Li Xiu glanced at Ping'an, rubbed his forehead in resignation, and got up. He went to the door and told the squad leader to quietly ask Ping Jing to come over from the garden.
'It's best to get this over with quickly,' he thought. 'Ping'an is about to collapse. He has to rush back tonight. If we solve this now, he can get some proper rest. If we don't, he won't be able to rest at all!'
"Brother, why is being a person so hard?" Ping'an mumbled to Li Xiu, looking dejected.
"This is what you call hard? What will you do in the future? Is that all the backbone you have? Pull yourself together!" Seeing the listless and utterly demoralized Ping'an, Li Xiu's heart ached. In both his lives, his family ties had been weak. Although he was on good terms with Li Bao and the others, Ping'an was different in his eyes. He was a younger brother, a friend, a confidant—perhaps all of the above.
