Chapter 151: Siblings
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
The Duke held his son’s gaze for a prolonged moment, then turned his gaze away and let out a sigh. “I know you. You wouldn’t do that.”
Xiao Chen’s expression remained indifferent, but he didn’t contest his father’s statement. As he grew older, he had indeed never entertained the thought of casting his sister out of their home again.
After the Duke departed, Xiao Chen sat alone on the sofa, contemplating why his attitude towards his sister had shifted. He used to harbor so much resentment towards her, the sister who had enticed their father and caused their mother to succumb to despair.
“Brother, I’m back. Why didn’t you wait for me?” Xiao Han returned from the palace and immediately noticed her brother sitting on the sofa, lost in thought. However, that wasn’t important. “I brought your favorite pineapple pie. I went all the way to Central Street just to buy it for you. You have no idea how long I had to wait in line!”
Pineapple pie was one of the few traditional delicacies in the Empire. The proprietor of the pineapple pie recipe had even established a corporation based on its popularity. The corporation, known as Pineapple Pie Corporation, had branches across all residential planets in the Empire.
A faint smile finally graced Xiao Chen’s typically impassive face. “Thank you for going through the trouble. Let’s split it evenly.”
Xiao Han shook her head. “No need. You eat it. I’m not particularly fond of pineapple pie.”
Xiao Chen didn’t say anything more. He simply divided the pineapple pie into two equal portions and savored one of them.
Xiao Han beamed with delight and picked up the remaining half of the pineapple pie. She understood her brother, Xiao Chen, well enough to know that once he made a decision, he rarely wavered. If she didn’t eat the remaining portion, it would end up in the trash. Her brother would never touch it.
Although she didn’t share her brother’s fondness for pineapple pie, she wouldn’t reject his thoughtful gesture.
Xiao Chen contemplated the pineapple pie exuding its sweet aroma. He wondered why his animosity towards Xiao Han had gradually dissipated.
Throughout the empire, it was common knowledge that the Duke’s son had an affinity for pineapple pies.
After the devastating loss of his mother, the little boy was consumed by sorrow day in and day out. Discovering that his father, supposed to be grieving the loss of his wife, was instead indulging in the company of another woman, even in her dying moments, filled the boy with hatred towards his father and his sister, whose existence carried the burden of a woman that had driven their mother into depression.
Upon his father’s arrival with his three-year-old sister, the little boy resolved to force his father to send her away by embarking on a hunger strike. Sadly, his naivety got the better of him. Despite his steadfast hunger strike, his father remained unmoved, arranging for someone to be with him at all times. When he refused to consume nutritional supplements, he was coerced into doing so through force.
Realizing the futility of his hunger strike, the little boy shifted his behavior and developed an insatiable love for a newly emerged ancient cultural delicacy known as pineapple pie in the empire. After just one taste, he became deeply enamored with it, indulging in pineapple buns without restraint.
The excessive consumption of high-sugar and high-calorie foods eventually led to the little boy’s body becoming overweight. His peers among the noble children at school began to ridicule him, labeling him as an incompetent and feeble fat pig.
As the son of the Duke, the little boy had never experienced such humiliation. Clenching his chubby fist, he retaliated by striking the noble child who mocked him. Despite his bravery, the little boy stood alone while his opponents outnumbered him, resulting in him being pinned to the ground and subjected to a merciless beating.
For the following year, the little boy endured repeated mockery from this group of noble children. Driven by his pride, he chose not to confide in his father, the Duke, about the torment he faced. Instead, he opted to resist every time, but his efforts often ended in failure.
A year later, the little boy’s half-sister joined the same school. Just as the little boy was about to endure yet another beating, a slender figure interposed themselves in front of him.
The addition of one more person failed to alter the inevitable outcome. The nobles effortlessly overcame the individuals blocking their path, continuing their assault on the little boy.
Amidst the onslaught, the little boy caught sight of his half-sister weeping before him. Her tears flowed in great torrents, akin to the heaviest summer rain he had ever witnessed. The thunderous sobs matched the intensity of the downpour, echoing with a heart-wrenching resonance..
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