brother
After dinner, Lin Yu tidied up the table, and Chen Chao and Chen Jiu went upstairs to the study.
In the study, Chen Chao poured water for Chen Jiu, and the two sat down on the sofa together.
"Why did you come back from so far away?" Chen Chao asked Chen Jiu.
"I heard about Chenxi from Steve. Are you alright?" Chen Jiu sat on the sofa with her back straight, not in a relaxed posture, but her tone was full of concern.
“Not good.” Chen Chao didn’t stand on ceremony with Chen Jiu. Although they weren’t close, they weren’t outsiders. Moreover, Chen Jiu was different from Chen Xi. Chen Jiu could withstand the cruelty of their world.
Having received the expected answer, Chen Jiu fell silent, seemingly unsure how to proceed with the conversation.
Through Lin Yu's description, Chen Jiu knew that Chen Chao wasn't doing well. But in his opinion, Chen Chao's injuries weren't serious, and his words of advice and concern didn't make Chen Chao feel any better.
As for Chen Chao's mental state, that was even more beyond his control. Just as Chen Chao couldn't be his support when he was going through drug rehabilitation, he couldn't be Chen Chao's source of comfort either.
They were never as close as ordinary brothers.
"Did you come here just to ask this?" Chen Chao couldn't help but find it a little funny to see Chen Jiu looking so conflicted.
Chen Jiu hesitated for a moment, then leaned back on the sofa as if giving up, and said dejectedly, "I don't know what I came here for. When I saw Steve's message, I booked the earliest flight back, but now that I've actually seen you, I don't know what to say."
“You’re being awkward,” Chen Chao concluded directly. “You don’t want to admit that you care about me.”
Chen Jiu leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling for a while before asking, "Why can't I be here to gloat? You've finally come to understand my world."
“Because you’re not that kind of person,” Chen Chao replied directly.
"Brother, do you know how annoying it is that you've always acted like you know everything since we were kids?"
“I know,” Chen Chao smiled.
Chen Jiu sighed and sat up a little straighter: "Actually, I'm not close to Chen Xi, but she is my sister after all. You should have informed me."
“You have a mission, and Song Zifeng’s target is me. What good would it do to inform you? You know that after we set you free, neither my father nor I want to bother you anymore because of the Chen family.”
Chen Chao's words made Chen Jiu silent for a while. When he spoke again, his tone became much more serious: "You know, I have never resented you. I didn't blame anyone for the torture I suffered during the mission. That was my own problem. It's just that I may really have no way to deal with Father."
“I understand. We never asked you to forgive us. Dad told me before that he accepts that you hate him.”
“Hate is useless.” Chen Jiu shook his head. “I don’t hate, but I can’t play the role of a loving family. In the beginning, I only had eyes for my father. I endured hellish training and risked my life to gain his favor without ever complaining. But his gaze only stayed on you and Chen Xi. So even though you have never mistreated me, I still can’t be as close to you as brothers.”
“I know, and I’ve never cared for you the way I care for Chenxi, so I accept your lack of closeness,” Chen Chao replied frankly.
At this point, Chen Jiu took a deep breath: "Brother, I actually know that you care about me more than Dad and Chen Xi. You've always treated me like a younger brother, but I just didn't want to admit it."
Chen Chao's eyes flickered, and a relieved smile appeared in his eyes: "But actually, there's not much I can do."
“When Feiyu’s family got into trouble, I asked you to send someone to deliver a gun to me, but you sent Steve directly instead. I was very shocked when I saw Steve. I know what level of mission usually requires him.”
"He came to submit his task sheet right after your call ended that day; it was just a coincidence."
Chen Jiu glanced knowingly at Chen Chao but didn't expose him: "Brother, I know Chen Xi's status in the family is different from mine. She was raised with the whole family's love and care. As her older brothers, we should protect her, and she's Dad's favorite. I know I shouldn't compare myself to her, nor should I be jealous of her. We are from completely different worlds."
But when I learned what you went through to save Chenxi, I suddenly really wanted to know, if I were the one who was tied up, would you have made the same decision?
Chen Jiu finished speaking while looking at the floor. Deep down, he felt that he was being incredibly boring and childish, so he didn't dare to look Chen Chao in the eye.
What does he have to compare with Chenxi? He has never received more love than Chenxi. Moreover, he is not an ordinary person like Chenxi; he is a special agent trained from childhood, an active-duty anti-drug police officer, and should bear more.
For people like them, giving up is perfectly normal.
"The conditions I negotiated with Song Zifeng were that I couldn't die, I couldn't be maimed, and I couldn't have any humiliating images leaked out. Otherwise, even if he killed Chen Xi, I wouldn't agree to the exchange." Chen Chao didn't mock Chen Jiu; instead, he answered very seriously, "Chen Jiu, if someone has the ability to capture you and only wants my dignity, then I will agree to it. You are my brother; dignity is nothing compared to you."
