Chapter 41 Zhou Yingchen, are you fucking cheating on me...?
The roar of the plane gradually faded away, and Wen Yu's feet once again touched the soft white sand of the island, and she completely relaxed.
Everything here is completely different from City A.
The air is filled with the salty, free sea breeze, and you can hear the rustling of swaying coconut palms and the ceaseless roar of the waves.
As far as Wen Yu's eyes could see was the boundless blue sea and sky merging into one.
In City A, there are only suffocating high walls and deep courtyards.
Do you like it?
Shen Jinhuai embraced Wen Yu from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head, and asked softly.
"like."
Wen Yu nodded vigorously, closed her eyes, took a deep breath of the sea air, turned around, and relaxed into Chen Jinhuai's embrace.
Wen Yu pressed her cheek against Shen Jinhuai's warm and firm chest, listening to the man's steady and rhythmic heartbeat, and feeling an unprecedented sense of security that she had only ever experienced on this island.
The days that followed were simple and romantic, like a fairy tale.
When the first rays of sunlight streamed into the bedroom in the morning, Wen Yu would excitedly grab Shen Jinhuai's hand, and barefoot on the cool sand, jog along the coastline. For a moment, the girl's joyful laughter mingled with the cries of seagulls.
The two of them would sit under the shade of a tree in the afternoon, one focused on handling remote business, the other freely painting the ever-changing colors of the sea and sky on a canvas;
They would watch the magnificent sunset hand in hand at dusk, the gentle glow of the sunset elongating their shadows and merging them together;
They would lie on the deck chairs on the terrace at night, embracing each other, and identify the countless stars that were infinitely clearer than the city night sky;
One person would be diligently researching new dishes in the kitchen, while the other would be watching attentively with their chin in their hand, offering generous praise.
Wen Yu's smile became noticeably more frequent.
It was a genuine, unburdened relaxation and joy; naturally, the girl's eyes sparkled with happiness, bright as stars.
However, the Zhou family's old residence in City A presents a completely different picture.
As the year draws to a close, the house is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the servants are busy preparing for the New Year. Everywhere is filled with the lively atmosphere that a festival should have.
But this superficial liveliness could not dispel the oppressive atmosphere between the two male hosts.
Zhou Shiye started counting down the days on the very day Wen Yu left.
He circled the number "second year of junior high" on the calendar with a red pen and looked at it dozens of times every day.
As time went on, Zhou Shiye became increasingly restless.
He was nitpicky with the servants, had no interest in official business, and became increasingly agitated.
During this time, Zhou Shiye picked up his phone countless times, wanting to call Wen Yu, to hear her voice, to confirm whether she was alright, whether she was happy, whether... she still remembered their promise.
But each time, Zhou Shiye forced himself to put down his phone.
He was afraid, afraid to hear Wen Yu's voice on the phone, which only showed her distance from him, and even more afraid to hear Shen Jinhuai standing right next to her, speaking softly to Wen Yu.
This waiting was nothing short of torture.
So Zhou Shiye began to repeatedly rearrange the apartment where Wen Yu used to live. Even though he knew that she would most likely still live in the old house after she returned, Zhou Shiye was still obsessively redecorating the apartment himself.
He decorated the apartment with all sorts of soft furnishings that Wen Yu might like, and bought many items that girls might use, filling the empty and desolate room, as if this would make Wen Yu willing to stay here a little longer.
Unlike Zhou Shiye's obvious anxiety, Zhou Yingchen was much calmer.
Zhou Yingchen continued to handle group affairs as usual, attending various business engagements, and his demeanor remained as aloof as ever.
It seemed that Wen Yu's departure had no impact on him, the group's president.
Only Chen Xu, who had been by his side for many years, could sense the difference.
Because Zhou Yingchen was spending more time in the study, the ashtray in the study was filled with more cigarette butts than usual.
On New Year's Eve, the night sky over City A was ablaze with dazzling fireworks.
The servants at the Zhou family mansion prepared a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. The two brothers sat in the dining room, the atmosphere eerily cold.
Zhou Shiye ate without tasting anything, frequently gazing out the window as if he could travel that vast distance to see Wen Yu on the island.
