Chapter 22: I Can Do Anything: Aren’t Good Brothers Meant to be Sold Out?
Ji Chen felt the slight trembling of the flesh under his palm, and out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a smear of red appearing at the tail of Tang Xingye’s eye. Really sensitive.
Lu Zhi’s pheromones were like an airtight net, instantly enveloping the entire room.
“Applying medicine. Can’t you see he’s injured?” Ji Chen didn’t even look up, his finger pad continuing to circle the bruise.
Lu Zhi’s gaze fell on Tang Xingye’s exposed, cold white shoulder and neck; the bruise there looked particularly glaring under the light. His Adam’s apple rolled. He retracted his pheromones, and his voice suddenly softened. “Who did it?”
Tang Xingye glanced lazily at Lu Zhi, then looked away.
“Lab accident.” Ji Chen answered the question for him.
From the trace of the bruise, Ji Chen could deduce it wasn’t caused by a person, but by equipment. Having watched the surveillance of Tang Xingye’s stalker, he understood that Tang Xingye wasn’t a fragile flower that would fall with a gust of wind. On the contrary, he was extremely resilient, a touch of green striving to grow from a parched desert.
He guessed that Tang Xingye handling it so calmly, facing those perverts with such indifference, was because he had experienced many similar situations before.
Perhaps even worse than now.
He thought Tang Xingye didn’t need a savior to protect him.
“Done. Don’t sleep on it tonight.” Ji Chen withdrew his hand.
Tang Xingye nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
Watching this scene, Lu Zhi felt it was truly an eyesore, as if these two were a little couple and he was the big villain breaking up the lovebirds.
Did Tang Xingye know what kind of person Ji Chen was? People Ji Chen found interesting all ended up lying in the hospital.
Although Ji Chen disdained fighting Betas, it was impossible for Ji Chen to like him.
Lu Zhi stared at the hand Ji Chen withdrewāslender knuckles, distinct joints, a hand that had just touched Tang Xingye’s skin. He suddenly felt his throat tighten, and a nameless fire shot straight up.
“Thank him for what?” Lu Zhi sneered, his tone mocking. “He helped you apply medicine; who knows what he’s thinking inside.”
Hearing this, Ji Chen glanced at him faintly, took a candy out of his pocket, methodically peeled off the wrapper, and stuffed it into his mouth. “You’re overthinking it.”
Tang Xingye couldn’t be bothered with them. He gathered the bath towel and prepared to stand up, but was pressed down by the shoulder by Lu Zhi.
“What are you doing?” Tang Xingye frowned.
Lu Zhi stared at him, eyes dark and deep. “You trust him that much?”
Tang Xingye expressionless: “At least he doesn’t go crazy like you.”
The light-colored eyes revealed indifference, reflecting Lu Zhi’s currently crazed appearance.
The attitude was distant, his expression without a single ripple. This made Lu Zhi even angrier. “Tang Xingye, what do you mean?”
Tang Xingye pried Lu Zhi’s hand away. “Exactly what you think I mean.”
Lu Zhi’s expression seemed frozen. He thought Tang Xingye slapping him was a signal that he still had anger toward him, still cared about him.
“It was my fault for biting you in the beginning. I apologize to you. What do you want me to do for you to forgive me?”
Tang Xingye: “What I wantācan’t you figure it out?”
Lu Zhi chuckled low. “If you hate Zhou Lin, I can help you deal with him.”
Tang Xingye: “Aren’t you two good brothers?”
Lu Zhi took it as a matter of course. “Aren’t good brothers just meant to be sold out?”
Zhou Lin pushed open the door, his gaze lingering for a second on the hand Lu Zhi used to clasp Tang Xingye’s wrist. Then, the corner of his lips hooked into a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.
“The dorm is quite lively.” He walked in methodically, closing the door behind him. His gaze swept over the three of them, finally landing on Tang Xingye.
Tang Xingye glanced at him coldly, saying nothing, but his fingers tightened slightly, clearly unwelcoming of Zhou Lin’s appearance.
Lu Zhi’s knuckles went taut. His finger pad unconsciously rubbed against Tang Xingye’s wrist bone before slowly letting go. He turned sideways to block Tang Xingye, staring gloomily at Zhou Lin.
“What are you doing here?”
Zhou Lin chuckled lightly, his gaze bypassing Lu Zhi to look straight at Tang Xingye. “I’m returning to my own dorm; do I need a reason?”
Zhou Lin seemed unaware of his hostility. Instead, he took a few steps closer, not annoyed even when the Beta avoided him.
“Injury hasn’t healed yet?” His tone was gentle but carried a certain subtle intimacy. “Was I too rough?”
