Chapter 26: The Aftermath of Running Away [VIP]
294.
Jason stared at Tim on the sofa. Tim gave him a shy and somewhat ingratiating smile in return, his hands tightly clutching the edge of his pants, just like a model student being called out by the head teacher.
"Your plan?" Dick spoke first, his blue eyes fixed on Tim. "Don't tell me this was all your idea, kid."
"Um...actually...it wasn't entirely my plan..." Tim's voice was as quiet as a mosquito. "It's just...when Jason asked me for help, I thought it could be slightly...um...improved..."
"Improve it?" Barbara raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical of the idea. "Improve it to the point where you can fool all of us?"
"I didn't mean to lie to you all!" Tim waved his hands quickly, explaining anxiously, "I just wanted to... buy him a little more time... let him finish what he wanted to do, and then I'll figure out how to explain it to you..."
"Think it through?" I smiled and patted Jason's shoulder. "Yes, we can see that he's 'thought it through.' Xiaojie, shouldn't you say something?"
Jason glanced at Tim with a complicated expression, gritted his teeth, and said in a deep voice, "It was indeed Tim's idea, but if I hadn't gone to him, none of what happened next would have happened."
"What are the details?" Bruce's low voice sounded. Although it seemed casual, his eyes were as sharp as a knife.
Tim took a deep breath, raised his head, and began to explain: "Jason cares a lot about... how you all view him. He thinks that if he tells you directly, you'll think he doesn't care about you and just wants to find his mom. On top of that, you might laugh at him or think he's being pretentious..."
"Pretentious?" Dick jumped up himself. "When have we ever laughed at him—well, maybe once or twice when we were little, but that's nothing like that!"
"So I came up with this idea," Tim continued, his voice lower. "Let him go away for a few days, do what he wants, and at the same time... test whether you guys are worried about him. If you show him that you care about him, he'll have the courage to come back when everything is done, no matter what the result. But if you don't..."
"What are you going to do if we don't have it?" Bruce asked in a deep voice, with a sense of oppression in his tone.
"If you hadn't..." Tim paused and looked at Jason with a complicated expression, "I would have taken him to find other people for help, like Red Arrow and Starfire... I just hope he can know that no one cares about him."
The room fell into a brief silence as everyone digested Tim's logic.
"How could you think of this?" Barbara couldn't help asking, "How old are you?"
"I..." Tim lowered his head, tugging at the edge of his clothes with his fingers, "I just want to help Jason. Because... I also hope someone can help me like this."
In an instant, the atmosphere in the room grew tense. Jason's mouth twitched, and after a moment, he muttered softly, "I didn't ask you to help me to this extent..."
Tim raised his head and looked at Jason seriously: "Whatever you need, I'm willing to help."
Oh my god, you two are two cute little clumps of birds huddled together! Come and give your sister a hug!
"Oh! That sounds more sentimental than anything we've ever said to Jason!" Dick teased, nudging Jason. "Jie Tao, shouldn't you be so kind as to thank this 'good friend'?"
"Don't give me that!" Jason glared at Dick, his ears slightly reddening. He covered his face with his hands and whispered, "Come on, son... It's my fault. I shouldn't have looked for Tim. And I shouldn't have run so far away without telling you."
"You've forgotten the most important point, Little Jie Bird." I pinched his face, "That is to doubt our love for you. This is the most important thing."
"Don't blame it all on Jason," Tim quickly spoke up for him. "If he really didn't care about you, he wouldn't be so bothered..."
Bruce glanced back and forth between the two of them, and finally sighed softly: "This matter ends here. Jason, you should know that everyone cares about you. Next time if you have something to say, just say it directly, don't use this method again."
"...Got it." Jason agreed sullenly.
"Tim." I looked at the little boy with a smile, "Although your plan gave all of us a headache, I have to say that you are very smart."
"Uh...thank you?" Tim seemed a little embarrassed.
"But you've used your cleverness in the wrong place. I won't be so nice to you next time." I patted his head, my tone joking but also with a hint of warning.
Tim nodded, his expression a complex mix of nervousness and relief.
"Okay, the farce is over." Dick stretched and said, "Jason, are you going to run again in the future?"
"Muttered, glaring at Tim when he looked up, "But you, don't meddle in other people's business next time."
"Okay." Tim smiled, but his tone was firm. "But next time, if you still need me, I will definitely help you."
, turned his face away and stopped talking.
