Chapter 61
During the last few days of the holiday, He Chenjiang and Chen Su came to visit the Chi residence.
After staying for half the day without seeing a trace of Chi Aibei, Chen Su asked, “Is Xiao Bei not at home?”
He Chenjiang had been glancing toward the second floor the entire time. He also wanted to know if Chi Aibei was truly out or if he was intentionally hiding to avoid him.
Knowing it was summer vacation, Mother Chi had specifically left the house to avoid seeing Aibei, only returning two days ago. Since her return, she hadn’t seen him either. “He’s probably out playing.”
“I heard from Chenjiang that Xiao Bei did quite well on his exams this time,” Chen Su remarked.
Mother Chi had zero expectations for Chi Aibei’s scores. In her mind, “doing well” probably meant scoring a few extra pointsāpoints so negligible they wouldn’t even raise her blood pressure.
However, she wouldn’t show her distaste for Chi Aibei in front of others. She smiled and said, “Is that so? Wendong didn’t mention anything.”
He Chenjiangās brow furrowed.
Chi Aibeiās results had been excellent lately. It was impossible for the school not to have notified Chi Wendong. Why was Chi Wendong keeping it a secret? What was his goal?
Chi Wendong happened to return at that moment. Seeing Chen Su and He Chenjiang, he offered a greeting.
“Why are you back at this hour?” Mother Chi asked.
“School starts in two days. I’m here to pick up some things for Xiao Bei,” Chi Wendong replied.
Mother Chi didn’t really want to hear about Chi Aibei. Hearing that he was only back to fetch items for him, she stopped asking.
Chen Su, however, pressed on. “Where did Xiao Bei go? Tell him to come back early. Itās been a while since Iāve seen him; I quite miss him.”
Chi Wendong said, “Heās staying at a friendās house. He hasn’t been back lately.”
Chen Su was stunned and glanced at Mother Chi. “What do you mean ‘hasn’t been back’?”
Mother Chi was also in the dark and looked toward Chi Wendong.
When Chi Wendong explained that Chi Aibei hadn’t come home for the entire summer break, Mother Chi was momentarily dazed. She hadn’t expected Aibei to simply stay away. But saying this in front of Chen Su made her look like an irresponsible mother. She shot Chi Wendong a warning glare.
Since Chen Su had started the topic, seeing Mother Chiās completely oblivious state made her feel quite awkward.
Chi Wendong shut his mouth and headed upstairs.
He Chenjiang followed him and blocked his path. “Why didn’t you tell them about Chi Aibeiās exam results?”
Chi Wendong stared at He Chenjiang. Toward the culprit who had whispered poison into Chi Aibeiās ear since childhoodāthe reason the little fool went from calling him “Gege” to hiding from himāChi Wendong felt more loathing than anyone else.
Seeing him remain silent, He Chenjiang asked again, “Why aren’t you speaking? Are you keeping him away because you’re afraid they’ll find out Chi Aibei isn’t a fool anymore?”
Chi Wendong straightened his posture. “And why would I do that?”
He Chenjiang grabbed him by the collar. “Then why not tell them his grades? Whatās the meaning of keeping him outside and not letting him come home? Chi Wendong, put away your ambition. You know better than anyone that everything you have now is because Chi Aibei is a fool. But he isn’t a fool now. Sooner or later, you’ll have to give all of this back to him!”
Chi Wendong didn’t mind giving everything to Chi Aibei. On the contrary, everything he did was to better care for his brother. Looking at the “righteous” He Chenjiang, Chi Wendong pushed his hand away. “And so? What exactly is the reason for your anger?”
Chi Wendong looked refined and scholarly, but his actual strength was greater than He Chenjiang had anticipated.
Chi Wendong adjusted his collar. “As far as I know, youāve never liked Xiao Bei. You toyed with him for fun when you were happy and told him to get lost when you weren’t. Of course, he was a fool then; he didn’t understand.”
He Chenjiang gritted his teeth. “Heās not a fool!”
Chi Wendongās lenses glinted slightly. “Yes. He isn’t anymore.”
He Chenjiang: “…”
He Chenjiang automatically finished the unsaid words in his mindāYes, he isn’t a fool anymore, so he left.
