Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dinner was a family affair.

The wedding of Shu Zhilan and Cheng Shaolin had already taken place a while ago, but they only moved into the large mansion today. This meal was a welcome dinner for the mother and son.

At the long dining table, the grandfather sat at the head, with Cheng Shaolin and his wife on one side, and Yuanting seated between Cheng Shaolin and Shu Zhilan. Cheng Nanyi sat alone on the other side.

Cheng Nanyi's father had passed away soon after his birth, and his mother, a dancer, was currently leading a dance troupe abroad and rarely returned. Cheng Nanyi had always lived with his uncle and grandfather.

After the grandfather offered some welcoming and optimistic words about their future life together, everyone began to eat.

Yuanting, with his short arms and legs, sat noticeably lower in his chair than the others.

Cheng Shaolin took good care of him, serving him plenty of dishes. Yuanting was genuinely hungry since thinking hard had exhausted him, and he needed to replenish his energy.

Yuanting used to be very conscious of his image, growing up in such a family and being a pseudo-rich second generation. But now, image... was the least of his concerns.

So, Yuanting put down his chopsticks, grabbing a rib with his left hand and a chicken foot with his right, eating messily with oil dripping down his chin.

Shu Zhilan frowned slightly at his eating manner and whispered in his ear, "Don’t use your hands, use chopsticks."

"But it's not convenient with chopsticks... blah," Yuanting replied loudly, ending with a playful sound.

Everyone at the table looked over. Shu Zhilan felt embarrassed, her ears turning red with shame.

“It’s okay,” the grandfather waved his hand, “He’s just a child, innocent and cheerful. Don’t be too strict. He can learn gradually. Take your time, Tingting, no one is rushing you.”

Yuanting blinked at the grandfather, who smiled warmly at him.

There, that smile made it clear he meant what he said.

Yuanting sighed internally, wondering why a chairman would allow someone to eat with their hands at his dining table. Didn't he find it disgraceful?

Cheng Shaolin patted Shu Zhilan's shoulder, consoling her, “It’s okay, we’ll teach him gradually. The child had a hard past. We need to love him even more now.” Saying this, Cheng Shaolin looked at Yuanting with evident sympathy.

Yuanting: “…”

After hearing Cheng Shaolin's words, the grandfather glanced at Yuanting again, seemingly deep in thought, and then instructed the chef, “Serve a bowl of ribs just for Tingting.”

The chef happily brought over a bowl of ribs and placed it in front of Yuanting, looking at him with eager anticipation.

He had been cooking for the Cheng family for many years, and aside from Cheng Shaolin, no one had ever praised his cooking.

Both the grandfather and Cheng Nanyi were the types who showed little reaction when eating; it was hard to tell if they found the food good or not. And as for Cheng Shaolin, who frequently complimented him… he said everything was delicious, so the chef felt his career lacked fulfillment.

Now, finally, there was someone who vividly expressed their likes and dislikes without speaking. Yuanting's body language alone was a clear display, reigniting the chef’s passion and giving his career new direction.

Yuanting was too preoccupied to notice the chef's eager gaze, instead marveling at the large bowl of ribs in front of him, questioning inwardly, “Do wealthy families also make such a large pot of ribs? Shouldn’t it be small and exquisite?”

In his past life, every dish was delicately garnished. Why so extravagant now?

Seeing Yuanting staring at the ribs motionless, the grandfather sighed affectionately, “Eat up, you can have as much as you want in our house.”

Yuanting: “…”

Seeing the grandfather’s look, Yuanting imagined himself as a starving refugee drooling over food, and then looked at the bowl of meat, thinking, "I brought this on myself."

Everyone watched Yuanting, and Cheng Shaolin coaxed him in a gentle voice, “Come on, Tingting, eat your ribs.”

With no other choice, Yuanting shakily reached out his small hand to grab a rib and, under everyone’s gaze, took a big bite, “Ow-woo,” eliciting satisfied smiles from everyone as if they had saved a poor child.

Yuanting: “…” Just... absurd.

Yuanting actually wasn't accustomed to eating with his hands, so when it didn't achieve the expected reaction, he discreetly switched back to using chopsticks.

Just as he picked up the chopsticks, his imaginative stepfather exclaimed with surprise, "Look, Tingting can use chopsticks now, how clever."

