382 MY OFFER, HIS OFFER
It was so hard. Of course.
When Wu Jingguo wanted to believe his brother wholeheartedly, his brother suddenly said something extremely rude to him. Wu Jinhai said that he would not return to Wu Li? Did that mean Wu Jinhai would betray Wu Li? Just because the enemy had an antidote for the poison in his body, Wu Jinhai chose to betray his country? freeweb(n)ovel
Wu Jingguo still couldn’t believe it, but then he could see how Wu Jinhai tried to stand up from his position on the ground. It was clear that Wu Jinhai’s body was still weak, and the older man looked like he would stumble if he didn’t hold on to the wall in time, but Wu Jingguo knew that the older man would not accept his hand even if he extended his hand toward the man.
It was just like what had happened years ago when Wu Jingguo was only nine years old while Wu Jinhai was eleven. Back then, Wu Jinhai had secretly left the palace, but Wu Jingguo had secretly followed the elder Prince as he couldn’t contain his curiosity about where his older brother was going.
At that time, Wu Jinhai had still covered his forehead with bandages, and he had also left the palace in shabby clothes as the boy tried to appear like an ordinary person instead of a Prince. Outside the palace, Wu Jinhai met a group of beggar children, but somehow they thought that Wu Jinhai was more detestable than them, and that was why the children threw stones at the poor boy. Not only that, but they also kicked the boy until he fell to the ground.
After Wu Jinhai helplessly fell to the ground, the group of naughty kids finally left the boy alone, and at that moment, Wu Jingguo immediately dashed over to his big brother. He didn’t dare come out of his hiding place when the naughty children were around because he was too scared of them, but now that the kids had left his brother, he finally dared to come out of hiding before trying to help his brother.
He stretched out his hand to help his brother, but his brother roughly slapped his outstretched hand before shouting at him, ordering him to stay away. Wu Jinhai even scolded him for secretly following him, and regardless of the injuries on his body, Wu Jinhai immediately left him alone. freewebno(v)el
That one incident that happened during their childhood was enough to show that Wu Jinhai indeed did not want to lower his pride even when he was beaten to death. Even when he was at his lowest point, he still wouldn’t lower his head in front of a concubine’s son who had destroyed his family.
Back then, Wu Jingguo didn’t even know the reason why his half-brother kept covering his forehead with bandages. One day, he asked his mother, “Mother, why does my big brother keep wearing bandages on his head? What is hidden under those bandages, Mother? Does he have an illness?”
.....
It was only a naive question coming from an eleven-year-old boy at that time, but his mother frowned upon hearing his question, and her reply sounded more like a scolding in his ear, “What big brother are you talking about? You don’t have any brothers, and you only have to remember that the kid who keeps wearing bandages to cover his forehead is none other than your enemy! You shouldn’t care about him, and you should hate him! Do you hear me?”
It certainly wasn’t the satisfactory answer Wu Jingguo received from his mother, but strangely, he still couldn’t hate his elder brother even after hearing his mother’s lecture.
He hated insects. Why did he hate insects? It was because some of them could bite, and their shape when he looked at them closer was terrifying as well.
He hated summer. Why did he hate summer? It was because summer always made him sweat a lot, and his mother always scolded him for running freely during that season because he would stink if he did that.
He hated fish as his food. Why did he hate fish as his food? It was because he once accidentally swallowed a fish bone, and he even cried because of the pain he felt in his throat. After that one accident, he didn’t want to have fish in his bowl anymore
Little Wu Jingguo thought that hating something or someone needed at least one reason, and he couldn’t find a reason to hate his brother. True, his brother didn’t treat him well, but he didn’t think that was enough of an excuse. The hatred his brother hurled at him didn’t even hurt him, so why should he hate his brother for it?
“You will return to Wu Li with me, gege. I’m sure about that,” Wu Jingguo firmly replied to his elder brother after he was silent for a moment.
Wu Jinhai was indeed still vulnerable, and that was why he did not immediately leave Wu Jingguo as he could only lean his back against the dirty wall behind his body. However, perhaps he still had sufficient strength in his body because he could still sneer at the younger man in this situation, “Why do you think I want to return to Wu Li with you? How are you going to force me to follow you to return to Wu Li? Shao Yaoting made me a good offer, so what would you offer me to beat his offer?”
“...” Wu Jingguo couldn’t answer right away.
His brother sounded very arrogant and distant, and it seemed like extending his hand wouldn’t be enough to reach the older man even if they were standing in front of each other now.
They were physically close to each other, but their minds and hearts were very far from one another, and that was why Wu Jingguo could only use the last ammunition he had in his sleeve as he uttered in response, “You will become the new Crown Prince in Wu Li after you return to the Xinyang Imperial Palace, gege. In the future, you will be the only one who will become the Emperor of Wu Li. Do you think that offer is better than Shao Yaoting’s offer?”
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