Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 108: Tastes Great
Chapter 109: Chapter 108: Tastes Great
“Behave yourself later, or I’ll give you another beating!” Wang Lan’s tone grew progressively stern as she spoke.
Ning Ji felt a deep sorrow in his heart.
He couldn’t help but think of the past.
When Ning Zhuo, as a child, played so much that he forgot to eat and came back late, only leftovers remained on the table.
“Who told you to come back so late? Hehe, you’re in trouble now.” Ning Ji, full and satisfied, jeered from his seat.
Ning Zhuo stuck out his tongue, sat down, and was about to pick up his chopsticks to get some food.
Smack.
Wang Lan struck with her chopsticks, knocking Ning Zhuo’s chopsticks to the ground.
“No manners!” Wang Lan’s expression was icy. “There’s dirt under your nails. Have you forgotten the rules I taught you? Go wash your hands!”
“Yes.” Ning Zhuo’s face was pale as he quickly nodded, left his stool, and ran out to wash his hands, holding his reddened hand.
Due to this delay, the dinner bell rang.
“Time’s up, clean the dining room. Oh, poor A Zhuo has nothing to eat!” Ning Ji clapped his hands in glee, gloating.
“Husband?” Wang Lan looked at Ning Ze with a hesitant expression.
With a detached look, Ning Ze slowly stood up and left his seat: “Rules are rules, they must not be lax.”
“Yes, husband.” Wang Lan bowed her head in acknowledgment.
Ning Zhuo entered the dining room.
The child who once ran to wash his hands with a red, sore hand had seemingly grown into a sixteen-year-old youth in the blink of an eye.
He walked in slowly, dressed in white with a tranquil gaze.
Ning Ji and Wang Lan both felt as if time had flown by, like a fleeting horse.
Wang Lan reined in her emotions, immediately stood up with a broad smile, and waved: “Little Zhuo, you’re here, at last. We’ve been waiting for you to start dinner.”
Ning Zhuo bowed: “Auntie.”
He then looked at Ning Ji with a slight smile: “Cousin.”
Ning Ji nodded, his expression complex.
Wang Lan said: “Oh, you’re still so polite. No need to bow, our family isn’t so formal. Come, sit, please sit.”
Wang Lan guided Ning Zhuo to sit next to her.
However, she did not sit in the main seat.
The main seat at the round table was empty; it belonged to Ning Ze.
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo understood Wang Lan’s warm reception.
Sure enough, shortly after they began eating, Wang Lan brought up Ning Ze: “Little Zhuo, your uncle was wrong to privately withhold what was rightfully yours.”
“You are a kind-hearted child. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have forgiven your uncle so readily.”
“Your father’s brother is your uncle; we are truly family!”
As she spoke, Wang Lan was extremely frustrated and seething with hidden anger.
She knew very well that this was entirely fabricated! But since Ning Xiaoren had already made arrangements, Ning Ze had no choice but to comply with a bitter face. Wang Lan’s only option was to play along.
Ning Zhuo said: “Auntie, you are right. In this world, you are the people closest to me.”
“When I first heard the news, honestly, I was very angry.”
“But as time went on, I came to terms with it. After all, he is my uncle, and you are my dearest family.”
“As long as you return the embezzled money and resources, that will suffice.”
“When did we ever embezzle! That Ning Xiaoren is a complete scoundrel, and you believe whatever he says?!” Wang Lan roared in her heart, her anger twisting her smile into a grimace.
She suppressed her fury: “Yes, we will return it, but it has to be in parts. That amount is too large to return all at once.”
“I understand completely. That is fine.” Ning Zhuo nodded.
As he spoke, he observed Ning Ji and Wang Lan.
He discreetly activated the prototype of his Divine Skills.
Unlike before, his Life-hanging Divine Ability’s lotus seed had now grown a segment of rhizome.
The prototype of his Divine Skills made him realize he could now suppress fluctuations and activate abilities stealthily.
As long as the target wasn’t too powerful, he could conceal the energy to the utmost, ensuring no one noticed.
The reason Ning Zhuo chose to temporarily stay at his uncle’s house, apart from avoiding the heavy surveillance in Ning Xiaoren’s manor, was to test his Divine Skills.
The Life-hanging Divine Ability became stronger with more knowledge and better control.
