Chapter 63: The Cannon Fodder in a Dogblood Novel (63)
Unknown how much time passed before Zhou Geng slowly stood up.
The light in the stairwell was dim, reflecting his face to appear even paler.
He took out his phone and sent a VX message to Shen Tangqing. Only three simple words: “I’m sorry.”
Perhaps apologizing for Lin Mu’s rashness.
Or perhaps apologizing for the despicable thoughts existing in himself.
He didn’t return to the dorm but went straight home.
When he arrived home, Zhou Shuli was leaning leisurely on the sofa, long legs crossed.
Not wearing gloves.
His fingers with distinct knuckles carelessly flipped through a finance magazine.
Seeing Zhou Geng, he was slightly stunned, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Usually, Zhou Geng was too lazy to run home and stayed at school. Why did he suddenly come back today?
He closed the magazine, brows slightly furrowed, tone carrying his customary coldness. “Why did you suddenly come back?”
Zhou Geng didn’t respond. With his head down, he walked to the sofa and sat next to Zhou Shuli.
Zhou Shuli: “…”
“Why crowd me? Sit on the other side.”
Zhou Geng’s heart choked, but he still shifted his butt to the side.
“Need to be so disgusted with me? I came back after showering.”
Zhou Shuli unhurriedly put on his gloves.
“Disgusted even if showered. Speak, what’s wrong? Lost the game?”
Zhou Geng automatically ignored the first half of Zhou Shuli’s sentenceā
In his eyes, Zhou Shuli’s mysophobia was carved into his bones. He wasn’t happy getting half a bit close to anyone, even family.
Fussing over this with him was asking for a snub.
“How did you know I had a game today?”
Zhou Shuli glanced at him and spoke indifferently. “I’m not a Qing Dynasty veteran (out of touch); I still check VB (Weibo).”
Only then did Zhou Geng remember he posted on VB yesterday.
“Didn’t expect Brother to pay quite a bit of attention to me.”
“Saw it by accident.” Zhou Shuli blocked Zhou Geng back with one sentence.
Zhou Geng: “…”
The air was quiet for a few seconds before Zhou Shuli spoke first.
“Speak, what exactly is wrong?”
Zhou Geng lowered his eyes. He didn’t know if he should tell his brother, but with his brother, he had a desire to confide and an instinctual dependence.
Growing up, no matter what matter it was, his brother could always give him very good advice or guidance.
After hesitating for a moment, he finally raised his eyes.
“Brother, Ah Mu confessed to Tang Tang today.”
Zhou Shuli’s originally cold face suddenly stiffened. A trace of astonishment flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a layer of undissolvable chill.
His hand gripping the magazine tightened. He asked word by word, “You said, Lin Mu confessed to Shen Tangqing?”
“Yes, but he was rejected by Tang Tang.” Zhou Geng didn’t notice Zhou Shuli’s abnormality and continued speaking on his own.
“Brother, I never felt I liked men before. But after Ah Mu confessed to Tang Tang, my heart felt so uncomfortable. I suddenly understoodāI also like Tang Tang…”
Zhou Shuli’s gaze was as deep as a deep pool, firmly locking onto Zhou Geng.
“You said, you also like Shen Tangqing?”
Zhou Geng’s originally somewhat pale face flushed with a thin redness because of this sentence.
If he had a bit of brain, he should have discovered his brother’s focus was wrong.
A normal reaction shouldn’t be shock that he liked men?
But the first sentence his brother asked was pursuing the matter of him liking Shen Tangqing…
However, obviously, Zhou Geng at this moment had no brain and still nodded foolishly.
“Yes, I like him. But he doesn’t like men. I didn’t think of confessing to him. I’m afraid that after confessing, I won’t even be able to be friends with him.”
Zhou Geng looked at Zhou Shuli, his expression carrying some confusion. “Brother, am I very cowardly?”
Zhou Shuli’s hand resting on his knee suddenly tightened. He lowered his eyes to avoid Zhou Geng’s confused gaze, his Adam’s apple rolling imperceptibly.
When he looked up again, that bit of loss of composure on his face was already covered by customary coldness.
“Cowardly about what?” His voice was lower than just now, carrying a trace of undetectable tension.
“For things without certainty, not doing them is rational.”
Pausing, he added with earnest advice,
“Little Geng, you haven’t been in a relationship. It’s very easy to mistake momentary impulse and brotherhood between friends for love. Don’t contact Shen Tangqing for this period. After some time, you’ll naturally forget.”
As soon as the voice fell, Zhou Geng hurriedly explained, “Brother, I’m not impulsive. I really like him.”
Zhou Shuli’s fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of his glove.
That was a small habit he had hidden for many years, only revealed when his emotions were out of control.
He looked up, his gaze calm as a pool of dead water, his voice colder than before.
“No? Have you thought that your so-called ‘liking’ is just getting used to having him around?”
He threw the magazine onto the table, making a light “smack” sound.
“If you really liked him, why didn’t you discover it earlier? Why realize it only after Lin Mu confessed? Is it possible that it’s just possessiveness between friends?”
Suddenly, he emphasized the two words (“possessiveness”) particularly heavily.
Zhou Geng froze for a moment. Although what his brother said seemed to make some sense, he knew clearly it wasn’t possessiveness, it was heart-throbbing!
He hadn’t thought in that direction before either. He just blindly wanted to be good to Shen Tangqing, wanted him to be happy…
“Brother, it’s not possessiveness, it’s really…”
Before the word “like” could be spat out, Zhou Shuli interrupted him. His tone betrayed no emotion but carried unquestionable resolution.
“Little Geng, getting married and having children, continuing the family line is the path you should take, understand?”
Zhou Geng’s face instantly turned white. Anxiously standing up from the sofa,
“Brother, I like men. How can I get married for the sake of continuing the family line? Isn’t that harming the girl? Besides, for continuing the family line, having you is enough…”
Zhou Shuli turned his head to look out the window.
Twilight had already flooded into the living room, tracing a cold and hard outline on his profile, hiding even that complex emotion in his eyes in the shadow.
“Little Geng, I can’t…” After Zhou Shuli finished speaking, he gave Zhou Geng a meaningful look.
“I also like men. Moreover, probably not long from now, you will have a sister-in-law (brother-in-law).”
Zhou Geng’s pupils contracted sharply, stiffening in place like the pause button was pressed, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
His mind was full of only one thoughtā
His brother actually likes men too!
In his heart, Zhou Shuli had been the pride of their parents since childhood, always walking the path planned by them.
He had thought his brother would choose a woman of equal social status to marry at the appropriate age, obeying their parents’ wishes.
At worst, it would still be marrying a woman.
After allāliking men was too outrageous. Placed on his brother, it shocked him too much.
Seeing Zhou Geng silent, Zhou Shuli returned his gaze to him, his voice carrying a huskiness soaked in twilight.
“Sit down and speak. Standing there like a telephone pole, blocking the light!”
Zhou Geng: “…”
He came back to his senses and sat down slowly, his expression still carrying some disbelief.
“Brother, you said I’m about to have a sister-in-law? Who is the sister-in-law? Do I know him?”
Zhou Shuli’s expression was somewhat inexplicable.
After a moment, he spoke faintly, “You know him. Don’t ask more. When the time is ripe, you’ll know.”
Zhou Geng: “…”
Still so mysterious…
However, he didn’t ask further.
He knew Zhou Shuli’s temper very well. For things he didn’t want to say, even if he wore his lips out, he wouldn’t spit out a single word!
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