NOVEL NEXT Chapter 431: The Great Food Offering Battle
Darcy checked the simmering dinner one last time, adjusting the lid with a faint click before returning to the living room. His gaze fell on Clyde, seated rigidly on the sofa with the kind of posture that someone bracing himself for a blow. A flicker of satisfaction tugged at Darcy's lips, an involuntary smirk that flashed and disappeared just as quickly. He walked and dropped into the sofa beside Micah, his arm brushing against Micah's arm in a casual yet deliberate gesture. "Long time no see, Mr. Clyde," he said smoothly.
Clyde concealed his complicated emotions beneath his calm exterior. Then he offered a polite nod to the young man.
From across the room, Zhou Ruyan's eyes narrowed. "You two know each other?"
Darcy leaned back with ease. "Yeah. He picked us up on our birthdays once. I had the pleasure of meeting him, though we were drunk at that time."
"Well, I was worried about Micah," Clyde replied, his glance lingering briefly, softening when it landed on Micah.
"It's good to have an adult around to look after the kids." Zhou Ruyan said, jabbing at Clyde's age.
"Certainly. Especially when one has a tendency to be a troublemaker," Clyde replied, looking at Micah with soft eyes. "Someone has to keep watch."
Darcy's lips twitched. "Well, from a kid's point of view, though, nobody likes to be nagged with endless 'dos' and 'don'ts', right, Micah?"
Micah sat stiffly, peeking at Darcy and Clyde, who sat across from each other like two opposing generals testing the battlefield. He could smell gunpowder in the air. His mouth went dry. He couldn't bring himself to pick a side. These two…
He knew they wouldn't probably get along like before, but to be at each other's throats… that was a stretch.
Micah rubbed his stomach. "Ah, I am starving! When are we eating?" he said, totally not wanting to be dragged into their fight.
Darcy exhaled quietly, the edge in his expression changing into resignation. He rose from the sofa with deliberate grace, smoothing the front of his shirt. "Dinner is ready."
He walked toward the dining room, gesturing to the helper to serve the dishes.
Micah stood up awkwardly. Zhou Ruyan rose slowly with the butler's assistance and followed Darcy.
Clyde stepped behind Micah and leaned down. "So you think I nag too much?" he whispered into Micah's ear.
Micah yelped softly, his body jolting at the closeness. His hand shot up to rub his itchy ear and laughed awkwardly. "Who said it was about you? Darcy was just giving an example. That's all," he said and darted toward the dining room.
Clyde's eyes lingered as Micah moved ahead, and his eyes caught the faint mark on Micah's neck. The hickey he himself had left. He took a deep breath, calming himself before following.
The dining table was long, set with dishes that filled the air with warmth and fragrance.
Zhou Ruyan took her place at the head of the table. Darcy slid into the seat on her left and Micah on her right. Clyde settled silently beside Micah.
Darcy served first, carefully ladling the soup into Zhou Ruyan's bowl, then Micah, before finally placing one in front of Clyde. Micah rubbed his forehead with his palm, his heart sinking. The implication was obvious, a silent way of showing the guest their dislike…
But what caught him by surprise was his grandmother's picking Darcy's side.
He started to regret inviting Clyde over.
He glanced from the corner of his eye at Clyde. The man was as cool as a cucumber, unaffected. Yet, Micah couldn't resist nudging Clyde's feet under the table, a quiet gesture of encouragement.
Clyde's hand paused slightly before he continued to peel the shrimp and place them in Micah's bowl. Then he moved to the clams and mussels, separating the shells and putting the creamy meat aside for Micah.
Across from them, Darcy removed the pin bones from the fish and placed the neatly arranged pieces into Micah's bowl as well.
The mountains of food grew with every gesture, as though each man was competing silently for Micah's attention, for his approval.
Zhou Ruyan watched them, feeling like an outsider at the table instead of the elder who should be served.
Micah stared at the piling food in front of him, his chest tightening with a mixture of embarrassment and suffocation. He quickly put some of the offering into Zhou Ruyan's bowl. "Grandma, you should eat these," he said with an eager sweetness.
Zhou Ruyan gave him a long look before accepting it.
The rest of the meal passed in heavy silence. Micah chewed mechanically, every bite a reminder of a tension pressing in around him. He was ready to bolt out, feeling suffocated.
Finally, Clyde set his cutlery down gently. "Thank you for your hospitality," he said. "But I should get going."
He could see he wasn't welcome. He had come just because Micah had insisted.
Micah's head snapped up, and he looked at him with disbelief. "What? Where are you going? I already asked Grandpa Sunny to get a room ready for you."
Zhou Ruyan wanted to slap her forehead in frustration! Her grandson was a lost cause.
But she couldn't openly toss a guest out, given her years of upbringing. "Yes. We have plenty of rooms."
Before Clyde could protest further, Micah pushed back his chair and stood abruptly. His hand reached down, grabbing Clyde's hand. "Come on, I'll show you the way."
Clyde nodded at Zhou Ruyan and rose. He let himself be led away. Their footsteps faded up the stairs, leaving the dining room in a hushed stillness.
Darcy sat unmoving, his jaw tight, eyes fixed on the empty plates before him.
"Cheer up," Zhou Ruyan said suddenly, her tone soft. "No one knows what the future holds."
Darcy turned his head, meeting her gaze. His lips curved into a faint, almost bitter smile before he gave a small nod.
He could see that Zhou Ruyan was also not fond of Clyde being with Micah. Maybe the rest of the Ramsy family too, would object. He shouldn't think he had lost yet. There would be many opportunities to come.