Chapter 219: Dreams and Names
Another dream.
That sensation of being pulled into a freefall surged up again, but this time, Shen Shuyu seemed to be anchored to a specific body, unlike before when he viewed things from a third-person perspective.
This time, it was first-person.
Shen Shuyu felt “his” body running, as if some monstrous beast were chasing him from behind. His body was small, making everything he looked at seem towering and immense.
At a corner, he collided with someone. His body tilted backward from the inertia. With tears welling in his eyes, before he could even look up to see who he had hit, he felt himself being easily lifted by his armpits. “Little Radish, why are you running so fast?”
Little Radish? Is he talking to me?
Only then did Shen Shuyu see clearly who was holding him. It was Yue Cheng. At this age, he should have just started middle school, and there was still a bit of baby fat on his face. He was grinning as he shifted his gaze toward the children who had been chasing Shen Shuyu.
Yue Cheng knew those kids; they were fourth-graders who, relying on their family connections, spent their days either skipping class or sleeping, acting like little thugs.
Holding Shen Shuyu, Yue Cheng said, “So you’re the ones who keep chasing my brother?”
They were bold, and seeing Yue Cheng alone, they naturally weren’t afraid.
Yue Cheng set Shen Shuyu aside. “Go hide for a bit.”
Shen Shuyuās backside still hurt from the fall, but hearing Yue Chengās words, he obediently ran to the side to hide.
Yue Cheng stretched his limbs. “Want to fight? Well, I don’t believe in being ‘kind to children’.”
Relying on their numbers, the group of fourth-graders swarmed forward. But no matter how tough they were, they were no match for Yue Cheng, who had received formal training. Yue Cheng subdued them almost effortlessly, leaving them all teary-eyed.
Yue Cheng said slowly, “If I ever see you bullying other students again, it won’t just be tears next time.”
After he finished his threat, the others all cried and admitted their wrongs. Seeing them apologize, Yue Cheng let them leave.
He then turned around. Shen Shuyu was still hiding over there, watching him. Yue Cheng beckoned. “Come here.”
Shen Shuyu walked over. Yue Cheng squatted down and asked, “What’s your name?”
Shen Shuyu opened his mouth and said, “Shen Shuyu.”
“Shen Shuyu?” Yue Cheng asked. “Which ‘Yu’?”
“The ‘Yu’ from ‘Great wisdom appears like folly’ (Dazhi Ruoyu).” Shen Shuyu explained, “Daddy, Mommy, and Big Brother said they want me to learn the methods of ‘great wisdom appears like folly’ from books.”
Yue Cheng laughed heartily. “Not bad, it sounds nice. Is your brother Shen Yisi?”
Shen Shuyuās eyes widened. “Big brother, how did you know? Are you my brother’s classmate?”
Yue Cheng picked him up again. “Yeah. Your brother talks about having a cute little brother all day long. Seeing you today, you really are quite cute. Did your bottom hurt when you fell just now?”
“It hurt.” Hearing that Yue Cheng was his brother’s classmate, Shen Shuyu let down his guard significantly. He hooked one arm around Yue Chengās neck. “Big brother, did it hurt when I hit you?”
“It hurt me too,” Yue Cheng said. “How about we go eat something to make it stop hurting? I’ll treat you to ice cream, okay?”
“Big brother, let me treat you. Thank you for helping me chase them away.” Shen Shuyu was very well-behaved as he was carried. He added, “I have a lot of pocket money. Mommy and Daddy give me some, and Big Brother gives me some too.”
“No wonder they were chasing you for money.” Yue Cheng let out a light chuckle.
In the end, Yue Cheng paid for the ice cream. Not only did he pay, but he also walked Shen Shuyu home. Only then did Shen Shuyu realize they lived very close by, in the same residential area.
When they arrived home, Shen Yisi was also back. Seeing Shen Shuyu with ice cream all over his mouth, he asked, “Why are you back so late today? Did the driver not pick you up?”
Shen Shuyuās school wasn’t far from home; he occasionally walked to and from class with classmates, but today he was exceptionally late.
Shen Yisi took him to wash his hands and face before saying, “Mom and Dad are at the company today and won’t be back. What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
As Shen Yisi spoke, he helped him take off his dirty clothes. He frowned. “Why are your clothes so dirty today?”
Shen Shuyu mumbled, “Someone was chasing me to give him money.”
Hearing this, Shen Yisi instantly became angry. Although he was only in middle school at the time, the aura he had cultivated since childhood was already present.
He asked, “Who?”
Shen Shuyu was startled and instinctively blurted out, “Yue… Yue Cheng…”
He had only said the name when he saw his brother, filled with rage, dress him back up properly and then run outside while carrying him.
Shen Shuyu was dazed. He asked, “Big brother, where are we going?”
“To find Yue Cheng,” Shen Yisi said coldly.
