After An Chengxi left, the hall fell silent. Shi Yunshu and Pei Ruoqing looked at each other and obediently pulled out their chairs to sit down.
Shi Yihong didn't say anything else, and the anticipation he had for the meal was gone. Lin Xiran was not happy either, but there were many things she could not interfere with. Her beautiful eyes glared at Shi Yihong from time to time.
Shi Yihong's helpless expression made Shi Yunshu and Pei Ruoqing try their best to hold back their laughter. After Shi Yunshu smiled, there was a trace of worry in his eyes. He accidentally saw Pei Ruoqing's red and swollen left hand and his heart skipped a beat.
After dinner, Shi Yihong took Lin Xiran out for a walk. He looked at the brothers who were helping to clean the table and said," Little Ruo, come with me."”
He could feel that Shi Yihong had other intentions for asking him to go out. As expected, he heard his teacher say to his brother," Half of the reason your senior brother was punished this time is because of you.”
Under Shi Yunshu's stunned gaze, Shi Yihong continued," You grew up with him, so you know his situation. Over the years, he had become accustomed to listening to me, but there were some things that could not be helped by my forceful interference. In the end, he had to figure it out himself.”
"He spoiled you since you were young. You should have a good chat with him.”
After Shi Yihong finished speaking, he led his men out of the door. The hall was strangely quiet for a moment. Shi Yunshu's gentle gaze became as deep as the night sky. After a long time, he lowered his eyes and continued his hand movements. After putting all the dishes into the dishwashing machine, he cleaned up and went upstairs.
The door was not closed, so Shi Yunshu immediately saw the person kneeling in the middle of the study. When he walked in and saw the item in his hand, even Shi Yunshu, who had always been as steady as a mountain, felt that An Chengxi must have gone crazy.
The thing in his hand was none other than the symbol of the Shi family's highest family law, a rattan cane that had been passed down for nearly a hundred years. The rule of the rattan staff was that it would not return until blood was shed. The biggest function of this rattan staff was to deter others, and it was rarely used.
Shi Yunshu's originally extremely pale lips turned even paler at this moment. Hearing the footsteps, An Chengxi knew that it was Shi Yunshu, not Shi Yihong, but Shi Yunshu. However, he still did not move and knelt properly.
Shi Yunshu walked over and silently knelt beside him. His gentle voice was like a clear spring in the forest." What was wrong yesterday cannot be left behind, and what is wrong today cannot be held back. From the most confused place to understand the confusion, then everywhere to wake up; When the general is in trouble, let go of his heart, and the world will be wide; If the heart of love and ugliness is too clear, things will not be harmonious; If the heart of virtuous and foolish is too clear, people will not be close to them…"
It was exactly the three Shi family precepts that An Chengxi had answered earlier.
"I can't be obsessed with the right thing today, let alone the mistakes and regrets of the past? The human heart was entangled, and the world was always vast. The most difficult thing to let go of had already been let go, so why should he be afraid that there was no road ahead?”Shi Yunshu always gave people a feeling of calm when he was reasoning with others, making people willing to listen to him.
However, An Chengxi was very familiar with him. He turned to look at his younger brother, who was almost a round younger than him. There was no emotion in his eyes." You're lecturing me?”
Shi Yunshu lowered his eyes and said respectfully," Yunshu wouldn't dare. He was just reminding her that some things would backfire if they were too excessive.”
An Chengxi didn't say anything. He just looked at him with a dark gaze.
"When the moon is full, it will be full. You're too absolute in everything you do. You don't leave a way out for others, and you don't leave a way out for yourself either.”Shi Yunshu lowered his head and didn't look at An Chengxi. His words were already considered to be more appropriate.
An Chengxi let out a rare laugh. If he hadn't known that Shi Yunshu was talking about him hiring the cane, he would have thought that he had a pair of clairaudient ears and heard the conversation between him and his seventh uncle.
How could he not know that his cane today would not only not appease his teacher, but would also make him even angrier? However, he was not Shi Yunshu, nor was he Shi Yihong's son. He had the protection of his bloodline, and he was not Pei Ruoqing. Even after leaving Shi Yihong, he still had someone who would protect him like his life.
