Chapter 684 - 684 Your Thoughts

Chapter 684: Chapter 684 Your Thoughts

(Chapter Twenty)

When Luo Ziling and Ling Ruonan arrived at Ling Mingrui’s separate residence, Ling Mingrui had not yet returned.

As the mother and son passed through the strict security check and entered the residence, it was already half-past five in the afternoon. In late November, Yanjing had entered the true winter. At half-past five, dusk had set in, bringing with it an uncomfortable feeling of cold and darkness.

Luo Ziling didn’t really mind, but as Ling Ruonan walked past the sentry post towards her parents’ house, an inexplicable chill welled up in her heart, one she couldn’t put into words.

In the past, every time she visited her parents, she would feel at peace, and there was a sense of relaxation in letting go of everything because of a mother who loved and cherished her. However, recently, Ling Ruonan had distinctly felt the gap between herself and her parents, especially her father, widening day by day.

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Although her relationship with her mother hadn’t soured, as the alienation with her father grew deeper, the bond between mother and daughter couldn’t possibly remain as harmonious as before, at least that was how she felt. Perhaps her mother, Xie Enhua, would still treat her as before, but the guilt in Ling Ruonan’s heart could not be dispelled, and she also felt that her mother must harbor resentment towards her and Luo Ziling, particularly towards Luo Ziling.

Elders don’t often appreciate it when the younger generation acts too arrogantly in front of them. Luo Ziling’s behavior had definitely incensed Ling Jinhua and Ling Mingrui, and it was inevitable that Xie Enhua would also have her prejudices. After all, Xie Enhua was the mistress of the Ling Family, and the protective actions she was forced to take on behalf of Luo Ziling were quite improper. It’s understandable that she would hold some grudge in her heart.

So when Ling Ruonan walked into the courtyard with Luo Ziling, her heart felt somewhat heavy. However, seeing Xie Enhua warmly welcome them and hold her hand as they walked into the house, some of Ling Ruonan’s discomfort dissipated.

“Your dad just called and said he would come back a bit later, and told us not to wait for him for dinner; we three should start,” Xie Enhua said as she released Ling Ruonan’s hand, then turned to Luo Ziling with a smile, “Ling’er, are you hungry? Grandma has prepared some dishes you like today. It’s cold; would you like a drink to warm up your body?”

Luo Ziling didn’t refuse and agreed cheerfully, “If Grandma wants to drink, then I’ll join you for a glass.”

The last time they dined together, he had seen Xie Enhua drinking, sipping a glass of yellow wine, and he had heard from Ling Ruonan that her mother had a habit of drinking, not for the sake of indulgence but for health reasons.

A glass of yellow wine at every dinner, roughly about two ounces, and never more—that had been Luo Liansheng’s health advice to her, and she had always abided by it. Luo Ziling didn’t know why his grandfather had given Xie Enhua such advice, but it seemed like a good one. Moderate alcohol intake, as long as it’s not excessive, can promote metabolism and activate blood vessels, which is certainly beneficial for older adults.

Hearing that Ling Mingrui wouldn’t be back for dinner and had official engagements, Ling Ruonan didn’t inquire further. She gestured to Luo Ziling to wash his hands in preparation for the meal, while she and Xie Enhua went to get the tableware ready. Without Ling Mingrui present, the atmosphere during the meal was noticeably more relaxed and warmer.

Xie Enhua and Ling Ruonan occasionally served Luo Ziling food, ensuring there was seldom an empty moment in his bowl.

Looking at the mountain of dishes, Luo Ziling joked with resignation, “Grandma, Mom, you can’t starve yourselves to burst my stomach, right? Pretty soon, the lobsters will be swimming out of my throat.”

Luo Ziling didn’t know whether it was Ling Ruonan’s doing or for some other reason, but tonight’s dinner had an abundance of seafood which really suited his taste. Moreover, the two women kept putting the most beautiful and freshest seafood into his bowl, making Luo Ziling feel that two-thirds of the food had ended up in his stomach. Feeling loved was truly wonderful, and Luo Ziling felt a warm sensation inside.

“Aren’t you still growing? You need to eat more,” Xie Enhua put the last piece of lobster meat into Luo Ziling’s bowl and urged him to eat quickly, “finish all this, don’t leave any. Your mom and I are full. After dinner, the three of us should have a talk, there are some things your grandma wants to discuss with you both.”

Hearing Xie Enhua say this, Luo Ziling quickly finished the food in his bowl.

After dinner, Ling Ruonan helped Xie Enhua with the dishes, but told Luo Ziling not to help and instead go sit and eat fruit.

Nobody knew what Ling Ruonan said to Xie Enhua while they were doing the dishes, but by the time they had finished up and sat down on the couch, Xie Enhua’s complexion had slightly worsened.

“Ling’er, did you hit Lin Jiaming today?” After sitting beside Luo Ziling, Xie Enhua asked softly, “Did you injure him?”

“I slapped him twice and then kicked him against the wall,” Luo Ziling answered honestly, “he had it coming for calling me a bastard in front of my mom.”

“Sigh,” Xie Enhua sighed deeply, “it looks like things are getting more complicated.”

“Mom, it’s all my fault,” Ling Ruonan leaned against Xie Enhua, taking her mother’s arm, and confessed seriously, “Don’t worry about it, I’ve already figured out how to explain it to dad. When dad comes back, I’ll explain it to him myself.”

Xie Enhua didn’t know how to respond to Ling Ruonan’s words, and that’s when Luo Ziling spoke up, “Grandma, I just can’t bear to see them bully my mom. I’ve grown up, and with dad not around, I need to take on the responsibility of protecting my mom. I won’t let anyone who bullies her get away with it.”

“Nannan, I’d like to hear how you’re planning to talk to your dad about this. You both understand that your dad doesn’t want you to keep controlling the Northern Group. He’s worried you’ll turn it into your private territory and have it break away from the control of the Ling Family,” Xie Enhua said.

Ling Ruonan was caught off guard by her mother’s direct question, but she didn’t refuse to answer. After a brief hesitation, she replied, “Mom, I just can’t tolerate others scheming against me. I don’t lack money, nor have I thought about making the Northern Group my private property. Ling’er has said before, he wants to succeed through his own efforts and doesn’t want to rest on the achievements of previous generations. So, I never considered fighting with the Ling Family over the control of the Northern Group. However, the Northern Group developed and grew under my management, and if they want to drive me out of the Northern Group over some profit conflict, I won’t agree to that. What Lin Jiaming and Ling Haining did this time was too despicable, and teaching them a lesson is only fair. That’s why I didn’t stop Ling’er when he chose to teach them.”

Having said that, Xie Enhua didn’t know how to respond.

At that moment, Ling Mingrui came home.