Shen Shuyu gave a slow “Oh.” He thought they were going to thank Yue Cheng-gegeānot only for chasing away the bad classmates but also for the ice cream.
Shen Shuyu obediently hooked his arms around Shen Yisiās neck, letting his brother take him to find Yue Cheng.
Soon, they arrived at Yue Chengās house. Shen Yisi set Shen Shuyu aside, rang the doorbell, and then looked down. “Xiao Yu, hide for a bit.”
Why hide?
Shen Shuyu didn’t understand, but listening to his brother was never wrong. He nodded. “Okay!”
Just as he answered, Yue Cheng opened the door. Seeing Shen Yisi at the entrance, he was a bit confused. “Why are you here?”
But then he reconsidered; perhaps Shen Shuyu had told him about the help he’d provided. He said, “I told you, there’s no needā”
Before he could finish, Shen Yisi swung a punch. His reactions were fast, but he was still grazed by the fist.
Yue Cheng cried out, “Shen Yisi, are you insane?”
But Shen Yisi had already entered the house. “You’re the one bullying my brother and asking him for money, right? Yue Cheng, you actually have the guts to bully my family?”
He grabbed Yue Cheng by the collar. Yue Cheng, now agitated from being hit, didn’t even hear what Shen Yisi was saying and swung his own fist back. The two of them began scuffling right there in Yue Chengās entryway.
Shen Shuyu was bewildered seeing his two big brothers fighting and instinctively began to wail loudly.
Hearing the crying, the two men who had been caught in the heat of the moment finally snapped out of it. Shen Yisi hurriedly let go of Yue Cheng and walked over. “Baby, don’t cry. Don’t cry, don’t cry.”
Shen Shuyu asked between sobs and hiccups, “Big brother, why are you hitting Yue Cheng-gege? Waaaah.”
Shen Yisi was stunned. “Wasn’t he the one bullying you?”
Yue Cheng had also recovered. He cursed under his breath and then said, “Shen Yisi, do you have a pig’s brain? Why on earth would I need to bully a first-grade little radish?”
Shen Shuyu continued to hiccup through his tears as he explained, “It was Yue Cheng-gege who helped me chase away the bad classmates. Waaaah.”
Shen Shuyu had been the apple of the family’s eye since birth. When had he ever seen such a violent scene? He was simply terrified.
Yue Cheng sighed. “Stop crying, stop crying. we were just playing around.”
Shen Yisi also understood the full story from Shen Shuyuās muffled explanation. He picked Shen Shuyu up and cooed to him for a long time, but the boy wouldn’t stop.
Yue Cheng rolled his eyes. “Let me hold him.”
Shen Yisi pursed his lips but still handed Shen Shuyu over. Yue Cheng seemed to have many little tricks for amusing children. Within a few sentences, he had Shen Shuyu calmed down. He glanced at Shen Yisi and, without holding a grudge, said, “Close the door.”
Shen Yisi closed the door, feeling quite guilty for hitting the wrong person.
Yue Cheng was home alone. The freshly made dinner on the table showed that he had only taken a single bite of rice.
Shen Yisi hadn’t just hit the wrong person; he had interrupted the man’s meal.
He asked, “Where are your parents?”
Yue Cheng was currently getting a small cookie for Shen Shuyu. “Busy at the hospital. Have you guys eaten?”
Shen Shuyu said obediently, “No.”
Yue Cheng looked at Shen Yisi and let out a cold laugh. “Great. You haven’t even eaten and you’re already here to beat me up.”
Shen Yisi lowered his head and cleared his throat lightly. Yue Cheng said, “What are you just standing there for? Eat with me.”
The nanny had prepared food for his parents today, but since they couldn’t make it back due to a sudden surgery, it worked out for the two arrivals.
Yue Cheng truly had a good temper. Shen Yisi cleared his throat and said, “I’m sorry. Also, thank you for what you did for my brother.”
Yue Cheng pinched Shen Shuyuās cheek. “For the sake of your cute little brother, I’ll let it slide.”
Shen Shuyu nibbled on a cookie while sitting in Yue Chengās lap and nodded. “Okay, don’t blame Big Brother.”
Shen Yisi nodded. “Mn.”
Shen Shuyu looked at the two older brothers beside him and blinked. Suddenly, the scene shifted.
This time, he wasn’t sitting on Yue Cheng. Instead, he was back in the third-person perspective.
He stood beside Yue Cheng and Shen Yisi. Both of them looked much more mature now. Both had inhibitor patches on their napes; they had both already differentiated into top-tier Alphas.
Yue Cheng was wearing a medical studentās coat. He asked, “Xiao Yu has been acting a bit strange lately. Has his fever still not gone down?”
Shen Yisi replied, “No.”
Shen Yisi seemed to remember something and said slowly to his friend, “But today, he said he wanted to change his name.”
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