Lu Zhi’s pupils constricted abruptly. Pheromones exploded violently, and the air in the entire room seemed compressed to the limit, making even breathing difficult.
“Zhou Lin.” His voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezed out from between his teeth. “Are you looking for a beating?”
Zhou Lin continued to smile. “Lu Zhi, from what standpoint are you saying this? Friend? Or… the dumped online dating partner?”
Lu Zhi sneered. “You think you’re any different?”
Ji Chen looked at the atmosphere of drawn swords and bent bows between the two, then looked at Tang Xingye.
The protagonist at the center of the storm currently had wet black hair clinging to his slender neck. Black and white contrasted sharply. Choked by the pheromones, the tails of his eyes were red, and a shallow mist emerged in his cool eyes, like a dampened ink painting, revealing an alluring significance.
Ji Chen suddenly felt that Tang Xingye was indeed born beautiful.
But that gaze was clear, watching coldly like an outsider.
He felt no fear or nervousness about the storm before him that had risen because of him.
Canine teeth itching, Ji Chen became interested. He retracted his cold, weary expression, his eyes flashing with excitement.
“Are you guys going to fight?”
Under the gaze of both men, Ji Chen’s slightly boyish face revealed a brazen smile. “Count me in.”
However, to Ji Chen’s disappointment, the fight didn’t happen in the end, because of a sentence from Tang Xingyeā”Your pheromones are choking me. Get out now.”
The dormitory returned to silence.
Tang Xingye had already put on his clothes and was flipping through a book, not affected in the slightest.
Feeling bored, Ji Chen unwrapped a strawberry-flavored lollipop and suddenly spoke, “There’s no need for you to reject them excessively.”
Tang Xingye didn’t even look up. “You want to speak for them?”
Ji Chen shook his head slightly. “Standing independent from the world doesn’t mean rejecting all reliance. You can treat them as stepping stones for your advancement.”
The implication was that Tang Xingye could absolutely use them.
Tang Xingye’s hand flipping the page paused. He looked up, not expecting Ji Chen to say such words. “Aren’t you friends?”
Ji Chen noticed that Tang Xingye’s calm expression finally produced a ripple, probably a faint confusion born from an inability to understand.
“Friends?” A trace of amusement condensed on Ji Chen’s face.
Their relationship was mostly due to the orders of their elders; brotherhood was originally indifferent and like loose sand.
If they were truly friends, they would have had a hearty fight with him.
“How solid do you think friendship between Alphas can be?”
Alphas were born occupying most of society’s resources, but the competition between Alphas had always been intense. Their competitive and strong nature didn’t allow for two tigers on one mountain.
Tang Xingye: “So? You’re suggesting I make friends with them?”
Ji Chen leaned lazily against the back of the chair, his gaze locked on Tang Xingye’s face as if admiring a priceless oil painting. “A little dignity/face-saving makes getting along more pleasant.”
Tang Xingye lowered his eyes and continued flipping the page. “Sounds tempting. Then what do I need to pay?”
Ji Chen: “No need for love. Occasional acceptance can gain you many useful things.”
This wasn’t Ji Chen’s answer, but his view.
Tang Xingye remained noncommittal.
Seeing the person involved lacked interest, Ji Chen stopped the topic, bit his lollipop, and looked at the bright moon outside the window.
Because Lu Zhi was rejected by Tang Xingye, he started giving Tang Xingye the cold shoulder again. But after only a few days of coldness, he couldn’t stand it.
Lu Zhi realized he was truly a glutton for punishment when it came to Tang Xingye. If Tang Xingye didn’t scold him or hit him, he felt uncomfortable all over.
When Tang Xingye didn’t give him a good face and Lu Zhi received the cold shoulder, only then did that itch in his heart disappear.
Sunlight slanted in through the high windows, casting the visitor’s shadow on the bookshelf.
Tang Xingye’s gaze slid past the shelf numbers and stopped at position Q415.6. Just then, a deeper shadow loomed over. A tall figure accidentally enveloped him.
He looked up and saw Ji Chen standing half a step away, holding the very book he wanted to borrow.
Due to the interlude with military training, Ji Chen had missed classes. The school was fair regarding credits; he had to grind enough experiments to complete the compulsory courses.
The Beta’s presence was very strong. Ji Chen naturally noticed Tang Xingye’s gaze and waved the book in his hand. “You want to borrow this too?”
Tang Xingye, who had intended to detour, nodded slightly.
Truly unfortunate. Ji Chen: “Do you read fast?”
Tang Xingye: “I’m doing an elective experiment, no rush. After you finish reading, I’ll borrow it.”
