Shen Yan had claimed the closest possible seat.
Not merely the chair beside him.
She had moved it closer.
Far closer.
Close enough that their shoulders nearly touched.
One of the maids had attempted to return the chair to its proper place earlier.
Shen Yan had looked at her.
The maid had immediately decided the furniture arrangement was perfect.
Shen Yan leaned lightly against Shen Tian’s arm.
Her expression was peaceful.
Content.
As though the collapse of one of the city’s four great families had never happened.
"Little Tian."
"Hm?"
"Eat this."
She picked up a piece of fruit with a small fork and held it toward him.
Shen Tian stared at it.
"...Big Sis."
"Yes?"
"I can feed myself."
"I know."
She continued holding it there.
Shen Tian sighed and ate it.
Shen Yan smiled brightly.
"Good."
Across from them... Xu Ning floated invisibly above an empty chair.
She rested her chin in both hands.
[Host.]
[Your sister appears to be recovering well from her emotional distress.]
Shen Tian glanced at her.
She destroyed an entire family last night.
Shen Tian chose not to respond.
Outside the mansion...
A luxury car passed through the front gates.
The moment it stopped...
The rear door opened.
Yin Suyi stepped out.
"Welcome home, Madam."
Yin Suyi gave a slight nod. "Where is my son?"
The head maid bowed.
"Young Master is currently having breakfast."
Yin Suyi had already started walking before the maid finished speaking.
Then... She paused.
Her eyes shifted slightly.
"And my daughter?"
The head maid hesitated.
"Eldest Young Miss is with him."
For the briefest moment...
Yin Suyi’s expression changed.
It was subtle.
Almost impossible to notice.
But the head maid had served the Shen Family for many years.
She recognized that look.
It was the expression of someone who had just learned that her favorite seat had been occupied.
"I see." Yin Suyi continued toward the mansion.
Her pace was still calm. Elegant. Measured.
Only slightly faster than before.
The doors to the dining hall opened.
Shen Tian looked up.
"Mother?"
The instant Yin Suyi saw him... Her cold expression softened.
"Little Tian." She crossed the room without sparing anyone else more than a glance.
Shen Tian stood. "You’re back early."
"I heard what happened."
Yin Suyi reached him and immediately placed both hands on his face.
Her eyes examined him carefully.
"Are you injured?"
"No."
"Did you see a doctor?"
"Yes."
’Not this again...’ Shen Tian couldn’t help but think.
"Did they perform a complete examination?"
"They did."
"Are you experiencing dizziness?"
"No."
"Headaches?"
"No."
"Pain?"
"Mother..." Shen Tian smiled helplessly. "I’m fine."
Yin Suyi studied him for several more seconds.
Only after confirming that he appeared completely unharmed did she release a quiet breath.
Then... She pulled him into a tight embrace.
Shen Tian blinked.
"My son..." Yin Suyi’s voice was quiet. "I leave for a short while... And someone tries to kill you."
Shen Tian gently patted her back.
"It’s already handled."
Yin Suyi’s eyes became cold over his shoulder.
"It had better be."
Several maids instinctively lowered their heads.
Then Yin Suyi stepped back.
Her expression softened once more.
"Let me look at you again."
"Mother, you already did."
"Again."
She checked his forehead. His arms. His shoulders. Even his hands.
Only after a second inspection did she finally appear satisfied.
Behind them... Shen Yan sat silently.
Her smile had disappeared.
She watched Yin Suyi touch Shen Tian’s face. Then his shoulders. Then his hands. Her eyes narrowed a fraction.
Xu Ning slowly looked from Yin Suyi... To Shen Yan... Then back again.
[Host.]
’What?’
[I believe a territorial dispute is about to begin.]
’They’re my mother and sister. They can share!’
[Yes.]
[That is precisely why neither believes she should have to surrender.]
Yin Suyi finally turned toward Shen Yan.
Her expression remained composed.
"Yan."
Shen Yan smiled politely.
"Mother."
Yin Suyi walked over.
For a brief moment...
The tension disappeared.
She placed a hand on Shen Yan’s shoulder.
"I’m glad you’re home." Shen Yan’s expression softened slightly.
