Lin Fei didn’t say a word as he stepped in front of Ji Leyu.
Ji Leyu lifted his head, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous and lively light. He was always at ease around Lin Fei, knowing Lin Fei wouldn’t mind playing along. He wanted to see Lin Fei put on the wedding veil, but knowing Lin Fei wouldn’t do it, he decided to play with it himself.
He just wanted to tease Lin Fei and hear him say it looked good.
“It’s very beautiful.”
He heard the answer he was hoping for.
Ji Leyu blinked, his eyes bright with spring, and a smile blossomed across his face like a field of peach blossoms.
His voice was soft and light, “Then look at it a little longer.”
Lin Fei listened to the sweetness in his words, looked into his clear amber eyes, and reached out to grasp the corner of the veil, slowly lifting it.
Ji Leyu let go, allowing the veil to drape naturally on either side of his face, framing his stunning features like the glow of the evening sky.
He smiled, letting Lin Fei lift the veil from his head, his eyes filled with pure joy.
Lin Fei looked at the red veil in his hand, and the ripples in his heart slowly returned to calm.
He folded the red veil in his hands carefully and placed it neatly on the desk, planning to return it tomorrow.
—This, of course, didn’t belong to Ji Leyu. It was a movie prop that Lin Luoqing had embroidered himself under the guidance of an old master while filming a movie.
Lin Fei still remembered that it was an art film, and Lin Luoqing played a character who was the inheritor of his family’s embroidery craft. To portray the role well, Lin Luoqing had spent a good amount of time learning from the master that the crew had hired.
This red veil was one of the results of that learning.
In the film, the character Lin Luoqing played was the male lead who, at the very end, despite his frail health, embroidered a veil with a dragon and phoenix for his sister’s wedding.
The veil was bright and beautiful, adorned with pearl tassels. He personally placed it on his sister’s head, wishing her happiness.
Lin Luoqing had learned the technique stitch by stitch from the master, but unfortunately, he wasn’t a professional. The pattern was embroidered, but whether it was perceived as exquisite or not depended on personal opinion.
At least Ji Yuxiao could tell it was a dragon and phoenix, and Ji Leyu clapped his hands and said it was beautifully done.
Lin Fei had remained silent for several seconds in response, but in the end, he still gave Lin Luoqing a reassuring nod, even if it was against his better judgment.
Listening to their praises, Lin Luoqing felt increasingly satisfied, convinced that he had mastered yet another skill. After finishing the film, he took the red veil he had embroidered home and placed it in the display room where he kept the props he had used during his acting career.
Who would have thought that today, Ji Leyu would actually take it out?
Lin Fei wondered what Lin Luoqing would think if he saw that the red veil he had painstakingly embroidered wasn’t draped over the head of his character’s sister in the film, but instead, over his son’s head in real life.
Lin Fei thought for a moment and figured that Lin Luoqing would likely find it amusing, perhaps even enjoy it. He might even want to take a picture of Ji Leyu with the veil over his head—after all, his dad’s sense of humor could be rather quirky at times.
As he thought of Lin Luoqing, a softer expression appeared in Lin Fei’s eyes. He turned around and walked toward the bed.
Ji Leyu had already taken off his slippers and was sitting on the bed, waiting for him. When he saw Lin Fei approaching, he patted the bed, signaling for him to get on.
Lin Fei climbed onto the bed, and Ji Leyu, satisfied, continued talking to him before slipping under the covers.
And so, they both had a peaceful night filled with good dreams.
…
After spending the whole day playing on Saturday, Ji Leyu conscientiously sat next to Lin Fei on Sunday, working on the homework assigned by the teacher and the additional worksheets Lin Fei had bought for him.
Lin Fei always finished his homework early at school and spent his time at home either reading books or doing extra exercises.
Ji Leyu observed Lin Fei writing and reading, flipping pages quickly. He almost wanted to sneak his own worksheets into Lin Fei’s stack and have him finish them.
Of course, it was just a passing thought. He wouldn’t dare to share this idea with his cold-hearted brother, for fear that his brother would demonstrate to him firsthand what “paternal love is like a mountain” and “fraternal love is like a landslide” really meant.
…
The first class on Monday morning was Teacher Zhao’s class.
As the bell rang, Teacher Zhao walked into the classroom. She set down the papers she was holding and spoke in a gentle tone, “I have two things to inform everyone. First, the school sports meet will officially start on the 21st of this month and will last for two days. If anyone wants to participate in any events, you can sign up at the sports committee. The sports committee is responsible for this. Please come to my office after class to get the notice and the registration form. We should try to ensure that every event has a representative from our class.”
