Chapter 17

The Song family hadn’t had such a breakfast in a long time.

This was evident in two ways.

Everyone was present, and the atmosphere was unusually tense.

Despite the birdsong and floral fragrance outside, and the decorative pink peonies on the table, the subtle clinking of silver knives against porcelain plates carried a sense of cautious restraint.

Except for Ruan Zhen.

He wasn’t picky about food, except that his tomato and egg stir-fry had to have sugar. Otherwise, he would eat anything, making him very easy to please. So, he paid no attention to the undercurrents at the table, focusing instead on his fried eggs and toast.

“Third Uncle,”

Song Chunfeng steeled himself and forced a smile. “How long do you plan to stay at home this time?”

As soon as he spoke, he mentally slapped himself.

His brain was still foggy from lack of sleep, and he couldn’t even speak properly!

He had just started dozing off when the butler knocked on his door, nearly getting hit by a pillow. The butler then cautiously informed him that Song Shuling had returned and wanted to have breakfast with everyone.

Song Chunfeng was immediately wide awake.

But he shouldn’t have asked how long Third Uncle planned to stay. That sounded like he was trying to drive him away!

Song Shuling picked up his coffee cup, his expression calm. “We’ll see.”

His response was both an answer and a non-answer.

The four young masters exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock, panic, and—

Song Chunfeng’s heart skipped a beat.

There was even a hint of bashful tension.

When he met Song Qiuguang’s gaze, the latter blushed.

Song Chunfeng inwardly screamed.

Why are you blushing like a teapot?

He angrily picked up his milk and took a large sip, determined not to look at his foolish younger brothers and instead turned to Song Shuling.

At least Third Uncle was better.

He wouldn’t blush or do anything disgusting.

In Song Chunfeng’s mind, Third Uncle was mysterious and powerful, immune to worldly emotions. If he ever heard that Third Uncle had fallen for someone and started blushing and getting flustered, it would shatter his image.

Yes, he had learned the term “character collapse” from the twelve-year-old twins.

“That’s great,” Song Chunfeng said, feigning excitement. “We’ve always hoped that Third Uncle would stay at home longer so we could learn from you.”

A servant came forward to pull out Song Shuling’s chair as he stood up, still holding his coffee cup, and casually turned his waist.

At the same moment, Ruan Zhen looked up.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

This man’s waist was quite lean.

Especially from his angle, the muscles, honed by exercise, formed clear lines without being overly exaggerated, adding a masculine strength and a fatal allure—

Of course, it still couldn’t compare to the small sweet dessert in front of him.

The freshly steamed soft rice cake melted in his mouth, leaving a sweet and fragrant aftertaste.

Ruan Zhen puffed out his cheeks and scanned the room.

Why wasn’t anyone eating?

They seemed to be in a dilemma, unsure whether to follow Song Shuling out or wait for him to finish. Their expressions were quite varied.

He quickly finished the rice cake and took a sip of water. “I’m done.”

At this, the young masters breathed a sigh of relief.

“So, what are your plans for today?”

Ruan Zhen propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands. “Do you need to report to me?”

The young masters’ hearts leaped to their throats, exchanging glances before their eyes settled on Song Shuling.

Song Shuling had already sat down on the sofa, holding an English newspaper, with a snow-white parrot perched on his shoulder. He didn’t even look up, as if he hadn’t heard.

“Speak one by one,”

Ruan Zhen tilted his head slightly. “First Young Master, you first?”

Song Chunfeng gritted his teeth. “I have to go to the company to follow up on a project. The client has been pushing for days.”

He didn’t want to stay at home any longer!

Although he had initially wanted to bring Ruan Zhen in to play a prank or give him a gentle push to see if his Third Uncle would join in the fun, he no longer wanted to after last night’s events.

Currently, Song Chunfeng’s heart was as calm as still water.

He had quietly wilted.

Ruan Zhen nodded approvingly. “Good, what about you?”

Song Xiaoyu was tall and imposing but had a habit of standing behind others, blending into the background. When called out, he scratched his head sheepishly, his smile thick and honest.

“I’m going back to Lotus Garden. She wants to visit Father today.”

Lotus Garden was where Song Xiaoyu’s mother lived.

This lady was very low-key, from a humble background. She was once spotted by Song Qinwen and they had a brief affair, which resulted in a child.

Song Qinwen didn’t react much, providing a house for her to live in, as a form of reward if she ever decided to leave.

She settled down quietly.

