Chu Zhang stayed for dinner, but he couldn't taste the food and his mood fluctuated wildly.
His father, who always adhered to the principle of not speaking while eating or sleeping, actually took the initiative to ask him if the filming was hard.
Shouldn't Chu Jianshu have said with a stern face, "Enduring hardship and making efforts are things that everyone must do"?
Chu Zhang sipped his tea after the meal, his eyes glazed over.
He already doesn't enjoy eating at home, but today he feels like he's going to have indigestion.
The clattering of bowls and chopsticks, the barely perceptible sound of chewing, the deathly silence—this was everything he was used to at the Chu family dining table.
Such a harmonious atmosphere, like the surface of a lake after being exposed to the sun, no longer felt so chilling.
"Ready? Can we go now?" Zhao Xinghua grabbed Chu Zhang's head, his eyes fixed on Chu Zhang with a sinister look.
Chu Zhang was too quiet, so quiet that Zhao Xinghua worried he might cause trouble at any moment.
"..." Chu Zhang reached out and tried to hug Wan Qiu, who was sitting next to him.
If Chu Zhang had known his quick-witted and nimble nature, he would have simply pulled Wan Qiu away. Wan Qiu was lifted up by Zhao Xinghua, who held her under his armpits, like a toy.
Chu Zhang's eyes widened: "...Wow!"
Zhao Xinghua: "..." How come it's so light? When I picked it up, I could even feel it being shaken.
Zhao Xinghua felt uneasy. Had she used too much force? What if she had hurt him?
Zhao Xinghua looked up and saw Wan Qiu hanging in mid-air, her whole body relaxed and limp as if she had no strength to support her, staring at Zhao Xinghua.
“…I…I’m sorry.” Zhao Xinghua’s mind went blank.
Chu Zhang, standing to the side, took out his phone and took a series of photos.
Zhao Xinghua was speechless for a long time before putting Wan Qiu down. Wan Qiu simply stood there, neither making a fuss nor causing any disturbance, as calmly as if nothing had happened.
They are difficult to get along with.
This is Zhao Xinghua's feeling.
If it weren't for love, or a lack of interest, probably no one would be willing to approach this child.
Watching Chu Zhang gently knead Wan Qiu with a beaming smile, the joy in his eyes was likely proof that he genuinely liked her.
Unfortunately, no matter how unwilling he was, Chu Zhang still had to leave; his vacation was only one day long.
Late at night, Zhao Xinghua drove Chu Zhang to the airport, planning to stay overnight at an airport hotel and catch the first flight back to the film crew the next morning.
Even though Chu Zhang cried and clung to Wan Qiu, refusing to leave, it took Zhao Xinghua and Yang Ze working together to separate the two.
Wan Qiu, who had been torn apart, was hidden behind Yang Ze, his expression extremely bewildered.
After getting into the car, Chu Zhang couldn't help but look at Wan Qiu with longing eyes.
Wan Qiu gazed at him quietly and said goodbye, but Chu Zhang seemed unable to get enough of looking at him, always turning back to look even when they were far apart.
Huddled in the passenger seat, Chu Zhang curled up, looking utterly desperate: "I finally managed to meet my brother whom I haven't seen for almost ten years, why won't you let me spend more time with him?"
Although Zhao Xinghua would sometimes make sarcastic remarks to Chu Zhang, after witnessing the way the two brothers got along, he couldn't bring himself to say anything sarcastic.
In the end, Zhao Xinghua simply replied, "There will be an opportunity later."
Chu Zhang let out a very exaggerated, long sigh, looking extremely dissatisfied with the current situation.
Zhao Xinghua was driving when he thought for a moment and decided to ask, "You and your third brother have always had a good relationship?"
Chu Zhang denied it very directly: "No."
Zhao Xinghua was taken aback: "But you and him seemed very close..."
"It's not in that sense, is it?" Chu Zhang left Wan Qiu, as if all his strength had been drained, and lazily looked out the car window.
