Chapter 3
The evening breeze on the balcony carried the damp chill of the rain, causing Song Mingye's clothes to flutter slightly. He held his phone, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the cold screen, and heard Lin Yu's slightly hurried voice coming from the other end of the line.
"Ah Ye, you finally answered the phone." Lin Yu's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible excitement. "I've arrived in the country and am staying at a hotel near your company. Can we... meet up?"
Song Mingye leaned against the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on the sleeping figure in the living room. The warm yellow light outlined Song Linchuan's gentle profile, but his irritation intensified. "I've already said, we don't need to meet," he said, his voice as cold as the evening breeze outside.
"Ah Ye, I know you still blame me." Lin Yu's voice lowered, with a hint of grievance. "But I really had my reasons for leaving back then. My father was seriously ill, and the family company was in trouble. I had to go abroad with my mother to stay with relatives. I didn't have time to explain to you at all."
Song Mingye's fingers paused slightly. He had always thought that Lin Yu was tired of being with him, a man full of thorns, and that she had left willingly, but he never expected there to be such a hidden reason. Even so, the emptiness and loneliness of those two years could not be easily made up for with a simple "I had my reasons."
"So what?" Song Mingye's voice remained indifferent. "I don't want to bring up the past anymore. Whether you go back to China or stay abroad, it has nothing to do with me."
"It's related!" Lin Yu's voice suddenly rose, tinged with urgency. "Aye, I like you! I've liked you since high school! When I left, I thought I'd be back soon, but I never expected it to be two years. I think about you every day, about the days we went to school together and played basketball together."
Song Mingye's body stiffened abruptly, as if struck by lightning. He never expected Lin Yu to suddenly confess her feelings to him. In high school, they were best friends, inseparable, and he had never realized that Lin Yu harbored such feelings for him.
"Are you crazy?" Song Mingye's voice was filled with shock and anger. "Lin Yu, we're brothers!"
"I'm not crazy!" Lin Yu's voice was firm. "I don't care about brothers, I only know that I like you! Aye, give me a chance to make it up to you, okay? I can help you manage the company, I can stay by your side, we can be like before, no, even better than before."
Song Mingye's mind was in complete chaos. Lin Yu's confession was like a pebble, shattering the already turbulent surface of his heart. He recalled how, back in high school, Lin Yu would always silently drink with him after he was scolded by his father; how she would rush to comfort him immediately after his mother's death; and how she would stand up for him without hesitation when he was bullied. Those memories, which he had buried deep in his heart, were now awakened one by one by Lin Yu's words.
At the same time, the image of Song Linchuan appeared in his mind. The boy who always followed him timidly, trying carefully to please him, and who never abandoned him in his most difficult times; the boy who would cook hot porridge and warm milk for him, and silently accompany him when he stayed up late; the boy with a beauty mark at the corner of his eye, whose smile was as clean as the sunshine.
Two emotions intertwined and clashed within him, making it difficult for him to choose.
"I won't give you a chance." Song Mingye took a deep breath and said firmly, "Lin Yu, there's nothing between us except our past friendship. Go away, and don't contact me again."
After saying that, he hung up the phone, tossed it aside, leaned against the railing, and gasped for breath. The evening breeze brought a touch of coolness to his face, but it couldn't dispel the heat and turmoil in his heart.
In the living room, Song Linchuan was awakened by the voices coming from the balcony. He rubbed his eyes, sat up groggily, and saw Song Mingye standing on the balcony, his back looking somewhat lonely and agitated.
"Brother, what's wrong?" Song Linchuan stood up, walked to the balcony door, and asked cautiously, his voice still hoarse from just waking up.
Song Mingye turned around and saw Song Linchuan, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Moonlight shone on the boy, who was wearing loose pajamas, his hair was a little messy, and his eyes were innocent, like a kitten that had just woken up, making him especially endearing.
