“Brother Jiayu, you are here!”
The speaker was Shen Jiayu’s neighbor, Ye Jin, who had just finished his college entrance exams. He had naturally curly hair, brown eyes, and a very obedient look that made him resemble a puppy.
Shen Jiayu nodded at him. A waiter pulled back a chair, and he sat down.
Ye Jin smiled brightly. “Let us serve the food.”
The lighting in the restaurant was dim, with only floor lamps and faint lights above the dining tables. A complicated crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting cold and noble light. A white peacock stood on a rockery with its neck raised. Its feathers were pure, without a trace of impurity, shimmering with a delicate fluorescence in the dim light as if woven from the purest moonlight. Water flowed down the rockery and disappeared into the bamboo grove.
Waiters filed in to set the table. Several candles were placed on the table, their flickering light dancing in the gloom and casting hazy shadows. The wooden tables and chairs appeared ancient, marked by the passage of time, while exquisite dishes were placed upon them.
Shen Jiayu handed the beautifully packaged bag to Ye Jin. “Happy graduation.”
Ye Jin looked delighted and said sweetly, “Thank you, Brother Jiayu.” He took the box out of the bag and opened it impatiently. Inside lay a dazzling, exquisite, and luxurious white watch from the Fei family.
“Wow! I love it so much, thank you, Brother Jiayu.” Ye Jin immediately took off the watch he was wearing and put on the gift.
“Brother Jiayu, have you missed me? I have been thinking of you every day at school. Every time I wanted to come find you, my mother stopped me.” Ye Jin’s eyes shone brightly as he looked at Shen Jiayu, his smile revealing two cute dimples. “I wanted to apply to A-University too, but my parents forced me to study abroad. It is such a shame; I really wanted to be your junior.”
Shen Jiayu’s expression was indifferent. “Going abroad is quite good. A-University is not as perfect as you imagine.” He actually wanted to study abroad himself, but Shen Youlin would not give him the chance.
Ye Jin’s face dimmed. “It is such a pity. I worked so hard just to get into A-University. Now it will be very hard to see you again.”
“You can come back during the winter and summer breaks. I will always be here.”
At this moment, the waiter brought out a bottle of red wine and poured it into the tall glasses in front of the two.
“Try this, Brother Jiayu,” Ye Jin cupped his face, his gaze focused and affectionate, staring intensely at Shen Jiayu as if tracing his features with his eyes. “I put a lot of effort into getting this Romanée-Conti. I just wanted to taste it with you.”
The deep red liquid flowed into the transparent glass as smoothly as silk. Its mellow color resembled a deep ruby, and a rich fruity aroma mixed with a hint of spice wafted through the air.
Shen Jiayu took a small sip and praised, “It is very mellow.”
“Then let us have a drink to celebrate my high school graduation and escaping from the sea of bitterness.”
Ye Jin raised his wine glass, and Shen Jiayu touched it lightly. “I wish you a happy graduation.”
“Brother Jiayu, do you know why I wanted to go to A-University so much?” Watching Shen Jiayu drink the wine, Ye Jin’s eyes deepened and his smile grew even brighter. Before Shen Jiayu could answer, he continued, “Because I want to see you every day.”
Shen Jiayu did not speak. He knew this boy liked to cling to him.
Suddenly, his hand was covered by another. Shen Jiayu glanced at the position of the hand, then raised his eyebrows at Ye Jin. He did not pull away, but signaled with his eyes: what is the meaning of this?
“Brother Jiayu, did you know? I have liked you since I was a child, which is why I have followed you like a little tail every day.” Ye Jin smiled happily, his palm covering the entire back of Shen Jiayu’s hand, his thumb rubbing it slightly. “You also know that I am going abroad soon, and it will be difficult to see you, but I do not want you to forget me.”
Shen Jiayu felt that something was wrong with his body. He began to feel hot, and Ye Jin’s hand felt wet and scorching, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
“I studied so hard and tried to make myself excellent just to be closer to you. But I could never escape the influence of my family!” Ye Jin’s expression began to lose control, and he gripped Shen Jiayu’s hand tightly. “Brother Jiayu, I love you. Since I was twelve, or perhaps even earlier, I have longed to stand by your side and have you look at me.”
“Are you crazy? I am your brother!” Shen Jiayu pulled his hand away and stood up, feeling a bit dizzy. He felt entirely wrong; his heart was racing, and his skin was flushing red.
Ye Jin’s voice turned sharp. “So what? We are not related by blood! I have the right to love you!”
