84 Dinner (2/2)

Damn!

For a second, Unit Commander Ning Fu had the illusion that Zhou Sheng was the flesh and blood of his mother, while he himself was simply someone picked up from a dumpster in some back alley.

Humph!

Ning Fu snorted at the hypocrisy of his mother.

How come she never talked so sweetly to him?

Whenever she faced him, the only words that came out of her mouth were, ”Rascal this, scoundrel that.”

He watched as Zhou Sheng gave a sweet smile to his mother - as if butter itself wouldn't melt in his mouth and his mother kept on parting his hand.

Ning Fu stared as his mother arranged an entire table full of food in front of the other boy and then looked at the glass of plain water placed in front of his own seat.

He had the irrational idea to throw a hissy fit like a child but then sighed to himself.

Truly, the ancients were right in their sayings. The grass was always greener on the other end.

But still thinking about it, the other boy didn't even have a clan to his name and was an orphan so it wasn't good if he himself felt jealous or wronged if he had to share his familial relations and love with him.

Now that Zhou Sheng was already a member of the Ning Clan, Ning Fu vowed to take care of him as his own brother - as long as the other person didn't put the entire clan into jeopardy.

Looking at him, the child was so thin and malnourished. He must have suffered outside.

This was good. Ning Fu had always wanted a younger brother or sister but sadly, he was an only child.

Now that they were brothers, he would protect and cherish this boy.

Moreover, since he himself was always away from the Imperial Capital, Zhou Sheng could stay at home to look after his parents and they, in turn, could back him up in the Imperial Court.

When Old Madame Ning saw her own child sighing and moping while partaking dinner, she turned towards him and asked, ”What is it, rascal? Why are you sighing as if your beloved left you for another man?”

Zhou Sheng choked on his food when he heard those words and Ning Fu gave his mother the stink eye.

Why did his mother never care for his image?

In front of so many servants and the new addition to the family, she was asking him such things.

What did she mean that he had lost his beloved?

Was he so inept that he would allow his beloved to be stolen away by someone else?

Humph!

Ning Fu kept quiet and didn't respond because he knew if he arose to her bait, he would be the one on the losing end of a verbal spar.

However, before he could console himself, he heard Zhou Shing turn towards his mother, ”Mother, is there someone in big brother's heart? Who is she?”

His mother slanted a crafty glance at him and harrumphed, ”Him? Where will he find someone to keep him company with his furrowed brows and pinched mouth all day? Sometimes, I wonder if he was dropped by the nanny as a child because he never smiles. Why would a respectable girl give such a cold-faced the time of her day?”

It was at this point that Ning Fu realised that his earlier thoughts we're going down the wrong track.

He didn't even have anyone to spend his life with so where come would someone steal his so-called beloved.

Then, he heard his mother turn towards Zhou Sheng, ”Child, you have to grow up quickly and bring a beautiful daughter in law for me. I can only have some hope from you. If I place my hopes in your elder brother, I would die and meet King Yama before seeing the face, my grandchildren.”

Zhou Sheng didn't dare and carry on with the banter and the rest of the meal was spent talking about inconsequential things.

Afterwards, both of them were shooed away by the old lady, bid farewell to her and walked towards their own courtyards.