“A piece of garbage that nobody wants, what is there to be proud of?”
Having finally caught an opportunity to mock Qi Zhi but failing to achieve his purpose, Qi Ran was infuriated to the extreme. He could only seize upon the point that Qi Zhi was unwanted and jab at it ruthlessly.
Qi Zhi didn’t retort again, turning his head back to continue reading his book.
Yes, he was unwanted.
When he fell sick, Rong Li beat him, his adoptive father hadn’t come to visit him either, and that biological mother named Liu Guifen hadn’t shown her face again since their single meeting on the day they recognized each other.
He was indeed a piece of garbage that nobody wanted.
Qi Ran wasn’t wrong.
“Heh!”
Seeing Qi Zhi’s dejection, Qi Ran was highly satisfied. Just as he was about to continue his verbal output, Qi Zhennan arrived.
“Brother Zhennan,” the moment he saw Qi Zhennan, Qi Ran instantly tucked away his nasty expression, his eyes filled with stars. He subconsciously touched the ‘bald patch’ covered by the gauze; fortunately, it was covered up, so he wasn’t afraid of it being seen.
“How is the injury?”
Qi Zhennan pulled over Zhuang Yuexiang’s chair to sit opposite Qi Ran, and placed the grapes he was carrying onto the desk. “I brought you your favorite grapes.”
“Much better, thank you, Brother Zhennan,” Qi Ran cast a glance at Qi Zhi, then went to fiddle with the bag of grapes. “They look so fresh. I’ll go wash some so we can eat them together.”
“I’ll go,” Qi Zhennan naturally wouldn’t let Qi Ran do the work. “Your injury just healed; rest well.”
“Okay,” Qi Ran felt somewhat triumphant, his gaze darting toward Qi Zhi once again.
Without even turning his head, Qi Zhi knew exactly what kind of expression Qi Ran had right now. A scumbag who only cared about profit only this fool would still treat him like a treasure.
Closing his book, he opened his computer and began typing.
Hmph!
Qi Zhi’s chest felt tight with irritation, causing him to hit the keyboard with loud clatter-clatter sounds.
Qi Zhennan was washing the grapes at the sink on the balcony, but his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Qi Zhi.
Because of the swimming pool incident, it wasn’t until the second day that he found out Qi Zhi was sick, had been beaten and injured by Qi Ran during his weakest moment, and had been lectured by Rong Li at the hospital.
He had wanted to visit too, but he was also angry that Qi Zhi had biasedly taken Lan An’s side at the pool.
He, Qi Zhennan, had always been proud, yet he had been humiliated by Lan An in front of so many classmates that day. He couldn’t swallow this insult, and he swore he wouldn’t easily forgive Qi Zhi.
As for Lan An?
He had already found the right people and would inevitably avenge the grudge of that day.
Once the grapes were washed, Qi Zhennan carried them over to Qi Ran.
“Qi Zhi, do you want to eat some?” Qi Ran held the beautiful glass bowl, asking hypocritically.
Before Qi Zhi could answer, Qi Zhennan snatched the grape bowl away. “These were bought for you; just eat them yourself. Who is he? Is he worthy of eating such expensive imported fruit?”
“But,” Qi Ran lowered his head, “I also did things incorrectly that day. I want to apologize.”
“Apologize for what?” Qi Zhennan let out a cold snort, his words carrying an underlying implication: “Your head was injured, but what about him? Since he has the ability to take Lan An’s side in everything, let Lan An buy them for him.”
Speaking up to this point, Qi Zhennan curled his lips in disdain once more: “Though that guy is currently throwing his entire heart at Bo Siyan, the campus heartthrob of the Broadcasting Department. I’m afraid he doesn’t have the time to pay attention to certain people.”
Bo Siyan, the campus heartthrob of the Broadcasting Department, was precisely that exotic, long-haired handsome man Qi Zhi had seen in the cafeteria that day.
“The way you say that can really easily cause people to misunderstand.”
Qi Zhi couldn’t listen to it any longer. With a loud snap, he slammed his computer shut and turned his head to look at Qi Zhennan: “Keeping Lan An this and Lan An that on your lips those who don’t know any better would think you’re jealous.”
“…”
“…”
“I’m jealous?!”
As if his big tail had been stepped on, Qi Zhennan questioned in exasperation: “I’m jealous? What am I jealous of?! Which eye of yours saw me being jealous? Certain people really think too highly of themselves.”
“Then what are you angry about?”
Having interacted for many years, Qi Zhi understood Qi Zhennan to some extent. He asked back calmly, “You were even angry enough to throw my phone into the water. Doesn’t that cause people to misunderstand?”
