Chapter 26 Alcohol, you are my favorite person.

Yi's appearance successfully separated this family, each with their own agendas.

Lin Yu noticed that Zhou Ke seemed very busy lately, but she didn't know exactly what he was busy with. She only knew that she saw her brother at home less and less often. Every day, when she woke up, Zhou Ke had already left early, but there would still be breakfast he had bought on the dining table. In the evening, Lin Yu deliberately delayed her bedtime, but Zhou Ke didn't return until midnight.

This surprised Lin Yu. She even began to wonder if she had made a mistake. Zhou Ke was not jealous as she had imagined; instead, he began to avoid her.

Of course, Lin Yu wasn't the only one who thought this way. Even Yan Yadong felt that Zhou Ke had been acting strangely lately, as if he were treating the bar like his home, and the lounge was practically his private bedroom.

The last time I saw him like this was two years ago. He went to Jiangcheng University to find Lin Yu, but unexpectedly saw her with a boy. After he came back, he was like a withered piece of wood, dry and flammable. Occasionally, he was like a lake in winter, with a thick layer of ice on the surface.

He had known Zhou Ke for almost ten years and had never seen him like that before.

Zhou Ke is not much different now than he was two years ago, but upon closer inspection, there seem to be some differences.

This makes people even more afraid to get close.

He carefully observed Zhou Ke's expression.

"Something's not right, nine out of ten things are wrong." Yan Yadong kept rubbing his chin, his eyes fixed on Zhou Ke, and finally concluded: "Did you have a fight with your sister?"

Yan Yadong plopped down on the sofa and blurted it out, but he quickly shook his head and denied it, saying, "That's not right either. Your sister looks very well-behaved, and you're a sister-obsessed person, so there's no reason for you to argue. Then why are you always wearing such a cold face? What happened?"

Zhou Ke hunched over, his head and neck drooping, one elbow resting on his knee. He rubbed his temples with his rough fingertips and said irritably, "Lin Yu is in a relationship!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Yadong was taken aback, then asked in confusion, "...So...so what?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Ke raised his head and gave him a cold glance with his dark eyes, which made Yan Yadong's brow twitch.

His mind raced, and then he seemed to realize something, exclaiming, "Oh, I get it! Are you feeling the same way as that old father who raised his daughter with such care, like your little cabbage has been eaten by a pig? If that's the case, Zhou Ke, I really have to talk to you. Your sister is already twenty-one this year. There's nothing wrong with her dating. She's grown up, she's not a minor anymore. You can't expect her to wait until she's twenty-five or twenty-six to date, can you? You can't be so old-fashioned. She's just having a boyfriend now, what will happen when she has a brother-in-law later?"

Zhou Ke was already irritable these past few days, and now listening to Yan Yadong keep calling him "boyfriend" and "brother-in-law" not only didn't make him feel better, but he felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly. Unable to listen any longer, Zhou Ke's face turned ashen, and he coldly scolded him: "Shut up, you're really rude."

"......"

Yan Yadong was suddenly confronted by Zhou Ke's retort. He blinked in bewilderment, then looked at Zhou Ke in disbelief and clicked his tongue, saying, "You're finished, Zhou Ke. You're hopeless. You damn siscon."

Hearing Yan Yadong's condemnation, Zhou Ke's face remained gloomy, showing no sign of relief or understanding, only a feeling of frustration stuck in his heart.

Seeing this, Yan Yadong took a deep breath and shook his head helplessly.

It's no wonder he was unhappy. After all, she was his only sister, whom he cherished and protected. It's understandable that he felt upset, given that she was being taken away by someone else. Thinking of this, he bent down, picked up the glass of wine he hadn't finished drinking from the table, and silently swallowed it.

Forget it, he'd better keep quiet to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Several empty amber-colored liquor bottles sat on the dark coffee table. Although Yan Yadong was determined to remain silent, his eyes kept glancing at Zhou Ke. Although the two of them ran a bar, Zhou Ke didn't drink much on weekdays. He said he didn't like being in a state of mental fog, but tonight he drank one glass after another.

