At this moment, she could no longer care if this was tantamount to admitting her guilt; she simply felt that the man opposite her was exceptionally terrifying, as if he had guessed her thoughts without a single error.
The proud and intelligent youth, who was once straightforward in his thoughts, seemed to have disappeared from memory.
Dong Fei’s face was etched with despair; it was over, nothing could be accomplished now.
Upon hearing this, Han Kuang became enraged. He wasn’t a fool; his first wife had worked in intelligence, so naturally, he understood just how terrifying the operation of guiding public opinion could be. People’s subjectivities are influenced by entrenched notions, and in the minds of most of the nobility in the Capital, the second Han brother, Han Shoulv, should be between thirty-five and forty years old, and Han Shouyi was also his legitimate son born in wedlock. If Liu Yuzhi released rumors first, once people had already accepted that narrative, just as their own words wouldn’t be accepted by the public, even if some informed families came out to speak for Shen Chi, no one would believe them.
The expressions on Han Shouxin and Han Shouzhen’s faces had completely darkened, their gazes at Liu Yuzhi and Dong Fei exceptionally cold and severe.
Shen Chi narrowed his eyes, smiling, "I really have to thank you for your relentless scheming and suppression over these years. Without that, I wouldn’t have been able to figure out your tactics so clearly. Moreover..."
He smiled maliciously, "Without waiting for your move, the stories of love, hatred, and emotions entangled with the Han Family over the years would become known to all."
He wasn’t the type to sit idly by and await doom. Since he knew that Liu Yuzhi might use such tactics to cause discomfort, how could he be unprepared?
Han Shouxin first breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Shen Chi with surprise. He had no idea about this—that is to say, Shen Chi didn’t need to rely on his power to achieve this, and in less than three months after arriving at the Capital!?
He felt both shocked and proud; his younger brother was indeed impressive!
Han Kuang and Han Shouzhen weren’t thinking as much as he was. At this moment, they felt both relief and fear, coupled with guilt.
As for Han Kuang, the original intention of discussing the importance of filial piety with his youngest son dissipated. Having failed time and time again to detect Liu Yuzhi’s maneuvers, he now felt embarrassed in front of his son.
Liu Yuzhi’s face was full of terror; her eyes rolled back, and she fainted away. Dong Fei, also feeling messy inside, hastily took the opportunity to excuse herself under the pretense of taking Liu Yuzhi back to her room.
As for Han Shouyi, he felt embarrased over and over again but couldn’t escape the situation.
"Alright, let’s start the meal." Upon seeing the odd atmosphere in the room, Han Shouzhen clapped her hands and called out.
Seated at the dining table, Lin Xiaoguai finally had the chance to observe those she had just met.
There was no need to mention Han Kuang; his face was almost a carbon copy of Shen Chi’s, albeit with many wrinkles, nearing the age of eighty but still looking very healthy. Sitting down, he naturally had an air of authority about him. Perhaps it was due to his Russian heritage, but he was even taller than Shen Chi, likely reaching one meter ninety.
Zheng Cuicui had been seen before, but perhaps due to resolving her heart’s knots, her condition had greatly improved. Although she still looked somewhat sickly, she no longer appeared as distressing as the last time Lin Xiaoguai saw her.
Then there was the brother-in-law, Wan Quan, whom she noticed, despite having an ordinary appearance that could only be described as decent, was quite young—probably at least three years younger than Han Shouzhen. Throughout the meal, his attention was always on his wife and child, not neglecting his stepson, Xu Ji, which showed he was indeed a family-oriented good man.
Nannan, whose full name was Wan Youle, inherited a mix of her parents’ features. Although she would not be as plain as her father, becoming a great beauty like Han Shouzhen would be a bit challenging. However, it was obvious that the child took after her father’s temperament—honest and with a good nature.
Turning her gaze to Han Shouyi, Lin Xiaoguai felt surprised; she had many speculations about this half-brother of Shen Chi’s—either ambitious or mediocrely filial—but all were contrary to reality. His gaze was clear, and traces of shame and embarrassment could still be seen in his eyes, suggesting that he was a person with very high moral standards, upright and selfless to the point of being almost obnoxiously incorruptible. Unlike the three siblings of Shen Chi, Han Shouyi bore no resemblance to Han Kuang; rather, he looked more like Liu Yuzhi, merely pleasant and attractive to the eye.
His son, Han Shaoze, however, might resemble Dong Fei, a pretty and cute little boy. From time to time, he glanced at Nuonuo, Xu Ji, and Little Niangao, who were whispering together with their heads lowered, his face full of envy and longing, not seeming like a spoiled child.
"Shoulv, have some of this lion’s head meatball, it’s my specialty." Just as the meal began, Han Shouzhen put a braised lion’s head meatball into Shen Chi’s bowl.
At the same time, Han Shouxin added a large piece of braised beef brisket to Shen Chi’s bowl, "Chi, eat this. The beef brisket has been stewing on the stove for half the day; it’s perfectly flavored."
Han Kuang at first envied, then frowned. What was his eldest son doing? Instead of calling him "Shoulv," why call him "Chi"?
Han Shouxin was unaware of his thoughts; otherwise, he would have protested. Didn’t he want to call him "Shoulv"? But his younger brother was too biased. His sister could call him "Shoulv," and he said nothing, but if he did, he would definitely get glared at, and he felt wronged for it.
"What would Little Niangao like to eat? Grandpa will get it for you," Han Kuang said, unable to start a conversation with his son, so he addressed his grandson.
"I want beef brisket, lion’s head, and big shrimp!" Little Niangao was not one to be shy; he called out, craning his neck.
Han Kuang not only didn’t get angry for being ordered around but actually looked quite amused as he picked out the dishes Little Niangao wanted.
Little Niangao had a big appetite, cleaning up all the dishes that Han Kuang served him, making the latter happily remark, "Good, good, good. Children need to have a healthy appetite to grow quickly."
Little Niangao ate quickly, soon filling his stomach. He sneakily glanced at Shen Chi, hesitated, and then asked Han Kuang, "Grandpa Han, can you do the Somersault Cloud and the 72 Transformations?"
Seeming to find this great general less intimidating than imagined, he bravely asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time.
(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)