"Okay, Xiao," he patted his clothes, "Now, it's time to go to bed."
The show is over.
295.
After everyone gradually dispersed, I watched them walk upstairs, one in front and one behind. Tim was like a little follower, occasionally looking up at Jason, but he didn't dare to speak.
Tsk, these two look like a pair of quarreling kindergarten kids. Wait, if Jason knew I was thinking this, he'd probably just swing a crowbar at me.
"Jason." I called him suddenly.
He turned around, his eyebrows raised high, with an expression of "what's the matter again".
"Next time you run away from home, remember to bring some food with you," I said slowly. "Don't starve yourself, or your writing will deteriorate."
"...I won't run away." He replied with a dark face, turned around and continued walking upstairs.
Tim followed him, walked a few steps, then turned back and gave me a flattering smile, as if to say: Thank you.
Hey, this kid is really good at reading people's expressions.
296.
At night, I was getting ready to go to bed when my communicator rang.
"What's wrong again?" I answered the call, my tone filled with a bit of resentment for being woken up right after going to bed.
"Jason came running to me." Dick's voice sounded calm.
"Huh?" I asked, puzzled. "Didn't he just swear he wouldn't run away?"
"He said he wasn't running, just coming to 'relax,'" Dick said with a half-smile. "And he warned me not to ask about his writings next time."
"...Did he beat you?"
"No." Dick paused, "But he brought a pillow and hit me with it, and then went to sleep."
I almost couldn't hold back my laughter and slapped my forehead, "I'm really impressed by him. Are you really not going to let him come back this time?"
"He's sleeping on the sofa in my room." Dick said helplessly, "If you think it's not okay, come and pick him up tomorrow morning."
"Okay, let him stay overnight." I sighed, "But remember to give him a proper breakfast tomorrow morning, so I don't have to take over another hungry brother."
After hanging up the phone, I lay back on the bed, and couldn't help but curl the corners of my mouth.
No matter what Jason said, he still cared about this family in his heart.
But he feels a little awkward now.
297.
The next morning, I was about to go to Dick's place to check on Jason, but as I walked into the hallway, I saw Tim sneaking down the stairs.
"Tim?" I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here instead of staying in your room?"
He was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head like a child who had done something wrong: "I... want to ask if Jason has returned home."
I squinted my eyes at him. "You knew he went to Dick's place last night?"
"Yes... but I want to make sure." Tim raised his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his blue eyes, "Will he... not come back?"
"Don't worry, he can't run away." I sighed and patted his shoulder in a relaxed tone. "Jason is like this. When he feels awkward or shy, he will run away, but he will always come back in the end. This is his home, his final destination. He won't really leave."
Tim looked at me, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, as if he was relieved, but also a little reluctant.
"Okay, if you don't have anything else to do, go back." I waved my hand. "Don't mess around with Jason all the time. He's a grown-up kid, but he's not as mature as you."
Tim nodded and turned to walk towards the exit. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back and whispered, "Thank you for being so nice to Jason."
I was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "What are you thanking me for? We are his family, this is what we should do."
Tim said nothing more and walked away quickly.
"You know, right?" I asked him loudly while standing on the stairs. Tim's small figure paused, and I was sure he heard me.
But Tim said nothing and kept walking.
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind: It seems that this really could be my brother.
298.
I arrived at Dick's apartment and saw Jason slumped on the couch, biting a piece of toast with an expression that said, "I don't want to talk right now." Dick was sitting at the dining table nearby, munching on an omelet and glancing up at Jason.
"Good morning, two 'runaway artists,'" I joked as I took off my coat. "How did you sleep last night?"
"Very good," Jason replied without looking up and continued to bite into his toast.
Dick looked up and winked at me. "He got up in the middle of the night and went through the fridge and ate all my chocolate brownies."
"That's not for you," Jason retorted immediately, saying confidently, "Ahfu must have thought I'd come over and prepared it in advance."
"Can you say that again?" Dick narrowed his eyes and raised the fork in his hand.
"Okay, okay, stop arguing, both of you." I waved my hand. "Jason, isn't it time to go home? If you stay any longer, Ah Fu will come after me."
"Go back?" Jason paused, swallowed the last bite of toast, and looked away. "I think it's pretty good here."
"Okay, then I'll transfer your meager royalties to Dick's account." I blurted out.
