"Ah... haha..."
Ning Father gave a few dry laughs, at a loss for words. Ning Mother also rose from the sofa, awkwardly brushing at her clothes.
Both elders seemed like children now, ill at ease in front of Ning Shile.
Seeing his parents react like this, Ning Shile found himself unable to say what was on the tip of his tongue.
His parents treated him very well. They took care of all his daily needs and had never put any pressure on him growing up.
There was nothing to fault in how they treated him.
Yet Ning Shile still felt upset.
"You heard all that?" Ning Father seemed to sense Ning Shile's mood and tried to smooth things over. "I know you didn't do it. We just got carried away talking."
"Don't take it to heart. I'm sorry."
Ning Shile stared at Ning Father for a long moment, then turned and went back to his room.
Outside, Ning Mother was reprimanding Ning Father. Their hushed voices were too indistinct for him to make out.
Then he heard Ning Mother bustling around in the kitchen for a while before she came to his room with a tray and knocked.
"Have you eaten, Lele?" Ning Mother placed the noodles she had made on Ning Shile's desk. "I just made these. Eat them while they're hot."
Ning Shile looked at the bowl of noodles without touching it.
Ning Father peered into the room worriedly. Ning Mother waved him away, then closed the door.
She knew Ning Father's careless words had upset Ning Shile, so she smiled and said, "Don't hold it against your dad. He didn't mean it like that."
"He just has a sharp tongue. He really does care about you."
Ning Shile sat at his desk. After a long silence, he