Back when Chi Aibei was a fool, He Chenjiang often vented his frustrations on him and told him to get lost. But he never did. Now that he wasn’t a fool, he had “gotten lost” completely.
Now that their relationship had been unilaterally severed by Chi Aibei, they were strangers. At least to Chi Aibei, they had no connection.
Chi Wendong looked at the now groundless He Chenjiang. “I am his brother. Even if the Chi family is gone, even if he doesn’t acknowledge meāas long as I persist, that point will never change.”
When they were younger, He Chenjiang couldn’t stand Chi Wendong being kind to Aibei. So, he frightened Aibei, telling him that Chi Wendong was there to steal his thingsāthat once Wendong took everything, he would beat, scold, and abuse him. The little fool believed everything back then and gradually grew distant from Chi Wendong.
Hearing Chi Wendong say such words now, He Chenjiang wanted to argue, but he couldn’t find the words.
This guy… he isn’t even Chi Aibeiās biological brother!
“Not telling them about Xiao Beiās grades or his absence… those were all Xiao Beiās own ideas,” Chi Wendong added, as if answering He Chenjiangās initial question. Having said that, he turned and walked away.
He Chenjiang gritted his teeth. “Where is he now?”
Without looking back, Chi Wendong replied, “A classmate’s house.”
He Chenjiang already knew the answer even as he asked. Where else could he go? Other than Lin Xiuās house, where else could he possibly be?
…
In truth, Chi Aibei had plenty of places to go. After the basketball game, he went to Qi Yuanās house with Lin Xiu. The next day, he went to the boxing gym and the nursing home. He even went to a water park with the basketball team. Currently, he and Lin Xiu were at Lin Yangās house.
Lin Yangās mother was an exceptionally gentle woman. Seeing Lin Yang dragging Chi Aibei to play games, her only scolding was a soft, “Don’t ruin your eyes.”
Lin Yangās father was also humorous and an excellent cook.
Coming out of Lin Yangās house after dinner, Chi Aibei suddenly sighed while waiting for a car.
“Why are you sighing?” Lin Xiu asked.
“I’m jealous that Lin Yang has such great parents,” Chi Aibei replied.
Thinking of Aibeiās parents, Lin Xiu was about to offer some comfort when he heard Aibei say, “Unlike us. No mom, no dadājust two orphans.”
Lin Xiu didn’t know how a single meal had scrambled the kid’s brains again to make him talk such nonsense. “…You actually have parents.”
Chi Aibei was long past the age of crying for his parents. Seeing Lin Yangās family today just made him feel sentimental. “I did have them once. Back then, I was a happy child.”
Lin Xiu could sense that he was truly reminiscing about something, yet he didn’t understand what it was. He pressed down on Aibei’s head. “Behave. Stop being weird.”
Chi Aibei looked up and comforted Lin Xiu in return. “Gege, don’t be sad. Once we get into university, I’ll have my brother rent us an apartment. I’ll learn how to cook then.”
This talk made no sense to Lin Xiu. Who was sad? The one who looked sad was clearly Aibei himself.
Lin Xiu asked, “Why learn to cook?”
Chi Aibei replied, “I can’t let you lose to Lin Yang.”
Lin Xiu had a bad premonition. The next second, he heard Aibei say, “Lin Yangās dad cooks so well. In the future, I’ll alsoāMmphā”
Lin Xiu clamped a hand over his mouth.
He was seriously done! Who did he want to cook for? Why did he love acting like people’s father so much?!
Chi Aibei was held in a lock from behind by Lin Xiu. He couldn’t struggle free or speak, his hands flailing in the air.
Lin Xiu tightened his arm. “Trying to rebel?”
Chi Aibei shook his head.
Lin Xiu was speechless. “Trying to be my dad?”
Chi Aibei nodded, then quickly shook his head.
Lin Xiu was so annoyed he laughed. He let go of Chi Aibei. “I didn’t realize you had such ambitions.”
Chi Aibei retreated to a safe distance out of Lin Xiuās reach and whispered, “One must have dreams, after all.”
Lin Xiu: “…”
Your dream is to be my father?
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