"Wife, I want to eat meat” 《娘子，我要吃肉》Chapter 30

This was their first family meal.

Wang Yun Feng 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 cold desolation and loneliness had already over the years seeped into his bones, the current comforting liveliness was the complete opposite of the two, it was bitter sweet, a lump rose in his throat, he couldn’t control himself for a very long time.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Ling Mei peeled opened a drunken prawn putting it in his bowl, “Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No.” Wang Yun Feng drank a mouthful of soup, waiting for the hot soup to go down his throat, melting the glacier in his heart, before picking up his chopsticks taking the fish eyes and placing them in her bowl, gently saying: “I remember you like eating this.”

Xia Ling Mei paused for a while, covering up her appearance, several times before picking up the food and placing it in her mouth, already speechless.

Xia Fen drank the soup, without hesitation as well he picked up a chicken butt putting it in his mother’s bowl: “Adoptive mother, quickly eat.”

It was undoubtedly a nothing out of the ordinary meal, apart from the incessant smacking of Xia Fen’s lips, the other two adults did not speak. Wang Yun Feng scrupulously abided by the rigorous upbringing of not talking when eating, Xia Ling Mei on the other hand didn’t have so many rules, she was preoccupied to eat with her emotions raging, she could only continuously give the two father and son food, she herself didn’t eat much.

Having finished the meal, just as Xia Fen had wanted to run off to find Zhuang Sheng as usual, but Wang Yun Feng called him to a stop: “You’re already six, don’t cause disorder everywhere without cause, if you have free time read more books and practice writing.”

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

Wang Yun Feng did not care for this: “You finished eating just now, bouncing around won’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 sucked his 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 the judge.”

Hearing this, Wang Yun Feng also guessed Xia Fen definitely chose to walk the path of martial arts, like Xia Ling Mei when she was younger. But Xia Ling Mei back then also studied quite a lot, ranking not in the top five amongst the girls at Bai Lu academy, but capable of being in the top ten. Wang Yun Feng was a well-known figure in the same academy, apart from the few princes, he was one of the best people of the influential families. As his son, even if his martial arts improved if he couldn’t write, he would only be able to kneel in the ancestral hall.

Immediately, his expression froze, with the slight loftiness of his stern imperial censor face in the imperial court. Eyebrows joined together, his lips pursed together, arrogant and in disdain his expression even sharper than a knife, the speed his expression changed was so quick, instantly scaring Xia Fen into taking two steps back. Xia Fen also was not to be reckoned with, he’s killed on the battlefield before, but he was scared of a goddamn scholar. After returning to his senses, he parted his legs, placing a single hand in front of his stomach to protect it, his other hand placed on the knife at his waist, his body bending in half, his position allowing him to charge and break through enemy lines, anytime and everywhere beheading people.

The two people was quiet and unmoving, one sat, one stood, facing off against their adversaries.

Xia Ling Mei lifted her eyes: “Chicken…”

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

Wang Yun Feng made a somewhat meaningful glance, in one short meal he knew the failing of Xia Fen. At that moment he wasn’t worried, he stood up using a lot of effort: “Spoiling him so much isn’t the way. His future prospects cannot be limited, without the slightest education how can he have a footing in the imperial court.”

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

Wang Yun Feng had eaten his fill, his mind was a lot better, he started walking a few steps with the support of Xia Ling Mei, when he had walked to the courtyard he could already walk by himself. He intended to spend time alone with Xia Ling Mei, pulling her slowly to the edge of the small stream to walk around to aid digestion.

Attentively asking about Xia Fen’s life for the past few years, again asking who his martial 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 the age of five, he’s a year late it can’t be dragged on any more. After the holidays, he will be sent to Bai Lu academy.”

Wang Yun Feng thought about it: “I still haven’t completed the matter the emperor instructed me. If he was still young, I can keep him by my side and teach him from the top, sadly it’s too late now.”

Xia Ling Mei did not utter a word.

Wang Yun Feng felt guilty, he couldn’t help but grasp her hand tightly: “I’ve let you mother and child down, I’ve let you suffer so much.”

Xia Ling Mei forced a smile, emotions flashed through her eyes: “Wang Yun Feng, are you trying to feel me out!”

Wang Yun Feng was stumped for words: “What am I feeling you out for?”

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

She certainly had suffered a lot, part of which was because she was proud and arrogant, not allowing anyone to sympathise with her at all, so she wasn’t willing to remain at the Xia family residence at ease, and chose to play a part in the battlefield fighting; the other part was her heartless determination, undoubtedly every year she returned home for the new year, every year Wang Yun Feng would think of a way to find her at the Xia family residence, even if he saw her by chance, she would deliberately not have a tear in her eyes or a single word of grievance, what more the matter of the child was concealed watertight. Her unscrupulous behaviour rejoiced in Wang Yun Feng’s pain, she watched his self-torment, no matter how he tracked her down and found her those years, most of the time she puffed herself up as strong in battle, excluding everything about him outside of her high walls.