Ji Chen didn’t decline. “I just need to check a few parameters. I’ll return it tomorrow.”
Tang Xingye nodded slightly.
When they walked to the checkout counter together, Tang Xingye noticed that the surrounding students subconsciously made way. A boy wearing glasses even turned hurriedly and bumped into the bookshelf behind him.
Tang Xingye naturally wouldn’t think they were avoiding Ji Chen. Based on his reputation in school, it wasn’t hard to guess at all. The cursed Beta; anyone who approached him would become unfortunate.
Coming out of the library, Tang Xingye encountered people he didn’t know on the road. When they saw him, they looked fearful, but seeing Ji Chen beside him, they nodded politely.
Ji Chen watched those hurriedly retreating figures, their gazes sticking to Tang Xingye before they left, and said with interest, “Looks like trouble has found you. They are afraid of you.”
Saying they were afraid wasn’t entirely correct; there were other emotions mixed in.
Tang Xingye turned to look at him, wanting to see the same reaction on this roommate’s face. “Maybe I am the trouble.”
Ji Chen looked indifferent and smiled. “That’s even better.”
Tang Xingye looked away.
Ji Chen was a bit curious. “Does this kind of thing happen often?”
Tang Xingye gave a vague “Mn.”
Soon Tang Xingye knew the reason for their fear. Not far away, a Green-haired Alpha and a Baby-faced Beta were chatting about the “Disaster Star,” tirelessly propagating his deeds, his family, and his past.
Tang Xingye watched everything coldly. He didn’t remember offending them anywhere, but he had encountered plenty of malice that came from nowhere.
Ji Chen raised an eyebrow slightly. “Seems the trouble isn’t formidable enough; it didn’t even make them shut up.”
Tang Xingye glanced sideways at him, revealing an expression that said, Do I need you to tell me that?
Ji Chen took out a mint candy from his pocket. The metallic wrapper flipped between his slender fingers, refracting fragmented silver light. “Want to try?” The corner of his lips raised slightly, eyes holding a bit of playfulness.
Tang Xingye looked up slightly.
In the next second, Ji Chen suddenly flicked his finger. The candy wrapper shot out like a silver dart toward the Alpha secretly taking photos behind the tree. With a crisp snap, the boy was startled, his hand shook, and the phone almost flew out of his hand.
“Here.” Ji Chen, like performing a magic trick, took another candy from his other pocket and held it out to Tang Xingye.
Tang Xingye glanced at the candy in his palm and spoke flatly. “Keep the candy for yourself to eat, don’t waste it.”
“Ehā” Ji Chen dragged out the ending sound, withdrawing his hand with feigned regret.
He methodically tore open the package and tossed the candy into his mouth.
The coolness of mint spread on the tip of his tongue. He narrowed his eyes and suddenly lowered his voice. “Want to get physical? There are no surveillance cameras here.”
Tang Xingye heard this and scanned the surroundings. Indeed, he found it was a blind spot for surveillance.
Tang Xingye looked at Ji Chen again. If he remembered correctly, this person was also in the Disciplinary Department…
“Do you often use your fists to make others shut up?”
Ji Chen laughed suddenly. His silver ear stud shimmered in the sunlight. His boyish smile carried a hint of wickedness. “No, I just simply like trouble.”
…
Tang Xingye stood by the railing on the second floor, fingertips tapping lightly on the stone handrail. His voice was very light but carried weight. “Physical wounds heal easily, but psychological wounds take a long time to heal.”
The birds downstairs were still chirping. Tang Xingye lowered his eyes to watch them, his slender fingers gently stroking a flower pot on the windowsill.
“Loose tongues happen mostly because they haven’t faced the danger of death. Direct harm only leaves evidence. But fear like this… they will savor it for a long time.”
Ji Chen stood not far away, keenly capturing the emotion that flashed through Tang Xingye’s eyes. He waved his hand knowingly, turned, and left.
After watching the other party disappear, Tang Xingye’s gaze fell back downstairs. His fingers gave a gentle push.
Crashā
The flower pot grazed past the Alpha’s shoulder and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. Scattered soil splattered onto shoes.
The Alpha wasn’t injured, but the scene was exceptionally thrilling.
The Baby-face was terrified. Just a little bit closer, and it would have been a bloody scene of a head smashed open.
Looking up, they could only see Tang Xingye on the second floor with a cold expression, leaving them speechless.
The cold Beta leaned against the second-floor railing. The sunlight reflected on his face, glowing with a dark luster. He hooked the corner of his lips and revealed a cold, beautiful smile at them.
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