Chapter 21: There Might Be Something Amiss

   

 **Chapter 21: There Might Be Something Amiss**

As Chang Suining got off the carriage, her eyes immediately landed on the striking and somewhat piercing youth.

The striking aspect was that the seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy had thick brows and large eyes, exuding a spirited aura. His exposed upper body showcased a physique sculpted from years of martial arts training, and his honey-colored skin accentuated his impressive contours.

Although his appearance was somewhat aggressive, the boy’s large eyes held a pure and harmless innocence, radiating an extreme honesty that lent him an air of natural simplicity.

The piercing aspect, however, lay in the fact that the kneeling youth was carrying a bundle of thorny sticks.

Xingning Lane was not large, with only five families residing in it. At that moment, several brightly dressed young women could be seen peeking from the neighboring courtyard and the alley, curiously glancing over.

Chang Kuo certainly didn’t think those young ladies were there to admire him, an old man!

“Father, you’re back!” the boy cried, tears brimming in his eyes as he bowed deeply to Chang Kuo.

In the next moment, Chang Kuo lifted him from the ground: “...What a reckless child, kneeling here to mourn!”

“Father…”

“The General has finally returned!” Among the two rows of bowing servants, a steward stepped forward, his expression a mix of anxiety and hesitation.

“Let’s talk inside!” Chang Kuo raised his leg and kicked Chang Sui’an, gesturing for Chang Suining to come in.

“You’re kneeling out here so brazenly, and even making a show of repentance. Are you afraid others don’t know about your sister?” As they crossed the threshold, Chang Kuo began to scold his son in a hushed tone.

A swarm of servants and maidservants rushed inside, and as the doors of the Chang residence were quickly shut, the young women who had been “enjoying the spring” outside sighed regretfully: “Why did it end so quickly... Let’s disperse.”

“Father… you already know?” Chang Sui’an hurriedly said, “But don’t worry, Master Yu sent word a few days ago, saying he has found my sister. Ning Ning is safe and sound, and will return soon!”

Despite this, the guilt in the boy’s tone had not diminished at all: “I wanted to go pick her up, but Master Yu said this matter should not be publicized, and I should wait at home…”

“It’s all my fault for not taking good care of my sister!”

“Father, you can just kill me!” The boy's voice was choked, but he suddenly paused: “...I just ask Father to give me a few days. I want to see my sister return safely with my own eyes—”

As he spoke, he felt the thorny sticks behind him being nudged.

Chang Suining curiously reached out to touch the thorns on the sticks; each one was thick and densely packed, truly a rare instrument for punishment.

Even without having been struck yet, his back was already scratched with many wounds.

This “little calf” had clearly put thought into choosing these sticks.

At that moment, the boy, whom she remembered as the “little calf,” turned his head and looked at her, confused: “...Who are you?”

—Another child picked up from the battlefield by Father?

Chang Suining: “…”

Isn’t it said that they are biological father and son?

Or was it that her boyish appearance really differed so greatly from what A Li used to look like?

“You brat!” Chang Kuo kicked him again: “Open your eyes and see clearly!”

“Sister…” Chang Sui’an initially looked dazed, but quickly recognized her, his eyes wide with shock and excitement: “Sister?!”

As they approached the front hall, Chang Kuo pulled his unworthy son into the room and dismissed the irrelevant servants.

“Ning Ning, it’s so good to have you back safely!” Chang Sui’an said, his excitement unabated. “I was really worried sick!”

Calling the old Chang “Father” was one thing; addressing the boy from her memories as “Brother” made Chang Suining feel somewhat awkward, and she could only nod stiffly.

This reaction made Chang Sui’an feel guilty and anxious: “Ning Ning must be frightened!”

“It’s you who scared her!” Chang Kuo glared at him, pointing at his bare upper body: “Look at you, get dressed!”

Chang Sui’an suddenly came to his senses and crossed his arms over his chest—oh right, his sister had always been timid and gentle. How could he be so undignified in front of her?

He hugged himself tightly, moving behind his father, and hurriedly called for the steward to bring him a robe.

“Don’t panic and say things that don’t make sense!” Chang Kuo warned: “Your sister has a head injury now, and she can’t remember many things. If you scare her again, see how I’ll deal with you!”

“Head injury?!” Chang Sui’an exclaimed in shock.

Chang Kuo briefly recounted Chang Suining’s ordeal in a straightforward manner.

Chang Sui’an was filled with both anger and guilt, kneeling down with red eyes: “It’s all my fault! I’m not worthy to be a brother! Father, please beat me to death for my sister!”

After all, if his sister had done it herself, he wouldn’t be able to die even if he tried.

Chang Kuo was also serious about wanting to punish his son.

He raised the military stick but didn’t forget to instruct the steward: “Old Bai, take Ning Ning back!”

Old Bai replied and took a couple of steps back, then suddenly stopped and looked up, confused: “General, but we don’t have any family rules in our household, do we?”

Chang Kuo hesitated, thinking that indeed, that was the case.

He came from humble beginnings, and without a lady of the house to manage affairs, there weren’t any detailed rules. Old Bai, the steward, mainly used military methods, so there were no specific family rules to speak of.

As Chang Kuo pondered creating a rule on the spot, he heard Chang Sui’an call out loudly to the hall: “Sword Boy, bring everything over!”

“Yes! Young Master!” 

A servant responded loudly and soon, Chang Suining saw the servant, called Sword Boy, rushing in with a hook whip in his left hand and a military stick in his right.

Then, another servant deftly brought over a long bench and placed it in front of Chang Sui’an.

Without hesitation, Chang Sui’an lay down on the bench, and the servant handed him a piece of cloth, which he bit down on, his expression resolute.

The entire process was seamless.

This must be the charm of military discipline in family matters—Chang Suining acknowledged in her heart.

Looking again at Chang Sui’an lying on the bench—he really did seem to want to be punished sincerely.

Chang Kuo was genuinely intent on punishing his son.

He had raised the military stick but hadn’t forgotten to instruct Old Bai: “Old Bai, take Sui Ning back first!”

Just as Old Bai agreed, Chang Kuo raised the stick high.

“Wait a moment, Father,” Chang Suining, having snapped back to her senses from this “military discipline,” called out to stop Chang Kuo: “I might not be able to blame Sui… Sui’an for this incident.”

Before Chang Kuo could respond, she continued promptly: “I vaguely remember that on the night of the Lantern Festival, I fell into the water first—”

This did not contradict Chang Sui’an’s earlier statement of “not taking care of my sister,” but under such circumstances, suddenly throwing out such a remark was often enough to attract everyone’s attention.

Sure enough, Chang Kuo immediately lowered the stick beside him, surprised: “Fell into the water? How could you fall into the water outside? Why didn’t you mention this to me on the way, Sui Ning?”

“I just suddenly remembered,” Chang Suining calmly fabricated an excuse before seriously stating: “Father, I vaguely feel that there might be something amiss here.”

Chang Sui’an also tore off the cloth in his mouth, quickly standing up: “Ning Ning, do you still remember how you fell into the water?”

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(End of Chapter)

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