Chapter 55
After Chi Aibei was taken away by He Chenjiang, Jiang Yu spent the evening self-study session out of it, wondering where the little fool had been taken.
When the evening self-study ended, Jiang Yu came out of the classroom and looked up to see Lin Xiu, who had left school hours ago, standing at the classroom door. He paused. “Why are you here?”
Lin Xiu had come to pick up Chi Aibei. While eating earlier, he received a transfer of 300,000 from Chi Aibei. It was evident he was still dwelling on yesterday’s events. Lin Xiu was afraid he would let his imagination run wild alone in the dorm, so he thought it better to pick him up and keep an eye on him.
Lin Xiu: “Where’s Chi Aibei?”
Chi Aibei wasn’t in the classroom, and he hadn’t replied to Lin Xiu’s messages. Hearing Jiang Yu say He Chenjiang took Chi Aibei away halfway through study hall, Lin Xiu asked strangely, “He Chenjiang attends evening self-study?”
Two people who never minded others’ business had shown up one after another. Jiang Yu felt mentally exhausted. “Ever since the exam results came out, He Chenjiang started attending evening self-study too. During study hall just now, he came to find Chi Aibei and asked him to go home with him. Chi Aibei originally refused.”
Hearing that He Chenjiang had started attending evening self-study back then, Lin Xiu’s expression wasn’t great. “Then why did he go with him?”
Jiang Yu: “Because of you.”
Jiang Yu repeated He Chenjiang’s words to Lin Xiu. As someone who was once ordered to keep the secret, Jiang Yu completely understood why Chi Aibei felt He Chenjiang’s words were a threat, even though he felt Lin Xiu might not care at all if the matter got out.
After listening, Lin Xiu turned and left.
Only then did Jiang Yu notice Lin Xiu wasn’t wearing his uniform, but a slightly formal suit. No wonder passersby were looking at them earlier.
Jiang Yu chased him to the school gate. Seeing Lin Xiu hailing a car, he asked, “Where are you going?”
Lin Xiu: “To pick him up.”
Jiang Yu: “Do you know where He Chenjiang’s house is?”
A taxi stopped in front of Lin Xiu. Lin Xiu opened the door and got in. “I know.”
Watching the taxi drive away, Jiang Yu was puzzled… Why would he know where He Chenjiang lives?
Inside the taxi, Lin Xiu looked out the window with a solemn expression.
He Chenjiang wasn’t stupid after all. He transferred to Class 1 probably because he realized Chi Aibei was different from the past. His repeated attempts to get the little fool to go home with him were likely to use his mother’s relationship to win Chi Aibei back.
Lin Xiu couldn’t say how good He Chenjiang’s mother was, because to him, the entire He family was disgusting. But she did treat Chi Aibei well. He wondered if the kid would soften his heart upon seeing her.
At the He residence.
Chen Su held Chi Aibei’s hand, praising him incessantly. “Xiao Bei is just too amazing, much more amazing than your brother Jiang Jiang.”
He Chenjiang had told Chen Su about Chi Aibei’s good exam results. At first hearing, Chen Su thought He Chenjiang was talking nonsense, but she soon accepted it. Unlike Chi Mother, who resented her son for failing to meet expectations, Chen Su wasn’t stingy with praise since he wasn’t her own son.
They say you don’t hit a smiling face, but facing Chen Su, Chi Aibei couldn’t bring himself to be close to her no matter what.
As someone with a god’s-eye view, Chi Aibei knew deeply that her gentleness was superficial; she was even worse than Chi Mother.
In the novel, she didn’t like Lin Xiu. Aside from Lin Xiu being male and unable to carry on the He family line, she looked down on Lin Xiu’s background even more.
Chi Aibei still remembered what Chen Su said to He Chenjiang: “It’s fine to keep him around for fun, but don’t bring him home to embarrass us.”
Chi Aibei suddenly pulled his hand back.
Chen Su paused. “Xiao Bei? What’s wrong?”
Chi Aibei pretended to rummage through his schoolbag. Seeing the phone he had thrown in there, he took it out. He accidentally lit up the screen and saw several messages. He thought they were from Di Zuo, but looking closely, he saw Lin Xiu’s name.
