vstars Chapter 142 The siblings openly confess to each other
Chapter 142 The siblings openly confess to each other
Before long, Lin Qianqian, Murong Yi, Zhao Xiong, Xiao Die, and Wuming took their seats, picked up their chopsticks to eat, and raised their wine glasses to drink.
Shen Wanqing raised her head slightly, her eyes filled with a trace of reminiscence and sadness, and slowly said, "After I got separated from my brother, I was isolated and helpless, and full of fear. Fortunately, a waiter named Shen Ruo in this restaurant took me in. He took pity on me and adopted me as his goddaughter, naming me Shen Wanqing."
She choked up for a moment before continuing, “At that time, although I had a place to stay, my longing and concern for my brother never stopped. My godfather treated me very well, took good care of me, and taught me how to conduct myself in the world. I thought that life would continue peacefully like this, but two years ago, my godfather passed away due to illness, and my world collapsed again.”
Her voice trembled slightly. After a brief pause, she continued, "For the past few years, I've been running this restaurant, trying to make a living while searching for news of my brother. I've never missed an opportunity to ask every passing merchant or every customer who comes into the shop. Countless days and nights, I've dreamt of reuniting with my brother. That longing and torment have been my constant companions. Fortunately, now my dream has finally come true."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiong immediately burst into tears. His brows furrowed, his eyes filled with heartache and self-reproach. He gently patted her shoulder, "My sister has suffered so much."
Shen Wanqing smiled slightly, shook her head, and said softly, "Brother, let's not talk about this anymore, let's eat some food!" Then she put a piece of meat on Zhao Xiong's plate.
"Thank you, little sister~" Zhao Xiong nodded, put the piece of meat in his mouth and ate it with relish, and said with a doting smile, "Little sister, you eat too!" As he spoke, he put a lot of food on his plate.
The brother and sister's every move was so heartwarming and beautiful in front of everyone, which made them sigh with emotion.
Shen Wanqing paused slightly, sitting down beside Zhao Xiong and looking at his increasingly haggard and thin face. Her eyes revealed a hint of heartache and bitterness. She blew her nose, frowned, and said, "Brother, what have you been through these past few years? How did you become like this..." As she spoke, she choked up and covered her mouth to cry.
Lin Qianqian, who was standing nearby, quickly patted her back to comfort her...
Seeing this, Zhao Xiong put down his chopsticks, still eating, and quickly comforted her, "Oh, my dear sister, don't cry, don't cry, brother is alright~" He frowned, sat down next to Shen Wanqing, took her arm, and wiped her tears with his sleeve while gently soothing her, "Yao'er, let your brother explain to you..."
Zhao Xiong told her in great detail what had happened after they got separated.
Upon hearing his story, Shen Wanqing flew into a rage and berated him, "Brother, how could you become a bandit! How could you do something so heinous!"
Seeing her lose her temper, Zhao Xiong's face was full of bitterness, his lips trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with helplessness and exhaustion. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word for a long time. The brothers beside him also lowered their heads, looking at each other, each seeing a trace of helplessness in the other's eyes.
Zhao Xiong's lips trembled, as if something was choking him, and he could only utter some indistinct, hesitant sounds. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, clearly indicating that he was caught in a state of extreme inner turmoil and unease.
Fortunately, at this moment, Lin Qianqian leaned closer to her. Her expression was calm, and she looked at Shen Wanqing with a frank gaze, saying softly, "Miss Shen, please don't be so quick to blame him. Brother Zhao was indeed a bandit in the past, and he did many heinous things, but later he used the money he stole to help others and even helped control the floods in Jiangnan. That can be considered making amends!" After saying this, she gestured to Murong Yi and the others, "Isn't that right!"
Murong Yi nodded subconsciously, smiled slightly, and said, "Miss Shen, although Brother Zhao was once a bandit, he fortunately redeemed himself by serving three years of hard labor. He was only able to end his hard labor due to his good performance. We also believe that he is truly repentant, so please forgive him!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Wanqing frowned, pursed her lips, and looked annoyed and disappointed, falling into deep thought.
