“Time to eat! Long Jiu is back, so we can finally have our feast!”
Lu Erlu sat by the table full of delicacies.
As the last figure finally walked through the door, he immediately raised his voice to shout upstairs.
“Coming, coming! Roasted whole lamb, roasted whole lamb… Fragrant roasted lamb and soft cake!”
Zi Ya rushed downstairs, her mind filled with the food she had been longing for.
However, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a silent red glass bottle on the table.
‘Isn’t this the fruit-flavored red wine that’s been super popular among the Demon Race lately? Why would it be here?’
Zi Ya thought in surprise.
After a moment of reflection, her suspicious gaze immediately locked onto the footsteps coming from behind her.
“I’m here, Dad~”
Bai Ning walked slowly down the stairs, meeting Zi Ya’s skeptical eyes.
“Sister, you’re so mean. You actually brought that wine for Father.”
“Oh? Little Zi Ya, you’re quite the expert. You even know the origin of this wine?”
“Sister, don’t take me for a fool! This is the famous Soft Dream Red Wine of the Demon Race. The sweet, fruity taste hides the smell of alcohol completely. People drink it without realizing how much they’ve had and eventually fall into a dizzy slumber!”
“Uh-huh, you actually found out. Don’t worry, I just want Dad to get a good night’s sleep.”
“No way! You’re not like me. Every time you do something this mysterious, it’s never anything good! You definitely have a plan. What are you trying to do to Father?”
“I can’t hide anything from a clever little ghost like you. But well, the time isn’t right yet. You’ll find out when the time comes~”
“Sister Long Jiu and Sister Bai Ning, both of you are acting like riddle-makers! I want to be one next time too!”
“Unfortunately, with your abilities, you can’t be one for now, Little Zi Ya~”
“!!!”
Zi Ya froze on the spot.
She never expected Sister Bai Ning to talk about her like that.
In the past, she would never have been so blunt and discouraging!
“Sister Bai Ning…! Waaaah, Father —!”
Zi Ya’s nose felt itchy, and she rushed downstairs, puffing out her cheeks and wiping away tears.
“What… what’s wrong, Little Zi Ya! Didn’t you say you wanted to eat cake? Look, the roasted lamb and the cake are on the table, just waiting for you!”
Seeing Zi Ya suddenly throw herself into his arms and cry out loud, Lu Erlu was instantly flustered.
“Sister Bai Ning bullied me! Waaaah~”
Zi Ya buried her small face in Lu Erlu’s apron, rubbing it back and forth, smearing tears and snot all over it.
Lu Erlu didn’t care at all, simply patting her back gently.
“Bai Ning, how many times have I told you? Zi Ya is still young. Don’t always tease her until she cries.”
Lu Erlu turned to look at Bai Ning helplessly, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.
“I know, Dad. Zi Ya, I spoke too harshly just now. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry.”
Bai Ning also knew her words had been thoughtless and had hurt the listener’s feelings, so she quickly softened her tone and apologized sincerely.
Zi Ya sniffled and gave a small, quiet response.
But Bai Ning’s casual words were like small thorns pricking her heart.
She secretly clenched her small fists, engraving this scene into her memory.
Hmph, she would definitely do something big to make Sister Bai Ning and Sister Long Jiu look at her with new respect!
She had to prove that she could also accomplish things they wouldn’t expect!
“Alright, alright, let’s act like this never happened. Let’s sit down and eat. Don’t make Long Jiu wait any longer. Look at her by the table, staring longingly. She can only look but not eat; she’s practically drooling…”
“Mhm… Okay, Father.”
Zi Ya sniffled, finally calming down.
“I got it, Dad.”
—
At the dinner table, Lu Erlu’s family sat together, enjoying the sumptuous dinner in a harmonious atmosphere.
“This fruity flavor is just right. Bai Ning, this wine is truly amazing!”
Lu Erlu lifted the wine glass to his nose to sniff it, then drained it in one gulp, a satisfied look on his face.
“I’m glad Father likes it. I have another bottle hidden here. Would you like some more?”
A meaningful smile curved the corners of Bai Ning’s mouth.
