He made no effort to hide his malice, his face a mix of disdain and disgust, with eyes glaring wide like a vengeful spirit, twisted and terrifying beyond words.
“Do you think you’re innocent, that you’re the one who’s wronged? I’m the one who should feel wronged.” Cheng Meng sneered, “If you weren’t here, everything you have now would be mine. Can’t you see how much of a nuisance your existence is?”
“From childhood till now, I’ve been praying for something to happen to you. But it’s a shame, after all these years, you’re still alive and well. Your life is really resilient.”
He wanted to break down Cheng Shuoning’s defenses, but the other just silently watched him, eyes as if looking at a stranger. Instead, Cheng Meng became hysterical, like a clown.
Cheng Meng paused, changing tactics, aiming to hit Cheng Shuoning’s sore spot, “No wonder they hate you. With such a big reaction from them, and you being so indifferent, it makes them look like a joke.”
Is he really that indifferent? Han Tian had said the same.
Cheng Shuoning turned his head, looking at his reflection in the glass.
His face, when expressionless, did indeed appear cold and distant. But just because people hated him, did he have to rage and vent his grievances? Wouldn’t they then say he was acting like a madman?
“Here’s an idea,” Cheng Meng continued, unaffected by Cheng Shuoning’s silence, feeling even more triumphant. “Why don’t you go abroad and never come back? Maybe then our relationship could improve. What do you think?”
Cheng Shuoning calmly threw the question back, “Why don’t you go abroad?”
“This is my home. Why should I leave?” Cheng Meng feigned innocence.
That expression was all too familiar. Cheng Shuoning had seen it many times.
One particularly vivid memory was when their parents weren’t home, and he was hungry. Cheng Meng wouldn’t let the housekeeper make him food and hid all the edible things.
He had to drag a chair to the fridge, searching for something to eat. He finally reached a bottle of yogurt, only for Cheng Meng to snatch it away.
Every time Cheng Shuoning took one, Cheng Meng would grab it, until finally, Cheng Shuoning fell off the chair and got hurt. Cheng Meng stayed far away, watching him with red eyes, enduring the pain, mocking him as a useless waste, saying a waste had no right to eat.
When their parents returned, Cheng Meng wore that same innocent expression, saying, “Did little brother fall? I didn’t know. He’s just too careless.”
The face from childhood overlapped with the one before him. Cheng Shuoning tilted his head slightly, looking at Cheng Meng, “Do you like them?”
The seemingly random question caught Cheng Meng off guard, his expression changing immediately.
Cheng Shuoning continued, “Li Shengfei or Han Tian? Or is it Zhou Xundu?”
“Shut up.” The buried secret was about to be exposed, and Cheng Meng erupted in anger, “Say one more word, and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”
“What’s going on here?” Unexpectedly, Mother Cheng returned to find them arguing. She looked at the broken glass on the floor, then at Cheng Meng, “What happened? Why do you both look so upset? Is the party over? I thought I could still make it.”
Cheng Shuoning’s face lit up with surprise, abandoning the verbal sparring with Cheng Meng, “Mom? Aren’t you busy? What brings you back?”
“No matter how busy I am, I can’t miss Ning Ning’s birthday.” Mother Cheng gently stroked Cheng Shuoning’s head, her gaze full of affection, “It’s not midnight yet. Ning Ning, happy birthday.”
Cheng Meng watched the warm scene with cold eyes, mocking, “Do you think I’m causing trouble again? Sorry, this time it’s not me. It’s your precious son Cheng Shuoning, who first argued with Han Tian, then with Li Shengfei, and now with me.”
Mother Cheng knew Cheng Shuoning well enough to know he wouldn’t argue without reason. She pulled him to sit on the sofa, “Ning Ning, tell me what happened. Why did you argue with Han Tian and the others? Did they do something? And why are you and Cheng Meng fighting?”
Cheng Shuoning couldn’t say anything.
If he told Mother Cheng that Cheng Meng hated him, deliberately taking everything from him, even wanting him dead, would she believe it? The answer was no.
Thinking of this, he shook his head, saying nothing.
Seeing this, Cheng Meng yawned out of boredom and turned to go upstairs.
Mother Cheng watched him for a moment before finally getting up to follow, instructing Cheng Shuoning before leaving, “Ning Ning, it’s late. Go back to your room and sleep.”
The young man sat on the sofa, unmoving, watching their figures disappear.
He could feel that Mother Cheng’s attention was mostly on Cheng Meng, with only a small part directed at him.
Thinking of this, Cheng Shuoning lowered his eyes slightly, hiding the disappointment within.
Though he usually spoke sarcastically to Mother Cheng, when called to the study, Cheng Meng still went.
He pushed open the door, his face cold, “If you’re here to speak for Cheng Shuoning…”
Before he could finish, Mother Cheng interrupted, her tone concerned, “What happened today?”
Cheng Meng looked at her for a moment, a mocking smile on his face, “Would you believe me if I told you? If I said Cheng Shuoning deliberately caused trouble, accusing me of seducing Han Tian and Li Shengfei, would you believe it? You definitely wouldn’t.”
