nashuaworldcup Chapter 364 Senior Sister
Chapter 364 Senior Sister
The eldest sister was sitting quietly reading by the window in the warm pavilion. When she saw Luo An enter, she closed her book and stood up: "Master!"
Over the years, the eldest sister has always been respectful and polite, and this cannot be changed no matter what.
Luo An sat down opposite his senior sister, leaning heavily back in his chair, his voice weak and listless: "Why did you come, senior sister?"
The eldest sister smiled and said, "How could I dare not come when the Crown Princess commands? His Majesty's health may not last this year, so the Crown Princess is taking precautions and inquiring about the medicine to bring him back to life in advance."
The old lord of the manor once crafted two elixirs of resurrection; he gave one to the Empress, and kept the other. As for the whereabouts of that remaining elixir, even the lord himself didn't know, let alone me.
Even if he doesn't make it through this year, there's still plenty of time. It's not like he's not coming back. Why does he have to ask Senior Sister to come down the mountain? How can there be such a thing as bringing the dead back to life? The Empress herself proved that the medicine was fake. Why are the Emperor and the Crown Prince in such a hurry?
Luo An frowned slightly: "The Crown Prince asked about this before, and I told him the medicine was fake. The Empress still died later, and I don't know where the medicine is. Why is she asking about Senior Sister again?"
The eldest sister said, "It's not exactly fake. Back then, when the Empress was seriously ill and on the verge of death, she did live for a few more days after taking the medicine. When a person is about to die, their will to live is strong, and they naturally hope to live one more day."
The Crown Princess probably thinks that your relationship with the old master has become distant over the years, and that you don't know much about his lifestyle. She assumed that because I'm older and a woman, and usually more perceptive, the old master might have told me these things, or that I could figure them out from his habits.
No! That's not how it works!
His relationship with his father was distant, but his father never missed anything he needed to teach, say, or explain. The distant relationship was simply a matter of personality. The father-son bond remained, and his father wouldn't keep important matters from him by telling his eldest sister.
Luo An asked, "Senior Sister, did the Crown Princess make things difficult for you?"
The tone was quite protective of her own, and the eldest sister was taken aback for a moment before laughing, "How could the Crown Princess make things difficult for me? She took me to see the Emperor, took me for a walk in the garden, and chatted with me."
She thought I was too plain and insisted on giving me jewelry, but I refused. The Crown Princess is clever; even if she suspects or doesn't believe something, she won't show it. She actually…
The eldest sister paused for a moment, then said, "...He's the same kind of person as the Crown Prince."
What does Nanhua suspect? What is it that he doesn't believe his senior sister is saying? What is Nanhua really thinking?
The room was quiet. Two swallows landed on the window frame one after the other, chirped a few times, and then flew away together.
The eldest sister followed the swallow's gaze and sighed, "Time flies so fast, it's spring again."
Yes, time flies. He's known his senior sister for almost twenty years! She raised him to adulthood, and he's witnessed her transform from a little girl into the middle-aged woman she is today.
Everyone's appearance has changed, but the only thing that hasn't changed is that the senior sister has been the same person for the past twenty years.
Luo An suddenly remembered that Nian Yao had once asked him why his senior sister, who was not young anymore, had not gotten married and had children. He had never thought that this was a questionable matter; it was simply a matter of personal freedom.
If even someone like him, who never thought about getting married, got married, then why doesn't Senior Sister get married and have children?
He's already so old, yet his eldest sister is still so gentle and kind to him. Is it because an elder sister is like a mother to him?
Seeing the concern in her senior sister's eyes, Luo An forced himself not to think further and changed the subject: "Senior sister, do I look like Dad?"
If they weren't face to face, the eldest sister would have doubted her hearing. She thought for a moment before answering seriously, "The manor lord's double eyelids and high nose bridge are most like the old manor lord's. However, the old manor lord once said that the manor lord is three parts like his father and seven parts like his mother."
Luo An asked, "Has Senior Sister met the Empress?"
The senior sister replied frankly, "I've met her."
Luo An was stunned.
The eldest sister smiled and said, "There is no portrait of the Empress in Heaven and Earth, but whenever the old master couldn't sleep, he would draw one, go to sleep after drawing it, and burn it after waking up at dawn. I get up early, and I can see it every time I go to the old master's room to tidy up."
Luo An never mentions his mother, and if someone accidentally brings it up in front of him, he never gives them a pleasant look. Today, not only did he bring it up himself, but his tone and expression were also very calm.
The eldest sister was very pleased: "The master of the manor doesn't like to talk. He keeps many things in his heart and never says them. I can't share his burden. I can only do my best to manage the manor in an orderly manner. I hope that within my capabilities, I can reduce the master's worries."
I just hope you won't keep everything bottled up inside. You didn't want to talk to me before, but now you can at least talk to your wife. In this world, everything is trivial except for life and death. Many small things, if kept quiet, can be suffocating, but once you say them, they're really nothing.
Life is short; a more open-minded approach will make you happier and more comfortable. If the old master of the manor could see you like this now, he would surely be much more at ease.
Luo An felt somewhat ashamed: "Over the years, neither my father nor I have fulfilled our duties as the leader of the gang. It's all thanks to Senior Sister's hard work."
The eldest sister shook her head: "Master, you are too kind. Whether it is the old master or the current master, they are both kind-hearted people."
Luo An never imagined that his kindness would be used against him: "Senior Sister, Nian Yao always says I'm pretentious..."
"No," the senior sister said firmly, "The guild leader isn't pretentious."
No matter when or what happens, the eldest sister always stands by his side, affirming him, caring for him, and loving him. She never questions or denies him, nor does she agree with his questioning or denial of himself.
Luo An's eyes welled up with tears: "Nian Yao is right. My father, my senior sister, my uncles and aunts, the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, and many other people have all been very kind and tolerant to me."
Looking back at myself, I'm actually quite cold and willful towards my father, my senior sister, and everyone else. I say and do things without rarely considering others.
If any disciple in the manor had said such words and reflected on them, the eldest disciple would have praised them. But Luo An's words made the eldest disciple somewhat worried.
The eldest sister carefully examined Luo An, her tone concerned: "Master, you don't look well. What happened?"
Luo An reached out and touched his face: "Maybe he's tired from traveling."
The eldest sister stood up: "Then, Master, please rest well. I have many things to attend to at the manor, so I'll head back first."
Luo An saw his senior sister out, and as he turned the corner of the corridor, he saw Guan Xin.
Guan Xin stared blankly at the tree roots. When she turned her head and saw her senior sister, she was startled and took two steps back, almost falling.
The eldest sister stopped in her tracks: "Master, please rest. There's no need to see me off. Once you're done here, please take your wife back to the manor to recuperate. Miss Guan..."
When Guan Xin heard her senior sister call her, she took two steps forward but didn't get closer. She said to Luo An, "Young Master, Young Master Xu is taking a bath in the hot spring. I brought him a set of your clothes."
Seeing Guan Xin's timid demeanor, Luo An assumed that the girl from a small town was not used to meeting strangers and comforted her, "It's alright. This is my senior sister. She's a very nice person, so you don't need to be afraid."
The eldest sister said, "This house is quite large. I'd appreciate it if Miss Guan could show me the way."