Since Tang Mingxi had voluntarily offered to wash his feet, Tang Yu ought to enjoy it properly!
Besides, Tang Mingxi was exceptionally handsome, with snow-white skin fine enough to reveal tiny blue veins. His fingers were long and jade-like, his rounded fingertips faintly pink against the white—prettier than those of even the finest hand model.
Those hands washing his feet... Tang Yu could not help letting his imagination run wild.
Just as his thoughts began to wander, an abrupt change occurred.
Tang Mingxi carried the foot-washing water over and, without warning, dumped it all over Tang Yu's head.
"Splash—"
It came down with tremendous force, soaking him from head to toe.
The loud rush of water left everyone present dumbfounded.
Tang Yu, who had taken off his shoes and was waiting to be served, stood there agape.
After pouring out the foot-washing water, Tang Mingxi tossed the wooden bucket onto the floor.
"Thud, thud, thud." It rolled three times before stopping in front of Tang Yu.
Ye Heng stared at Tang Mingxi, his gaze holding traces of surprise and scrutiny.
Tang Mingxi smiled faintly, like a little fox that had gotten its way, innocent and harmless. "Cousin, I don't think washing your feet is enough to express my sincere apology. How about I give you a bath?"
Tang Yu was a miserable sight. His carefully styled hair, which had cost thousands, was drenched in foot-washing water and plastered to his scalp. Thin streams of water trickled from his head down his cheeks. His suit was soaked through, making him look as though he had just been dragged out of the water.
Still barefoot, he was humiliated beyond measure. Rage ignited within Tang Yu in an instant, and he glared furiously. "Tang Mingxi! You're courting death!"
"Calm down, Cousin." Tang Mingxi clapped his hands and sat on a stool, crossing his long legs as he spoke slowly. "Has no one ever taught you that even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner?"
Ye Heng stood at Tang Mingxi's side, dark and brooding, his young body tall, straight, and handsome.
He really did look like an unruly, vicious wolfhound at the Second Young Master's side.
"You!" Tang Yu slapped the table and rose, about to lash out when the doors opened.
"What's all this noise about?" Tang Yun, the current head of the Tang Family, finally appeared.
At once, every member of the Tang Family present rose to their feet and stood respectfully. Even Tang Yu swallowed the curse that had reached his lips. Only Tang Mingxi remained seated in his "spoiled" manner, without moving at all.
It was not that Tang Mingxi did not want to move. He could not.
In the original novel, Tang Er had been spoiled and overbearing, the only formidable person who dared to put on airs and act coy before Tang Yun.
If Tang Mingxi stood up to greet his eldest brother, that would be suspicious!
Fortunately, Tang Mingxi had been an only child in his previous life, pampered by his parents from childhood. Acting spoiled and putting on airs came naturally to him.
There was nothing to fear. He was simply playing himself :)
Tang Yu's expression was ugly as he gritted out, "Young Master."
Tang Yun lifted his eyelids and saw Tang Yu drenched from head to toe, barefoot on the floor, looking as bedraggled as a beggar beneath an overpass.
Meanwhile, his younger brother Tang Mingxi was sitting leisurely on a stool. Tang Yun's eyelid twitched.
"What happened?"
"I played a little joke on Cousin." Tang Mingxi blinked. "Brother, you're not going to blame me, are you?"
"You call this a joke?!" Tang Yu instantly bristled like an enraged grasshopper, nearly jumping three feet into the air. Grinding his teeth, he said viciously, "Young Master, this is the annual meeting, and so many people are watching. No matter how much you favor Tang Er, you should at least give me an explanation for my father's sake, shouldn't you?"
Tang Yun's brows furrowed slightly. "What exactly happened?"
Tang Mingxi said, "Cousin thought sitting with Ye Heng would embarrass him, so he asked Ye Heng to wash his feet as an apology. I thought that lacked sincerity, so I gave Cousin a bath instead. Who knew Cousin couldn't take a joke and flew into a rage?"
He paused, patted his chest, and said with lingering fear, "So scary."
Tang Yu: ...
Tang Yun looked at Tang Yu. "You made Ye Heng bring you foot-washing water?"
Tang Yu's mouth twitched. This live-in son-in-law truly could not be brought out in public; no one thought highly of him.