Ever since his grandfather passed away, Shi Yihong had become the only person he could rely on. Among the three of them, he was the one who could not accept losing him the most.
However, he was also very grateful to Shi Yunshu. He knew that some words were against the rules and might even be punished, but he still said it. An Chengxi returned to his original posture and said coldly," There are some things that are not right or wrong. It's just that our standpoints are different.”
"You're right. From my point of view, I can't understand how you feel, nor can I understand why you deliberately angered Teacher.”As soon as he finished speaking, An Chengxi's expression suddenly turned stiff. His gaze was like a sharp blade as he looked at Shi Yunshu.
Shi Yunshu did not care about his gaze at all. He calmly took the rattan cane that weighed a few pounds from his hand and walked to the small attic where the rattan cane was stored under his deep sea like gaze.
The small attic was not far from the study. It was just outside the door and on the left. Shi Yunshu could have walked over, but An Chengxi was still kneeling. He had just rebutted him, so he did not dare to be so impudent.
When he returned to An Chengxi's side, An Chengxi's gloomy gaze was still on him. Shi Yunshu was helpless. He raised his hand and wanted to slap his face, but An Chengxi quickly grabbed him." Go to the attic and kneel."”
"Yes." Shi Yunshu knew that An Chengxi had let go of the fact that he had snatched the family law from him, but he had been punished for his disrespect.
However, Shi Yunshu did not leave. He looked at him with a clear gaze.
An Chengxi said impatiently," Get lost. I know what you mean. You won't do something that will hurt the enemy and yourself."”
"We are all by your side." Shi Yunshu's words came out without any rhyme or reason, but An Chengxi was stunned when he heard it. His eyes were half-closed as he scolded," If you don't get lost, you'll really be punished."”
Although he was threatening, Shi Yunshu could still hear the warmth in his words. The corners of his lips curled up slightly, and in an instant, it was like a plum blossom falling from the snow.
Shi Yunshu still went to the small attic. An Chengxi did not make things difficult for him and punished him for an hour. By the time Shi Yihong returned, half an hour had passed. The cane in An Chengxi's hand was replaced by a belt that he had taken off his waist.
Shi Yihong raised his eyebrows in surprise and walked up to him." At least you've got some brains. You didn't deliberately provoke him."”
With his understanding of this bastard, even a small mistake could be magnified by him ten times, especially when it came to him. He blamed everything on himself. According to An Chengxi's personality, two vines were considered a small number today.
However, An Chengxi was sweating profusely. He lowered his head, looking at death with a fearless expression." I invited a cane, but…Shu 'er stopped me."”
As soon as he finished speaking, the wind from his palm suddenly struck down. An Chengxi's heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously closed his eyes. After a few seconds, the expected slap did not land. An Chengxi opened his eyes and slowly raised his head.
Shi Yihong's angry and pitiful gaze met An Chengxi's eyes. Tears welled up in An Chengxi's eyes as he raised his hand and slapped him without holding back.
"What are you doing?" Shi Yihong's face was as dark as the night sky outside the window, and his voice was stern and interrogative.
"You have always told me,'Only by calmly letting go and smiling at all things can flowers and full moon water last long'. However, it's very difficult for me to achieve the Bodhi tree without a tree, the mirror without a platform. It's my student who has failed you. If you don't slap me, I'll punish myself.”
Shi Yihong looked at him with a calm gaze." It's been so many years, but you still can't learn to let go of yourself.”
An Chengxi smiled bitterly. Can't you learn it? No, he was just afraid that he would be too indulgent and lose his self-awareness, forgetting that today's situation was not easy to come by. His teacher had said that he was " magnanimous and open-minded." He thought that he had failed to live up to these words. His magnanimity was always only towards others. No one knew how careful he had to be in front of the person in front of him so that he would not be afraid of losing her.
"Yizhi." Shi Yihong clasped his hands behind his back and called out.
An Chengxi was stunned for a moment when he heard the words that he hadn't heard for a long time. He replied," I'm here."”
