Di Mingjue was pleased with the children's obedience to his words and their affection for Ye Ziyu.
He wanted to give Ye Ziyu the family happiness she had missed in her childhood, with himself and the children to provide it. For now, the children seemed to share his thoughts.
"Now, take Mommy back to her room to rest," Di Mingjue commanded, and the children immediately sprang into action.
"Mommy, are you hungry? Thirsty?"
"I'll give you a shoulder massage in a bit."
"I'll rub your legs!"
The children vied to care for Ye Ziyu.
"With you all by my side, how could I be tired?" Ye Ziyu said, her smile radiant with happiness.
A wall separated their joyous mood from Xingxing's stark contrast.
In the study, Ye Shaoting held a willow branch as thick as his thumb. He circled Xingxing's body with an air of authority, finally stopping before him.
The tip of the willow branch touched Xingxing's pocket, tapping it a few times. Ye Shaoting spoke, "Take it out."
This was the first time Xingxing had disobeyed Ye Shaoting. He shook his head and covered his pocket.
Ye Shaoting frowned, unwilling to allow whatever was hidden in the pocket. The soft willow branch struck the back of Xingxing's hand. He commanded sternly, "Take it out!"
A deep red mark appeared where the willow branch had touched. Xingxing gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, yet still refusing to hand it over.
His repeated defiance enraged Ye Shaoting.
"Are you truly not going to take it out?"
Xingxing gritted his teeth, his firm gaze providing the answer.
What a blood relation this was!
Ye Shaoting poured his dissatisfaction into the willow branch, whipping Xingxing's arm with it repeatedly. He wanted to see whose arm was stronger, or whose willow branch was more formidable.
The thin sleeve was torn, and varying degrees of injuries appeared on his arm. Even the flexible willow branch snapped, but Xingxing did not cry out in pain.
Ye Shaoting angrily dropped the willow branch, strode to Xingxing, yanked his arm, and roughly tore open his pocket.
*Clatter~*
Exquisite candies fell to the floor.
He was willing to be beaten rather than hand over a single candy?
Ye Shaoting looked at the cold sweat beading on Xingxing's body due to the pain and reached out to wipe it away.
"Did they give you these?"
Xingxing knew who Ye Shaoting was referring to. He nodded, still in pain.
Was it worth being beaten for a piece of candy?
Or was it that the candy represented an emotional craving?
Ye Shaoting withdrew his hand from wiping Xingxing's sweat and cruelly stepped on the candy.
The crisp sound was uncontainable beneath his shoe. Xingxing lowered his head, and a hot tear fell onto the tip of Ye Shaoting's shoe.
The tear was like the final fuse, plunging Ye Shaoting into the depths of hatred. Like a madman, he grabbed Xingxing's thin shoulders and shook him, "Didn't I tell you, he is your enemy, and his children are your enemies too? Are you going to forget that he murdered your parents just because they showed you a moment of kindness?"
"I remember!" Xingxing rasped in response.
Ye Shaoting retorted sharply, "No, you don't remember. You have forgotten your hatred, forgotten that you must avenge your dead parents."
From the time he could remember, Xingxing had been instilled with hatred for Di Mingjue. Even after learning that Ye Ziyu was his half-sister, he had not abandoned his desire for revenge against Di Mingjue.
He wanted to make Di Mingjue pay for the harm he had inflicted on Wen Xi through the most brutal means.
"Do you still want to avenge our parents?"
"Yes!"
If it weren't for Di Mingjue, he would not have lived in darkness.
Ye Shaoting stroked his pale cheek, the anger gone, replaced by meticulous care. "Remember what you said, guard your heart well, and do not covet feelings that are not meant for you. Go back to your room and apply some medicine to your wounds. Protect your body until the wicked receive their due."