Chapter 383: Taosu's surname is Ning
Ning Xiaoluo stood on the veranda, watching the heavy rain for the past hour. Finally, Ji Ze couldn’t bear it any longer and asked his sister anxiously, “How much longer is he going to be like this?”
Ji Yuerong swallowed the pickled plum in her mouth as she walked to the door, “Are you going to stay here like this? If you have something to say, just spit it out.”
Ning Xiaoluo exclaimed, “Yuerong, I’m doomed!” Young Miss Ji asked, “Why are you doomed?” Ning Xiaoluo walked into the room and cried out pitifully, “My older brother is going to kill me.”
The corner of Ji Yuerong’s mouth twitched while she tried to hold back her laughter. Young Miss Ji was certain her husband would cry if she actually laughed out loud. “It’s not as bad as you think,” Young Lord Ji assured with a meager sentence of comfort after thinking for a while.
Third Young Master Ning looked sullen. “Lou Zigui was injured and was brought back by Xiaoyao. Xiaoyao went out with Taosu alone, this really has nothing to do with me ah!”
Strangely enough, Young Lord Ji agreed, “Yes ah, just say the same thing when you get back.” Ning Xiaoluo argued dejectedly, “My eldest brother might listen to me, but what about my second brother ah?”
Ji siblings:...that’s right, that’s going to be a problem ah.
“Second Brother is going to kill me.” Third Young Master Ning clutched his head in despair and suddenly turned to Ji Yuerong, “How about we let Xiaoyao bring Lou Zigui back first while we stay here for a few more months?
Ji Yuerong couldn’t stand to look at her silly husband any longer. “If Second Brother wanted to kill you, wouldn’t he just come into the mountains to find you?”
Ning Xiaoluo gave up all hope. “Xiao Luoluo,” Ning Xiaoyao shouted from the veranda. Ning Xiaoluo didn’t want to reply the rascal downstairs.
“It’s no longer raining, should we head home?” Ning Xiaoyao shouted again. Ning Xiaoluo looked out the window. Why did it stop raining so soon?
“Hey! Hey! Xiao Luoluo! Did you fall asleep?”
Ning Xiaoluo yelled back, “I’ve told you to stop calling me Xiao Luoluo! I’m your older brother!”
“Xiao Luoluo, when are we going back home?”
Third Young Master Ning was on the verge of a breakdown. He angrily shrieked, “I’m not going back!”
“Why not ah? Are you crazy? Your wife is about to give birth and here you are throwing a tantrum, saying you want to run away from home!”
“Yeah, I want to run away from home! What’s that got to do with you?”
“I’ll break your leg!” Ning Xiaoyao lost her temper.
Third Young Master Ning felt that he couldn’t live like this anymore. Second Brother is going to kill him, his younger sister is threatening to break his leg. Furthermore, he still has eldest brother. That guy is even more scary. He’ll give him a fate worse than death ah!
Ning Xiaoyao ran upstairs, steaming. She stared blankly at both Ji siblings for a moment, then turned to point at Ning Xiaoluo, who crouched down while clutching his head. “What’s wrong with him?”
Ji Yuerong waved her hand and looked at Ning Xiaoyao, who had walked up to her. She whispered softly, “Xiaoyao, have you decided what to do with Supreme Commander?” Ning Xiaoyao pursed her lips. “I don’t know ah. I haven’t decided yet.”
“You haven’t decided yet?” Ning Xiaoluo roared and jumped up from his crouched position. “Since you’re unsure, why did you bring him back with you? Did you forget the scoundrel left you to die in the capital?”
Ning Xiaoyao hung her head, not saying a word. “I’m telling you, I don’t agree with this. If you bring that guy back with you, wanna bet that Second Brother will directly slaughter him?”
“He’s been to our house ah. It was Second Brother who received him.”
“That’s impossible! He’s still alive after meeting Second Brother?” When has his Second Brother ever been so soft-hearted?!
“Supreme Commander said so ah. He met Eldest Brother too. He was bitten by Little White Fatty. Then, he followed Little White Fatty into the mountains. Those assassins must’ve followed him into the mountains.”