Shen Jiayu’s consciousness began to blur, and a surge of impulse rose within him. He looked at Ye Jin in disbelief. “You… what did you give me to drink?”
“I just wanted to love you, Brother Jiayu.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Shen Jiayu flipped the dining table over. Cups and plates shattered on the floor, the crashing sound echoing through the quiet restaurant.
He was now breathing rapidly, his body burning, and even his footsteps felt unsteady.
Ye Jin stepped forward to support him. “Brother Jiayu, just give me a chance. I love you so much; I wish I could tear my heart out and show it to you. I am willing to do anything for you.”
He shoved him away. “Get away from me! How could you do this to me?” Anger threatened to overwhelm Shen Jiayu. He felt a sense of surreal instability, followed by intense betrayal. The person he had treated as a younger brother since childhood had harbored such thoughts; it was ridiculous.
“If I do not do this, I will always be treated as your younger brother, but I do not want to be your brother! I would rather be your lover or your pet! As long as you look at me and touch me!”
Ye Jin stubbornly hugged his waist and helped him walk outside.
“Brother Jiayu, are you feeling very uncomfortable? It will be over soon; there is a room upstairs.”
Shen Jiayu was about to be swallowed by that wave of heat. Even with his blurred vision, he could tell there was no one else in the restaurant. This scoundrel Ye Jin had planned everything, just waiting for him to walk into the trap.
Shen Jiayu, in a fit of rage, gritted his teeth against the encroaching weakness. Using all his strength, he pushed Ye Jin away, knocking over nearby decorations. Then, using his last bit of strength, he dragged his disoriented body toward a window.
Fortunately, it was on the ground floor. Beyond the window lay the street. He only hoped that the eyes Shen Youlin had placed around him would discover him quickly and take him away. If he were to have relations with Ye Jin, he would genuinely want to kill himself.
Ye Jin, his face covered in blood, climbed out of the window and chased after him. “Brother Jiayu, stop struggling. You will not last long; this drug is very potent.”
Shen Jiayu stumbled toward the main road. He had never been so disheveled. At this moment, he felt limp and flushed crimson, his consciousness falling into the clouds. The world before his eyes was a vast expanse of white, and he could see nothing. Even his hearing began to fade, and he could only hear Ye Jin’s voice coming and going.
“Ha, I have got you now, Brother Jiayu.”
That soft voice now sounded like a demon. Shen Jiayu bit his lip, and blood flowed down the corner of his mouth, allowing him to maintain a moment of clarity.
He was about to be caught!
Damn it, Shen Jiayu felt overwhelmed by despair. In his current state, was he really only destined to be taken away by Ye Jin?
Just as Ye Jin was about to touch the corner of Shen Jiayu’s clothes, a deafening roar erupted from afar. A motorcycle, like a roaring beast, sped like lightning. It caught Shen Jiayu, who was on the verge of collapsing, by the waist, leaving behind a blurred afterimage.
“No, Brother Jiayu!”
Ye Jin could only watch in despair as Shen Jiayu was taken away before his eyes. He collapsed instantly, screaming heartbreakingly. How could this be? How could it be! He had been preparing for this since his first year of high school, even opening this restaurant personally, just for this day! Why? Why!
The mysterious man wearing a helmet had arms like iron bars, holding Shen Jiayu’s waist. The immense impact made Shen Jiayu dizzy, and his body suddenly took flight. Beside his ears, the wind whistled, stinging his face.
The man pulled Shen Jiayu in front of him, face to face.
Shen Jiayu, revived for a moment by the wind, looked at the man in black clothes and a helmet and asked, “Who are you?”
However, his voice was swallowed by the wind.
He wanted to struggle, but his body was completely limp; he could only lean softly against the solid arm. He felt as if he were being burned alive. The blood in his veins had turned into lava, ruthlessly scalding his internal organs, and even his breath carried sparks.
Feeling the cool touch beside him, his body, controlled by instinct, pressed his face against the man’s arm. The jacket, brushed by the cold wind, felt incredibly refreshing.
Just a few kilometers after speeding away, several cars appeared behind the black motorcycle, following closely.
The mysterious man pressed Shen Jiayu into his chest, pulled Shen Jiayu’s arm, and wrapped it around his own waist. Before Shen Jiayu could react, the motorcycle twisted its handle, accelerated, and sped away like a bullet leaving the chamber. Accompanied by the violent roar of the engine, it instantly tore through the air.
Shen Jiayu clutched the man’s clothes tightly in surprise. His head was pressed firmly against the chest of the man in the helmet. The cold temperature of the fabric transferred to him, and he found it unusually comfortable, unable to resist rubbing against it.