But we all know that the person capable of arresting you definitely wants something bigger. And in my position, the sacrifices I can make are limited.
"I know." Chen Chao's answer seemed to relieve Chen Jiu. He finally looked up at Chen Chao. "Brother, thank you. Actually, I think I'm very childish. I'm worrying about trivial things."
“No, Chen Jiu, this is a very important matter.” Chen Chao corrected Chen Jiu very seriously. “You were unwilling to get close to me before, and I didn’t want to force you, so I never had a serious talk with you about it.”
Your demand for love from us is a perfectly legitimate need, and it's our problem that we haven't given you enough love. I've always told Steve that the Chen family owes you not only for your childhood training, your captivity, torture, and drug addiction, but also for failing to provide you with the support a family should have.
Chen Jiu was stunned; he had never expected Chen Chao to say such a thing. This unexpected care and recognition made him smile wryly, and he spoke with a self-deprecating tone:
"For the first 22 years of my life, I was constantly pursuing the fatherly love I could not obtain. My efforts and desperate struggles never earned my father's utmost pity. Later, I was captured, tortured, and beaten. These hellish experiences actually earned me my father's approval."
But really, it was just acknowledgment. My father respected me because of my sacrifices, but I don't think he truly loved me. He treated me like a warrior, not a son.
Chen Jiu closed his eyes briefly as he spoke, pausing for a moment as if trying to suppress the surging emotions in his chest.
“Brother, family ties are a very rare thing for me. Thank you for giving me this. I probably will never be able to be as close to Dad as a normal father and son in this lifetime, but you will always be my brother. If someone really captures me to threaten you, please don’t hesitate to abandon me. After all, whoever can capture me will definitely not only want your dignity.”
"I understand," Chen Chao said solemnly to Chen Jiu.
"Also, please let me know if anything happens at home in the future. I want to try to fit in with you all."
"good."
Chen Chao and Chen Jiu chatted in the study for a long time, until they were interrupted by an urgent communication from Chen Chao. Chen Jiu tactfully left the study and went downstairs, intending to say goodbye to Lin Yu before taking his leave.
Lin Yu leaned casually against the stairwell, and greeted Chen Jiu as soon as he came down, looking like he had been waiting for him for a long time.
Chen Jiu and Lin Yu exchanged fist bumps, then Chen Jiu asked as if he had thought of something: "Steve, when my brother sent you to West Africa to save me, although he didn't explicitly tell you to exchange with Raman, he must have taken your identity and reaction into account in the whole plan. I don't believe you didn't notice anything at all."
"More or less," Lin Yu didn't deny it. "I wasn't really sure at the time."
"The boss said he sent me because I was his best subordinate, and I really am. That's a plausible reason."
Not to mention that he gave me permission to clean you up very directly at the time, so I had even less reason to doubt him.
But now that I've been with the boss for a while, I'm pretty sure he sent me because he knew I'd use my position as leverage to save you. After all, he's the person who knows me best in this world, and you're his brother.
"Do you resent him for scheming against you? I know you don't want to acknowledge Raman as your father."
"How could that be?" Lin Yu chuckled. "He only anticipated my reaction, but he never forced me with any orders. In the end, it was still my own choice. And even if he had given the order directly, I wouldn't have refused. To be honest, I would have loved for him to scheme against me. I would never have complained if he schemed against me for the rest of his life."
"Why are you so good to him?" Chen Jiu couldn't help but ask.
"Because he was very good to me, and on a larger scale he deserved it. I was his direct agent from the moment I left the camp, and he has always been a great superior. I would do anything for him."
"Including helping him repair his brotherly relationship?" Chen Jiu asked with a smile.
Lin Yu winked playfully at Chen Jiu and asked, "Can I ask if I succeeded in this matter?"
"You succeeded." Chen Jiu's face was beaming with smiles. He waved to Lin Yu and walked out of the villa. "Like I said, save me a portion of your wedding candy."
"Okay." Lin Yu watched Chen Jiu's departing figure, then turned and went upstairs briskly.
When Lin Yu entered the study, Chen Chao's call was still connected, so he sat on the sofa and waited for a while.
After hanging up the call, Chen Chao glanced at him, waved to him, and then patted his thigh.
Lin Yu understood and walked over to sit on Chen Chao's lap. Half of his body leaned against Chen Chao's chest, while one hand was on the desk, exerting force secretly.
His whole body was covered in firm muscles, and he weighed much more than he looked. He didn't dare to put all his weight on Chen Chao's legs.
Chen Chao noticed Lin Yu's subtle movements but didn't point them out. He enjoyed the way this sharpest blade remained obediently in his arms.
"You're getting bolder and bolder, daring to interfere in my family affairs now." There was a hint of teasing in Chen Chao's tone.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com