Chapter 50 Adopted Brother [VIP]

...

"Splash—"

The sound of rushing water filled my ears, simultaneously masking the violent pounding of my heart.

In front of the sink, a torrent of water gushed out from the faucet, splashing a ring of clear foam around the sink.

Pei Xuhui's feelings at this moment were like these bubbles that kept breaking and splashing out.

Countless thoughts surfaced in his mind, only to be repeatedly overturned by him.

In the end, what firmly occupied his entire mind was still that silent sentence.

The man looked up at himself in the mirror.

Those usually calm eyes had lost the indulgence they showed when facing a young man, instead revealing an aggressive sharpness, like a hungry beast eager to feed.

Qingran said he did not drown.

Therefore... a kiss is just a kiss, not a breath exchanged in a moment of urgency.

The man's hands, which were gripping the edge of the sink, clenched tightly, and his breathing became rapid.

The cold water quickly drained away, and the newly gushing hot water steamed up white mist, blurring the mirror and also the sharp eyebrows and eyes of the man reflected in it.

Pei Xuhui seemed to be reminded when he saw the towel beside him, and then subconsciously turned his head to look at the door.

The bathroom door was not fully closed.

The image of a young man curled up on the sofa with his legs tucked in, playing on his phone, squeezed into view through the gap that was barely the width of a hand.

With black hair and fair skin, she resembled a delicate porcelain figure, nestled comfortably in a dark green sofa.

And so, all those surging emotions that had no outlet calmed down when they saw this peaceful scene.

As if sensing being watched, the young man looked away from the screen and turned to look at the screen.

His head rested on the soft, bulging back of the sofa, the dark green fabric making his face appear even whiter, glowing as if it were radiating light.

Seeing that tiny crack and the man's deep eyes behind it, a faint smile, like the first bloom of jasmine, spread across her face.

He adjusted his posture, then smiled and leaned against the sofa, looking directly at the man.

Thump, thump, thump.

The water flow did not stop, and Pei Xuhui could still clearly hear his own heartbeat.

No longer so violent, but profound, complex, and full, carrying the purity of the first ten years and the love of the next ten years, giving an echo at this moment.

In the stillness, one seems to lose track of time.

Pei Xuhui did not speak, nor did Qingran urge him.

Without needing confirmation, the feigned ignorance in the billiard room, the eye contact in daily life, and the intentional or unintentional physical contact all became clear at this moment.

After a long while, the man, who had barely calmed himself down, knelt on one knee in front of Qingran with a freshly soaked hot towel.

Since there was no need for massage since there was no drowning, the two tacitly avoided mentioning it.

This time, the massage was applied to the right leg.

With his trousers rolled up to his knees, Pei Xu carefully wrapped a hot towel around his arm and suddenly asked a question out of the blue.

When did you find out?

Qingran knew what he was asking.

"Ten years ago."

...So early.

Qingran: "That time at my grandmother's house, you said you were going to the countryside to find He Anzhou but didn't let me go, which made me suspicious. Later, you suddenly decided to go abroad, which made me certain."

Pei Xu replied, "What kind of flaw is that?"

Qingran nodded: "Doesn't that count? But something that would make you leave me must be related to me."

How inseparable were the two of them during those years?

With Pei's parents busy with work, Pei's grandmother living alone in the old house, and Yu's maternal grandparents residing in the county town, the two spent almost all their time together except for attending classes and sleeping.

If someone occupies 80% of your time and energy, then that person will undoubtedly become a part of your life.

Pei Xuhui and Qing Ran are not only brothers and relatives, but also playmates and friends.

Pei Xuhui was a bit older, and in his memory, Qingran was still a younger brother who was often sick and needed to be taken care of when he was young. Under normal circumstances, he would not be able to leave Qingran behind.

So it's not that there are no flaws, but rather that the flaws have always existed.

After the hot compress had finished, the man removed the towel and used his palm to support the calf muscles in front of him.

The skin that had just been treated radiated an amazing heat, turning a shade redder than its fair complexion.

While massaging along the meridians with moderate pressure, Pei Xuhui asked, "Will you blame me?"

It's his fault for ultimately choosing to abandon him.

This position allowed Qingran's feet to naturally rest on the man's kneeling thighs.

"Just a little bit, I know you need time." It was just that this time was taking too long, which made him a little angry.

In terms of actions, this manifests as bending her toes and trying to pinch the man's thigh flesh.

Unfortunately, the man's leg muscles were smooth and taut, and he didn't cause any damage except for causing a little itching.

Pei Xuhui stopped and pressed him down.

Qingran raised an eyebrow maliciously: "Didn't you say you couldn't do anything to me? Why are you stopping me now?"

The man stared at him, his gaze piercing: "Do you know what you're doing?"

Do they know what these actions mean?

When Qingran was unaware of his feelings, he could take it as playful teasing, but if Qingran understood his feelings and still did it...

Could he be interpreted as accepting?

Her right foot slid slowly down and landed between the man's legs. Qingran leaned down and pressed her forehead against Pei Xuhui's. Their deep and clear gazes met, and they could see themselves reflected in each other's eyes.

Qingran gently stroked the man's cheek with one hand.

“Of course I know,” her voice softened, “Brother, are you scared?”

A different kind of tense atmosphere arises within the ambiguity.

Pei Xuhui admitted, "Yes, I was afraid you would regret it."

Once they start, there's no turning back.

The man's low, husky voice, like a dry, lifeless string, had a breathtaking quality in the quiet night.

"We can't turn back now."

From the very first day he entered this world, Pei Xuhui had no other path to take.

