Chapter 11: Jealousy
Outside the window, a drizzle gradually began to fall—it was a rainy spring.
Shi He took the cake with one hand. His handsome, cold phoenix eyes followed suit and looked down; the pattern on the slice of cake was a cat’s ear.
Ruan Zhimian ran back into the crowd and stayed obediently by his family’s side, his smile soft and beautiful.
Shi He lowered his head expressionlessly. Pain began to radiate from both his ears, gradually spreading to his temples and rapidly doubling in intensity.
The arrival of this pain always accompanied rainy days and birthdays.
On a rainy day when he was ten, his father went missing, and his mother took him out alone. From that day on, Shi He never celebrated another birthday.
Without his hearing aid, he couldn’t hear a sound.
He would never be able to live like a normal person—it was like a curse, constantly warning him about what had happened because of him.
The black-haired, black-eyed Alpha sat in a corner. His complexion was pale as he slowly loosened the tie at his collar. His cold fingertips gripped the cold, shimmering fork as he nonchalantly pulled out a medicine bottle, poured some out, and swallowed them mechanically.
Shi He’s vision blurred, yet he was still looking at Ruan Zhimian.
The cake before him hadn’t been touched at all.
By the cake cart, Ruan Zhimian held the cake his cousin had given him. His dark eyes were sparkling as he ate very seriously—the little greedy cat.
Ruan Xubai had just seen Ruan Zhimian go to find Shi He. He put down his fork, not remembering Ruan Zhimian and Shi He having any interaction. “Mianmian, who did you just go to find?”
The Shi family had always been low-profile; Shi He appearing at the Ruan house was already very unexpected.
“Shi He.”
The “glutinous rice ball” lifted his head, ignored the context, and answered obediently, “Gege, I didn’t stand firmly on the stairs just now and almost fell. Shi He supported me.”
Ruan Xubai thought about it and realized it made sense; Mianmian didn’t have much opportunity to know Shi He.
He rubbed his brother’s head, his clear eyes exceptionally gentle. “Our Mianmian is twenty. You should be happy at twenty too. If anything happens, find Gege.”
Ruan Xubai was four years older than Ruan Zhimian. After his mother’s divorce, he had lived abroad with her since childhood and was always ahead in everything.
A few years ago, Ruan Zhimian and Ruan Xubai had studied abroad together, and Ruan Xubai usually took care of him. Although they were cousins, they had a very good relationship.
However, as Ruan Zhimian grew older, he wasn’t as clingy to him as he was when he was little.
“Gege, you’re too busy with work. You need to get more rest.”
Ruan Xubai gave a response. When he arrived, he actually hadn’t seen Han He’an; he only just found out that Han He’an had been kicked out by Ruan Zhimian.
Although Ruan Zhimian’s parents were satisfied with Han He’an, Ruan Xubai looked down on him and never stopped trying to persuade them to break up. “Mianmian, take this opportunity to break up with Han He’an.”
Ruan Zhimian lowered his small head and answered in a muffled voice.
“I’ll think about it some more.”
He couldn’t agree right now.
In Ruan Xubai’s eyes, he looked completely infatuated with Han He’an. He really couldn’t understand how his cute brother had become such a “love brain.” He tapped Ruan Zhimian’s head helplessly. “You, oh you.”
Teng Yu protected Ruan Zhimian. “Ruan Xubai, you have to let Mianmian think for himself. He’s grown up; he can’t listen to you for everything.”
Ruan Xubai folded his arms. “Have you ever been in a relationship?”
Teng Yu was indignant and replied in a low voice, “You have been in one, you’re so great.”
Teng Yu didn’t dare say the next sentence aloud, only muttering in his heart that the result of Ruan Xubai’s relationship with his brother wasn’t good either—what was he teaching Mianmian?
Ruan Zhimian was caught in the middle, looking at Ruan Xubai and then at Teng Yu.
“Gege is great, and A-Yu is also great.”
The rain gradually got heavier, and guests began to leave one after another.
Jian Wenshu walked back from the door. He came over holding a gift box and handed it to Ruan Zhimian personally. “Happy birthday.”
“Thank you, Senior.”
Ruan Zhimian took the box and opened it at Jian Wenshu’s gesture. It was a very cute rabbit plush toy that felt great to the touch and could be hung on zippers and keys.
Jian Wenshu wore a white suit, a shallow smile lifting the corners of his lips. He gave off a comfortable feeling, like a gentle breeze in spring. “A small gift. I hope you like it.”
“Zhimian, I’m very happy to see you today.”
Clutching the little rabbit plush in his palm, Ruan Zhimian’s eyes curved. “Thank you. This gift is very cute; I like it very much.”
By the floor-to-ceiling window not far away, Shi He leaned against a pillar.
He toyed with the cat hairclip in his palm. Listening to the conversation, his cold, sickly eyes tilted up as he watched the rain getting heavier outside.
Like it very much?
Baby, there are too many people around you.
…
Jian Wenshu didn’t stay; he had to return to school to continue rushing his thesis. He bid Ruan Zhimian farewell and left the Ruan residence.
Bean-sized raindrops pelted the glass, and the sky turned dark.
For many people, it was natural white noise.
These rains, to Shi He, were an injury.
He remembered Qiuqiu telling him that Shi He meeting the protagonist, Su Ning, in the later manga plot was because of a heavy rainstorm.
“Butler, has Shi He left?”
“Young Master, I didn’t see him leave. The Shi family’s car is still parked outside.”
The rain got heavier and heavier. Ruan Zhimian looked over the sparse hall, trying to find traces of Shi He. He turned back, his soft voice sounding serious. “Find Shi He.”
Ruan Zhimian walked down the stairs. He searched every corner of the hall and even used his phone to call Shi He.
Finally, he saw a familiar black back on the terrace extending outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Shi He.”
The S-grade high-level Alpha was standing in the rain, his clothes almost soaked through.
Rainwater dripped down. His skin was devoid of color. The hearing aid on his ear had been taken off at some point and placed on the table under the eaves.
Ruan Zhimian ran to him with an umbrella, blocking the falling rain. He was a bit at a loss, his heart feeling blocked and his eyes turning red.
“Shi He, where do you feel unwell?”
…
At that moment, Shi He’s entire world was both noisy and quiet.
Ruan Zhimian, just feel distressed for me, okay?
Recommended Reads
![Enemies on a Narrow Road [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/enemies-on-a-narrow-road-214x300.jpg)
