"Then we are really bad, cursing others to become orphans..."
"Hahaha... Could there be any good people here? Hurry up and pour me another glass of wine!"
There were joyful sounds at the bar.
The two people were talking drunkenly and didn't care whether Ren Zha, who had not yet left the pub, heard them. After all, the other party was just a child, so even if he heard it, there would be nothing that could be done.
Ren Zha naturally pretended that he heard nothing and kept everything in his heart. He just counted the accumulated Mora in his mind, silently calculated something, and continued to walk towards the door.
Ren Zha returned home again. His father, who was lying on the bed, shouted before Ren Zha came in:
"Where's the wine? Have you bought my wine? Give me the wine!"
Ren Zha placed the wine he bought from the tavern on the cabinet beside the bed. His father picked up the bottle without hesitation, uncorked it, and poured it into his mouth in big gulps.
"Too slow! Why is it taking so long this time? Never mind, as long as there's wine to drink! Cough cough cough..."
I don't know if it was because he drank too quickly and choked, or because of his illness, but his cough started to get worse. However, my father didn't care. As long as there was wine to drink, it was enough. He didn't care whether the wine was good or bad, or whether it was mixed with water.
"Cough-cough-!"
Amid his father's constant coughing, Ren Zha returned to his previous chair, picked up the book again, and seemed to have returned to the original scene.
Time just kept passing by, day after day, Ren Zha went out to make money, buy alcohol, was ridiculed, and sometimes even had disputes and fights with some gangsters. Then he used the money he earned to buy alcohol, medicine, or some other necessities of life. His father's illness was getting worse and worse. Because he had no money, he couldn't even afford to see a doctor. He relied on the medicine bought by Ren Zha to barely maintain his life, but this only treated the symptoms and not the root cause. In the end, it came to an end.
"Cough cough..."
The simple house and candlelight were the same as always. The father stretched out his hand to beckon Ren Zha to his side, and warned him in a hoarse voice: "I know I won't live long, ahem... after I die, send this letter to the recipient." Then he took out the letter from his pocket, tightly grasped Ren Zha's sleeve, and shouted, "Go to the Lawrence family in Mond! The family owes me a favor. You are smart, you should be the richest man and surpass them all!"
With the last roar, the hand that was holding Ren Zha's sleeve fell down weakly.
In the dark night, at a mass grave, in front of a fallen tombstone.
"You are ugly, treacherous and cunning. You caused my mother to die in hardship. You are the worst father."
The tone paused,
"You want me to be the richest man? Fine. I'll show you. I'll use everything I can, including this nobleman named Lawrence."
Tighten the envelope in your hand.
"Scum, bah!"
He spat on the tombstone and picked up the luggage that he had prepared long ago.
"I want to be the strongest man."
He found a new target, and with a determined gaze, he left the cemetery in the dark night, under the dim moonlight, without looking back.
Lawrence family, huh? Here I come.
Chapter 3: First meeting with Eula
In front of Lawrence's house, a girl with blue hair and golden-blue eyes was waiting at the door.
Eula Lawrence, the eldest daughter of the Lawrence family in Mondstadt, heard from her father that when her father was young, he went to Liyue Mountain and encountered heavy rain. He slipped and fell on the mountain and fainted. Fortunately, someone passed by and woke her father up, so he did not lose his life in the rain. Afterwards, her father gave the other party some money and returned to Mondstadt. After many years, she received a letter from the other party a few days ago, saying that he had passed away due to illness, leaving his only son alone and helpless. She hoped that her father could adopt him.
After all, he is the child of his savior. If he is ignored, I am afraid that the Lawrence family will be talked about in Mond again... Although Lawrence did not have a good reputation in Mond, this is intolerable for his father and the elders of the family who attach great importance to aristocratic etiquette. Since he is the child of his savior, he will naturally be treated according to the highest standards and other families must not be laughed at. According to his father's wishes, he will personally adopt this child and make him a member of the Lawrence family and enjoy the supreme glory of the Lawrence family.
So, does this mean I'm going to have a younger brother?
Eula still had some expectations in her heart, wondering whether this "brother" whom she had never met before would get along with her.