Sports coordinator: ??? ‘Well, do you see any of our class students eager to participate?’
‘Academics, they can handle!’
‘Sports, they might really struggle!’
The sports coordinator sighed in resignation and replied pitifully, “Yes.”
“The second thing is that next month, in mid-term, there will be a joint examination with High School No. 87, High School No. 4, High School No. 72, and X University Affiliated School. We will use the same exam papers. After the exams, there will be a parent-teacher conference, so everyone must take it seriously and work hard in the meantime to achieve good results.”
The students immediately became anxious, with a chorus of lamentations.
A joint exam meant that, beyond their own school’s ranking, they would also be ranked among the five schools. The pressure from seeing their position in their own grade was already significant, and seeing their rank among the five schools would make every point feel like a major struggle.
Teacher Zhao comforted them with a few words, then picked up the papers on the desk. “Now, take out the papers I handed out last Friday, and we’ll go over them.”
Before Teacher Zhao could finish explaining the math paper, the bell for the next class rang.
Ji Leyu wanted a drink. He looked over at Lin Fei, who was working on a physics paper, and decided not to bother him. Instead, he went to the convenience store with Shi Qi and the others.
Shi Qi hadn’t had breakfast, so he dived into the crowd to buy a bread roll. Then he turned back and called out to Ji Leyu, asking, “There’s no more Mizone [1]also known as Mizone Sports Water, is a formulated sports drink manufactured by Frucor Suntory, a Japanese-owned beverage company operating in Australasia. The main consumer targets are generally … Continue reading jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3574319_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3574319_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, so choose something else.”
“Coke,” Ji Leyu replied.
Zheng Binbai, standing next to Shi Qi, heard Shi Qi call out “Ji Leyu” and, for some reason, suddenly thought of the nickname “Xiaoyu” that Lin Fei had used when they played the role-playing game on Saturday.
He realized that they had always used Ji Leyu’s full name.
He had previously thought that Ji Leyu didn’t have a nickname, which was why Shi Qi, who had known him since childhood, always used his full name.
It turned out that he did have a nickname. Lin Fei called him Xiaoyu, so that must be his nickname.
“Here,” Shi Qi handed the Coke he had gotten from the shopkeeper to Zheng Binbai. “Help me carry this. I still need to buy chips for Jian Hao that annoying guy.”
Zheng Binbai took the Coke and waited until Shi Qi had finished buying the rest of the items before squeezing out of the crowd with him.
He handed the drink to Ji Leyu.
Ji Leyu smiled and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Zheng Binbai replied gently.
The group turned and headed toward the teaching building.
Zheng Binbai recalled something and tentatively asked, “By the way, Shi Qi, Xiaoyu, do you have time this weekend? My uncle opened a hotpot restaurant, and I’d like to treat you to hotpot.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Shi Qi responded without hesitation, “Let’s not wait for the weekend; we can go during the week.”
Ji Leyu, sensitive to the emphasis in his words, looked back at him with some surprise.
“I’m afraid I won’t have time.”
Zheng Binbai nodded, not disappointed. Instead, he felt a subtle pleasure that Ji Leyu didn’t mind him calling him by his nickname.
Had he not noticed?
Or did he permit him to call him that?
Regardless, since he hadn’t objected, Zheng Binbai decided he could continue calling him that in the future.
Zheng Binbai smiled at Ji Leyu, “It’s fine. We’ll go when you have time.”
“No need,” Ji Leyu smiled and said. “You all go ahead and eat. If there’s a chance later, I’ll join you then.”
He had always been gentle and easygoing, and Zheng Binbai was used to it, so he said, “Alright then. I’ll treat you next time when you have time.”
“Mm,” Ji Leyu responded.
After finishing, he calmly added, “But I don’t like it when others call me ‘Xiaoyu.’ Please don’t call me that in the future.”
His tone was both gentle and firm.
It wasn’t a question of “I’m not used to being called that,” but rather “Please don’t call me that from now on.”
Zheng Binbai’s recently uplifted mood instantly fell, and he asked in confusion, “Why?”
“Just don’t like it,” Ji Leyu said with a straightforward expression.
“But I heard Lin Fei call you that the other day.”
Ji Leyu smiled at the mention. His smile was always particularly charming, like a spring breeze blowing through a tree of peach blossoms, vivid and enchanting.
“He’s my brother, so of course he can call me whatever he wants,” Ji Leyu said.
Zheng Binbai was momentarily at a loss for words.
After a while, he asked, “Didn’t you tell Lin Fei that you don’t like people calling you that?”
