The hole discovered in the corner of the wall wasn’t very large, but Xie Jinning’s frame was more delicate than the average man’s. He tried it out and felt he could fit through, not minding that it was probably a dog hole, and began to crawl out.
He lowered his shoulders and turned sideways, easily getting more than halfway through. Xie Jinning straightened his body, awkwardly and clumsily pushing forward with his arms on the ground, but suddenly, he got stuck.
He turned his head, incredulous, and looked back. He saw that the part of his body usually used for sitting was tightly blocking the hole, with only a sliver of light seeping through a small gap.
He suddenly remembered how a few friends had more than once put their arms around his shoulders, joking, “If you were a girl with such a figure, I’d definitely marry you into my house and pamper you, hoping for a chubby son soon.” Sometimes, they’d even pat him on the back.
He always thought it was just normal banter among men, would curse them as “crazy,” kick them back, and laugh at the footprints left on their robes, never taking it to heart.
But now, Xie Jinning truly realized that perhaps the flesh on his body had grown in places it shouldn’t have.
His current position was truly embarrassing. He was both ashamed and anxious, letting out a low whimper, his face flushed red.
Afraid that delaying too long would attract the guards, Xie Jinning twisted his waist, trying to inch himself out, but only ended up getting more stuck.
His robe rolled up, and from inside the courtyard, one could see through the narrow hole two long legs connected by a plump snowy mound, the fabric clinging tightly, like white petals hanging on a branch, trembling as they tightened with effort.
With a mighty effort, Xie Jinning finally managed to pull himself out. Fortunately, no one was passing by outside the courtyard, so no one saw his awkward state.
The sides of his hips were sore from being scraped by the wall stones. He lay on the ground, panting for a while, then slowly got up, leaning against the wall.
Carefully avoiding the guards, Xie Jinning made his way to the main courtyard to find his mother, only to be told by a maid that she wasn’t there but had gone to the ancestral hall with his elder brother.
Moreover, Xie Zhu had gone with them.
The ancestral hall was a significant place for the Xie family, and for Xie Zhu, an illegitimate child, to appear there could only mean one thing—he was being recognized as a legitimate member of the family.
No wonder they had confined him. If he had obediently stayed put for five days, by then, Xie Zhu would have been officially recognized as a young master of the Xie family!
Thinking of this, Xie Jinning was so angry that his hair almost stood on end. He clenched the hair ribbon in his hand, not bothering to tie it or to find Ah He, and ran straight towards the ancestral hall.
He absolutely would not allow Xie Zhu to enter the family!
Xie Jinning ran all the way, ignoring the servants’ attempts to stop him, and burst in.
As he pushed the door open, the four people inside turned to look at him, and a clap of thunder boomed behind him, echoing in Xie Jinning’s heart.
The ancestral hall was dim, but when the door opened, daylight poured in, enveloping him. Looking across, the four people’s facial features were surprisingly similar, even more so than his, making them look like a family.
In an instant, the scene before him was like a blow to the head, and all the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. His pupils trembled, and he stood frozen in place.
This…
The ceremony was interrupted, and Xie Qing looked back, displeased, seeing Xie Jinning with disheveled hair, his robe worn haphazardly, looking utterly disheveled, with his fair face smudged with some unknown dirt.
He scrutinized him carefully, sighed in relief, then raised his eyebrows, “Didn’t I tell you to stay put in the courtyard? What are you doing running out?”
“I…”
Having run too fast, Xie Jinning’s heart was pounding, his throat dry and faintly tasting of blood, his waist and legs so weak he almost sat down, only managing to stand straight through sheer willpower.
His mind was screaming with unease and danger, like a young beast sensing peril. Instinctively, Xie Jinning chose to maintain the facade of peace.
Deliberately ignoring Xie Zhu, he scanned the three people, swallowing hard, trying to keep his voice from trembling, “Father, Mother, Brother, what are you doing here?”
But no one answered.
Xie Zhaoming took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, stepping forward to wipe his face, but Xie Jinning tilted his head to avoid it.
He stared directly at Xie Zhaoming—his most relied upon and closest brother, carefully tugging at his sleeve, “Brother, tell me, what are you doing in the ancestral hall? Why didn’t you call Ning’er? And why haven’t you come to Jinyuan to see Ning’er these days? Am I not your most beloved brother anymore?”
The more Xie Jinning thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. His mouth pouted, and tears fell like a string of pearls.
Xie Zhaoming couldn’t stand his younger brother’s tears, his heart aching and swelling, yet unable to express it.
He tidied Xie Jinning’s robe, tucked his hair behind his ears, and whispered, “Ningning, listen to your brother. Go back to the courtyard first, and I’ll come to apologize in a while, okay?”
Again with the “in a while”!
“No!” Xie Jinning angrily shook off his sleeve, “The maids always say you’re busy and have no time for me, but when I went to find you, I discovered you were with him!”
He wiped his face haphazardly, glared at Xie Zhu quickly, and said angrily, “You have time for him but not for me. Xie Zhaoming, you’re a big liar. I don’t want to like you anymore!”
“Ningning…”
Seeing Xie Jinning throwing a tantrum, Xie Qing felt a headache coming on.
Of the two children in the family, Xie Jinning was the one who worried him the most.
He was spoiled and emotional, even crying for days over a playbook. Xie Qing couldn’t imagine how devastated he would be if he found out the truth, that he wasn’t their biological child.
So when they first discovered the truth, their initial reaction was to keep it from Xie Jinning, letting him continue being the carefree, innocent young master.
