The Broken Vase

Lily was wearing Edmond's clothes.

A black turtleneck sweater, black elastic sweatpants, the sweater covering her hips, the collar turned down, and the sweatpants' cuffs rolled up twice.

Odd and loose, lacking the elegance of a noblewoman, yet somehow exuding a cool vibe.

Her whole body radiated laziness, her slightly curly long hair casually hanging down, every strand swinging with a sense of arrogance.

A word popped into Aunt Fang's mind: natural clothes hanger.

"Madam, aren't you going to sleep a bit more?"

Edmond had told Aunt Fang when he left that Lily might sleep until noon, so she was a bit surprised to see her fully dressed and downstairs.

"Got something to do."

Lily walked down with her hand on her waist. "Where's Edmond?"

Aunt Fang noticed her strange walking posture, realizing something, thinking her master was too unkind; the madam was still injured, yet he tormented her like this.

But it also proved that the couple had a good relationship.

Aunt Fang ran over to support her. "The master got up an hour ago, had breakfast, and went to the company. He said you should sleep more and that he'd be back to have lunch with you."

Lily: "..."

An hour ago? Edmond is impressive. He kept her up all night, exerted himself too, how long did he sleep? Isn't he tired? Admirable! Lily's car was brought over by Edmond's driver last night. She couldn't drive with her legs, so she had the butler be her chauffeur.

She left in a hurry, skipping breakfast.

Aunt Fang sensed something was off, and after she left, called Edmond.

"Sir, the madam has already gotten up, skipped breakfast, and went straight to the old house, in quite a hurry..."

...Zhou Residence, Old House.

Pa—The cane struck flesh with a dull thud, accompanied by a faint, suppressed groan of pain.

Next to the coffee table lay shattered vase pieces, Franklin knelt beside them, his back bent, shoulders hunched, face pale.

Because the old master couldn't tolerate any cold, the house was always kept very warm in winter.

Franklin had taken off his coat upon entering, wearing only a thin white short-sleeve.

Bloodstains had already seeped through the back of his shirt.

When the old master raised his cane again, Nayla rushed over, kneeling to shield her son.

"Dad, that's enough... I beg you, spare Franklin, please..."

"Hah."

Karina sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, watching the scene with great amusement. Hearing Nayla's plea, her smile grew wider.

"Franklin did something wrong; he deserves to be punished. Besides, he broke Dad's favorite vase."

Karina signaled the servants to pull Nayla away.

The old master took a deep breath, giving Franklin one last chance. "Do you admit your mistake?"

Franklin's eyes were red, stubbornly defiant. "No!"

Pa—The old master, enraged by his attitude, mercilessly struck his back with the cane, each blow delivered with full force.

Franklin gritted his teeth hard, not uttering a sound, his body twisting in pain, his dark eyes glancing at Royce on the sofa.

Sarcasm and disappointment faded away, his pupils gradually losing focus.

Brother, you're just like this too.

...As Franklin was beaten, Royce kept his head down, arms on his knees, hands tightly clasped, nails digging into his skin.

He didn't dare look up, didn't dare look at Franklin.

Franklin's body was suffering, but his soul was being tortured.

It was his fault; he had harmed Franklin.

Today's incident started from yesterday.

Yesterday, he ran into Uncle Edmond at the restaurant and asked why he married Lily. Uncle Edmond told him to ask at home.

So he went home and asked.

He first asked his mother, who told him not to ask too much. Unrelenting, he said he would ask his father, which made his mother furious.

Sensing something was amiss, he didn't dare ask further or seek out his father or grandfather.

He planned to talk to Uncle Edmond in a few days but got a call from his father early this morning.

"Your mother started calling me at 5 AM, inexplicably losing her temper. I have things to do and can't go over. You go check on her and make sure she doesn't cause a scene at the old house, making us a laughingstock again."

Royce had a vague feeling it might be related to his questions to his mother yesterday, but his father didn't elaborate, so he didn't ask.

Nadia, worried, had been by his side, so they went together.

Upon arrival, they found Franklin alone on the living room sofa playing games.

Franklin said, "My mom made soup and brought it over. Hearing your mom didn't come down for breakfast, she took a bowl upstairs for her."

Franklin's mother's soup was famous.

There was plenty left, and they hadn't eaten breakfast in their rush, so he had Nadia go get two bowls.

Franklin jumped up from the sofa, rushed over to grab the thermos, not letting Nadia touch it.

"You can drink it because you're my brother. But Nadia? She doesn't deserve my mom's hard-made soup."

He said this right in front of Nadia.

Royce was annoyed. Nadia had overheard his conversation with friends at the restaurant yesterday. He had to coax her all night, promising to take her shopping today.

Just as he had managed to cheer her up, Franklin's words upset her again.

He told Franklin to apologize, but Franklin refused. Instead, Nadia gently apologized to Franklin, who, not appreciative, called her pretentious.

Of course, he defended his wife.

In the ensuing argument, he and Franklin fought.

A fight between them wasn't unusual; they often fought. Their bond over the years was strong.

But today, it might break.

...Grandfather's favorite two-tone vase was shattered.

Grandfather cherished that vase, rarely taking it out. Recently noticing a spot where the glaze had chipped, he sent it for professional restoration.

After its repair, he had Royce fetch it.

He had taken Nadia to meet friends for dinner yesterday and temporarily left the vase at his apartment, bringing it over today.

How did it break? During their scuffle, they were a few steps away from it. Nadia, trying to mediate, tripped over the table leg and knocked it over.

Nadia accidentally broke it.

But when grandfather asked, Nadia, trembling, looked at Franklin.

Following her gaze, Royce's third aunt said, "Franklin, how could you be so careless? I saw it was you who broke it."

Her words proved she hadn't seen it; she was lying deliberately.

No surprise, given the longstanding feud between her and Royce's fifth aunt.

Over the years, the third aunt had constantly tormented the fifth aunt's family, intervening in everything. Franklin had nearly died because of her once.

Now, with a chance to hurt Franklin, she seized it.

Naturally, Franklin denied it, asking Royce to speak for him. "Brother, you know it wasn't me."

At that moment, all eyes were on him.

"Grandfather, Franklin didn't mean to."

As he spoke, he saw the disbelief in Franklin's eyes.

Royce knew, from the moment grandfather's cane hit Franklin, there was no going back for them.

But what could he do? He didn't know what the vase meant to grandfather, only that when asked to retrieve it, grandfather repeatedly told him to be careful.

So he had to protect Nadia.

Nadia, newly married, was already disliked by his mother. If this blew up, she would hate Nadia more, and grandfather would be furious. Nadia's future in the Zhou family would be incredibly difficult.

Franklin was still grandfather's grandson. No matter how angry, he wouldn't kill him.

Grandfather had always been indifferent to Franklin; a beating wouldn't change much.

Later, he'd apologize to Franklin properly.