Chi Aibei hurriedly clicked into the chat.
Why did Lin Xiu send me so many messages?
Lin Xiu: [Are you at school? I’m coming to pick you up.]
Lin Xiu: [Where did you go?]
Lin Xiu: [Why aren’t you replying? Are you in the dorm?]
Lin Xiu: [Reply to my message.]
Lin Xiu: [I’m going to He Chenjiang’s house to pick you up.]
After reading the last one, the phone rang. Chi Aibei quickly answered, “Brother.”
On the phone, Lin Xiu said, “I’m here. Come out.”
Chi Aibei stood up and started walking out. Halfway there, he remembered he hadn’t taken his schoolbag and doubled back to get it.
He Chenjiang grabbed him. “Where are you going?”
Chi Aibei hadn’t hung up the phone. Out of politeness, he turned to Chen Su. “My brother is here to pick me up. I’m leaving now. Goodbye, Auntie.”
Chen Su stood up as well. “Wendong is here? Ask him to come in and sit.”
Chi Aibei: “It’s not my brother; it’s Brother Lin Xiu.”
Chen Su had heard the name Lin Xiu from Chi Mother. She said, “It’s the child sponsored by your family, right?”
Chi Aibei frowned and looked at He Chenjiang.
Why would Chen Su ask about Lin Xiu? If He Chenjiang hadn’t mentioned him in front of her, how could she know who Lin Xiu was? Thinking of He Chenjiang’s petty maneuvers behind his back, Chi Aibei squeezed his phone. He turned and left without even saying goodbye to Chen Su again.
Watching Chi Aibei start running after just two steps, He Chenjiang seemed to understand why Chi Aibei had said he was threatening him back at school.
Was it because of the word “sponsored”?
Did he care about Lin Xiu that much—care enough that he’d rather leave with him than risk him revealing to the whole class that Lin Xiu was sponsored by their family?
Even though just a short while ago, he was the one pestering him to go home with him.
…
Coming out of the He house, Chi Aibei immediately saw Lin Xiu standing at the gate, his shadow stretched long by the streetlamp.
“Brother!”
Lin Xiu’s suit jacket was open, revealing the white shirt underneath. Normally, people who didn’t wear suits often would look uncomfortable or out of place in one, but Lin Xiu didn’t. He looked like he was used to it; every gesture was perfectly appropriate.
The taxi was waiting nearby. Lin Xiu took the schoolbag from Chi Aibei’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Before getting in, Chi Aibei suddenly turned around, looking up at Lin Xiu, who was holding the car door. “Brother, I wanted to say this last time.”
Lin Xiu looked at him. “Say what?”
“You look really handsome in a suit!” After speaking, Chi Aibei scooted inside, making room for Lin Xiu to sit, naturally giving no chance for Lin Xiu to be modest. “Brother, how did you know I was here?”
Lin Xiu had been afraid he was suffering grievances at the He house. But seeing him looking completely aggrieved and even somewhat happy, Lin Xiu felt inexplicably uncomfortable. He got in the car. “Jiang Yu told me.”
Chi Aibei found it strange. How did Jiang Yu know where He Chenjiang lives?
Curiosity only existed for a split second in Chi Aibei’s mind. He couldn’t be bothered to think about unimportant things. “Brother, did you go to a business dinner with my brother tonight? Di Zuo sent me a photo. You went to eat with them? That Di Zuo, remember to stay away from him.”
Seeing him not mention He Chenjiang at all but keeping his mouth busy, Lin Xiu glanced at him. Was he chattering like this at He Chenjiang’s house too?
Lin Xiu said, “The one in contact with Di Zuo is you, not me.”
Chi Aibei wouldn’t take the blame for bad things. He said, “I didn’t contact him actively; he keeps messaging me.”
Lin Xiu: “Then delete him.”
Chi Aibei paused. “Huh?”
It wasn’t strange that Chi Aibei paused; Lin Xiu himself hadn’t expected to say something like that. He corrected himself, “Nothing.”
Chi Aibei felt Lin Xiu was acting a bit weird. He leaned over, extending his nose to sniff him. “Brother, did you drink?”
