PROOFREAD BY AFREANA

Chapter 37.2

An Ruochen couldn’t hold back any longer and cried out loudly with tears crossing her cheeks. She sucked in her breath and wiped the tears hard.

Big Long stared at her and said, “I don’t talk to people who cry and can’t speak clearly.”

An Ruochen sucked her nose and tried to control the tears, but the tears still fell disobediently.

“Try to scold.”

“His grandmother’s bear ……” she choked while wiping her tears. This Zong Zeqing’s mantra was said by An Ruochen pathetically, without half the crudeness.

Big Long sighed, “It’s better to cry.”

An Ruochen shook her head.

Big Long said, “No need to hold back.”

An Ruochen bit her lip hard.

“Cry!” Big Long shouted at her.

With this shout, An Ruochen could not hold back any longer. Her grievances and sorrows all came up. She lowered her head and started crying, getting louder until she was out of breath. She sobbed until she became weak and needed a shoulder to lean on. She lunged forward, not knowing that Big Long hesitantly stretched out his hand.

She brushed past him, hugged the straw target, buried her face in the target’s shoulder, and finally wailed and cried out. 

Big Long was startled and put his hand behind his back, silently watching An Ruochen’s thin shoulders trembling because of crying. After watching for a while, he finally couldn’t help but stretch his hand to touch her head. However, before his hand reached her hair, Big Long hesitated and patted her shoulder instead. At that moment, before he could say anything, he heard a “clang,” and the straw target fell.

An Ruochen cried with devotion and was caught unprepared. She weighed down all her body weight on the straw target. Unexpectedly, she fell straight down with the straw target.

Thud.

The sound of crying was suddenly lost. The sound of falling on the other hand sounded very painful.

An Ruochen pressed on the straw target, and she lay on the ground motionless, stunned.

Big Long was also dumbfounded. His hand was still in mid-air. He did not push, ah. He swore.

Later in the evening, Jiang Song flew into the courtyard of Zong Zeqing and Xie Gang. Zong Zeqing was polishing his armor, and when he saw him coming, he said, “Do you have sweet soup again?”

“No.” Jiang Song replied quickly, “The General slapped Steward An to the ground.”

Zong Zeqing lazily: “Oh, so there’s no sweet soup …… Wait, who beat up Steward An?”

“The General.”

“What did Lu Zheng and Tian Qing say?” Zong Zeqing turned around and ran in the direction of Xie Gang’s room, saying while running, “Is it proper for you to pick someone so broken-mouthed?” When he reached the door, he pounded hard on the door.

Xie Gang opened the door with a serious face.

“Steward An made a mistake and was knocked to the ground by the Great General. Do you think we should pretend not to know or ask about it?” Zong Zeqing finished in one breath.

Xie Gang looked at Zong Zeqing and then at Jiang Song.

Jiang Song told the story again. Zong Zeqing listened carefully and punched him, “Why did you lie to me that the General beat her up?”

“When did I lie?” Jiang Song blocked the fist, “You make up your guesses without letting people finish the story and slandered the General.”

When Zong Zeqing heard that, he was even angrier. Jiang Song tricked him. They fought together, while Xie Gang asked, “And then?”

“Then I’ll beat him to death.” Zong Zeqing replied.

“Then the General left and drove away Lu Zheng and Tian Qing, leaving Steward An alone to lie there.”

Zong Zeqing froze and stopped his hand. “Really?”

“Really.” Jiang Song gave him a blank stare.

Zong Zeqing looked at him in disbelief: “The General is so cruel.” Seeing that Jiang Song’s expression did not look like joking, he frowned: “How can this be? Steward An is a delicate girl. She should be picked up and comforted. Ah, ah, I’m going to see her, so pitiful. I’ll go help her and comfort her.”

Xie Gang said coldly: “If you cry a handful of snot and tears, then fall on your face in the mud, you wouldn’t want others to see you in such a state, would you? Are you going to comfort her or add trouble to her heart?”

“……” Zong Zeqing stopped in his tracks. “Makes sense.”

“She may have returned to her courtyard since it happened quite some time ago.” Jiang Song also poured cold water on him.

Zong Zeqing scratched his head, somewhat worried. “Then should we go to comfort her? But how can we explain that we know about her fall?”

Xie Gang said seriously. “I don’t know about Steward An falling to the ground.”

Jiang Song also shook his head. “I don’t know either.”

Zong Zeqing scorned them with his eyes.

Jiang Song patted him on the shoulder and said. “I say, brother, if you have any plans, go to the General first to say it to him as soon as possible, or I’m afraid it will be too late.”

Zong Zeqing was quite confused. “Say what? What plans?” Then suddenly said: “Ah, yes, the four Xia Jiang’s front attack formation. I did think of a good plan. I need to discuss it with the General.”

Xie Gang and Jiang Song looked at each other.

“Well, I guess we can rest assured.”

“Hmm, there is nothing else in this kid’s head except for fighting.”

Zong Zeqing felt displeased. The one who had nothing else in his head but fighting was the General! “I will go to the General to discuss.”

“The General is at Steward An’s courtyard.”

“Then I will look for him when he returns.” Zong Zeqing sat down and continued to polish his armor happily. His plan was excellent, and the General would agree.

Big Long was indeed in An Ruochen’s courtyard. An Ruochen was much more comfortable after that cry and didn’t even feel sad after that wretched fall.

It was awkward, so awkward.

Fortunately, at the time, the General did not say anything, just turned around and left. Fortunately, it was dark and no one saw her. She sneaked back to her house, scrubbed her body and changed her clothes. She felt more refreshed now.

At this time, the General came to her door and scolded her.

“If you think you’re a scourge and a burden, leave before it’s too late. I can’t use you here.”

“I was wrong. I won’t dare to do it again.”

“Where were you wrong?”

“I made the General see a joke.”

“Me watching you make a fool of yourself is nothing, but if you let the people who do evil see it, let those who have bullied you see it, then that will be your mistake.” Big Long’s tone was stern. “If you can’t distinguish right and wrong, can’t stand small pain and grief, what is the use of you?”

An Ruochen lowered her head, getting upset by the scolding. Then Big Long asked her what had happened earlier and she told him everything carefully.

After listening, Big Long asked her, “What did I previously say to you?”

An Ruochen whispered. “The General said that the General is strict and I need to work hard.”

The corners of Big Long’s mouth turned up, trying to hold back his laughter. So impervious to training, he scolded her with a few sentences, but she only remembered his harsh advice. “I said you should not focus solely on one thing, but look at the whole picture. Your old nanny died unjustly, but you cannot prove that she was not the An family’s lifelong servant and cannot redress her injustice. But is this the only thing you can do? Is this the only bad thing your father has done his whole life?”

An Ruochen looked up sharply with glowing eyes. The General taught her the right lesson, and she understood.

“And your fourth sister, did you not say you would never give up without seeing for yourself whether she was alive or dead? You said you understand in your heart that she is no longer alive, but you should understand more thoroughly. Who harmed her? You resent yourself and take the blame on yourself, but can you avenge your sister’s death with that? Are you willing to let those who harmed you live better than you?”

She was unwilling!