Chapter 45 Foster Brother [VIP]

Qingran replied with a few words.

We'll talk about it when we get home.

He understood and comprehended Pei Xuhui's reasons for leaving, but that didn't mean he wasn't angry.

Even a little bit of anger is still anger, hmph.

At 11 p.m., the car drove back to Yongjing Villa.

This time was well past the time when Mr. and Mrs. Pei usually rested.

Since the group's business got on track, the two of them have had much less work and spend more time at home. In addition, as they get older, they have gradually started to maintain a regular schedule and learn to take care of their health.

As soon as Mrs. Pei entered the living room, she covered her mouth and yawned.

"I can't take it anymore, I'm so sleepy."

She turned to Pei Xu, who was lagging behind, and said, "I've had your room cleaned, and nothing's been touched. We can talk about anything else tomorrow; it's too late today."

Pei Xu nodded, carrying his suitcase: "You and my dad sleep first."

This is his own home. He was last back in six months ago. There's really no need to make a big fuss just because he's returning to China.

Pei's parents went back to their bedroom on the first floor together, and he and Qingran went up to the second floor one after the other.

They passed Qingran's room first, and the two of them stopped at the door without prior arrangement.

Pei Xuhui was pondering the requests Qingran might make when he saw the young man press down the doorknob, turn around, and refuse in the words of Pei's mother: "It's too late today, let's talk about it tomorrow."

Then, without giving him any chance to respond, the bedroom door slammed shut right in front of him.

The man stood silently in place.

A moment later, a sliver of light spilled out from the bottom of the door. The man lowered his head and stared at the dim light on the floor tiles, as if watching over a flickering flame in the darkness.

Indeed, it's too late today; I should get some rest first.

The next day, Qingran, who had to go to work, went downstairs for lunch at 8:30 sharp.

Besides Pei's parents, Pei Xuhui was also present at the table.

Pei's mother was complaining to him: "You're not going to work again today, why are you up so early? The housekeeper said you were already in the living room when she came to cook at seven o'clock."

Pei Xu replied, "I'm jet-lagged and can't sleep."

He wasn't lying, although the facts need to be reversed.

Pei's mother understood and changed the subject.

"We're having dinner at Juweilou tonight. Your dad, Ranran, and I have to go to work. Since it's almost time, remember to pick up your grandma and Ranran's grandparents first."

Pei Xuhui nodded and then asked, "Does Qingran usually drive herself to work?"

Qingran: "No."

Pei's mother chimed in, "Ranran is a lazy person; even though she got her driver's license, she doesn't like driving."

Pei Xu replied, "Then I'll take you there later."

Qingran politely declined, "No need, I can hitch a ride with Mr. Pei."

Pei's father nodded happily.

Qingran doesn't like driving, so she usually either hitches a ride with Pei's parents or takes a taxi, since transportation is very convenient now.

The reason he doesn't like driving is that he's worried about encountering drivers with questionable manners who might make him want to fight. He doesn't want to be mistreated or cause trouble for himself, so taking a car is the best option.

As for the people he rejected...

Across the table, Pei Xuhui picked up his water glass and took a sip, his eyelashes half-closed, making his emotions unreadable.

[Host, aren't you going to get back together with Pei Xu?] The system asked him in his mind's eye.

Qingran: [Did I say that?]

System: [No, but since you've been consistently rejecting Pei Xuhui, I can reasonably assume that.]

Qingran didn't answer directly: [In the last world, you told me that the more misunderstandings and missed opportunities there were in the early stages, the more intense the emotional outburst would be when the truth was revealed later.]

Now it was the system's turn to be puzzled: had it said that?

I checked the history of comments, oh, it was about Yan Chen and his official partner's storyline.

So the host is doing this on purpose?

[Host, I've realized Yan Chen was right about one thing: you genuinely enjoy seeing others suffer.]

Qingran didn't seem to care: [Do I enjoy seeing anyone other than those two suffer?]