Lin Xiu turned his head to see Chi Aibei’s nose almost touching his neck. He reached out and pushed the approaching head away. “A little bit.”
Chi Aibei shouted in dissatisfaction, “How can my brother be like that? He has no sense of propriety. You’re still a high school student; how could he let you drink?”
Hearing Chi Aibei’s words, the taxi driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror. He hadn’t noticed at all that he was a high school student during the ride over, even though he had picked him up at the high school gate.
Chi Aibei shouted right into Lin Xiu’s ear, making Lin Xiu’s eardrum tingle. He covered Chi Aibei’s mouth with his hand. “Quiet down, ancestor. I’m not you; I don’t get drunk on a little bit.”
Chi Aibei narrowed his eyes, hugging Lin Xiu’s arm and grinning. “Get drunk, get drunk. If you get drunk, I can take care of you.” That way I can go home with him and not go back to school.
Lin Xiu lowered his eyes to look at him askance. He had seen through those little thoughts long ago. “Forget it. I’m not sending you back to school.”
Chi Aibei looked up abruptly. “I can go home with you?”
Lin Xiu: “Otherwise, why would I go to the school at night?”
Chi Aibei answered, “To pick me up.”
Lin Xiu hadn’t expected to come up empty on his first time picking someone up. “Yeah, and you weren’t there, and didn’t reply to messages. I thought you’d been sold.”
Chi Aibei let out a regretful “Ah.” “Brother, come pick me up tomorrow too. I’ll definitely be there.”
Lin Xiu turned his head away. “We’ll see.”
Chi Aibei puffed out his cheeks. “It’s all He Chenjiang’s fault, insisting I go to his house. I don’t like his mother at all.”
This was different from what Lin Xiu expected. Chi Aibei looked quite happy coming out of the He house; he thought he got along well with Chen Su. “His mother treats you badly?”
Chi Aibei felt the definition of good or bad wasn’t as simple as words. He said, “I don’t like people who look down on others just because their family has a bit of money.”
Lin Xiu had suspected he might be too sensitive sometimes, feeling that whatever Chi Aibei said was related to him. But as the person Chen Su had once looked down upon, hearing Chi Aibei’s words, he immediately connected it to himself.
Lin Xiu: “Who did she look down on?”
Chi Aibei looked at Lin Xiu, his eyes holding unconcealed sympathy. “There’s this person. He’s clearly very smart and very amazing, and he did so much for their family, but in the end, they just left him to die.”
Lin Xiu froze, looking at him in terror. “You—”
Suddenly, the driver slammed on the brakes. Chi Aibei slammed his head into the seat back in front of him.
The taxi driver turned back to ask, “You okay? A cat just ran across.”
A cat darting out at night, a black cat at that—the driver was startled too.
Lin Xiu reacted quickly and braced himself with his hand, so he was fine. He looked at Chi Aibei. “Chi—”
Chi Aibei lifted his head. His forehead was throbbing with pain. Just as he reached up to touch it, Lin Xiu grabbed his hand. “Don’t touch. It’s bleeding.”
He probably scraped it against a button on the headrest; there was a cut just above his eyebrow.
Lin Xiu: “Driver, to the hospital.”
The driver said, “There’s a clinic nearby.”
Lin Xiu: “No, to the hospital.”
On the way, Lin Xiu didn’t mention what happened earlier. He wasn’t an atheist; having experienced rebirth, he didn’t reject anything supernatural. As the saying goes, “Heavenly secrets must not be revealed.” Yet, just as he was about to ask Chi Aibei, a cat ran out.
Chi Aibei looked at Lin Xiu’s solemn expression. “Brother, did you have something to ask me just now?”
Lin Xiu simply helped him stop the bleeding with a tissue. Looking at it now, the wound didn’t seem very deep. Lin Xiu: “Nothing. Are you dizzy?”
Chi Aibei: “Not dizzy. Just feel a bit unlucky. Last time I got hit by the ball, it was in this spot too.”
Lin Xiu breathed a sigh of relief. “You finally got a smart brain; protect it well.”
If you hit it too many times and turn back into the little fool from before, what will we do?
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