Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 34

At first, He Lang thought that, given his age, he had enough patience to face his new life.

But he forgot that in this world, he had been completely spoiled by Jiang Jingda and was not as resilient as he had imagined.

He couldn’t even eat the simplest food from the school cafeteria.

His selective eating habits made it so that he refused to eat any of the food he had previously tolerated. Jiang Jingda didn’t try to persuade him, instead accommodating his preferences, serving him only the dishes he liked. But the school’s meals were standardized, with limited variety, and naturally, they didn’t taste very good.

The first time He Lang ate, he could only force down a few bites before he felt like the food was tasteless, almost making him vomit. Starving, he gritted his teeth and swallowed some rice quickly to stave off hunger, resulting in an uncomfortable mouth and throat, indigestion, and stomach pain.

At these times, he couldn’t help but reminisce about how Jiang Jingda would meticulously instruct the servants about what could and couldn’t be added to the dishes at home.

His parents would encourage him to eat vegetables or balanced meals for health, but Jiang Jingda never considered such things. His only standard was what He Lang liked.

Others might think Jiang Jingda was excessively pampering his younger brother, but Jiang Jingda knew he wasn’t as kind as others said. In fact, he was quite selfish and harsh.

He didn’t worry about the malnutrition and physical weakness caused by He Lang’s picky eating… In fact, a person as calm as he was also harbored an incomprehensible madness.

Jiang Jingda thought that if He Lang fell ill and became weak, he would need to rely on someone even more, and that person would undoubtedly be him.

After that impulsive act, Jiang Jingda quickly cooled down and realized he didn’t need to lower himself or become so passive. Over the years, his efforts had not been entirely in vain; they had influenced the boy little by little.

All those efforts had woven a tight web around He Lang, and in the days to come, he would quietly observe, unobtrusively ensnaring his beloved prey, letting it follow the threads back to him.

Eventually, He Lang’s dormitory life came to an end after half a month.

Fainting in class and frequent stomach pains indicated his body couldn’t adapt to this lifestyle. The homeroom teacher had to contact the guardians. When Song Qinglian heard this, her face turned pale, and she immediately brought him home and called a family doctor to check on him.

When Jiang Jingda got home and learned of the news, he dropped his coat to the ground and scolded the servants for not notifying him sooner. He hurried to He Lang’s room.

He Lang was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, not knowing what he was thinking.

“Lang Lang, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” Jiang Jingda sat at the edge of the bed, squeezing his shoulder. His brow remained tightly knitted, and he was deeply concerned as he touched He Lang’s cheek.

He Lang, who had just had a fever, felt dizzy and didn’t realize someone was speaking to him. He could only feel a cool hand soothing him, which was incredibly comforting. He instinctively grasped Jiang Jingda’s hand and rubbed against it, like a docile kitten.

Jiang Jingda was silent, feeling a mix of pain and a twisted pleasure. The warmth from He Lang seemed to seep into his own heart.

See, he had said before that Lang Lang couldn’t adapt to the outside environment, but he insisted on trying and leaving his care. Now, he was weak and had to rely on him again.

But it was okay; he believed that after this firsthand experience, Lang Lang would understand much more.

Jiang Jingda carefully examined the medication prescribed by the doctor and wanted to give it to him. However, with He Lang unconscious, he couldn’t possibly wake up to take the medicine.

Jiang Jingda didn’t intend to wake him. He pinched He Lang’s chin to open his mouth, placed a few pills inside, and drank a bit of water himself to help him swallow. He Lang instinctively swallowed, finally taking the medicine.

Although this action of their lips touching was initiated by Jiang Jingda, He Lang, being asleep, did not react. Jiang Jingda, however, was already blushing.

The soft feeling on his lips lingered, and as he gazed at He Lang’s serene face, Jiang Jingda’s heart felt like it was melting in warm water.

After an unknown amount of time, feeling exhausted from a day’s work, he realized it was time to rest, but he couldn’t help but repeatedly stroke He Lang’s cheek.

He had worked hard to make his younger brother’s face round and plump, but in just half a month, it had become more angular and refined.

Jiang Jingda gently lifted He Lang’s bangs and kissed his smooth forehead, finally willing to leave.

Afterward, he decisively called the school and, in the name of the guardian, directly canceled He Lang’s dormitory application. He also sent someone to collect his belongings immediately, leaving no chance for him to return.

He believed that Lang Lang didn’t need to endure the hardships of growing up and should live forever in his greenhouse, even if his greenhouse was made from his own cage.

Under the family’s concern, He Lang was completely cut off from the dormitory life. Jiang Jingda even arranged for him to take a half-month leave from school, insisting that he stay home and recover.

With his poor health, He Lang couldn’t go out and spent his days cooped up at home, writing and drawing. Song Qinglian kept a close watch on him whenever she came home.

