"Little Sweetie!" Shen Ziqian called out to her, seeing her standing motionlessly at the doorway. He smiled and teased, "What, you don't recognize your elder brother after so long? You ungrateful thing."
Only then did Shen Jianxi tentatively step forward, tugging at his sleeve and smiling softly, "Brother! Welcome back!"
She portrayed the role of a young girl, overjoyed yet slightly unfamiliar upon seeing a beloved elder brother she hadn't seen in years, with uncanny realism.
Shen Ziqian placed his large palm on her head, then gestured to himself and chuckled, "You've grown taller!"
Shen Jianxi's mouth twitched. Based on the memories she had received, the height of this body hadn't changed at all since she last saw Shen Ziqian. This was clearly a sister's filter.
She smiled faintly and moved to stand beside Mr. and Mrs. Shen.
Mrs. Shen pulled her closer, gently stroking the back of her hand repeatedly. She smiled and said, "Your sister is just shy."
"Mom!" Her feelings exposed, she cried out in embarrassed annoyance.
"Hahaha, Little Sweetie isn't usually like this. How have you become so demure now?" Even Father Shen looked at her teasingly.
Feeling teased, she stamped her foot in vexation and pouted slightly, acting spoiled, "Dad, Mom, don't make fun of me!"
"Son really hasn't been back for several years. Little Sweetie was still very young the last time he returned, so it's normal for her to be a little distant now," Shen Ziqian interjected to stop them. He hadn't seen his younger sister in years, let alone seen her act spoiled, so he couldn't bear to interrupt for a moment.
Speaking of which, Mother Shen couldn't help but want to cry. She had two sons who weren't around when they grew up. Even though they wrote to report their whereabouts whenever they moved, she couldn't help but worry. Her voice became choked with emotion as she thought about it, "Are you leaving again this time?"
Seeing his mother about to cry again, Shen Ziqian felt a little helpless. He had just managed to comfort her. He knew that he and his second brother had been away for too long and felt guilty.
"I'm not leaving. Don't worry, Mother. Not only that, but Jiayi will be back soon too," he soothed her gently.
Shen Ziqian recalled the emphasized words of secrecy and surprise in Shen Jiayi's letter to him. Then, looking at Mother Shen, who was on the verge of tears, he didn't hesitate to betray his younger brother.
"Jiayi is coming back too!? That child, why didn't he say anything!" Mother Shen wasn't usually one to cry, but she was overwhelmingly happy today, so she couldn't help herself. After being appeased by Shen Ziqian a few times, especially hearing this surprise news, her tears naturally stopped.
Having received a double surprise today, Father Shen's smile never wavered. He instructed the servants to prepare a lavish banquet of wine and delicacies, planning to drink with his eldest son until they were both intoxicated that night.
Their family had a very good atmosphere, with no extraneous rules. During dinner, Father Shen dismissed all the servants, leaving only the four of them.
At the dinner table, Mother Shen constantly served Shen Ziqian and Shen Jianxi dishes. This warmth made Shen Jianxi feel unaccustomed for a moment.
But gradually, she relaxed. After a few rounds of drinks, Father Shen and Shen Ziqian were both asleep at the table. Mother Shen exchanged a helpless glance with her and called for servants to escort the two back to their rooms.
On the way back, a cool evening breeze blew. Shen Jianxi, who had felt slightly tipsy from the wine fumes inside, became clear-headed.
In fact, she envied the original owner for having such a happy family. Ever since she could remember, she had been alone, bearing all hardships and weariness by herself.
Lu Yuan followed her at a discreet distance behind her, her expression worried. The young lady seemed a little sad tonight, which also made her anxious.
Unknowingly, they reached her courtyard. Standing at the door, she turned her head and said faintly, "Alright, you can go back and rest too."
Lu Yuan's expression was conflicted. She wanted to say something, but seeing the layer of separation around her, she could only respond, "Yes, Miss."
After dismissing the maid, Shen Jianxi closed her room door and called out to 77, "77, exchange for a Marrow Cleansing Pill."
77, who had been dispirited all evening, instantly became lively upon hearing this, replying in a cheerful tone, "Certainly, Host!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the Marrow Cleansing Pill appeared in her hand. As she swallowed it, 77's voice rang out, "Exchanged one Marrow Cleansing Pill, deducted 78 points. Host Shen Jianxi's total points are 396."
With no time to lament the lost points, intense pain spread through her limbs and bones. She bit her lip tightly to prevent herself from crying out and attracting attention. Beads of sweat covered her forehead and streamed down her face.
She didn't know how long the pain lasted. Shen Jianxi had grown numb. She only subconsciously knew that she couldn't make a sound. Her tender lips were bitten to the point of being mangled. Sudancun.com
As dawn broke, Shen Jianxi finally collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted. The Marrow Cleansing Pill produced by the system did not make her body emit foul odors, but she sweated profusely, leaving her feeling sticky, which she found unbearable.
She casually called for a maid outside the courtyard to fetch her bathing water. As she immersed herself, she felt an indescribable sense of relief and comfort.
As the Marrow Cleansing Pill took effect, she also quietly advanced. She was now in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, a whole level advancement. This brought her a slight sense of comfort, but she also knew that cultivation could not rely on pills; there were no shortcuts.
Lu Yuan was already waiting at the door. Seeing that she had finished bathing, she came in to help her with her clothes.
Looking at the fully lit sky outside, she suddenly said, "Lu Yuan, after breakfast, let's go out and play!"
She had to go out and explore. Otherwise, she wouldn't encounter any targets for conquest just by staying at home. She couldn't expect targets to fall from the sky, could she?
"Yes, Miss." Lu Yuan replied softly as she tied her hair into a bun.
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Shen Jianxi looked at Shen Ziqian and Father Shen at the table, both looking spirited. She couldn't help but sigh. It was great to be in a world of cultivation; hangovers had no effect on the next day. If it weren't for the joy of celebrating and getting drunk together, they could have forced the alcohol out of their bodies last night.
"Little Sweetie, what are you looking at?" A cultivator's senses are very sharp. Shen Ziqian noticed Shen Jianxi's gaze the moment she looked at him. Thinking his little sister might want to say something, he asked when she remained silent.
His question drew the attention of the other two at the table. Shen Jianxi smiled sweetly, "I'm looking at my handsome and elegant elder brother."
Her words amused all three at the table. Mother Shen dotingly tapped her forehead and chuckled, "You, weren't you shy yesterday? You've already returned to your true self today."
Shen Jianxi blinked shyly, "I'm just speaking the truth~"
Her praise made Shen Ziqian very happy. He generously took out a storage ring from his embrace and handed it to her, "This is what elder brother obtained at the Giant Eagle Auction in Dongchangzhou."
"Elder brother knew you didn't have a storage ring yet, so he specifically bid for it to give to you. I forgot yesterday."
"Thank you, Brother!" Shen Jianxi did not refuse. She was mentally calculating whether to exchange a cultivation-advancing pill for Shen Ziqian with 77. The system's pills had no side effects and were exactly what Shen Ziqian needed most at the moment.
Seeing that her joy was genuine, Shen Ziqian finally felt at ease. The storage ring was completely black. For some reason, he had felt it would match his little sister at the time, but after buying it, he worried she might dislike it.