Su Ling's appetite was something Wen Shangyin and Song Lian had long turned a blind eye to.
After all, it was just a few meals, and they were wealthy enough not to be bothered by it.
Besides, if Shang Qi was willing to indulge and pamper the woman he cared for, they, as outsiders, had no right to comment.
They couldn't possibly use their status as elder brothers to lecture him, could they?
He suspected that if he dared to speak, Shang Qi would likely lop off half his head in anger.
Wen Shangyin watched as Shang Qi meticulously 'served' Su Ling. He then spoke, "Our fraternal strife has unfortunately implicated our second and fourth brothers, leaving only the two of us. Father and Mother are gone, and I no longer wish to continue this struggle with you."
"My demands are simple: you abandon everything and stay far away. As brothers, what is rightfully yours will absolutely not be withheld. Of course, this is all contingent on you behaving, not competing, and not defying me."
Wen Shangyin's demands were straightforward: Shang Qi would voluntarily relinquish his inheritance, sign a letter of commitment, and depart.
If Shang Qi refused, then they would resort to violence, a fight to the death.
Wen Shangyin spoke a few words, but Shang Qi paid him no mind, his attention entirely on Su Ling.
Song Lian felt a tickle, wanting to smoke, but with a young woman at the table, he had to restrain himself.
He thought Su Ling was quite attractive, with rosy lips, white teeth, and fair, pinkish skin. In this world where survival was a struggle and food was scarce, a clean and pleasant girl like Su Ling was a rare sight.
If Su Ling hadn't already been claimed by their third young master, he could have supported her, even with her hearty appetite.
A woman who eats well is blessed, he mused.
Moreover, such a beautiful woman would be a credit to him if she were by his side...
"Think any more, and I'll wring your head off and feed it to the zombies." Shang Qi looked at Song Lian, his eyes glinting with killing intent.
Song Lian had only been thinking these thoughts internally and wouldn't dare to act on them, let alone voice them.
He just hadn't expected his inner musings to be overheard.
He remembered that after the apocalypse, many awakened espers could hear others' thoughts. This explained Shang Qi's sudden words.
Meeting Shang Qi's murderous gaze, Song Lian abruptly stood up, lowered his head, and confessed, "I deserve death for my impure thoughts. Please forgive me."
"Scram." Shang Qi dismissed him with a single word, clearly showing his displeasure.
Although Wen Shangyin didn't know why Shang Qi was suddenly lashing out at Song Lian, seeing Song Lian's demeanor, he guessed much of what had happened. He immediately interjected, "You may go. There's nothing for you here."
Song Lian nodded in agreement and quickly retreated from the tense atmosphere.
With Song Lian gone, only Su Ling, Shang Qi, and Wen Shangyin remained.
Whether Shang Qi had truly heard Wen Shangyin's words was unclear, as he offered no response.
Wen Shangyin was somewhat exasperated, but Shang Qi was unyielding, and he couldn't force the issue.
Su Ling held a lamb chop in her left hand and a Swiss Army knife in her right, slicing off a piece of the perfectly roasted meat. She then used the knife to spear the lamb, dipped it in sauce, and brought it to her mouth.
After chewing slowly, Su Ling looked at Wen Shangyin and asked, "What is rightfully Shang Qi's?"
Wen Shangyin turned his gaze towards Su Ling, curiosity piqued about what she would say.
Su Ling met Wen Shangyin's scrutinizing gaze without fear, her tone casual, "Tell us, and Shang Qi and I will listen. If what you offer isn't enough to satisfy us, we won't agree."
"If we don't agree, we'll cause trouble."