"Knock, knock, knock—"
The sound of a gentle knock on the door rang out.
Zhao Shuning straightened up.
Looking at Feng Xiaobai sleeping soundly in her arms,
she heaved a long sigh.
Her eyes were filled with endless desolation.
She laid the child down,
got up, and opened the door.
It was Qi Lin.
"Senior, my mother asked me to bring you breakfast. You—"
Qi Lin guessed that the senior probably had no appetite.
The senior had searched for her daughter all night last night but returned empty - handed, dejected.
However, Zhao Shuning took the porridge.
She carried the porridge and sat down at the stone table in the yard.
Then she got up
and closed Feng Xiaobai's door.
"Thank you, girl."
Zhao Shuning didn't hesitate, nor did she show the loss of appetite that Qi Lin had imagined.
This made Qi Lin feel that the senior was somewhat heartless. How could she still eat at a time like this?
"If I don't eat, when Xiaobai wakes up and sees me like this, he'll probably feel even worse."
Moreover,
Zhao Shuning had very important things to do.
She didn't give up.
Perhaps,
there was still a glimmer of hope for Xiao Qiu'er.
No matter how slim the hope was, she didn't want to give up.
"The senior's will is truly tough. It's really beyond what we juniors can match."
"Self - abandonment and self - pity are useless."
Zhao Shuning had understood this truth many years ago.
No one could empathize with her experiences.
She wasn't a delicate young lady who had been pampered since childhood and couldn't bear grievances and setbacks.
This time, Xiao Qiu'er had fallen into the hands of the Weishe.
What hit Zhao Shuning harder than the physical pain was the countless wounds in her heart.
"Senior, after you finish your breakfast, please take a rest. I'll take care of the young master."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
She put down the bowls and chopsticks.
"If Xiaobai wakes up, please let me know, girl."
"I will."
Qi Lin nodded.
She stepped forward to clear away the bowls and chopsticks for Zhao Shuning.
This woman had no spiritual power or mental strength at all, yet she could receive such generous treatment from her mother. Judging from the way she handled things, she must have an unspeakable past.
She was no ordinary person.
Zhao Shuning nodded to Qi Lin
and then entered the room prepared for her by the Qi Mansion.
The moment she closed the door,
Zhao Shuning's body finally showed the exhaustion of many days.
Leaning against the door,
she slowly sat down.
On her hands,
there were many wounds scratched by thorns.
Zhao Shuning felt as if there was a boulder weighing several thousand kilograms pressing on her heart. The weight was so oppressive that she could hardly breathe.
It took a full half - hour
for her legs to regain their feeling from the numbness.
She got up,
washed her face simply, and treated her wounds.
Then she went to bed.
Xiaobai was also injured.
He still needed his mother.
At this moment, Zhao Shuning wasn't alone.
She knew that
this wasn't the time for her to be weak. She had to stand up and become a haven for her children.
Even in her sleep,
Zhao Shuning's eyebrows never relaxed.
Nightmare.
Another nightmare.
A dark shadow loomed above Zhao Shuning.
She tried to mobilize her mental strength,
but her body was empty.
The shadow transformed into the shape of the Weishe
and pounced towards her, Feng Xiaobai, and Feng Qiu'er.
Zhao Shuning quickly used her body to protect the two children.
"Ah!"
With a scream,
Zhao Shuning suddenly sat up in bed.
Her head
was covered in tiny beads of sweat.
Her hair was wet and draped over her shoulders.
Her heart was still beating rapidly.
Where were her children?
Zhao Shuning quickly got up,
put on her shoes,
and opened the door. At that moment, Qi Yurou was just about to knock on the door.
"Benefactor, how are you? I just came to this small courtyard and heard your scream. What happened?"
Zhao Shuning shook her head.
She forced herself to calm down.
"How long have I been sleeping?"
"About two hours."
Qi Yurou's tone was gentle and full of concern.
"Has Xiaobai woken up?"
"The young master is still in a coma. He mumbled a few incoherent words in the middle. Someone has been taking care of him all the time. He should be asleep again now."
Zhao Shuning heaved a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"How can it be trouble? It's all I should do. Benefactor, the food is ready in the front hall. I'm here to invite you to have a meal."
Zhao Shuning was just about to say that she wasn't hungry
when her stomach growled.
It seemed that yesterday's exercise had been too strenuous, and the little bit of porridge in the morning couldn't last long.
"Okay."
Zhao Shuning went to the front hall.
After having a meal with Qi Yurou,
she immediately walked towards Feng Xiaobai's room.
She pushed open the door.
A little maid was gently fanning Feng Xiaobai on the bed.
Seeing Zhao Shuning and Qi Yurou coming,
the little maid quickly got up and bowed.
Zhao Shuning waved her hand.
She took the palm - leaf fan
and sat on the stool beside Feng Xiaobai's bed.
She gently fanned Feng Xiaobai.
"Milady? This?"
"Benefactor, shall we?"
"You can go first. I'm fine now and can take care of Xiaobai."
Qi Yurou nodded.
She left with the maid.
Feng Xiaobai on the bed
had a bit more color on his face than this morning.
His lips were no longer so dry.
Zhao Shuning gently untied Feng Xiaobai's inner garment.
She lowered her head
and saw that Feng Xiaobai's hands were tightly clutching the bedsheet.
Zhao Shuning stopped.
She sat back in her seat
and said softly, "Mom knows you're awake."
Feng Xiaobai didn't move.
Zhao Shuning said again, "A mistake is a mistake. A real man shouldn't be afraid to face his mistakes."
Feng Xiaobai's body moved slightly.
Zhao Shuning continued, "My child isn't a coward who only causes trouble but doesn't dare to take responsibility."
Her tone was a bit serious.
The child on the bed couldn't hold back anymore.
He burst into tears with a loud wail.
Zhao Shuning leaned forward
and then hugged Feng Xiaobai in her arms.
Feng Xiaobai in her arms
cried loudly.
Feng Xiaobai had been beaten by Zhao Shuning many times before, but this child was stubborn and had extremely strong endurance. Even when Zhao Shuning beat him hard, he would only frown at most.
Howling like this
was normal for other children, but for Feng Xiaobai,
it was truly the first time.
Zhao Shuning hugged Feng Xiaobai again and again
and patted his back.
Feng Xiaobai and Feng Qiu'er were twins.
They had a very good relationship since childhood.
Although he often made Feng Qiu'er take the blame for him and often took her to do bad things, Feng Xiaobai truly loved his younger sister from the bottom of his heart.
When there was trouble, he always stood in front of Xiao Qiu'er.
Feng Xiaobai always thought he was very powerful.
He had never encountered anyone or anything he couldn't handle. So he gradually became a bit arrogant.
This time,
failing to protect Xiao Qiu'er
was the most guilt - ridden and the most devastating thing in his life.
Even if he achieved great success in other things in the future, he probably wouldn't dare to be as arrogant as before.