Even though he knew perfectly well that Wen Yu was spending a cozy New Year's Eve with another man at this very moment.
Thinking of that scene, Zhou Shiye clenched his fists, and a voice in his heart was screaming: It's almost here, it's almost here, just bear with it a little longer, as long as he can bear it a little longer, the second year of junior high will be here soon, it will be here soon.
He was going to pick Xiaoyu up, and he had to make sure that Xiaoyu was the first person she saw after getting off the plane.
On the free and vibrant island, Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai are lighting small sparklers together on the romantic beach.
Sparks crackled, illuminating the girl's radiant smile and the tender gaze of the man beside her.
·
Time slipped by unnoticed.
The carefree days on the island soon came to an end.
In the early morning, Wen Yu stood on the terrace, gazing at the golden light rising on the distant sea, her brows slightly furrowed.
Beside her, Shen Jinhuai quietly approached, gently draped a soft coat over Wen Yu's slightly thin shoulders, then wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling Wen Yu into his warm embrace.
"You can't bear to part with it?"
Shen Jinhuai's voice, slightly hoarse with the peculiarity of early morning, was close to Wen Yu's ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.
Wen Yu obediently nestled into the man's arms and softly murmured "Mmm~".
"I wish I could stay here forever."
Wen Yu gazed longingly at the azure sea before her: "I love it here. I love the tranquility, the sea breeze, and... this world that's just the two of us."
Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuai hugged the girl in his arms even tighter.
"Then, whenever you want, we can come over anytime, on weekends or short holidays, okay?"
"OK."
This suggestion immediately brightened Wen Yu's mood; her brows relaxed, and a smile returned to her eyes.
Wen Yu turned around, took the initiative to wrap her arms around Shen Jinhuai's waist, buried her face deeply in the man's broad and warm chest, and said in a muffled voice, full of dependence and joy: "We'll come back often from now on. It's a promise."
"good."
"It's settled."
Three hours later, at City A International Airport.
Zhou Shiye, who had dressed up carefully, was standing at the VIP exit, anxiously looking around.
Zhou Shiye was wearing a well-tailored dark blue overcoat today, which made him look tall and upright.
His hair was meticulously styled, but the man kept checking his watch and pacing back and forth, his deep eyes brimming with an uncontrollable unease.
In stark contrast, Zhou Yingchen sat quietly on a sofa in the VIP waiting area not far away.
The man, dressed in a dark suit and overcoat, appeared composed, holding a financial magazine in his hand, seemingly engrossed in reading it.
Only when he occasionally raised his wrist to check the time did the man's slightly furrowed brows and taut jawline reveal that he was not as indifferent as he appeared.
"Xiaoyu".
Zhou Shiye's loud voice was filled with undisguised joy, and then he rushed towards the exit gate like a gust of wind.
At this moment, Wen Yu was being escorted out by Shen Jinhuai.
Her complexion was noticeably rosier than when she left City A, and even the relaxed look in her eyes that was rare in the Zhou family had not completely faded away.
Upon hearing Zhou Shiye's voice, Wen Yu stopped and looked up.
Zhou Shiye's greedy gaze swept over Wen Yu's face, as if he wanted to make up for all the time he had missed over the past ten days.
Upon seeing the healthier and more beautiful Wen Yu, Zhou Shiye felt a surge of overwhelming joy, as if he had regained what he had lost.
But then, seeing Wen Yu and Shen Jinhuai holding hands tightly, and the familiar wariness and distance rising in Wen Yu's eyes, Zhou Shiye's ecstasy suddenly faded.
He forced down the negative emotions surging within him, managed to force out what he thought was a normal smile, and reached out to pull Wen Yu: "Are you tired on the way? The car is already waiting outside, let's go home."
Unfortunately, Shen Jinhuai subtly pulled Wen Yu behind him.
Meeting Zhou Shiye's darkening gaze, Shen Jinhuai said in a calm tone, "This is a trivial matter, no need for Attorney Zhou to worry about it."
Shen Jinhuai looked at Zhou Yingchen, who was a step behind, nodded as a greeting, and then looked at Zhou Shiye again: "We'll go straight back to the apartment near the Academy of Fine Arts. Everything's been arranged."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Shiye's smile froze instantly.
