This wastheir first family meal.

w.a.n.g YunFeng sat in the seat of honour, watching Xia Fen sucking in the thick soup,while Xia Ling Mei was busy picking up dishes of food for the father and son,his mind then cleared up completely.

The colddesolation and loneliness had already over the years seeped into his bones, thecurrent comforting liveliness was the complete opposite of the two, it wasbitter sweet, a lump rose in his throat, he couldn’t control himself for a verylong time.

“What’swrong?” Xia Ling Mei peeled opened a drunken prawn putting it in his bowl, “Areyou feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No.” w.a.n.gYun Feng drank a mouthful of soup, waiting for the hot soup to go down histhroat, melting the glacier in his heart, before picking up his chopstickstaking the fish eyes and placingthem in her bowl, gently saying: “I remember you like eating this.”

Xia LingMei paused for a while, covering up her appearance, several times beforepicking up the food and placing it in her mouth, already speechless.

Xia Fen drankthe soup, without hesitation as well he picked up a chicken b.u.t.t putting it inhis mother’s bowl: “Adoptive mother, quickly eat.”

It wasundoubtedly a nothing out of the ordinary meal, apart from the incessantsmacking of Xia Fen’s lips, the other two adults did not speak. w.a.n.g Yun Feng scrupulouslyabided by the rigorous upbringing of not talking when eating, Xia Ling Mei onthe other hand didn’t have so many rules, she was preoccupied to eat with heremotions raging, she could only continuously give the two father and son food,she herself didn’t eat much.

Havingfinished the meal, just as Xia Fen had wanted to run off to find Zhuang Shengas usual, but w.a.n.g Yun Feng called him to a stop: “You’re already six, don’tcause disorder everywhere without cause, if you have free time read more booksand practice writing.”

Xia Fenpanted with rage: “I want to practice martial arts”

w.a.n.g YunFeng did not care for this: “You finished eating just now, bouncing aroundwon’t be good for your digestive system. What studying have you done before,how many characters can you write? Bring me your usual homework to look at.”

Xia Fen suckedhis teeth: “As if this young master would learn such bookish and sour writings,if you have the ability don’t pointlessly blather at me, our fists can be thejudge.”

Hearingthis, w.a.n.g Yun Feng also guessed Xia Fen definitely chose to walk the path ofmartial arts, like Xia Ling Mei when she was younger. But Xia Ling Mei backthen also studied quite a lot, ranking not in the top five amongst the girls atBai Lu academy, but capable of being in the top ten. w.a.n.g Yun Feng was awell-known figure in the same academy, apart from the few princes, he was oneof the best people of the influential families. As his son, even if his martialarts improved if he couldn’t write, he would only be able to kneel in theancestral hall.

Immediately,his expression froze, with the slight loftiness of his stern imperial censorface in the imperial court. Eyebrows joined together, his lips pursed together,arrogant and in disdain his expression even sharper than a knife, the speed hisexpression changed was so quick, instantly scaring Xia Fen into taking twosteps back. Xia Fen also was not to be reckoned with, he’s killed on thebattlefield before, but he was scared of a G.o.dd.a.m.n scholar. After returning tohis senses, he parted his legs, placing a single hand in front of his stomachto protect it, his other hand placed on the knife at his waist, his bodybending in half, his position allowing him to charge and break through enemylines, anytime and everywhere beheading people.

The twopeople was quiet and unmoving, one sat, one stood, facing off against theiradversaries.

Xia LingMei lifted her eyes: “Chicken…”

Rustling,Xia Fen shadow could already no longer be seen.

w.a.n.g YunFeng made a somewhat meaningful glance, in one short meal he knew the failingof Xia Fen. At that moment he wasn’t worried, he stood up using a lot ofeffort: “Spoiling him so much isn’t the way. His future prospects cannot belimited, without the slightest education how can he have a footing in theimperial court.”

