Chapter 115

Chapter 115

Rong Tang, still at the dining table, stubbornly rolled up his sleeves, wanting to show Wang Xiuyu the flesh he had gained on his arms.

If it weren't for the overly conservative norms of ancient times, he would even show her his belly!

But Wang Xiuyu only glanced at him lightly and then called Rong Zheng over.

The confused second son greeted his mother and, at her instruction, rolled up his sleeve for comparison with Rong Tang’s.

[It's like comparing a tree trunk to a twig, Tang Tang.] The system commented coolly.

Rong Tang fell silent for two seconds, then dejectedly lowered his arm.

The system: [It’s also a comparison between healthy tan and pale frailty.]

Rong Tang, frustrated: "You're the only one with a mouth!"

The system chuckled softly, quietly retreating to the side.

Su Huaijing, seeing his little Bodhisattva looking utterly dejected, tried to hold back but failed, turning his head to laugh softly.

Unable to catch the system and not daring to talk back to the queen, Rong Tang found Su Huaijing’s laughter the perfect trigger for his outburst.

Thus, the young master's brows furrowed, eyes wide with anger, he started to intimidate Su Huaijing!

The big villain, with a teasing smile, raised his eyebrows and handed Rong Tang a cup of tea, whispering half-jokingly, "What's the matter, always picking on me, am I the easiest target in the world?"

"It's all because of your false complaints!" Rong Tang retorted. He had been eating a lot, and he had indeed gained weight, even growing a few centimeters taller than in his previous two lives. Su Huaijing was slandering him with baseless accusations!

This is defamation!

"Go and explain to mother that I've been eating and sleeping well!" He was twenty years old, yet in his mother's eyes, he was still treated like a child!

And if you consider the time he had lived across several lifetimes, he wasn’t much younger than Wang Xiuyu.

Su Huaijing replied, "How should I explain? Should I say that Tang Tang sleeps with me every night, kicks off the blanket when it's hot and snuggles into my arms when it's cold? Every morning, he drapes his leg over me, indifferent to his own illness and leaving me to deal with the consequences when he sees any movement and runs away?"

Rong Tang's face turned crimson.

Su Huaijing spoke seriously as if discussing state affairs, slowly and resentfully asking, "Don’t I deserve any dignity?"

[Oh, snap~ This is a counterattack~] The system gleefully munched on the drama between its host and the big villain.

Rong Tang hesitated for a long time, deciding that avoidance was the best strategy. He turned his head away, but somehow, inadvertently looked down, and then quickly averted his gaze as if scalded.

Su Huaijing chuckled quietly, not teasing him further, his gaze shifting towards the door, seemingly casual.

Rong Mingyu, always busy with official duties, was typically the last to arrive. By the time he appeared, there was hardly a trace of the sun in the sky, only the fading twilight remaining.

Although the Princess Royal didn’t eat dinner, she still took her seat at the table, with a bowl of cooling soup in front of her for relief from the summer heat.

Midway through the banquet, she casually asked as if just remembering, “Is Lady Qian about to give birth?”

The sound of utensils clinking ceased abruptly, leaving the room filled with the clearly audible breaths of everyone present. Each person had their own thoughts, and a glance at their expressions could fill a book on micro-expressions.

Rong Tang just glanced at Wang Xiuyu, then bowed his head silently, continuing to ladle soup from his bowl.

Rong Mingyu put down his chopsticks, showing his usual respect when addressing his mother. His demeanor was so filial it seemed he could be featured in an illustration of filial piety. He replied, “According to the physician, who checks daily, she should give birth within seven days at most.”

“Did they say if it's a boy or a girl?” the elder deliberately inquired.

Rong Mingyu answered, “The pulse indicates a male child.”

“Good,” the elder nodded, her face stern and dignified, inscrutable about her inner thoughts.

Rong Yuan, recently a bit overconfident and rarely having the chance to dine with his grandmother, seized the moment. Smiling, he suggested, “It’s been many years since a younger brother or sister was born in the mansion after Rong Yao. If Grandmother doesn’t mind, perhaps she could choose a pet name for him?”

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table focused on their own thoughts, choosing to remain silent.

Rong Zheng's expression changed, and he exchanged a glance with Rong Ning, who looked disdainful, giving Rong Yuan a dismissive glance before shaking her head at her brother.

Seeing this, Su Huaijing internally revised his earlier assessment of Rong Ning being naive and innocent.

How could Ning Xuan’s estate harbor idlers? Rong Ning was not naive, but rather a person who understood the times.

Su Huaijing turned his head and called for Shuangshou to serve Rong Tang another bowl of rice.

Rong Tang hesitated slightly, amidst the undercurrents at the table. After pondering for a couple of seconds, he silently bowed his head and ate, empathizing for a moment with Minister Lu.

The elder looked gravely at Rong Yuan, saying simply, “Inappropriate.”

She didn’t bother to fabricate a reason, just bluntly threw out three words. No one at the table dared to object, and Rong Mingyu even glared at Rong Yuan, scolding, “Where has all your reading gone? How can you bother Grandmother with such matters!”

Rong Yuan’s face turned pale, and he quickly stood up to apologize.

The elder said, “It’s alright. I mentioned this only because a few days ago at Tuo Lan Temple, Rong Ying drew a fortune stick, and the old master interpreting it casually asked if our mansion was expecting the birth of a noble person.”

