Chapter Twenty-One: The Past (2)
Chapter Twenty-One
"Wen Zhuo, what do you mean?" Wen Zhaoye's face suddenly darkened. He met Wen Zhuo's cold gaze, which pierced his heart. Frustration and anger spread through his rapidly beating heart to his internal organs. Veins bulged on his forehead as he gritted his teeth.
"You left me because of this?"
What does "this" mean?
She didn't belong in the place she had spent over a decade in; she had occupied someone else's life for over a decade. The overwhelming guilt, unease, and confusion coiled around her heart like venomous snakes. She couldn't stay any longer.
She struggled to shake off those chaotic emotions. It wasn't her fault. The investigation had already clarified that it was a misunderstanding; no one had intentionally switched them. It wasn't her fault, and she didn't need to pay for someone else's mistake.
But guilt still welled up inside her; she refused to know about that person's past and refused to accept the looks in her mother's and brother's eyes.
She wanted to separate herself from them.
Wen Zhuo found him unreasonable. She tried to break free from Wen Zhaoye's arm, but found that his strength was like a vise, clamping her down. Wen Zhuo angrily pinched him, her unkempt nails digging into his muscles: "Let me go!"
Wen Zhaoye glanced down at Wen Zhuo's fingernails and sneered, "You can't even cut your own nails when you're out here?"
Wen Zhuo didn't understand why Wen Zhaoye always focused on these trivial things. She was very annoyed. Wen Zhaoye had been arguing with her since high school. He kept a close eye on Wen Zhuo, but because the two were exactly three years apart, Wen Zhuo was always outside his control.
So Wen Zhuo's rest time after school was filled with him. Wen Zhuo was always likable and had a lot of friends in her class. Every time she went out to play, Wen Zhaoye would check up on her, which annoyed her to no end.
These long-accumulated frustrations, like bubbles, some burst and dispersed, while others stubbornly clung to her heart, piling up to form a huge, trembling black bubble.
Wen Zhuo took a deep breath and looked up at Wen Zhaoye: "Wen Zhaoye, you're no longer my brother. What right do you have to interfere in my affairs? What you should be doing right now is taking care of your biological sister who you just found!"
Wen Zhaoye said with a stern face, "She doesn't need my care."
Wen Zhuo stared at him in disbelief. What did he mean? Was he implying she was being dramatic? Wen Zhuo struggled and kicked him frantically, her voice filled with anger and resentment: "I don't need you! I hate you! Get away!"
Wen Zhaoye was stunned. Wen Zhuo's fists rained down on his chest, cursing and complaining about why her hand hurt so much. He stood still and wouldn't let her leave.
"Let me go!"
"Get out of my way! Don't follow me!"
"I hate you, I hate you!"
Finally, she was exhausted from hitting, and her hands hung limply at her sides. Someone took her hands and gently massaged them. Wen Zhaoye lowered his head and wiped away the tears that had rolled down her face without her noticing.
The colorful neon lights along the bar street dazzled passersby. A narrow alley led deep into the alley from the bar, pitch black inside. Only upon close inspection could one discern what appeared to be two overlapping figures.
Wen Zhuo turned her face away, seemingly somewhat regretful. Her thick, damp eyelashes drooped, and she remained silent.
Wen Zhaoye looked down at her face. Wen Zhuo was not used to such a sharp gaze, as if it wanted to penetrate her brain and expose the thoughts that no one else could see.
Finally, she raised her eyes, her upturned fox-like eyes revealing deep confusion and exhaustion.
Wen Zhaoye's blood, which had been boiling with anger, cooled down. He and Wen Zhuo stared at each other in silence. Wen Zhuo's eyes were red from crying, but she looked at him with her lips pursed and her expression was somewhat solemn. The two of them were very close, and Wen Zhuo's hand was still in his.
His gaze shifted downwards, noticing that Wen Zhuo's waist seemed to have thinned somewhat. He sighed, released her, and said slowly:
"Remember to come back."
Wen Zhuo didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the lights in the distance: "Oh."
After a long while, the alley quieted down. Wen Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and walked out of the alley. She blinked her tired eyes hard and turned to walk back to the bar.
A figure blocked her way.
"What are you going back for? Do you want to see those boiled chickens again?"
"Are you any better?" Wen Zhuo couldn't help but retort. "What are you still doing here? Weren't you leaving?"
Wen Zhaoye's face remained expressionless: "One week."
Wen Zhuo: "What?"
Wen Zhaoye's voice was deep: "I will pick you up in a week, whether you want to or not."
*****
A week later, Wen Zhaoye waited for Wen Zhuo at his temporary residence as promised. He had only been standing at the door for a few minutes when he realized something was wrong; it seemed like no one was there anymore.
He knocked on the door, but no one answered.
Wen Zhaoye: "..."
That's great.
He took out his phone, opened an app, and a huge map appeared on the screen. He stared at the red dot on it and sneered.
Meanwhile, Wen Zhuo was laughing wildly in the rented room.
She forcefully hung up on Wen Zhaoye; this was the happiest thing that had happened to her in the past few days.