In this world, Ning Ze’s family was the most familiar to Ning Zhuo. After all, over a decade of daily interactions were no joke.
In Ning Zhuo’s vision, a Life Hanging Thread gradually formed atop Ning Ji’s head.
Unlike the Life Hanging Threads used in the Magma Fairy Palace’s soul extraction, the one controlled by Ning Zhuo was extremely thin and semi-transparent.
Soon, one also appeared atop Wang Lan’s head.
Mother and son remained oblivious.
Ning Zhuo attempted to control them.
Ning Ji suddenly grabbed his throat, emitting strangled sounds.
“What’s wrong?” Wang Lan, about to persuade Ning Zhuo, was interrupted by Ning Ji’s sudden condition.
Ning Ji said, gasping: “I ate fish, and a bone got stuck in my throat.”
Wang Lan snorted coldly, ignoring him.
She continued: “Little Zhuo, look, your uncle has been in the private prison for many days now. You know the conditions there; it’s truly not fit for a person.”
“I had sought an audience with the Young Clan Leader, but he refused to see us.”
“Little Zhuo, I was just hoping you could… cough cough.”
Wang Lan suddenly started coughing.
Ning Zhuo quickly handed her a cup: “Auntie, please speak slowly, don’t get too excited.”
Wang Lan thanked him, took the cup, and drank a sip of water.
“Cough cough cough!” This time, she coughed even more violently.
She had choked on the water.
“Don’t be embarrassed, Little Zhuo.” It took Wang Lan a long time to recover, losing the emotions she had been building up.
Of course, Ning Zhuo wouldn’t tell her that her reactions were the result of his test.
Wang Lan hesitated, and as she spoke again.
Ning Ji once more grabbed his throat, mouth agape, making strange noises.
“What’s wrong now?” Wang Lan frowned.
Ning Ji, looking aggrieved, said: “I… I got another fish bone stuck.”
“You’re so old and still can’t eat fish properly! You are unbelievable!” Wang Lan glared at Ning Ji harshly.
Ning Ji quickly bowed his head, adopting a submissive posture.
Wang Lan scolded him for a few sentences, and Ning Ji’s face reddened even more, making him restless.
“What’s the matter now?” Wang Lan snapped.
“Mother, I need to use the restroom,” Ning Ji said.
The strong urge to relieve himself created a pressing need for immediate action.
“Go, quickly.” Wang Lan no longer wanted to look at him.
Ning Ji immediately got up and hurriedly left the dining room. His posture was awkward; as he crossed the door, he accidentally let out a fart.
Ning Zhuo manipulated the Life Hanging Thread to trip Ning Ji, making him stumble and fall flat after just a few steps from the threshold.
Wang Lan glaring in anger, was about to scold him when she choked on her own saliva, coughing for a long time.
Ning Zhuo smiled slightly, raising his hand to stop Wang Lan from continuing: “Auntie, I already know what you want to say.”
“Rest assured, I will plead with the Young Clan Leader on your behalf.”
“I will strive to have my uncle released as soon as possible.”
Wang Lan, hearing these words, slapped her thigh in excitement: “Oh, Little Zhuo, you’re such a good child, you’re wonderful!”
“Auntie thanks you, thank you so much.”
Ning Zhuo said: “Let’s eat first.”
Wang Lan enthusiastically used serving chopsticks to give Ning Zhuo food.
But midway, the food fell onto the table.
Wang Lan felt very embarrassed.
“Auntie, you need not do this; I can help myself.” Ning Zhuo used his chopsticks to pick a fish eye and put it in his mouth.
Though only tasting a little, Ning Zhuo had already deeply savored this feeling.
Life Hanging Thread!
Once used, as long as someone was connected by it, the cultivator’s behavior could be partially controlled.
Using it just now, Wang Lan and Ning Ji exhibited minor actions, making several mistakes.
“This feeling, this feeling… is truly indescribable.”
It was as if everything could be easily influenced, as if everything could be controlled!
Ning Zhuo was deeply enthralled by this.
“How does it taste?” Wang Lan asked with concern, “I made the fish myself.”
While chewing the tasteless fish eye, Ning Zhuo nodded, his eyes gleaming with a cold light, and sincerely remarked: “The taste… is truly excellent.”