“…”
“I just can’t bear to see you degenerating yourself; it’s not jealousy!” Qi Zhennan would absolutely never admit that he was jealous, slapping the desk in a wild fury.
“Is that so?”
“Alright then.”
“Then I misunderstood,” Qi Zhi’s voice was flat, wearing an completely indifferent manner. His leg was already a bit better, so he climbed up to his upper bunk by himself, lay down, pulled up the quilt, closed his eyes, and rested.
Qi Zhennan: “…”
Qi Zhi certainly knew how to infuriate him.
Qi Zhennan: “…”
Qi Zhi was absolutely doing it on purpose.
“You… I…” With a belly full of anger and nowhere to vent it, Qi Zhennan’s entire face flushed red, his chest rising and falling as he panted heavily, unable to utter a single phrase.
Ultimately, he had no choice but to slam the door in fury and depart.
“…”
Qi Ran loathed Qi Zhi more and more. Tucking away his disguise, he crossed his legs while eating grapes, speaking in a weird, sarcastic tone: “Jealous, indeed. Isn’t someone being a bit too narcissistic?”
Qi Zhi turned his body over: Not listening, not listening, a turtle reciting sutras.
“Who knows where he got such a thick skin to even have the audacity to say it out loud. Truly thinking he himself…”
Qi Ran wanted to continue his output, but his phone suddenly rang. It was Rong Li, who had departed not long ago. He hurriedly answered it, switching into an affectionate tone in a split second: “Mom?”
Qi Zhi: “…”
With this level of adaptability, staying in the Qi family to fight with himself was truly a waste of talent.
He should be sent into a palace-fight novel; perhaps he could survive until right before the grand finale before dying.
What a pity, he didn’t know how to write palace-fight novels; otherwise, he would definitely arrange a role for Qi Ran by hook or by crook, setting him up as…
Qi Zhi was in the middle of wildly letting his thoughts run wild when Rong Li said something on the other end of the line. Qi Ran curled his lips in dissatisfaction, walked over to Qi Zhi’s bed, and poked his back with the phone: “Mom’s call. She wants you to answer.”
“…”
Qi Zhi turned his head in bewilderment, took the phone, and placed it to his ear: “Auntie, what’s the matter?”
Qi Zhi’s tone was very flat, neither aggrieved nor joyful, as if he were answering a phone call from an inconsequential person.
Rong Li froze on the other end of the line, then said: “This weekend is your and Ranran’s birthday, and it’s also Ranran’s first birthday since returning home. The Qi family has decided to host a banquet and has invited quite a few people.”
She had originally intended to say it face-to-face, but she had forgotten about it while in the dormitory.
Qi Zhi blanked out. Oh right, this weekend was his and Qi Ran’s birthday; he had completely forgotten.
Rong Li added: “You need to be present as well. I’ve already had someone send the formal attire over to you.”
Qi Zhi wasn’t surprised and agreed to it. “Understood.”
Perhaps because Qi Zhi’s attitude was too cold, Rong Li paused for a moment before saying: “Xiao Zhi, the Qi family has not treated you poorly over the past twenty years. We don’t ask for anything in return from you either; we only hope you can understand us and help Ranran.”
Did Qi Ran need his help?
Oh, right, there was indeed one point where he could help for instance, when Qi Ran falsely accused him, he shouldn’t explain himself, and when other people spoke with hidden sarcasm, he should strive to accept it.
It would be best if he could throw a tantrum; that way, it would highlight Qi Ran’s kindness and magnanimity.
This was probably his final remaining utility value.
“Understood,” Qi Zhi let out a bitter smile.
Rong Li let out a sigh: “As long as you are obedient, the Qi family won’t treat you unfairly. You can also finish university with peace of mind and find a good job in the future.”
In reality, it wasn’t that the Qi family couldn’t accommodate Qi Zhi; having raised him for twenty years, even a pet would have developed affection.
However, she had accidentally overheard Ranran calling a friend. Ranran had said, with extreme fear, that he couldn’t match up to Qi Zhi who had been raised in wealth since childhood in any aspect, and felt so inferior upon seeing Qi Zhi that he didn’t dare to speak.
That was her biological son, who had finally returned to her side with great difficulty. How could she bear to let him suffer any more grievances?
She had then discussed it with her husband and decided to abandon Qi Zhi, abandoning the affection of the past twenty years, treating it entirely as if the money spent over these years had been donated to a charitable organization.
All she sought was to provide Ranran with a comfortable living environment.
