novelraw Chapter 504: Really a Fool
Chapter 504: Really a Fool
The man lowered his eyes, his thick lashes casting shadows over his phoenix-shaped eyes, deep and cold as a winter pond. His foot stepped on the tassel of a soft fabric ball.
The young girl staring blankly at him with large, grape-black eyes suddenly revealed a hint of hesitation and timidity. In a soft, timid voice, she said, "Brother, you’ve stepped on my ball."
"Hillbilly, you can’t even pick up a ball properly. So stupid." Bessie Leclair stormed over angrily and shoved her aside.
The girl, caught off balance, fell to the ground.
"Big brother, you’re back! Did you bring me a gift?" Bessie immediately donned a cheerful smile and joyfully shouted toward the side hall, "Big brother’s back!"
He walked indifferently into the side hall. Before turning back, he caught sight of the unfamiliar girl quietly picking herself up and walking away.
It wasn’t until that evening that he learned this was the child his father’s mistress had brought into the household — someone treated worse than even the servants. At that time, he hadn’t yet realized what significance this girl would hold for him.
After that, Delphine seldom appeared in front of the Leclair Family. If not for Bessie’s frequent complaints that she was stupid, clumsy, and slow, he might have doubted her existence. Until one night, staying up late, he went downstairs to make coffee and heard noises from the kitchen.
The girl, dressed in her school uniform, was standing on tiptoes, carefully packing her lunch into a small box. On the counter, there were only a few leftover dishes. She cautiously used chopsticks to pick out two small pieces of meat, some greens, and a few bits of mushroom. Her movements were gentle and deliberate. She hesitated momentarily before slowly walking toward the fruit bowl, taking two grapes, and placing them into the lunchbox. Then, faint dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth.
The man watched her pack the leftovers. For a moment, his gaze turned dark and unreadable.
The scene shifted abruptly to Chinese New Year’s Eve. The old patriarch had specially come home for the occasion. The whole family sat around the table, joyful and harmonious. His phoenix eyes scanned the gathering but saw no sign of her face.
Suddenly, he felt his appetite diminish. After taking a few bites, he stepped outside into the courtyard.
From the window of a room that had been temporarily converted from a storage space, warm light spilled out. Teenage Delphine sat by the window, staring blankly at the moon, quietly eating her New Year’s dinner. Her small, palm-sized face carried a soft smile, like the world’s easiest-to-please fool.
The man came out of his reverie, his chest heaving violently. His phoenix eyes blinked uneasily.
Dr. Wen’s magnified face appeared before him, asking anxiously, "Mr. Leclair, are you alright?"
Ignatius Leclair nodded and replied in a low voice, "I recalled many scenes from my youth, but I feel fine."
Only then did Dr. Wen nod in satisfaction. Just as he was about to speak again, the man had already risen, instructing Maximilian to host him before rapidly leaving.
Dr. Wen: "..."
Ignatius entered the three-story old mansion, only to see that Delphine had just awoken from her nap and now sat in the living room, dressed in the simplest dress. She was chatting softly with Housekeeper Li. The faint daylight illuminated her side profile — her skin pale, her eyes dark as onyx. Despite her plain, delicate features, her face began merging with that of the schoolgirl in the uniform from years ago.
A mix of emotions churned in Ignatius’s heart as he strode into the living room.
Housekeeper Li was ladling out soup for her and said with a smile, "This soup is excellent for women; it nourishes the blood and qi, though the taste is a bit bland."
"I tend to prefer light flavors, so it’s no trouble," she replied softly, smiling faintly.
Ignatius observed how, despite days of nourishment, her complexion remained pale. His handsome face immediately darkened with a trace of anger.