“Is Little White Fatty stupid?” Ning Xiaoluo asked. “Little White Fatty has always been this dumb ah.” Ning Xiaoyao said.
Ning Xiaoluo felt that it was so unfair! Eldest Brother and Second Brother saw Lou Zigui and didn’t kill off the scoundrel. But because he didn’t stop Lou Zigui, he’s going to be beaten to death. Where’s the logic in that?!
“Then you better think this through ah,” Ji Yuerong advised Ning Xiaoyao. “Or else, what will you tell Father, Mother, Eldest Brother and Second Brother when you get back?”
“Then... Should we just stay here?” Ning Xiaoyao asked. Ji Yuerong wanted to laugh. How could she be the one to decide?
“It’s better to go back,” Ji Ze still wanted to help out Lou Zigui. No matter what happened in the past, Lou Zigui actually chased her all the way here. That shows Fourth Young Master Lou isn’t a heartless person ah.
Ning Xiaoluo looked at Ning Xiaoyao and fiercely retorted, “Let me say this again! I. Disagree!”
Ning Xiaoyao shrugged her shoulders. “I’ll go pack my bags.” After Ning Xiaoyao ran off, Ji Yuerong gently persuaded Ning Xiaoluo, “Even if you don’t agree, will that change anything?” Third Young Master Ning was stopped by those words.
“If Father, Mother, Eldest Brother and Second Brother agree, will it matter if you agree or not?”
Third Young Master Ning found it even harder to say anything in return.
Five days later, Ning Xiaoyao brought Lou Zigui back with her to the Duke of Yue’s estate. In his study, Duke of Yue heard the news and dropped the teacup in his hand. “Injured?” Duke of Yue angrily shouted, “Go and find out if those assassins were arranged by Lou Zigui. If this kid dares to scheme against my daughter again, I’ll kill him!”
Second Young Master Ning didn’t even bother lifting his eyelids. “Xiaoyao was the one who brought him back. How are you going to kill him?”
Duke of Yue:...Why can’t his second son just stay mute?!
Second Young Master Ning got up and left. He’s not going to bother with this matter anymore.
Duke of Yue looked at his eldest son and asked, “What are your thoughts?”
“Investigate those assassins first.”
“And after that?” Duke of Yue asked. Eldest Young Master Ning smiled and got up to leave.
Duke of Yue snapped, “Can’t you at least say something?” What sort of sons does he have ah?!
-----
Ning Taosu was very clingy with Lou Zigui, The past few days, she stuck close to Lou Zigui, barely sparing a glance at Ning Xiaoyao.
Ning Xiaoyao sat on the edge of the bed, watching the conversation between the father and daughter duo. It didn’t matter what Lou Zigui said, Ning Taosu would always reply with an “Ah, ah!” Yet, both father and daughter were very happy.
“Taosu likes me,” Lou Zigui said to Ning Xiaoyao. Ning Xiaoyao’s mouth twitched. Little miss chubby likes anyone who looks good.
“Ya!” Ning Taosu called out to Ning Xiaoyao.
“Shut up.” Ning Xiaoyao was annoyed.
Ning Taosu climbed back into Lou Zigui’s arms. Her mummy always snatches her food! Humph! (Author: Hey, hey! Don’t be like this ah!)
“Pour me some water,” Lou Zigui requested. Ning Xiaoyao poured him a cup of water. Lou Zigui drank half of it and gave Ning Taosu the other half, not spilling a drop at all.
“Fourth Young Miss,” a maid’s voice could be heard from behind the doors. “The old Madame has invited you over.”
“I’m going to see Mother.” Ning Xiaoyao stood up. “Xiaoyao,” Lou Zigui held onto Ning Xiaoyao who was about to leave. “Bring me some food on your way back. I’m hungry.”
Ning Xiaoyao had a stoic expression, but nodded in the end. Lou Zigui watched as Ning Xiaoyao exited the room, lowered his head and whispered to Ning Taosu, “Father can only hound your mother like this. I’m contented as long as she pays attention to me.”
