Chapter 25 Hello, Brother Who Made a Mistake, I'm Xiaoyu's Boyfriend

Zhou Ke recalled his student days, during which he received praise from many teachers. He solved the last major question on the joint entrance exam, which was considered difficult by math teachers. He always answered teachers' questions fluently.

This is the first time, the first time, that I have remained silent on a question so simple it seems ambiguous.

He deserted amidst his sister's expectant gaze.

At this moment, he was sitting alone in his room, in the dim shadows, pondering the question Lin Yu had just raised.

She said she had a boy she liked and asked him if he was happy.

He should be happy for his sister, but those two words were like acid churning in his stomach, making him break out in a cold sweat, feel nauseous, and unable to utter a sound.

He slowly closed his eyes, and the scene of his first meeting with Lin Yu at Jiang Guohua's funeral suddenly flashed into his mind. He remembered when he first came to this family, the night they slept in each other's arms, and that winter when she stood downstairs in the community, gathered a handful of soft snow and shaped it into a lifelike snowman, smiling and saying that this was what her brother looked like.

Before she knew it, she had reached the age where she could fall in love.

His younger sister, whom he had carefully raised, had a beautiful and delicate face, with light-colored, bright eyes, a straight, delicate nose, and full lips, and was in the prime of her youth.

These qualities are enough to make many men admire her. It's perfectly normal for her to find a boy she likes at the most suitable age, hold hands and kiss him.

But why did this heavy stone, weighing on his heart and making his breathing disorder, appear?

That night, he suffered from insomnia, which was unusual for him.

...

Saying that he would take Yi Lai to his house for dinner was not a lie he was intentionally telling his brother; it was the beginning of this plan.

With someone like that around, how could I not show him to my brother?

She used the money Zhou Ke gave her to buy a lot of fruit and gifts needed for the delivery at a nearby shopping mall. Now, she was standing downstairs in the community looking at Cong Yi, who was carrying a lot of things in her hands, and a sense of unease arose in her heart.

Of course, Lin Yu wasn't the only one who was anxious.

To be honest, even after arriving at Lin Yu's apartment building, Cong Yi still couldn't calm his nervous heart.

The July sun was scorching, causing fine beads of sweat to appear behind his ears. He stood in the shade of a tree, mentally preparing himself for almost twenty minutes.

Midway through, Aunt Zhang carrying groceries passed by the two of them, and Grandpa Li, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan and leading his granddaughter, also passed by.

Yi took several deep breaths, and just as he was about to take a step forward, he suddenly pulled his foot back. He looked at Lin Yu and sighed again, "What should I do? I'm still a little nervous."

Lin Yu thought for a moment and comforted him for the nth time: "My brother... isn't as scary as you think."

"Really?" Cong Yi clenched his fist, his Adam's apple bobbing, and one eyebrow raised as he cautiously asked, "Are you sure I can walk out of this door unharmed?"

After all, logically speaking, no brother-in-law would like his sister's boyfriend.

"......"

The asphalt road was warm from the scorching sun, and heat rose from the soles of her feet. The sun rose in the east and moved in the west, and now it was directly overhead, pouring down its blazing rays. Fewer and fewer people were around, and beads of sweat had already formed around Lin Yu's temples.

After a moment of silence, Cong Yi suddenly raised his hand and shook the gift bag in his hand. Then, like a warrior about to go into battle, he mustered his courage and said, "Well then, let's go."

Lin Yu breathed a sigh of relief upon finally hearing those words. She glanced down at the things in Cong Yi's hands and asked, "Do you need me to help you with some of the load?"

"No need, no need," Cong Yi declined, "It's just a short distance."

The two walked up the narrow stairwell one after the other. The white walls were mottled, the light bulbs were covered with thick dust, and the laughter of children could be heard. Cong Yi looked around curiously.

Separated by a door, inside was the brother waiting for his sister to bring her boyfriend over, while outside was the sister hesitating, too afraid to go in.

Cong Yi watched Lin Yu raise and lower her hand, then lowered it again, and said in a low voice, "You're not scared, are you?"

