“I am jealous!” Shen Zhinian said, letting go of Bo Chengjing’s hand.
Bo Chengjing smiled, ruffled his hair, and said, “How old are you, throwing a child’s temper tantrum?”
“No matter how old I am, I am still your younger brother.”
Bo Chengjing blinked lightly. “Mm, younger brother.”
“Then you cannot distance yourself from me anymore in the future.”
“I did not.”
“Look into my eyes, put your hand over your heart, and say those words again.” Shen Zhinian stared directly into his eyes.
Bo Chengjing fell silent.
“So, give me a reason.”
Bo Chengjing looked at him and still said nothing.
Shen Zhinian frowned and then declared, “If you do not speak, I am going to make a scene.”
Bo Chengjing smiled. “How are you going to make a scene?”
Shen Zhinian propped himself up on the bed, but because the numbness in his legs had not worn off yet, he wobbled and started to pitch forward.
Bo Chengjing quickly caught him, pulling him securely into his arms.
Shen Zhinian sat down on the edge of the bed and, feeling how strong Bo Chengjing’s grip was, confirmed that he had indeed recovered.
“Hiss.” Shen Zhinian sat at the edge, massaging his legs. “Crap, they have lost all feeling. You are going to have to take care of me.”
Unfeelingly, Bo Chengjing patted his leg.
“Ow.” Shen Zhinian fell backward straight into Bo Chengjing’s lap. “Help! Someone is committing murder on my legs!”
Bo Chengjing:
Shen Zhinian simply lay down and refused to get back up.
After a moment, Bo Chengjing said, “Get up.”
“I will not.”
“Aren’t your lower back and waist hurting?”
His knees were pressing right against Shen Zhinian’s lower back, making him afraid to move.
“I am young, my lower back is fine.” Shen Zhinian raised an eyebrow.
“Is that so?” Bo Chengjing reached out and struck his leg again. “So who exactly are you calling old?”
Shen Zhinian sat right back up. “Even when I am old, my lower back will still be fine.”
Bo Chengjing ignored his comment.
Shen Zhinian looked at him. “So, where is your explanation?”
“I do not want to explain. Go ahead and make a scene.”
Shen Zhinian frowned and stared at him, his expression practically screaming that he actually dared to go back on his word.
After studying him for a moment, he sat forward, planted both hands on either side of Bo Chengjing, closed the distance between them, and locked eyes with him. “Are you going to talk or not? If you do not, you aren’t getting out of this bed tonight.”
“Listen to yourself, does that sound appropriate?”
Shen Zhinian ignored whether it was appropriate or not, leaned in even closer, and glared fiercely at him.
Bo Chengjing turned his head away and pressed one hand against Shen Zhinian’s shoulder, pushing him back slightly.
“Are you going to talk?”
“Sit properly first,” Bo Chengjing said, keeping his head turned to the side.
Shen Zhinian studied the clean lines of Bo Chengjing’s side profile and his neck. “If I sit properly, will you talk?”
“Mm.” Bo Chengjing gave a soft acknowledgment.
Shen Zhinian retreated a bit, sitting properly on the edge of the bed as he looked at him.
Bo Chengjing took a deep breath, looked back at him, and asked, “Zhinian, are you dissatisfied with your current life in any way?”
Shen Zhinian thought about it. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Don’t you feel like I interfere too much?”
Shen Zhinian was startled.
Bo Chengjing watched his reaction.
“What have you ever interfered with?”
“What you study, your various choices, your friendships, and so on. I never forcefully interfered with these things, but haven’t you felt like I’ve been subtly influencing you?”
Shen Zhinian frowned, not entirely following what he meant.
“Take making friends, for example. I’ve always felt that because of my care and attention, you thought having just me was enough and didn’t want to socialize outside.”
“That was my own choice, and it has nothing to do with you, probably.”
“But I worry that I unconsciously influenced your wishes.”
Things were better now, but when Shen Zhinian was younger, his food, clothing, housing, transportation—virtually every aspect of his life—had been personally looked after by Bo Chengjing. Back then, Bo Chengjing rarely separated from him and spent almost every day by his side.
“I’m terrified that one day you’ll realize this isn’t the life you actually wanted, and that you only ended up living this way under my guidance.”
Shen Zhinian looked at him, and after a moment, reached out to touch his forehead.
Bo Chengjing leaned his head back slightly to avoid the touch.
Shen Zhinian felt his own forehead. “You’re not running a fever. Why are you talking nonsense?”
Bo Chengjing: “I’m being serious with you.”
“Am I an idiot? Don’t I know what kind of life I want?”
Bo Chengjing said nothing.
“Brother, you think way too much. You’re practically ready to assemble a medical team to research why I choked whenever I accidentally swallow my food the wrong way.”
“That comparison is a bit excessive.”
“You know it’s excessive. Seriously, when I was little, you were afraid you didn’t care for me enough, and now that I’m grown up, you feel like my care is a hindrance. You really are…” Shen Zhinian paused before continuing, “I’m an Alpha, an adult Alpha, and an SSS-rank Alpha at that. Do I really lack even the most basic judgment?”
“When you were little, you hadn’t undergone secondary differentiation yet. I raised you like an omega.”
“What kind of omega looks like this?” Shen Zhinian pointed at himself. “Compare the two of us; you look more like one than I do.”
The expression in Bo Chengjing’s eyes froze for a second.
Lowering his gaze for a moment, Shen Zhinian continued, “Brother, have you been harboring these thoughts for a long time? Did you just never show it until the other day in the car when I pulled away, making you think I resented it? Is that why you suddenly…”
Bo Chengjing remained silent.
“That day was just an accident, and I’d like you to clear that memory from your brain.”
Bo Chengjing looked at him.
“My life has to have you in it.” Shen Zhinian raised his eyes to meet his gaze, speaking with absolute solemnity. “It must have you in it.”
Seeing the sincere look in his eyes, Bo Chengjing’s lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, he said nothing.
“Brother, don’t ever think like this again. It’s bad for me.”
“Hm?”
“I’ll start thinking you don’t want me anymore and that I’m going to become homeless.” The more Shen Zhinian thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. “And of all coincidences, another biological brother had to show up! It infuriates me!”
“How could you possibly be homeless with all those properties under your name? Yet you insisted on going out to rent a place.”
“Are those houses a home?” Shen Zhinian muttered, his voice growing softer. “Besides, I didn’t actually rent a place.”
Bo Chengjing raised an eyebrow.
“I just wanted to see your reaction. And what happened? Without a single second of hesitation, you practically tried to kick me out the door. It completely scrambled my brains with anger.”
Bo Chengjing smiled.
“You’re still laughing! Do you have any idea what kind of life I’ve been living these past few days?”
“Mm. You maxed out your credit card.”
Shen Zhinian:
“I bought so many high-tech smart gadgets, plus two two-meter-tall robots,” Shen Zhinian began sharing his exploits. “I’m going to put one at the front door of the house and the other at the company entrance.”