A storm raged in the man's eyes, his face darkened, and his voice turned cold: "Shen Jinhuai, what did you say? Go back to the apartment? Go back to which apartment? Xiaoyu promised me that we would go back to the old house on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Shen Jinhuai, what right do you have to make this decision on your own?"
Zhou Shiye raised his voice, filled with indescribable anger and panic, attracting frequent glances from passersby in the distance.
But he didn't care at all; all his attention was focused on Shen Jinhuai and Wen Yu, and he had only one thought in his mind: he couldn't let Shen Jinhuai take Wen Yu away. He couldn't.
But the next moment, Wen Yu, who had been standing quietly behind Shen Jinhuai, took a small step forward and shielded Shen Jinhuai behind her, blocking Zhou Shiye's domineering aura.
Wen Yu raised her eyes and looked at Zhou Shiye, who was agitated. Her voice was not loud and did not reveal much emotion: "Attorney Zhou is wrong."
"I did promise you I'd come back on the second day of the Lunar New Year, but I said I'd come back to City A, not the Zhou family's old house. And,"
Wen Yu paused, her gaze sweeping over Zhou Yingchen before returning to Zhou Shiye's face: "The old house is too far from my school, making it inconvenient to travel back and forth, which is not good for my studies. It would be more convenient for me and Jin Huai to live in our own home, which is closer to the school."
"What...what did you say?"
Zhou Shiye's pupils contracted, as if he didn't understand, or as if he couldn't accept such a clear definition coming from Wen Yu's mouth.
The man stood there, stunned, his mind blank for a moment.
Yes, Wen Yu's original words were indeed "go back to City A," but...
"My own home with Jinhuai"?
These words, when put together, made Zhou Shiye frown deeply, his eyes filled with hurt.
After a while, Zhou Shiye's prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down forcefully.
When he spoke again, the man's voice trembled, tinged with a barely perceptible pleading.
“Xiaoyu, if you think the old house is too far and inconvenient, your brother has an apartment near the art academy, the one you used to live in. You can live there, there…”
"Tokino".
Before Zhou Shiye could finish speaking, Zhou Yingchen, who had been observing silently, interrupted him.
Zhou Yingchen glanced indifferently at Shen Jinhuai, who was being protected by Wen Yu and looked calm. His eyes behind his glasses darkened before he looked at his younger brother, who was about to lose control of his emotions again.
"The airport is not a place to talk."
Zhou Yingchen's voice was not loud, and his tone was calm, but it was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the despair that was about to burst forth from Zhou Shiye.
Zhou Shiye stared at Wen Yu resentfully, his chest heaving violently, his fists clenched tightly behind his back, and the veins on the back of his hands bulging.
But he really didn't make a sound again; his eyes, fixed on Wen Yu, were filled with pain that was about to overflow.
Seeing this, Zhou Yingchen turned his gaze back to Wen Yu.
Zhou Yingchen's eyes were deep and intense, and his tone was unhurried: "Xiaoyu, you just got back today and must be tired from the journey. Go back to the old house to rest for the night, and you can move to the apartment tomorrow."
"Although my mother is no longer here, our family should still have a reunion dinner together during the Spring Festival."
Upon hearing this, Shen Jinhuai tightened his grip on Wen Yu's hand.
Zhou Yingchen's apparent concessions masked his refusal to relinquish control.
But at this moment, breaking ties with the Zhou brothers in a crowded and chaotic place like the airport would not benefit Wen Yu.
Shen Jinhuai lowered his head and looked at Wen Yu.
Wen Yu lowered her eyes, glanced at Shen Jinhuai's hand holding hers, feeling the warmth and strength from his palm. She then looked up and met Shen Jinhuai's gaze, a soft smile curving her lips.
She then turned back, meeting Zhou Yingchen's deep gaze with neither servility nor arrogance.
"Thank you for your trouble, brother."
Wen Yu caught the undisguised shock and joy that flashed across Zhou Yingchen's eyes when he heard the long-lost "Big Brother." She forced a smile: "I have an appointment with my school advisor to discuss the details of my return to school. I have half an hour left, and I can't be late. So..."