Lin Qianqian gently tugged at Zhao Xiong's sleeve. Zhao Xiong understood and slowly moved towards Shen Wanqing, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard, his eyes filled with fear and helplessness. "Yao'er, I was wrong. I'm a complete bastard. I've done so many heinous things. I deserve to be torn to pieces!" With that, he raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face. The sound of the slap was crisp, and Shen Wanqing's heart clenched, but she still forced herself to remain calm and did not respond.
Zhao Xiong continued, "Fortunately, Miss Lin and the Prince came to my aid, guiding me back to the right path and giving me a chance to make amends. I now truly understand that good and evil are rewarded accordingly, and justice resides in the hearts of the people. I will do my utmost to atone for my past mistakes, face the world with a new attitude, protect those who deserve protection, and never stray from the right path again. I hope you can believe me this time and give me a chance to make amends. Yao'er, can you forgive me?"
Hearing Zhao Xiong's heartfelt words, Lin Qianqian nodded with relief. Then she turned to Shen Wanqing and said gently, "Miss Shen, although Brother Zhao has a shameful past, his true nature has never been extinguished. In recent years, he has been trying to change."
Shen Wanqing turned to look at Lin Qianqian, her brows furrowed, and continued to ponder.
Zhao Xiong's brothers also gathered around, and one of them, a straightforward and burly man, said urgently, "Miss Shen, our leader has really changed. Before, on the mountain, he always restrained us and didn't let us hurt people indiscriminately. Now, everyone in the village, young and old, has seen what he's doing with us, and we all want to follow him and start anew. Please forgive him this time."
Everyone stared expectantly at Shen Wanqing.
Shen Wanqing bit her lower lip slightly, her brows still furrowed, her eyes filled with complex emotions, including her lingering resentment towards Zhao Xiong's past behavior and a hint of wavering and hesitation about his current change.
Her gaze slowly swept over the kneeling crowd begging for mercy, then landed on Zhao Xiong's face, which was filled with guilt and expectation. After a long silence, she finally sighed softly.
Shen Wanqing pursed her lips, looked at Zhao Xiong with a helpless expression, and finally chuckled softly, saying, "You really make me angry, resentful, and helpless. The past is like a fishbone stuck in my throat, how can I easily let it go? But looking at you now, you're like a child who has done something wrong and is eager to make amends. Fine, fine, I'll believe you this time, but... brother, you must promise me that from now on, you're not allowed to do anything immoral again. If you dare to do it again, I'll definitely not let you off the hook, and don't blame me for being merciless then."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiong immediately agreed, saying, "Yao'er, don't worry! I will definitely keep my word! I swear! If I dare to break my promise today, may I be punished by heaven and die a terrible death!"
The brothers echoed, shouting, "Me too!"
Shen Wanqing shook her head helplessly after hearing this, her movements gentle and soothing, as if scolding his rashness and decisiveness. Then, the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing a faint smile, and her eyes also sparkled with warmth, like stars twinkling in the night sky, as she quietly gazed at Zhao Xiong, without saying a word, yet it seemed to convey a thousand words.
Seeing the somewhat heavy and subtle atmosphere, Lin Qianqian stepped forward with light steps, a bright smile on her face, and said in a clear and melodious voice, "Hey everyone, let's not dwell on those unhappy things. Now that we've finally gotten together, we should be happy, throw all our worries to the winds, and have a good drink." As she spoke, she walked to the table, picked up the wine pot, and skillfully filled everyone's glasses with wine. The wine swirled in the glasses, looking particularly tempting under the surrounding light.
Murong Yi smiled slightly, a smile full of doting affection and tenderness towards Lin Qianqian.
Xiaodie quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes! Past troubles are like fleeting clouds. Now we're sitting together, with fine wine and delicious food, and so many close friends around us. We should enjoy this joyful time to the fullest. Everyone, raise your glasses, let your worries dissipate, let laughter fill the air, and let's drink heartily to this new beginning!" After saying that, she didn't forget to gently nudge the quietly listening Wuming with her elbow.
Du Hai grinned and echoed, his voice booming, "Well said! On such a fine day, how can we celebrate without good wine? I'll go get the best wine right now so everyone can have a taste. Let's make this atmosphere truly vibrant, and drink until we're all drunk, letting out all the joy we feel!" With that, he turned and strode towards the wine stash, his footsteps creating a gentle breeze.
The group sat around a table laden with delicacies and fine wines. Amidst the clinking of glasses, the wine shimmered enchantingly in the candlelight.