The grandfather looked over, nodding in approval, "What a well-behaved child."

Yuanting: “…”

Yuanting continued eating, feeling mentally exhausted, and inadvertently locked eyes with Cheng Nanyi.

Yuanting noticed that Cheng Nanyi's eating pace had slowed down considerably, and his chopsticks no longer ventured towards the ribs or the large chicken dish.

Having shared meals with him for so many years, Yuanting knew Cheng Nanyi well. Cheng Nanyi was meticulous in his actions, leaving no room for criticism. For instance, while eating, he would evenly rotate between dishes, never focusing too much on one. It was about fairness and not exposing any flaws.

Now, his deliberate avoidance of the ribs and chicken clearly indicated disgust.

The adult Cheng Nanyi, even if Yuanting were to urinate in front of him during a meal, could maintain composure. But the current Cheng Nanyi evidently lacked such fortitude.

Glancing around and seeing no one noticing, Yuanting swallowed his mouthful of food and then blew a bubble towards Cheng Nanyi sitting diagonally across from him...

Cheng Nanyi immediately looked disgusted, put down his chopsticks, and turned away, refusing to glance in Yuanting's direction again.

Yuanting swung his legs with satisfaction, thinking, 'If I can't disgust others, at least I can disgust you.'

As soon as Cheng Nanyi set down his chopsticks, the butler noticed and asked, "Young master, are you not feeling well with your appetite?"

Cheng Nanyi replied indifferently, "I’m full."

The grandfather glanced at Cheng Nanyi's barely touched food, frowning slightly, "Are you not feeling well? You've eaten so little today."

"Just not very hungry," Cheng Nanyi said, lowering his gaze to avoid looking across the table.

"Perhaps he's just tired from playing basketball, losing his appetite for the moment. He can have a snack later tonight if he gets hungry," suggested the butler.

The grandfather nodded, and as his gaze swept past Yuanting, who was eagerly eating with a spoon, he couldn't help but chuckle, "Nanyi should learn from Tingting. Look how heartily he eats."

"Tingting, you should invite your brother to eat more often… oh," the grandfather started speaking playfully as well.

"Sure thing, Grandpa," Yuanting responded, opening his mouth wide and taking another big bite.

Cheng Nanyi, unable to bear it any longer, kept his eyes downcast, following the Cheng family rule that everyone must finish eating before leaving the table.

After dinner, the nanny brought dessert and fruit. Yuanting, already tired from the day, didn't act up and obediently finished his meal before heading upstairs with Shu Zhilan.

Expecting a scolding from Shu Zhilan, Yuanting was surprised when she patted his head, "You did well. I didn't expect the grandfather to like you so much. Keep being good like this."

Yuanting: “…”

At seven, Yuanting still needed assistance with some tasks, so Shu Zhilan planned to help him bathe.

"I’ll run the bath for you, can you wash yourself?" Shu Zhilan asked. Having just brought Yuanting back, she still had some maternal patience, but before she could act, Cheng Shaolin entered, "I’ll help Tingting bathe. You go rest."

"But you've had a long day too."

"It’s okay, and it's more convenient since Tingting is a boy."

"He's grown up now, he can bathe himself," Shu Zhilan said apologetically to Cheng Shaolin, "I don’t want to burden you with Tingting."

"How can you say that? We’re a family now, and Tingting calls me Dad. I’ll treat him as my own son."

"Husband…" Shu Zhilan's eyes welled up with emotion, nestling into Cheng Shaolin's embrace.

“……”

Yuanting, feeling his teeth ache from the sappiness, rolled his eyes and pushed the two out of the bathroom, saying, "I'm a big kid now, I can do it myself."

"Tingting is really capable," praised Cheng Shaolin.

Yuanting slammed the bathroom door shut with a "bang."

Go be lovey-dovey outside, you top-tier romantics.

Cheng Shaolin asked Shu Zhilan to leave and stayed outside the bathroom himself, feeling uneasy about a seven-year-old bathing alone.

As Yuanting refused to let him enter, Cheng Shaolin stood by the door, talking to Yuanting and listening to his voice to ensure his safety.

Listening to Cheng Shaolin's gentle baritone, Yuanting felt both moved and helpless.

If Cheng Shaolin weren't so love-struck, Yuanting might have lost a perfect stepfather. Life is a mix of blessings and curses; one can't have it all.