"So there are downsides too? You taught him to dance because of the awkward relationship?" To avoid talking too much?
“Teaching him is just to get him to lift his head.” Perhaps it was because he was having a hard time that he developed the habit of cowering and bowing his head, Chu Zhang said. “My feelings for my third brother are probably a collection of complex emotions in various senses.”
Zhao Xinghua was well aware of just how complicated the Chu family's situation could be, but this was not something an outsider could casually inquire about.
On the contrary, Chu Zhang seemed unwilling to end the topic: "The loss of Wanqiu back then was also indirectly related to me."
Zhao Xinghua's eyes widened; this was something he had never heard of before.
"Back then, Yang Er took on most of the responsibility. At that time, I... also had some feelings of wanting to escape. If only I hadn't run away back then."
Looking at his reflection in the car window at night, Chu Zhang felt as if he had returned to that young and somewhat helpless age.
Chu Zhang is largely to blame for the loss of Wanqiu, and the current strained relations within the Chu family are also a result of his inaction.
Chu Zhang's fingers tightened slightly.
He's always been a coward.
As he matured, looked back on the past, and wanted to take responsibility and make amends, the entire family situation had become so rigid that it could not be loosened.
He never thought that adopting Chu Yigui was a good thing.
Chu Yigui seemed to have helped alleviate their family's predicament, but in reality, nothing had changed.
Everything seemed to have become peaceful under Chu Yigui's protection.
It has simply become more peaceful.
If the problems were brought to the surface, there would still be a chance to solve them, but because of Chu Yigui, all the problems seemed to have sunk to the bottom of the water.
Even now, Chu Zhang still feels that Chu Yigui's existence is an unsolvable knot.
The Chu family wanted to mediate, but it was like a tightly twisted rope. They relied on each other and lived in peace, but once one of them broke, they could never go back to the way things were, and the other ropes would also be in danger.
Chu Zhang also hoped to become an outstanding eldest son.
But looking back at the mess he had made, Chu Zhang couldn't help but feel frustrated.
To others, the name Chu Zhang has always represented talent, smooth sailing, and success, but Chu Zhang has never truly been confident.
His past failures were like a deep quagmire, and he was trapped in it, unable to extricate himself.
but……
Wanqiu's return allowed Chu Zhang to see something different.
It was as if clean, spotless white had suddenly returned to the Chu family.
In a hazy vision, Chu Zhang seemed to see angel feathers slowly falling from that white expanse.
That was the trace left by the wind from the angel.
The atmosphere in the Chu family, which had been quiet for so long, seemed to begin to loosen with Wanqiu's return.
“An angel has come to our house,” Chu Zhang said, as if possessed.
"You have no feelings for her at all, yet you call her an angel?" Zhao Xinghua said.
“You don’t understand. It’s not something you can judge by whether you have a good or bad relationship.” Although Chu Zhang felt that Zhao Xinghua didn’t understand, he still wanted to say something. “For example, our housekeeper is actually a rigid person. Generally speaking, he wouldn’t be so proactive in offering any suggestions.”
“As a butler, isn’t it a butler’s duty not to get involved in the master’s affairs?” Zhao Xinghua said.
"But my dad didn't scold me at all today; he even chatted with me like old friends!!"
Chu Zhang found this utterly unbelievable and almost jumped out of the passenger seat, trying to make Zhao Xinghua understand.
"You've met my dad before, haven't you? Is my dad that kind of person? He's never touched any of my brothers' heads!! Never!!"
“You can’t compare yourself to an idiot,” Zhao Xinghua blurted out, then stopped abruptly.
"You're the idiot! Don't you dare call my third son an idiot!" Chu Zhang reached out and knocked Zhao Xinghua's head.
Zhao Xinghua endured the pain and said, "Drive! Drive!"
Chu Zhang suddenly fell silent, sitting listlessly in the passenger seat.
Zhao Xinghua might not understand, but how could Chu Zhang not know what it felt like to be at home?