Lin Yu couldn't describe her feelings either. Ever since she told her brother that she had someone she liked that day, Zhou Ke hadn't shown much of a reaction. She tried to find shock, sadness, or anger on his face, but unfortunately, she found none of them.

She was somewhat disappointed. She didn't know what Zhou Ke's expression would be when he saw Cong Yi with his own eyes. Would it be the one she expected, or would he remain as calm as before, and then smile and wish her and Cong Yi a long and happy marriage afterward?

The stuffy, warm breeze blew in through the stairwell window, ruffling the hair hanging at the back of her head and completely dispelling her thoughts.

"No." Lin Yu turned to look at Cong Yi: "You remembered what I said during our rehearsal, right?"

Cong Yi nodded: "I haven't used my brain like this since the college entrance exam."

After saying that, Lin Yu found the key in her pocket and put it into the lock. Since she replaced the old lock last time, unlocking the lock has become much smoother.

As the key turned and clicked, Lin Yu felt her heart skip a beat.

The door, which had been tightly closed just moments before, now had a thin crack. Through this crack, she could clearly see her brother's face.

Stepping into the entryway, Lin Yu bent down and took out a brand new pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them on the floor for Cong Yi to change into.

Having stood outside for too long, both of them were covered in sweat, and the cool air inside provided just the right amount of comfort.

Lin Yu led the group, walking briskly into the living room. "Brother, we're back."

My sister's clear voice echoed in the room, like a sharp awl striking an ancient bell, creating layers of reverberation in my ears.

Zhou Ke stiffly lifted his eyelids, his lips tightened into a straight line, and his gaze went past Lin Yu's shoulder and locked onto the man standing behind her. He scrutinized Cong Yi expressionlessly.

His features were so-so, neither outstanding nor flawed. He had the air of a boy next door, and didn't seem very mature. He hadn't even done anything yet, but just looking at him made Yi break out in a cold sweat.

I heard she's even younger than Lin Yu, no wonder!

For some reason, the words Jiayi and Lin Yu had said in the car suddenly popped into his mind.

The older woman doesn't know the fragrance of her younger brother's scent.

'My younger brother is so great, young and with abs.'

Oh.

Young people nowadays all claim to like younger brothers, but are younger brothers caring? Will they unconditionally spoil their younger sisters like older brothers do? Will they unconditionally solve problems for their younger sisters?

His younger sister was someone he cherished and raised with utmost care; how much could others do for her?

Zhou Ke remained silent for a moment, then suddenly let out a low laugh.

The laughter was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to reach their ears. Lin Yu turned to look at Zhou Ke, who was also looking at his sister. Their gazes met across the distance. Zhou Ke's eyes were as deep as an ancient well, filled with emotions that Lin Yu had never seen before. They were like a wild beast looking at someone who had invaded its territory, full of aggression, danger, and aggression.

Lin Yu's heart clenched suddenly, its pounding becoming erratic. Her fingers clenched involuntarily, her heart burning as if on fire, but she had to maintain a calm facade and innocently ask, "Brother... why aren't you saying anything?"

After she finished speaking, she turned to look at Cong Yi and gestured for him to speak.

Upon receiving Lin Yu's signal, Cong Yi straightened up, forcing a smile onto his tense face, and said awkwardly, "Brother, hello, my name is Cong Yi, I'm Xiao Yu's boyfriend. It's my first time visiting, I apologize for bothering you."

As Zhou Ke listened to the introduction he was given, he felt a sudden pain in his temples, especially from that grating address. Who did he think he was, his brother?

A shadow fell over his brow. Zhou Ke withdrew his gaze, trying to suppress his displeasure so that his sister wouldn't notice. "Hello, please sit down."

Two short minutes felt like an eternity. Cong Yi felt as if he had been scanned naked by a laser. Finally receiving those words, he quickly put down what he was holding, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and replied with a sigh of relief, "Thank you, brother."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Ke frowned sharply, his temples throbbing, and he resisted the urge to massage them.

