"She's not going to Dongjing City." Xie Yuan stated flatly, as he moved to stand beside Xiao Xue and removed her hand from Shui Ren's grasp. "Or anywhere, for that matter, unless the validity of your claim, as her family, is investigated and verified!"
Xie Yuan has been quiet and cooperative. Even when he felt ill at ease with Shui Ren's informal and overly familiar behavior towards Xiao Xue, he did not say a word nor restrict their interaction.
He has reservations but if there was a problem, Xiao Xue would have told him or atleast sent him a signal. Xiao Xue has been quiet and accommodating so Xie Yuan cannot act otherwise. But once the matter of taking her back to Dongjing City was blatantly mentioned, Xie Yuan could no longer stay still and watch on the side.
It was one thing to treat these men as Xiao Xue's brothers and another for them to suggest taking her away. Even if their blood relation to Xiao Xue is proven to be true, Shui Ren or the Shui Clan, even the entire Shui Clan, have no right to carry her off, not while Xie Yuan is still breathing!
Disliking Xie Yuan's coarse attitude, Shui Ren threw him a dirty look. "What does the young master mean by his words?" He asked belligerently. The silken tone he used to converse with Xiao Xue was gone and his muted aura surged with hostility. "Who are you to say where Lian'er can and cannot go?"
Xie Yuan snorted in derision. From the moment he laid eyes on this Shui Second Young Master, he knew the man was related to Xiao Xue. Their aura and resemblance to each other was uncanny and undeniable. But instead of feeling solicitous towards Shui Ren, Xie Yuan felt the other man was another eyesore that he needed to get rid of.
With Yi Xin and Xie Shan hovering around Xiao Xue every day, Xie Yuan felt that Shui Ren was another person who would compete for his wife's attention. Xie Yuan does not want another person to come between him and his Little Xue. Especially now that they are married, Xie Yuan wanted to eliminate potential rivals.
Xie Yuan's averse behavior towards Shui Ren stems from the fact that he wanted to monopolize Xiao Xue's attention and affection. He wanted to spend quality time with his wife, with just the two of them. But with the brothers' untimely arrival, the dream is gone and buried. How could Xie Yuan be good-humored in front of people who spoiled his plans?
Shui Gui, who remained quiet throughout the exchange and was observing from the side, scowled as he realized something. His frown became more pronounced and deepened when he recalled the interrupted ceremony in the grand hall. When he thought back on the group's wary behavior and their desperate desire to continue the ceremony, even after the commotion he and Shui Ren created, he couldn't help but to clench his fists.
At first, Shui Gui was confused as to the reason Xie Yuan would appear before them, accompanying their sister no less. Then Shui Gui remembered that the manor was Xie Yuan's property, as the host, it was necessary for the young master to be there.
But after noticing subtle signs of Xie Yuan wanting to shield Xie Xiao from Shui Ren, Shui Gui started to feel uneasy. His agitation grew the longer he observed Xie Yuan's behavior. And when Xie Yuan stepped forward to stake his claim, Shui Gui finally understood why he felt extremely disturbed.
Shui Gui glared at Zhang Lao, who was standing on the side, and mentally cursed generations of the old man's family to hell. With his quick wit, how could the Shui Young Master not understand what happened in the grand hall and connect all the dots.
The sly old man pretended to be amicable and forbearing so he could dupe the brothers into submission without argument. As a result, Shui Gui and Shui Ren could only lament and blame themselves for being easily tricked!
"Old man, if you do not give me a proper explanation, do not blame me for being impolite!" Shui Gui spat out angrily.
The little sister they've been painstakingly searching for has been in front of them the whole time in the grand hall. How could he, as an older brother, not be furious at how things played out.
Shui Gui had not seen nor spent time with his little sister for years and had been incessantly worried about her well-being. But now, their precious little princess is married to a stinky brat and worse, she was married off right under their noses!
Seeing his elder brother's animosity towards Zhang Lao, Shui Ren, belatedly grasped the situation. He too glared at the old man and cursed him to hell and back.
But knowing his elder brother's temperament, Shui Ren feared that a fight between the two would be unavoidable. Worried for Xiao Xue's safety, he decidedly moved to shield her but was slyly blocked by Xie Yuan.
Viewing each other as rivals, the two exchanged malicious glares and were unwilling to give way to the other. But to Shui Ren's dismay, Xiao Xue was eventually pulled to Xie Yuan's side. This caused the antagonistic feelings that Shui Ren was harboring towards Xie Yuan to take root and sprout.
"Young Master Shui must be mistaken." Zhang Lao chuckled humorously as he dutifully stepped forward. He bowed towards Shui Gui, unafraid of the young man's anger. "This old man does not know when I offended your esteemed self."
