Chapter 1316: Mental Knot! I (1/2)
Chapter 1316: Mental Knot! (I)
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
Drip!
Blood splashed onto the paper, drop by drop, spot by spot. As Wang Chong lowered his head, he discovered that the excessive force he had applied had caused the handle of the brush to pierce his palm. But as blood trickled down, Wang Chong could feel no pain whatsoever. It was like the brush had been jabbed into some other person's palm.
Blood dripped onto the paper, but it was only when Wang Chong saw the lines 'Be the first to worry about the country's worries and the last to rejoice in its joys' that he felt a sharp stab of pain—not from his hand, but from his heart.
Wang Chong had believed that he had forgotten, that he had learned how to be relaxed and indifferent. But when he saw those words and felt the pain they had triggered in his heart, Wang Chong understood that the pain had not vanished, only been buried even deeper.
He slowly drew back his palm, wiped away the blood, applied some salve, and bandaged the wound. Afterward, he took a new brush and continued to write, acting as if nothing at all had happened.
……
Days continued to pass, and soon, there was only half a month left in Wang Chong's house arrest.
Wang Chong's second brother Wang Bei and his little sister Wang Xiaoyao had returned from the border. This made the Wang Family a little more joyous, driving away the clouds of sorrow that had been hanging over the estate.
”Come, come! Eat!”
As darkness fell, lanterns were lit, illuminating the Wang Family Residence and imbuing it with a joyous air. Everyone had gathered in the main hall, where a long dining table covered in all sorts of delicacies had been laid out. In the light of the red lanterns, everyone had beaming faces.
The Wang Family could only be happiest while eating, able to completely forget about all other matters.
”Come, come! Let's get ready!”
Wang Chong's mother sat at the head of the table, her face all smiles. To her left was Wang Chong while to her right was Wang Bei. At the very end of the table was Wang Chong's little sister, Wang Xiaoyao. The other people were seated according to their importance.
”I want to eat this!
”And this!
”And this!”
Wang Xiaoyao, from her seat at the very end of the table, used a specially-made pair of long chopsticks to rove around the table, placing the best foods into her own bowl. The food in her bowl was now piled higher than her rice, and her mouth was also stuffed full.
”Enough for now! There's plenty for everyone!”
Madam Wang was both vexed and amused, and everyone around her laughed as well. In comparison to others, Wang Xiaoyao would always live a most relaxed, happy, and free life. She didn't have many worries and was the easiest to satisfy. As she grew up, what she liked had never changed.
Of course, it was eating.
Seeing everyone look at her bowl, Wang Xiaoyao's appetite was stimulated, and she began to take big bites. Her head was so buried in her bowl that it was difficult to see.
A dinner with Wang Xiaoyao present would never be boring, and there was nothing more happy and harmonious than everyone seated around the same table.
”Oh no! What's going on? My favorite chicken legs don't have any salt?”
Wang Xiaoyao had grabbed a chicken leg with her chopsticks and placed it in her mouth, and then her brow creased in discontent.
”Little Sister, stop messing around. There's salt!” Wang Chong said, chuckling as he looked at his little sister. As he spoke, he took a chicken bone and placed it in the bowl meant for scraps. His little sister's naughty nature had truly not changed. He had already finished eating one and found no problems at all.
Moreover, the estate's chefs were renowned throughout the capital, and they couldn't possibly neglect the salt. His little sister was just causing a fuss.
”There's no salt, no salt, no salt!”
Wang Xiaoyao fumed and shouted, even throwing her chopsticks on the table in anger.
”Xiaoyao, stop making trouble!”
Upon seeing this, Wang Chong's mother immediately turned stern. Wang Bei also gave an unhappy frown. Unlike his little brother and his mother, Wang Bei had a much colder and more murderous gaze.
”If you're not eating, then leave!”
”None of you believe me! I'm not messing around! There's no salt! If you don't believe me, try for yourself!”
Wang Xiaoyao angrily frowned as she stared at the others, showing no signs of backing down.
”Is that so? Young Miss, let me try.”
Seeing how angry their young miss was, Su Shixuan and Xu Keyi tried to ease the mood and reached out with their own chopsticks to take a chicken leg. These chicken legs were usually Wang Xiaoyao's favorite, so everyone intentionally left them for her. But now, there was naturally no harm in trying one.
But after taking a bite, Xu Keyi and Su Shixuan immediately frowned.
”What's wrong? Can neither of you taste the salt either?”
Wang Chong shook his head and chuckled.