Zhao Huai carefully helped Zhao Shuning up and fed her some water.
"Gulp—gulp—"
Perhaps she had been in a deep slumber for too long.
Before Zhao Shuning even opened her eyes, her instincts urged her to keep drinking water.
Throughout the process, Zhao Huai was extremely cautious, afraid of waking her up.
After Zhao Shuning lay down, her fingers twitched. Then, her eyes suddenly opened.
Where am I?
Zhao Shuning's brain seemed to have stopped working for a long time. It took quite an effort for it to start functioning again.
She just stared at the ceiling without blinking.
Scenes flashed through her mind at high speed.
A moment later, she hugged her head, looking a bit pained.
Zhao Huai quickly stepped forward and hugged her, comforting her, "It's okay, it's okay. Brother is here."
Hearing this, Zhao Shuning quickly turned her head.
When she saw the young man in front of her, she was stunned.
It was no exaggeration to call him a young man.
At this moment, Zhao Huai looked exactly the same as he did back then.
Zhao Shuning stared wide - eyed, motionless.
Zhao Huai quickly reached out and touched Zhao Shuning's forehead. She didn't seem to have a fever.
But at this moment, Zhao Shuning seemed to be in a daze. She just stared blankly at Zhao Huai.
Zhao Huai said softly, "Xiaoning'er, it's me."
The familiar voice. The young man in front of her was still as gentle as he was a long time ago. The look in his eyes when he looked at her was full of tenderness.
Zhao Shuning burst into tears with a sob.
She hugged Zhao Huai tightly, crying with snot and tears.
"Brother, where have you been?"
"Brother, why are you here?"
"Back then, it was Xia Wanning who personally brought your body to my birthday banquet. I saw it with my own eyes. You had stopped breathing."
"I buried you with my own hands."
"Why are you here now? Am I dreaming?"
At this moment, Zhao Shuning was like a little girl. Hugging Zhao Huai, she said a lot of childish things.
"Brother, I don't need gifts anymore. Please don't leave me, okay? Mother and Father will be sad too."
Zhao Huai was deeply touched. He gently patted Zhao Shuning's back and comforted her, "It's okay now. Everything is okay. Don't be afraid. Here, no one can hurt you. Brother said he would protect you, and I will never let anyone bully you. You've suffered all these years."
Hearing this, Zhao Shuning stopped sobbing.
She pushed Zhao Huai away and looked around. Then, with tear - filled eyes, she asked, "Am I dead?"
"Ah?"
Zhao Shuning looked dejected and heartbroken.
"I knew I wouldn't make it. I thought that girl was a master from the outside world, and the bead she gave me would work. Now it seems that I'm really dead. That's why I can see you, Brother."
"Xiaoning'er—"
"Woohoo— But I don't want to die. I still have a lot of things to do. I want to go back to my own world. I haven't made Xia Wanning pay for what she's done. I haven't settled the score with the An family. And I haven't found out who that purple - robed man is. Oh my god, I haven't even said a proper goodbye to my master. What will he do if he knows I'm dead and there's no one to accompany him?"
"Brother, what should I do?"
Zhao Huai was completely confused. What purple - robed man was Xiaoning'er talking about?
"Xiaoning'er, don't be so excited."
Zhao Shuning finally calmed down and took a good look at Zhao Huai in front of her.
She said, "Over the years, you haven't changed at all, Brother. And your skin is even better than before."
Zhao Shuning tried to get up. But after lying down for so long, her body couldn't adapt to the movement for a while.
She lunged forward and fell completely. Her legs were still very numb.
"Hiss—"
Zhao Shuning couldn't help but clench her teeth, and a painful and sour sound escaped from her lips.
"Look, silly girl. I told you not to be so excited."
Fortunately, Zhao Huai was beside her. He quickly caught Zhao Shuning and helped her back to the bed.
"Ah— My legs are numb, numb—"
"I told you not to be excited. Now you—"
"Wait a minute—"
Zhao Shuning reached out her hand. Then, looking at Zhao Huai excitedly, she shouted, "Brother, I can feel it. I'm not dead. I'm really not dead."
Zhao Huai smiled slightly.
No matter when, he always thought that Xiaoning'er was still the little girl who used to be with him all the time when they were kids.
She made him feel helpless at times, but he was also unconsciously healed by her.
"Brother, I'm not dead, right?"
Seeing Zhao Huai nod, Zhao Shuning was even happier.
After a burst of excited shouting, she finally realized that if she wasn't dead and could see her brother, it meant that her brother wasn't dead either.
"Brother, you?"
Zhao Huai nodded with a smile.
He said, "I'm alive too."
Zhao Shuning hugged Zhao Huai again.
This time, she only said two words.
"That's great."
"Yes, that's great."
Zhao Huai also smiled happily.
It was great that after so many years, he could still see this carefree little girl.
It was great that no matter how time had changed, Xiaoning'er still remembered him.
It was great that the Xiaoning'er in front of him now was a healthy one.
While Zhao Shuning was hugging Zhao Huai, there were footsteps outside. But upon closer listening, they didn't sound like human footsteps.
She didn't let go of Zhao Huai. Instead, she tried to pull Zhao Huai behind her.
After all these years, when facing strange noises from outside, she still remained as vigilant as she used to be.
"Honorable One, what's going on? I've been hearing all kinds of noises inside."
"Huh— There's nothing now. It's my negligence, Honorable One. Please forgive me. I didn't do a good job in defense, which allowed those beasts from the beast world to rush into your room."
Since Hundun didn't see any beasts now, it thought that the beasts might have come here but were driven away by the Honorable One. Otherwise, it really couldn't explain where that ear - piercing sound had come from.
"Hundun!"
Zhao Shuning shouted excitedly.
This shout gave Hundun quite a scare.
Only then did Hundun notice that the girl the Honorable One had brought back had woken up at some point.
Tsk tsk tsk— This girl's behavior was nothing like that of the Honorable One.
The Honorable One was so elegant. How could he have such an unseemly younger sister?
Hundun just took a quick glance at Zhao Shuning.
Zhao Shuning could see disdain, contempt, and a hint of mockery in its eyes.
Really.
Her excited mood was instantly dampened by Hundun, shattered into pieces.
"Honorable One, if there's nothing else, I'll go out."
Since she was the Honorable One's younger sister, of course, it had no right to lecture her.
However, this woman, with her tooth - baring and ear - piercing cries, was really a world of difference from its former Mistress Qiu.