"You purposely misled me and my brother so the ceremony could proceed! Do you deny it?" Shui Gui spat furiously as he threateningly advanced towards Zhang Lao. He wanted nothing more than to smack the hypocritical look off the old man's face.
If these people do not give him a satisfactory explanation no one would be able to stop him from taking his sister home and declaring war against the Xie Clan.
Xie Feng stepped in between the two and turned to address Shui Gui. "Young Master Shui, perhaps we should sit down and talk about this matter in a calm manner." Her tone was gentle but the glint in her eyes was unmistakable and brooked no refusal.
Shui Gui was not intimidated. "Lady Xie Feng, we have been at your mercy from the beginning and now, you want me to stand down?" He felt the situation was highly amusing. After what they've done, these people were still trying to coerce them to do their bidding without reservations. They were acting as if the matter was settled and if not, they could browbeat them into submission!
"Young Master Shui, I understand why you feel slighted. But if…"
"Do not presume to understand how I feel!" Shui Gui snarled, his voice unconsciously laced with spiritual energy. His fiery temper was damnably stirred.
These people acted cordially and judiciously as they purposely deceived him and Shui Ren to keep their sister away from them. For what purpose would they do such a thing? For now, he cannot fathom nor care about their reason. But how could he, Shui Gui, suffer such injustice in silence?
He needed to vent his anger or he would feel like a lesser man, an incompetent brother. Shui Gui was about to make a move against Zhang Lao when he noticed Xiao Xue's ghastly pallor and Xie Yuan's darkened expression.
"Lian'er!" Shui Gui worriedly exclaimed as Xiao Xue swayed unstably on her feet. His anger and grievances were momentarily forgotten as he flashed to her side.
Xie Yuan wanted to intercept Shui Gui and prevent the brothers from going near them but Xiao Xue quietly held him back. She understood Shui Gui's anger and did not take his rash action to heart. If anything, they should properly explain the situation so the brothers could let go of their anger.
Shui Ren, who was standing close to the two, wordlessly reached out and placed his palm on Xiao Xue's back. And without pause he infused her weakened body with spiritual energy. If there was any doubt as to the brothers' blood connection to Xiao Xue, with Shui Ren's sudden action, those doubts were cleared.
Soothing spiritual energy coursed through Xiao Xue's meridians. It wasn't like the cool sensation she felt when Xie Yuan helped her nor was it like Yi Sheng and Yi Xin's prodding and healing energy. This energy gave off a warm and calming sensation as it coursed through her system as if it was her own.
Shui Ren was greatly alarmed when he felt Xiao Xue's almost dried meridians. He wanted to infuse her with more spiritual energy, to help fill her almost empty dantian, but was stopped by Yi Xin.
"You will harm her if you continue!" Yi Xin said as he grabbed Shui Ren's wrist. "Xiao Xue is severely injured at the moment. Her body would not be able to sustain the abundant flow of spiritual energy!"
Shui Ren paled upon hearing Yi Xin's words and immediately withdrew his palm. "Lian'er is injured?" His heart painfully knotted in his chest. If he could take her pain away, he would. Shui Ren would rather suffer these injuries than see her endure them!
Shui Gui, on the other hand, was full of remorse and self-blame. He didn't know his sister was suffering. But that doesn't excuse the fact that he blindly attacked another with her in the vicinity. He forgot about the reports regarding the beast tide and its aftermath. If he'd been clearheaded, this unfortunate incident would not have happened.
Yi Xin did not want to waste time and didn't bother to explain further. He moved to Xiao Xue's side and silently took her pulse. After checking her condition, he fed Xiao Xue a pill that caused her complexion to gradually become better.
During the whole process, Shui Gui and Shui Ren stood quietly on the side, helpless and somewhat terrified. They finally found their long lost sister but from the current situation, it felt like they were bound to lose her again.
When Yi Xin declared that Xiao Xue needs to go back and rest, the brothers did not argue. Even when Xie Yuan took her in his arms and flashed out of the room, they pretended not to see and remained silent.
But once Xie Yuan and Xiao Xue were out of sight, Shui Ren gravely turned to Yi Xin and solemnly said, "Tell me what's wrong with my sister. Do not leave out any information!"
Other things could wait but not this. They need to know. Shui Ren needs to know what ails Xiao Xue. Not knowing would surely drive Shui Ren insane from worry and fear!
Xiao Xue is his sister. His twin sister. Though they've been cruelly separated for years, the fact remains unchanged. Xiao Xue is the other part of him. If something happened to Xiao Xue and he failed to do something about it, again, Shui Ren doesn't know what would become of him.