At that moment, Song Mingye's inner struggle suddenly found its answer. What he wanted was never Lin Yu's companionship and compensation, but rather the unreserved care and reliance of the boy in front of him, and the peace and warmth he felt when he was with him.
"It's nothing." Song Mingye's voice softened as he walked over and ruffled Song Linchuan's hair. "Did I wake you up?"
Song Linchuan shook his head, a hint of worry in his eyes: "Brother, are you in a bad mood?"
"No." Song Mingye smiled, a hint of relief in his smile. "It's getting late, go to sleep, you have school tomorrow."
"Hmm." Song Linchuan nodded, but did not turn around immediately. Instead, he looked at Song Mingye and said softly, "Brother, if you have anything that makes you unhappy, you can tell me. Although I can't help you much, I can listen to you."
Song Mingye felt a warm, gentle touch on his heart. He reached out and gently patted Song Linchuan's shoulder: "Okay, I understand. Go to sleep."
Only then did Song Linchuan turn around and return to his room, relieved.
As Song Mingye watched his figure disappear behind the door, the turmoil in his heart gradually subsided. He knew that his feelings for Song Linchuan could no longer be hidden. Yet, he still hesitated, afraid that his confession would trouble Song Linchuan, that their relationship would become awkward, or even break down.
In the following days, Song Mingye was always somewhat absent-minded. At the company, he would think of Song Linchuan from time to time, remembering his smile and his concern; when he got home and saw Song Linchuan, he would become somewhat unnatural, and his eyes would always subconsciously avoid his gaze.
Song Linchuan noticed his unusual behavior and felt uneasy. He thought he had done something wrong and angered Song Mingye, so he became even more careful, cooking different delicious meals for Song Mingye every day and taking better care of everything at home.
One day, Song Mingye came home from work and saw Song Linchuan squatting in the corner of the living room, watering a potted plant. It was a pothos, which Song Linchuan had brought with him when he first moved in. At first, it didn't grow very well, and the leaves were wilted. But Song Linchuan took good care of it every day, and now it has grown lush and leafy, climbing all over the balcony railing.
"Brother, you're back." When Song Linchuan saw him, he immediately stood up and gave him a sweet smile. The beauty mark at the corner of his right eye swayed slightly with his smile, making him exceptionally charming.
Song Mingye's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded: "Yeah, nothing much happened at school today, right?"
"No, it's just that I ran 800 meters in PE class this afternoon, and I'm a little tired," Song Linchuan said, stretching and revealing a small section of his fair waist and abdomen.
Song Mingye's gaze unconsciously fell on that waist and abdomen, his throat bobbed slightly, and he quickly looked away, pretending to be calm as he said, "If you're tired, go to bed early. I'll cook dinner."
"No need, no need," Song Linchuan quickly waved his hand. "Brother, you're already tired enough at the company. Let me do it. I've already washed the vegetables."
After saying that, he turned and ran into the kitchen, like a busy little bee.
Watching his retreating figure, Song Mingye felt a growing warmth in his heart. He walked to the sofa in the living room, sat down, picked up the remote control, and aimlessly changed channels, but his gaze kept drifting towards the kitchen.
The sounds of running water and chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, and occasionally Song Linchuan's soft humming could be heard. His voice was clear and pleasant, like a spring flowing into Song Mingye's heart, soothing all his restlessness and unease.
Dinner was quickly prepared, consisting of four dishes and a soup, all of which were Song Mingye's favorites. Song Linchuan brought the food to the table and said proudly, "Brother, try this shredded pork with garlic sauce. I learned how to make it today. See if it's good."
Song Mingye picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of shredded pork with garlic sauce, and put it in his mouth. The sweet and sour flavor was just right, the texture was tender, and the taste was surprisingly good. He nodded: "Delicious."
Upon receiving the praise, Song Linchuan's eyes immediately lit up, and his lips curved into a smile like a crescent moon: "Really? Then eat more."
As he spoke, he kept piling food onto Song Mingye's plate, and soon Song Mingye's bowl was piled high with food.
