Chapter 31: Brothers and Sisters Gather Together

Before Zhang Yue could react, two strong figures rushed in like a gust of wind. One of them even gave him a tight bear hug without waiting for him to speak. Struggling to free himself from that overwhelming enthusiasm, he was almost stunned when he realized it was Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi, his brothers.
Shouldn’t those two be taking shelter on a boat? How did they end up at Daxiangguo Temple?
“Third brother, we’ve finally found you!”
“Hey, just a dozen days apart, and you think we didn’t miss you and Second Brother? Look, you were already not very strong, and after eating only vegetables for over a dozen days, you’ve even lost weight!”
Though he was delighted to see Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi, Zhang Yue’s expression couldn’t stay relaxed as he feared this joy might hide some serious trouble. He turned to ask Mr. Du for support, but upon looking around, he found not a trace of him. Sighing in resignation, he silently prayed that the two hadn’t rushed out recklessly.
“How did you get here? Did you bring anyone with you?”
Zhang Qi’s expression stiffened as he was about to answer, but Zhang Chao spoke first. As the eldest of the third generation of the Zhang family, he patted his chest proudly and said with a smile, “Of course, we got permission from our grandmother and brought enough people with us. That boat prepared by Third Uncle might not look special on the outside, but it’s top-quality from Guangfuji. The cabin has everything you need. I don’t know how Third Uncle managed to get it, but I and Second Brother will definitely take you there someday.”
“That’s right! Compared to those small river boats, this one is much smoother.”
If it were another child, they might have been confused by the brothers’ chatter, but Zhang Yue, though appearing innocent, was actually very experienced. Hearing them talk nonstop, he became even more convinced that Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi had snuck out. The thought that the boat on the Sha River might be in chaos again made his head spin.
Why did everyone in the Zhang family keep causing trouble… including himself.
Suddenly, he thought of another question and quickly asked, “By the way, Daxiangguo Temple has had its gates tightly closed these days, and there are many people living in the sheds outside. How did you get in?”
“That was easy. I just told them we were your eldest and second brothers. Who would dare stop us? Even the two young monks guarding the gates were very polite and brought us straight to your meditation room!”

Zhang Qi spoke cheerfully and animatedly, completely unaware of Zhang Yue’s increasingly grim expression. He then raised his thumb and waved it, saying, “Although Grandma and Third Uncle said it was wrong of you to recklessly take people and run away from home, both my brother and I really admire you. You still remembered Eldest Sister and Second Sister in such a situation, and you even brought Mr. Du along!”
“It’s nothing like that brat Xiao Si—he left his own biological elder sister behind as if nothing had happened and still chatted and laughed in front of Grandma. I really can’t stand his arrogant attitude…”
Zhang Chao muttered resentfully before suddenly remembering that it was his own mother who made the decision at the time, and his expression drooped immediately. He glanced awkwardly at Zhang Yue and then said seriously, “Third Brother, it was Mother who panicked and made a huge mistake that day. Grandma got furious and scolded her, and now she regrets it deeply… Mother definitely didn’t intend to abandon you all. My brother and I can guarantee it… Anyway, since you, Eldest Sister, and Second Sister are fine… uh, Third Brother, you have to believe it…”
Facing Zhang Chao’s incoherent excuses, Zhang Yue rolled his eyes inwardly. Though he was very dissatisfied with Dong Fang’s behavior of abandoning them as children, it wasn’t just Dong Fang who was panicked at the time—the entire Zhang family was in chaos. If anyone was to be blamed, shouldn’t Grandma Gu’s stubbornness also be faulted?
“Elder Brother, we can’t blame Second Aunt for everything that happened back then. Besides, weren’t you and Second Brother worried about us?” He deftly changed the subject and then suggested, “Eldest Sister and Second Sister have been thinking about you all day. They’ll surely be happy to hear you’ve arrived. Come on, let’s go disturb them!”
Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi treated their biological sister Zhang Yi rather indifferently, but they adored their elder sister Zhang Qing very much. At Zhang Yue’s suggestion, they wished they could quickly grow wings and fly over there.
However, the place where Zhang Qing and Zhang Yi lived was on the opposite end of the world from Zhang Yue’s room. After going outside, they had to pass through a stone gate, then the Arhat Hall, and follow a winding path past a row of monks’ quarters before reaching the residences where the women lived. From a distance, Zhang Yue could faintly hear the women’s laughter and voices, and he couldn’t help but feel sorry for some of the poor monks.

The hermitage was hidden among a bamboo grove, offering a truly serene atmosphere. Yet, inside, where the lights were bright, there was continuous laughter and joy. When the three Zhang brothers stepped in and saw the incredible scene, they all froze in shock. The women living there came from several families; usually they kept to themselves and didn’t interact much, but now they were all gathered in the courtyard. The most prominent among them was the eldest daughter of the Zhang family… along with some little kid who appeared out of nowhere!

“Xiao Si… How did that guy, Xiao Si, end up here?”

Zhang Yue gasped, staring intently at his brothers Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi. Seeing them rubbing their eyes as if they were dazed, with expressions of confusion on their faces, he realized he wouldn’t get any answers from them.

In the center of the courtyard, Zhang Qing kept looking at Zhang Jiu’s hand, over and over again, filled with joy. She didn’t even notice anyone else arriving. Although she usually found her spoiled younger brother annoying, she missed him every day during their separation of over ten days. Even his eyes, which seemed to always be on top of her head, seemed adorable to her.

Many of the ladies present had attended the Zhang family’s birthday banquets before and had a deep impression of the four exceptionally handsome young men of the Zhang family. After being startled, they all came out of their rooms. Some expressed their emotions about the siblings’ reunion, some offered congratulations with smiles, and even an kind-hearted old lady shed tears of sympathy.

Amber, who had been watching the scene with a smile, noticed the three brothers standing there like statues. She quickly pulled at Qiu Hen’s sleeve and whispered, “Sister Qiu Hen, it seems those over there are the young master and the second and third young masters!”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Hen immediately looked up. After recognizing who they were, she was utterly confused. Earlier, when the fourth young master arrived, he said the old lady had let him go out out of pity for his longing for his sister. Now, the first and second young masters had also arrived—all four Zhang brothers were gathered here at Daxiangguo Temple. What was going on? Conceiving a possible explanation, she rushed to Zhang Qing’s side in panic and warned her.

“The two younger brothers have also come?”

Zhang Qing was shocked. Turning her head, she saw Zhang Yue waving at her. weren’t those Zhang Chao and Zhang Qi by his side? Being intelligent and perceptive, she quickly realized there was something suspicious in Zhang Jiu’s words. Ignoring the joy of the siblings’ reunion, she squatted down and shouted at Zhang Jiu, “Xiao Si, how on earth did you get out?”

Zhang Jiu stared at his three cousins over there and after a long while, he said proudly, “If my eldest and second brothers came here, then that’s how I’ll come too! Who gave them the right to slander me behind my back, saying I only care about pleasing my grandmother and have forgotten my eldest sister… Eldest sister, I think of you every day…”
Seeing Zhang Jiu sobbing as he threw himself into her arms, Zhang Qing’s heart softened unknowingly, but her head hurt even more.
At this moment, all of the Zhang family’s descendants were gathered at Daxiangguo Temple—things on that boat on the Sha River were about to get out of control!