The Princess Royal, having spent decades in the tumultuous world of the imperial court, was well-versed in worldly affairs and held a high position. With her leading the conversation, she skillfully threw out two topics with just a few words.

Rong Tang glanced at Wang Xiuyu and noticed a fleeting look of surprise in her eyes upon hearing "born in the year of the Tiger," which quickly reverted back to her usual composed and dignified demeanor, as if there were no qualms at all.

Puzzled, Rong Tang felt Su Huaijing gently pinch him under the table.

After dinner, as the sky darkened, Rong Tang was asked by Wang Xiuyu to stay over at the mansion, while Su Huaijing was summoned by Rong Mingyu to the study for a talk.

With only three members of the mansion serving as officials, it was common for the elder to take a senior stance and give advice to the younger generation.

Su Huaijing listened respectfully and cautiously to Rong Mingyu, who sometimes engaged in conversation and sometimes left him hanging. After more than an hour in the study, Rong Mingyu finally yawned.

Su Huaijing quickly took his leave, relaxing his guard as he stepped out of the room.

Under the starry sky and amidst the chorus of summer cicadas, Su Huaijing walked along the pebbled path towards Tang Hua Court. As he rounded a corner, he saw someone pacing back and forth in the garden, occasionally stomping their feet and jumping lightly.

Tall and slender, yet frail, standing under the moonlight as if he could dissipate at any moment – it was undoubtedly Rong Tang.

Su Huaijing paused, quickly approaching and instinctively started fanning him, “Why are you here?”

Rong Tang turned, naturally replying, “Waiting for you. He didn’t give you a hard time, did he?”

Su Huaijing felt a warmth in his heart and shook his head.

Rong Tang sighed in relief, then his true colors showed, his brows furrowing, “Then let's go back, I’m getting eaten alive by mosquitoes!”

Su Huaijing: “……?”

The big villain felt utterly helpless.

Fortunately, summer nights were always rife with mosquitoes. Su Huaijing always carried specially made ointment to prevent his beloved from getting bitten and itching terribly, risking scratching and breaking the skin.

So he just hesitated briefly, then instinctively knelt on the ground, his robe brushing over the pebbles, gently lifting Rong Tang’s garment.

As he opened the ointment, a scent of fresh herbs filled the air. Su Huaijing gently massaged the swollen bites on Rong Tang, playfully chiding, “It’s hot and stuffy, why did you come out here? Now you’re covered in bites. Doesn’t it itch?”

Rong Tang evaded the main issue, “It itches.”

Su Huaijing waited for him to continue but when nothing came, he laughed in mock annoyance, glancing up from below at Rong Tang, “To hear you honestly say you like me, I suppose I’ll have to wait until I’m dead.”

If Hangfeng were here, his eyes would probably fall out of their sockets.

In these ten years, since his master was just eight years old, who had ever heard him speak like this?

Feeling petulant and suffocated, yet also happy and wronged...

What a contradiction.

Rong Tang touched his nose and looked away.

After applying the ointment to Rong Tang and also on his exposed wrists, Su Huaijing finally dropped his hand and led Rong Tang back to the courtyard.

The moonlight was like water, and though the storm had not yet arrived, the wind began to rise, rustling through the grass and bringing a heavy scent of earth.

Rong Tang asked, “What did he talk to you about?”

“Some trivial matters of the court, and how we are doing outside,” Su Huaijing replied.

One had to admit that Rong Mingyu was indeed clever. He wanted to know the movements of the Imperial Censorate but never explicitly asked, only occasionally hinting in certain areas, coaxing Su Huaijing to unwittingly reveal information to him.

Su Huaijing understood but played along with this game, telling Rong Mingyu nothing but the truth.

He smiled, saying, “Ning Xuan also mentioned that the queen misses you and might move to Yong’an Lane to stay with us for a while.”

Rong Tang scoffed, “He sure has a way with words.”

If she truly missed him, asking her eldest son to move back to the mansion would be simpler and more respectful than having his wife leave home.

He walked on, head down, thinking of Wang Xiuyu’s look during dinner, somewhat puzzled, “Why did mother seem like she had already guessed it?”

Su Huaijing: "She just realized that her husband is unreliable."

In serious matters, the wife is always the one Rong Mingyu can sacrifice, and sadly, Wang Xiuyu has always known this, yet occasionally still harbors illusions about him.

Rong Tang felt a bit heavy-hearted, but he couldn't be too harsh; after all, Wang Xiuyu is his mother.

He pondered for a moment, looking earnestly into Su Huaijing's eyes, and said firmly, “But I am reliable.”

Su Huaijing was taken aback for a second, realizing the double meaning in Rong Tang's words, as both a son and a husband.

But he couldn't help himself, his gaze drifting down as he playfully said, “Hmm, reliable but can't get it up.”

Rong Tang: "?"

Rong Tang: "!"

His face changed dramatically, turning red and white in disbelief, finally gritting his teeth in frustration, “What are you thinking about every day!?”

Su Huaijing looked genuinely aggrieved, “Tang Tang knows, I am only eighteen.”

He asked, “Isn’t it natural for me to be full of youthful vigor?”

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Su Huaijing, feeling misunderstood: "Who among my family understands? My wife is always around me, yet I can't do anything."

Indeed, the physiological responses of a high school boy can be as relentless as diamonds (not really).