After everyone was reborn, I was strictly disciplined.

Jiang Huaijin's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't say another word. His former high spirits had long been replaced by dejection.

He faced Xie Ciwen's direction, his body ramrod straight, and bowed deeply in a deep salute. His shoulders and back trembled slightly, as if he had exhausted all his strength. After a moment, he slowly straightened up, turned around, and walked away step by step.

Xie Ciwen stood still, his gaze following the figure in the wind. The figure was thinned by the evening breeze in the mountains, each step heavy. The uprightness of the chosen one was gone, leaving only an unconcealable desolation and bewilderment, like a pine tree with its branches broken by the wind and rain, even the air around him was tinged with a sense of desolation.

"well......."

A very soft sigh escaped from his throat, dissipating with the mountain breeze.

Xie Ciwen felt a mix of emotions. What a fine young man he should have been, dashing and carefree, how dazzling he was! But now he looked so dejected and lifeless.

He lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the small figure curled up in his arms.

In an instant, all the trouble the little guy had caused in the past flashed through my mind, along with the system's countless tearful accusations.

He couldn't help but raise his fingertip and gently poke Xie Xingran's forehead, his tone full of disappointment: "You, you, what am I supposed to say to you?"

"Second Brother..."

Xie Xingran shrank back when poked, slowly raising her head. Tears still clung to her long eyelashes, her eyes were blurry with tears, and her nose was red, giving her a pitiful look: "Why did you poke Ranran's head?"

Xie Ciwen's heart softened for no reason, and he sighed heavily. He reached out and pulled the little one in his arms closer, the force gentle yet carrying an inescapable restraint.

He carried Xie Xingran in his arms, slowed his pace, and walked down the mountain step by step along the smooth bluestone path worn smooth by time. The soles of his shoes made a soft sound as they rolled over the stones, making the mountainside even more tranquil.

"Ranran, didn't your second brother tell you before not to provoke those chosen ones?"

His voice softened, carrying a hint of weariness as he gave his instructions.

Xie Xingran pursed her lower lip, her little mouth pouting slightly, and she explained in a wronged tone, "I didn't provoke him... I just wanted him to eat a piece of pastry, but he wouldn't eat it, and then he scared me."

As he spoke, he lowered his head again, his fingers nervously twisting Xie Ciwen's clothes, as if he really had been wronged.

Hearing these distorted words, Xie Ciwen knew his younger brother's personality well. He loved to act spoiled and unreasonable, and even when he bullied others, he always acted with a sense of righteous indignation.

But he couldn't help rubbing his temples, feeling a sudden headache.

The Xie family may not be saintly saints, but they are certainly not wicked people either; they always have their own bottom line in their actions.

The Xie family's charitable foundation allocates more than 100 million yuan every year to charitable causes such as helping students in impoverished areas and providing assistance to patients with serious illnesses, without ever withholding a penny.

Throughout their years in business, they have always adhered to the rules and regulations, and have never engaged in tax evasion or malicious suppression of competitors.

Grandpa Xie was extremely strict in educating his three brothers, with strict family rules, teaching them to be reasonable and to abide by the bottom line.

Xie Ciwen kept the old man's teachings in mind from beginning to end.

As a doctor, he was compassionate and did his best to treat every patient. When he encountered patients who were poor and could not afford medical expenses, he would always pay for them out of his own pocket without ever complaining.

But everything changed after Xie Xingran appeared.

The Xie family's bottom line has been breached and lowered time and time again, and they are already on the verge of collapse.

Xie Xingran's actions always skirted the line between law and morality, fraught with peril.

The three brothers tried to persuade, scold, and even punish the little guy, but he always ignored them and showed no remorse. He would only cause more trouble next time.

He always liked to sneakily cause all sorts of trouble when no one was paying attention. When things got out of hand, he would come over crying and clinging to their legs, begging for mercy. His pitiful appearance made it impossible for them to be ruthless.

After all, they were children who had been pampered since childhood. How could they just stand by and watch him go to jail? They could only clean up the mess he left behind and wipe his butts time and time again.

Xie Ciwen was filled with confusion and regret. Xie Xingran was so well-behaved, sensible, and clever when she was a child. Her eyes were full of spirit, and she was very beautiful. Everyone praised her.

But I don't know when it started, he became so rebellious, stubborn, and even more unscrupulous.

Suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, Xie Ciwen composed himself, his tone turning colder as he said in a deep voice, "Then why don't you tell me what you put in that pastry?"

Xie Xingran's face paled instantly, his eyes darting around, his previous confidence gone. But he still stubbornly muttered, trying to sound defiant, "N-no, it was just a tiny bit... a tiny bit of rat poison, wasn't it?"

He had barely finished speaking when he added in a low voice, "As a cultivator and the chosen one, surely he can withstand a little rat poison?"

"Rat poison?"

Xie Ciwen was amused by his words, her chest heaving, her voice rising slightly, her eyes filled with anger and disappointment. Staring at the little one in her arms with his self-righteous expression, she reprimanded him sternly.

"What you put out wasn't rat poison at all, it was Soul-Devouring Powder you bought from the system shop! That stuff is extremely poisonous; if you eat it, your soul will be scattered and you'll die on the spot!"

Seeing that his scheme had been completely exposed and he could no longer deny it, Xie Xingran decided to give up entirely. He squirmed in Xie Ciwen's arms, his little face full of stubbornness and dissatisfaction, and he retorted:

"So what! I just hate Jiang Huaijin! He hit my hand before, and he bullied and scared me!"

He tilted his little face up, his eyes filled with obsession: "He's so bad, why wouldn't I kill him? Why keep him around for the New Year?"

"Xie Xingran!" Xie Ciwen could no longer hold back, shouting angrily, his voice filled with heartache, "What do you take human life for? That's a living, breathing life, not some plaything for you to squander!"

The angry shout was so powerful that Xie Xingran froze instantly. The next second, a heart-wrenching cry erupted, and tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.

"Waaaaah... You yelled at me! You actually yelled at me for a stranger!"

He cried and screamed in Xie Ciwen's arms, kicking and thrashing about, his little voice hoarse from crying: "Waaah...you don't love me anymore! You only care about siding with that Jiang Huaijin, I'm your little brother...I'm the one who..."

"Ranran!"

Hearing his heart-wrenching cries, Xie Ciwen's anger was instantly replaced by helplessness. He felt his temples throbbing and his head throbbing with pain.

He has always been someone who responds better to gentle persuasion than force, and he was completely helpless when faced with Xie Xingran's tears.

In the end, he couldn't bring himself to be harsh. He softened his tone, reached out and gently patted Xie Xingran's back, coaxing, "Alright, alright, don't cry. It was your fault, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

After coaxing her for a while, seeing that Xie Xingran's crying had subsided, he wearily relented: "From now on, you can do whatever you want."

The moment the words left her lips, Xie Xingran stopped crying instantly, abruptly raising her head. Tears still clung to her face, her eyelashes wet and stuck together, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness as she stared directly at Xie Ciwen, her voice filled with disbelief: "Really?"