Ji Leyu found the question somewhat amusing. Lin Fei wasn’t just anyone; if Lin Fei didn’t call him that, it would be strange.
“No.”
Zheng Binbai nodded, quickly forming his own understanding—
Ji Leyu must have been too embarrassed to tell Lin Fei, so Lin Fei didn’t know he didn’t like being called that, which was why he used “Xiaoyu.”
After all, as Ji Leyu had said, Lin Fei was older. He called him “brother” and wouldn’t really have the nerve to tell Lin Fei not to call him that. Especially since Lin Fei wasn’t a biological or even a cousin brother, but rather just someone he was paired with due to their guardians’ marriage. It was only because Lin Fei was older that he had to address him as brother.
Such a sensitive family structure naturally meant that he couldn’t share everything with Lin Fei.
It was too delicate; what if it affected the relationship between Lin Luoqing and Ji Yuxiao?
Especially since Ji Leyu wasn’t Ji Yuxiao’s biological child but his nephew.
Even biological children sometimes have conflicts with their parents. Ji Leyu, who wanted to minimize friction and avoid causing trouble, would naturally tolerate Lin Fei calling him by a name he didn’t like. This was not impossible.
Just like how he invited them to a hotpot meal and Ji Leyu couldn’t make it—he preferred to let them go without waiting for him, rather than changing the time and waiting until Ji Leyu was available.
Ji Leyu had never been a forceful person, always considerate of others and not overly concerned with trivial matters.
Zheng Binbai, lowering his head, filled in the background and core idea of Ji Leyu’s statement on his own.
He certainly didn’t think that Ji Leyu’s focus was on the term “others,” as Zheng Binbai didn’t view himself as “others.”
He and Ji Leyu were friends; how could he be considered just “others”?
Besides, Ji Leyu was so well-behaved, kind, and gentle, not someone who would refuse directly unless he genuinely disliked it.
Why else would Shi Qi, who had known him for so long, still use his full name instead of a nickname?
Their relationship with Ji Leyu was simple and pure, so Ji Leyu was naturally more willing to express his likes and dislikes with them. Lin Fei, on the other hand, was entangled in too many relationships, which was why Ji Leyu silently deferred, allowing them to maintain a good relationship.
Looking back now, Ji Leyu’s seemingly ambiguous and intimate actions with Lin Fei seemed more like deliberate affection.
No siblings would constantly sit together, lean on each other, or even feed each other; such behaviors were not typical between biological brothers who usually teased and joked around. The closer they were not by blood, the more effort they had to put into maintaining this relationship.
This was to make their family of four appear like any other family and continue to live harmoniously.
Zheng Binbai thought to himself that he had glimpsed the truth.
He didn’t blame Ji Leyu. In such a sensitive family, anyone in Ji Leyu’s place would behave similarly. He even felt a pang of sympathy for Ji Leyu, feeling sorry for him having lost his biological parents so early and facing such situations.
An uncle was just an uncle; if he wasn’t a biological parent, he wasn’t a biological parent.
No matter how good Ji Yuxiao was, he wasn’t his real father. Since he wasn’t his real father, he couldn’t genuinely love him like a biological son, nor could he provide him with a solid sense of security, forcing him to carefully maintain his relationship with Lin Fei.
Zheng Binbai sighed and reached out to ruffle Ji Leyu’s hair.
Ji Leyu tilted his head to avoid his hand.
He looked at Zheng Binbai, wondering what he was doing.
Seeing the innocence and confusion in Ji Leyu’s eyes, Zheng Binbai withdrew his hand and said softly, “There was just a bug in your hair.”
Ji Leyu: … ‘Did he really think I would believe that?’
‘No way, no way. Could anyone really think such a clumsy lie would work?’
Nevertheless, Ji Leyu still smiled, “Oh, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Zheng Binbai said gently.
The group made it back to the classroom just before the next class began. Ji Leyu rested his head on the desk and took a short nap. When he woke up, he obediently listened to the lesson.
Finally, when the class was over, Ji Leyu was about to head to the restroom when he saw the sports coordinator walking towards him.
“Help your child!” The sports coordinator lunged forward, nearly tackling Ji Leyu.
Ji Leyu stepped back to avoid his move.
“I got it, I got it.”
Ji Leyu looked at the tall and muscular sports coordinator and wondered why he was being approached now.
Could it be about the school sports meet?
“What events still need participants? Let me see.” Ji Leyu extended his hand to ask for the list of sports events.
The sports coordinator was instantly moved to tears. “None of them have any participants. Just take a look!”
