Shu Guofen was truly proud of this son.
Shu Ci was also genuinely happy for his brother. But that positive emotion was quickly worn down by the title “the champion’s younger brother.”
Relatives who visited called him that. Classmates and teachers called him that too.
He would press his lips together and smile at everyone, not daring to show any dissatisfaction, pretending he didn’t care.
Only Lu Xianyan, from beginning to end, called him Shu Ci.
When did he start clinging to Lu Xianyan?
He remembered the time a group of reporters blocked him at the school gate. Microphones were practically shoved into his face. It was Lu Xianyan who stepped forward and firmly shielded him behind his back.
The top student who was always polite and well-mannered didn’t even use honorifics that time. His voice sounded icy cold.
They stood very close. Shu Ci could hear the rumbling vibration from Lu Xianyan’s chest.
“Can’t you see he doesn’t want to?”
“Move aside.”
…
Buzz—
Two WeChat messages popped up.
Shu Ci snapped back to his senses and opened them.
Lu Xianyan: [Have you arrived?]Lu Xianyan: [Image.jpg]
Shu Ci widened his eyes.
It was a photo of the kitten. It looked much bigger than the one he’d seen earlier on Moments.
He asked: [Did you adopt a cat?]
Lu Xianyan: [My cousin’s.]
Shu Ci suddenly understood: [You went to her place to see the cat?]
Lu Xianyan: [Do you want to come?]
Shu Ci felt a bit regretful. Why did Lu Xianyan always choose to go when he wasn’t around?
[Wait for me to come back.]
Lu Xianyan: [No need.]Lu Xianyan: [I’m in Jiangcheng.]
Shu Rong was preparing ingredients in the kitchen when he saw his younger brother walk out of the bedroom.
He looked a little healthier this year compared to last.
His complexion was good too.
Shu Rong brought over a plate of fruit. Whether he wasn’t hungry or it didn’t suit his taste, Shu Ci barely touched it. Instead, he kept glancing toward the balcony, as if waiting for someone.
Shu Rong suddenly had the uneasy feeling that his younger brother was about to be lured away by some punk with dyed yellow hair.
—Ten minutes later, that “yellow-haired punk” arrived.
He wasn’t actually blond. He was riding a flashy motorcycle.
Shu Ci, however, was thrilled. His eyes sparkled. He seemed to think the motorcycle looked extremely cool. After the rider parked downstairs, Shu Ci immediately began looking for an excuse to go out.
“A friend wants to meet up. I’ll just go for two hours. I’ll come back tonight to eat and rest.”
Shu Rong didn’t want to agree.
But Shu Ci looked too obedient and well-behaved. He couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
“I just happen to need to take out the trash,” Shu Rong said.
Sensing his brother’s concern, Shu Ci took the initiative to introduce Lu Xianyan while they were heading downstairs, to prove he wasn’t hanging around with bad people.
“We’ve been classmates for many years. He’s really good at studying and often helped me with homework.”
Of course, he didn’t mention that they were currently living together.
As soon as he reached the ground floor, Shu Ci saw the cool motorcycle Lu Xianyan had mentioned in WeChat. It looked even cooler than he had imagined.
He immediately jogged over, circling it excitedly and touching the handlebars.
His slender back looked like a little bird fluttering with joy.
Shu Rong hadn’t seen that side of him in many years.
“How did you make it sound like I was some idiot who’d be lured away by a motorcycle?” Shu Ci pouted. “You must be remembering wrong.”
Lu Xianyan replied, “Then Zhou Mingran and I lost.”
Shu Ci coughed lightly. “Well… that definitely wasn’t my fault.”
Lu Xianyan didn’t say whose fault it was. He simply continued, “Zhou Mingran asked if you liked the type of guy who was the sports committee member. You said you liked his motorcycle. That you’d like whoever had a bike.”
Shu Ci froze.
That… actually did sound vaguely familiar.
But in his memory, it had been Zhou Mingran and Lu Xianyan who lost some competition and, in frustration, cornered him and demanded to know if he was fickle.
Zhou Mingran was always lively and teasing. Whenever he joked like that, Lu Xianyan usually stood on Shu Ci’s side.
But that time, Lu Xianyan had looked even more displeased than Zhou Mingran. His tall figure had blocked out the light entirely.
Thinking about it now, Shu Ci muttered in complaint, “You were really fierce back then.”
Lu Xianyan paused. “Fierce?”
Shu Ci thought for a moment. “You’re so tall. When you put on a straight face, it’s really scary.”
Lu Xianyan considered this. “Then I won’t keep a straight face around you in the future.”
He relaxed his facial muscles. “How about now?”
“Now it’s good.”
Shu Ci secretly thought he looked a little silly, but he praised him anyway.
Perhaps that comment worked. Lu Xianyan didn’t bring up the “whoever has a motorcycle” topic again. He turned around, rechecked Shu Ci’s helmet, and stepped on the pedal.
The engine roared.
It sounded cool, but Lu Xianyan drove too steadily. There was none of the thrilling, wind-in-your-face feeling.
Besides, their houses weren’t far apart. They arrived in just a few minutes.
Seeing Shu Ci wasn’t fully satisfied, Lu Xianyan said he’d let him try riding later if there was time.
Only then did Shu Ci’s brows relax.
He looked at the detached villa in front of him. It felt just like Lu Xianyan—cold and quiet.
Lu Xianyan’s parents stayed abroad for long periods and were rarely home.
Shu Ci had visited here during high school, but not often. The place was too boring—filled with heavy-looking books everywhere.
Most of the time, he preferred going to Zhou Mingran’s house to play video games. Only when vacations were about to end would he bring snacks to Lu Xianyan’s house and coax him into helping with homework.
Thinking about it now, Lu Xianyan had really indulged him.
After entering, there was a child sitting in the living room doing homework, brows furrowed. When he saw Shu Ci, he glanced over indifferently.
The child was Lu Xianyan’s cousin’s son. He called Shu Ci “gege” once before lowering his head again to continue studying.
That expression…
Shu Ci felt like he was looking at a miniature version of Lu Xianyan.
Lu Xianyan led Shu Ci into his room, and he finally got to see the cat.
The tabby was bigger than in the photo, heavy in his arms. It was at that sleepy age, very obedient and not afraid of people at all. It purred softly in Shu Ci’s embrace.
Shu Ci happily stroked its soft pink paw pads, poking them with his finger. “Look, Xiao Xing’s paw pads are so pink.”
Lu Xianyan didn’t know what he was thinking of, but his ears suddenly turned red.
If he stayed any longer, he would really want to kiss Shu Ci.
Lu Xianyan went to get drinks and fruit. While petting the cat, Shu Ci looked around the room.
It was the same as before.
Full of books.
He quickly lost interest and withdrew his gaze.
Not long after, light footsteps approached. Shu Ci looked up—it was Lu Xianyan’s little nephew.
The child coolly called him “gege,” then
pointed at the bookshelf in Lu Xianyan’s room.
“Can you help me get that book?”