Despite being neglected and envied by later mistresses, she never fought or competed, quietly raising her child.

So, when Song Qinwen was troubled, he would sometimes visit Lotus Garden to calm his mind.

Ruan Zhen smiled. “Good, please convey my greetings to her… Third Young Master, what about you?”

Song Qiuguang replied cautiously. “I’m free today, no plans.”

“That won’t do,” Ruan Zhen frowned slightly. “You need to change your bandages; it seems to be getting worse… You mustn’t let it get infected.”

Song Chunfeng’s smile froze.

He saw his younger brother glance at him, then shyly lower his head and mumble a response.

He wanted to call the police.

But he didn’t know what to say.

Ruan Zhen didn’t notice the small incident and continued to Song Dongbai. “What about you?”

“Going to the company,” Song Dongbai’s face was still cold. “I have some accounts to handle.”

Very good.

Apart from the three minors still in school, the four young masters all had their own plans.

As an elder, Ruan Zhen was truly pleased.

“Go ahead then,” he stood up with a smile. “Remember to come home for dinner. Third Lord, what about you?”

From the sofa, Song Shuling and the parrot turned their heads.

A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

“A family should be together.”

Ruan Zhen spoke slowly, giving an impression of gentleness and slowness.

His expression was mild, obedient, and harmless.

Song Shuling couldn’t help but laugh.

He put down the newspaper and spoke calmly. “I don’t need to.”

Though he was very interested in Ruan Zhen and still had his doubts, he didn’t want to get involved himself.

Ruan Zhen could be a blade.

He just needed to hold the handle.

They would use each other, and he would provide the appropriate compensation.

But during this process, some unexpected things happened, like his parrot sneaking into the car and passing out in Ruan Zhen’s pocket during the drive to Song Qiuguang’s place.

And Ruan Zhen discovering the secret of the mirror.

It was one thing for both of them to know, but Ruan Zhen spoke about it without hesitation, his gray-blue eyes clear and innocent, without a hint of flirtation.

He, on the other hand, had been outdone.

Even when he saw Ruan Zhen undressed, Song Shuling didn’t react much. But being cornered in the small bathroom and having his tie yanked by someone who then angrily scolded him stirred up an indescribable emotion.

He wanted to see how far Ruan Zhen could go.

Song Shuling agreed.

“You can use me, and I will rely on you. We will each get what we want.”

He wasn’t a good person.

Neither was Ruan Zhen.

Even in the car, the white parrot only spread its wings and hopped onto his palm when they stopped.

“Ball, do you want to do something bad?”

“Chirp!”

The bird became visibly excited, rubbing its head affectionately against him.

“Good boy.”

The vast Song family mansion was now left with only Ruan Zhen.

Even the butler had vanished without a trace.

He took this opportunity to wander from the first floor to the third, exploring the place.

He felt that the music room was the quietest and most comfortable for sleeping. If he got hungry, he could easily slip into the kitchen for a snack.

Most importantly, he didn’t want to sleep in any of the beds in the Song family house.

He preferred the sofa in the music room.

The second floor was where the young masters’ rooms were, each with its own bathroom and small study, and a central living room with various flowers, but the heavy perfume scent couldn’t be masked.

Ruan Zhen walked up to the third floor with a indifferent expression.

Here, there was Song Qinwen’s former bedroom, a study, a reception room, and a small guest bedroom.

He went inside, took out his clothes, which weren’t many. Ruan Zhen couldn’t stay in this place for long, so he had only brought a small bag when he was forced to come.

It was light because he didn’t belong here.

After everything was settled, Ruan Zhen would return to the small alley where his grandfather and the yellow dog waited for him. Whether it was a sunny day, a sunset, or a starry night, he knew he was a child with a home, being waited for.

He pushed open the door to the music room, placed the bag on the sofa, and turned to look at the piano.

Despite its high value, the antique instrument was shrouded in a cold, lonely atmosphere due to lack of use.

It was like a silent sigh.

Ruan Zhen walked over, lifted the heavy red velvet cover, revealing the black and white keys.

But before he could place his hands on them, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. Then, he was pushed hard and fell onto the keys.

“Bang!”

The piano emitted a loud sound, followed by the sharp notes from his struggle.

His hands were pinned to the lid, his forehead bleeding, the warm blood flowing into his eyes. He couldn’t move or turn around to see who was behind him.

“Step Mother,”

The voice was thick and smiling.

“I think Father loved you so much that he would want you to join him, wouldn’t he?”