CHAPTER 48: CAUGHT AFTER DINNER

The interior of Longfor Mansion was tastefully decorated, it was warm yet refined.

The two of them sat by the window while facing each other.

Then a plump and freshly peeled shrimp appeared in Rong Xingyu’s small bowl.

He lifted his head and saw Dr. Ding calmly wiping his slender fingers with a napkin. For some reason, Rong Xingyu’s heart gave a small thump.

It was the first time anyone had ever peeled shrimp for him.

When the pleasant dinner finally ended, Rong Xingyu followed beside Ding Yixin as they walked out of Longfor Mansion.

The night breeze brushed softly across his slightly flushed cheeks.

He felt a bit embarrassed, under his clothes, his small stomach was slightly rounded from eating too much.

He had taken his "mission" seriously tonight, carefully tasting every dish and since Dr. Ding kept placing food into his bowl, Rong Xingyu had obediently eaten everything. Somehow, he had ended up eating a little too much.

He resisted the urge to secretly touch his belly to check.

Just as he bent down to get into the car, he suddenly heard someone shouting from far away.

"Rong Xingyu!"

He tilted his head curiously toward Ding Yixin. "Is someone calling us?"

Ding Yixin closed the passenger door for him with a soft thud, the sound perfectly covering the distant voice.

"No," he said calmly. "You must have misheard."

"Oh." Rong Xingyu nodded obediently.

Then the car drove off.

And from a distance, a tall young man with long legs strode over to where the car had been parked.

Standing under the faint glow of the streetlights, who else could it be but Ding Wei?

A few other boys about the same age soon ran up behind him.

"Young Master Ding, who were you calling just now?" one of them asked curiously.

"I saw my uncle," Ding Wei said with a shrug, "but he probably didn’t hear me calling him. Maybe he had something urgent to do. Forget it, let’s go in."

After speaking, Ding Wei turned and headed toward Longfor Mansion.

The others cheered and quickly followed him.

"I heard this place is really hard to book," one of them said excitedly. "We’re lucky today, all thanks to Young Master Ding."

"Of course," another boy replied proudly. "Don’t forget who his uncle is. In the whole capital, who would dare refuse to give him face?"

"Ah, so lucky! The country owes me an uncle like that!"

Ding Wei lifted his foot and kicked the last boy who had made a face at him. He laughed and scolded, "Alright, enough out of you, you cheeky brat."

But inwardly, he couldn’t help feeling proud. Of course his uncle treated him well, he was his real nephew, after all.

On the other side of the city, Rong Xingyu returned home after parting with Dr. Ding.

It wasn’t that late yet.

He opened the door and had just stepped into the living room when he turned his head only to see two people sitting in the dining room.

Rong Xingyu froze.

He jumped in surprise, his whole body shaking as he instinctively took a step back.

When he looked again carefully.

Big Brother and Fourth Brother?!

Both of them were sitting at the dining table, facing each other with arms crossed, wearing matching expressions of serious disapproval.

Rong Zhenqiao’s brows were furrowed so tightly it looked like they could crush a fly.

"Rong Xingyu," he said coldly, "who was that who just sent you home?"

Rong Zishan and Rong Zhenqiao had run into each other right at the doorway.

Rong Zishan folded his arms while giving Rong Zhenqiao who is neatly dressed in a suita long look from head to toe, clearly he’s come here straight from the company. "Seriously? You came here just to freeload dinner?"

Rong Zhenqiao: "..."

What an annoying and disrespectful little brother. He could do without this one.

He had just come to check on how Rong Xingyu was doing lately.

Though, admittedly, he hadn’t eaten dinner yet either.

Rong Zishan swung his car keys in his hand and strode inside and calling out loudly as he went, "Xiaoyu~ Fourth Brother is home~"

But unlike usual, there was no sweet and obedient reply from his younger brother. Nor was there any sign of him in the kitchen.

Rong Zishan looked around, the living room, the dining area, even upstairs but there was no trace of Rong Xingyu anywhere.

Even the dining table was completely empty.

Rong Zishan froze.

Where was he?

Where was his good and well behaved little brother?!

Rong Zhenqiao who had followed behind also frowned. "Xiaoyu isn’t home?"

The two older brothers exchanged looks in silence.

They ended up waiting the entire evening on empty stomachs until finally, they saw Rong Xingyu getting out of a car they didn’t recognize.

They couldn’t see who was inside the car, but they did see Rong Xingyu waving politely to whoever it was before the car drove away.

Rong Zhenqiao and Rong Zishan exchanged a complicated glance.

Then Rong Zhenqiao asked in a low, stern voice, "Rong Xingyu, who was the one that just sent you home?"

Rong Xingyu looked at his big brother’s serious face and he was in dazed for a moment, he could only let out a small confused, "Ah?"

"It was a friend. I went to help a friend with something," Rong Xingyu explained.

Although his older brother knew Dr. Ding, Rong Xingyu didn’t know why but instinctively, he didn’t mention him.

Seeing Rong Xingyu biting his lower lip nervously, Rong Zhenqiao immediately felt a wave of regret.

He tried to make his tone and expression softer.

The car that had dropped his younger brother off wasn’t anything unusual.

The license plate was unfamiliar, but it probably belonged to one of his classmates.

Thinking this, Rong Zhenqiao reached out and patted Rong Xingyu’s head gently, his voice calm and warm.

"Making friends is a good thing. I support you spending time with your friends. As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters most."