Ji Leyu: …
‘Alright, he knows everyone is just looking to chat and play on their phones in the audience during the sports meet, but how could no one have signed up for any events?’
‘Are you serious?!’
Ji Leyu sighed and took the list from the sports coordinator, picking an event. “Let’s start with the 100 meters.”
“What else?”
“You’re really pushing your luck, huh?”
The sports coordinator pulled a pitiful face despite his tough appearance, pleading, “Please, help me out!”
Ji Leyu: …
“How about adding the high jump?” Ji Leyu offered.
“How about the relay as well?” the sports coordinator asked.
Ji Leyu: ???
“Do you really have to milk this one person for everything?”
The sports coordinator silently shifted his gaze, cautiously eyeing Lin Fei, who was quietly focused on his homework, saying nothing.
“Uh… uncle?” he asked, trembling.
Lin Fei: …
Ji Leyu burst into laughter. “You really are a little genius!”
“Uncle, which event would you like to sign up for?” Ji Leyu patted Lin Fei on the shoulder.
Lin Fei: …
“Why not join the relay too?” The sports coordinator, seeing Lin Fei’s cold expression, lowered his voice considerably. “That way, we can all be together, right, top student?”
Lin Fei: ‘Now you’re not calling me uncle?’
“I think that’s a good idea,” Ji Leyu agreed.
At their school’s sports meet, no boy could escape participating. When Lin Fei was in his first year, he took part in the high jump, and with one leap, he jumped straight into the hearts of all the girls in the school. For a whole month after the sports meet, he received a steady stream of love letters.
Joining the relay this time would be pretty good too. Ji Leyu would run the second-to-last leg, and Lin Fei would run the last, so he could hand off the baton to Lin Fei.
“What do you think, Uncle?” Ji Leyu teased Lin Fei on purpose.
Lin Fei: ………
Lin Fei glanced at Ji Leyu helplessly, only to see him smiling mischievously.
Lin Fei gestured for Ji Leyu to come closer. Ji Leyu leaned down, and the next second, Lin Fei pinched his cheek.
“I think that works,” Lin Fei said softly, shaking Ji Leyu’s face, “little brother.”
The sports coordinator beside them: !!!
‘Damn! Is this something I get to watch for free?!’
‘A rough guy like me doesn’t deserve to witness such a scene straight out of a drama!’
‘I’m the one bringing down the quality of the scene!’
‘I don’t deserve it!’
The sports coordinator quietly shrank back, trying to make himself as invisible as possible.
After pinching Ji Leyu’s face, Lin Fei lowered his head again to continue his homework.
Ji Leyu rubbed his reddened cheek and handed the sports meet event list back. “Alright, add the 4×100 relay as well.”
“Got it,” the sports coordinator responded heartily. “No need to thank me. If you ever need anything during PE class, just let me know.”
“Will do.”
After saying this, Ji Leyu turned and headed to the restroom.
In the afternoon, after finishing the lesson, Teacher Zhao called Lin Fei’s name and led him out of the classroom.
But instead of going to her office, she took Lin Fei to the dean’s office.
“Sit down,” the dean said with a warm smile. “Here’s the situation, Lin Fei. You know your own grades—there’s probably no one else in the entire city who can match them. Plus, with all the awards you’ve won since your first year, there’s no way we can leave you off the school’s recommendation list. So, are you interested in S University? They’re quite interested in you and are planning to come interview you in a few days. Would you be willing to meet with them?”
Lin Fei hadn’t expected it to be about this and calmly replied, “There’s no need.”
The dean nodded, not pressing the issue. With Lin Fei’s grades, he was more than qualified for S University, and given the school’s reputation, it was likely that even better universities would come to interview him later, making the S University interview not necessarily essential.
“Alright,” the dean responded gently. “With your grades, you certainly have better options. You can discuss it with your family and choose a few schools you’re more interested in.”
Lin Fei didn’t dispute the phrase, “With your grades, you certainly have better options.”
What he objected to was, “I won’t participate in any recommendation interviews, regardless of the university.”
“Why?” the dean asked, puzzled.
“There’s no need,” Lin Fei replied in his usual calm tone.
“How could that be?” The dean looked at him. “Given our school’s reputation and your grades, it’s very likely that H University and A University will also want to interview you. Are you not considering those schools either?”
“Mm,” Lin Fei responded with a calm tone.
“Why?” Now the dean was genuinely confused.
But this is H University and A University!!!
He’s not interested in either?!
So what university does he want to attend?!
Is he planning to study abroad?!
“Are you not planning to attend a university in China?”
