Zhao Shuning came to a halt.
Lan Anran covered his bruised eyes and quickly stepped forward.
"Brother Lan, do you have something to say?"
Lan Anran flashed a rather bright smile. Over the years, not only had his appearance and habits changed, but his personality had also been smoothed out by the jianghu.
In full view of everyone, Lan Anran's smile was rather creepy.
"Brother Lan, if you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to smile at me like this—" like it's so terrifying.
Lan Anran cleared his throat and then said, "Well, our sect is a well - known place in the capital Chang'an for teaching alchemists. It's also the most famous one in the Eastern Marsh Wilderness—"
"Get to the point," Rong Yan said impatiently.
Lan Anran had to say quickly, "I just wanted to ask if Sister Zhao has any intention of staying to be a teacher in our sect? Or perhaps an elder? I think Sister Zhao is very capable. The position of elder is quite noble, but I believe that with Sister Zhao's ability, as long as you become a teacher, the assessment should not be too difficult for you. Promoting to elder would just be—"
"Thank you, Brother Lan. I'm not interested."
Before Lan Anran could finish, Zhao Shuning interrupted him.
Actually, Zhao Shuning didn't want to be so impolite. But Lan Anran was really too verbose now. If she let him continue, he wouldn't stop for at least half an hour.
Lan Anran said, "Sister Zhao, please think about it again." If Sister Zhao left, there would be no one to stop Rong Yan when she came to "teach" the disciples in the future. Maybe he would be beaten black and blue again.
Zhao Shuning knew his concerns.
She said, "Don't worry. In the future, the boss lady won't be like this again."
Lan Anran looked at Rong Yan.
Rong Yan said, "Everyone, rest assured. I, Rong Yan, will never go back on my word once I've promised Xiaoning'er. In the future, I won't be so cruel to you. I'll teach you well. But you have to learn what I teach carefully."
Otherwise, the consequences would still be serious.
"Yes, Teacher Rong."
Lan Yan muttered, "You'd better keep your word."
Rong Yan ignored her.
Zhao Shuning said, "Let's go."
At this time, a girl named Wenwen ran up. After handing a fragrant handkerchief in her hand to Zhao Shuning, she blushed and ran away.
Following Wenwen's action, several other girls also gave her some of their belongings, a jade hairpin, a sachet, or a dagger.
Zhao Shuning was a bit stunned. Then she reacted.
She waved to those pretty girls and said, "I'll come back to see you."
The next moment, Zhao Shuning was dragged away by Rong Yan and disappeared from the sect's venue.
After all the farces today, it was already evening.
Rong Yan took Zhao Shuning to the previous black market.
When Zhao Shuning first arrived at the entrance of the black market, she couldn't believe it. After more than forty years, the black market had become even more prosperous.
Back then, she had happily taken a spiritual herb and wanted to sell it in the black market. The guard at the door had looked down on her.
The once unattainable place could now be freely entered and exited by her without any hindrance.
"Second boss!"
"Second boss!"
As they walked deeper into the black market, many people came out to greet Rong Yan. Rong Yan nodded in acknowledgement.
Zhao Shuning asked in confusion, "Aren't you the boss lady? Why do the people in this black market all call you the second boss?"
Hearing this, Rong Yan stopped. There was a trace of sorrow on her face.
"Let's talk inside," she said as she opened the door.
Zhao Shuning followed Rong Yan in. It was still the same rooms as before, but now they looked more ancient and elegant.
Zhao Shuning casually found a seat and sat down. Before she could even take a sip of tea, Rong Yan appeared in front of her.
"Where's your brother? Have you seen him over the years? Is he still alive?"
Zhao Shuning said indifferently, "He's dead."
The words "he's dead" were like a thunderbolt.
Rong Yan was stunned. After a long while, she let out a bitter laugh.
She said, "I knew it. I knew I couldn't find him. Everyone said he died on your fifteenth birthday. Many people had seen his body, but I just didn't believe it. I just felt that he wasn't dead."
"Over the years, I've been working hard to manage the black market for him and made it more and more prosperous. I just hoped that when he came back, he could see that I hadn't let him down with what he entrusted to me."
As Rong Yan spoke, tears rolled down her eyes.
Zhao Shuning felt sorry for her but was also a bit confused by her words.
Rong Yan cleared up Zhao Shuning's confusion.
"The big boss of the black market, the once - famous Ghost - faced Hades, was your brother."
Zhao Shuning heaved a sigh of relief.
Actually, she had thought of this later, but it was just a guess without confirmation.
With her brother's ability, it should not be a problem for him to become the big boss of the black market.
"Xiaoning'er, where's your brother's grave? Can you take me there? I inquired before. They said you took his body away. No one knows where he's buried except you."
Zhao Shuning shook her head.
Rong Yan said, "Do you think I'm not worthy of offering incense to your brother?"
"Of course not. Boss lady, you're very beautiful. It's my brother's fortune that you have feelings for him."
"Then why?"
"What I said before was true. I did bury my brother's body with my own hands. But he's different from others. I don't know how to explain it to you. Anyway, he's still alive. It's just that he probably doesn't want to see you all now."
Bu Ran had said that her brother was completely different now. He said that her brother had other memories and was no longer the former Zhao Huai.
Zhao Shuning believed Yan Ruyu and also believed Zhao Huai. But she also understood that although her brother treated her the same as before, he was indeed different to others.
When she returned to Linjiang, she had mentioned Zhao Huai to her grandfather and the others. But at that time, there was only grief and regret on their faces. This was enough to show that over the years, her brother had never returned to the Zhao family.
The Zhao family was also the place where he grew up, and his parents missed him very much. But Zhao Huai didn't go back.
Zhao Shuning didn't know what to say. Should she say that Zhao Huai didn't want to show his strange appearance, or that he had really become a different person and no longer valued the previous family affection as much as before?
"He's still alive?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Rong Yan heaved a sigh of relief.
"That's good."
"Is it okay that you can't see him?" Zhao Shuning asked.
At this moment, Rong Yan smiled contentedly.
"Of course it's okay. As long as I know he's still alive, it doesn't matter so much whether I see him or not."
Zhao Shuning couldn't understand.
"Boss lady, you like my brother, don't you?"
"Yes."
Rong Yan answered generously.
Zhao Shuning said again, "If so, shouldn't you try every means to get closer to him?"
But Rong Yan shook her head.
"My brother and I are like a sparrow and a wild goose. No matter how hard I try, I can never reach his height. I don't dare to expect to stand side by side with him. As long as I can look up to him, follow behind him, and know that he exists, that's enough."