"Wait a minute!" Jason immediately jumped up from the sofa and glared at me. "That's my hard-earned money! Who allowed you to mess around?"
"Since you've decided to stay here and not go home, of course you have to pay some 'living expenses' to Dick." I spread my hands with an innocent look on my face.
Jason's expression instantly brightened. His eyes darted back and forth between Dick and me. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I'll go back."
"What a filial brother." Dick chuckled and waved at Jason. "But Jason, remember to forget about the brownie incident when you get home, or I'll go to Alfred's house and steal his cherry pie next time."
Jason ignored him, only glared at him and hurried to the door.
I turned to Dick and gave him a thumbs-up. "Well done."
Dick smiled smugly: "Need I tell you? I'm an expert in dealing with Xiaojie."
"Expert?" I raised an eyebrow. "The same expert who was chased around the house with a crowbar last time?"
“…That was an accident!”
299.
As Jason walked home, he glanced at me casually: "You're in such a hurry to take me back, do you have another mission?"
"No mission." I whistled and slowly followed him. "I just wanted to see if you were still planning on running away from home. We already have enough people in our family, but we can't afford to lose even one more person."
"Can't we have one less?" He snorted, his tone sounding a bit disdainful, but judging from his slightly drooped eyes and the corners of his mouth that turned up when he lowered his head, he was obviously very pleased.
"Yeah." I looked at him and smiled. "Our family is just missing half the jokes, half the fun, and half the trouble when you're not around."
"I think your last sentence is the key point." He pulled the corner of his mouth and snorted coldly.
"You know I never tell lies." I shrugged. "But, all your troubles were solved by us willingly. After all, you are my brother."
He was silent for a while, then suddenly stopped.
"Do you really think I'm... part of the family?" he asked in a low voice, with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.
"Of course." I answered as a matter of course, "You think you've written so many stories about the tragic love between Nightwing and Batman, the tragic love between Batman and Superman, and the tragic love between Batman and Bruce, and we haven't kicked you out of the house yet. If this isn't love, what is it?"
He suddenly looked up at me, his ears reddening: "You—you still bring this up!"
"What are you afraid of? The whole family has seen it." I smiled widely. "Besides, Dick is right, your writing is indeed good, but the plot is too sad. But since my plot is very enjoyable, it doesn't matter to me."
"Your whole family is sick." He turned his head and quickened his pace, as if he wanted to leave this conversation behind.
"It's our whole family, Jadebird. You're part of our family too, so you're sick too."
I looked at his back and couldn't help laughing.
Yoho, you say no, but you are secretly happy in your heart?
300.
When we returned to the manor, Ah Fu was already waiting at the door. He was smiling, holding a cup of hot chocolate. "Welcome back, Master. Your room has been tidied up. You can come in and rest anytime."
Jason looked at Alfu, opened his mouth, and finally nodded: "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Master." Ah Fu still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. "Home is your safe haven."
Jason's expression softened a little, and he picked up the hot chocolate and walked towards the living room, leaving us with a slightly relaxed back.
"Okay, Xiaojie is back, and it's your turn next." I winked at Ah Fu.
Ah Fu smiled slightly: "Don't worry, Miss, leave the housework to me."
301.
At night, a little light shone through the crack of Jason's door. I knocked three times, then pushed it open and saw him hunched over the table, a pen in his hand, a piece of paper in front of him.
"What are you writing?" I asked curiously.
He reflexively protected the paper with his hands: "Nothing."
I smiled and didn't expose him: "Okay, but remember to go to bed early. Good night, Xiaojie."
"Good night." He lowered his head and continued writing, but from his tone, I heard a long-lost sense of peace.
302.
The next morning, Jason got up early, which was unusual for him. He sat at the dining table with a glass of milk in his hand, staring at the newspaper, pretending to be indifferent to what we were doing.
"Hey, the sun is rising from the west today?" Dick walked over while ruffling his hair, his tone full of teasing. "Xiao Jie, what moved you so much last night that you couldn't sleep? You actually got up so early?"
After all, I have to stay up late every day to fight criminals and still find time to write articles. What's wrong with letting my children sleep more?
Jason raised his head and glared at him coldly: "Try saying that again."
"Okay, just a joke." Dick waved his hand and sat aside obediently to eat breakfast.
"That's bizarre." Barbara came out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of fried eggs. "Jason wakes up early less often than Batman takes a vacation."
"Can't you guys just eat quietly?" Jason rolled his eyes, but his ears were already turning red.
