It was Grandpa Meng's first time seeing his second son behave like this. He watched with fascination for a moment, then came to his senses and gave a couple of feigned coughs.
"Ahem, Zhixing, at your age, why are you still eating these things meant for youngsters? Since Ze is here, give him that box of pastries to try."
Only then did Meng Zhixing notice the odd atmosphere at the table, and he put down the pastry box.
"Sure! Ze, you want some? You've got good taste. Try these specialties from my eldest sister-in-law's hometown."
As he spoke, he was about to have a servant take the pastry box over to Jiang Ze.
"Ahem, Jiang Ze, was it? A Rong and I will be going back to our hometown in a couple of days. We can bring you some fresh ones. We couldn't possibly offer you Zhixing's leftovers."
Meng Zhixiong, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. Contrary to the imposing air of his name, he looked like a frail scholar, refined and mild-mannered, seemingly easy to get along with.
Even now, his tone was gentle, his words perfectly reasonable.
Well, well, there really is something fishy going on! I bet Meng Zhixiong knows the pastries are poisoned too!
Beside him, Meng Zhiyuan's pupils suddenly constricted, and a flash of icy coldness crossed his eyes.
Jiang Ze couldn't very well insist. Mostly, he couldn't bring himself to make such a scene. Getting into an argument over a box of pastries in the Meng household would make him a laughingstock.
All he could do was secretly nudge Meng Zhiyuan with his foot under the table.
Come on, boss, help me out! Boohoo, I've already gone all out acting cute!
"It's thoughtful of our eldest sister-in-law to bring Zhixing a box every year. Now I'd like to see just how delicious these pastries are to have our third brother so hooked."
Meng Zhiyuan swept a cold glance over Meng Zhixing. Meng Zhixing felt a chill around him, and the moment he heard that his second brother wanted some, he got up and brought the pastries over himself without another word.
"Hehe, right, right! Good things are meant to be shared. Everyone should try a taste of our eldest sister-in-law's hometown."
Seeing the box of pastries finally leave Meng Zhixing's hands, Jiang Ze breathed a sigh of relief.
Maybe I should just eat one, then redeem a Detoxification Pill or something afterward. I can pretend it gave me the runs so Meng Zhiyuan gets suspicious and has the ingredients tested.
Quite pleased with his plan, Jiang Ze reached for a pastry in the box. He missed the way the man beside him instantly darkened, and his hand was caught in the man's grip.
"Be good. Eat your dinner first."
Jiang Ze turned and finally noticed the man's grim expression. Thinking his behavior had upset him, he pursed his lips and could only set the pastries aside for now.
The meal ended in an oppressive atmosphere, especially for Jiang Ze. Not only did he have to withstand Meng Zimu's occasional murderous glares from across the table, but he also had to endure the cold looks Meng Zhixiong and Ye Rong kept shooting him.
Ugh, meals taste so much better at the boss's villa.
After dinner, Meng Zhiyuan called Meng Zhixing into the study alone and tossed him the box of pastries.
Meng Zhixing looked utterly baffled. What were they playing at? They kept passing this box back and forth, and though none of them would eat any, they wouldn't let him eat them either.
"You really haven't learned a thing all these years."
Hearing his second brother scold him again, even Meng Zhixing realized something was wrong.
"Second Brother... what exactly is going on?"
"Your leg's been relapsing for quite some time now, hasn't it? Have someone check the ingredients in these pastries. Keep it quiet. Don't let anyone find out."
Meng Zhiyuan gave him a cold look and left it at that, unwilling to say more.
Meng Zhixing's heart jolted, and he nearly lost control of his expression.
"You mean my leg...?!"
He knew what his second brother was capable of, and that he rarely suspected anything without grounds. Suppressing his shock and doubts, he hurried away with the pastries clutched in his arms.
"Where's that box of pastries?"
Jiang Ze had hurried after Meng Zhiyuan when he saw him leave with the pastries, only to discover that the man's hands were now empty.
"Don't tell me you ate them?"
Panic crossed his face. His gaze slid down from the man's Adam's apple as he began considering whether he should try making him throw up.
"I threw the pastries away."
"What? You threw them away!"
Meng Zhiyuan rubbed the kid's head. It felt just as he had imagined.
"Mm. They'd probably gone bad from sitting around too long."
"You...!"
In the end, Jiang Ze stormed off in a huff. Whatever Meng Zhiyuan was up to, he could at least put some thought into his lies.
"Unhappy?"
On the drive back, Meng Zhiyuan noticed that the kid hadn't said a word. His face wasn't as lively as usual, and even his thoughts were silent.
Jiang Ze didn't answer. He didn't know what was wrong with him; he simply didn't feel like talking to the man.
Meng Zhiyuan pulled over to the side of the road and turned to look at the kid, who had sulkily turned his head toward the window. His brows drew together slightly.
Feeling the car suddenly stop, Jiang Ze was just about to break his silence when someone pinched his cheeks and turned his head, bringing him face-to-face with the man.
"Gone mute?"
The man leaned down, almost as though he had enveloped the young man in his arms, and Jiang Ze felt his heartbeat start to quicken again.
"Mm... mmm-mmm!" Pervert... not this again!
Muffled sounds escaped Jiang Ze's mouth. Watching the man's handsome face draw closer and closer, he instinctively closed his eyes.
"Heh. Want me to kiss you?"
The man suddenly released his cheeks, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Aaaah!! Now I'm even angrier! All that acting cute wasn't even worth a plate of pastries. The boss has no heart!
Meng Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. So that was why.
Seeing the faint red marks he had just left on Jiang Ze's delicate, fair face, Meng Zhiyuan's eyes darkened. He pressed a finger to the corner of the young man's mouth and gently rubbed it.
"Don't be angry, hmm? I'll take you to a famous pastry shop to make it up to you."
The man spoke in a low, soothing voice, as though coaxing a child, and Jiang Ze's face flushed again.
"Then I'm going to eat you out of house and home!"
That little bit of gloom in Jiang Ze's heart suddenly vanished.
It was already evening when they left the Meng Family Estate.
The pastry shop really did have everything, with such a dazzling variety that Jiang Ze hardly knew where to look. By the time they came out, his hands were full of bags of every size.
Oh my god, what kind of pastries cost this much? Are they made of gold?! All this actually cost five thousand!
This time, Jiang Ze was quiet as a mouse in the car, though now it was because he felt guilty.
Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing a hidden quest! You have earned 100,000 points and received one random Character Card drop!
"What the heck? What's a Character Card?"
Jiang Ze had only just returned to the villa and barely settled into his seat when the system chimed, dropping something he had never even heard of.
"Seriously, System? Are hidden quests this half-assed? A hundred thousand points is decent enough, but a Character Card sounds completely useless!"
"Ahem, host, this is a random drop that comes with the hidden quest. This system has no control over it!"
"Oh. So how do I use it?"
"Once used, it makes you grow random animal features, such as cat ears, a pig's tail, and so on..."
Jiang Ze: "..." My silence is deafening.
He would never use it as long as he lived.
The system chuckled twice and vanished again. Jiang Ze could even hear the ill intent in its mechanical voice.
Why did it feel like this system was getting less and less proper?
Before you continue