Seeing her child growing tall and handsome, she pursed her lips and, with a hint of thoughtfulness, tentatively asked, “Is there a girl at your school named He Meijia?”

“Not sure.” He Lang, holding some old book fragments he had collected earlier, replied absentmindedly.

Song Qinglian widened her eyes slightly and continued speaking to her son, covering her mouth. “You don’t even know this? Isn’t she quite well-known at your school? Have you heard of Wan Yasi Real Estate? That’s her family’s.”

“It’s none of my business.” He Lang looked at his mother in confusion, not understanding what she was getting at.

“Oh, don’t be so indifferent. I think the young lady quite likes you. Last time your father visited her family, she said she always looks for you when she passes by Class Nine. She even copied several of your calligraphy pieces from the school’s exhibition.” Song Qinglian said, revealing a satisfied smile as she rested her chin on her hand.

Her son had finally grown up and even had girls interested in him.

“……” He Lang set down the fragments of paper with an expressionless face. He was confused and wondered if the girls here were so open, directly discussing such matters with their parents. Did she expect to use parental matchmaking to arrange something?

It was only now that he realized his mother was concerned about his romantic affairs and seemed interested in matchmaking.

Seeing her son’s displeased expression, which showed he was rejecting the topic, Song Qinglian’s mood sank slightly.

In recent years, his father’s health had been poor, and since he was young and unable to do much, they had waited until now. Jiang’s father wished to see his daughter-in-law and grandchildren, fearing he might be hospitalized again any day.

If possible, Song Qinglian genuinely wanted to find a woman who could take care of her son, get him married, and have children to fulfill their duties.

No matter how much she spoiled her child, there were limits. Since he said he had grown up, he should take on the responsibilities of adulthood, whether for the family or in showing filial piety to his parents and elders.

The light atmosphere gradually turned heavy. He Lang’s mind was racing, weighing whether he should comply with his mother’s wishes to avoid trouble, perhaps getting along with another girl, or even more, considering marriage.

What terrified him was that he seemed to have lost interest in women. Imagining a woman, he couldn’t generate any romantic or intimate feelings. How could he compromise?

“Why don’t you worry about your older brother’s feelings first?” He Lang found an excuse to respond firmly.

There must be many people who like Jiang Jingda, right? If marriage were possible, he could transfer his special feelings to the right person. If they had children, Song Qinglian would be happy, and if the girl had some influence, it would undoubtedly benefit their company.

But after asking this question, he quickly closed his mouth.

He had momentarily forgotten that his mother didn’t have a good attitude toward her adopted son because Jiang Jingda was not their biological child. Although they treated him well, they were never close, and there was no need to be concerned about his feelings. At most, they would remind him when he was older.

As expected, Song Qinglian’s expression darkened immediately, even showing a bit of resentment. Her pampered child was now using this to counter her.

“Every day you talk about your brother, and you don’t even want a girlfriend! When your father and I are gone, you’ll just live with your brother!”

Song Qinglian, usually gentle with her son, spoke with a much harsher tone this time, which made He Lang uncomfortable. He responded in kind, pointing out that he didn’t constantly mention Jiang Jingda and thought she was being too extreme. His parents were middle-aged; why bring up such morbid topics?

“Jiang Langmin, don’t think just because you’ve grown up that you’re invincible! You don’t listen to anything your mother says. Isn’t it good to meet girls and have a girlfriend? Why are you so angry? Is it so wrong for me to say something? Your temper isn’t all my fault or your father’s indulgence; it’s your brother’s indulgence, making you unruly!” Song Qinglian’s temper flared, and seeing her child’s cold attitude made her sad.

“I have a good temper, but I will never do things I don’t like.” He Lang, holding his ancient books, turned and went upstairs.

After the argument, mother and son parted ways unhappily.

He Lang felt exhausted. He didn’t mean to speak harshly to his mother, but he truly didn’t want to give in.

Frankly, in this family, the only person He Lang could rely on without any burdens was Jiang Jingda.

His parents were indulgent, but there would always be discipline and coercion.

Jiang Jingda, on the other hand, understood him and never let him feel any distress or say harsh words. Except for the recent erratic behavior, overall, Jiang Jingda was very reliable. If he could have Jiang Jingda speak up for him, perhaps his mother would be less inclined to pressure him.

He Lang initially went straight to his room but, noticing the slightly ajar door next door, seemed to be inviting him in. He decided to push open Jiang Jingda’s door.

**Author’s Note:** This world doesn’t have any special powers… these skills are relatively normal for someone from ancient times. Anyway, they are impressive enough, I suppose. Because the length of the story is short, there isn’t much room for conflict. I personally hope things will at least go smoothly. Many details are beyond my understanding and aren’t explained thoroughly, just written according to this idea. I understand if it seems out of character. I’ll try to avoid writing badly.