Before the two of them had even warmed up to each other's presence, they readily began to act out the scene.

Lin Yu first poured Cong Yi a glass of water, saying, "Have some water, you're sweating a lot." As she spoke, she leaned over and took a tissue from the tissue box, intending to wipe the fine sweat from his forehead.

Cong Yi instinctively wanted to take it, but said, "I can do it."

He was about to raise his hand when Lin Yu stopped him with a look, and whispered two words through gritted teeth, "Don't move."

And so, Cong Yi had no choice but to let Lin Yu wipe around his hairline with tissues. To cooperate with her actions, he deliberately acted as if he were extremely happy, with a smile of enjoyment on his face.

Now it's not just my temples that hurt, it's my eyes that hurt, and my heart is throbbing uncontrollably.

Zhou Ke pursed his lips, watching the two's intimate actions, feeling something stirring in his veins. Reason told him that he absolutely could not stay here any longer.

He stood up, lowered his brows, and looked down at Cong Yi, trying to sound as gentle as possible: "It's getting late. I'll go prepare lunch. You can sit here for a while."

"Okay." Lin Yu slowly raised her eyes, her dark, bright eyes shining, and smiled gently at Zhou Ke: "Thank you for your hard work, brother."

As soon as he left, the surrounding air seemed to be relieved. He slumped down from his shoulders and no longer had to maintain that stiff sitting posture. He turned to look at Lin Yu and whispered, "I feel like your brother is looking at me strangely."

Lin Yu: "Really?"

"Of course there is." Cong Yi nodded vigorously in response. He hadn't felt this oppressive feeling for a long time. He even recalled in his mind whether he had done anything bad when he was a child. "If he finds out the truth one day, he will probably be very angry. I can sneak back to Lincheng, but you can't escape."

Why should I run?

"Aren't you afraid your brother will come after you?"

"I'm not afraid." Lin Yu thought for a moment. She was not only not afraid, she was even looking forward to it. She couldn't explain why she was feeling this way, but she just wanted to see how angry Zhou Ke would be after he found out everything. Would he scold her for being silly, or would he be relieved that it was all fake?

......

While waiting, Cong Yi picked up the plate of grapes on the table and considerately fed several to Lin Yu. He kept muttering about the treasure that could give both of them goosebumps, deliberately raising his voice. With each sentence, Zhou Ke resisted the urge to pack Cong Yi up and throw him away. He felt that his ears had been defiled and he desperately needed a quiet place.

The food in the pot was bubbling and releasing an enticing aroma.

Half an hour later, the three of them sat down at the dining table together. Lin Yu sat opposite Zhou Ke, and Cong Yi sat next to her.

To show her thoughtfulness as a girlfriend, Lin Yu picked up her chopsticks and specially placed a piece of fish in Cong Yi's bowl, saying in a light tone, "Try my brother's cooking; his braised fish is absolutely amazing."

The fish was braised, with a rich broth poured over it and a few bright green scallions sprinkled on top. Just looking at it, it looked really good. The fish had absorbed the sauce, with a soy sauce-colored outer layer and tender white meat inside.

"Thank you." In return, Cong Yi also picked up a piece of shrimp for her.

Zhou Ke sat opposite them, silently watching the two of them. He frowned and suddenly had an indescribable feeling. It was as if an outsider had taken over the cabbage he had carefully nurtured, and he still had to serve it well.

They steal his cabbages and eat his cooking.

Looking at the fish that looked and smelled delicious, Cong Yi didn't think much of it. He picked up his chopsticks and put the fish in his mouth. Before he could even taste the quality of the fish, his taste buds were attacked by a salty, bitter and spicy flavor.

Yi swears that he has never eaten such a bad fish in his life, and even West Lake Vinegar Fish would pale in comparison.

Why would such a strange combination be embodied in a fish?

"Hmm..." In an instant, his features involuntarily scrunched up, his face became extremely distorted, and his heart screamed, wanting to turn into an ape and jump up and down, then suddenly run to the clean drink and drink a full glass of water.