"So, we won't go back to the old house for now. It'll be more convenient to go straight back to the apartment after school. As for our luggage, Jin Huai and I will go back to the old house to pack it tomorrow."
Hearing Wen Yu's words that everything was arranged properly, Zhou Yingchen stared intently into Wen Yu's clear yet determined eyes.
Before Zhou Yingchen could even savor the joy and relief brought by the long-awaited "Big Brother," he was stunned by the composed Wen Yu before him.
This was unlike the Wen Yu he remembered, who always kept her eyes downcast, timid and afraid to look at him, and who passively accepted everything that was arranged for her.
It doesn't resemble it at all.
Yet these words truly came from Wen Yu's mouth.
Her growth was faster and more... out of his control than he had anticipated.
When Zhou Shiye heard Wen Yu address Zhou Yingchen as "Big Brother," he was struck dumb and froze on the spot.
He turned to look at Zhou Yingchen, his eyes wide with disbelief, confusion, anger, and jealousy at being excluded.
Wen Yu is already calling Zhou Yingchen "Big Brother"?
But to him, she was still the distant and polite "Lawyer Zhou".
On what grounds?
In an instant, Zhou Shiye's gaze toward Zhou Yingchen became unusually complex.
There was anger, questioning, and even more so, resentment.
A mix of emotions surged within Zhou Shiye's chest.
His lips moved violently, as if he wanted to blurt out a question to Zhou Yingchen about when and how he made Wen Yu call him that, but when he met Zhou Yingchen's unfathomable, indifferent, yet warning eyes, he clenched his fists tightly and forced himself to swallow his words.
Shen Jinhuai took all of this into view.
He gave the Zhou brothers no further chance to delay, put his arm around Wen Yu's shoulder, and asked softly, "It's almost time for our appointment with the mentor, shall we go?"
Wen Yu obediently leaned towards Shen Jinhuai and nodded.
Immediately, Shen Jinhuai stopped lingering, took Wen Yu's hand with one hand, pushed aside his suitcase with the other, and strode towards the airport exit.
Zhou Shiye watched the two leave side by side, and without thinking, he was about to run after them.
However, Zhou Yingchen held her wrist firmly.
"What do you mean?"
Zhou Shiye tried to shake off Zhou Yingchen's hand, but he couldn't.
He turned around angrily, glaring at Zhou Yingchen, his voice hoarse from suppressing his rage: "When did you contact Xiaoyu in private? Why does she call you 'Big Brother'?"
"Zhou Yingchen, did you do something behind my back? You're cheating."
"so what?"
Zhou Yingchen slowly raised his hand, adjusted his glasses, and stared at the backs of the two people in the distance. His eyes behind the lenses were dark and unfathomable, containing a bottomless cold pool and an extremely difficult-to-detect... tired self-mockery.
Only after the two figures had completely disappeared from sight did Zhou Yingchen look at Zhou Shiye, who was trembling with anger and had red eyes. His voice was low and deep.
Can't you tell?
Zhou Yingchen let out a barely audible sigh, the sound drowned out by the noisy background noise of the airport: "Xiaoyu has grown up, grown up to the point that... a single word, a single address, can easily sway our emotions, making us either happy or angry, causing us to lose our composure. And we, we're still stuck in the same place."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Shiye frowned, clearly failing to grasp the deeper meaning behind Zhou Yingchen's words.
"What do you mean? Explain yourself clearly."
"It means,"
Zhou Yingchen's deep voice grew even colder, each word distinct: "Xiaoyu will no longer listen to us, she won't care about us at all anymore. So the fact that she calls me 'Big Brother' is only so that I'll let her leave with Shen Jinhuai, which means nothing to her..."
Zhou Yingchen narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling the expression on Wen Yu's face when she called him "Big Brother". The man's tone was full of self-mockery: "Big Brother is just a title, a title that allows me to let her and Shen Jinhuai leave. Other than that, it has no meaning for Xiaoyu anymore."
Upon hearing Zhou Yingchen's almost cruel analysis, the anger and questioning on Zhou Shiye's face gradually froze.
In an instant, only a desperate, blank emptiness remained in the eyes of the once unruly man.
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