"Yes, Young Master. We should get the result soon."
Nan Luo nodded. He looked at the cloth that he used to wipe Nan Hua's blood just now as he gritted his teeth. "How many times?"
"Young Master?"
"How many times would one need to be in pain for them to be oblivious of it?" Nan Luo asked in a low tone. Even now, he still couldn't fight properly when he was in pain. Yet, Nan Hua showed nothing in her expression and not only that, she was still acting as if she could use her hand properly.
Her grip was only to cover up the blood that was oozing out to make sure the assassin didn't notice it.
He did feel pain when Nan Hua was wounded, but he didn't sense anything this time. It was a strange quirk that he sometimes experienced because he was Nan Hua's twin. But lately, he felt that the connection between him and Nan Hua was getting further and further.
Even now... he couldn't sense anything on her.
Hou Lin was silent for some time. "I don't know, Young Master. However, it has to be done so many times."
Splash!
Punching his other hand to the bathtub, Nan Luo looked like he was ready to kill someone right now. He was in complete agony, regret, and desperation. "Just what did that b*stard Nan Shu Cheng did exactly?"
Crouching near the bathtub, Nan Luo cried silently. Both his mother and sister hide it from him in order to let him able to study properly and not treat the Nan Family Residence as hell. They covered everything completely. By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
His cheerful and bright sister had disappeared.
His kind and warm mother was gone.
His world fell apart.
If only he had realized it sooner, would he be able to do something? Most likely no, but Nan Luo still wanted to cling onto the small hope that he should have been able to do something.
To change the things that had happened, to protect the happy childhood he used to have. The time when he didn't have to care about anything.
Hou Lin didn't do anything as he watched Nan Luo cried. The twins looked like they were the closest but it was not the truth. They both were wielding pain that couldn't be described by other people.
One lost her emotion.
One was filled with regret and desperation for not being able to be there, for not realizing for so many years even though they were staying close to each other.
He couldn't do anything but watch and wait.
It was something the two of them had to resolve on their own.
...
"Miss, you're back." Xiao Yun smiled when he saw Nan Hua returned.
Nan Hua looked at Xiao Yun and nodded. She walked to her bed and sat down, her mind still thinking about the expression on Nan Luo's face. There was trace of anger, desperation, sadness, and.... remorse.
Why would her older twin brother felt remorse?
Nan Luo nodded and ignored the fact that Steward Tong's smile actually contained hidden meaning. It was clear that Steward Tong knew something but he kept silent about it since it would be the best option.
"Who died?" Nan Hua asked.
"Replying to Young Miss, the one who died is Su Yu Po along with his wife and servants. No one is left alive in their residence."
Nan Hua nodded. It seemed that Fei Mao and the others did their job. She didn't know that they were asked to kill everyone in the residence, but from the way it looked like, their real order was that.
"Hmm, anything else?"
"Young Master, Old Master Nan also send a message for you to learn more about social interaction. He hoped that you'll have new friend when he returns back," Steward Tong replied.
Nan Luo was stunned speechless. Just what did his grandfather encountered for him to give him such a weird task?
"That's... how should I make friend when I can't even go to the academy?"
"The ban will be lifted up in a few days. At that time, Young Master will be able to meet with new people." Steward Tong smiled.
Nan Luo's lips twitched. He looked at Nan Hua to ask for help, but seeing that she was focusing completely on the book in front of her, he knew that she wouldn't help him....
Grandpa! Just what's in your mind?
...
Old Master Nan's side.
Drap! Drap! Drap!
"This should be the city with the best condition so far." Old Master Nan commented as he entered the city along with the other soldiers.
Long Qian Xing nodded. He was following from behind since his rank was not high enough to stay at the same position as Old Master Nan.
Standing in front of them was a youth in his teenage age. Anyone who saw him would be able to guess that he was still very young. His robe was dirty and slightly tattered but the people around him respected him greatly as they allowed him to stand at the very front.
"Song Chuan greets General Nan."
Old Master Nan nodded. "Raise your head. How's the condition of the city?"
Song Chuan raised his head then began to give brief description of the city after the rebellions started to reach this place. There were some people who wanted to rebel too but they stopped it and didn't allow anyone to do so.
At the same time, he maintained the order of the city and made sure to fight against the rebellions who were trying to enter the city.
Old Master Nan nodded. "In that case, we'll be helping you out to rebuild the city."
"That's a great honor... but how about the rebellions?" Song Chuan asked back in low tone carefully.
"General Chi will take care of it." Old Master Nan originally didn't even want to fight. Thankfully, the one in charge was General Chi and not him, so he could stop here to take care of the aftermath.
There were also some scattered rebels around the area.
With that excuse, he could put himself at the back and didn't need to take care of the main army.