"Do you understand the family precepts I told you to think about?”
An Chengxi was still holding his belt. His voice seemed to be squeezed out of his throat." I understand." I shouldn't have doubted myself just because of a single sentence from my teacher. I shouldn't have…shouldn't have thought about my past. You treat me like your own child, giving me a home and family, giving me no regrets in my life. Even if my biological parents were alive, they wouldn't be able to do better than you…"
"What nonsense are you saying? No matter how much I raised you, if they didn't give birth to you, how could you be who you are today?”Although Shi Yihong's voice was light, it was unquestionable and stern.
"Yes." An Chengxi lowered his head. No one knew what he was thinking, but he did not refute.
"Take off your shirt." Shi Yihong took the belt from his hand and tapped his shoulder." Since you're already a father, I won't embarrass you."”
"Thank you for your understanding, Teacher." An Chengxi obediently took off his shirt, folded it, and put it aside. He also turned his body sideways so that Shi Yihong could do it.
Just as he steadied himself, the whip came from behind like a shadow. An Chengxi grunted and straightened his back.
"The Confucians use reason to convince people. Today, we will use the word 'reason'.”Shi Yihong's hands did not stop moving. The sound of the belt hitting his back did not affect the clarity of his words at all." Your seventh uncle's family is selfish and greedy. I told you long ago that they were a nest of wolves that could not be raised properly. I told you to be careful and help them. However, you still helped them unconditionally because of your blood ties. Now, they are like leeches that have sucked enough blood and want to suck more.”
"Am I angry at your attitude towards your seventh uncle? No, it wasn't. He now holds 5% of your company's shares and has some core information. If you fall out with him like this, what if he jumps out of desperation? What will happen to those people who trust you and bet their lives on you?”
An Chengxi's face was pale and his lips were trembling. Shi Yihong's words made him fall into deep thought. All these years, he had been living too well. Everything was done according to his own preferences. It could be said that he was very willful. He no longer had any relatives. Ever since he reached the Shi family, his seventh uncle was the only connection he had with the An family. He did not want to forget his family, so he more or less indulged this only blood relative of his.
Two years ago, when he had just started a company in the country, his seventh uncle had come to him and said that he wanted to invest in it. He thought about it for a moment and agreed. However, people's hearts were not enough. When they gained too much without sowing, they began to be greedy. This time, because of this trivial matter that was not worth mentioning, his seventh uncle threatened him to give him another 5% of the shares.
This was the first time he realized that his family could be so…shameless. He couldn't control his anger and quarreled with him. He originally thought that his teacher was angry because he didn't respect his elders, but it turned out that it was because he... didn't know how to read people.
It was clearly a soft leather belt, but the power of the whip was comparable to that of a torture whip.
An Chengxi felt as if a layer of skin had been cut off from his back, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably. He gritted his teeth as beads of sweat rolled down his face.
"You've been living in comfort for so many years that you've forgotten how to measure gains and losses. It was good for people to be selfish, but it was wrong for one's selfishness to be exchanged for the interests of others. Since ancient times, there had been a saying that 'those who have the right path have more help, while those who have lost the right path have little help.' If one could not be fair and just in front of others, they would lose the hearts of the people. A person in power who had lost the hearts of the people was not far from stepping down.”
An Chengxi could not help but feel uncomfortable. Shi Yihong rarely reasoned with him so thoroughly. Most of the time, he comprehended it himself. If he understood it, it was a matter of course. If he didn't, he would be punished. He knew that enlightenment was the way to go.
It could be said that Shi Yihong had used family discipline to get him to where he was today.
"I…got it. It's a student…who lacks consideration.”An Chengxi replied in a trembling voice.
Whether it was using his power for personal gain to build a laboratory for Shi Yunshu or disregarding the consequences and falling out with his seventh uncle, he was the one who lacked consideration. He had almost grown wild after seven years abroad. Although he still abided by his duties after returning, some ways of thinking could not be changed in a short period of time.
Today's punishment was like a wake-up call. The country was not like foreign countries. There were not only family but also enemies here. If one acted recklessly, there would be trouble. He lowered his eyes. His teacher was probably trying to remind him to be careful!
