Sang Lu turned toward the sound and found Feng Yan standing behind her at some point, his brows lowered over his eyes as he glared coldly at Feng Yi.
Feng Yi shuddered in fright, as if hearing the eerie tune of death approaching.
Sang Lu was also startled by Feng Yan.
Her hand, which had been brushing honey onto chicken wings, slipped, leaving the coating uneven.
Her obsessive-compulsive tendencies flared up unpleasantly.
She tilted her head up and shot Feng Yan a look laced with faint resentment.
How could he walk without making a sound?!
Now she finally knew where Feng Bai had picked up his habit of floating around silently.
Feng Yi watched Feng Yan with trepidation.
Something felt off…
Though his elder brother exuded his usual icy aura, he didn’t seem as terrifying as usual.
Almost as if… he was just trying to scare him?
The moment the thought surfaced, Feng Yi decided he must be going insane.
Uncertain, he stole a few more glances at his brother.
Those glances instantly triggered his muscle memory.
He smoothly defaulted to an apology:
"Brother, I was wrong."
Feng Yan continued to eye him coldly, his expression unreadable.
Feng Yi added, "Sister-in-law already talked sense into me. I truly understand where I went wrong this time and won’t make the same mistake again. Please believe me."
Hearing Feng Yi’s pitiful tone, Sang Lu lifted her head again.
A twinge of sympathy flickered through her.
She worried Feng Yi might get hauled up like a drowned chicken again.
Last time, since they were outside, Feng Yan could just drag him back to the ancestral home.
But now they were already at the ancestral home—where else could he be thrown out to?
Under the weight of Feng Yan’s frost-laden presence, Sang Lu hesitated before deciding to plead on Feng Yi’s behalf.
She pressed her lips together.
Just as she was about to speak, she saw Feng Yan move.
His face still stern, he wordlessly pulled a chair over and sat down beside her.
Sang Lu: "?"
What was this about?
Feng Yi, well-versed in his brother’s expressions, noticed the slight relaxation in Feng Yan’s sharp gaze.
That meant the matter was dropped!
Case closed?
Case closed!
His tense nerves unwound, and he forced an obedient smile, scrambling for small talk:
"Brother, have a seat… Have some barbecue…"
The skewers sizzled on the grill.
The rich aroma of meat filled the air, and Feng Yi’s stomach growled loudly.
He instinctively rubbed his hollow belly.
His eyes darted between the barbecue and Feng Yan’s face.
Without his brother’s permission, he didn’t dare make a move.
So he stood awkwardly by the grill, patting his stomach pathetically.
Another loud "gurgle" sounded moments later.
Feng Yan’s brow twitched. After a brief silence, he lifted his gaze and said coldly,
"If you’re hungry, sit down and eat. Are you waiting for someone to feed you?"
"Got it!" Feng Yi brightened instantly.
He grabbed a chair and sat across from them.
His demeanor made Sang Lu chuckle.
After days without food, Feng Yi dug into the skewers she had grilled, wolfing them down messily.
Grease splattered, nearly landing on Sang Lu’s clothes.
Feng Yan’s brow furrowed.
In the next second, he gripped the back of Sang Lu’s chair and pulled, sliding her—chair and all—closer to him.
Sang Lu, now slightly airborne, blinked in confusion: "..."
Feng Yan shot Feng Yi a displeased look and ordered coolly,
"Tone it down. You’re on grill duty now."
"Understood!" Feng Yi replied immediately.
The atmosphere shifted oddly.
What had started as a ploy to provoke Feng Yi had somehow turned into him manning the grill while Sang Lu lounged and waited to be served.
Sang Lu was hungry.
Feng Yi was downright ravenous.
Both were entirely focused on the food.
Only Feng Yan seemed distracted, lost in thought.
His mind kept replaying the words Sang Lu had said earlier.
Unbeknownst to him, a faint trace of amusement curled at the corners of his eyes.
Sang Lu, seated beside him, didn’t notice.
Feng Yi, sitting opposite, caught it and assumed his brother’s softened expression was due to his improved attitude today.
Feng Yan sat sprawled in the outdoor chair, legs slightly apart, close enough to Sang Lu that his knee occasionally brushed against hers when he moved.
His gaze dropped, dark and unreadable.
Sang Lu was dressed in light-colored wide-leg pants and a loose cobalt-blue shirt—work attire, with her sleeves casually rolled up. The loose fit made her look slender.
To Feng Yan, her wrists and ankles seemed too delicate, as if they could snap with little effort.
Silently, he reached over, took the freshly grilled skewers from Feng Yi, and placed them on Sang Lu’s plate.
When the next batch was ready, another hand swooped in before Feng Yi could react.
Feng Yi raised an eyebrow and looked up—
Only to meet his brother’s chilly stare.
His eyebrow lowered.
Not a peep escaped him.
He resigned himself to being the designated grill master.
By the time Sang Lu leaned back, satisfied and sipping her soda, Feng Yi finally got to taste his own cooking.
---
In the main hall, Uncle Yue reported to Old Master Feng.
"Young Master has returned and is currently in the courtyard with Madam, enjoying a barbecue..."
"And that rascal Feng Yi? Is he still throwing a tantrum?" Old Master Feng asked.
"He’s been pacified. Even before Young Master arrived, Second Young Master had already softened. Madam is truly remarkable."
Old Master Feng nodded approvingly, then suddenly frowned as if remembering something.
"If he’s been pacified, why is he still there? Does he enjoy being a third wheel between his brother and sister-in-law?"
The old man thumped his cane.
"Call him over. Tell him I need to see him."
Uncle Yue: "Right away, Master."
A seasoned butler, Uncle Yue worked efficiently and soon escorted Feng Yi to the main hall.
When he walked in, Feng Yi was still clutching a honey-glazed chicken wing.
He chewed as he walked.
"So good..."
Spotting Old Master Feng sitting rigidly in his wicker chair, Feng Yi swallowed and began,
"Old man—"
He paused, remembering Sang Lu’s advice about addressing the family elder respectfully.
Last time, his rudeness had caused a scene.
This time, he’d start with the small things—fix his bad habits.
Become someone worthy of being liked.
His usual careless expression faded.
He meant to say "Master," but his tongue slipped again:
"Grandpa, what’s up?"
The air froze.
Old Master Feng: "..."
The surrounding servants stared at Feng Yi in shock: "..."
Uncle Yue turned his head away, unable to watch.
After a long silence, Old Master Feng sighed deeply and shot his second grandson a disdainful glance.
Lost in thought.
Both were descendants of the Feng family.
How could the second child be so far behind the first…
