Chapter 65
On the first day of winter break, Chi Aibei slept until noon. When he woke up, he saw two missed calls from Chi Wendong.
He called his brother back…
Chi Wendong picked up, his first words being, “You’re awake?”
“Mm,” Chi Aibei replied.
The reason there were only two missed calls was that after Aibei didn’t pick up, Wendong called Lin Xiu. Lin Xiu told him that Aibei was exhausted from reviewing and was still sleeping.
Chi Wendong wanted to take him and Lin Xiu out for a meal. On New Yearâs Day, he had noticed that both of them had lost weight. Having gone through it himself, Wendong knew how grueling the third year was, especially since Lin Xiu had to take care of Aibei as well.
Chi Aibei wanted hot pot. That evening, the three went to a hot pot restaurant. Chi Aibei told Chi Wendong that he would be moving to the Humanities class when next semester started.
Chi Wendong had no objections to the stream change. He had initially sent Aibei to Class 1 so Lin Xiu could watch over him, but now Aibei no longer needed a guardian. Though Wendong never asked, he could see that Aibei wasn’t a fool anymore.
“Ge, can I spend the winter break at Lin Xiu Gegeâs house?” Aibei asked. “Once school starts, I’ll be in Class 2. I won’t be able to be with him every day then.”
Chi Wendong placed a cooked shrimp ball into Aibei’s bowl. “You’re just not in the same class, not a different school. Why are you so clingy? Even people in ‘early love’ aren’t as mushy as you.”
Chi Aibei seemed triggered by a certain word and froze for a moment.
Lin Xiu glanced at him… Good. At least he doesn’t look like he’s about to say something outrageous.
Seeing Aibei fall silent, Chi Wendong suddenly had a bad premonition. He looked at Lin Xiu. The phrase “early love” had just slipped outâcould it be that the boy was actually in a relationship?
Recalling the scene he saw when he picked up Aibei on New Yearâs Day, Chi Wendong finally realized where that strange feeling came from. Could he be with Lin Xiu…?
“Ge, have you ever been in an ‘early love’?” Aibei asked.
The topic suddenly shifted to Chi Wendong. “I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen a pig run, haven’t I?”
“I think people in early love should be mushier than me,” Aibei said. “Otherwise, why would they date? Just to follow a trend?”
Lin Xiu couldn’t help but chuckle.
Chi Wendong looked at Lin Xiu. “What are you laughing at?”
Lin Xiu shook his head. “Nothing. I just feel like I’m not trendy enough.”
Hearing Lin Xiu, Aibei quickly added, “Gege, don’t follow that trend. Your studies are the priority right now. Thereâs plenty of time to find a partner once you’re in university.”
Based on the look Chi Wendong gave him earlier, Lin Xiu roughly guessed what he was thinking. Unfortunately, this younger brother of his had no intention of being “trendy.” He nodded. “Mm. True.”
Listening to their back-and-forth, Chi Wendong finally lowered his guard.
On second thought, with Lin Xiuâs serious personality, how could he take an interest in his flighty younger brother? If anything, it would be his brother falling for Lin Xiu first.
Chi Aibei didn’t go home for the winter break. Mother Chi asked about it once and, upon hearing he was with Lin Xiu, didn’t ask him to return.
It wasn’t until New Yearâs Eve that Chi Aibei received a call from Chi Wendong, saying Father Chi wanted them to come back.
“Us?” Aibei asked.
“You and Lin Xiu,” Wendong replied.
Chi Wendong didn’t know if Father Chi had found his conscience or if he just wanted to see Lin Xiu, but since it was the Lunar New Year, Wendong didn’t want Aibei to spend it outside alone.
Lin Xiuâs grandmother hadn’t been in good health lately. To avoid exhausting her, Lin Xiu hadn’t brought her home.
The house only had him and Chi Aibei. Hearing that Aibeiâs parents wanted them back for the New Year, Lin Xiu thought that no matter how bad they were, they were still his biological parents. So, he decided to accompany him.
This was his third time entering the Chi residence. As soon as they stepped inside, Chi Aibei noticed the house looked different from before. Chi Wendong noticed it too.
Chi Wendong asked the housekeeper, “Are we having guests today?”
“The Madam has invited several guests,” the housekeeper replied.
As for who the guests were, the housekeeper didn’t know.