Before long, a horse-drawn carriage stopped at the door. Under Eula's gaze, a blond boy jumped off the carriage in a strange and peculiar posture.
It's similar to the characteristics described in the letter, so that should be it, right?
Youla stepped forward and asked, "You are Ren Zha, right?"
It is a standard Liyue name.
Ren Zha stared at the blue-haired girl in front of him, opened his mouth, and asked in a normal voice: "Then you are Eula Lawrence, right?"
"Well, please give me more advice in the future."
Eula thought to herself that it seemed that they could have a good communication. Since her father had made the decision, they should just live together as a family from now on.
At this moment, a rabbit quickly jumped over here from the house. Eula was stunned. This was the rabbit that Amber gave her to raise. It was usually kept in a cage. How did it run out... Ah, she forgot. When she was called out by her father, she was feeding the rabbit and it seemed that she did not close the cage properly.
Fortunately, after raising the rabbit for so long, it has become accustomed to it. It did not run away immediately after it got out of the cage, but ran towards me without fear of people. If it had run away just because of my carelessness, I really don't know how to tell Amber.
Amber is one of Eula's few friends.
Now that the rabbit had already run out, Eula took the opportunity to say to her new brother:
"This is a pet that my friend asked me to raise..."
Ren Zha looked at the rabbit and his eyes changed.
It is a luxury to raise a rabbit as a pet. If it were where I lived before, let alone a rabbit, even if it was a dog, if you didn't kill it quickly at home, it would be stolen and stewed by someone else the next day.
Really... happy, if that's the case...
Ren Zha raised his foot and kicked hard, hitting the rabbit that was flying over and was about to land next to Youla. The rabbit screamed and was kicked away.
Youla's face changed and she shouted at Ren Zha: "What are you doing!"
Ren Zha did not reply, but looked at Eula with a wary attitude.
Before I came here, I was not completely unprepared. I spent some time inquiring about some things about the Lawrence family.
The Lawrence family does not have a good reputation in Mond. Now it cannot be said that everyone is hating them, but they are a declining noble family that is hated by everyone. However, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter how much they have declined, a noble family is still a noble family, and the remaining foundation is something that ordinary people can hardly achieve in their lifetime.
Such a decadent and corrupt aristocrat is a perfect match for me.
Ren Zha looked at the other person again. He had blue hair. Although he was young, his chest was slightly bulging. He was in the development stage. His beautiful golden eyes were staring at him with an angry expression.
This is a woman with a promising future, but Ren Zha is not interested in women. He is thinking about the information he had gathered before coming here, Eula Lawrence, the eldest daughter of the Lawrence family and the heir of the Lawrence family. So, she is his biggest enemy.
"What's going on? What happened?"
The noise outside the door attracted the attention of the people inside the house. A middle-aged man who looked very well-dressed walked out of the house with several servants. It was Eula's father, the current head of the Lawrence family.
Ren Zha instantly put away the hostility in his eyes, bowed and apologized to the head of the Lawrence family:
"I'm so sorry, this rabbit suddenly jumped towards me so fast that I thought it was a puppy. I was a little flustered, so... I'm so sorry!"
Youla looked at Ren Zha with shocked eyes. Ren Zha now looked like a completely different person.
You just looked like you wanted to fight me!
Looking at the young man who was bowing to him humbly, the head of the Lawrence family was satisfied. He was a good candidate, but it was not noble for him to be flustered because of a rabbit. It seemed that he would have to teach him etiquette in the future.
After all, she is new here and used to live in a place like Liyue. There is nothing to be surprised about. I can just teach her slowly in the future. Besides, I didn't agree with Eula keeping a pet. It would be better for her to use that time to learn etiquette.
"Father..."
"Okay, it's not proper to stand outside all the time. Come in first."
Eula opened her mouth but said nothing in the end.
The head of the Lawrence family brought Ren Zha into the house. The house was decorated magnificently. On the walls, there were various ancient calligraphy and paintings that looked very expensive, as well as some valuable antiques. Ren Zha looked at the walls and saw a white mask that looked like it was made of stone hanging on one of the walls.
Ren Zha just glanced at it and in his heart, he once again sighed at the wealth of the Lawrence family. Even if he took any one of these things and sold it on the black market, it would be enough for an ordinary person to live a life of ease and comfort.