Well, it seems he's really furious.

"Alright, alright, stop drinking." Yan Yadong walked over, patted Zhou Ke on the shoulder, and sighed, "Try to think more positively. It's just having a boyfriend, not getting married. You might break up someday. Thinking like this will make you feel better."

"......"

Unable to bear Yan Yadong's constant talk about boyfriends and marriage, Zhou Ke simply picked up his phone and called a designated driver to go home.

*

The night was as dark as ink, and the neighborhood was quiet. Zhou Ke sat in the car, letting the sultry night wind blow in through the half-open window. Half of his face was bathed in the darkness, and the night blurred his facial features, making it impossible to see the emotions in his eyes. He sat there quietly until he felt his mind clear up a bit before finally opening the car door.

Lin Yu glanced at the time on her phone; it was already past midnight, but Zhou Ke still hadn't returned from the bar.

She began to worry that Yi's appearance might not have improved their relationship, but instead pushed him further away, which would be counterproductive.

Just as I was pondering this, I suddenly heard the sound of a key being inserted into the lock from the entryway.

Is my brother back?

She looked up abruptly, and as she stood up, the door was suddenly pushed open.

Lin Yu walked over in her slippers and saw Zhou Ke changing his shoes in the entryway. From her perspective, she could only see her brother's well-defined profile. He was wearing a black crew neck T-shirt today, which made his neck appear even whiter. His jawline was smooth and sharp, and his handsome features seemed to be shrouded in an indistinct mist.

She stood there, calling out, "Brother..."

Zhou Ke was surprised that Lin Yu was still awake so late. Their eyes met, and both of them were somewhat taken aback. Zhou Ke paused, staring at her, his hoarse voice revealing a hint of fatigue, "It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"

Lin Yu walked closer to him and smelled a strong odor of alcohol in his breath. A look of surprise flashed across her face: "Brother, you've been drinking!"

Zhou Ke's Adam's apple bobbed, and he gave a noncommittal "hmm".

Lin Yu had almost never seen him drink, but today he was unusually covered in the smell of alcohol. Was it because he had something on his mind, or did he simply want to drown his sorrows?

With her emotions subtly stirred, Lin Yu glanced at him and pursed her lips: "Then I'll make you a cup of honey water."

As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the kitchen.

The night outside the window was deep and dark, with only a few houses still lit up. The chirping of cicadas was intermittent. In the inky night sky, the clouds drifted slowly like flowing gauze, revealing the high-hanging full moon.

Zhou Ke sat on the sofa. The main light in the living room was off, only a warm yellow floor lamp was on. The light fell on his face, making his black hair look warm yellow. He closed his eyes slightly, feeling the subtle sounds his sister made in the quiet moment. He heard the sound of running water, then the sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, followed by light footsteps.

"elder brother."

The moment Zhou Ke finished speaking, he suddenly opened his eyes. He raised his chin slightly and saw Lin Yu standing in front of him with a cup of pale yellow warm water.

"Brother, drink some honey water first, otherwise you'll have a headache tomorrow." Lin Yu reached out and handed him the honey water.

"Thank you." Zhou Ke took the cup, swallowed silently. His voice was hoarse and his throat was terribly dry. He held the cup, tilted his chin up, and felt the sweetness of the water slide down his throat, soothing the dense, restless itch in his veins.

Seeing him finish his water in one gulp, Lin Yu's gaze fell on his face. Even though they lived in the same room, she felt like she hadn't seen her brother in a long time. In the dim light, she noticed the faint dark circles under his eyes and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Brother, have you been very busy lately?"

"It's alright." Zhou Ke cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze. "Why do you ask that?"

Lin Yu looked at him, her fingers resting on her knees suddenly twitched, and then she showed a melancholy expression: "Then why have you been coming home so late every day lately? I thought you were angry with me because I brought Cong Yi home the other day."

