"Behave yourself later. Be careful, or I’ll smack you again!" The more Wang Lan spoke, the more severe her expression became.
Ning Ji felt a deep bitterness in his heart.
He couldn't help but recall the past.
During his childhood, Ning Zhuo often lost track of time while playing and missed meals, returning home late to find only leftovers on the table.
"Who told you to come back so late? Hehe, you're in trouble now." Ning Ji, having eaten his fill, sat at the table and teased him.
Ning Zhuo stuck out his tongue and sat down, just about to pick up some food with his chopsticks.
Smack!
Wang Lan struck Ning Zhuo's chopsticks with her own, causing them to fall to the ground.
"No manners!"
Wang Lan's expression turned icy.
"There's dirt under your fingernails. Have you forgotten the rules I taught you? Go wash your hands."
"Yes!"
Ning Zhuo's face paled as he hurriedly nodded, left the round stool, and covered the back of his hand, rushing out of the house to wash up.
But just as he was delayed, the bell rang.
"It's time. Clean up the dining room. Oh, poor Zhuo, nothing left for you to eat," Ning Ji clapped his hands in glee, reveling in his misfortune.
"Master?"
Wang Lan hesitated, glancing at Ning Ze.
Ning Ze's expression was indifferent as he slowly stood up and left his seat. "Rules are rules, no exceptions!"
"Yes, Master!" Wang Lan lowered her head in acknowledgment.
Ning Zhuo stepped back into the dining room.
The once small child who had covered the red back of his hand and rushed off to wash up had now, in what seemed like a fleeting moment, grown into a sixteen-year-old youth.
He was dressed in white, with a calm gaze, and slowly walked in.
Both Ning Ji and Wang Lan felt a sense of time passing quickly, like a fleeting moment.
Wang Lan quickly collected herself, stood up, and flashed a wide smile at Ning Zhuo, waving him over, "Little Zhuo, you're here! We were just waiting for you to start the meal."
Ning Zhuo bowed and greeted, "Aunt."
He then looked at Ning Ji and smiled slightly, "Cousin."
Ning Ji nodded, his expression complicated.
Wang Lan said, "Ah, you’re still so polite, child. No need for all that. We don't stand on so many formalities in our family. Come, sit, sit!"
Wang Lan led Ning Zhuo to sit beside her.
However, she didn't sit at the head of the table.
The head seat at the round table was empty; it was reserved for Ning Ze.
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo understood the purpose of Wang Lan's warm reception.
Sure enough, not long after they began eating, Wang Lan brought up Ning Ze: "Little Zhuo, what your uncle did was wrong. He took things that rightfully belonged to you."
"You're such a kind-hearted child; otherwise, you wouldn’t have forgiven your uncle so easily.
"Your father's brother is your uncle. We are truly family."
As she spoke, Wang Lan felt stifled and secretly resentful.
She knew well that this was all baseless.
Of course, Ning Zhuo wouldn’t tell her that all of this was the result of his experimenting with his divine ability.
Wang Lan hesitated for a moment and then started to speak again, but after only a few words, Ning Ji suddenly grabbed his throat and opened his mouth wide, making strange noises.
"What’s wrong with you now?" Wang Lan frowned.
Ning Ji, feeling wronged, said, "I, I got another fishbone stuck."
"You're such a big boy, and you can’t even eat a fish properly. You’re hopeless."
Wang Lan glared at Ning Ji.
Ning Ji quickly lowered his head, assuming a meek posture as he braced for a scolding.
Wang Lan reprimanded him for a few more moments, and Ning Ji's face turned redder, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
"What’s wrong with you now?"
Wang Lan snapped.
"Mother, I need to use the restroom!" Ning Ji said. The intense urge to relieve himself made him desperate.
"Go, quickly!"
Wang Lan couldn't stand to look at Ning Ji anymore.
Ning Ji immediately got up and hurried out of the dining room.
His movements were awkward, and as he crossed the threshold, he accidentally let out a fart.
Ning Zhuo manipulated the "Life Hanging by a Thread" thread, causing Ning Ji to trip over his own feet just a few steps past the threshold, making him fall flat on the ground.
Wang Lan glared at him, about to scold him, but choked on her own saliva, leading to a long coughing fit.
Ning Zhuo smiled slightly and stopped Wang Lan from continuing. "Aunt, I think I understand what you want to say."
"Don’t worry. I’ll plead with the young clan leader on my uncle's behalf."
"I’ll try to get him released as soon as possible."
Hearing these words, Wang Lan was so excited that she slapped her thigh. "Oh, Little Zhuo, you're such a good child! You’re the best!"
"Aunt is so grateful to you, so grateful!"
Ning Zhuo said, "Let’s eat first."
Wang Lan eagerly used the communal chopsticks to pick up some food for Ning Zhuo.
But halfway through, the food fell onto the table.
Wang Lan felt embarrassed.
"Aunt, there's no need for that. I’ll help myself." Ning Zhuo picked up a fish eye with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth.
He only took a small bite, but Ning Zhuo was already deeply enamored with the sensation.
The "Life Hanging by a Thread" divine ability, once used, caused a portion of the cultivator's power and actions to be controlled if they were caught in its thread.
Just like Ning Zhuo's recent experiment, both Wang Lan and Ning Ji made small movements and mistakes several times.
"This feeling... this feeling is truly indescribable!"
It felt as if
everything could be easily influenced by him, as if everything was within his control.
Ning Zhuo was deeply intoxicated by this.
"How does it taste?"
Wang Lan asked with concern, "I made this fish myself."
As Ning Zhuo chewed on the fish eye, his eyes flickered with a cold light. He sincerely replied, "The taste... it's really amazing."