“What are you all looking at? None of you are hungry anymore?”
Cheng Lan turned around, meeting the astonished gazes of the entire family, and for once felt a twinge of guilt.
Deliberately putting on a stern face, she scolded them before starting to distribute the food.
Since Li Xuerong was currently in the stage of nursing her child, Cheng Lan handed her an extra plump roasted duck leg.
Xiao Qin’er, being too frail and thin, was given a few pieces of pastry by Cheng Lan to avoid digestive issues from greasy food.
“Thank you, Mother…”
Xiao Qin’er and Li Xuerong received the food from Cheng Lan’s hands with trepidation, their voices tinged with caution.
Seeing their demeanor, Cheng Lan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly—what a wretched situation.
She kept a portion for herself, then picked up the remaining food and walked toward her two sons.
“Here.” Before Xiao Muchen could react, Cheng Lan tossed the food into his arms.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Xiao Muchen’s hoarse, disbelieving voice.
“Thank you, Mother…”
Xiao Muchen watched Cheng Lan’s retreating figure and the food in his hands, his expression complex. With great difficulty, he finally forced out the words of gratitude.
Not only was he thanking Cheng Lan for the food, but more so for her protection of his wife and child in that critical moment earlier!
Cheng Lan paused briefly before waving her hand dismissively.
Xiao Muchen struggled to his feet and made his way to Li Xuerong’s side, placing the food solemnly in her arms.
“Keep this safe. Save it for you and Nannan to eat slowly.”
As he spoke, a faint smile appeared on his handsome yet pale face, and he gently stroked the cheek of the sleeping Nannan.
The tenderness overflowing in his eyes made Li Xuerong unable to hold back her tears any longer.
“Husband, save a little for Nannan and eat the rest yourself. The road ahead is long—you must take care of yourself for the sake of us, your wife and child!”
Li Xuerong sobbed, reaching out to offer the food to Xiao Muchen’s mouth, but he swiftly stopped her hand.
Xiao Qin’er witnessed everything. Biting her lip, she divided her pastry in half and obediently offered it to Xiao Muchen.
“Elder Brother, you should eat too.”
Xiao Qin’er’s gesture brought a smile to Xiao Muchen’s usually icy face. He reached out and ruffled her hair.
“Qin’er, Elder Brother isn’t hungry. You’re still growing—keep it for yourself!”
Xiao Muchen’s gentle reassurance made Xiao Tongtong, who had been staring intently at them, instantly burn with jealousy.
She glared resentfully at Xiao Qin’er’s actions, wishing she could devour her alive on the spot.
Why? Why was everyone so good to Xiao Qin’er!
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunqing watched as Cheng Lan approached with food, his eyes darkening.
He stared coldly at Cheng Lan, not reaching out to take it. “Hmph, I knew you must have been hoarding good stuff. Only now do you bring it out to play the good person?”
“What else can you do besides looking out for yourself?”
“Let me tell you, we’re all in the same boat now. Hand over all the food you’ve hidden for Elder Brother to keep! Don’t forget, the family’s wealth was built by both Elder Brother and me!”
Xiao Yunqing’s pent-up anger from the journey finally erupted at this moment.
Cheng Lan observed the agitated Xiao Yunqing, who now resembled a trapped beast, and gave him a cold, sweeping glance.
Without a word, she withdrew the food, then sat directly in front of him and began eating heartily.
Such disregard made Xiao Yunqing choke abruptly, his expression growing increasingly gloomy as he spoke through nearly gritted teeth, “I actually thought you had changed just now, but it turns out you’re still just as selfish.”
Hearing the commotion over here, Xiao Tongtong’s eyes darted around.
Holding the half-eaten pig’s head meat in her hand, she lifted her chin and walked up to Xiao Yunqing.
“Second brother, here, fragrant roast duck. If you’re hungry, you could have just told your little sister. I wouldn’t be like those heartless people who refuse to share with you.”
As she spoke, Xiao Tongtong didn’t forget to cast a disdainful glance at Cheng Lan, who was still eating happily.
But who would have thought that just as she believed she had finally found an opportunity to show off, the next moment she saw Xiao Yunqing looking at her with a mocking gaze.
“Who’s your brother? Our Xiao family has no relatives as ungrateful as you.”
It would have been better if Xiao Tongtong hadn’t come over. Seeing her affected manner and haughty demeanor, Xiao Yunqing’s fists clenched so tightly they nearly drew blood.
Thinking back to before—that despicable Xiao Fuchuan, because their father refused to help him buy an official position, held a grudge against their branch of the family.
After their father passed away, this family of vile opportunists seized the chance to embezzle assets and divide the family estate, taking away most of the family fortune.
Later, when disaster struck their household and he had nowhere to turn, he went to them for help, only to be mercilessly thrown out!
How could he not hate them for this grudge!
“Xiao Yunqing, you little brat, who are you talking about! You disrespectful thing, how could my elder brother have a son like you!”
Xiao Fuchuan’s face flushed with anger, but the next moment, under Xiao Yunqing’s icy, piercing glare, he suddenly lost his nerve.
After all, times were different now. The main branch now had more people and influence, so he might as well not waste his breath.
Seeing Xiao Fuchuan’s spineless appearance, Liu Manwen nearly choked with rage. “Useless waste…”
All she hoped for now was that Zhang Kui would arrive soon. When that time came, she would surely make Cheng Lan and her family suffer—unable to live and unable to die!
Xiao Muchen frowned tightly, casting a complicated glance at Cheng Lan.
In the end, he still walked up to her, forcing himself to call her “Mother.”
“Mother, Second Brother is being unreasonable. I hope you won’t take it to heart!”
Xiao Muchen apologized on behalf of his second brother, but Cheng Lan didn’t mind anyway. She raised an eyebrow at him.
Turning her gaze back to the gloomy and brooding Xiao Yunqing, she sighed inwardly. This kid was still too young.
Though clever, he was ultimately brave but lacking in strategy. His temperament would likely need to be tempered before he could achieve great things.
As Cheng Lan pondered this, she pulled out the water skin she had just filled from the spatial dimension and handed it to Xiao Muchen.
“Take this water and share it.”
Cheng Lan’s tone was calm, but Xiao Muchen, looking at the bulging water skin, trembled slightly in his tall frame, his face filled with gratitude.
He didn’t ask what else his mother might have hidden. Swallowing his past hatred for this mother, he bowed solemnly.
Cheng Lan looked at him, suddenly pausing, her lips curling into a half-smile. “However, let me make this clear upfront: the food and water are not to be shared with Second Brother.”
“Unless he himself is willing to humble himself. Otherwise, if I find out, don’t expect me to give you all another bite of food.”
Hearing this, Xiao Muchen was taken aback, feeling both amused and exasperated for the first time.
But given the current circumstances, he had no choice but to follow her arrangements.
After all, the survival of their branch of the family was now in the hands of this muddle-headed mother of his!
Moreover, the command came from his biological mother. As a son, the loyalty and filial piety ingrained in his bones compelled him to obey rather than defy.
“I understand, Mother!”
With those words, Xiao Muchen turned around and handed the water pouch to his wife, Li Xuerong, and Xiao Qin’er.
He then walked over to Xiao Yunqing, sighed helplessly, and gently patted his shoulder.
“After all, she is our mother. You were also in the wrong earlier. Go and apologize to her. As they say, ‘A wise man adapts to circumstances.’ This is not the time to be stubborn.”
“Hah—apologize? I did nothing wrong. With her hypocritical attitude, I’d rather starve than accept anything from her!”
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