Watching his busy figure, Song Mingye suddenly felt an impulse surge within him. He wanted to tell Song Linchuan that he liked him, wanted to hold him in his arms, and wanted to tell everyone that this was the person he wanted to protect for the rest of his life.
But the words caught in his throat. He was afraid, afraid that it was all just wishful thinking on his part, afraid that Song Linchuan wouldn't be able to accept such feelings.
After finishing his meal, Song Linchuan cleaned up the dishes and went to his study to do his homework. Song Mingye sat in the living room, his inner struggle growing more intense. He took out his phone and scrolled through his chat history with Lin Yu. The last message was from half a year ago, when Lin Yu asked him how he was doing, and he hadn't replied.
He hesitated for a moment, then sent Lin Yu a message: "I wish you all the best in China. Let's not contact each other again."
After successfully sending the message, he immediately blocked Lin Yu's number. Having done all this, he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and he felt much lighter.
He stood up and walked to the study door, where he saw Song Linchuan hunched over his desk, diligently writing his assignment. Under the lamplight, his profile appeared exceptionally gentle, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyelids, and the beauty mark at the corner of his right eye shimmering with subtle light.
Song Mingye gently pushed open the door and went inside.
Hearing the noise, Song Linchuan looked up and, seeing it was him, said with some surprise, "Brother, what brings you in?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to see you doing your homework." Song Mingye walked to his side, looked down, and saw that he was doing math problems with his brows slightly furrowed, as if he had encountered a difficult problem.
"Where don't you know how?" Song Mingye asked.
Song Linchuan pointed to a geometry problem: "I don't know how to draw this auxiliary line."
Song Mingye bent down, leaned closer to him, pointed to the question, and patiently explained it to him. His voice was soft, and his warm breath brushed against Song Linchuan's ear, carrying a faint scent of tobacco and laundry detergent.
Song Linchuan's body stiffened instantly, his cheeks slowly flushed, and his heart began to race. He could clearly feel Song Mingye's approach, feel his body temperature, and that aura made him somewhat flustered and unable to concentrate on the questions.
After Song Mingye finished explaining, seeing the boy's blank expression, he asked with some doubt, "Did you understand?"
Song Linchuan snapped out of his daze and quickly nodded: "I understand, I understand."
Seeing his flustered state, Song Mingye couldn't help but smile slightly, his affection growing stronger. He suddenly reached out and gently brushed a stray hair from Song Linchuan's forehead.
Song Linchuan froze, looked up at him, her eyes filled with surprise and shyness.
Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze for a moment. Song Mingye's gaze was deep and intense, clearly reflecting Song Linchuan's image, filled with doting affection. Song Linchuan's heart pounded, her cheeks flushed like ripe apples, and she quickly looked away, unable to bear looking at him any longer.
Seeing his shy expression, Song Mingye could no longer suppress his impulse. He said softly, "Achuan, I have something I want to tell you."
Song Linchuan's body trembled slightly, his fingers gripping the pen tightly, and he said nervously, "Brother, you say it."
Song Mingye took a deep breath, mustered his courage, looked into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Achuan, I like you. Not the kind of liking an older brother has for his younger brother, but the kind of liking a man has for another man. I want to be with you, I want to take care of you for the rest of my life, and I want you to be happy every day from now on."
After speaking, he looked nervously at Song Linchuan, waiting for his reply. Every second felt like an eternity.
Song Linchuan was completely stunned. He stared at Song Mingye in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found that his throat was blocked, and he couldn't utter a single word.
He had never imagined that his brother would have such feelings for him. In his heart, Song Mingye was his brother, his only family, and the person he wanted to rely on for the rest of his life. But were his feelings for Song Mingye familial or romantic? He himself couldn't tell.
Seeing his shocked expression, Song Mingye's heart sank. He knew he had been too impulsive and had frightened him.
“I’m sorry,” Song Mingye’s voice was a little hoarse, “I scared you. You don’t have to answer me right away. I’ll give you time to think about it.”