Qi Zhi naturally understood this as well: “I know. I will arrive on time.”
Even if his leg was injured, he would still go on time even if he had to sit in a wheelchair. He would conscientiously act as a foil, serving as a stepping stone for Qi Ran to enter the social circle.
It could be considered as repaying the Qi family’s kindness in nurturing and raising him for twenty years.
…
Qi Zhennan went downstairs in a huff, just happening to run into the returning Zhuang Yuexiang. “Zhennan, there are no classes this afternoon. How about going to the internet café to play games?”
Qi Zhennan had precisely this intention. “Let’s go.”
The two of them played thoroughly and happily at an internet café near the school for the entire afternoon, not returning until it grew dark. As they entered the school gate, Qi Zhennan noticed a silhouette squatting beneath a tree, smoking.
Qi Dawei Qi Zhi’s biological father, and also Qi Ran’s adoptive father.
Why was he here?
Was he here to demand money from Qi Zhi?
“Zhennan, what are you looking at? Why did you stop walking?” Zhuang Yuexiang was eating deep-fried potato chunks as he walked, only discovering after a few steps that Qi Zhennan hadn’t followed.
“Wait for me here. I’m going to treat you to a good show,” Qi Zhennan walked toward the tree.
Zhuang Yuexiang looked along his gaze, only to see a middle-aged man wearing a gray T-shirt, his hair a tangled mess, squatting beneath the tree as he smoked a cigarette butt that was about to burn out.
“Qi Dawei?” Qi Zhennan stopped at a distance of two meters away and called out.
Qi Dawei lifted his head. Seeing it was Qi Zhennan, his face lit up with joy, and he immediately stood up: “It’s you!”
Qi Dawei had met Qi Zhennan once, knowing he was the young master of a wealthy family, and was also very familiar with his two cheap sons.
“You still remember me?” Qi Zhennan smiled. “Why are you squatting here? Are you here to find Qi Ran? Or Qi Zhi?”
Qi Dawei let out a hei-hei laugh. “Came to find Qi Zhi, but I don’t have his phone number, nor do I know which dormitory building he lives in, so I thought I’d just wait here and see.”
As expected, he was looking for Qi Zhi.
Qi Zhennan felt inexplicably excited. Didn’t Qi Zhi biasesly take Lan An’s side to give him a hard time? Then he could also give him a bit of a lesson, letting him know the consequences of provoking him.
He could also take the opportunity to see just how far Lan An could actually go to help Qi Zhi.
Other matters aside, Qi Dawei was an absolute bottomless pit.
Qi Zhennan had pulled many strings but could never find out Lan An’s concrete identity, nor did he know exactly when he had become that familiar with Qi Zhi so familiar that he took his side at every turn.
He would use Qi Dawei to test the waters.
“I’ll take you there. It’s still early, and the dormitory hasn’t closed yet,” Qi Zhennan said, walking into the campus.
“Thank you, thank you,” Qi Dawei hurriedly kept up.
Arriving at the boys’ dormitory building, if it hadn’t been for the guarantee of Qi Zhennan the president of the Student Union the dormitory management auntie would absolutely never have allowed the slovenly Qi Dawei, who didn’t look like a good person at first glance, to go upstairs.
Reaching the fifth floor, Qi Zhennan pointed toward 502. “Both Qi Zhi and Qi Ran live in this room.”
“Good, good, good,” Qi Dawei rubbed his hands in excitement. Attempting to push the door, he found it was locked from the inside, so he knocked. “Qi Zhi? Is Qi Zhi inside? I’m your dad.”
Qi Zhi was in the middle of typing. Hearing the voice, he knew it was Qi Dawei. Turning his head, he looked at Qi Ran: “Did you call him here?”
Qi Ran blanked out, hurriedly waving his hands: “What kind of joke is that? I wish I’d never see him for the rest of my life, okay?”
Qi Zhi also felt that it wouldn’t be him.
The Qi Dawei of the past hadn’t been good to Qi Ran, often beating and scolding him. Even if Qi Ran did it intentionally, he would presumably pick a time when he himself wasn’t around.
“Then how did he find his way here?” Qi Zhi was puzzled.
“I… I don’t know either,” rarely, Qi Ran stood on the same line as Qi Zhi. “Could it be that he asked other classmates who know you?”
Regardless, it was impossible for Qi Zhi to keep the door closed forever.
Qi Dawei was a thug and a rogue; ghost knew what he would do if driven to desperation.
After a moment of thought, Qi Zhi closed his computer and sent a message to Lu Yuan downstairs, before slowly hobbling over with his crutches to open the door.
…