After the bath, Cheng Shaolin insisted on telling Yuanting a bedtime story about Cinderella and the Prince, which Yuanting reluctantly listened to after several unsuccessful attempts to send him away.

Lying in bed with his legs crossed, Yuanting blinked his big eyes innocently and asked, "Dad, why did the prince choose Cinderella instead of a princess?"

Cheng Shaolin laughed, "Because the prince didn't like the princess; he only loved Cinderella. That's love, Tingting. You're young now, but you'll understand it when you're older."

"Love can cross age, race, social class, and withstand all hardships. Just like your mom and me, as long as we love each other, nothing can stop us from being together."

"Tingting, Dad will teach you an English word today: soulmate, which means a spiritual companion. Your mom and I are just like that..."

"..." Yuanting was completely stupefied by this torrent of romantic notions.

Yuanting turned over and closed his eyes.

Truly, a top-tier romantic at over forty years old; his thoughts would leave anyone reflective with a single word: incredible!

Seeing that Yuanting had fallen asleep obediently, Cheng Shaolin got out of bed, turned off the bedside lamp, and tiptoed out of the room.

Even though Cheng Nanyi was in the family, Cheng Shaolin never felt the innocent charm of a child in him.

Cheng Nanyi was like a carbon copy of the grandfather, composed and mature beyond his years. Whenever Cheng Shaolin went out to play, his older nephew would look at him with a disapproving gaze of 'lack of ambition.' If he tried telling bedtime stories to Cheng Nanyi, he would be dismissed as 'childish.'

How could such a child invoke a sense of fatherly pride?

But Yuanting was different; soft, adorable, and endearing. He would ask questions during story time, allowing Cheng Shaolin to experience the freshness of fatherhood and a strong sense of accomplishment.

Hearing the door close, Yuanting breathed a sigh of relief.

After Yuanting's memories became clearer as he grew older, Cheng Shaolin had always been a gentle and polite figure. Suddenly encountering a middle-aged man immersed in love was something Yuanting found quite unaccustomed to.

Staring at the ceiling in the dark, Yuanting flexed his wrists. Without handcuffs or Cheng Nanyi lying beside him, he should have felt relaxed and pleased. Yet, lying in the room that Cheng Nanyi later set on fire, he felt a sense of unease, with images of Cheng Nanyi's arson flooding his mind upon closing his eyes.

Unable to stay in bed, Yuanting quietly got up, planning to drink a cold cola to calm himself.

As he opened his door to go downstairs, Yuanting heard the grandfather's voice.

Yuanting and Cheng Nanyi's rooms were adjacent, so he had to pass by Cheng Nanyi's room to go downstairs, and the grandfather's voice was coming from there.

It was only nine in the evening. In his childhood, Cheng Nanyi's study hours extended until eleven at night, so the grandfather was likely in his room to check on his studies.

Unable to resist, Yuanting tiptoed, intending to sneak downstairs.

"Now that there's a younger brother in the house, do you find anything difficult to adapt to?" the grandfather asked.

"It's okay."

That was Cheng Nanyi's voice. Yuanting involuntarily stopped in his tracks, ears perked up.

"Tingting is still young and has had his share of hardships, a bit simple and naive. You should be more understanding towards him."

Yuanting grimaced. It was the first time he heard the terms 'simple and naive' associated with himself.

"He..." Cheng Nanyi began, his voice tinged with hesitation.

Yuanting's heart raced. Would Cheng Nanyi complain to the grandfather about him being slovenly and annoying?

Despite the grandfather's strictness with Cheng Nanyi, he was quite satisfied and proud of his grandson. Cheng Nanyi, though young, always spoke thoughtfully and didn't talk recklessly, so the grandfather held immense trust in him.

"He..." After a long pause, Cheng Nanyi finally said three words, "Is very unique."

Yuanting: “…”

Huh, that's hard to interpret. He couldn't quite fathom the meaning yet and decided to observe more.

Author's Note:

Thanks to the angels who supported me with King Tickets and Nutrient Fluids from 2023-06-26 14:01:21 to 2023-06-29 17:09:03~

Thanks to the angel who nourished me with Nutrient Fluid: 'My Worldview Altered by Yingyuan Jun', 12 bottles; 'Happy Chubby', 1 bottle;

I am very grateful for everyone's support and will continue to work hard!