"Rongrong, calm down. With me here, A'yi won't kill you."
Bai Sicheng saw Bai Murong's panicked state and felt a hint of suspicion, but dismissed it as his own overthinking.
He softened his tone, speaking even more gently. "Don't worry, big brother will help explain to A'yi. A'yi isn't unreasonable, she'll definitely forgive you."
"Really?" Bai Murong exclaimed with surprise, wiping her tears. "Then I can rest easy. Thank you, big brother!"
Bai Murong's smile returned instantly, and she said gently, "Big brother, Grandpa said you need to eat more nourishing foods lately. I obtained a herb for blood replenishment when I went out last time..."
"Young Master, Second Miss, the Young Family Head has arrived!" a maidservant rushed in from outside, her voice flustered.
Bai Murong's heart leaped. Had Bai Shengyi found her this quickly?
However, she had already guessed that Grandpa wouldn't be able to stop Bai Shengyi, so she was only briefly surprised and chided softly, "What's the rush? A'yi isn't some fearsome beast. Why are you so afraid of her?"
"You're right, she hasn't done anything wrong, so there's no reason to fear me. What about you, Bai Murong? Are you afraid of me?"
The light at the doorway shifted, and Bai Shengyi walked in, bathed in the light, repeating word for word, "Are you afraid of me?"
The vine whip formed by spiritual energy glinted coldly.
Bai Murong's face and body involuntarily began to ache, and she instinctively took a step back.
"A'yi, I'm sorry. Sister knows she was wrong. Can Sister apologize to you?"
"Slap!" Bai Shengyi delivered a resounding slap, shaking her hand and saying, "No."
Bai Murong's eyes widened in shock. After all these years, this was the first time she had ever been slapped!
It had already been humiliating enough to be whipped by Bai Shengyi, but now Bai Shengyi was telling her that she could go even further. "A'yi! You... you..."
Tears streamed down Bai Murong's face, her eyes filled with deep malice. She would remember this humiliation, she, Bai Murong!
Bai Shengyi, just let you continue to be arrogant for a while longer. When Grandpa and big brother are both on my side, you'll be abandoned by everyone, and I, Bai Murong, will be the ultimate victor. Will you still be able to act so imperiously then?
"What about me? Why are you crying? I didn't cry when the Grand Princess and her consort were chasing me, and you have the nerve to cry?"
As Bai Shengyi spoke, she raised her whip, ready to punish Bai Murong severely. She was disgusted by Bai Murong's two-faced hypocrisy and even felt a murderous intent, so she swung the whip with all her might.
"Big brother!"
At the critical moment, Bai Sicheng forced himself to get up from the bed and stand in front of Bai Murong. If Bai Shengyi hadn't reacted extremely quickly and pulled back her force, the whip would have landed on Bai Sicheng.
However, as it was, the whip's tail braked abruptly, striking Bai Shengyi's own face instead.
"A'yi, are you alright?"
Bai Sicheng wanted to check Bai Shengyi's injuries, but he also worried that Bai Shengyi would attack Bai Murong again if he moved away, so he retracted his foot.
Bai Shengyi saw his actions, her gaze darkening slightly.
She touched her face, where the whip had hit her, and then looked up as if nothing had happened. "Big brother, move aside."
"A'yi, your second sister already knows she was wrong. For my sake, why don't you not bother with her?" Bai Sicheng firmly blocked Bai Murong.
"A'yi, big brother has already forgiven me. Sister really didn't mean it. Just for Grandpa and big brother's sake, don't argue with sister."
Bai Murong's eyes were red, her face filled with sorrow. Her body trembled as if she could be blown away by a gust of wind.
She bit her lip, putting on a determined expression, and continued, "Besides, you already beat me outside the city earlier. Why won't you let me go?"
Bai Sicheng was shocked. "Rongrong, what are you saying?"
Bai Murong merely cried pitifully and said no more.
Bai Sicheng turned to Bai Shengyi. "A'yi, did you really hit your second sister?"
"Yes," Bai Shengyi wouldn't cover for Bai Murong. She opened her mouth to explain, "But she..."
"How can you be so venomous? She's your sister!"
As soon as Bai Sicheng spoke, he himself was startled.
But when he thought of how Bai Shengyi, at such a young age, not only disrespected Grandpa but could even lay hands on the sister who had always doted on her, he couldn't accept it.
"A'yi, when you were lost in the Dongyue jungle as a child, it was your second sister and Prince Gong who found you. When you lost your sight and couldn't study pharmacology easily, it was your second sister who read to you word by word, you..."
At this moment, Bai Sicheng was a completely different person from the Bai Sicheng who had given Bai Shengyi spirit stones in the suburbs of the capital not long ago.
Bai Shengyi suddenly felt a pang of regret. How had she ever thought that Bai Sicheng, this big brother, was actually not bad?
"I understand," Bai Shengyi said, looking at Bai Sicheng. "So, you truly intend to protect Bai Murong, even if the truth isn't what she claims?"
"A'yi, Murong wouldn't lie," Bai Sicheng stated with certainty.
"Fine," Bai Shengyi said.
Bai Sicheng thought she was leaving and hesitated about whether to call her back. But then he saw a strong gust of wind, and he himself was dragged out of the room by an unknown force. The door slammed shut with a bang.
"Ahhh! Little Vine Leaf is so angry! How can these people be so shameless! Bai Murong is a scheming, green tea bitch, why don't these people see it and trust her so much! My heart aches for my master, sob sob sob!"
Qing Meng Teng was so enraged that it tightened its grip on Bai Sicheng, refusing to let him go no matter how much he struggled to open the door. It truly felt the injustice for its master, especially since the master had specifically gone to save him and had even instructed Little Vine Leaf to take care of him, fearing for his well-being!
"Ah!"
Bai Murong's scream echoed from inside the room.
Bai Sicheng, worried about Bai Murong, shouted, "A'yi! Don't continue to make one mistake after another..."
The next moment, Bai Shengyi opened the door and glanced at him coldly.
Bai Sicheng involuntarily swallowed his words. He suddenly realized that Bai Shengyi had grown taller and stronger without him even noticing.
He watched Bai Shengyi as she walked out without stopping, and his heart suddenly sank. It was as if something precious was gone forever.
"A'yi!" Bai Sicheng tried to call her back.
But Bai Shengyi didn't look back.
The vines on him disappeared. He hurried into the side courtyard and saw Bai Murong lying on the ground, unconscious, her face contorted.
"Someone, quickly go call Grandpa!" Bai Sicheng urgently ordered.
Upon hearing that Bai Shengyi had arrived at the side courtyard, Duke Rong had already been making his way there, so he arrived at the scene shortly thereafter.
"Is this an illusion?"
Just as Duke Rong confirmed his suspicion, he heard Bai Murong speak.
"...Grand Princess, you probably don't know yet, but Bai Shengyi must be involved with the Vice Dean of the Divine Revelation Academy. Otherwise, the consort Sun wouldn't have failed when he assassinated Bai Shengyi. But don't worry, Bai Shengyi and I are natural enemies. Since I want to be the heir of the Bai family, I naturally won't let her rise higher and higher. Therefore, I won't report to the Bai family in advance."
Bai Sicheng and Duke Rong looked at Bai Murong in disbelief.
Bai Murong's complexion no longer showed signs of distress. On the contrary, a smile played on her lips, and she seemed extremely content, as if she were having a pleasant dream.
"...I came here specifically today with full sincerity. As soon as my big brother returns to the academy alone, I will have someone notify you. Bai Shengyi has deep affection for big brother; she won't stand by and do nothing. As for my grandfather, I have a way to persuade him not to interfere..."