A single sentence made Zhao Luoning's emotions burst like a broken dam.
"Luojing..."
Zhao Luoning lay on Zhao Luojing's body and sobbed loudly.
Luojing, the kindest younger brother in the world.
She only wished she could take his suffering instead.
Why, why was God so cruel? First taking away Luoyu, and now even Luojing was about to be snatched from her.
Zhao Luojing gently placed his hand on Zhao Luoning's hair.
He knew his sister couldn't bear to part with him.
How could he bear to leave his sister?
"Sister... After I die... bury me in the backyard of the tea - house. Don't erect a tombstone in case someone finds out. If possible, plant a few bamboos in front of my grave."
"Sister... Please take care of mother, elder brother, and Zhusheng for me..."
"Sister... Our sibling bond in this life is short. I'll go first. In the next life, I'll be your son and take care of you filially all my life."
"Sister..."
He didn't manage to finish his last words and finally let his hand drop.
Zhao Luoning lay on his body, gasping for breath between sobs.
Zhao Luojing's funeral was held secretly.
They didn't even prepare a coffin. They wrapped his body in a straw mat and a quilt and buried him in the tea - garden.
Zhao Luoning only cried for one night. The next day, she forced herself to cheer up, put on Zhao Luojing's clothes, and went to inspect the tea - roasting room.
In the tea - roasting room, she saw an unexpected person.
Zhusheng.
Why was she still here?
After the inspection, Zhao Luoning called Zhusheng out and asked, "Zhusheng, you're already free."
"I put the indenture on the young master and buried it with him."
Zhusheng only dared to let her tears fall when there was no one around.
"Why do you have to do this? You're still so young and have a great future ahead of you."
Choking with sobs, she declined Zhao Luoning's kindness and said, "Miss, please don't drive me away."
"You're..."
"The young master's lifelong wish was to protect his family. Now that he's gone, I'll protect you on his behalf."
Saying this, Zhusheng lowered her head.
"Miss, I'm not as capable as the young master, but please rest assured. I, Zhusheng, will never betray you in my life."
Zhao Luoning sighed. "Zhusheng, do you know why Luojing specifically wrote to me and asked me to help you get out of the indenture? By doing this, aren't you disappointing his good intentions? Not only him, but we never regarded you as a servant either."
Zhusheng always called him "young master" instead of "young master of the family". If it were someone else, they would have been punished long ago.
Zhusheng was a stubborn girl. She lifted her skirt and knelt down in front of Zhao Luoning.
"Zhusheng understands the young master's intention. That's exactly why I want to fulfill his wish on his behalf."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning sighed.
She was at a loss.
If she refused Zhusheng again and let her kneel like this, others would get suspicious.
Zhao Luoning nodded and agreed.
Zhusheng was overjoyed and kowtowed three times.
After that, Zhusheng was left by Zhao Luoning in the tea - house to assist Feixing in handling all kinds of affairs in the tea - house.
In her free time, Zhusheng liked to go to the small bamboo slope in the tea - garden and tell Zhao Luojing about what had happened recently.
"Young master, Miss is going to get married. She's marrying a well - known playboy second young master. If you were still here, you would definitely stop this marriage, right? I'm sorry, young master. Zhusheng is powerless and can't help Miss."
"Young master, the business of the tea - house hasn't been good recently. Miss said that no matter how hard she tries, the tea - house is going to decline. You're really amazing, young master. You predicted this a few years ago."
"Young master, Miss is now the second young mistress of the Ji family and has no energy to manage the tea - house. She asked me to serve the madam, and the tea - house will be taken over by the third young master. Zhusheng won't be able to visit you for a while."
"Young master, today the master asked me to assist the third young master. Do you think I should refuse? I'd better agree. Please don't misunderstand me, young master. I'm not betraying Miss and the madam. I just want to keep the tea - house. It's your hard work. I'll try to keep it going for as long as I can!"
...
Telling her thoughts on the small bamboo slope had become something Zhusheng did every day.
Until the day when Zhao Luoning decided to bring Luojing's body back home.
Zhusheng also came on the day they brought Luojing back.
Seeing the ragged quilt that had once wrapped Zhao Luojing, Zhusheng felt heart - ache.
The young master was always very clean even when he was sick.
You've had a tough time all these years, young master.
...
After Zhao Luoning moved into the Bai Mansion, she gave the courtyard closest to Zhao Luojing's memorial tablet to Zhusheng and asked her to help manage the accounts.