Just standing in that house felt like being deprived of breath.
A quiet world where there is no communication.
Everyone seemed to be separated.
Those rules and regulations, like the quills of a porcupine, will prick each other and draw blood when they get close.
Seeing Chu Zhang remain silent, Zhao Xinghua glanced at him several times and apologized softly, "I'm sorry, that's not what I meant."
Chu Zhang muttered curses under his breath at Zhao Xinghua in annoyance, then dialed Wan Qiu's number for comfort.
The call didn't go through.
Chu Zhang waited five minutes and then called again.
This time the call was answered, but there was a long pause on the other end before the question was asked, "Big Brother?"
Chu Zhang looked at his masked face reflected in the rearview mirror, his eyes calm but his tone light and cheerful: "Wan Qiu, I'm sorry, your older brother can't play with you for a few more days."
After a long wait, Wan Qiu finally replied, "Mm."
"The cake Wanqiu gave us was delicious too."
Wan Qiu remained expressionless, offering only a simple "Mm".
"Big brother will teach you to dance today, isn't it fun?"
However, Wan Qiu did not respond to this.
As Zhao Xinghua listened, he realized that children with intellectual disabilities are indeed very difficult to get along with. If it were him, he would definitely find the atmosphere of this conversation extremely awkward.
"Who were you talking to on the phone just now?" Chu Zhang ignored the unanswered question without showing any frustration.
"Mother."
Chu Zhang unconsciously raised an eyebrow. He opened his mouth, then heard a hint of bitterness in his cheerful voice: "Did you tell Mom that your second brother took you out to play?"
"Um."
Chu Zhang's eyes widened suddenly, and he immediately sat up straight, only to be pulled back down by the seatbelt. He asked anxiously, "Did Mom say something?"
Wan Qiu seemed to be recalling something, before managing to say, "I don't remember."
Wan Qiu probably really can't remember.
But just that one sentence was enough to shock Chu Zhang.
"I see..." Chu Zhang smiled gently, a smile quite different from his usual boisterousness all day. "Thank you. My Wanqiu is so cute."
Even after hanging up the phone, Chu Zhang was still somewhat lost in thought.
Will Yang Xiaoyu agree to let Yang Ze take Wan Qiu out?
it's out of the question.
However, Yang Xiaoyu found out but said nothing.
No one knew whether Yang Xiaoyu was angry or not, but Yang Ze's expression showed that he had not been questioned.
Perhaps it wasn't that she didn't mind, but Yang Xiaoyu simply chose to tolerate it.
Yang Xiaoyu is not the type to be patient.
Things haven't gotten better.
But things are indeed changing.
People are changing quietly, even if it's so subtle that he can only detect it slightly.
But for Chu Zhang, even this small amount was a glimmer of hope.
Chu Zhang seemed to hear Wan Qiu's hesitant, somewhat broken voice in his ear.
They were initially worried that their long-lost younger brother might not be able to adapt to this family, but now they think that perhaps Wanqiu's not-so-bright mind has made him the most suitable member of their family.
Suddenly Chu Zhang laughed.
"Angels, they really are angels." Chu Zhang murmured in Zhao Xinghua's ear, "I want to take a set of angel photos for my third son."
Zhao Xinghua ignored it.
"Ugh, they really only gave me one day! I'm going on vacation for three months after this shoot!" Chu Zhang suddenly burst into a wail.
"You wish," Zhao Xinghua said coldly.
——
Wanqiu felt that he had had a very strange day.
His older brother is a very talkative person.
My older brother's friend is one of them.
He learned to dance from his older brother, but Wanqiu knew he was a terrible dancer.
In the bright, clear mirror of the dance studio, Wan Qiu could still see just how different his and his older brother's postures were.
But his older brother seemed to really want him to learn, so Wanqiu did.
Big brother... he's really good-looking.
When her older brother was dancing, Wanqiu seemed to see a peacock, something she had only ever seen on TV, showing off its shimmering tail, which was incredibly beautiful.