"The last five. I've said it a long time ago that once you enter my Shi family, you're a member of my Shi family. Even if you want to leave, you have to ask for my permission. I didn't expect that a simple sentence like this would make you think so much. I've simply explained so much to you for nothing.”Shi Yihong's last sentence already carried a hint of disappointment.
An Chengxi's face turned pale and he closed his eyes gently. After Shi Yihong landed the last five hits, he spoke with trembling lips and a voice as light as a feather," I won't. I won't be light anymore. That would be an insult to you."”
Shi Yihong chuckled, and the tense atmosphere suddenly relaxed. He extended his hand and placed it in front of him." Get up. Your master's wife has left you some food." I'll get Little Ruo to send it over after you apply the medicine.”
An Chengxi put his hand on his and stood up. He said in a low voice," I'm sorry to have made you and Master's wife worry.”
"If you know how to worry, then stop. All of you are rushing to find me.”Shi Yihong glared at him and helped him out of the study.
The corners of An Chengxi's mouth twitched and he remained silent. Listening to their teacher's tone, the two little brats were not very obedient. They felt guilty. As Shi Yihong's eldest disciple, not only did he not help their teacher share his burden, but he also caused a lot of trouble." I punished Shu 'er for an hour. Teacher, let him come to my room later."”
Shi Yihong said unhappily," Heh, it's hard to believe that Young Master An still remembers that he's the elder brother. She even did things that made things difficult for her younger brother. She thought that she was possessed by Pei Jingming.”
An Chengxi's face turned red and he fell silent.
By the time Pei Ruoqing brought the food Lin Xiran had prepared to An Chengxi's room, An Chengxi had already applied his medicine and was leaning weakly against the headboard.
"Senior Brother." Pei Ruoqing called out and placed the food on the bedside table. She picked out a few light dishes and handed them to An Chengxi.
As expected, An Chengxi's gaze fell on Pei Ruoqing's swollen left hand. His pale lips pursed as he took the bowl and chopsticks. He lifted his eyelids and looked at him." What was the punishment for?”
Pei Ruoqing's hands that were hanging by her sides curled up. She lowered her eyes and said,"…Bad learning attitude.”
"Go back and kneel for another half an hour." He didn't even ask what he had done wrong and directly gave the order. Even though he was injured, An Chengxi still had an indescribable aura around him, making people not dare to ignore his words.
Pei Ruoqing was stunned for a moment before she agreed. An Chengxi was just as strict with his studies as Shi Yihong, especially his attitude towards learning.
An Chengxi's appetite wasn't very good. He forced himself to eat a bowl and couldn't eat anymore. He frowned and put the bowl and chopsticks back on the plate. He said to Pei Ruoqing," When you're done, call your brother over. I have something to tell him."”
"Alright."
Soon, there was a knock on the door. An Chengxi looked at the person who came. His figure was outstanding and his temperament was like jade. Even though he had been punished to kneel for an hour, he did not look embarrassed at all. An Chengxi's lips curled up. He was willing to help him not only because Shi Yunshu was his junior brother, but also because his ability was worth it.
An Chengxi's gaze shifted to Shi Yunshu's face. He hadn't looked at him carefully before, but now he noticed a thick green shadow under his eyes. An Chengxi took a deep breath and asked," What's wrong with you recently?"”
Shi Yunshu did not answer immediately. He took the cup by the bed and went out to get a cup of hot water before replying," I didn't manage to balance my time, which affected my work efficiency and rest.”
"Are you very busy?" An Chengxi took a sip of water and asked.
"It's alright." Shi Yunshu lowered his eyes and stood upright.
An Chengxi was angered by his indifferent tone." What do you mean by alright? Don't you know your own situation?"”
Shi Yunshu saw that he was angry. His lips moved and he felt a little helpless." Brother, I know my limits." It'll be fine after this period of time."
"When you talk about me, you're full of great principles. Why don't you know anything when it's your turn?”With his understanding of Shi Yunshu, he was already at his limit. He wanted to do everything to the best of his ability, as if he was inferior if he couldn't achieve his goals.
