The stick had just been swung when Xiao Ran appeared. Xing Xing hadn't even reacted before the stick came down.
His pupils dilated to the maximum as Xiao Ran tilted his chin up, staring at the descending stick. With a firm push on his shoulder, Xing Xing pulled Xiao Ran a large step forward.
The stick clanged as it fell to the ground. Looking at the lawn with a small pit smashed into it, Xiao Ran clutched his chest in fright.
If he hadn't dodged just now, the stick would have landed on his head. He would be lying on the ground waiting for rescue.
After Xing Xing came to his senses, he quickly checked on Xiao Ran, "Are you alright?"
Xiao Ran grasped the arm extended to him, "Are you practicing these things every morning while we're resting?"
"Yes," Xing Xing nodded, "It's something I have to do every day."
Swinging a stick back and forth every morning, didn't he find it boring and arduous?
Xiao Ran withdrew his gaze, knowing he had to confirm again, "Is it arranged by your great-uncle?"
"You might think it's very hard, but I'm already used to it," Xing Xing forced a smile, "My constitution was poor from the start, and I didn't have my own birth parents after I was born. Being adopted is already my good fortune."
While there was happiness, there was also grievance. Ye Shaoting was nominally his father, but there was no father-son affection between them. At such a young age, he was told the reason for his parents' death, and practicing diligently every morning was also for revenge.
These explanations were merely him consoling himself, forcing himself to believe them.
Xiao Ran's interaction with him was different, and their living habits were also different, so he naturally couldn't empathize with him.
"As long as you like it," Xiao Ran averted his eyes from the long stick, as thick as a wrist, as if it were a plague.
If he had to face the stick every day, he wouldn't be able to stand it.
It was almost time for practice. Before Xiao Ran appeared, Xing Xing had already started to focus. He turned to pick up the stick and placed it where it was usually kept.
"Let's go, it's time to go back for breakfast," Xing Xing said to Xiao Ran.
Since Ye Ziyu's incident, there hadn't been a single morning where the entire family sat at the dining table together in the Ye residence. Ye Qianzhi was not in the mood, and the others were busy outside. Only a few children and Shen Meixiu still sat at the dining table for breakfast.
Especially Shen Meixiu, she had unintentionally learned about Ye Ziyu's situation when Ye Qianzhi was on the phone. Learning that she had been abducted by Gu Xiuyu and there was no news of her made her so happy that she would wake up laughing at night.
Every day she tried to find ways to get rid of her, never expecting that she would be taken away so easily in the end, disappearing from her sight completely.
"How many of us are there today?" Shen Meixiu walked to the dining table and looked at the tableware laid out.
There were only five in total, with hers placed in the center.
The butler next to her heard her question and quickly stepped forward to inquire, "Yes, Madam. The master went out early this morning and said he wouldn't be back for any meals today, so we don't need to prepare his portion."
"Out all day?" Shen Meixiu was unhappy.
For Ye Ziyu's matters, everyone had been busy with her affairs since they were young, and now they didn't even come home.
Looking at the children staring at her, Shen Meixiu, as if seeing Ye Ziyu, showed no good expression, "Am I being stared at like there's food on my face?"
Xing Xing had been in the Ye residence the longest and understood Shen Meixiu's character the best. She disliked him, and it seemed she disliked Xiao Ran and the others as well.
He lowered his head and signaled to them, indicating they should all lower their heads.
There was no verbal communication, but the few of them understood each other's intentions.
Shen Meixiu squinted at them with their heads down, her anger escalating, "Are you unhappy with just one word? Putting on airs now?"