Since his marriage, the eldest brother lived in the easternmost room, and the second and third brothers lived in the westernmost room.
As Yu Fuling followed behind her mother into the room, an unpleasant smell hit her in the face.
“It’s already dark out, why isn’t the lamp lit?”
Zhang Qiaofeng felt around and lit the oil lamp on the table, then looked up to see her second son curled up on the bed, not even having taken off his shoes and socks, and was instantly angry. “How many times have I told you, when you go to bed you take off your clothes and shoes, living this sloppily, what girl in the future would be willing to marry you?”
“You’ve got Big Brother to carry on the family line, why bother thinking about me?”
Yu Fuling was startled by her second brother lying motionless on the bed, back at the Marquis’ estate, if her parents had seen her lying still like that while they spoke, the nanny’s discipline ruler would have already come down on her.
“Enough, I only said a few words to you last time, and you had to stay away from home for days over it?” Zhang Qiaofeng set a bowl piled high with food on the table. “You must be hungry, aren’t you? Eat first.”
“No appetite.”
Grumble.
The moment Yu Zhuo finished speaking, his stomach let out a growl, giving him away.
“Hurry up and get up, if you keep dawdling, I’ll call your father in to deal with you.”
Their father’s authority still carried weight, Yu Zhuo scrambled up at once, then looked up and saw Yu Fuling was there too, his face falling instantly. “What’s she here for?”
Yu Fuling could tell her second brother seemed to have quite a grudge against her. “I heard Mother and Lehuan mention Second Brother during the day too, so here I am to…”
“Stop right there.”
Yu Zhuo raised a hand to cut Yu Fuling off. “I’m just a country bumpkin, I don’t know how to get along with a fine young lady like you who’s come back from the Marquis’ estate, you don’t need to try cozying up to me.”
“How are you talking to Fuling?” Before entering the room, Zhang Qiaofeng had told herself not to get into an argument with her second son over a few words, but hearing him speak ill of her daughter made her angry. “She’s your real younger sister now, it has nothing to do with the Marquis’ estate. She’s only been home two days, and she’s already been busy running around helping with family matters…”
“Her being busy is her own choice, what does that have to do with me?” Yu Zhuo looked at his mother, baffled. “Mother, are you going to let me eat or not?”
“You…” Zhang Qiaofeng was so angry she almost laughed. “Fine, eat, eat.”
At the Marquis’ estate, Yu Fuling hadn’t been an only child, she’d had two older brothers above her. Generally speaking, parents pin their hopes on the eldest and dote on the youngest, and it’s always the child in the middle who gets overlooked.
She understood her second brother’s current state all too well.
“Second Brother hasn’t been home for several days. Mother was talking about it with me during the day, worried Second Brother wasn’t eating or sleeping well out there. I didn’t expect you’d come back tonight.”
Yu Zhuo’s hand paused, and he looked up at Yu Fuling in confusion, from what he knew of his mother, she’d never say something like that. “Are you saying this out of nowhere just to make me feel guilty toward Mother?”
“Yu Zhuo, how are you talking to Fuling?”
“Mother, it’s fine. What siblings don’t bicker sometimes?” Yu Fuling shook her head at her mother, then looked at her second brother with a smile. “I’ve only just come home, there’s a lot about the family I don’t understand yet, but there’s one thing I’ve noticed.”
“What thing?” Yu Zhuo’s grip on his chopsticks tightened a little.
“Second Brother seems to have some inexplicable hostility toward me? Is it because I came back from the Marquis’ household? Or did I say or do something that upset you?” Yu Fuling didn’t like guessing games, she preferred to say things plainly.
“Who… who’s hostile toward you?” Yu Zhuo set his bowl and chopsticks down hard on the table, looking at his mother. “Why don’t I want to come home? Because every time I come back, you all interrogate me like I’m some criminal. Whether I’ve killed someone, set a fire, or done something shameful, can’t I just eat a meal in peace?”
“Mealtime was long over, if Mother hadn’t been thinking of you, why would she have specially saved food for you?”
Yu Fuling didn’t know why her second brother had flown into such an angry, defensive rage, but from the way he didn’t dare meet her eyes, she was certain he was hiding something in his heart that he couldn’t bring himself to say, yet also couldn’t avoid saying. “Of course Second Brother has a point too. Mother, let’s go, let’s let Second Brother eat in peace.”
With that, Yu Fuling stood and helped the bewildered Zhang Qiaofeng out of the room.
“Fuling, why did we leave? He’s gotten completely full of himself!” Zhang Qiaofeng looked around angrily, searching for the cane. “That worry of a son, every time he comes home, he’s either sulking or speaking in that snide, sarcastic way, I’m going to give him a good beating today no matter what.”
“Mother, has Second Brother always been like this since he was small?” Yu Fuling didn’t stop her mother, only asked.
“He was quite sensible as a child, never fighting for things, never grabbing. I don’t know when it started, but he’s picked up countless bad habits somewhere along the way.” Zhang Qiaofeng turned around and finally spotted the cane leaning in the corner, walked straight up to it without another word, picked it up, and gave it a few practice swings.
“What was the reason Second Brother ran off a few days ago?”
“Your father and I told him to find a proper trade, even if he only earned a few copper coins a month, it’d be better than sitting around idle at home. He turned against us on the spot, said we looked down on him…” Zhang Qiaofeng’s face trembled with anger just bringing it up. “Whose child doesn’t get a few words from their parents now and then? Is he so precious he can’t be scolded or hit?”
“So are you holding that cane to look threatening, or are you actually angry enough at Second Brother to really hit him?” Yu Fuling blinked at her mother.
“I…”
Zhang Qiaofeng didn’t truly want to beat her son, she’d just been driven to distraction by anger.
“Mother, calm down first.” Yu Fuling took her mother’s arm, her tone gentle but clear and reasoned. “I can see Second Brother is quite stubborn, now that things have gotten tense between you, he might run off from home again, and who knows how long he’d stay away this time. You’re not really afraid he’ll cause trouble out there, you’re worried he won’t be doing well out there, that he’ll suffer, and if he really ran into danger, all your crying and shouting to Father would be no use at all.”
Seeing her mother listening carefully, Yu Fuling continued. “Eldest Sister-in-law just came back from the gates of death today, everyone’s strength and energy are at their limit. Wouldn’t it be better to wash up and rest early? Whatever needs saying, we can sit down and talk it through properly with Second Brother tomorrow. However angry he is now, it’ll fade after a night’s sleep, who knows, maybe tomorrow he’ll actually be willing to listen?”
Her daughter’s short words both pointed out how Zhang Qiaofeng had always worried about her second son’s safety out there, and took into account the exhaustion these small matters had worn on her heart. Her eyes reddened at once. “Say what you will, Yu Zhuo just thinks we play favorites, but our children have grown this big, and your father and I would rather tighten our own belts than ever shortchange them a single meal. We’ve given him everything, heart and soul, and he still doesn’t appreciate it?”
Yu Fuling lowered her head and sighed softly.
She understood her mother’s grievance, and understood her second brother’s resentment even more.
Just like herself during all those years at the Marquis’ estate, provided with fine food and comfort, and yet because she resisted the things they wanted her to study, the two sides were always at each other’s throats.
“Second Brother’s matter needs to be handled slowly. Don’t you still have me here?” Yu Fuling affectionately held her mother’s hand. “I’m right here with you, what are you afraid of?”