Her Six Tigers

The only word they could think of was pain.

The pain Rong Xinghe felt when she was thrown down the running train, discarded like some trash. The pain that echoed in her screams throughout that long, cold night—unheard and unanswered. The pain that had lived in her body for two months, gnawing at her soul, stealing her breath.

"I fucking knew it!" Zhi Xi scowled, his voice filled with ferocious rage.

"That bastard is dead.", Lu Wei hissed through gritted teeth, his fists clenched so tightly the knuckles turned white.

The sheer mention of Rong Yufan's name had sparked a wildfire in their chests. But Mo Zixuan's eyes remained focused on her, watching his little angel quietly—the girl who had endured far too much for far too long.

"What do you want us to do, Kid?", Mo Zixuan asked softly, his voice strained as he battled his own volcanic rage. He knew better than anyone that this wasn't just about vengeance. It was about her—what she wanted, and what she didn't. His restless form calmed only as he massaged her head absent-mindedly, the desire to tear the Rongs apart for what they had done burning him from the inside. Yet, he wouldn't take a step without her consent.

Rong Xinghe's eyes flickered between her eldest two brothers—Lu Wei and Zhi Xi—her expression nervous. She wasn't just worried about Rong Yufan anymore.

"Did anyone come to see me?", she asked, her voice weak and raspy, bracing herself for the answer she already knew. She stared hard at Lu Wei and Zhi Xi, her strong pillars of strength, the ones she could trust would tell her the naked truths.

Lu Wei exhaled a shuddery breath, reaching for the girl's thin hand, "They didn't, Kiddo. They expected you to die."

His words hit her like a strong tidal wave, but she didn't flinch. She had to hear it—needed to hear it.

"They never came to see you, not once in these two months.", he resumed after a short pause, his eyes dark with concealed fury, "And my sources confirmed it wasn't just Rong Yufan. The sick plot... it came from your grandparents. Your grandfather and grandmother planned this, thinking you were a disgrace to the Rong family after you sang in front of millions in Ilveria, on such a global stage. To them, you ruined the 'respect' they cling to so desperately. You know how they look down on anyone in the entertainment industry, princess."

Rong Xinghe's chest tightened, as she processed her eldest brother's words. She turned to Zhi Xi for confirmation, her eyes pleading for a soft lie, something that would ease the pang in her chest. But Zhi Xi nodded gravely. There would be no comfort in deceiving her today.

"They've always hated me.", she murmured, her voice barely audible, the brutal realization sinking deeper into her bones. The Rong family's monstrosity wasn't new, but this—this attack—left a deeper scar than she had expected.

Her grandparents had never approved of her love for music, but it wasn't the industry they hated—it was her. Because she was a girl. Because she wasn't the son they had hoped to carry on the Rong legacy. She and her twin sister, Rong Xiao, had been nothing but disappointments from the second they were born. And now, they had shifted their expectancies to Rong Yufan, her second uncle's illegitimate son.

She had always been the rightful heir, her father Rong Ming had made that clear—he had never allowed their poisonous opinions to taint his fondness for his daughters. But to the rest of the Rong family clan, she was just an obstacle. An obstacle that now, with this brutal attack, they thought they had finally cleared.

Lu Wei's voice penetrated through her thoughts again, this time softer, more gentle, "This was not about Rong Yufan attempting to kill you. This attack—it was their way of getting rid of you for good, Xinghe."

A silence spread across the room, thick with tension. Her Six sworn brothers stood ready for her command, though none of them would make a move without her word.

"What do you want us to do?", Zhi Xi placed his question again, his voice filled with a raw, simmering intensity, "Say the word, and we'll burn them to the ground. Every last one of them."

Rong Xinghe lifted her gaze to meet his, tears of helpless indignation and quiet rage flowing down her face. The pain was still there, gnawing at her, but there was something else now—a fire equivalent to her brothers surrounding her.

"I will never cross the threshold of the Rong family mansion again.", she said a minute later, her voice trembling as she tried to steady it, "I never want to feel as powerless as I felt that night, brothers.", she clutched onto her Bro Lu's hand desperately, her entire body shaking with anxiety, "Please. I know I am asking a lot from you, but please, I never want to see them again."

Her six sworn brothers were taken aback by the resolution in her words. When they turned to look at her, they found no trace of uncertainty, fear, or even hurt. Instead, her eyes burned with a cold, fierce hatred, and a determined decisiveness that warmed their hearts.

'Whatever,' they thought in unison. 'We were never going to let her face those wolves again, anyway.'

They could protect her all their life. Besides, if they felt like unleashing their wrath, they could do it discreetly, with no visible injuries, behind her back. And if the day ever came when she wished to take down those psychos herself, they'd gladly hand over the sword in her hands. They could play cat-and-mouse hunt with them until she built a world of her own. The smile across her lips was all that mattered to them anyway.

Zhi Al was the first to speak, his usual playful smirk sliding across his face, "I will dress him up in clown clothes and have him dance like a monkey in the middle of the street for you, Xinghe. Revenge can wait. Let's start with bullying.", he said, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Zhi Bo chuckled, shaking his head at his brother's imagination. He always had been the prankster of the group. The man then glanced over at their sister, and when he saw the innocent, beautiful smile spreading across her face, he understood what was happening. The mood in the room had shifted, ever so slightly, from the heaviness of the hurt to something lighter—something amiable.

"And I'll punch him until he remembers every God from every religion!", Zhi Bo added with a chuckle, his voice carrying an edge of protective intent.

Rong Xinghe's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and affection.

"I will make him wear a qi pao.", Mo Zixuan chimed in, his deadpan tone making the image even more hilarious.

A soft giggle slipped the girl's lips. The tension that had filled the room just minutes ago melted away as the brothers continued their playful jesting, resolved to lighten her worries, even if just briefly.

Zhi Xi and Lu Wei exchanged silent glances, both of them observing their sister with genuine admiration. They didn't need to say anything; their presence was always enough for her.

Rong Xinghe rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't fade. "Weirdos!", she remarked, shaking her head in mock embarrassment.

The room erupted in laughter, their shared bond lighting up the space with warmth and comfort. This was what they were to her—her pillars, her protectors, the ones who would go to any lengths just to see her smile.

Unlike Rong Yufan, who had the nerve to try and assassinate his own sister, these Six Tigers of hers would incinerate the world before they'd let anything happen to her ever again.