“Because we’re related,” Ouyang said in a bland and emotionless tone. But Gong perceived a hint of showing off and asked with a frown, “How?”
“We’ll be a family, together forever!” Ouyang sounded reserved and a bit solemn.
Gong blinked and talked back word by word, “Murong Xue and I can also be a family, together forever.”
In an instant, Ouyang’s face turned sullen and shot Gong a piercing stare, overwhelmed by which no one dared to speak.
Looking up at the sky, Murong was lost in thoughts speechlessly: Gong was simply being unyielding when he talked back, and he was even too unsophisticated to understand Ouyang’s words.
However, it was no trifle for the heir of Lord Freedom to get angry at, so Murong must stand out to ease the tension.
“Heir Gong, what a surprise!” Murong stood out and looked at Gong blandly, who was supposed to supervise as a commander of the troops in the military camp.
“I need a break back here from the noisy camp,” Gong replied gently. Looking at Murong without blinking, he continued, “I have a room here. Are you gonna stay here?”
“Yes,” Murong nodded.
“I live in the courtyard next door, which is scenic and quiet. You can also stay there,” Gong said with a touch of excitement in his eyes.
To Duan Wuluo’s great shock, this talky man with a smiling face and sparkling eyes was truly the Prince of Nanjiang, who used to look arrogant and defiant to Duan.
The plunge in temperature chilled Duan to the bone. Abruptly, he came to his senses and looked up only to see Gong and Murong having an agreeable conversation with an onlooker, Ouyang. His sharp eyes sparkled with coldness, as if cold air which was able to reach the bone in a minute.
As the violent twitches of his eyelids gave off a foreboding, Duan hastened to say, “It’s time for dinner. Please come with me.”
Ouyang was a noble, unstained gentleman with the hard-hearted and excessively wise character, so his anger couldn’t be neglected and needed soothing.
“Thank you, Prefect Duan,” Ouyang said blandly as he pushed Murong forward, dragging her by the arm. “Let’s have dinner.”
“Murong Xue!” Gong stood still, staring at her with his bright eyes.
Murong turned around to look at him and asked, “Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet.” Gong shook his head, looking a bit upset.
“Come join us.” Murong smiled.
“Sounds great!” Gong nodded and caught up with them with a sparkle in his dark eyes.
Looking slightly sullen, Ouyang instantly held Murong more tightly by the arm since she invited Gong to have dinner together while she had never invited Ouyang before.
Murong felt the pain in her arm and patted Ouyang on the hand with a frown. “It hurts. Take your hand off me.”
Ouyang put on a solemn look and loosed his grip a bit instead of letting go of her arm. He cast a glance at Gong and said coldly, “Your Highness, you were going out, weren’t you?”
When Ouyang and Murong entered the mansion, Gong bumped into them face to face. In other words, Gong was indeed going out.
“I don’t feel like going out now. And I want to have dinner here instead,” Gong said slowly as he strode into the dining hall.
In the middle of the hall, there was a round rosewood table. Duan sat next to the front and Ouyang on the right side next to Murong. When Gong was about to take the seat next to Murong, Ouyang said blandly, “As the crown prince of Nanjiang, you’re supposed to sit next to Prefect Duan.” That was opposite Ouyang and Murong’s seats.
Being speechless and motionless, Gong knitted his eyebrows and turned slightly sullen with a reluctant look in his bright eyes.
Murong heaved a sigh inwardly before she pulled Gong to the seat next to her, “Just the four of us are here. No more rules are needed. Just take a seat!” She didn’t want everyone to be upset by the seating arrangement.
Ouyang knitted his dashing eyebrows tightly and blazed with anger, since Murong defended Gong again while she had never defended Ouyang like that.
No one dared to speak in the dining hall.
Under the tension, Duan rubbed his forehead and faked a cough. “Dishes are cooling down. Let’s dive in!”
The chefs had prepared various dishes, such as soy-braised pork, stuffed duck, wine preserved chicken, and pork with glass noodles, whose fragrance overflowed and almost made them drool.
As Gong put a piece of drunken chicken into Murong’s bowl with chopsticks, he whispered, “It tastes good. Have a try.”
He cast a seemingly casual glance at Ouyang, with a hint of showing off and provocation with his innocent smile.
“Cheers!” Murong said softly as she was about to pick the chicken. All of a sudden, Ouyang replaced it with a piece of vegetable. “Ladies need more vegetables and less meat!”
Looking gloomy, Gong got her one more piece of vegetable. “Vegetables taste great. Have more!”
“Even so, she still needs meat. It’s bad for her health to have only vegetables without meat!” Ouyang said blandly before he replaced it with a slice of stuffed duck.
Gong frowned and got her one more slice of duck.
Ouyang picked it out again.
Gong put food in her bowl, and Ouyang picked it out. They kept doing so again and again.
All the food was not eaten but wasted as Ouyang took it out. Watching their childish behaviour, Murong heaved a sigh. As heirs of an honored status, how come they vented their anger on the food unintelligibly? With all the food wasted, what could other people have for dinner?
“Ouyang Shaochen, which is better for Murong Xue, vegetables or meat?” As all the food was taken out, Gong turned sullen and shot Ouyang an angry look.
“Any food from you isn’t good for her!” Ouyang replied casually before he stood up and walked off slowly, holding Murong’s hand.