Her body was something she knew best. During those long stretches of time, devoid of any sense of day or night, she had clung to a thread of consciousness, forcing herself not to collapse. She still had many people she cherished...
Yet, at this moment, her skeletal frame seemed infused with immense strength.
"My dear little sister, what are you looking at? Am I not better-looking than your hand? And after so many years apart, don't you miss me? I've missed you terribly."
The man grinned maliciously, looking at the woman on the ground, whose delicate beauty remained despite her emaciated appearance.
Yun Shu Rong continued to gaze at herself intently, as if admiring something beautiful. "Doesn't Big Brother always know that his sister is beautiful? Less nonsense, where is my younger brother?"
Only then did her gaze slowly shift to the man on the chair. After so many years, this person hadn't changed at all, still as detestable as ever.
The man wasn't in a hurry to speak. He gently rubbed the large thumb ring on his left hand. His subordinates, understanding his intent, approached the woman with a document. "Eldest Miss, please sign this."
Yun Shu Rong stared blankly at the document, a pile of seemingly light papers that felt immensely heavy in her heart.
She had never imagined that her parents wouldn't leave the inheritance to her capable elder brother, nor to her younger brother, but instead to her, who was to be married off.
An overwhelming wave of sorrow and bitterness surged within her...
After a while, she turned her head away. Even if she was unworthy, he was even less qualified. For the inheritance to fall into his hands, he must have pulled many strings back then.
"Sister, it's not that I, your brother, am saying this to you, but people shouldn't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. On my territory, do you have any other choice?"
Yun Shu Rong remained silent, watching his suddenly darkening expression. It was possible that her younger brother couldn't be found precisely because of him. Fortunately, she was the heir, and her brother had hidden himself well.
Since he wouldn't let her see her brother, it meant he wasn't in his possession, which also relieved her. Let her bear all of this. She was a sinner in the first place.
"Seeing that Sister isn't speaking to Big Brother, she intends to defy me to the end. It seems Sister has really become capable over the years, enduring so much hardship. I wonder how long your bones can hold up? Guards, attend to Eldest Miss."
Yun Shu Rong's refusal to sign made him lose his patience.
Soon, a servant brought over a slender bamboo whip. Upon closer inspection, one could see countless barbs on it.
"Be gentle, my sister has delicate skin and was pampered. The main thing is that she's all bones now, so a little pain is fine. If the blood vessels rupture from a strike, that would be difficult to manage."
Looking at the sinister expression of the man leading them, everyone standing there trembled. They lived in constant fear around the master, terrified of facing dire consequences if they displeyed him.
The woman before them was the best example. Even though she was the Eldest Miss, within this household, the master was supreme. Offending him meant a dead end.
When Yun Shu Rong saw the servant approaching with the bamboo whip, it was natural for her to be afraid. But she couldn't retreat, and she had nowhere else to go. It would be fine, a little grit and she'd get through it.
Seeing the Eldest Miss in such a ghastly state, the servant felt a pang of pity. However, if she didn't strike, she wouldn't leave here alive.
Thus, she raised the whip and brought it down.
"Ah!"
As soon as the bamboo whip landed, Yun Shu Rong couldn't help but let out a scream. The barbs dug into her flesh, causing intense pain. It truly hurt, making her soul tremble and her nerves convulse.
"Tsk tsk tsk, I almost feel pity myself. What's wrong with a little sister bowing to her brother? This pain is unbearable for most people~"
"Yun Jian Zhong, even if you beat me to death today, I will not sign." Yun Shu Rong gritted her teeth, enduring the pain. The Yun Corporation was the culmination of her parents' hard work, and she would never hand it over to someone like him.
"Still so stubborn. Since my sister has said so, do you understand what needs to be done?"
He truly believed in the saying 'see the coffin before shedding tears.' He had a hundred ways to deal with her.
"Yes." The servant quickly replied, unable to understand why the Eldest Miss insisted on confronting the Master. Did money truly matter more than life?
As two more lashes fell, she heard the man behind her say in a toneless voice, "Continue."
There was no other way, the servant had to continue. She forced herself not to look at the Eldest Miss's bloody state.
Yun Shu Rong on the ground was losing consciousness. She couldn't bear any more of this pain. It was too difficult. If she had to endure this forever, she would rather die. It was just a pity for her younger brother, and for... her daughter Qian Qian.
That's right, this was Tong Mu Qing, who had left a letter for Lan Qian Qian and departed. She knew this place was a dangerous abyss, so she hadn't told her where she was going. She thought she... would be able to return.
But she hadn't expected her elder brother to become so cruel and ruthless over the years, now intending to kill her. She knew it would be difficult to escape from here, so...
She wanted to end her own life, to not burden anyone. However, she truly couldn't let go of Qian Qian. How could her daughter, who was raising three children alone, bear it? Her poor daughter...
"Muzzle her mouth and beat her hard!" Yun Jian Zhong, seeing her attempt to bite her tongue, narrowed his eyes and commanded the servant with a hint of malice.
The servant was already trembling all over, but she still followed the man's orders, clamping the woman's mouth shut and stuffing a dirty cloth into it. Feeling the warmth on her fingers, the servant's fear of the Master reached an extreme.
She increased the force in her hands. Within moments, Tong Mu Qing had fainted.
The servant bent down and slightly raised her head to look at the man. Seeing him wave his hand, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Drag her back. This cheap bone, I'll see how long she can last."
...
When Tong Mu Qing woke up again, it was pitch black. She knew she had returned to that dark, cold room.
She tried her best to ignore the pervasive pain in her body, her mind filled with thoughts of beloved people and events.
She remembered her parents. They loved each other dearly and cherished her the most. Even her younger brother envied her. Because her parents treated her well, she treated her brother even better. Their family lived a happy, ideal life.
Until one day, a child around ten years old, who seemed even older than her, insisted on breaking into their home, claiming to be their father's child. Her mother was heartbroken at the time and fell gravely ill because of it.
The child indeed resembled their father greatly, and the paternity test results soon came out, confirming it.
That day, her father knelt and confessed to her mother, saying that he had been drugged at a banquet and had a one-night stand with another woman. When he woke up, she was gone. He had searched for her, but it was only to get her contraception. However, he hadn't found her.
Her mother, though hurt by this, loved her father more and decided to welcome the child into their home. After asking him, she learned that his mother had already died. His mother had told him these things before she died.
And so, their lives seemed to remain largely unchanged. Occasionally, this elder brother would cause trouble, but it was always trivial.