Zhao Shuning stayed in Chaozhou for some time.
She specifically summoned Zhao Huai.
Before bringing Zhao Huai to the Inviting Moon Tower, Zhao Shuning had a talk with him.
It was about Luo Qiu.
Zhao Shuning told Zhao Huai about Luo Qiu's past, but Zhao Huai showed no reaction.
He simply said, "If everyone in this world who has made mistakes can be forgiven by their miserable pasts, then there would be no more infighting on this vast land of Kyushu."
Zhao Shuning knew this too.
Luo Qiu had already told her everything that had happened back then.
Zhao Huai was Zhao Shuning's kin. Since childhood, she had regarded Zhao Huai as her own elder brother. After learning about that past of being bled and having his bones taken, she knew that for Zhao Huai, at that time when his spiritual power hadn't fully awakened and he was just a mortal, it must have been extremely painful.
That kind of pain.
Zhao Shuning couldn't bear it for him.
So.
Naturally, she couldn't forgive Luo Qiu on Zhao Huai's behalf for what she had done.
Zhao Huai looked a bit grim.
What hurt him more than Luo Qiu was that little Ning'er had actually spoken up for Luo Qiu on this matter.
Could it be.
In little Ning'er's heart.
Was even just a Luo Qiu more important to her than himself?
When in a bad mood, one's complexion naturally turns sour.
Zhao Shuning had always known Zhao Huai's habits well.
Her elder brother rarely got angry. Most of the time, he had a gentle demeanor. But now with a gloomy face and being so unsmiling even towards her, it was obvious that he was really angry.
Zhao Shuning let out a sigh.
"Brother."
"Yeah." Zhao Huai replied softly.
Judging from this, he didn't want to say much.
Zhao Shuning reached out and gently touched Zhao Huai's sleeve.
Seeing little Ning'er's tentative touch, Zhao Huai just couldn't stay cold - faced towards her. He let out a sigh and said, "Little Ning'er, in your heart, is anyone who gets close to you more important than me?"
Zhao Shuning looked up.
Zhao Huai looked serious.
She quickly shook her head.
"Of course not."
Zhao Huai felt a bit better.
He continued, "Then why are you telling me all this?"
"Brother, I'm telling you this not to ask you to forgive Luo Qiu. Not to mention you, even I, who didn't experience that personally, think that kind of pain must have been excruciating. If I were just Zhao Shuning, just your younger sister, no matter how high the price I had to pay, I would definitely make her pay for it. But brother, besides being Zhao Shuning, I'm also Luo Qiu's elder sister."
All these things.
Zhao Shuning had already told Zhao Huai after she woke up.
Zhao Huai said, "So, in little Ning'er's heart, Luo Qiu is naturally much more precious than me."
Zhao Shuning was stunned.
How did the conversation turn back to this topic again?
Brother wasn't that kind of picky person.
Seeing Zhao Shuning not saying a word.
Zhao Huai continued, "Naturally, I can't compare with her. She knew little Ning'er hundreds of years ago, while I've only known little Ning'er for how many years? The bond between you two is naturally something I can't even dream of."
This tone.
These words.
The more Zhao Shuning listened, the more something seemed off.
She quickly shook her head.
At this moment.
She couldn't let Zhao Huai lead her astray.
"Brother, why are you bringing this up again?"
"You specifically invited me out for this matter, aren't you just afraid that I'll hurt her when I see her? Now I completely understand little Ning'er's heart."
"Brother!"
Zhao Shuning raised her voice.
Zhao Huai looked at Zhao Shuning.
His expression was even more hurt.
"Is my younger sister shouting at me now because of a Luo Qiu?"
"No, no."
Zhao Shuning was a bit flustered. At this moment, she didn't know how her gentle and elegant elder brother, who used to be so easy to talk to, had suddenly turned into a petty person, nit - picking over every single word.
"Brother, in my heart, you're as important as our parents."
Zhao Huai was in a daze.
"What about compared to Luo Qiu?"
"Brother, why do you always want to compare with Luo Qiu? You two are different."
"How are we different? If Ning'er is so reluctant to compare me with her, then today, I'll really be as you think and be picky. If I don't get an answer, I definitely won't let Luo Qiu off."
Zhao Shuning felt a headache.
It was as if.
She had invited Zhao Huai out.
Originally, they were going to discuss how to restore Xia Wanning's former appearance and make her look more energetic.
But from the very beginning.
After she casually mentioned Luo Qiu.
The topic.
Had completely gone off - track.
Zhao Shuning tried again and again to lead the topic back on track, but Zhao Huai, seeing Zhao Shuning dodging the topic, instead clung to it even more.
"If younger sister doesn't want to talk about it, then we'll talk another day. You have the bone whistle. If you want to see me, just blow it."
Zhao Huai turned around.
Zhao Shuning was really at a loss.
She took a deep breath and said, "Zhao Huai, why are you being so stubborn? If I really didn't care about you, I wouldn't have been so heart - broken when I saw your corpse back then. At that time, I even thought that even if I had to abandon my years - long blood feud, I would seek justice for you. It's just that the situation has changed now. I'm not trying to protect Luo Qiu. It's just that she has done so many wrong things. If she just goes to the underworld like this, you might feel satisfied for a while. But she has made many plans on this vast land of Kyushu. If she dies like this, then the land of Kyushu will surely fall into chaos all of a sudden."
Zhao Huai's eyes lit up.
"So, little Ning'er, you're speaking up for her to keep the land of Kyushu from falling into chaos?"
"Yeah, but, it's not entirely that."
After all, most of the reasons for what Luo Qiu had done were because of herself.
She had lived her first half of life in killing.
Zhao Shuning wanted her to atone for her sins in the second half of her life.
Moreover.
Luo Qiu had lived for so long.
She had made plans and was involved in many things on the land of Kyushu. Now her existence was like a thread that, if pulled, would affect the whole situation.
"So? Little Ning'er, you still haven't answered my question directly."
"Of course it's brother. If I really had to list a few important people in my life, the most important ones would be Master, brother, and my family. Then there are the children I've raised with care."
Zhao Huai smiled.
His eyes curved into a line.
It was like a gentle spring breeze.
He was extremely cute.
"So, in little Ning'er's heart, I'm the most important?"
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Zhao Huai reached out.
He gently ruffled the hair on Zhao Shuning's forehead.
He was in a great mood.
"Let's go. Let's go meet that so - called Elder Xia."
Saying that.
He walked forward on his own.
Zhao Shuning was stunned.
Sometimes, brother's temperament was just as easy to coax as a child's.