He's such an amazing person; he seems to shine in every little detail.
But it seems that I only get to see my older brother for half a day.
He only had so much time to spend with his older brother. Did he even give his older brother a decent half-day?
Even if he tries his best to do what his older brother wants him to do, but doesn't do it well, will his older brother dislike him?
Wan Qiu couldn't keep up with Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua's conversation, and couldn't understand what Chu Zhang meant, but he had done everything he could.
Wan Qiu sat on the sofa, feeling a little tired but not sleepy.
In quiet moments when she was alone, Wan Qiu would often reminisce about the time she spent with Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua.
Are that what friends are like after you grow up?
However, Wan Qiu's only friend, Chu Yigui, did not seem to have such a close relationship with him.
Are he and Chu Yigui really friends?
Even when Zhao Xinghua and Chu Zhang were arguing, they still seemed very close.
That's what intimacy should be like...
Wanqiu slept restlessly in bed that night.
Wanqiu is dreaming.
I haven't had such a vivid dream in a long time; it felt less like a dream and more like a memory.
It was when he was in school.
Wanqiu had no illusions about making friends. Ever since he was in the countryside, when a lot of the children left behind refused to befriend him, Wanqiu knew that others did not like to befriend him.
Wan Qiu also vaguely knew that he was different from others.
But Wanqiu didn't really feel anything particularly different about it.
Without interaction, there is no special distinction.
When Wanqiu first started school, he was once the object of his classmates' curiosity, but over time they gradually distanced themselves from him.
Wan Qiu personally experienced the teacher's shift from concern to eventual helplessness.
Things I never paid attention to before are becoming clear.
Wan Qiu seemed to have truly discovered the huge difference between him and others.
He is unable to communicate normally.
Wan Qiu stood in front of the mirror, looking at himself. His elder brother's extremely pleasant voice seemed to still echo in his mind.
Wanqiu wanted to say a complete sentence to herself in the mirror.
But when I opened my mouth, I found that I couldn't say anything.
Every word Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua uttered easily stirred the other's emotions, their familiar tone and relaxed atmosphere creating a powerful synergy.
Wan Qiu never found the interactions between Ming Ninghai and his friends, or Ning Qiaozhen and her friends, suspicious.
Only now...
Was it because he had his first and only friend?
I want to talk.
I want to be like my older brother, speaking happily with his friend Chu Yigui in a pleasant voice.
Wanqiu looked in the mirror, opened her mouth, but her voice was halting.
He didn't know how to initiate a conversation.
How did my older brother manage to do that? How could he come up with so many ideas?
Wanqiu stood dejectedly in front of the mirror, looking at himself, and suddenly felt absurd.
How can he compare to his elder brother?
He can't learn from anyone else; it must be something only his older brother can do.
——
At breakfast, Wanqiu's breakfast still included a plate of fruit, which she enjoyed.
When Wan Qiu heard Chu Jianshu call out Chu Yigui's name, he slowed down his chewing of the orange.
"School is about to start. Are you planning to continue living here, or move to a place near the school?"
This is just an old house. Because Wanqiu lives here, everyone comes back every day after get off work, which inevitably increases the commute time slightly.
The Chu family has bought many houses in various parts of the city that are suitable for living. Chu Yigui spent most of her time living in the city during her school years.
Wan Qiu quietly pricked up his ears.
Chu Yigui did not answer immediately, but looked up at Wan Qiu, thought for a moment, and then said, "I'll live with my brother."
"Hmm?" Chu Jianshu raised his eyebrows. Since Wan Qiu returned, he didn't seem to be particularly close to Chu Yigui. Now that Chu Yigui was going to stay here, Chu Jianshu was a little surprised.
“In any case, my brother and I are the same age, so it’s easier for us to communicate about some things,” Chu Yigui said.
Yang was somewhat surprised to hear Chu Yigui's words, since Chu Yigui had never seemed to care much about Wan Qiu.
Wan Qiu quietly raised her eyes to look at Chu Yigui.