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

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

It was already impossible to distinguish who had wronged who.

He could criticise her coldness, question why she hid herself, without the slightest hesitation hit and crush her fort. Ask her if she knew how he has lived alone by himself these few years, ask her if she knows what it’s like to be alone without a father, mother, wife or children, ask her when facing the public attacks and backstabbing of the imperial court, the fear and hesitation in his heart…to the extent that, he could even reproachfully ask her, that if he died in the struggle for power, would she allow Xia Fen to recognise his ancestors? Would she, offer an incense stick[1] for him as his widow!

This crafty person, he could clearly use his sharp imperial censor teeth to break her everything, 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 when younger which attracted her, seducing her a little bit into his trap, making her automatically give up resisting, making her discover the good things about him, discover his sincerity.

Make her feel deficit, wanting to repay him.

Wang Yun Feng couldn’t help hold her, laughing: “This is called retreat in order to advance.”

Xia Ling Mei lowered her head snorting, reaching out her own hands to hug his waist, the bottom of her heart swelling, an unspeakable emotion.

The two people casually touched each other like this, Xia Fen who had run out of the door 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 arts moves. The people there knew he was a distant relative of the former martial arts leader Han Yi Fan, naturally they didn’t lightly offend him, talking about competing in martial arts, however many actually picked at his martial arts.

After two hours, he ran back covered all over in body odour. Originally he had thought Wang Yun Feng should have left, even if he hadn’t left he wouldn’t be living in his mother’s courtyard! Hurriedly he ran back, just by chance he saw Ying Shi calling for people to prepare a hot water bath, and Wang Yun Feng calmly holding paper and writing brush at the table in front of the window writing something.

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

Wang Yun Feng did not lift up his head: “You mother and son are here, why would I leave.”

Xia Fen loudly shouted: “This is our room.”

Wang Yun Feng 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’ll get someone to prepare another room for you, it’s just next door.” The other meaning behind this, if it’s not important then the baby can just stay on one side.

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

Wang Yun Feng just finished writing one letter, after carefully examining it before sealing it and giving it to Juan Shu, then did he find the time to look at the child in the tub: “Are you washing yourself or your clothes? Take off your clothes, I’m worried you’ll catch a cold.”

Xia Fen was determined to act against him, shaking his butt at the other person twice: “I’m not going to take them off, you can’t control me.” As he spoke, he even exerted all his strength to slap the water, drenching the floor with a large puddle.

Wang Yun Feng picked up an ink slab walking over to the bath tub, saying: “If you don’t take off your clothes, I will throw this in there, make you take an ink bath.”

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

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

Xia Ling Mei with her hands on her hips glared at the father and son: “What are you doing?”

Wang Yun Feng smiled, with great concern he glanced at Xia Fen: “I’m just preparing to help Xia Fen wash, I didn’t notice the ink slab up my sleeve, I nearly ruined the just recently prepared bath.” Turning to speak to Xia Ling Mei, “When you leave close the door, don’t let Fen Er catch a cold.”

Xia Fen with great alarm: “I, I definitely don’t need you to help me wash! I can wash by myself.” He stopped talking, quickly stripping off his clothes, smoothly he rolled around inside the tub, waiting until Xia Ling Mei closed the door, he laid in the tub stealing a glance, he could only see Wang Yun Feng smiling yet not smiling.

Scoundrel! Xia Fen really hated him.

Xia Fen will stay in the main house no matter what, Wang Yun Feng can roll up his letter and other stuff and go next door. Xia Ling Mei personally prepared the medicine bring it in, only seeing him bent over his desk swiftly writing, with a concentrated and solemn face.

Compared to before, 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 haughtiness fighting to support himself, not knowing when he wouldn’t be able to carry on and he’d collapse, watching him Xia Ling Mei’s heart clenched.

Wang Yun Feng finished his pressing business, then did he find Xia Ling Mei standing not too far behind him, stilly watching him.

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

Juan Shu with keen eyes, immediately gathered up all the notebooks, letters and other things again picking up the bowl and leaving. Taking a furtive look at the two people intimately talking, he noiselessly arranged for people to pour hot water into the bath tub prepared earlier on, then did he close all the doors and windows, withdrawing cleanly.

Wang Yun Feng rubbed Xia Ling Mei’s lips, quietly saying: “Tonight we’ll sleep together.”

Xia Ling Mei thought about it: “Fen Er…” before she finished speaking, the other person’s tongue nimbly entered hers.

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[1] Usually an incense stick is burnt as offering to the dead.