As expected of a noble, this is awesome! If I could control the Lawrence family...
Ren Zha hid everything in his heart.
On the way, the head of the Lawrence family asked Ren Zha as they walked: "Are you willing to become my adopted son and a member of the Lawrence family?"
"I am willing to do so." Ren Zha changed the subject and said, "Father."
"Very good, from now on, we are a family." Lawrence turned around and said to Eula who was following him on the other side, "You are of the same age, so you should get along well with each other in the future and don't let outsiders laugh at you."
Get along with?
Youla looked at Ren Zha, who was standing respectfully beside her father, and her eyes narrowed.
Did you really mistake the rabbit for a puppy just now?
Not to mention how to mistake a rabbit for a dog, but it feels like the other party doesn't seem like it will get along well with me.
"Yes, father."
Family etiquette means I cannot refute my father's words. I, Eula, will keep this grudge in mind for the time being.
The first meeting between Youla and Renzha was not friendly.
Chapter 4 Eula, I will make you collapse!
It's not so much unfriendly as it is terrible.
"Eula, you are older now. From now on, you will be the older sister. Okay, take him back to the room and pack your luggage."
The head of the Lawrence family had already prepared a room for Ren Zha to live in. The two of them temporarily left the head of the Lawrence family. Youla walked in front and led the way. In the end, she couldn't help but wait until there was no one around. She turned around and asked Ren Zha behind her: "What happened to you just now?"
Eula was still thinking about the incident of kicking her pet away.
Ren Zha asked back: "Are you talking about the rabbit? Do you need me to explain it again? Do you need me to apologize to you again?"
Again? You only apologized to my father, and never apologized to me!
Youla stared at Renzha, and Renzha also stared at Youla calmly with a very normal expression. Finally, Youla gave up and withdrew her scrutinizing gaze.
Forget it, just pretend that I really mistook the rabbit for a puppy. We are family now, there is no need to make things so awkward.
"No, thanks." To ease the embarrassment, Youla stretched out her hand to Ren Zha and asked, "Do you need me to help you carry your luggage?"
"Ok."
Ren Zha handed his suitcase to Youla, who was stunned. I was just talking, do you really want a girl like me to carry your suitcase?
But the words had already been said, and Eula was about to reach out to take the luggage. Ren Zha's previously pretended normal expression changed, and when Eula was about to take the suitcase, he suddenly let go of his hand, and the suitcase that was lifted into the air fell and hit the tip of Eula's shoe.
"what--!"
Eula made a sound of pain.
"Sorry, my hand slipped."
Ren Zha apologized.
"It's okay, it's okay."
Since her hand slipped, there was nothing she could do. Yula stomped her feet a few times, thinking she was unlucky, to relieve the pain in her toes, then reached out her hand again, trying to pick up the suitcase that had fallen to the ground.
"Snapped--!"
Ren Zha slapped open the hand of the God Eula.
"ah--!"
Youla let out a sound of pain again, withdrew her hand, and stared at Ren Zha.
What do you mean by this!
She didn't say anything, but Eula's eyes were full of this meaning.
Ren Zha's cold voice: "Don't touch my things."
Don't want to touch it? You didn't want me to touch it, and you just handed it to me? So...
Youla suppressed her anger and asked, "You did that on purpose just now, didn't you?"
Ren Zha looked at Youla as if she was an idiot: "It's such an obvious thing, and you still need to ask?"
"you..."
"Listen, Youla!" Ren Zha interrupted Youla's words, "Don't think that just because I entered your house, you will really treat me as your brother. You can put on an air of a sister in front of me, and I will really live under someone else's roof and listen to you like a dog. I like to be number one, I want to be number one, and I won't allow anyone to show off in front of me!"
ha--?
What are you talking about!
Eula didn't think the worst. Instead, she thought, is it because he just came here and is afraid of being bullied, so he wants to show off his power? Is he pretending to be fierce?
Youla opened her mouth and explained: "No, I don't want to put on airs or show off, I just want to get along well with you..."
Ren Zha looked at Youla with an expression that said "you are a fool", which made Youla understand that the other party really had no intention of getting along well with her.