Xia LingMei opened her mouth, really wanting to say: Xia Fen’s position has alreadylong ago been decided, it cannot be changed. On the verge of saying what was onher mind she again swallowed it down, the two of them had just let bygones bebygones, it really wasn’t good for them to start arguing again because of thechild.

w.a.n.g YunFeng had eaten his fill, his mind was a lot better, he started walking a fewsteps with the support of Xia Ling Mei, when he had walked to the courtyard hecould already walk by himself. He intended to spend time alone with Xia LingMei, pulling her slowly to the edge of the small stream to walk around to aiddigestion.

Attentivelyasking about Xia Fen’s life for the past few years, again asking who hismartial arts master was, how much studying he had done.

“He is already six years old. The children of the Xia family all attend academy at theage of five, he’s a year late it can’t be dragged on any more. After theholidays, he will be sent to Bai Lu academy.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng thought about it: “I still haven’t completed the matter the emperorinstructed me. If he was still young, I can keep him by my side and teach himfrom the top, sadly it’s too late now.”

Xia LingMei did not utter a word.

w.a.n.g YunFeng felt guilty, he couldn’t help but grasp her hand tightly: “I’ve let youmother and child down, I’ve let you suffer so much.”

Xia LingMei forced a smile, emotions flashed through her eyes: “w.a.n.g Yun Feng, are youtrying to feel me out!”

w.a.n.g YunFeng was stumped for words: “What am I feeling you out for?”

Xia LingMei puffed out: “You’re making me feel deliberately guilty.”

Shecertainly had suffered a lot, part of which was because she was proud andarrogant, not allowing anyone to sympathise with her at all, so she wasn’twilling to remain at the Xia family residence at ease, and chose to play a partin the battlefield fighting; the other part was her heartless determination,undoubtedly every year she returned home for the new year, every year w.a.n.g YunFeng would think of a way to find her at the Xia family residence, even if hesaw her by chance, she would deliberately not have a tear in her eyes or asingle word of grievance, what more the matter of the child was concealedwatertight. Her unscrupulous behaviour rejoiced in w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s pain, shewatched his self-torment, no matter how he tracked her down and found her thoseyears, most of the time she puffed herself up as strong in battle, excludingeverything about him outside of her high walls.

On thesurface she was exceedingly strong, the weaker she was in the inside. She wasafraid she couldn’t resist his sweet and honeyed words, she couldn’t withstandhis tenderness and affection, and the stress on the expectation of seeing himafter and giving him all her attention.

Speaking ofher short twenty years, the first twenty years she had given him pain, thelatter seven years he had exerted pressure on her with love and hate.

It wasalready impossible to distinguish who had wronged who.

He couldcriticise her coldness, question why she hid herself, without the slightesthesitation hit and crush her fort. Ask her if she knew how he has lived aloneby himself these few years, ask her if she knows what it’s like to be alonewithout a father, mother, wife or children, ask her when facing the publicattacks and backstabbing of the imperial court, the fear and hesitation in hisheart…to the extent that, he could even reproachfully ask her, that if he diedin the struggle for power, would she allow Xia Fen to recognise his ancestors?Would she, offer an incense stick for him as his widow!

This craftyperson, he could clearly use his sharp imperial censor teeth to break hereverything, press on at every step using thunderous means, make her back down.Deliberately, he didn’t. All his sharpness completely vanished in front of her,only leaving behind gentleness and forgiveness, just like the gentleness whenyounger which attracted her, seducing her a little bit into his trap, makingher automatically give up resisting, making her discover the good things abouthim, discover his sincerity.

Make herfeel deficit, wanting to repay him.

w.a.n.g YunFeng couldn’t help hold her, laughing: “This is called retreat in order toadvance.”

Xia LingMei lowered her head snorting, reaching out her own hands to hug his waist, thebottom of her heart swelling, an unspeakable emotion.

The twopeople casually touched each other like this, Xia Fen who had run out of thedoor did not find Zhuang Sheng, he also could not see Jiu Fang Xi’s silhouette,panting with rage he found the visitors of the manor practicing martial artsmoves. The people there knew he was a distant relative of the former martialarts leader Han Yi Fan, naturally they didn’t lightly offend him, talking aboutcompeting in martial arts, however many actually picked at his martial arts.