Lin Fei: …
“No,” Lin Fei replied softly. “I’m planning to go to H University, but I’ll take the college entrance exam like everyone else and get into H University with my exam scores.”
The dean: ????
Uh… While it would be great for their school to have a top scorer in the college entrance exam, why not take the safer route?
Isn’t he worried about the possibility of underperforming in the exam?
And besides, even if he gets a recommendation, he can still take the college entrance exam. The two don’t conflict.
“Lin Fei,” the dean tried to persuade him, “I have no doubt that you can get into H University, and I’d love for our school to produce a top scorer. But we all know that life can be unpredictable, so sometimes it’s wise to choose a more secure path, isn’t it?”
“Besides, just because you succeed in the interview and get the recommendation doesn’t mean you can’t take the college entrance exam. The two aren’t mutually exclusive. With the recommendation secured, you can take the exam without any pressure. Isn’t that a better option?”
“Exactly,” Teacher Zhao also encouraged him. “Having an extra safeguard can bring peace of mind, don’t you think?”
“There’s no need,” Lin Fei replied once again.
He didn’t believe he would have any issues with the college entrance exam. It was just about solving problems—what could be so difficult?
But if he accepted the recommendation, even at Yizhong High School, only one person could be recommended to H University. If Ji Leyu found out, he would undoubtedly feel uneasy.
So, there was no need.
After all, the result would be the same—they both would go to H University. There was no need to make Ji Leyu feel insecure about it.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now.”
Lin Fei stood up, his expression emotionless.
The dean: …
Teacher Zhao: …
The two of them looked at his handsome, cold face, and for a moment, they didn’t know what to say. All they could do was advise, “If you change your mind, you can come to us anytime.”
“I won’t.”
Teacher Zhao, feeling heartbroken: Does he have to be this cool?
The dean, feeling disheartened: Does he have to be this resolute?
“This decision could have a significant impact on your future. As your teachers, we can’t keep this from your parents, so I’ll be discussing this with your father later. When you get home, you can also talk it over with your family,” the dean urged him once more.
Lin Fei nodded and replied with a simple “Mm.”
With the college entrance exam being such a major issue, not informing the student’s parents could lead to problems if they found out later and decided to hold the school accountable.
So, regardless of whether Lin Fei agreed or not, Lin Luoqing would find out, and it was naturally unnecessary to make things difficult for the teachers.
“I’ll be leaving now,” Lin Fei said, turned, and walked out, even closing the door behind him for the dean.
The dean watched him leave, bewildered, and looked at Teacher Zhao. “Are students nowadays all like this? Not even willing to accept a recommendation!”
Teacher Zhao, also feeling helpless, said, “Well, I’ll call Lin Fei’s father tonight and see if he can persuade Lin Fei.”
“Why do you think he’s like this?” the dean asked, puzzled.
“Maybe it’s confidence,” Teacher Zhao, having known him for two years, explained, “He probably thinks he can get a good score on the college entrance exam too, so he feels it’s unnecessary.”
“But a recommendation and taking the exam aren’t mutually exclusive…” The dean shook his head. “I really don’t understand today’s kids.”
Just after the dean finished speaking, Lin Fei, who had just left the office, heard someone calling his name.
The voice was very familiar—it was Zheng Binbai. Lin Fei turned and saw him walking towards him.
“What did Teacher Zhao want from you?” Zheng Binbai asked with a smile as he walked up to Lin Fei.
“Nothing much,” Lin Fei replied in a neutral tone.
Hearing this, Zheng Binbai responded with an awkward “Oh” and blinked a few times, seemingly lost in thought.
Lin Fei didn’t pursue it and continued walking forward.
Zheng Binbai quickly caught up and stood in front of him, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
Since Lin Fei didn’t say anything, Zheng Binbai, feeling somewhat annoyed but recalling Ji Leyu’s earlier words, decided to speak up, “There’s something I think you should know.”
Lin Fei looked at him but remained silent.
Lin Fei usually had little interest in other people’s matters. If Zheng Binbai hadn’t been Ji Leyu’s friend, he would have left by now.
Seeing that Lin Fei remained silent, Zheng Binbai took the initiative to say, “Ji Leyu actually doesn’t like being called ‘Xiaoyu.’ I’m not sure if you knew this.”
Lin Fei: …
M
“He’s too embarrassed to tell you himself, probably afraid you’d overthink it. But he really doesn’t like that nickname. If he did, then Shi Qi and the friends who’ve known him for a long time would have called him that by now.”
“It’s precisely because he doesn’t like it that we avoid using it.”