“It’s good that you’re thinking of Wanqiu this way,” Chu Jianshu said directly. “I always thought you and Wanqiu didn’t have a very good relationship.”
“How could that be? I’ve always cared about my brother. The reason I’m not close to him is that I hope he can have more time to get to know his surroundings and build relationships with other people,” Chu Yigui said.
Yang was taken aback: "Is that what you think?"
"Yes, although I can't be by my brother's side all the time, I hope that I can be near him whenever he needs me." Chu Yigui smiled gently, her expression sincere and kind.
Chu Jianshu naturally didn't say anything more after hearing this, as Chu Yigui never needed them to worry about her affairs.
Wanqiu listened, the words in the conversation were very simple, but Wanqiu's understanding was rather vague.
Wanqiu always hears people talking about him.
Wan Qiu also wanted to say something, but it seemed that no one really needed his answer.
Wanqiu couldn't say anything.
"Is there anything you want today?" Before Yang Ze and Chu Jianshu were about to leave, Yang Ze, as always, bent down slightly and asked Wan Qiu.
Wan Qiu remained silent, his hands clenched unconsciously, his desire to speak stronger than ever before.
But Wanqiu couldn't think of anything she wanted, and her face turned red with anxiety.
But Wanqiu simply repeated the farewell words he remembered until Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze left.
With Chu Zhang absent today, the entire space seemed empty.
When Chu Zhang was around, everything seemed to be filled with joy. Even though Wan Qiu was still made to dance that strange dance that she could never dance well, Wan Qiu was willing to do it.
However, Wanqiu stood in the entryway for a long time, initially hoping to do something, but ultimately failing to do anything. In the end, Wanqiu turned around and wanted to go back to his room.
However, Wanqiu suddenly stopped.
Chu Yigui stood in front of him.
Wan Qiu blinked, looked up at Chu Yigui, and was very puzzled as to why Chu Yigui had not left.
Wan Qiu looked up at Chu Yigui, and Chu Yigui was also looking at him.
Wan Qiu unconsciously began to feel nervous, and memories of Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua's interactions surfaced in his mind.
But he just stood there, at a loss.
Chu Yigui simply watched quietly as Wan Qiu struggled.
In the end, Wan Qiu lowered his head and chose to give up.
Chu Yigui was well aware that Wan Qiu was waiting for him to leave first.
Wanqiu won't do anything on his own initiative unless it's something he absolutely has to do.
What Wanqiu gave up was something he wanted to do, but didn't need to do.
“My elder brother came back specifically to see you yesterday.” Just when Wan Qiu thought Chu Yigui would leave, Chu Yigui’s voice rang out.
This was a topic brought up by Chu Yigui, and Wan Qiu immediately felt motivated to speak.
"Hmm," Wan Qiu replied, racking his brains to say something more, but only managed to utter one word.
However, Chu Yigui didn't seem to mind. He continued, "My older brother has a rather lively personality."
“Hmm…” Wan Qiu thought so too.
"He always does strange things," Chu Yigui said casually. "What strange things has he made you do?"
Wan Qiu thought hard for a moment and said, "Dance."
Are you tired?
Wan Qiu shook his head.
Is it interesting?
Wan Qiu thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Why?" Chu Yigui asked.
Wan Qiu thought for a long time, while Chu Yigui waited quietly. Then Wan Qiu slowly said, "I'm not good-looking, he is."
"Hmm." Chu Yigui did not offer any opinion on Wan Qiu's thoughts.
Wanqiu didn't need Chu Yigui's answer.
He was just talking to Chu Yigui, even if they couldn't joke around like Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua.
"Mom will be back today, you know?" Chu Yigui suddenly mentioned Yang Xiaoyu.
Wan Qiu nodded. Yang Xiaoyu had said on the phone yesterday that she would be back today.
She misses you a lot.
For some reason, Wan Qiu had a subtle reaction to this sentence. Thinking of Yang Xiaoyu, Wan Qiu's eyes changed.