As if prepared long ago, she pulled out another bottle of red wine and filled Lu Erlu’s glass.
“That… Father… drinking too much wine doesn’t seem very good… ugh.”
The spoon Zi Ya was using to dig into the cake paused.
Looking at the glass that was full again, she muttered worriedly.
She had just gathered the courage to advise him when she was glared back by a sharp look from Bai Ning.
“Oh, Dad~ This wine is hard to come by even for a thousand gold pieces. It’s a rare chance to taste it. If you don’t drink it now, you might not get another chance. Have a few more sips~”
“Oh? There’s such a good thing? Then I won’t be formal! Daughter, this wine is truly top-tier. It’s delicious and goes down smoothly!”
Lu Erlu laughed loudly, picked up his glass, and drained it again.
Long Jiu and Zi Ya looked at each other and sighed in unison, their faces full of helplessness.
Both of them knew the truth behind this Soft Dream Red Wine, and at this moment, the same puzzling question filled their minds.
What kind of scheme was Sister Bai Ning plotting by going to such lengths to make Father drink this wine?
*Gulp, gulp, gulp~*
After three rounds of drinks, as the alcohol went to his head, Lu Erlu only felt a warm wave of fatigue slowly crawling up from his feet.
His eyelids gradually grew heavy, drooping down in a daze.
He shook his head, trying to drive away that unending sleepiness, but the fruity scent lingering at the tip of his nose acted like a hypnotic magic, making him yawn several times in a row.
“Dad, are you okay?”
Bai Ning’s eyes were sharp, and she immediately leaned in, a nearly imperceptible smile hidden at the corner of her mouth.
Lu Erlu rubbed his temples and waved his hand, his voice thick with exhaustion.
“I’m fine, I’m fine… I just feel a bit lightheaded all of a sudden. Maybe I stood for too long today waiting for you to come back.”
He leaned on the table to stand up, his footsteps already somewhat floating and unsteady.
“This wine goes down smoothly, but the kick is quite strong… I’ll go back to my room and lie down for a while. You guys take your time eating; don’t worry about me.”
“Father!”
Zi Ya put down her spoon and stood up worriedly.
“Do you want me to help you up?”
“There’s no need, Little Zi Ya~”
Lu Erlu smiled and patted her head.
“Dad isn’t so old that he needs you to help him…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he yawned again.
Bai Ning rushed forward and grabbed his arm.
“Dad, let me take you back to your room. I’ll get you a thin blanket while I’m at it, so you don’t catch a cold.”
Lu Erlu didn’t think much of it and followed her toward the stairs, his mind filled with nothing but the thought of falling asleep.
Watching the figures of the father and daughter disappear around the corner of the stairs, Zi Ya wrinkled her small face and poked at the remaining cake on her plate, the doubt in her heart growing deeper.
Long Jiu leaned over and gently nudged her with an elbow.
They looked at each other, their eyes full of uneasy curiosity.
“Sister Zi Ya, what is Sister Bai Ning up to? Why did she get Father drunk like that?”
Long Jiu asked, holding a rack of lamb in her right hand.
“I don’t know either. She’s being so mysterious… She won’t say anything when I ask. She’s learned that riddle-maker trick of yours…”
Zi Ya pulled a long face and gloomily used a fork to shove a piece of cake into her mouth.
Cream got on the corner of her mouth, making her look like a grumpy little calico cat.
“Oh dear, my dear sisters, stop overthinking things~”
Light footsteps came from the top of the stairs.
Bai Ning walked down holding the railing, a smug smile on her face.
“Dad is sleeping soundly now. Even thunder wouldn’t wake him up~”
She met the suspicious gazes of the two sisters, one tall and one short, but she didn’t care.
Anyway, her sisters would naturally find out about her little secret later.
Bai Ning turned around, her red pupils flashing with a cunning and dangerous light.
She flicked the tip of her tongue across the sharp, translucent fangs at the edge of her lips.
The cold aura unique to the Blood Clan flashed through the air for an instant, and the curve of her lips rose higher and higher.
“After tonight…”
“Dad will belong only to me~”