Resplendent – Chapter 408

Chapter 408: Returning the Pearl

Gu Ming’s eyes and nose were red, his voice muffled and hoarse as he said, “Ye’er is my sister, and I’m willing to take care of her! No need for your thanks! Sister…”

“Brother, you and Grandpa will always be my family!” Gu Ye looked at him, a faint sting of emotion rising in her heart. 

She understood this feeling. It was like a beloved pet, raised since childhood, suddenly being taken away by someone else—ugh, ugh! She was not a pet! She was a beautiful, adorable, genius pharmacist!

“Sister is right! You and Grandpa Gu are also our family!” Chu Mufeng naturally replaced the term Sister Ye’er with simply Sister, a surge of deep emotion swelling in his chest. Looking at Gu Ye, his nose tingled, and he nearly couldn’t hold back the heroic tears threatening to spill from beneath his hand.

He had been so foolish! His sister was right in front of him, yet he had missed her. If only he had been as steadfast as Chu Mushan back then, his sister would have reclaimed her status as the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhen over a year ago. She would have suffered far less hardship and danger.

Thinking of the past year: the poisonings at her pharmaceutical factory, her treating patients with pox, her constant exposure to the smallpox virus… if anything had happened, even if he were to tear himself apart, it could never erase the regret and guilt in his heart.

And then recalling what he had learned from the Jun family, all of his sister’s past hardships… Remembering how, in Nameless Town, she had almost been sold off by her cruel foster parents… 

Hot tears surged uncontrollably down his face. He lifted his head, a wave of pain swelling in his chest. 

How had his sister endured all these years?

“Chen Da, take the brothers and continue patrolling!” With his sister finally found, how could he focus on duty now? Chu Mufeng gave the order decisively and efficiently!

“Don’t worry, Boss!” Chen Da, though a bit rough around the edges, was utterly loyal once he pledged himself to someone. Born into the noble circles of the capital, how could he not know about the Chu family’s lost daughter?

Ever since the Chu family’s case was overturned, they had been searching for their daughter for three years, yet found nothing—until today, when she was recognized on the street. 

Heh! Truth be told. She really did resemble the sixth son of the Chu family. And she was even a little pharmacist! Chen Da gave Gu Ye a cheeky grin: “Boss’s little sister is our little sister too. Hello there, little pharmacist!”

Gu Ye froze, caught between amusement and exasperation. She wanted to respond, but by the time she opened her mouth, he had swung himself onto his horse and was swaying away. Where did this goofball suddenly come from?

“Little sister, don’t pay him any mind!” Chu Mushan, having just officially recognized his sister, was overjoyed.

There was no way he’d let anyone else try to get a piece of the attention. His sister had returned! He had found her!

Chu Mushan held his sister’s tiny hand—soft, delicate, exactly like he remembered when she was first born, and he had sneaked a touch of her little hand while their father wasn’t looking. Uh… it was just a little thinner than he remembered!

“Let’s go home! We’ll make Father and Mother happy too!” Chu Mushan carefully held his sister’s hand and glanced at the two young men beside her. The other one in the pharmacist’s uniform. Was he also her foster brother? “You two can come along too!”

Gu Ming firmly stood behind Gu Ye. Wherever she went, he would be there. With the Chu family’s status and influence, who knew how the rest of the household would treat her? If anyone treated her badly, he would never leave her there!

As for Jiang Zhongtian, having just witnessed the dramatic reunion, he looked a bit dazed. After all, this was his Aunt Master’s personal matter. It wasn’t his place to interfere. So he said to Gu Ye: “Little Aunt Master, I’ll head back to the inn first. Three days from now, there’ll be a small-scale gathering of pharmacists. I’ll come fetch you then!”

Little Aunt Master? Ah, so he’s her junior nephew in the sect! 

With one less person competing for his sister, Chu Mushan was in an excellent mood and hurriedly said before his sister could respond: “Good, good! In three days, have someone come to the West City’s Duke of Zhenguo Manor to fetch my sister. Don’t go to the wrong place!” 

Gu Ye could only laugh and shake her head. She hadn’t even decided what she wanted to do next, yet this Sixth Brother had already made the decision for her. Of course, the Duke of Zhen family would never allow their bloodline to remain outside the family. Especially since this was their only daughter, whom they had been searching for all these years!

Yue Yuan, standing behind her, was overwhelmed with excitement. 

The Duke of Zhenguo? The young lady belonged to the Duke Zhen household? That’s perfect! Now there was no issue of status preventing her marriage to her master!

Chu Mushan had the servants fetch a carriage and politely helped his sister up. Just as he was about to jump in himself, a dark shadow beat him to it. Focusing carefully, he realized it was his sister’s foster brother. Well, if the sister he had been with and cared for over the past thirteen years suddenly belonged to someone else, it would be hard for him to accept too. He will endure it!

Once seated in the carriage, he fussed over Gu Ye, asking if she was cold or uncomfortable. Gu Ming shot him sharp glances—You little brat, what do you mean? Do you think my sister is bound to suffer if she stays with me?

Chu Mushan defiantly glared back: Sure, you’ve raised her for over ten years. But my sweet, obedient sister has been with you for thirteen years. You share a lifetime of memories. Don’t you see how unfair that is?!

Watching these two ‘cockfighting’ big boys, their eyes full of sparks, Gu Ye felt utterly helpless. Both were her brothers; siding with either was impossible. So she decided, out of sight, out of mind, and closed her eyes to pretend to sleep.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chu Mushan kept an eye on his ‘sleeping’ sister. Seeing her pretend, he quickly took off his outer coat and draped it over her—Don’t catch a cold!

Gu Ming carefully removed Chu Mushan’s coat from his sister and threw it back, glaring: It’s already so stuffy in this carriage. If she covers herself and gets overheated, can you take responsibility?

Chu Xiaoliu huffed softly and gently covered his sister again.Today’s temperature was the lowest in days. She looked thin and fragile, her face barely the size of his palm. He absolutely could not let her catch a chill.

Gu Ming furrowed his brow and yanked the coat off again, tossing it back to him. 

Chu Mushan’s chest heaved violently a few times, but he held back his temper and continued covering his sister with the coat. 

Gu Ming reached out to stop him, and the two began a back-and-forth struggle inside the carriage. 

Yue Yuan stayed alert, shielding the young lady, worried that one of the two young masters might accidentally hurt her.

“Are you guys done? Don’t you care if you wreck the carriage?” Gu Ye could no longer pretend to sleep. Exasperated, she opened her eyes and intervened, stopping the two childish boys.

The two froze mid-struggle, glared at each other, and simultaneously let out a ‘hmph’ before turning their heads aside. Gu Ye shook her head, then pulled a big, bright red apple out of her pouch (space) and popped it into her mouth, crunching loudly—’crunch, crunch.’ Sweet, crisp, and juicy—it was delicious!

Chu Mushan glanced at the pouch hanging at his sister’s waist, about the size of the apple. Wait… that pouch just held an apple? He had been too focused on recognizing his sister to notice whether the pouch was bulging or flat.