Her words were blunt, and Zhou Ke finally looked at her, his eyes turning dark and unreadable. "Why am I angry?"

Lin Yu met his piercing gaze, looking at him intently without flinching, scrutinizing every subtle expression. She asked, "Don't you like Cong Yi?"

The air was still, and Lin Yu's voice was not loud. Her low tone fell lightly, but to Zhou Ke's ears, it sounded like a wronged question.

Zhou Ke felt as if his head was soaked in alcohol, dizzy and throbbing. How should he answer? Should he say yes? But if he did, knowing his sister's personality, she would definitely press him for details, asking why he didn't like the other person, what he thought was wrong with them. How should he answer that he didn't know, that it was just a physical aversion?

This reason sounds like an unreasonable argument, and saying it would only put the younger sister in a difficult position between the two of them.

Moreover, he himself couldn't give a reasonable explanation for this inexplicable dislike.

He fluttered his eyelashes, gazing into his sister's watery eyes and the clear longing in them. His breath caught in his throat for a moment. He remained silent for a while before answering, "No."

Lin Yu's heart felt like it had just reached the peak of a roller coaster and then suddenly dropped. She blinked her eyelashes, her fingertips curled up almost imperceptibly, and her heart trembled along with them. Even though she knew that this was not the answer she wanted, she did not show much disappointment on her face.

She quickly calmed down, smiled at her brother, and said understandingly, "It's okay. If you don't like him, just tell me. No matter what, my brother will always be the most important person in my heart."

After she finished speaking, she openly observed Zhou Ke with her gaze.

However, Zhou Ke's attitude remained indifferent. He was not moved by this heartfelt confession. He just looked at this 'silly girl' with a half-smile, as if mocking himself or feeling sorry for himself: "What nonsense are you talking about? You already have someone you like. How can your brother still be the most important person to you?"

"Don't you believe me?" As she said this, Lin Yu's brows furrowed slightly, and for the first time, her clear eyes revealed a sad expression. She was saddened by her brother's distrust. She bit her lower lip, looked into her brother's eyes, and said solemnly, word by word, "No matter what, you will always be the person I love most, brother."

All was quiet. Zhou Ke's lips were pressed tightly together. He could hear his heart pounding heavily, and his dark eyes gradually became more intense.

"Is that so?" Zhou Ke chuckled softly. He suddenly raised his arm, his broad palm landing on the top of her head, gently stroking it like when she was a child. Lin Yu tensed up instantly. The bright moonlight streamed into the living room from the balcony, and the air fell into an inexplicable silence.

His palm slowly detached from her head, gradually sliding down the contours of her face. Lin Yu stared at him blankly, feeling as if his fingertips were electrified, the places he touched were tingling and itchy. She tilted her head back, her curled eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

Their hearts were pounding so hard they felt like they were going to burst out of their chests. After they grew up, they rarely had such intimate touches anymore. They seemed to understand that besides being siblings, they were also a man and a woman, of the opposite sex. This invisible barrier stood between them, quietly separating their intimacy.

She stared intently at Zhou Ke, her gaze traveling from his thick, dark eyebrows to his high, straight nose, and finally to his thin, red lips and prominent Adam's apple.

His palm gently cradled her cheek, remaining still. She longed for her brother to continue caressing her, to not stop, and even more so, she wanted to pounce on him without hesitation, to trace his lips with her moist lips, and to hear his uncontrollable groans.

Unfortunately, now is not the time.

Zhou Ke looked down at her, his eyes filled with the same gentle light as always. His rough fingertips landed on her fair cheeks, gently caressing her delicate skin.

Lin Yu felt her skin burning unbalanced under his touch, her heart pounding wildly, her throat screaming silently. She longed to hug him and kiss him again.

After a long while, a cryptic laugh suddenly fell from above, followed by a deep, husky voice: "My dear child, is it because you know how hard your brother worked to raise you, so no one can replace this love?"

Lin Yu's heart trembled violently.

That's not how it works.

It's because I love my brother very much.