"It’s good to see you too."
"You completed your training early?"
"Yes."
Yin Suyi nodded approvingly.
"As expected of my daughter."
Shen Yan gave a small smile.
For several seconds... It was a perfectly normal reunion between mother and daughter.
Then Yin Suyi glanced toward Shen Tian’s chair.
More specifically... Toward the chair Shen Yan had moved dangerously close to it.
Her eyes lowered.
"...Why is your chair there?"
Shen Yan followed her gaze.
"So I can sit beside Little Tian."
Yin Suyi looked at the perfectly empty seat on Shen Tian’s other side.
"There is already a seat beside him."
Shen Yan nodded.
"Yes."
"..." Neither moved.
Shen Tian slowly sat down.
He already knew where this was going.
Yin Suyi gracefully removed her coat and handed it to a maid.
Then... She walked toward the empty chair on Shen Tian’s other side.
Shen Yan watched her.
Yin Suyi sat.
She calmly moved her chair closer to Shen Tian.
Scrape.
Shen Yan looked down at the distance between their chairs.
Then she moved hers closer.
Scrape.
Yin Suyi glanced over.
She moved hers again.
Scrape.
Shen Yan responded immediately.
Scrape.
Shen Tian now found himself trapped between them.
He looked left.
Yin Suyi calmly poured tea.
He looked right.
Shen Yan calmly picked up another piece of fruit.
Neither acknowledged the competition.
Neither needed to.
Xu Ning watched.
[Host.]
[You have approximately seven inches of personal space remaining.]
’Thank you, Xu Ning.’
[Six.]
’Please stop counting.’
Yin Suyi placed a cup of tea in front of Shen Tian.
"I prepared this blend before I left."
Shen Yan placed the fruit beside it.
"Little Tian prefers something sweet in the morning."
Yin Suyi smiled faintly.
"I know what my son prefers."
Shen Yan returned the smile.
"And I know what my younger brother prefers."
Shen Tian reached for the tea.
Shen Yan gently caught his wrist.
"You haven’t eaten enough."
Yin Suyi looked at her hand.
"He can decide for himself."
"Of course." Shen Yan released him.
Then she held the fruit toward his mouth again.
Yin Suyi’s eye twitched.
Shen Tian stared at the fruit.
Then at his mother.
Then at his sister.
"...I’m suddenly not hungry."
Both women spoke at once.
"You need to eat."
Shen Tian leaned back slightly.
The servants around the room pretended not to hear anything.
One maid quietly turned toward the wall to hide her smile.
Yin Suyi picked up a small bowl.
"Little Tian."
She placed several carefully selected foods into it.
"Eat properly."
Shen Yan immediately took the bowl.
"I’ll make sure he does."
Yin Suyi held onto it.
"There is no need."
Their hands remained on opposite sides of the bowl.
Neither pulled.
Neither released it.
Shen Tian looked down.
"...Are you two fighting over my breakfast?"
"No." They answered together again.
The ceramic bowl began to creak.
A hairline crack appeared along the side.
Shen Tian reached forward and took it from both of them.
"Thank you."
The pressure disappeared.
Yin Suyi smiled warmly at him.
"Of course."
Shen Yan leaned against his shoulder.
"Anything for you, little Tian."
Yin Suyi’s gaze lowered toward Shen Yan’s head.
"...Yan."
"Yes, Mother?"
"Sit properly."
"I am sitting properly."
"You are leaning on your brother."
"Yes."
"That isn’t proper."
"It is comfortable."
"For you."
"And for little Tian."
Shen Tian opened his mouth.
Yin Suyi looked at him.
Shen Yan also looked at him.
He slowly closed it again.
Xu Ning covered her mouth.
[Host.]
[This may be your most dangerous battle so far.]
’I fought a protagonist yesterday...’
[He only attacked from one direction.]
Yin Suyi shifted closer.
She gently adjusted Shen Tian’s collar.
"It isn’t straight."
Shen Yan stared.
"It was straight."
"It wasn’t."
"I fixed it before breakfast."
"Then you did a poor job."
Shen Yan’s smile became thinner.