The young man, who had straightened up, had a faint smile on his face. His lips were bright red, and his shimmering eyes were just like the cool and mysterious night.

Pei Xuhui was immersed in the night.

"you're right."

He didn't ask Qingran for an answer because he needed to get past his parents first.

He hoped that Qingran could be with him as lightly as possible.

The man rested his forehead on the young man's knee, closed his eyes, and sighed softly, "Wait for me..."

Like a loyal knight kneeling before the god of faith.

...

The next day.

Qingran, who had developed a regular routine over the years, finished washing up and went out around 8 a.m. When she opened the door, she saw Pei Xuhui returning from his morning run.

The man was wearing black shorts and a vest for easy exercise, his hair was slightly damp with sweat, and the undulating lines of his chest muscles were faintly visible at his neckline.

Good morning, brother~

She reached out to hug him, but the man pressed his index finger against her forehead: "You're sweaty."

"Also, don't call me brother." Every time Qingran called him that, he felt a sense of guilt that he couldn't explain.

Qingran tilted her head and smiled mischievously: "Okay, brother~"

Pei Xuhui glared at him irritably, knowing that this person wouldn't obediently listen.

He gently stroked the young man's cheek: "Your parents are having breakfast downstairs. Go ahead, I'll take a shower and come down."

Qingran nodded.

When I got downstairs to the living room, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Pei. After greeting them, I sat down.

The Pei family, including Qingran, are accustomed to eating Chinese food, so the dining table was filled with a dazzling array of Chinese breakfast dishes.

Pei's mother placed a crab roe crystal bun on Qingran's plate: "Ranran, are you busy today?"

The crab roe buns were made by my aunt this morning with fresh ingredients delivered from an organic farm. The outer skin is crystal clear, and the filling is fresh, fragrant, and smooth.

Qingran, savoring the delicious food, narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and swallowed her food: "No, is there something you need?"

Pei's father spoke up: "A business partner of mine has just bought a horse farm and invited us to go. Would you be interested in coming along?"

"It wouldn't hurt to give it a try," Pei's mother chimed in.

In her early years, she and Lao Pei were busy building their careers and hardly paid attention to their two children at home.

In recent years, as things have settled down, I've been attending various casual dinners and social gatherings in my spare time. Listening to those wealthy people, like the "old Dong" and "rich ladies," praising each other, I've come to realize that the children of these rich families start learning various skills and talents from a young age.

Regardless of how much truth there is in those words, at least the other party is aware of it.

Seeing that the children hadn't gone astray and were among the top students in the school, she and Lao Pei were truly relieved and stopped interfering.

Looking back now, I feel really ashamed.

"In this city?" Qingran asked.

Pei's mother said, "It's two cities away. If you get tired of playing there and don't want to come back, you can stay overnight. Anyway, tomorrow is Sunday, so there's no rush."

Pei's father smiled and said, "Or I can grant you a few more days off."

Qingran: "Great, I'm free this weekend."

When Pei Xu returned, he overheard the three discussing their travel time and couldn't help but ask, "Are you going out?"

Pei's mother told him about going to the horse farm and asked him, "If you're free, you can come along too."

Pei Xuhui nodded: "Okay."

His gaze met the young man's for a moment in the air, then he casually sat down next to Pei's father.

Pei's father teased him, "Not working overtime on the weekend?"

Pei Xuhui picked up his bowl and chopsticks and calmly replied, "It's temporarily over."

Pei's parents, having been through similar experiences, understand this kind of hectic, day-and-night work.

Now that Pei Xuhui has finished his busy schedule, the family has a rare opportunity to get together and go out for fun. Pei's mother, who had just said that she could stay overnight, immediately decided to stay out overnight, have a great time, and come back the next day.

After finishing breakfast, the couple went back to their room with great enthusiasm to pack their change of clothes.

The door wasn't fully closed, and intermittent laughter drifted through the crack into the living room, making the atmosphere at the dining table unusually quiet.

It felt as if the air had thinned, making even breathing uncomfortable.

"He Anzhou's wedding date has been set." The man's deep voice rang out in the increasingly delicate atmosphere.

Qingran then feigned surprise: "Which day is it set for?"

Last time we played pool, He Anzhou mentioned that he was discussing the wedding date with his girlfriend's family. Now that the date has finally been set, he can finally win the heart of his beauty.

Pei Xu replied: "On New Year's Day."

Qingran: "Double happiness, not bad." But the venue and hotel must be quite hard to book.

Did he invite his brother to be his best man?

Pei Xu replied yes, and casually mentioned the names of the other groomsmen, some of whom Qingran recognized, and some she did not.

The two knew perfectly well that they didn't really care who the best man was at the wedding; they just needed a topic to keep talking.

An excuse used when the truth is revealed but the parents and elders are still unaware.

After the meal, Pei Xushou collected the tableware and took it to the kitchen.

Qingran followed the man like a little tail, taking a box of strawberries from the refrigerator.

Pei Xuhui saw this, took the fruit, rinsed it with water, and handed it back to him. Qingran took the fruit plate, ate one herself, and then picked up another and offered it to the man's lips.

The man opened his mouth.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, while eating the strawberry, my lips were lightly traced by my fingertips, leaving a few damp marks.

His dark eyes lifted, looking at the person who had done the evil deed.

A note from the author:

Thanks for watering! *kissing*

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

Reader "Gu Miao" watered the plant with 10 nutrient solutions.

Reader "18204670" irrigated with nutrient solution +20

Reader "Klopp Girl" watered the plant with nutrient solution +10