But he was still Tang Yun's brother-in-law. Quietly allowing him to be bullied just now was one thing; having Tang Yun catch them red-handed was another.
"I... I was only joking with my brother-in-law." Tang Yu said sulkily, forced to suppress his anger.
Tang Yun said, "Since it was a joke, don't make it so embarrassing. Hurry and change your clothes, lest you catch a cold."
Tang Yu gnashed his teeth. Then his eyes shifted to Ye Heng's expensive suit, and a scheme formed in his mind.
"Young Master, a joke is a joke, but Tang Er has soaked me through. You should at least have Tang Er compensate me with something to wear."
Tang Yun said, "There are spare clothes at the residence. I'll have someone fetch some from your room."
"Wait, Young Master. How much could the clothes at the residence possibly be worth?" Tang Yu gave a dry laugh. "This suit of mine was custom-made. You should compensate me with one of equal value, shouldn't you? I think the one Ye Heng is wearing is quite good. Why not have him take it off and let me wear it?"
Tang Mingxi was taken aback, a strange look appearing on his face. "You really want to wear it?"
Seeing this, Tang Yu thought he had struck Tang Mingxi's sore spot and immediately grew smug. "Of course! What, Tang Er? You dare to do it but not take responsibility? In front of your brother, are you trying to welsh on this?"
The strange expression on Tang Mingxi's face became even more obvious. He even exchanged a glance with Ye Heng.
Then he saw the male lead's undisguised disgust in his eyes.
Tang Mingxi: Hehe :)
Yet, unusually enough, Ye Heng did not refuse this unreasonable demand. The handsome young man's face showed no expression as he calmly took off his suit jacket. He even asked coldly, "Do you want the pants too?"
Tang Yu: ...
You have no shame stripping off your pants in public, but I do!
He snatched Ye Heng's suit over and felt the excellent fabric. Immediately overjoyed, he could not wait to put it on.
The moment he did, a burst of suppressed laughter rang through the entire banquet hall.
Tang Yu froze. Raising his head, he saw the faint smile at the corner of Tang Mingxi's lips. His eyes curved slightly, concealing an innate charm as he gazed at him indifferently.
Even Ye Heng's expression had relaxed considerably, his eyes carrying a hint of ridicule and mockery.
Panic rose in Tang Yu's heart, and he immediately sensed something was wrong. Lowering his head, his face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Ye Heng was one hundred eighty-seven centimeters tall, with a strong and well-proportioned build. Tang Yu, however, was barely over one hundred seventy centimeters. Years of indulgence had long hollowed out his body, leaving him skinny and frail.
The former's clothes were far too long on him, making him look like a scrawny monkey that had stolen someone else's clothes.
Tang Mingxi held back his laughter and sighed. "Cousin, I just remembered a saying."
With an innocent expression that held a trace of cunning, he drawled, "Even dressed in a dragon robe, you still don't look like a crown prince."
The Cannon Fodder Huo Yiran
This farce ended with Tang Yu storming out in rage and slamming the door behind him.
He tore off the expensive suit in a frenzy and threw it viciously onto the floor. Still not satisfied, he stomped on it twice as he rushed out.
The clean, neat suit instantly became a rag.
Tang Yun sighed and said in a deep voice, "Clean up the floor."
As if granted a reprieve, the attendants quickly and orderly began cleaning the floor.
The remaining Tang Family relatives in the banquet hall also let out long sighs of relief. They resumed their conversations, raising their glasses and coming forward to greet Tang Yun. Everything returned to normal.
As though nothing unpleasant had happened.
Ye Heng looked coldly at the clothes lying on the floor like a rag, the corner of his lips lifting almost imperceptibly.
He did not know what madness had taken hold of Tang Mingxi again, for his attitude toward him to have changed.
Did Tang Mingxi think that after gaining a little advantage, he would wag his tail like a dog and be endlessly grateful?
If not for Ye Yue... Thinking of his younger sister, Ye Heng's eyes darkened deeply. He wished he could kill Tang Mingxi with his own hands.
Tang Mingxi suddenly felt a chill down his back, as though some cold-blooded beast had fixed its gaze on him.
He turned around and saw Ye Heng standing behind him, cold and expressionless.