Yin Suyi continued adjusting the collar even after it was clearly perfect.
"There."
She lightly smoothed the fabric over his shoulders. "Much better."
Shen Yan reached up and adjusted the opposite side. "No. It was uneven."
Yin Suyi looked at her.
Shen Yan looked back.
Shen Tian sat between them while his collar was corrected from both sides.
Again.
And again.
By the time they finished...
It was less neat than when they started.
Shen Tian sighed.
"I liked it better before."
Both women immediately stopped.
Yin Suyi gently fixed it one final time.
Shen Yan allowed her.
Only because Shen Tian had spoken.
After breakfast...
Shen Tian attempted to escape to the living room.
He made it three steps.
Yin Suyi caught his arm.
"Little Tian."
"Hm?"
"You should rest today."
"I feel fine."
"You were involved in a serious collision."
Shen Yan immediately took his other arm.
"Mother is right."
Shen Tian looked at her.
"You went out all night."
"That was different."
"How?"
"I wasn’t the one in danger." Shen Yan’s gaze sharpened.
"You went out?" Yin Suyi paused.
Shen Tian sighed.
"She handled the Han Family."
Yin Suyi became silent.
Slowly... She turned toward her daughter.
"You destroyed the Han Family overnight?"
Shen Yan nodded.
"They attacked little Tian."
A strange mixture of approval and irritation crossed Yin Suyi’s face.
Approval because Shen Yan had protected her son.
Irritation because Shen Yan had reached the enemy first.
"You should have informed me."
"You were away."
"I have a phone."
"Little Tian needed me immediately."
"He also needed his mother."
"He had me."
The temperature inside the room seemed to drop.
The nearby maids retreated several steps.
Yin Suyi’s eyes narrowed.
Shen Yan’s affectionate smile remained perfectly still.
Shen Tian stood between them.
"...Can we not turn the destruction of a major family into an argument about who cares about me more?"
Both women turned toward him.
Again... They spoke at the same time.
"I care more."
Silence.
Yin Suyi slowly looked at Shen Yan.
Shen Yan slowly looked at Yin Suyi.
Shen Tian rubbed his forehead.
"I walked directly into that."
Xu Ning nodded.
[You did.]
Yin Suyi released Shen Tian’s arm.
She folded her arms gracefully.
"I carried him for nine months."
Shen Yan responded immediately.
"I trained for years to protect him."
"I raised him."
"I guarded him."
"I know everything he likes."
"I know everything he dislikes."
"I know how he slept as a baby."
"I know how he sleeps now."
The room froze.
Shen Tian slowly looked at his sister.
"...How do you know that?"
Shen Yan blinked.
"I check on you."
"While I’m asleep?"
’Wasn’t she training!?’
"To ensure you’re safe."
Yin Suyi’s expression darkened.
"You enter his room at night? Also... Weren’t you training!?"
"Quietly." Shen Yan didn’t reply about the training part.
"That doesn’t make it better."
"I am his bodyguard."
"You are his sister first."
"I can be both."
Yin Suyi stepped closer.
"You will stop sneaking into my son’s bedroom."
Shen Yan’s smile vanished.
"Your son?"
Yin Suyi raised an eyebrow.
"He is my son."
"He is my younger brother."
"I was there first."
"I will be there longer."
Yin Suyi’s eyes narrowed.
Shen Yan’s gaze sharpened.
For the first time...
A faint pressure spread through the room.
The curtains fluttered.
The chandeliers trembled.
Tea rippled inside untouched cups.
Several servants hurried toward the doors.
Shen Tian’s eyes narrowed.
"Enough."
The pressure vanished instantly.
Both women turned toward him.
Yin Suyi’s expression softened.
Shen Yan’s coldness disappeared.
Neither wanted him upset.
Shen Tian looked from one to the other.
"No cultivation. No threats. No breaking furniture. And no turning me into a prize."
Yin Suyi calmly nodded.
"Of course."
Shen Yan nodded just as obediently.
"Anything you say, Little Tian."
Shen Tian studied them.
"You both understand?"
"Yes."
"Perfectly."
He relaxed slightly.
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!

Comments

Loading...