Chapter 8: Rotten to the Core

Ning Yao tilted her head thoughtfully, then immediately went to tell her mother about the eldest branch’s plan to renovate their house.

Upon hearing this, Lady Mu exploded with anger.

She hurried inside to shake Ning Wulang awake.

“What’s wrong?” Ning Wulang mumbled, still half-asleep, wanting to catch a bit more rest.

“Your eldest brother wants to renovate the house. I bet he’s coming to borrow money from us. Mark my words, if you lend him any silver, you’ll answer to me,” Lady Mu warned fiercely.

At once, Ning Wulang’s drowsiness vanished.

“What?” Renovate the house?

Was his eldest brother trying to kill him with laughter?

With so many children to feed, the eldest branch was barely keeping afloat—now they wanted to renovate?

Surely, they were planning to borrow money from him or their parents…

That was out of the question. The eldest branch was as poor as could be; if they borrowed money, when would they ever pay it back?

Ning Wulang immediately threw off the covers and got out of bed.

In the main hall, Ning Dalang was discussing the renovation with his father, Old Ning.

Old Ning remained silent, neither offering help nor asking if there was enough silver, where the renovation would be, or how many rooms they planned to build.

He only said, “You’re already a father. You should handle these matters yourself.”

“Yes, you’re right, Father,” Ning Dalang replied.

Was Ning Dalang disappointed?

Not at all.

He had the best wife in the world, the most capable daughter and son—each thoughtful and considerate.

Besides, he had long been prepared.

He only mentioned it because he didn’t want people to talk ill of him, accusing him of lacking filial piety toward his parents.

“Big brother, I heard your family plans to renovate the house? How many rooms will you build? Do you have the silver ready?” Ning Wulang cut in before Ning Dalang could answer that everything was prepared.

“Big brother, don’t blame me, but I have no silver to lend you, and neither do Father and Mother,” Ning Wulang said bluntly.

Ning Dalang was speechless.

Old Ning shouted angrily, “Wulang, shut your mouth!”

Then, turning to Ning Dalang, he said, “Dalang, don’t listen to Wulang’s nonsense. If you truly need silver, your mother and I will find a way.”

Ning Wulang turned his head away.

Ning Dalang glanced at his father, then at his younger brother, and smiled indifferently. “Can Father really make decisions? Would Mother agree?”

That one sentence pierced through Old Ning’s hypocrisy.

What good was Old Ning’s promise if Lady Mu wouldn’t loosen the purse strings?

“Father, forget it. I won’t trouble you or myself. I’ll get back to work,” Ning Dalang said, rising and heading outside.

From inside, he heard Old Ning say to Ning Wulang, “You’re just foolish. Since they’re renovating the house, with Meng’s temperament—and A Xin working alone like two men, never returning empty-handed from the mountains—they must have saved silver.”

“If you keep blabbing, you’ll ruin brotherly bonds. Later, when you need help, no one will be willing,” Ning Dalang muttered.

His father did seem to know quite a bit.

Brotherly bonds? Did those still exist?

At least not with Wulang.

Ning Sanlang and Ning Silang, the twins, had been close to Ning Dalang since childhood. Upon hearing about the renovation, they were both envious and happy for him.

“Big brother, you know our situation. We have no silver to spare, but if you need help moving stones or the like, you don’t need to ask—I’ll go myself,” Ning Sanlang said with a mischievous grin.

He had four children, all still young. Even if they wanted to follow their sister, A Xin, into the mountains for some excitement, they couldn’t.

Ning Silang was in an even tougher spot.

His wife, Mrs. He, was frail and had difficulty conceiving. When she finally gave birth, their son was weak, and Mrs. He nearly lost her life.

That child was the same age as Ning Qi from the eldest branch, and when both were babies, Meng had nursed Ning Qi for several months.

Now, Ning Qi could run and jump, while Ning An still staggered when walking, often gasping for breath.

“Brothers, no need to say such things. I appreciate your hearts and keep them close to mine,” Ning Dalang said, patting their shoulders.

A thousand words were left unspoken, comfortably understood in the silence between them.