Ning Taosu smiled at Lou Zigui and stuffed a biscuit into his mouth. Lou Zigui gobbled up the biscuit his daughter fed him, finding it hard to put into words the feeling he was experiencing on the inside.
“Ah!” Ning Taosu grabbed another biscuit off the plate of sweets and licked on it till her saliva covered the entire biscuit, turning it soft and soggy. Then, she offered the rest to Lou Zigui, stuffing it into his mouth once more.
Any obsession with cleanliness that Lou Zigui had completely disappeared in the face of his chubby daughter. He opened his mouth to swallow the biscuit without hesitation. Lou Zigui held Ning Taosu in his arms as he gave her a kiss. Hearing her giggle happily, Lou Zigui also started to laugh.
When Duke of Yue opened the door and saw both father and daughter lying in bed, his face darkened immediately. Where was this bastard when his daughter carried her baby for ten months and where was he when she gave birth? Now that his daughter is born and can laugh and play, this bastard comes back. But what has he done so far?!
Lou Zigui forced himself to sit up straight the moment he saw Duke of Yue enter the room. “Father,” Lou Zigui greeted.
Duke of Yue almost vomited blood in anger. How shameless is this scoundrel?!
Lou Zigui said, “Father, I...”
“I don’t have a son as big as you,” Duke of Yue snapped. “Lou Chengying! Don’t assume I won’t do anything to you!”
“It’s I who do not dare,” Lou Zigui sincerely pleaded, “Father, I’ve let Xiaoyao down. Father has every right to kill me, even cut me into pieces”
“I won’t kill you, or cut you up. I’ve already instructed someone to find your older brother. Just get out of here.”
Lou Zigui lowered his head, then raised it up again to declare with resolution, “I won’t let go of Xiaoyao.” Duke of Yue thought to himself, I should just kill the bastard and be done with it!
“Father can’t take on Lou Zigui,” Eldest Young Madame said to Eldest Young Master Ning. “Why don’t you go in as well then?”
“He’s completely shameless now,” Eldest Young Master Ning replied, “It’s either I let Old Two kill him or....”
Nee Cheng waited for a long time for him to continue speaking. Eventually, she couldn’t help but ask, “Or what?”
“It depends on what Xiaoyao wants,” Eldest Young Master Ning turned and walked away from the window.
“What?!” Nee Cheng caught up to her husband and asked, “What do you mean?” Nee Cheng and Eldest Young Master Ning had been a couple since they were young. After being together for so long, she knew exactly what sort of person her husband was. He has no issues with using dirty tricks to bury someone at any time or anywhere!
“It’s what it is. At first, I was firmly resolved on getting revenge for what Lou Zigui did to Xiaoyao. Even if it took me my whole life, I would crush Lou Zigui and the Lou Clan.”
Nee Cheng:... So her husband did have such destructive goals ah?
“But now that Xiaoyao is still alive and Lou Chengying has shamelessly come here, Wife, I think I won’t have to suffer so much in the future.”
How is she supposed to respond to that?
“Lou Zigui!” From within the room, Duke of Yue’s angry shout could be heard. “Don’t try to act shameless with me!”
Nee Cheng’s mouth twitched. What’s the point of shouting so loud? Let your fists do the talking ah.
“Let’s go back to our room,” Eldest Young Master Ning pulled Nee Cheng along. Behind Eldest Young Master Ning, his wife suddenly grinned widely as she trotted along. She sighed softly, “You said so yourself! Don’t go doing something crazy while I’m not paying attention!”
Eldest Young Master Ning assured, “I won’t”
Eldest Young Master Ning reached to grab hold of Nee Cheng’s hand and the both of them continued walking together, hand in hand.
Duke of Yue had an ugly expression on his face as he left the room carrying Ning Taosu in his arms. He stood outside the door, facing Lou Zigui as he furiously yelled, “Taosu’s surname is Ning! Her surname is Ning! You can stop dreaming!”
“Ya!” Ning Taosu called out, her chubby little face wrinkling up in a smile.