Mmm
After Ji Leyu told him he didn’t like being called ‘Xiaoyu,’ Zheng Binbai even asked Shi Qi if he had ever called Ji Leyu ‘Xiaoyu’ back in middle school.
Shi Qi took a long time to respond, “I think I did call him that back in middle school, but he said he didn’t like it and preferred to be called Ji Leyu.”
Hearing this, Zheng Binbai was even more convinced of his assumption.
“I guess it’s because his parents—his biological parents—used to call him that. After they passed away, he probably didn’t want to hear the nickname anymore, fearing it would remind him of painful memories.”
Listening to this long explanation, Lin Fei felt speechless.
His background and Ji Leyu’s were not really secrets. When they were children, they appeared on a parent-child variety show with Lin Luoqing and Ji Yuxiao, and their backgrounds were mentioned during that time. Anyone willing to look up old show clips or search online could easily find out these not-so-secret details.
He just hadn’t expected Zheng Binbai to bring this up with him.
And to say it with a tone of “I understand him better than you do.”
Of course, Ji Leyu didn’t like being called “Xiaoyu,” but the issue wasn’t the nickname itself, but the fact that it was from others.
The wise find joy in the mountains, and the benevolent find joy in the waters, but Ji Leyu’s parents didn’t need him to be wise or benevolent. They only hoped for him to be happy and content, which is why they named him Ji Leyu. [2] 乐 (Le): Means “happiness” or “joy.” 鱼 (Yu): Means “fish.” jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3574319_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3574319_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });
“How can one know the joy of a fish if one is not a fish?”
They hoped that, even if others didn’t understand, Ji Leyu himself would be happy. As long as he was happy, nothing else mattered.
Ji Yuling, as the head of the Ji family corporation, had wealth and power. He loved his wife deeply and cherished his child. He only wished for his child to live a carefree and happy life.
As for the material things, he could provide them for his child.
So, his parents called him “Xiaoyu,” and Ji Yuxiao also called him “Xiaoyu.” They all just wanted him to be a happy little fish.
How could Ji Leyu not like this name?
He loves it deeply.
That’s why he doesn’t allow others to call him by it.
He was naturally not a benevolent person. He had clear distinctions between close and distant relationships, and the ones he liked could be counted on one hand. Yet, he always masked his true self with smiles and warmth, giving others a false impression of simplicity and approachability. So, he would never say, “Do you think you’re worthy to call me by my nickname?”
Instead, he would simply say that he didn’t like being called that name, retreating to advance, so that the other person would give up on their own.
He was used to lying.
At five or six years old, he could cry and feel wronged, claiming that he helped someone, only to be accused unfairly, even though he had clearly pushed that person into the water.
Hypocrisy and deceit were his trademarks, and his true nature was one of duplicity. As long as he wished, he could always maintain his gentle and kind façade, selling someone out while they counted the money for him.
And Zheng Binbai, he was clearly deceived by Ji Leyu.
But Zheng Binbai coming to him and saying all this was likely beyond Ji Leyu’s expectations.
Lin Fei would never expose Ji Leyu’s pretense—of course, even if he told Zheng Binbai now that Ji Leyu was deceiving him, Zheng Binbai probably wouldn’t believe it.
Zheng Binbai spoke to Lin Fei with such certainty that Lin Fei felt Zheng Binbai understood Ji Leyu better than he did, despite having grown up with Ji Leyu.
Naturally, Zheng Binbai wouldn’t think of himself as an outsider, nor would he believe there was anything wrong with his thoughts.
“I understand,” Lin Fei said indifferently.
It was not an “Yeah” but a “I understand.”
He understood, and that was all.
Lin Fei finished speaking, bypassed him, and walked toward the classroom.
Zheng Binbai watched his retreating figure, surprised that after all his words, he received such a simple response.
There was no trace of sympathy, guilt, or even surprise or regret—just an emotionless “I understand.”
He is truly cold-blooded and unfeeling.
Zheng Binbai thought of Ji Leyu’s innocent and cute face and thought that he truly didn’t deserve it.
Lin Fei entered the classroom just as the bell for class rang, with Zheng Binbai arriving several seconds later.
Ji Leyu lay on the desk, curious. “What did Teacher Zhao want to talk to you about?”
“The joint exam,” Lin Fei said calmly.
“Oh,” Ji Leyu understood. “Did she tell you to prepare well and make sure you keep the top spot, so that no one from the other four schools takes first place?”
“Yeah.”
Ji Leyu figured that must be it. After all, Teacher Zhao had always been very responsible with her work. The last time he placed third in the finals, she had comforted him, saying that it was okay to occasionally come in third and that it was still a good result, so he shouldn’t feel sad.
