Xu Xie reached out, her slender fingers brushing her mother's trembling hand with tenderness. "Mother, haven't you taught me since I was small that the Xu family must stand with dignity, no matter the storm? If my brothers have made mistakes, then it's I... your daughter, who must clean up after them. That is also a responsibility."
Her words were soft, but unyielding, and both parents felt the sting of guilt more deeply than any rebuke.
"Xie'er…" Master Xu finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "If what you suspect is true, then your brothers… may already be beyond our reach." His fists clenched, his expression lined with helplessness.
Xu Xie's gaze did not falter. She lifted her chin slightly, the lantern light catching on the determination etched into her delicate features. "I will definitely find them, and drag them to account before Huo Ting Cheng myself."
