Qiao Zhao lowered her eyes to stare at her elder brother’s hand covering the back of hers.

Her brother’s hand was much larger than hers, slender and fair, yet much rougher than she remembered.

From Jia Feng to the Capital, bringing along his younger sister, her brother had endured countless hardships. Thinking of it this way, she was quite fortunate—first following Chi Can and the others, then following Grandpa Li.

Grandpa Li had not only protected her safe return to the Capital, but also ensured her smooth return to the Li family. In both her past and present lives, how much help and care had Grandpa Li given her?

Separation in life, parting in death—why was living so full of suffering?

Qiao Zhao’s dazed expression made Qiao Mo’s heart ache. He placed both hands on her shoulders and called out: “Zhaozhao, Zhaozhao—”

Qiao Zhao raised her eyes to look at Qiao Mo.

Although her brother appeared relatively calm, wasn’t there also deep pain in his eyes?

Grandpa Li had met with disaster while searching for medicine to treat Big Brother. She couldn’t appear so grief-stricken, or Big Brother would feel even more guilty.

“Big Brother, I’m fine…”

Qiao Mo pulled Qiao Zhao into his embrace and sighed softly: “Big Brother would rather you cry it out.”

From a distance, Shao Mingyuan watched the two embracing figures, his expression complex.

Qiao Zhao leaned against Qiao Mo’s shoulder and caught sight of the person by the silk tree. She pushed away from Qiao Mo and ran toward him, lifting her skirts.

Shao Mingyuan, who had originally intended to turn and leave, remained standing in place.

Qiao Zhao ran up to Shao Mingyuan.

“Miss Li—”

“You said you would protect Physician Li well.” Qiao Zhao’s tone was cold and harsh.

Shao Mingyuan felt a suffocating discomfort in his chest that made speaking difficult: “I’m sorry…”

“What use is being sorry when the person is already gone?” Qiao Zhao’s tone grew agitated. “Shao Mingyuan, can you protect the people you want to protect? If you can’t, then don’t make such promises in the future!”

“I—” Shao Mingyuan looked down at the girl with her cold expression, feeling a dull pain in his chest.

Miss Li’s accusation was correct. He was indeed this incompetent, always failing to protect those he most wanted to protect.

It had been so with his wife, and now it was so with Physician Li.

“I’m truly very sorry.” Seeing the girl’s eyes slightly lowered, as if she didn’t want to see him, Shao Mingyuan smiled self-mockingly, his tone still calm. “Miss Li, regardless of everything, the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences. I’ll go handle some matters and return shortly.”

At this time, it would be perfect for Uncle to comfort Miss Li. He need not remain here being an eyesore.

Shao Mingyuan nodded to Qiao Zhao and turned to leave.

Qiao Zhao had already calmed down and called out: “General Shao—”

Shao Mingyuan stopped and turned around, looking at her with calm eyes.

Qiao Zhao bowed slightly: “I’m sorry, I lost my composure just now.”

“Miss Li spoke correctly. It is indeed my failure.”

Qiao Zhao shook her head: “No, I was taking my anger out on General Shao. I know that human strength is insignificant before natural disasters. This cannot be blamed on General Shao. I was just—”

She choked up slightly and quickly wiped the corner of her eye: “Just too heartbroken, so I spoke without thinking—”

She knew it couldn’t be blamed on Shao Mingyuan, but seeing him, she couldn’t help feeling wronged, even wanting to give him a thorough beating without restraint.

But he would also be sad, wouldn’t he?

Looking at the girl with reddened eyes, Shao Mingyuan very much wanted to embrace her and offer gentle comfort like Qiao Mo had, but given his position, he had no right to do so.

He could only show a gentle smile and comfort her: “I understand Miss Li’s feelings. If you’re sad, just cry it out. Keeping it bottled up inside will harm your health.”

At this moment, Qiao Mo walked over.

Qiao Zhao forced a smile: “Big Brother, General Shao, I’d like to go home first.”