With the five-school joint exam coming up, such an important event, of course, she would remind Lin Fei.
Ji Leyu didn’t think much more of it and continued to lie on the desk, napping.
Lin Fei didn’t say anything either. He picked up his pen and continued working on practice questions.
Lin Luoqing got off the plane and, upon exiting the airport, immediately saw Ji Yuxiao’s car.
The autumn breeze was gentle, lifting his mood to one of clear, pleasant joy.
He turned around and told Wu Xinyuan to take the nanny car back to the company while he headed toward Ji Yuxiao’s car.
Ji Yuxiao was looking down, replying to a message from his assistant when he suddenly heard someone open the car door. The next second, the person said, “Driver, are you heading to the south of the city?”
“Nope.” Ji Yuxiao turned around, ready to scold the person, but when he saw who it was, he immediately burst into laughter.
“Is this fun for you?” he asked Lin Luoqing. “Worth changing your voice for, huh?”
Lin Luoqing smiled and nodded, bathed in the gentle sunlight.
He got into the car and asked with concern, “Have you been waiting long?”
Ji Yuxiao had been looking forward to his return all morning, unable to focus on work. The moment he saw the time was near, he drove to the airport by himself, not even bringing the driver along.
“No, I just got here too.”
He leaned over to help Lin Luoqing fasten his seatbelt and asked, “Where in the south are we going?”
“Of course, we’re going home,” Lin Luoqing replied with a smile.
“Oh?” Ji Yuxiao raised an eyebrow, amused. “This time, you’re not going to pick up Xiaoyu and Feifei?”
“This time, I’m giving them a surprise by waiting at home.” Lin Luoqing blinked and gave him a wink.
Ji Yuxiao playfully pinched his cheek before pulling his hand back.
“Finally wrapped up,” Ji Yuxiao said. “If it had taken any longer, I would’ve had to camp out on your set.”
“Don’t worry,” Lin Luoqing smiled. “I’ve already told Wu Xinyuan that I won’t be taking on any new projects until after Feifei and Xiaoyu finish their college entrance exams. At most, I’ll attend a few brand events or film festivals.”
Ji Yuxiao, hearing this, grew a bit concerned about his career. “What if a really great script comes your way?”
“Good scripts are always around,” Lin Luoqing said confidently. “If not this year, then next, or the year after. But the college entrance exam only happens once—I wouldn’t miss Feifei and Xiaoyu’s exams for anything.”
“Besides, with my current standing, even if I don’t act for three years, it won’t make a difference.”
That is true. Ji Yuxiao nodded. After all, Lin Luoqing’s status was undeniable: a four-time Best Actor, the go-to for top directors and screenwriters. Taking a year off wouldn’t affect his position at all.
“They’re going to be thrilled,” Ji Yuxiao said, smiling at him.
Under Ji Yuxiao’s gaze, Lin Luoqing couldn’t help but smile back, his expression gentle.
Heaven had always been kind to him. Even though Ji Leyu and Lin Fei had grown from little children into captivating teenagers, Lin Luoqing’s face still bore no trace of time, remaining as gentle and handsome as ever, radiating a warmth that made people feel at ease.
Ji Yuxiao watched him and slowly leaned closer, about to kiss Lin Luoqing on the cheek, when suddenly Lin Luoqing’s phone rang.
Ji Yuxiao: …
“Take the call first,” Ji Yuxiao said, a bit helpless.
Lin Luoqing smiled, took out his phone, and glanced down, noticing it was a call from Teacher Zhao.
“Hello,” he answered.
Teacher Zhao had originally planned to speak with Lin Luoqing in the evening but worried he might be busy. Since her office was empty at the moment, she decided to call early.
“It’s like this, Lin Fei’s father. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead.”
Only then did Teacher Zhao explain what had happened earlier in the principal’s office.
Lin Luoqing hadn’t expected it to be about this and was a bit surprised.
“This is the first time I’ve encountered a student like Lin Fei. I know he’s outstanding, and I believe he’ll perform well in the college entrance exam, but there are always unexpected circumstances. It’s better to be safe than sorry, don’t you agree?”
Lin Luoqing nodded. “Alright, I’ll talk to him about it tonight. However, Feifei has always been a very independent child, so I can’t guarantee he’ll change his mind. If he really doesn’t want to, then we should respect his decision. After all, this is his life, and he naturally has the right to make the final decision.”
Teacher Zhao: ????
Wow, now she finally understands why Lin Fei’s personality is so unique!
So the root cause lies with you!
“But he’s still just a kid,” Teacher Zhao tried to persuade him.