To put it bluntly, the burden of the image was too heavy. The eldest young master of the Shi family, who was used to appearing in front of everyone with a perfect image, had been carrying the title of a child prodigy from the beginning. At first, it was just praise that others placed on him, but later on, it became a requirement of him.
Shi Yunshu rubbed the space between his brows and said gently," Brother, don't be angry. Yunshu knows his mistake.”
An Chengxi was speechless. What's with this tone of coaxing a child?
An Chengxi's face twitched and he said angrily," Go and find a ferule."”
Shi Yunshu had never thought that he would hear such a punishment that challenged his sense of shame after he became an adult.
His senior brother's handsome eyes widened, and his tone was as long as a zither."Do it yourself. The entire chapter of 'War,' old rules!”
Shi Yunshu looked at An Chengxi with a complicated expression. He remembered that when he was five or six years old, he always liked to recite ancient poems in a few words. He rarely recited them in complete sentences. In order to cure this problem, An Chengxi made him stand in the yard with a ruler and recite it over and over again. He made two mistakes and paused once. That was not all. If he couldn't do it again, he had to repeat it all over again.
At that time, An Chengxi was sitting by the window in the study. He could see him standing in the courtyard as soon as he looked up. He didn't do anything. When he misread or stopped, he looked up at him lightly. He had to obediently pick up the ruler and pull it into his palm with all his strength. Then, he would start all over again until he could recite a poem smoothly without any pauses. No matter where he broke off, he would be able to immediately pick up the content.
Shi Yunshu seemed to be gauging the seriousness of An Chengxi's words. When he realized that An Chengxi was not joking with him, he sighed slightly in his heart." I know."”
"Let's begin." An Chengxi raised his eyebrows and looked at him meaningfully.
Shi Yunshu suppressed the inexplicable chill in his heart and opened his thin lips." I'm wearing rhinoceros armor, and I'm fighting with close combat."
Banners cover the sun, the enemy is like a cloud, arrows are falling, the soldiers are fighting for the first place..."
As An Chengxi listened, he suddenly put his hand to his lips and coughed. Shi Yunshu subconsciously stopped and looked at An Chengxi worriedly. Unexpectedly, the person who was coughing violently just now looked up at him faintly." Who asked you to stop?”
Shi Yunshu was speechless for a moment. He realized that his brother might have done it on purpose. He silently raised the ferule and slapped it into his palm, his strength not slacking at all. An Chengxi could tease him on purpose, but he couldn't be perfunctory.
After a while, An Chengxi's voice was as light as wine." Again."”
For some reason, Shi Yunshu wanted to laugh when he saw An Chengxi's 'willful' attitude. He thought that his brother was actually a person who cared about his reputation. An Chengxi felt that he had lost his prestige in front of his younger brother after being exposed to such a 'stupid' matter and lectured by him. He was looking for trouble.
However…Shi Yunshu sighed. No matter how selfish An Chengxi was, he knew when to stop. As expected, An Chengxi did not deliberately play tricks this time and let him finish reciting 'War' in peace.
" Go back. If you exceed 12.00 points in the future, you can come to me for your punishment. I have plenty of time to correct your habit of not caring about anything when you do things. No one needs you to save the world, and no one will blame you for doing everything perfectly. Just do your best.”An Chengxi waved his hand. He was also tired after a lot of trouble. He didn't want to do anything. He still believed in Shi Yunshu's self-control.
However, Shi Yunshu still wanted to ask something. His father said that An Chengxi was punished partly because of him, but when he saw the fatigue on An Chengxi's face, Shi Yunshu silently swallowed his words.
"I understand. Have a good rest.”
From the beginning to the end, the ferule in Shi Yunshu's hand had become a decoration.
After Shi Yunshu left An Chengxi's room, he bumped into Shi Yihong in the corridor. It seemed like he had been waiting for a while. Shi Yunshu stepped forward." Dad."
"Yes." Shi Yihong replied with his hands behind his back and asked," What are your plans for your internship?”
Shi Yunshu looked up at him." Teacher Tian wants me to go to his laboratory.”
