Chapter 6: Who’s the Useless Waste?
Before Mu Lichuan could respond, Mu Changnian barked sharply from the side, "You insolent brat! What nonsense are you spouting?" His expression darkened drastically. After all, his eldest son remained unaware of cultivation matters, if he were to find out, he might not willingly serve the family’s interests.
Even though the eldest son was still young, the talent he displayed was beyond any ordinary person’s capabilities.
"Useless waste?" Mu Lichuan knew exactly what this was about, yet his face wore nothing but bewilderment. "Father, didn’t you always say I was a genius?" The boy’s tone was laced with confusion, with no visible trace of resentment toward Mu Xiaolin.
Zhang Xiao’s eyes reddened slightly, but she held her tongue, only saying, "Master, I think Xiaolin could also use some discipline. Such reckless words will only bring him trouble." She had coddled her son like a treasure, yet now someone dared call him trash. It didn’t take a genius to guess Bai Ping’s hand in this.
Ignoring his mother’s tug on his sleeve, Mu Xiaolin wore a defiant sneer. "What? Did I say anything wrong? This so-called ‘young master’ is nothing but a pretty facade, how many people actually respect him?" He’d learned this straight from his mother’s lips.
"A pretty facade? And where did you hear that?" Mu Lichuan’s eyes glinted with faint amusement. "Little brother, even if you resent me, the fact remains - I was born first. I'm the Mu family’s eldest young master." The unspoken implication was clear: Who the hell do you think you are, daring to insult me like this?
"So what? You-" Mu Xiaolin’s words were cut short as his mother slapped him hard across the face.
Tears streaked Bai Ping’s cheeks as she hissed, "Shut your mouth!"
"Mom, you hit me! Was I wrong? Mu Lichuan is trash! Just a worthless waste, why are you so scared of him?" Mu Xiaolin couldn’t believe it. The mother who’d always doted on him had struck him, unleashing a storm of rebellion in his heart.
Bai Ping looked at him with furious disappointment, hating iron for not becoming steel. Her son hadn’t even undergone talent testing yet. Even if he was a genius, he needed to bide his time, otherwise their position would become precarious.
[恨铁不成钢 (hèn tiě bù chéng gāng): lit. To hate iron for not becoming steel; fig. Frustration at someone’s failure to meet expectations.]
"Because he is the Mu family’s eldest young master!" Mu Changnian’s face was thunderous. Regardless of whether Mu Xiaolin possessed spiritual roots, with this attitude, he would only grow to resent both his father and the Mu family.
"Master, don’t be angry. He’s still young and doesn’t understand. Please leave one side of the net open." Bai Ping kowtowed desperately. Without the master’s protection, suffering would be inevitable for her and her son.
[网开一面 (wǎng kāi yī miàn): lit. To leave one side of the net open; fig. To show leniency/give someone a way out.]
Mu Lichuan feigned confusion but added, "Father, Aunt Bai is right. Little brother is still young. We should teach him patiently."
Just as expected, his father’s expression softened slightly. Hmph, if I pushed the issue, he'd only favor them more. No point playing the villain, better to earn some goodwill.
"See? Even Lichuan is pleading for you. Let this matter rest, and never repeat such words again." Mu Changnian’s tone eased, but his gaze remained heavy with warning.
"Yes, yes! We’ll heed the young master’s words!" Bai Ping stammered urgently, yanking her son’s sleeve.
Mu Xiaolin seethed. "Mom, can’t you see he’s just trampling over us?"
"You wretched—!" Mu Changnian roared.
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