Lin Luoqing’s tone was gentle. “Children have their own thoughts and emotions too. Precisely because they are children, we as parents and elders need to give them more trust and encouragement, so they can face the world with confidence, don’t you think?”
Teacher Zhao: … Great, now she also understands why Lin Fei is so confident!
Teacher Zhao sighed inwardly. Well, since Lin Fei’s parent also thinks this way, it isn’t her place as an outsider to say anything more.
“Alright then, I hope you can persuade Lin Fei.”
“I’ll try my best,” Lin Luoqing agreed.
“What happened?” Ji Yuxiao asked curiously after Lin Luoqing hung up the phone.
“Feifei’s teacher said the school wants to recommend him for direct admission to university, but Feifei refused.”
“Huh?!” Ji Yuxiao was shocked. “Why? Is it because the school isn’t good enough and Feifei doesn’t like it?”
“No,” Lin Luoqing explained, “Feifei rejected the idea of direct admission, not any particular school. Teacher Zhao said he even turned down H University and A University.”
Ji Yuxiao: !!!
H University! A University!
His son is truly amazing!
Their Feifei is just incredible!
“I never imagined that I could have a son who was offered direct admission to H University and A University. I really don’t know how I got so lucky—I don’t deserve Feifei,” Ji Yuxiao couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
Lin Luoqing was amused by Ji Yuxiao’s words. “Is that really the point here? Is this how you focus on the main idea?”
“I’m just feeling proud,” Ji Yuxiao said smugly. “But why doesn’t Feifei want it?”
Lin Luoqing didn’t respond immediately. He had a vague guess—most likely, it had something to do with Ji Leyu.
He leaned back in his seat, recalling an incident from a long time ago.
//—-
Back then, Lin Fei and Ji Leyu were still young, just in elementary school.
During the first semester of sixth grade, the homeroom teacher had visited their home after the midterm exams and said a few things to him.
She mentioned that with Lin Fei’s intelligence and current level of knowledge, there was no need for him to go through the usual path from elementary school to university. He could skip grades or even aim for H University’s youth class while still in middle school.
“We all know that Feifei is very smart. Not only that, but his passion for learning is rare. Even before starting middle school, he’s already self-taught the entire middle school curriculum. His learning ability and self-discipline set him apart from ordinary people. Shouldn’t we make the most of his talents rather than waste them?”
As a father, Lin Luoqing fundamentally disagreed with this perspective.
Firstly, no matter how smart, mature, or independent Lin Fei was, his appearance and age still made him seem like a child. Placing him among a group of people of varying ages, and given his aloof and reticent nature, some might have perceived him as young and quiet, and therefore easy to bully.
Of course, he didn’t believe anyone could really mistreat Lin Fei. After all, Lin Fei had been learning martial arts from Luo Jia and Xiao Li since first grade. Luo Jia was a retired elite soldier, and Xiao Li was a former underground boxing champion. On top of that, Lin Fei himself had been quite fierce in a fight. Even adults would have found him difficult to handle, let alone older students.
He simply thought it was unnecessary.
He wanted Lin Fei to grow up healthy and happy, to read if he enjoyed it, and to remain silent if he chose to. He didn’t want others to find him strange or easy to bully because of his personality.
Lin Fei had already possessed these qualities.
When he was with his peers, he was always far ahead. While some might have envied him, most admired and looked up to him.
So even if he wasn’t particularly sociable, people didn’t see him as being at fault but rather found him cool.
This was good; he thought this environment was more suitable for Lin Fei.
Moreover, Lin Fei did not skip grades in the original book. In his second year of high school, he met Jiang Jingshuo, and then they entered university together, where they also met Wenren Yi. The three of them started a business during university and eventually achieved great success.
Lin Luoqing did not want Lin Fei to miss out on his friends and career, so he did not wish for him to skip grades and take a path that was not in the book.
However, since this involved Lin Fei and Lin Fei was naturally a very determined child, Lin Luoqing did not directly reject the teacher’s suggestion. Instead, he said he would talk to Lin Fei and hear his thoughts.
That evening, he went to Lin Fei’s room to discuss the matter with him.
After listening, Lin Fei showed no sign of emotion, remaining as expressionless as ever.
“It’s unnecessary,” he said.
“Why?” Lin Luoqing asked. “Your teacher said you were very suitable.”
Lin Fei remained silent.
He had never been fond of expressing his emotions. He was always accustomed to doing many things but was not used to talking much.
However, when Lin Luoqing asked him, he answered every question.
After a long silence, he finally spoke softly, “Xiaoyu isn’t suited for it.”
References[+]