Chapter 528: A Slap Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
During the last two days of 2055, a cold wind, wrapped in the chill of the year-end, knocked against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Luo family's home. The crystal chandelier in the living room was dazzling, but it could not illuminate the stagnant silence in the air.
Five days had passed since Gu Ximan was discharged from the hospital. For the past week, Gu Luo, Gu Ximan, and the Luo sisters had not been to school—Gu Luo's transfer procedures to Mingde School had already been completed, and he was just waiting to register the next day.
Luo Shuning and Luo Shuhe were placed under strict curfew by Luo Liang. They were not allowed to step out of the house, and even their cell phones were confiscated.
The entire house was like a transparent glass dome covered in a quilt, relying on the excuse that "Gu Ximan needed to rest" to maintain a strange balance. Any slight movement could break this fragile silence and become the last straw that broke the camel's back.
The evening dining table was filled with exquisite dishes - squirrel mandarin fish with a shiny oily luster, steamed shrimps with pink shells, and even seasonal vegetables were arranged like works of art, but no one at the table had any appetite.
Luo Liang sat in the main seat, holding the silver chopsticks, picked up a piece of vegetables and chewed slowly with elegant movements.
Luo Shuning sat on the left, nibbling at the rice in her bowl. Her eyes drifted towards Luo Liang from time to time, with uneasiness hidden in her eyes.
Luo Shuhe sat on the right, his back straight, and he didn't touch the food much. Luo Shuling went to a friend's house the other day, and the huge restaurant was filled with the only sound of dishes and chopsticks colliding, which was so dull that it was hard to breathe.
Suddenly, Luo Liang put down his chopsticks, and the porcelain chopsticks collided with the bone plate, making a soft "ding" sound, breaking the silence.
She picked up the handkerchief beside the table and gently wiped the corner of her mouth. Her voice was as soft as someone asking, "What are you having for dinner?", but it was filled with unquestionable authority:
"Shu Ning, Shu He, after this day, you will go to England to study with Chen Yue. Aunt Xu will take care of you."
With a "clang", the chopsticks in Luo Shuning's hand fell onto the table.
Luo Shuhe's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly tightened, his knuckles turned white, and his eyes, which had been drooping, suddenly raised up and looked at Luo Liang. His body stiffened instantly, and even his breathing paused for a beat.
Luo Liang seemed not to notice their reactions. He folded his handkerchief and placed it on the edge of the table. His tone remained calm, yet concealed a cold and resolute determination:
"It's been a week. Since Gu Luo doesn't make a choice, then there's no need to make a choice."
"I disagree."
Luo Shuhe spoke immediately, her voice low but full of determination. She stood up, the chair legs scraping harshly against the floor. "I'm not in England, and I won't let you force Gu Luo."
Luo Liang raised his eyes to look at her, his eyes instantly turned cold, and his voice was like ice, more biting than the cold wind outside the window:
"I didn't ask for your opinion."
He paused, then gently tapped the table with his fingertips, each tapping like a knock on their hearts. "Either you go abroad, or he goes abroad—Don't force me to take action against him. My patience is limited."
The last few words carried a naked threat.
Caizhou, if she is determined to attack Gu Luo, there are really few people who can stop her.
Luo Shuhe's face darkened instantly. She stared at Luo Liang, her lips moved but no words came out. She knew that her mother would keep her word. If she pushed her too far, Gu Luo would be in trouble.
In the end, she just turned around expressionlessly, not looking at the dishes on the table or Luo Liang. With steady steps but with suppressed anger, she walked out of the kitchen and returned to her room.
Luo Shuning opened his mouth, wanting to call out to Luo Shuhe and to plead for Gu Luo, but the words were forced back by Luo Liang's gaze.
Luo Liang turned to look at her, his eyes as sharp as a shrew, and asked word by word: "Now tell Mom, what exactly is going on between you three? Is Gu Luo pursuing you and Shu He at the same time?"
Apart from this possibility, she couldn't think of any other reason. Her two daughters, one gentle and the other calm, were both goddesses in the eyes of others. How could they fall into Gu Luo's hands at the same time?
Hearing this, Luo Shuning pursed her lips, her fingertips clenching the tablecloth. Images flashed through her mind quickly - Gu Luo's smiling face when he handed her water in the playground, his gentleness when he wiped the sugar residue from the corner of her mouth on the bench by the moat, and his firmness when he said "I'm here" when she was scared...
She couldn't let her mother attack Gu Luo, and she couldn't let Gu Luo be sent away.
Without time to think about it, Luo Shuning took a deep breath and made a decision. He slowly lowered his head, his voice filled with guilt.
"Mom, this is all my fault."
"After Gu Luo and Shu He became a couple, I couldn't resist the temptation and took the initiative to approach Gu Luo..." Her voice became lower and lower, and her eyes gradually turned red, but she forced herself to continue:
"Gu Luo and Shu He couldn't bear to hurt me, so...that's why it became like this..."
“Bang!”
The crisp sound of slapping suddenly resounded throughout the restaurant, forcibly interrupting Luo Shuning's words.
Luo Shuning was completely stunned. He subconsciously raised his hand to cover his right cheek. He felt a burning pain in his palm, as if it was burning.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
