Ruirui

"Welcome home, Young Master."

Wen Rui nodded politely to Uncle Peng as he strode into Wen Guoyan's house, paying no heed to the gossipy murmurs that came from the other staff members. It was obvious by now that his father's new woman had taken control of the housekeeping, replacing the old hired help with those that were loyal to her. That distant relative of hers, who had been sneering at Wen Rui from the second he walked through the door, was a classic example of that.

Noise was already coming from the dining hall; Wen Rui had made sure to arrive on time so this was Wen Guoyan's way of making him feel left out? Just because he'd been mouthy over the phone for the first time in his life?

This was his father. The man he'd looked up to for eighteen years was being passive-aggressive and petty, all because Wen Rui had called him out for his inconsideration, implied that he wasn't happy with the neglect.

He wished he could look into Wen Guoyan's heart to see just how far the decay had spread in there, whether it was truly as rotten to the core as Wen Rui felt it must be.

He stepped into the room without preamble, blocking off Housekeeper Lu before she could dodge in before him and announce his presence.

Lu Xiamei's seat was facing the door and she was the first to catch sight of him, her expression twisting into something dark and ugly before it was masked over by an impassive smile.

"Guoyan, Ah Rui's home."

The figure seated at the head of the table didn't pause in his meal. This had been his father's intimidation tactic since he was young; whenever Wen Rui's results hadn't been satisfactory, Wen Guoyan would ignore him even when he'd pleaded with his little tear-streaked face for his father to sign off the examination slip so that he wouldn't get into trouble in school the next day. It was only after swearing that he would not get any less than a hundred marks next time, would Wen Guoyan concede and deign to glance at the sheet that he held out in his trembling hands.

Wen Rui had used to think that this was just the hallmark of a strict parent. Now he knew that it was just heartlessness. A lack of concern for the emotional well-being of an unloved son.

Wen Guoyan might have thought that he was tempering Wen Rui's spirit with this indifferent treatment. That after years and years of the cold shoulder, Wen Rui might finally realise just what he was missing out on and come scrambling back to him to apologise and adhere to his father's plans for him, whatever those might be.

Wen Rui didn't know and he didn't particularly care to find out. Whether the older version of him had been about to cave or not, Wen Rui couldn't say. But unfortunately for Wen Guoyan, Wen Rui had lost his mother and father all over again and his wounds were fresh and raw and his heart was spoiling for a fight.

Before Lu Xiamei could invite him to take a seat, he went up to the other end of the long table and sat down directly across from Wen Guoyan, as far away from the happy trio as he could be.

The last person, whose slender back was to him when he'd entered, finally raise his head to meet Wen Rui's eyes.

Wen Rui stared back levelly, into a pair of peach blossoms eyes. The same peach blossom eyes that ran so strongly in the Wen Family. A little pink at the corners, with just the right amount of double-eyelid.

He wanted to laugh. This had to be his stepbrother then. Thank goodness their resemblance ended with the uncanny similarity in their eyes. He let his gaze linger for just a second more before it returned to Wen Guoyan, whose face had become a livid shade of purple.

"I see you still don't know your rightful place!"

The maid who was carrying an entree towards Wen Rui jumped and dropped the plate when Wen Guoyan shouted. Housekeeper Lu clicked her tongue and ushered her away with a, "What do you think you're doing, you silly girl? Can't you see that the young master is about to be scolded, why did you think to interrupt—"

"Housekeeper Lu, this isn't a feudal society, that's the Wen Family's employee, not your house slave," Wen Rui said. He didn't look at her as he spoke, an amused glint in his eyes as they bored into Wen Guoyan's. "Be careful how you treat her, I would hate for my father's mistress to have to spend his money defending you in a civil suit."

Housekeeper Lu spluttered and Lu Xiamei placed her utensils down with a loud clatter.

"Ah Rui, I understand that you might have some prejudices against me—"

"I do."

She stared at him, gobsmacked. Wen Rui found this surprising; had his older self been milder whilst dealing with her? He didn't think that possible.

Wen Guoyan drew a long breath, as though it was taking all his effort not to lose his cool and lash out at Wen Rui. As for his 'stepbrother', the boy looked about his age and didn't seem like he was invested in the little tiff that they had going on. He was the only person in the room with an appetite left, removing his oysters from their shell as though he was in a fancy restaurant and not amid a family war.

"I see you returned all your manners when you were thrown out," Wen Guoyan said. His voice had gone very quiet, with a menace that would have terrified Wen Rui in the past.

But it was funny; once Wen Rui had stopped loving him, he no longer had the ability to strike fear into Wen Rui's heart. It was ironic; the very parent who should have sheltered him had been the one to harm him. It wasn't fair but Wen Rui was beyond caring. Blood ties were worthless if they were only going to strangle those bound by it, today he was here to end it all.

"Was I thrown out?" he asked mildly. "Whatever, it doesn't matter anymore. Since neither of us is keen on furthering this relationship, Mr Wen, I suggest you make a call to the family lawyers now, I'm sure it won't take all that long to draft a set of emancipation papers. I'm financially independent and married into a different household register, there would be no reason for the judge to reject the application."

He had evidently done some work on the way over.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Lu Xiamei's face brighten up but Wen Guoyan's blackened enough to match the portent thunderstorm clouds that hung pregnant in the overcast sky outside.

"What's the matter, Father?" he asked, emphasising that last word with a hint of sarcasm. "Shouldn't the news that you'll finally be rid of me please you?"

"Ah Rui, make your father even angrier," Lu Xiamei said, reaching out to pat Wen Guoyan's arm soothingly. "Guoyan, you know what youngsters are like, Ah Rui is just throwing a tantrum, I'm sure he doesn't mean it."

Flawlessly hypocritical. Wen Rui had to give it to her.

He graced the table with a cheery smile. "Actually, Ah Rui would appreciate it if you stopped speaking for him. I mean every word I've said. If Father won't prepare the papers, Ah Ye's lawyer will be more than happy to."

Lu Xiamei's gasp was theatrically outraged but Wen Rui's casual statement served its purpose; with great effort, Wen Guoyan calmed himself down.

"Is this the way you should be talking to your elders?" he chastised but his tone had shifted from being contentious to a long-suffering paternal one like he still had the right to reprimand Wen Rui for being rebellious. "Enough, I called you back for a meal to catch up, not to bicker over nonsense."

Wen Rui tapped the empty table before him. "Last I recall, Father wasn't happy with the service of the household staff."

Wen Guoyan clenched his teeth. "Steward Peng! Arrange for his meal to be brought out!"

There was no response, not even when Wen Guoyan called again. He wasn't the only one surprised. Uncle Peng was a long-time helper in the family, one that had been around since Wen Rui's grandfather's generation, although he'd been a mere driver back then until the then head of the house had recognised his talents and trained him up himself.

Why would Uncle Peng ignore Wen Guoyan?

Just as Wen Rui thought that Wen Guoyan was going to burst a blood vessel, Uncle Peng returned with a tall figure in tow, one that Wen Rui would recognise anywhere, that Wen Rui was soft for now that he was no longer second-guessing his feelings.

"Sorry I'm late, Ruirui told me the time but I was held back at a meeting, have I missed anything?"