"Come on, stop teasing him," I said, smoothing things over as I took a cup of spiritual tea from Ah Fu. "What are your plans for today? Xiao Jie, have you submitted your manuscript yet?"
Jason took a bite of toast and said with a guilty tone: "I handed it in a long time ago."
"Don't lie." I looked at him. "Tim is even more diligent than you. He told me yesterday that he was trying to find excuses for you."
Jason froze for a moment, then pretended not to care and continued eating his breakfast: "Whatever he says."
Dick stared at Jason for a long time, then suddenly said, as if he had discovered a new world: "You're blushing!"
"You're the one blushing!" Jason instantly exploded. He picked up the milk and drank it in one gulp. Then he stood up and walked upstairs angrily. "I don't want to bother with you idiots."
Watching his quickly disappearing figure, Dick took a sip of coffee. "So, is he shy now, or is he just angry?"
"Probably both." Barbara shrugged. "But no matter which one it is, it's good that he's back."
I stared at the empty cup Jason left behind, my lips curled up slightly.
Xiaojie, you really care about your height and have been drinking milk for so many years.
303.
After breakfast, Bruce finally came downstairs slowly, his face as calm as last night. When he saw me, Dick, and Barbara in the living room, he just nodded as a greeting.
"Where's Jason?" He looked around and didn't see a black head.
"He just blew up and ran upstairs," Dick replied without looking up from where he was fiddling with his new gadget. "He's probably still mad at us for playing a joke on him."
Bruce was silent for a moment, then said, "Tell him to come down and meet in the study."
"Oh, we're meeting in the study." I couldn't help but tease, "Are you going to make a big deal out of this? Be careful not to scare him away."
"What needs to be said must be said." Bruce replied expressionlessly and turned to walk towards the study.
304.
Ten minutes later, I intercepted Jason at the top of the stairs.
"Old Bat asked you to go to the study." I reminded him kindly, "Don't dawdle. Go sooner and you'll be free sooner."
"What's he going to say? 'Jason, this isn't right.'" Jason muttered, but walked downstairs, obviously not prepared to refuse.
Say one thing and mean another.
"Maybe they'd say, 'Jason, you should put some of your royalties toward your electric bill,'" I joked.
He glared at me and said, "Say it again if you dare."
Wow, Xiaojie actually said that to me. I'm so sad.
I immediately raised my hands in surrender: "Good, good, good, I'll shut up. Go ahead."
305.
Fifteen minutes later, Jason came out of the study, looking much calmer than when he first came in. He said nothing, but walked directly to the living room sofa, sat down, crossed his legs, and began to flip through the comics.
"What did Bruce tell you?" I asked casually, sitting opposite him.
"It's the same old stuff." Jason said lazily, looking down at the book. "'We're a family,' 'If you have any problems, just ask,' 'Don't always handle it alone,' that kind of thing."
You say you don't care, but you're actually really happy, right? Xiaojie, you're holding your comic book upside down.
"Did you listen to that?"
"I understand." He closed the comic, his eyes fixed on the window, and lowered his voice. "Actually, I don't really want to leave, but... I'm a little embarrassed to face you."
I stared at him, watching his fingertips scratching the armrest of the sofa, and my heart suddenly softened.
"Idiot." I said angrily, "Do you think we care about that crap? Nothing you do will change the fact that you are our brother. Remember that."
Jason turned his head and looked at me, his eyes complicated, but the corners of his mouth raised a little arc: "Got it."
306.
That night, our family gathered in the living room for a rare occasion. Alfred prepared a table of midnight snacks, Bruce sat aside pretending to read a book, Dick and Barbara jumped up and down the hall to fight for the right to watch a movie on the TV screen, and Jason leaned on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate, reading comics. Seeing his head moving slightly, I guessed he was about to fall asleep.
I crossed my legs and chatted with Tim. Tim was as well-behaved and cute as Dick who had just returned. He reminded me of the days when my younger brothers were still rebellious and would call me "Sister Leona".
"If you mess with the remote again, I'll throw both of you out." Bruce's low voice came from behind the book.
"Okay, okay, you are always the most authoritative one in the family." Dick rolled his eyes, raised his hands and threw down the remote control.
Jason opened his eyes slightly, glanced at Bruce out of the corner of his eye, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and then closed his eyes again.
Although he said it tough, he must be very happy in his heart, just like us.
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