Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C285. The Brothers Yearning for Growth.

Chapter 285: The Brothers Yearning for Growth

Inside the inner courtyard of the Hua residence, a tense exchange unfolded.

Yang Sui’an and Hua Bailin shoved Xiao Liu into a room, slamming the door shut behind them. They flanked him, their expressions sharp and unyielding. Hua Bailin cut straight to the point, his voice steely.

“Xiao Liu, you’ve been sticking close to our eldest sister, haven’t you?”

Xiao Liu hesitated, unsure of their motives, but eventually gave a cautious nod.

“Then explain something,” Hua Bailin demanded, his tone growing harsher. “Why does our eldest sister smell like medicine? Has she been hurt?”

Xiao Liu’s thoughts raced. Sister Hua was tough as nails—she wouldn’t breathe a word about her injuries at home. She knew better.

Even if she confessed, what good would it do?

She’d only end up comforting everyone else instead of being comforted herself.

But Hua Bailin needed to know. They both did. This wasn’t just about protecting her pride. It was about ensuring she wasn’t suffering in silence anymore. She could have stayed safe within the walls of the Hua residence, untouchable, but for the sake of the family, she’d willingly thrown herself into danger.

Xiao Liu clenched his jaw. The truth had to come out. Without saying a word, he began unbuttoning his robe.

“Xiao Liu, what are you doing?” Hua Bailin’s voice faltered, suspicion and realization dawning all at once. He fell silent, his eyes locked on Xiao Liu.

As Xiao Liu tugged down his middle garment, the proof was undeniable. A stark pink scar marred his arm, its presence loud and damning.

Here’s a rephrased, casual, detailed, and direct version with a sharper tone:

"There are three more wounds like this. Eldest Sister's injuries? They're far worse than mine." Xiao Liu locked eyes with the stunned pair, his voice calm but cutting as he slowly tied his robe back together. "You’re wondering if we ran into trouble on our trip? Damn right, we did. We got ambushed at the docks—local thugs thought they could trap us. Hundreds of them came at us. And you know what? Eldest Sister didn’t back down. Not one step."

"When did she... when did Eldest Sister learn martial arts?" Hua Bailin stammered, the question almost more for himself than anyone else. He couldn’t remember a time she’d trained, but then again, his eldest sister always seemed capable of things that left him in the dust.

Yang Sui’an, a few years older and clearly sharper, pushed further. "Did she cross someone’s line? Stir up someone’s business? And more importantly—did you deal with it?"

Xiao Liu smirked, his words dripping with sarcasm. "You two live with her and still forget how jaw-dropping Sister Hua is? Let me spell it out—men outside notice. They aren’t blind. It’s no mystery why some would get stupid over her."

Silence.

The two brothers hadn’t thought about it from that angle. Xiao Liu’s bluntness hit them like a brick, leaving them torn between amusement and a swelling pride. Their sister wasn’t just impressive—she was extraordinary.

It was in that moment Xiao Liu realized how much the journey had hardened him. Just a month ago, he was no different from Bai Lin, caught up in the petty politics of the capital.

Now? He saw everything differently.

He looked at Bai Lin and thought, Too soft, too naive. That’ll get him killed. He itched to knock some sense into him.