After twohours, he ran back covered all over in body odour. Originally he had thoughtw.a.n.g Yun Feng should have left, even if he hadn’t left he wouldn’t be living inhis mother’s courtyard! Hurriedly he ran back, just by chance he saw Ying Shicalling for people to prepare a hot water bath, and w.a.n.g Yun Feng calmlyholding paper and writing brush at the table in front of the window writingsomething.

He rushedin, loudly asking: “Why have you still not left.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng did not lift up his head: “You mother and son are here, why would Ileave.”

Xia Fenloudly shouted: “This is our room.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng said: “Men and women do not sleep in the same bed after seven years old,you’re already six years old, how can you still sleep with your parents. I’llget someone to prepare another room for you, it’s just next door.” The othermeaning behind this, if it’s not important then the baby can just stay on oneside.

Xia Fen couldnot beat him with words, again afraid Xia Ling Mei would get angry, bulging outhis cheeks he watched people get the bathing stuff ready, not saying anythingfurther, wearing his clothes he went round the screen, jumping with a plop intothe tub: “I’m going to stay here, no one can chase me away.”

w.a.n.g YunFeng just finished writing one letter, after carefully examining it beforesealing it and giving it to Juan Shu, then did he find the time to look at thechild in the tub: “Are you washing yourself or your clothes? Take off yourclothes, I’m worried you’ll catch a cold.”

Xia Fen wasdetermined to act against him, shaking his b.u.t.t at the other person twice: “I’mnot going to take them off, you can’t control me.” As he spoke, he even exertedall his strength to slap the water, drenching the floor with a large puddle.

w.a.n.g YunFeng picked up an ink slab walking over to the bath tub, saying: “If you don’ttake off your clothes, I will throw this in there, make you take an ink bath.”

Xia Fen wasunable to restrain his anger: “You dare!”

What didw.a.n.g Yun Feng not dare to do, he lifted his hand and dropped the ink slab intothe tub, scaring Xia Fen into a flurry wanting to catch it. Moving forwardquickly, out of nowhere a long whip appeared, flinging the ink slab far away.

Xia LingMei with her hands on her hips glared at the father and son: “What are youdoing?”

w.a.n.g YunFeng smiled, with great concern he glanced at Xia Fen: “I’m just preparing tohelp Xia Fen wash, I didn’t notice the ink slab up my sleeve, I nearly ruinedthe just recently prepared bath.” Turning to speak to Xia Ling Mei, “When youleave close the door, don’t let Fen Er catch a cold.”

Xia Fenwith great alarm: “I, I definitely don’t need you to help me wash! I can washby myself.” He stopped talking, quickly stripping off his clothes, smoothly herolled around inside the tub, waiting until Xia Ling Mei closed the door, helaid in the tub stealing a glance, he could only see w.a.n.g Yun Feng smiling yetnot smiling.

Scoundrel!Xia Fen really hated him.

Xia Fenwill stay in the main house no matter what, w.a.n.g Yun Feng can roll up hisletter and other stuff and go next door. Xia Ling Mei personally prepared themedicine bring it in, only seeing him bent over his desk swiftly writing, witha concentrated and solemn face.

Compared tobefore, he certainly had lost a lot of weight, his mind also wasn’t great,looking for some time she knew he was purely leaning on the air of haughtinessfighting to support himself, not knowing when he wouldn’t be able to carry onand he’d collapse, watching him Xia Ling Mei’s heart clenched.

w.a.n.g YunFeng finished his pressing business, then did he find Xia Ling Mei standing nottoo far behind him, stilly watching him.

“What isit, are you not tired of standing there blankly?” He walked over pulling her tosit down, he picked up the medicine himself and drank it clean.

Juan Shuwith keen eyes, immediately gathered up all the notebooks, letters and otherthings again picking up the bowl and leaving. Taking a furtive look at the twopeople intimately talking, he noiselessly arranged for people to pour hot waterinto the bath tub prepared earlier on, then did he close all the doors andwindows, withdrawing cleanly.

w.a.n.g YunFeng rubbed Xia Ling Mei’s lips, quietly saying: “Tonight we’ll sleeptogether.”

Xia LingMei thought about it: “Fen Er…” before she finished speaking, the otherperson’s tongue nimbly entered hers.

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