"She'll probably be home around 3 PM today," Chu Yigui said, glancing at the time. "Do you want to go pick up your mother?"
Wanqiu blinked. Pick up Mom? Where to pick her up?
“Just pick her up at the main gate. You can take a tricycle. Mom will be very happy and might even want to ride in the tricycle,” Chu Yigui said slowly.
Wan Qiu's eyes widened slightly.
Even Wan Qiu thought it was a bit strange that Yang Xiaoyu was riding in a tricycle.
Wan Qiu had only ever seen Yang Xiaoyu sitting in a car, and he couldn't imagine what Yang Xiaoyu would look like sitting in a tricycle.
But if it was Chu Yigui who said it, Wan Qiu felt that it wasn't so unimaginable.
Didn't my second brother also take a tricycle?
Wan Qiu recalled the image of Yang Ze's massive frame huddled in the back of the tricycle.
“…Okay.” Wan Qiu replied blankly.
"Pfft." Suddenly, Wan Qiu heard Chu Yigui laugh.
Wan Qiu looked up and saw Chu Yigui holding her stomach and laughing.
Completely bewildered, he was at a loss for what to do when Chu Yigui suddenly laughed.
"I can't imagine what my mother would look like sitting on a tricycle. I was just saying." Chu Yigui wiped away unfounded tears from the corners of her eyes. "I just thought it was a little funny."
Chu Yigui smiled.
Even though Wan Qiu still couldn't find any 'happiness' in Chu Yigui's smile, the way they were chatting here now seemed exactly as Wan Qiu had expected, laughing and joking around.
No, this isn't how it should be; this kind of conversation shouldn't be happening.
Wanqiu wanted something more... more...
Just like Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua...
More relaxed, more...
Wan Qiu was unable to accurately express the atmosphere that permeated between Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua.
Since Wan Qiu didn't respond, Chu Yigui's laughter gradually faded, and his eyes became deep as he stared at Wan Qiu.
A hand touched Wanqiu's cheek, gently lifting her chin. Wanqiu gazed at Chu Yigui before her, who remained calm, yet appeared most genuine to Wanqiu.
"elder brother."
Chu Yigui called Wan Qiu's name, but didn't say anything more. Instead, he pinched Wan Qiu's cheek.
You've gained some weight.
A gentle voice, accompanied by a smile.
"You look better."
Wan Qiu saw himself reflected in Chu Yigui's eyes.
Although it was just a simple sentence, Wan Qiu felt that it was the only sentence they were truly talking about in this conversation.
“Brother must be having a very happy time lately,” Chu Yigui said slowly, her fingers unconsciously lingering on the corner of Wan Qiu’s eye.
Chu Yigui's expression was complicated, but Wan Qiu didn't know exactly what was complicated about it.
Subtly, Chu Yigui seemed to have captured his gaze, leaving him only able to look at him.
"Brother." Chu Yigui's voice was like the fragrance of fruit under the sun, enticing Wan Qiu, who loved fruit the most, to follow his voice into Chu Yigui's range. "Brother hasn't been punished again during this time."
Suddenly, Wan Qiu realized something he hadn't thought of for a long time.
It seemed like he hadn't been hit in a very, very long time.
During this period, Wanqiu could still see all sorts of 'unhappiness', but he never experienced the 'unhappiness' that Wanqiu remembered as meaning 'getting beaten' again.
"Isn't everything getting better now?" Chu Yigui lowered her hand and smiled gently. "They never listened to their brother before, did they?"
Wan Qiu thought of Ning Qiaozhen and Ning Hai, and also of Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu.
He did many things that he couldn't do before, and it seems he even received praise.
It was all because of Chu Yigui's suggestion.
"Brother, don't be too anxious, don't rush. Just like before, little by little, slowly." Chu Yigui saw Wan Qiu's anxiety, as well as his confusion and timidity.
Chu Yigui was neither a god nor a mind reader; he could only do his best to keep Wanqiu calm.