“…” Such absurd words, Mother Cheng’s first reaction was disbelief. She frowned, “Ning Ning isn’t someone who would say such things.”
“Then why ask?” Cheng Meng waved dismissively, turning to leave with an indifferent attitude.
“Cheng Meng, if you’re not lying, I’ll talk to Ning Ning and ask him to stop causing trouble.” Mother Cheng called after him, her voice gentle.
Cheng Meng paused, a triumphant smile playing on his lips, “I’m afraid when you do, he’ll tell you I’m twisting the truth.”
“I won’t let this matter drag on.” Mother Cheng said, “Don’t worry.”
Cheng Meng clapped in exaggerated surprise, “It’s unbelievable. Have you had a change of heart and started caring about your eldest son now?”
His sarcastic words nearly shattered Mother Cheng’s years of grace and composure. She held back her anger, saying, “Believe it or not, I’ve never not cared about you. You’ve misunderstood all along.”
Cheng Meng dismissed her words as lies and left the room.
Mother Cheng felt a headache coming on, realizing everything stemmed from Cheng Shuoning, her head ached even more.
*
Cheng Shuoning placed the parrot in his room.
It occasionally spoke, but mostly it stayed quiet, keeping Cheng Shuoning company without causing a fuss.
The next morning, however, Cheng Meng threw a tantrum at breakfast, “The bird Cheng Shuoning keeps is noisy. It disturbed my sleep. Either kill it or make Cheng Shuoning move out.”
The clearly targeted words made Cheng Shuoning look up at him.
The other gave him a bright, smug smile.
‘Let’s see if you leave or get rid of that bird this time.’
Mother Cheng paused with her chopsticks, looking at Cheng Shuoning, “A bird?”
“A parrot Li Shengfei gave me. It’s very quiet, not noisy.” Cheng Shuoning explained, “Last night it only said three sentences, very softly. It couldn’t have disturbed him.”
“It’s still a small bird. Ning Ning, maybe you should give it to someone else to take care of. It’s too noisy to keep at home.” Mother Cheng thought for a moment, gently advising, thinking it wasn’t a big deal and that Cheng Shuoning should just give in.
It was clear she didn’t care whether Cheng Meng’s words were true, just wanted to deal with the parrot. Cheng Shuoning asked quietly, “Why?”
“If you kept a bird that didn’t talk, it would be fine. But parrots mimic speech, they’re noisy.” Mother Cheng sighed, “Be good, Ning Ning. Or you could return it to Li Shengfei.”
Cheng Shuoning said nothing.
Mother Cheng thought he hadn’t heard her, turning to him, “Ning Ning?”
‘Can’t you compromise a little, stop being so unreasonable? Watching you all argue every day is giving me a headache.’
“If next time Cheng Meng says I’m noisy, would you ask me to move out too?” Cheng Shuoning put down his chopsticks, asking softly.
Mother Cheng shook her head, “Of course not, Ning Ning. How can you compare yourself to a bird? But the bird’s presence is indeed affecting…”
“You should know he’s deliberately targeting me, yet you still want me to back down.” Cheng Shuoning looked at her, his eyes devoid of emotion, “Why? Or do you think I owe Cheng Meng something?”
The conversation had reached its goal. Cheng Meng picked up his backpack and left.
The living room fell silent, Mother Cheng’s expression growing more unpleasant, “Why would you think that?”
“Because I can feel it.” Cheng Shuoning lowered his head, his fingers clenching his clothes tightly, knuckles white but not letting go, “I can clearly feel your bias.”
It wasn’t just once or twice. Before, he thought he was too sensitive, that it was just an illusion, but now thinking back, it was all true.
The mother he had always respected cared more for Cheng Meng, her heart leaning towards him, both in the past and now.
A strong bitterness spread from his throat to his nose, Cheng Shuoning’s eyes grew warm. The heart that had been tense and heavy because of Han Tian and Li Shengfei could no longer bear this, on the verge of breaking.
No one would put themselves in his shoes, not even his mother.
Mother Cheng stared at him for a long time, as if lost in some memory. After a while, she sighed, not denying it, speaking earnestly, “Sometimes I do regret having you.”
No words could be more devastating, but the speaker seemed unaware of this, continuing, “Your presence completely changed Cheng Meng. Ning Ning, I can’t ignore Cheng Meng. I owe him, so I have to be better to him.”
Cheng Shuoning sat there, motionless like a wooden puppet.
After a long while, he smiled slightly, “Did I do something wrong?”
Mother Cheng’s gaze was gentle, “No, but Ning Ning, you’re the wrong target. So I hope you can be more forgiving and accommodating to Cheng Meng. Maybe he’ll slowly accept you. And don’t argue with him so much. He’s easily agitated, and if…”
Cheng Shuoning could no longer endure, coldly interrupting her absurd words, “You know his thinking is wrong, yet you don’t correct him, letting him act recklessly, turning him into what he is now, and you say I’m the wrong target, asking me to give in. Mom, what do you take me for?”
Perhaps she had never seen Cheng Shuoning speak to her with such a cold attitude, Mother Cheng was momentarily stunned. When she recovered, she frowned deeply, her eyes full of disappointment in Cheng Shuoning, “What kind of attitude is this towards me?”