The two people in question may very well be the same person.

System: [...No.]

It couldn't help but silently light a candle for Pei Xuhui in its heart, thinking, "Who told you to like the host? Who told you to be chosen by the host?"

Does he enjoy seeing people suffer?

Qingran denied it; he just wanted to see how much Pei Xuhui liked him.

I slacked off at get off work all day, and then clocked out promptly at 5 PM.

Pei's parents still had some work to finish, and Qingran, who didn't want to dawdle at the company, needed to take a taxi to her place to eat.

He waved goodbye to his colleague who wanted to invite him to dinner, and before he could even look around at the roadside, a black car pulled up and stopped in front of him.

The car window rolled down, revealing Pei Xuhui's sharply defined and superior facial features.

"Can't I bump into my car?" the man asked in a deep voice.

Qingran stared at him for a few seconds, then walked around the front of the car to the other side and got in.

Pei Xuhui secretly breathed a sigh of relief inside the car.

After Qingran fastened his seatbelt, he turned the steering wheel and drove into the traffic. His hands were fair-skinned, contrasting sharply with the black leather of the steering wheel.

Qingran is a little disappointed that she can't play it yet.

"Grandma Pei and Grandpa and Grandma Pei have all arrived?"

Pei Xu replied: "Yes, I went to my grandma's house this afternoon and chatted with them. Grandma said that the osmanthus flowers will wither in a while, and she told us to come and play during the National Day holiday. She will make osmanthus cakes for us."

Today is the 27th, and the National Day holiday is just three days away.

Qingran didn't say whether she would go or not.

"You didn't sleep at night, so why don't you sleep during the day either?"

"Qingran is concerned about me?" The man glanced at him sideways.

Qingran: "Just asking casually."

Then she pursed her lips, turned her head to one side, and refused to communicate.

The man smiled.

When we arrived at the private room at Juweilou, the atmosphere inside was lively. Three elderly people were chatting and eating sunflower seeds, looking very relaxed.

Seeing that Qingran and Pei Xu had returned, the conversation naturally turned to Pei Xu, whom they hadn't seen for half a year.

First, I asked Pei Xu about his company situation—though I didn't understand much of what he said—and then I inquired about his marriage prospects.

Grandma Yu: "Xu Hui is 28 this year, right? Do you have a girlfriend yet?"

Pei Xu replied: "..."

“I don’t have a grandmother yet,” he said. “My work is my priority right now, so I’m not thinking about that for the time being.”

"If you don't consider it at 28, when will you? 38?" Grandma Pei scoffed, "By then, you'll be old, faded, and plain-looking. Which young girl will even look at you?"

She said earnestly, "You're not young anymore. Tell me what type you like, and I'll ask around in my WeChat Moments."

Grandma Yu agreed: "That's about right. Dating for a year or two and getting married at thirty is just right."

Grandma Pei pressed, "Tell me quickly, what kind do you like?"

The man subconsciously looked to his side, where the person beside him was quietly sipping tea with their eyes lowered, as if they hadn't heard anything.

That's right, Qingran doesn't... how could she possibly care whether he has someone he likes?

Grandma Pei: "I'm asking you a question, why are you looking at Ranran?"

Pei Xu snapped out of his thoughts: "I don't know, I haven't thought about it."

"You haven't even been in a relationship yet, have you?" Grandma Pei sensed something was off and reacted exactly like Pei's mother: "Is there something wrong with your health?"

"Cough, cough." Qingran choked on her tea.

"You silly child, you can even choke on a sip of tea." Grandma Yu shook her head with amusement; it was just a joke.

Pei Xuhui took the teacup and patted his back, then suddenly asked, "What kind of person does Qingran like?"

Qingran stopped coughing, took a tissue to wipe her mouth, and put her hand down upon hearing this.

What kind of person do I like?

His voice was hoarse from coughing, raspy, like the plucked strings of a musical instrument.

"It's beautiful."

