novelraw Chapter 553 - 552: No One Is More Important Than Tongtong (Part 1)
Chapter 553 - 552: No One Is More Important Than Tongtong (Part 1)
Le Tong fell silent for a long time after hearing Ji Rui’s brief summary.Looking at Yang Sheng’s back again, it seemed even more desolate and lonely.
The story of Yang Sheng’s feelings, as spoken by Ji Rui, was no more than a hundred words, but Yang Sheng’s pain likely stretched long enough to fill all the days since Chu Ran’s disappearance.
"After that, you never met again?" Le Tong knew she sounded silly for asking, as Ji Rui had already made it quite clear.
"No... they never saw each other again, and to this day, Chu Ran’s fate remains unknown..."
Le Tong vaguely knew that Yang Sheng had an unforgettable romantic experience, but she hadn’t expected the details to be even more complicated and cruel than she could have imagined.
"How did Senior Brother make it through?"
At that moment, Le Tong hadn’t fully accepted any connection to the Yang Family in her heart or words, but even if Yang Sheng wasn’t her Brother, he was still the Senior Brother she cared a lot about.
If it weren’t for the Old Master’s words just now, she might never have known that her Senior Brother, who seemed unfazed by anything, who faced even the biggest problems with a smile, had such a wound that might never heal.
Ji Rui raised his eyes and stared at Yang Sheng’s back, "Like dying and being reborn."
Ji Rui’s tone had a hint of nonchalance, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that Yang Sheng had certainly suffered greatly to get through it.
"Hey, how long are you two going to dawdle?" The figure ahead suddenly turned around and shouted at them.
Ji Rui took Le Tong’s hand and quietly reminded her, "In front of Yang Sheng, never mention Chu Ran."
Le Tong nodded, her heart swirling with complex emotions. Fortunately, she was good at pretending. Even though she was upset, when she reached Yang Sheng, she still managed to pull out an infectious smile.
Since Yang Sheng had already put his feelings in order, she naturally couldn’t reopen the wound he had just covered.
"Senior Brother, where’s your gentlemanly demeanor?"
Yang Sheng rolled his eyes at her, probably finding her smile too annoying, and reached out to pinch her cheek.
Had he done this two days ago, Ji Rui would have been certain to get upset. But now, knowing that the two were siblings, Ji Rui didn’t mind at all.
The intimate relationship between the two had made Ji Rui inexplicably jealous from the start.
Back then, Ji Rui couldn’t help but think that perhaps Yang Sheng had really gotten over Chu Ran and fallen for Le Tong without realizing it.
Yet the two of them insisted on claiming they weren’t interested in each other.
In hindsight, what attracted them to each other might well have been the mysterious influence of their blood relation.
Yang Sheng finally let go of Le Tong’s cheek, then glared fiercely at her, asking, "Tongtong, when are you planning to call me Brother?"
Le Tong was taken aback, clearly not expecting Yang Sheng, who had always been mindful of her feelings, to push her like this.
"The Grandpa who did wrong didn’t do it through me, your Brother!" Yang Sheng patted her head and said with a touch of helplessness.
Le Tong didn’t even know why she was being so stubborn. Anyway, it was a bit hard for her to digest and accept that she was a Yang in such a short time.
She usually didn’t like to make things difficult for herself, so she just kept her head down like an ostrich.
"Yang Sheng, don’t push her." Ji Rui defensively pulled Le Tong into his embrace.
His actions clearly showed his stance; no matter what decision Le Tong made about reuniting with her family, Ji Rui would always stand behind her supporting her.
Yang Sheng glared at him, "Rui, you’re speaking from a point of detachment. If Tongtong doesn’t acknowledge you as her boyfriend now, would you be okay with it?"
Ji Rui cast a cold glance at him, "How is that the same?"
Yang Sheng fearlessly returned the glare. "Why not the same? I’m her Brother; it’s just as much a fact as you being her boyfriend!"
Le Tong was caught between the two men, their banter making her ears buzz and her head throb.
"Tsk, it’s just calling you Brother; is it worth shouting so loud?" Le Tong wasn’t a timid girl by nature, and when Yang Sheng pushed her, she just went with it, feeling it wasn’t a big deal.
Moreover, fundamentally, Yang Sheng wasn’t wrong; whether she admitted it or not, her and Yang Sheng’s cousin relationship was an undeniable fact.
"There, be good, let me hear you call me Brother!"
Hearing Le Tong’s reluctant agreement, Yang Sheng immediately pulled out a beaming smile at her.
Le Tong flushed slightly, awkwardly rubbed her nose, hesitated a bit, and said, "Brother..."
Yang Sheng smiled contentedly and ruffled her hair again, sighing with satisfaction, "Ah... finally, I have a like-minded ally!"
Le Tong hadn’t yet figured out the meaning of his words when Ji Rui urgently warned him, "Yang Sheng, I’m warning you, don’t drag her into your messy business with your uncles and cousin brothers."
Le Tong rolled her eyes inwardly, feeling like, in Ji Rui’s eyes, she was just a little rabbit to be easily bullied!
Yang Sheng shrugged, "I really wanted to..."
"You dare!" Brothers a moment ago, they now became tense adversaries.
"Mr. Ji, relax, I wouldn’t dare... and Grandpa wouldn’t allow it!" Yang Sheng didn’t mind Ji Rui’s sudden shift to hostility.
On the contrary, he was now very certain, Ji Rui loves his sister dearly, absolutely.
"What do you mean?"
Ji Rui was well-informed about Yang Sheng and the Yang Family, so he knew that although Old Master Yang appreciated Yang Sheng, he never interfered in Yang Sheng’s disputes with other uncles and cousins.
Now, it appeared that Old Master intended for Le Tong to reclaim her family status. Only Old Master and Yang Sheng knew about this in the Yang Family, so things were still harmonious and peaceful for now.
But sooner or later, Old Master would make Le Tong’s status public, and when that happened, she would become the target of others in the Yang Family, replacing Yang Sheng.
Le Tong, still in her ostrich mentality, of course hadn’t considered these far-reaching implications, but Ji Rui, long accustomed to family strife, couldn’t help but think about them. Ever since Old Master announced Le Tong as the first in line for inheritance, Ji Rui had silently raised his guard to protect her.
So when Ji Rui heard Yang Sheng mention "Alliance Army," he reacted as he did.
"Rui, you don’t understand my Grandpa."
"Nonsense! Why should I try to understand him?!" Ji Rui had always been proud, never thinking he needed to understand that peculiar and crafty old man.
"I’m a boy; my Grandpa thinks I must have the ability to take on everything, but Tongtong is a girl, and in Grandpa’s eyes, girls are meant to be cherished and protected. Moreover, Tongtong is the daughter of his favorite little uncle, and now, in my Grandpa’s eyes, there’s nothing and nobody in the Yang Family more important than Tongtong, you understand?"