"What do you think?" Shi Yihong asked emotionlessly.
"Teacher Tian has helped me a lot. I want to stay…and help him for a period of time.”Shi Yunshu lowered his hands and answered cautiously. Shi Yihong would not interfere with his decision, but he had to consider it.
Shi Yihong's eyes darkened after hearing his answer." How long is a period of time?”
"At least two years, at most five years." Shi Yunshu said in a low voice.
"Heh." Shi Yihong suddenly sneered." He's still a blockhead.”As he spoke, he pointed at An Chengxi's door." Go inside and kneel. Ask your senior brother how long he's going to be a saint. Why don't you see if others appreciate it or not?"
Shi Yunshu seemed to have realized something. He suddenly raised his head and opened his lips. Indeed, he did not ask anything. She bowed slightly and knocked on An Chengxi's door again.
An Chengxi was about to lie down when he heard a knock on the door. He looked at him in surprise." Why are you back?"”
Shi Yunshu did not answer and obediently knelt down.
"Are you crazy?" No matter how good his temper was, he couldn't withstand such torment. Moreover, An Chengxi had never been a good-tempered person.
"Brother, can you tell me the reason why you were punished?”
An Chengxi was stunned for a moment, then his eyes darkened." So what if you know?”
Shi Yunshu's eyelids trembled." Teacher wants me to ask you, if you want to be a Saint…how long will you have to wait?”
An Chengxi heard the double meaning in her words and lowered his eyes without answering. The room suddenly fell silent, as if the air had been sucked out in an instant. It was so oppressive that it made one's heart feel uncomfortable.
After a long time, An Chengxi slowly said," Get up. My decision has nothing to do with you.”
"Nothing to do with me? Brother, if it really had nothing to do with me, do you think Teacher would make me kneel here?”Shi Yunshu raised his head slightly, the light in his eyes like the moonlight.
An Chengxi's face turned ugly, but he couldn't really go against Shi Yihong's wishes. He closed his eyes and said tiredly," I've wanted you to come to my company during your internship for a long time, so I specially designed a laboratory when I was planning the company…"
Even if An Chengxi didn't say the rest, Shi Yunshu could roughly guess. His face instantly turned pale, and his hands involuntarily curled up. He lowered his head, his eyes extremely bitter. No wonder, no wonder his father said that An Chengxi, the saint, was ungrateful.
If no one told him, how much would he hurt this person's heart when the dust settled? And this person would definitely hide it as if it had never happened.
Sometimes, Shi Yunshu thought that An Chengxi might look aloof and open-minded, but in fact, he had turned the bitter wine into wind. By the time you discovered his bitterness, the bitterness would have dissipated with the wind. As for Shi Yunshu, he felt even more uncomfortable because of this. It was said that people who were easily contented had a broad mind, but some contentment was just because they had experienced too much loss.
"Brother, the books always tell us that kindness is not repaid, but I think this sentence is wrong. At the very least, this was unfair to the person who gave the favor, and it made the person who received the favor take it for granted.”He slowly raised his head." What if my unintentional hurt someone who was thinking for me? How do you want me to face him in the future?"
An Chengxi choked and turned his head away from him. He felt that his younger brother should do anything for him. He had never thought about anything else.
Shi Yunshu's lips twitched. He knew that An Chengxi had done everything he could for the people around him, but he had never thought of asking for anything in return. How could such an elder brother not move him?
"Brother, please think about yourself in the future.”There was a vague request in her words, which made An Chengxi's heart tremble. He said impatiently," Get lost. I don't want to see you."”
Shi Yunshu glanced at him and slowly got up to leave. He didn't see An Chengxi's eyes turn red when he turned around.
Just like that, An Chengxi stayed there. Shi Yunshu's schedule was slowly adjusted, but he increased the daily morning run from 2,500 to 3,500.
Pei Ruoqing was very puzzled and asked him," Why did Brother run away?”
Shi Yunshu wiped the sweat off his face and lowered his eyes." I want to try how it feels to be exhausted every day.”
Pei Ruoqing glanced at him and did not say anything.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]