After saying that, he turned to leave.
"Brother!" Song Linchuan suddenly called out to him.
Song Mingye stopped, a glimmer of hope igniting in his heart, and turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"
Song Linchuan raised his head, his eyes red, and looked at him, his voice choked with emotion: "Brother, is what you're saying true? You really like me? Not because you pity me, not because of a sense of responsibility?"
“It’s true.” Song Mingye’s eyes were incredibly firm. “Achuan, I like you. It’s a genuine liking from the bottom of my heart. It has nothing to do with responsibility or pity. From the moment you cooked breakfast for me every day, from the moment you stayed by my side during my most difficult time, from the moment you carefully cared for me, I started to like you.”
Suddenly, tears streamed down Song Linchuan's face. He looked at Song Mingye, his heart filled with mixed emotions—gratitude, surprise, shyness, and a touch of inexplicable joy.
He had always thought that his brother only saw him as a younger brother who needed to be taken care of, and he never imagined that his brother would have such feelings for him. But thinking about it carefully, his brother's kindness to him seemed to go beyond ordinary brotherly affection. He would remember his preferences, take meticulous care of him when he was sick, patiently comfort him when he was sad, and help him solve problems as soon as he encountered difficulties.
These little things left a deep mark on his heart. He relied on Song Mingye, trusted Song Mingye, and even felt inexplicably lost when he saw Song Mingye getting close to other people. It turned out that, without realizing it, his feelings for Song Mingye had long since transcended familial affection.
“Brother,” Song Linchuan wiped away his tears, raised his head, and looked at him with firm eyes, “I like you too.”
Song Mingye froze, staring at Song Linchuan in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe his ears: "You... what did you say?"
“I said, I like you too.” Song Linchuan’s voice trembled slightly, but it was unusually firm. “From the first time you took the initiative to treat my wound, from the moment you patiently explained the problems to me, from the moment you smiled at me, I have liked you.”
Upon hearing these words, Song Mingye felt as if his heart was filled with sunshine, and all his unease and struggle vanished. He quickly walked to Song Linchuan's side, reached out, and gently embraced him.
Song Linchuan's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, and he reached out to hug Song Mingye's waist tightly. He could clearly feel Song Mingye's strong heartbeat and the warm aura emanating from him, filling his heart with a sense of security.
“A-Chuan,” Song Mingye’s voice trembled slightly, “thank you.”
Thank you for being a ray of light in my life during my darkest time; thank you for always being there for me; thank you for liking me too.
Thank you for being a ray of light in my life during my darkest time; thank you for always being there for me; thank you for liking me too.
Song Linchuan buried his head in Song Mingye's arms, nuzzled him gently, and whispered, "Brother, let's never be apart again."
"Okay, we'll never be apart again." Song Mingye hugged him tightly, as if he were holding the most precious treasure in the world. "I will always be with you and protect you."
The warm, soft light in the study illuminated the two embracing figures, filling the air with a deep sense of love. All the past barriers, misunderstandings, and struggles vanished in that moment.
The night outside the window remained deep, but their hearts were filled with sunshine. From this day forward, they would walk hand in hand, facing the storms of the future together, never to be alone again.
However, they both knew that this relationship was destined to be fraught with difficulties and obstacles. But they were not afraid, because they had each other and this unwavering love.
Song Mingye lowered his head, looked at the boy in his arms, and gently placed a kiss on his forehead, tender and devout.
Goodnight, my Achuan.
Goodnight, brother.
Song Linchuan closed his eyes, a happy smile on his lips, and fell asleep peacefully in Song Mingye's arms.
Song Mingye held him, standing quietly for a long time, before carefully carrying him back to the room, gently placing him on the bed, and covering him with a blanket. He sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching his sleeping face, his eyes so tender they could melt water.
He knew that from this moment on, his world could no longer exist without Song Linchuan. He would dedicate his entire life to protecting this hard-won relationship and the boy he loved to the core.
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