“Zhaozhao—”

“Big Brother, don’t worry. I’m fine. I’ll come again tomorrow.”

Qiao Mo sighed inwardly and said to Shao Mingyuan, “General Shao, I trouble you to escort Zhaozhao out.”

On the way out of the residence, Qiao Zhao remained very quiet. Shao Mingyuan wanted to offer words of comfort several times, but ultimately said nothing.

He was destined not to be the one to offer her a shoulder to lean on.

“General Shao, please stop here.” Qiao Zhao stopped at the gate.

“I’ll see you to the carriage.”

At this moment, Qiao Zhao had no mood to decline. She nodded and walked out silently.

The carriage was parked outside the corner gate.

Shao Mingyuan personally lifted the carriage curtain for Qiao Zhao. After she bent down and got into the carriage and gradually departed, only then did he return.

Qiao Mo still sat in the pavilion, staring at the unfinished chess game before him in a daze.

Shao Mingyuan sat down across from him: “Miss Li has left. She seemed relatively calm.”

“That’s precisely why I’m worried. She’s afraid I’ll feel guilty, so she doesn’t dare cry in front of me.” Qiao Mo said with a bitter tone.

“Uncle understands Miss Li very well.”

Qiao Mo looked deeply at Shao Mingyuan.

Looking at his calm brows and eyes, an impulse arose in his heart: if he told Marquis Guanjun about Zhaozhao’s true identity, what would his reaction be? Would he still be as calm and self-possessed as he was now?

Noticing that Qiao Mo’s expression seemed somewhat unusual, Shao Mingyuan couldn’t help asking: “Uncle?”

Qiao Mo directed his gaze into the distance: “Sometimes I think it would be wonderful if Miss Li were my real sister.”

Shao Mingyuan smiled: “Uncle and Miss Li are sworn siblings. You can completely treat her as a real sister.”

“No.” Qiao Mo withdrew his gaze to look at Shao Mingyuan, speaking meaningfully: “Sometimes I feel as if she’s my eldest sister come back to life.”

Shao Mingyuan’s heart beat rapidly several times, so much so that he could hear the thumping of his heartbeat.

How wonderful it would be if that were true, but this was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Qiao Mo waited for Shao Mingyuan’s reaction, but the other party seemed bewitched, not making a sound for a long time.

Qiao Mo had no choice but to cough lightly.

Shao Mingyuan suppressed his chaotic thoughts and said expressionlessly: “Even if they’re similar, they’re still two different people.”

He responded to Qiao Mo this way, but even after returning to his study, his heart remained in turmoil—sometimes it was Qiao Mo’s inexplicable words, sometimes it was the girl’s reddened eyes.

After sitting silently in the study for a while, Shao Mingyuan pushed open the door and went to Chen Guang’s quarters.

“General—” Chen Guang was languidly leaning against the headboard, eating grapes. Seeing Shao Mingyuan enter, he quickly straightened up.

Shao Mingyuan gestured for him to lie back down.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Almost completely recovered. This subordinate could report for duty now.”

“Wait until you’re fully healed.”

“Yes.” Noticing that the General seemed somewhat off, Chen Guang obediently agreed.

After waiting quite a while without Shao Mingyuan speaking again, Chen Guang carefully asked: “General, do you have other business?”

Staring at him without speaking was making him too embarrassed to even eat his grapes.

“Chen Guang, let me ask you a question.”

“Please speak, General.”

“If someone is very sad, and as an ordinary friend you don’t know how to comfort them, what should you do?”

“You’re talking about Miss Li, aren’t you?” Chen Guang blurted out.

Shao Mingyuan gave him a cold look.

Chen Guang quickly covered his mouth: “A slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue. This subordinate knows—just ordinary friends.”

“Stop being long-winded! Answer my question.”

“Let this subordinate think about it.” Chen Guang pondered for a moment, then his eyes lit up: “I’ve got it!”