Chapter 873: Chapter 873: I’m Very Angry, You Know Chapter 873: Chapter 873: I’m Very Angry, You Know About half an hour later, Ling Ruonan and Luo Xusheng emerged from the kitchen together, night snacks in hand.
They had prepared steak, two stir-fried vegetables, a large bowl of noodles, two fried eggs, and a fruit salad.
After setting these items on the table, Ling Ruonan took out a jar of Daughter’s Red wine from the cabinet.
“This is an eighteen-year-old Daughter’s Red that I’ve just had someone bring back from Yuezhou—I’m not sure how it tastes.” Ling Ruonan, now devoid of her earlier sorrow, wore a face full of happiness, and the smile on her face couldn’t be contained. “I’ll join you for a little.”
“An eighteen-year-old Daughter’s Red, the winemaker’s daughter is about to get married too,” Luo Ziling sighed, then took a seat beside the table and asked Ling Ruonan very seriously, “Mom, how old were you when you met Dad?”
When Luo Ziling first saw Luo Xusheng, he hadn’t called out “Dad,” but now, the title he had never spoken in person, slipped out naturally in front of Luo Xusheng.
“I was twenty years old at the time,” Ling Ruonan said a bit shyly, glancing at Luo Xusheng. “Your dad looked a lot like you, especially the eyes, almost identical.”
“Why are they not the same now?”
“Hardships have taken their toll, innocence is lost,” Luo Xusheng sighed, unsealed the jar of wine, and poured a full glass for Luo Ziling, then half a glass for Ling Ruonan, and filled his own glass as well.
However, he first raised his glass to Ling Ruonan: “Nannan, I’m really sorry. I haven’t dared to show my face before you for so many years. I’ve sneakily come back a few times, but never dared to meet you face to face. Actually, I should have come back to see you much earlier.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Ruonan momentarily stiffened, and her eyes reddened as Luo Xusheng continued speaking.
“It’s all in the past now, so let’s not dwell on it. What’s important is what lies ahead,” she said, forcing a smile and raising her glass to Luo Xusheng. “Grandpa has already agreed to let you return to Yanjing, but it will still take some time. I will try my best to get you back earlier. You have to strive for it yourself too.”
“Okay,” Luo Xusheng replied, visibly relieved. He clinked glasses with Ling Ruonan and then gulped down the entire glass of aged Daughter’s Red in one go, at least a hundred milliliters’ worth.
Ling Ruonan hesitated for a moment, then also drained her half-glass of yellow wine.
Luo Ziling quickly poured them more, admonishing, “Eat something first before drinking any more, or it may harm your health.”
Both nodded almost simultaneously and agreed to Luo Ziling’s request.
After eating for a bit, Luo Ziling raised his glass toward Luo Xusheng and said, “Dad, this one’s for you. However, I’m still not quite satisfied with you. You were so harsh when you hit me, but in other matters, you are so indecisive. Coming to see me, you were afraid of shocking me so you didn’t show your true face; I won’t hold that against you, after all, it’s in the past. But when it comes to seeing Mom, how could you sneak around and not face her properly? If you had come to see her and spent some quality time with her, she definitely wouldn’t be as sad as she is now. You’re not acting like a man. If it were me, I would never do such a thing.”
“Cough… cough…” Luo Xusheng started choking on his own saliva.
Before he could respond, Luo Ziling had already downed his glass of wine, and after a moment’s thought, he drank his own as well.
Whether it was from embarrassment or the effect of the two glasses of wine, his face was red. Against the backdrop of his red face, his blue stubble appeared even blacker, making him look quite comical.
Ling Ruonan opened her mouth as if to say something in defense of Luo Xusheng, but in the end, she remained silent.
Luo Ziling put down his chopsticks, stood up, and said to Luo Xusheng and Ling Ruonan, “I’ll head back to school first. You two have been apart for so long, there must be a lot you want to say and do, so I won’t disturb you further.”
His words instantly caused Ling Ruonan’s face to turn red and gave Luo Xusheng a strange expression.
Luo Ziling gave them a curious look, then turned around and left.
“Ling’er, you should stay here tonight, too. Let’s have a family talk,” Ling Ruonan finally reacted, abruptly stood up, and rushed over to pull Luo Ziling. Luo Xusheng also stood up, but he seemed a bit at a loss, not knowing what to say.
“I’ll come back tomorrow morning instead, to have breakfast with you,” Luo Ziling knew that Ling Ruonan had misunderstood him and immediately put on a smile, “I still have some things to do, and I’d disturb you if I stayed. Tomorrow, I’ll take a leave and spend some good time talking with you both, okay?”
“Okay,” Ling Ruonan really didn’t know what to say. She could feel that Luo Ziling still harbored resentment after seeing Luo Xusheng.
Perhaps it was because he got beaten tonight, coupled with his dissatisfaction with Luo Xusheng’s actions over the years, that he was annoyed and eager to leave. Naturally, Ling Ruonan didn’t want Luo Ziling to leave; she wanted the three of them to stay in the same house, to talk things out and truly experience the joy of a reunited family.
She had waited twenty years for such a day, and now that it had finally come, it felt unreal, like being in a fog. She hoped it wasn’t a dream but a reality. If Luo Ziling left, the feeling of today would certainly be incomplete; even if it wasn’t a dream, it would still carry some regret.
“Let him go. He’ll come over tomorrow anyway,” Luo Xusheng started speaking, walking over to Ling Ruonan and whispering, “I’m free tomorrow, so I can spend time talking with you and our son. He’s also tired today, let him go back and rest early.”
“All right,” Ling Ruonan hesitated for a while before agreeing and immediately called over Wuyue to take Luo Ziling back.
As Luo Ziling was walking out the door, Ling Ruonan took a few quick steps forward, grabbed Luo Ziling’s arm, and whispered, “Ling’er, make sure you come over tomorrow morning, okay?”
Luo Ziling nodded solemnly.
Standing at the door, seeing Ling Ruonan in this state made Wuyue feel a pang of heartache.
Ling Ruonan, who had always been the epitome of a strong woman, showed such vulnerability in front of her son and her man that Wuyue couldn’t believe this was the same formidable Miss Ling if she hadn’t witnessed it herself.
Of course, Wuyue couldn’t understand why Luo Ziling wanted to leave.
The family was reunited; wasn’t it nice to stay together and talk?
So, while driving Luo Ziling back to school, Wuyue couldn’t help but ask, “Young Master, why are you going back?”
“Not disturbing them tonight and coming back tomorrow will give everyone some time to adjust. Today, I’m feeling very mixed, and I want some time alone to think,” Luo Ziling said, turning his head to look earnestly at Wuyue, “I am very angry, you know?”
“Why are you angry?”
“Because he’s not a qualified father. He’s too weak. I hope today, my mom can make him understand what strength is.”
“…”