Hearing there would be guests, Chi Aibei grabbed Lin Xiu to head upstairs, only to run into Mother Chi coming down.
Mother Chi was specifically dressed in a royal blue cheongsam with a fur shawl. She looked completely different from the previous times Aibei saw her in loungewear, as if she were about to attend a grand banquet.
Mother Chiâs gaze bypassed Chi Aibei and landed on Lin Xiu. “You’re here.”
Lin Xiu nodded. “Madam.”
“Come, sit,” Mother Chi said.
Chi Aibei didn’t let go of Lin Xiuâs hand. He had wanted to drag him upstairs, but with her words, he had to return to the living room with Lin Xiu.
Seeing Aibei sit beside Lin Xiu, Mother Chiâs smile tightened for a moment. She adjusted her expression and looked at Lin Xiu again. “I heard you did well again. First place?”
Mother Chi loved “first place” because the word gave her immense face when mentioned to others.
Throughout the conversation, she never once asked about Chi Aibeiâs grades or spoke to him. Even the one glance she gave him was full of disgust.
Chi Aibei didn’t mind. In fact, he was more afraid of them being warm toward him; that would affect his mindset as a bystander.
Mother Chi pulled Lin Xiu into a long conversation, asking about everything down to his ancestors. Chi Aibei couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and pulled Lin Xiu. “Gege, come upstairs with me.”
With Chi Aibei suddenly acting up, Mother Chi had no way to deal with the “fool,” so she let them go.
Back in the room, Chi Aibei closed the door and let out a “Tsk.”
Accustomed to his constant acting, Lin Xiu chuckled. He could see that Mother Chi didn’t like Aibei, but Aibei wasn’t any better. He showed his true nature in front of so many people, yet back at home, he put on the fool’s mask again.
Lin Xiu pinched Aibeiâs cheek. “Do you have a grudge against your own mother?”
Chi Aibei gave a toothy grin. He just didn’t want to meddle in unnecessary business. Since they had never been good to the original owner, heâas an outsiderâhad no need to fulfill filial duties, nor did he plan to change the original plot.
Chi Aibei and Lin Xiu played games in the room. After the exam results came out, Lin Yang had recognized the fact that Aibei had overtaken him. But the celebratory part was that he was still 9th in the grade. Perhaps motivated by Aibei, his scores had improved, and he consistently beat the original 8th-place student in every monthly exam.
Jiang Yu still hadn’t beaten Lin Xiu, which was why he planned to overtake him in the game. Since the break started, the four had picked up the game they had set aside and were currently battling it out in pairs.
Chi Aibei jumped off the bed. “Gege, I’m going to get some fruit.”
He wasn’t sure when dinner would be served, and he was getting a bit hungry. He ran downstairs and saw Mother Chi in the kitchen, directing the staff to prepare cake and drinks.
Chi Aibei frowned in distaste. Why eat cake on New Yearâs Eve? Was it someoneâs birthday?
Mother Chi turned and saw Aibei standing there. Uncharacteristically, she walked toward him.
Chi Aibei was about to bypass her to ask for fruit when he heard her say, “Guests will be arriving soon. Stay in your room and don’t come out.”
Aibeiâs footsteps paused. He tilted his head at her.
His gaze gave her a feeling of “I won’t listen to you.” Mother Chi frowned. “Did you hear me?”
He heard her, but whether he listened would depend on his mood. “Whoâs coming?” he asked.
Mother Chi wanted to say, “Why do you care? You wouldn’t understand even if I told you,” but to make him behave, she told him anyway. “Some guests who have business cooperations with the company.”
Chi Aibei looked puzzled. “Don’t they have their own homes? Why come to someone elseâs house for the New Year?”
“…” Mother Chi sighed. “In short, if you don’t want people to know that Lin Xiu is being sponsored by us, don’t come out!”
Chi Aibei shrugged. “If I don’t come out, then I don’t come out.”
Translator’s Note: “I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen a pig run” (沥ĺčżçŞčäšč§čżçŞčˇ) is a classic Chinese idiom meaning “I might not have personal experience, but I know how it works from observing.” Mother Chi is really showing her true colors here by trying to hide Aibei so as not to “embarrass” the family or damage Lin Xiu’s reputation. Also, “early love” (ćŠć) is a very specific term in China for any romantic relationship during middle or high school, which is strictly discouraged by parents and teachers. Happy reading!
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