As for how long they could keep it a secret…
A lifetime would be best.
“Enough!” Xie Qing said sternly, “The Xie family ancestral hall is not a place for you to cause trouble. Someone, take the young master back.”
Xie Jinning flinched at his shout, his eyebrows furrowing in grievance. When his gaze fell on the family genealogy in Xie Qing’s hand, the tears that Xie Zhaoming had just managed to stop fell again, “I won’t go!”
“Father, you know this is the Xie family ancestral hall, so why is he allowed here?” He sniffed, taking a few steps into the hall, tears in his eyes but with a fierce demeanor, pointing at Xie Zhu without any courtesy, “I think the one who should leave is him!”
“Xie Jinning!”
He’s losing it, Xie Zhu thought.
The cat’s claws were almost at his nose, but he didn’t dodge, saying calmly, “Why should I leave?”
He said, “I am also a member of the Xie clan.”
His tone was flat, but Xie Jinning, who already disliked him, felt it was dripping with sarcasm.
“You illegitimate—what are you!” Xie Jinning, furious, was about to scratch him, but Xie Zhaoming quickly caught him around the waist.
Xie Jinning kicked his legs, trying to pry the arm around his waist, but couldn’t, his little face turning red with anger, “Brother, let go, let me go! I must drive him out today, or else, or else I won’t be a Xie anymore!”
The entire ancestral hall echoed with Xie Jinning’s voice. As he struggled, the dust on his robe fell like rain, turning the ceremony into a chaotic mess.
Xie Qing raised his hand to his forehead, saying quietly, “Look at the good son you’ve raised.”
Lin Jinhua pinched him secretly, “As if you don’t spoil him yourself.”
Everyone knew Xie Jinning’s stubborn nature. Once he got stubborn, not even ten oxen could pull him back. They had confined him to prevent him from finding out the truth, but he still managed to escape.
The couple exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.
Once he tired himself out, Xie Zhaoming released him, setting him down steadily.
Lin Jinhua used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat and dust from his forehead, saying, “My dear, you must be tired. Look at you, all sweaty. Come, let Mother take you back, change your clothes, and have a meal with you, okay?”
“Mother, I’m not leaving. I know you’ve been wronged. If Brother won’t help you, I will!”
Xie Jinning grabbed the bewildered Lin Jinhua, “Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess. Father, are you trying to add this person to the genealogy? I’m telling you, I don’t agree!”
He didn’t even call him by name anymore.
Xie Zhu smoothed the creases in his robe, leisurely watching Xie Jinning, curious to hear what was going on in his head.
“What grievance has your mother suffered, and what does it have to do with your brother?”
Xie Qing also understood that he had no authority in front of his son. He put down the brush, rubbed his aching temples, and said in a deep voice, “Xie Jinning, I’ll say it again. This is the ancestral hall. Don’t make a scene in front of the Xie family’s ancestors.”
“I’m going to expose you in front of the ancestors!”
Xie Qing’s attitude seemed to protect Xie Zhu, and seeing this, an even more intense anger surged in his mind.
Xie Jinning was so angry that he couldn’t think straight. He stiffened his neck and shouted:
“Xie Qing, you bastard! You promised to be with Mother forever, but you had someone outside and now want to add an illegitimate child to the genealogy. How can you do this!”
“…”
His words left everyone stunned, even Xie Zhu’s lips twitched.
What was this about having someone outside and an illegitimate child? What nonsense was this?
“What, did I hit the mark!” Overcome with anger, Xie Jinning didn’t notice the strange atmosphere. He put his hands on his hips, sneered, and was about to say more when Xie Zhaoming quickly covered his mouth.
Xie Zhaoming looked at his father’s darkened face, wrapped an arm around Xie Jinning’s shoulders, and half-dragged, half-carried him towards the door, saying, “Father, I’ll take Ningning away first. You continue.”
“Zhaoming, let go,” Xie Qing said, “Let him continue. I want to see how you’ve been badmouthing me behind my back.”
Xie Jinning’s face was small and delicate, and in just a short while, his nose, lips, and chin were covered in red marks from being covered. Xie Zhaoming glanced at his palm, slightly damp from the heat, wondering if he had been too forceful, when he heard him say:
“My mother can endure, but I can’t. Xie Qing, I’m telling you, I heard that the last family that let an illegitimate child in was killed. It’s so scary, you better kick him out! Otherwise, the next one could be the Xie family!”
As if on cue, another clap of thunder sounded outside.
Listening to his nonsense was pointless. Now he was even incorporating playbook plots, utterly unreasonable.
Xie Qing’s temple throbbed, and he didn’t want to say more. He closed his eyes and waved his hand, and the waiting servants outside immediately filed in, restraining the unresponsive Xie Jinning and lifting him up.
Xie Qing instructed the steward, “Find out how the young master got out of the courtyard, seal off the route, and extend his confinement by two days. Also, today’s events must not be leaked, or I’ll hold you accountable.”
“The old servant will handle it immediately.”
“Xie Qing, I won’t go, I don’t agree!” Xie Jinning struggled desperately, but there were too many people, and he couldn’t break free, only able to watch as he got further and further away from them.
As he was about to be taken out, he clung to the door frame, looking up to the other two for help, “Mother, Brother, help!”
The two, looking somewhat embarrassed and awkward, silently averted their gaze.
The servants, afraid of hurting him, didn’t dare use force. Xie Jinning’s voice was hoarse from shouting, and as the stalemate continued, a soft voice came from behind:
“Oh, why is the Xie residence so lively today? Is there some joyous occasion?”