They finally reached Madam Xu's lounge, where Lu Shi gestured for her brother to step inside.
Lu Jiang entered first, then lowered himself onto one of the sofas. He didn't speak at once. He simply sat there, eyes fixed on his sister, who lingered in the corner, wringing her hands nervously.
Lu Shi swallowed hard. The silence between them was suffocating. She had never seen her brother like this. He was too silent, and she didn't know what to expect.
"Brother…" she called tentatively.
All she got in response was his silence. His gaze which was fixated on her was stormy and disappointing.
Finally, Lu Jiang's voice cut through the silence. His voice was steady and firm.
"Lu Shi, when we were children, did I ever treat you poorly? Was I ever cruel to you?"
Her lips parted, then closed again. She shook her head quickly. "No, Brother. Never."