Since Zhao Luojing's death, Zhusheng was no longer that noisy and stubborn little girl.
She seemed to have matured a lot overnight. She did things reliably and made Zhao Luoning feel at ease.
During the time when Feixing and Caixue left, if it weren't for Zhusheng's assistance, Zhao Luoning, who suddenly lost two capable assistants, might not have been able to make it through.
After moving into the Bai Mansion, Zhusheng rarely went out. Zhao Luoning wanted to arrange a marriage for Zhusheng several times, but was always refused by her.
Zhusheng was a free person, and Zhao Luoning didn't say much. She could only let it be.
Strangely enough, Zhusheng was cold to everyone, but was very kind to Jun Zhaoyan.
When Zhaoyan first took over the business from Zhao Luoning, he learned under Zhusheng.
Zhusheng taught Zhaoyan everything in great detail, just like how Zhao Luojing had taught her to read and write when he was still alive.
Zhaoyan's every move had the shadow of Zhao Luojing, which often made Zhusheng lose herself in thought.
Not only Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu, but even little Zhaoyan noticed her strangeness.
One day, for the first time, he refused Zhao Luoning's order.
"Mother, I don't want to go to Master Zhusheng's place anymore. I want to go to the town to study."
Hearing this, Zhao Luoning was very puzzled.
"Why? Does Master Zhusheng treat you badly?"
Jun Zhaoyan frowned, an expression that no ordinary child of his age could make.
Not only Zhusheng, but even Zhao Luoning was a little dazed at this moment.
When Luojing was alive, he would make this expression when faced with difficult things.
Moreover, Zhaoyan looked like her, just like a little Zhao Luojing.
Zhaoyan bowed his hands and said, "Mother, Master has called me Second Uncle several times. Second Uncle won't come back. I don't want Master to keep indulging in the past."
Zhao Luoning sighed.
"Yes, she shouldn't keep indulging in the past."
...
On the day Zhusheng left the Bai Mansion, Jun Zhaoyan rushed back specifically to see her off.
Zhusheng looked at the little young master who had grown up like a slender bamboo, with admiration in her eyes.
"Master, do you really have to go?" Jun Zhaoyan asked.
"Now, Madam and Master Ji are deeply in love. The eldest young mistress is pregnant. The old madam is in good health. Most importantly, no one can bully the eldest branch anymore. I've fulfilled the young master's wish. Madam is right. It's time for me to live for myself."
"Then, Master, where are you going?"
"The young master's wish was to travel around and see the beautiful rivers and mountains. I'll just travel around."
Jun Zhaoyan nodded and bowed his hands to Zhusheng.
"Thank you, Master."
Zhusheng looked at him. She wanted to give him some instructions, but then thought that Zhaoyan was just like the young master back then, the most steady and self - disciplined. He didn't need her instructions at all.
Zhusheng waved to the people who came to see her off and got on the carriage.
Watching the carriage disappear at the end of the road, Jun Zhaoyan's expression showed both reluctance and relief.
He sighed and said, "You've had a tough time."
Before his words fell, he got a slap on the back of his head.
"You're just a kid. Why are you sighing?"
Jun Zhaoyan turned around and found Bai Zhaomo standing behind him.
"Your temper is just like Master Ji's."
"Look at your tone. Isn't Master Ji your father? Come on, play a couple of rounds of chess with me. I don't believe I can't beat you."
Zhao Luoning and Ji Shisu stood not far away, shaking their heads helplessly at the sight of the two brothers playing around.
Zhao Luoning leaned on Ji Shisu's shoulder and said with a smile, "Do you think it's a waste of Zhaoyan's talent to let him do business? He's born to be good at chess. He could easily win a Go championship."
"No one is born good at chess." Ji Shisu smiled and refuted his wife's words.
"Yes, there is. Back then, Luojing..." At this point, Zhao Luoning stopped.
"Alright, Zhusheng has let go. What else can't you let go of? It's windy here. Let's go back."
Zhao Luoning nodded.
The couple walked hand in hand, slowly following behind the two little rascals.
Zhao Luoning had something on her mind that she didn't tell Ji Shisu.
Back then, before Luojing died, he said that in the next life, he would be reborn as her son and protect her.
If Zhaoyan...
Forget it, forget it. Don't think about such superstitious things.
The young master is peerless in the world.
Let Luojing rest in peace.