.” There seemed to be a hint of sacredness in Dongfang Si’s eyes: “I did not want my brother to be hurt again, and I did not want us to be bullied again. Back then, we cultivated desperately together, worked hard together. Finally, my brother’s excellence caught Father’s attention and entered his sight. He did many things for Father and achieved many merits. However, we were weak. Without some special opportunity, no matter how excellent my brother was, he could not inherit the position of Family Head.”

Hearing this, everyone suddenly felt that something bad was coming. Those unverified rumors, could it be…

“That is right. By a chance encounter, I met Zhen Wanjie, the second in line successor of the Zhen Family Ranch.” Dongfang Si smiled coldly, her words filled with disgust: “That useless dog thing actually lusted after my beauty. After I beat him up severely, he followed me around like a pug. Originally, I wanted to humiliate him a few more times to make him leave. But that dog thing was a cheap bone; the more I beat and scolded him, the more devoted he became to me. He even knelt before me and said he was willing to do anything for me.”

Hearing this, Lei Qing could not help but sigh. Zhen Wanjie, oh Zhen Wanjie, why did you have to run into anyone else but your star of disaster, Dongfang Si? But that Zhen fellow really was a cheap bone. As the second in line successor of the Zhen Family, what kind of woman could he not find? Just as Dongfang Si said, he was being cheap.

“I thought then, could I use Zhen Wanjie to help my brother ascend to the position of Family Head? Although that cheap bone was cheap, he had a high status in the Zhen Family Ranch and was very favored. So, I decided to marry Zhen Wanjie. Hehe, afterwards, you can guess everything yourselves.” Dongfang Si laughed coldly: “For my brother, as long as he could ascend to the position of Family Head, rule over the Divine Sword Villa, look down on the Free Alliance, and become an upright hero, I, Dongfang Si, was willing to do anything for him. I did not want my body to be insulted by Zhen Wanjie, so I found an opportunity and gave myself to my brother.”

Zhu Xiyu listened with tears streaming down her face. There was immense grief in her eyes, and she sighed with sympathy: “Si’er, I understand your feelings for Cangqiong. But… but he is your brother after all. Sin, this is truly a sin…” Zhu Xiyu swayed, holding her heart in pain.

Lei Qing hurriedly pressed his hand on her back, injecting Heavenly Thunder Fighting Qi to help her sustain her energy.

“So what if he is my brother? Besides my brother, who else in this world would treat me well?” Dongfang Si said with a look of course, but then her expression suddenly changed, becoming fierce and ferocious: “But he betrayed me, deceived me. He told me he would love me for a lifetime, that he would use his sword to protect me for a lifetime. But now? He swore to the heavens with me that as soon as he ascended to the position of Villa Master of the Divine Sword Villa, it would be the day he took me back from the Zhen Family Ranch. But then he met you, Little Guanyin Zhu Xiyu. Today, I, Dongfang Si, have come to settle the score between us.”

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