Sensing something was wrong with Cong Yi, Lin Yu paused, looked at his flushed ears, and immediately asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? Is there something wrong with the fish?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Ke shifted his gaze, his dark eyes fixed on Cong Yi's expression.

"No, no...it's delicious."

Cong Yi endured the pain, his eyes widening. He swallowed hard, his expression one of utter despair. He dared not question Zhou Ke, and could only turn to Lin Yu with a smile: "You should try it too, it tastes pretty good."

He gritted his teeth, emphasizing the last two words.

Lin Yu looked at Cong Yi, puzzled. He didn't look appetizing at all. She subconsciously raised her eyes to look at her brother sitting opposite her. She saw that his face was covered with a gloomy expression and his lips were pursed. He was completely different from the calm and composed brother she knew.

He would never show such obvious displeasure in front of strangers.

Thinking of this, she suspiciously picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. After just one bite, she couldn't help but spit it out.

She loved eating fish since she was a child, so fish was the most common dish on her family's dining table. Lin Yu never believed that Zhou Ke could cook it to this standard. However, it was indeed the case. It was almost the worst fish she had ever eaten. It tasted like a mixture of various seasonings that ended up with an indescribable flavor in her mouth.

She was too embarrassed to say those two words.

Zhou Ke put down his chopsticks, a slight apology on his face: "Sorry, I was thinking about something while cooking, so I might have been a little absent-minded and didn't get the amount of seasoning right."

"Is that so?" Lin Yu was somewhat incredulous.

Zhou Ke looked at his sister sitting opposite him and said with a smile, "Everyone makes mistakes. Don't think of your brother as someone who never makes mistakes."

The world's fondness for the drama of saints falling from grace ultimately stems from a desire to see them become normal people with the same emotions and desires as mortals.

Lin Yu admitted that in her life, Zhou Ke had always played the role of a guide. He was a gentle and considerate older brother and a teacher who answered her questions. She had never seen him do anything wrong. In her mind, her brother was omnipotent, and everything he did was good and right.

But today, he said that he also makes mistakes, and that he made mistakes in front of her.

Holding her chopsticks, Lin Yu stared blankly at the white rice she was eating, feeling as if she had gained something new.

The meal was eaten in a distracted manner, with each person harboring their own thoughts.

The somber atmosphere at the dinner table was like that of someone eating their last meal before being executed.

Cong Yi lowered his head, trying to minimize his presence. He wanted to look up but dared not, only staring at the dishes in front of him. He felt that his bent back was not pressing down on a mountain, but rather on a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

After lunch, Lin Yu took Cong Yi and left home.

With the person finally gone, Zhou Ke immediately felt that the air in the house was much fresher. He picked up the kitchen trash can and expressionlessly dumped all the food he had prepared for lunch into the trash bag.

After doing all that, he poured himself a full glass of water and gulped it down. The cold water slid down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the nameless fire in his heart.

After saying that, he turned to look at Lin Yu, who had been sitting silently to the side, and asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"

Ever since she came out, Lin Yu's mind had been in a mess, like a tangled mess of threads. She glanced at Cong Yi and asked, "What do you think of my brother's performance today, from your perspective?"

Upon hearing Lin Yu's question, three words immediately flashed through Cong Yi's mind: Something's not right, something's very wrong.

He tilted his body to face Lin Yu and analyzed in a serious tone: "From the moment I walked in, I felt your brother's hostility towards me. Although, you know, a brother-in-law's view of his brother-in-law is like a father-in-law's view of his son-in-law, which is somewhat influenced by personal feelings, it's strange that your brother's feeling towards me is not just simple dislike."

Cong Yi thought about it and wondered how to describe the feeling. It was as if he had stolen something he shouldn't have.

After hearing Cong Yi's words, Lin Yu's previously chaotic thoughts suddenly cleared up. She looked up at Cong Yi and smiled suddenly: "Anyway, thank you for today."

"It's nothing," Cong Yi said. "So what are your plans next?"

Lin Yu: "Strike while the iron is hot."