Chu Yigui was not unaware that Wan Qiu had been staring at him intentionally or unintentionally since yesterday.
He waited there, but Wanqiu never voiced his hesitation.
"Brother, do you remember what I said at the dinner table today?" Slowly, Chu Yigui repeated what he had said at the dinner table, "Brother, if you need me, I'll be right here."
The turbulent, restless sand that had been weighing on Wan Qiu's heart seemed to have been washed away by the rain falling from the sky and returned to the ground peacefully. The air, mixed with sand, that he had been anxiously breathing in gradually became fresh.
"Don't worry, brother, I'm always ready to talk to you."
Chu Yigui's voice, like the white noise of pattering rain, calmed Wanqiu's mood.
Once things calmed down, the voices that had been jumping around on Wanqiu's nerves gradually fell silent.
That intense fear of failure—the fear that if I couldn't say anything, I would be considered a failure—dissipated.
The dissipation of his unease allowed Wan Qiu to calmly say some things he couldn't understand but wanted to say.
“We are friends.” Wan Qiu’s limited vocabulary could not express what he wanted to say, but he no longer felt that anxious, stinging sensation all over his body.
“Yes, we are friends.” Chu Yigui not only answered Wan Qiu, but also said with even greater conviction, “We are not only friends, but also brothers.”
Wan Qiu lowered his head, hesitated, and looked away. His voice was so weak that it seemed only the wind could hear it.
"no the same."
Chu Yigui waited quietly for Wan Qiu to finish filling in this seemingly incomplete sentence.
Wanqiu struggled, trying to express what he wanted to say.
"Big Brother and...Brother Zhao are friends, but they're different..."
The two sentences were incoherent, and Wan Qiu was still struggling to figure out how to piece them together to make them more complete, but Chu Yigui had already understood them.
Without needing further explanation from Wan Qiu, Chu Yigui gave him the answer: "Every pair of friends is different."
Wan Qiu's thoughts, which had been struggling to find the right words, gradually returned and settled on Chu Yigui's face.
“My brother and I are friends, unique and incomparable to anyone else.” Chu Yigui hooked her finger around Wan Qiu’s. Wan Qiu looked down at the spot where their fingers were intertwined, a pinky promise.
Wanqiu remembers.
This is an action made between friends as a promise.
It's a symbol of a good relationship.
Suddenly, images of many different friends seemed to appear in Wan Qiu's mind.
It wasn't just Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua; there was also Ning Hai and his friends, Ning Qiaozhen and her friends, and classmates—everyone had their own friends.
Not every pair of friends is the same; everyone is different.
Why do I think Chu Zhang and Zhao Xinghua are a good match?
because……
Wan Qiu slowly raised his eyes and stared at Chu Yigui: "Why are you unhappy?"
This was the first time Wanqiu had expressed his doubts and confusion so clearly.
There was no lag whatsoever, something that had been weighing on Wan Qiu's mind, and he clearly told Chu Yigui about it.
Chu Yigui looked at Wan Qiu.
Not anxious, not complicated, but clear and transparent eyes, when framing him, are like peeling away all the layers of defenses, leaving only the most basic self.
"Why do you ask that?" Chu Yigui's voice seemed lower than usual, but it was as if it wasn't the sound that was lower, but something else.
Wan Qiu couldn't answer; he was just instinctively feeling that way.
It's like a water tank that can never be filled; just looking at it makes you feel anxious.
Much later, Chu Yigui was helpless.
Wanqiu's eyes always left him helpless and bullied him without restraint.
Chu Yigui, however, could not utter a single complaint.
How should I answer him?
What can we do to calm him down?
Chu Yigui found that, as if infected by Wan Qiu, his vocabulary had become impoverished.
A sense of helplessness quietly arose.
"I'm not unhappy..." Chu Yigui answered Wan Qiu's question, then noticed Wan Qiu's gaze.
Chu Yigui stared intently.
He could never understand Wanqiu.