What level of attractiveness is considered good?

Qingran turned to look at him: "Like my brother."

A faint smile played on the man's lips; his delicate eyebrows and red lips, like a spiderweb, enveloped the man's heart.

Pei Xuhui's heart skipped a beat.

"Ranran is looks-oriented. She said before that the person she's looking for can't be worse looking than her."

Grandma Yu added from the side, then turned her attention to Qingran.

"In all my years, I've only ever seen one person whose looks are no worse than yours, Xu Hui. If you use your brother as your standard, you're destined to be a bachelor for life!"

It doesn't matter if it's blue.

"If I can't find it, I can't find it. Anyway, I won't lower my standards."

Pei Xuhui is only urged a few times a year, while he is urged every few days at home, so he has a set of ways to deal with it.

And he wasn't lying.

That's why the two families stopped urging her. After all, it wasn't that Qingran wasn't looking, but that she couldn't find him. They didn't want to bring it up too often and upset the child.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Pei finished their work and arrived, everyone at the welcome banquet was finally present.

During the meal, Pei Xuhui was somewhat absent-minded, his mind constantly replaying the conversation that had just taken place.

Pei's mother noticed and asked him what was wrong.

Seeing that Qingran had put down her chopsticks, Pei Xu replied, "Qingran and I are going out for a walk. We'll go straight home later. Mom, you and Dad will see Grandma and the others off."

Qingran wondered to herself, what would happen if she suddenly opened her mouth and couldn't say anything to Pei Xuhui?

Well, he's not that bad yet.

Stepping out of Juweilou, the evening breeze, carrying the coolness of early autumn, blew away the heat from my body.

The river shimmered under the lights on the opposite bank. Qingran leaned on the railing, lost in thought, when suddenly a cup of milk tea was handed to her.

It was his favorite mango-flavored milk tea in the past.

He was a beat slow to react before taking it and holding it in his palm; it was warm.

Qingran: "Why did you call me out?"

Pei Xuhui leaned against the railing and turned his head to look at him.

The wind brushed against his face, ruffling the young man's fine hair. The curves of his brow bone and nose formed an undulating arc, making him handsome and refined.

"I just want to know what it will take for you to forgive me."

The handsome young man smiled and said, "You did nothing wrong by choosing to study abroad, so why talk about forgiveness?"

Pei Xu replied, "I broke our agreement and left you alone in the country."

"It was just a joke during adolescence, not a promise. As for the last sentence, 'Your family and relatives are all in China,' it's more accurate to say that you're the one who went far away from home."

His cooperative yet distant attitude left Pei Xuhui feeling powerless.

Back then, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to control his feelings, so he chose to leave. But in the end, he found that no matter what he chose, it would lead to the same result.

It's all about loss.

"sorry."

The man's hoarse apology was crushed in the wind.

Qingran remained silent for a while.

"Are you asking Fang Qi about me?"

Pei Xu responded with an "Mmm".

That was a few months before he went abroad. Qingran was giving him the cold shoulder and not replying to his messages, so he could only try to get help from the people around him.

He wanted to know if Qingran had paid attention to her diet, whether she would sneak out of school to buy snacks after class in the evening, and whether she had met a second person who patiently explained math problems to her every time.

He wanted it, yet he was afraid of it.

"You ask me what it will take for me to forgive you."

The shimmering river surface was reflected in the young man's eyes, and as he turned around, he became a lonely figure.

"It's very simple, it just depends on whether you're willing to give it up."

The man looked up at him, his dark eyes like an impenetrable, cold night.

"what would you like?"

"Your most precious thing."

"What do I consider most precious?"

"right."

The man suddenly smiled, with a hint of bitterness and sigh: "Then you already have it."

The young man asked in confusion, "What is it?"

Pei Xu answered with a single word.

"you."

A note from the author:

Thanks for watering! *kissing*

Reader "Tree Without Thoughts" watered with nutrient solution +1