That feeling, as if it could only be understood by Wan Qiu, was like being severely bullied by Wan Qiu.
Chu Yigui knew that Wan Qiu definitely wouldn't understand what she had done.
Although Chu Yigui couldn't explain it very clearly, there was one thing he could tell Wan Qiu very clearly.
“I feel very comfortable when I’m with my brother.”
It wasn't happiness, joy, sadness, or disgust—no complicated, messy emotions—but rather comfort.
Even though being bullied was somewhat difficult, it was still comfortable for Chu Yigui.
Perhaps Wanqiu will not understand.
But Chu Yigui did not deceive Wan Qiu.
But at least Wanqiu will always trust him.
Wan Qiu looked up at Chu Yigui, but Chu Yigui had no idea what kind of person she saw in those eyes.
Wan Qiu didn't understand; he didn't grasp what 'comfort' felt like—it was too abstract.
Chu Yigui seemed to sense the confusion in Wan Qiu's eyes and pondered for a moment.
“Comfort is roughly equivalent to happiness.” Chu Yigui lowered her eyes and said to Wan Qiu, “I am very happy with my brother.”
happiness?
Wanqiu knows what happiness is.
It's the feeling of eating sweet fruit, the feeling of opening the refrigerator and seeing it full of food, and the feeling of seeing family members come home every day.
Wan Qiu murmured unconsciously, "But I can't see."
Shouldn't happiness be 'joy'?
"Can my brother see what happiness looks like?" Chu Yigui suddenly asked in return.
Wan Qiu stared blankly, his eyes slowly widening, but he couldn't see.
Chu Yigui gazed into Wanqiu's eyes and said, "Brother, you can't see that you are happy."
In this slight, indistinct feeling, Wanqiu seemed to have gleaned something from those words.
Wanqiu had glimpsed it, but he couldn't understand it.
Will he be able to see the same joy and unhappiness as everyone else once he understands Chu Yigui's words?
The conversation between Wanqiu and Chu Yigui ended in silence.
Butler Bai then asked from the side, "Wanqiu, young master, your teacher has arrived at the door."
Butler Bai had been waiting on the side for a while. Although he couldn't hear the conversation here, he only came forward to disturb them after the situation here had stabilized.
"You've arrived early today," Chu Yigui changed the subject.
"Yes, shall we open the door now?" Butler Bai asked, worried that the two might not have finished their conversation.
"Mm," Chu Yigui replied.
Their conversation took place in the entrance hall, because Wan Qiu was waiting there, so Chu Yigui also chose to meet there.
"Brother, I have to go study now," Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu as he saw Butler Bai bypass them to open the main gate.
"Mmm," Wan Qiu replied softly.
Chu Yigui thought for a moment and said, "Brother can take a picture of me on the scale and show it to Mom."
Wan Qiu blinked, her eyes filled with confusion.
Chu Yigui still smiled and pinched Wan Qiu's chubby cheeks: "Trust me, Mom will definitely be very happy."
The slightly chubby male teacher entered the room and immediately smiled when he saw Chu Yigui waiting at the door. "Yigui, you're waiting for me at the door again today. I feel a little embarrassed that you always have to wait for me."
Chu Yigui turned to face the male teacher and said, "It's what I should do. Thank you for coming all the way here every day."
The male teacher had obviously noticed Wan Qiu and, after thinking for a moment, decided to greet him.
"Please come in, teacher." Chu Yigui seemed oblivious to the male teacher's intentions, and made an inviting gesture, unconsciously creating distance between the male teacher and Wan Qiu.
The male teacher didn't pay much attention and followed Chu Yigui into the room.
Butler Bai looked at Wan Qiu and asked, "What are Wan Qiu's plans for today?"
Wanqiu looked up, blinked, and remained as quiet as ever.
Butler Bai thought for a moment and suggested, "We've just had breakfast, Wanqiu, would you like to go for a walk?"
Wan Qiu didn't answer immediately; instead, the image of Chu Yigui leaving lingered in his mind.
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