She wanted to laugh whenever she thought of Wen Zhaoye standing in front of that empty door.
Wen Zhaoye finally found out where she used to live, only to find that she had already left.
Hahahahaha.
wrong.
She suddenly realized something: if Wen Zhaoye could find that place, he could also find this place; it was just a matter of time.
Wen Zhuo's face stiffened. She wanted to leave immediately, but this was the cheapest place she could find near the school. She only remembered leaving and didn't have much money on her. The previous place was a short-term rental she found, which was very expensive.
She lay on the bare bed in her sparsely furnished house and rolled over once.
Wen Zhuo sprang to her feet in a somersault, but fell back halfway up. She rubbed her waist dejectedly. Since things had come to this, she decided to slip away!
Wen Zhuo was about to open the door, and just as he pressed the doorknob, a knocking sound came.
Wen Zhuo: "..."
How could it be so fast!
Wen Zhaoye looked down at the red dot on his phone that was not moving, and tapped his knuckles on the door slowly and deliberately.
"Wen Zhuo, open the door."
The soundproofing in these very affordable rental apartments is so good that if you sneeze in the front room, you can hear it clearly in the back.
Wen Zhuo paced anxiously in circles.
The sound of footsteps reached the ears of the person at the door.
Wen Zhaoye: "Stop wandering around, or I'll bang on the door if you don't come out."
Wen Zhuo: "..."
She's really fed up. Do they really have to arrest her?
I really don't understand why I have to go back to live there. Anyway, I'm going to university in a few days, and I can't keep living at home during university.
She opened the door with a blank expression, only to be met with Wen Zhaoye's gloomy face, which didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Wen Zhuo scratched his head, feigning ignorance: "What's wrong?"
Wen Zhaoye grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her aside, saying, "You're blocking my way."
Wen Zhuo glared at him from behind.
Wen Zhaoye glanced around. The house Wen Zhuo had found was smaller than her walk-in closet, yet she hadn't made a fuss with him. He turned to look at Wen Zhuo, but she immediately looked away and whistled as if nothing had happened.
Wen Zhaoye: "..."
"Since you didn't take anything, there's no need to move anything here. Let's go to my place."
Wen Zhuo refused: "I want to live here; it's close to the school."
"With a driver, it's close to anywhere."
Wen Zhuo stepped back: "I don't want to go to school or live outside."
"So you can live at my place now that you're not in school anymore?"
Wen Zhuo realized the flaw in her words and frowned in regret: "I don't want to live with you."
Wen Zhaoye: "? Why? We grew up sleeping in the same bed, and now you're suddenly getting upset about this?"
Wen Zhuo's eyes widened: "What nonsense are you talking about? We haven't slept together since junior high!!"
Wen Zhaoye remained expressionless: "Really? You remember it very clearly."
He suddenly turned around, and Wen Zhuo, who was secretly moving away, froze in place, staring nervously at the ground. As she looked, a pair of shoes stood in front of her.
Wen Zhuo slowly raised her head. The owner of the leather shoes started grabbing her collar again, his gaze sweeping over her neck and collarbone. He didn't seem like an older brother, but rather like a boyfriend checking up on her.
Wen Zhuo didn't understand what he was doing. His hands were bound and pinned to his head. "I don't have anything else on me. What are you looking for?"
Wen Zhaoye's voice suddenly rang out: "Have you ever been to a bar?"
Wen Zhuo: "No, what's wrong?"
Wen Zhaoye nodded: "You're still young, don't think about finding a boyfriend."
After hesitating for a moment, he added, "And don't go to those unclean places, the men there are all unclean."
Wen Zhuo: "..."
She covered her ears: "I know, you're so annoying! I'm clearly an adult already!"
Wen Zhaoye recalled the scenes of Wen Zhuo being taken care of by others, and felt a sudden urge to punch her. He said in a deep voice, "So what if you're an adult? No other man can take good care of you."
Wen Zhuo began to struggle: "I don't need anyone else to take care of me. I can take care of myself."
Upon hearing this, Wen Zhaoye raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping around the cramped house before glancing at the unfinished instant noodle packaging in the trash can: "Is this how you take care of yourself?"
Wen Zhuo shrugged: "I think instant noodles are pretty good."
Wen Zhaoye looked at her: "You really won't come back with me?"
Wen Zhuo was overjoyed, thinking that things had taken a turn for the better. She raised her head and agreed, "Yes, I'm not going back!"
Wen Zhaoye sneered, took a few steps forward, and hoisted her onto his shoulder. Wen Zhuo's eyes widened in shock: "!!!"
"Wen Zhaoye, are you out of your mind?! When are you going to get rid of this stupid habit of yours?! Put me down! My stomach hurts, I'm going to throw up!"
Wen Zhaoye patted her thigh casually: "Okay, shut up, don't throw up on me."
Wen Zhuo kicked hard against him, but was finally forced into the car.
She slumped into the leather seat, the unpleasant smell of leather assaulting her nostrils. She frowned and got up.
Wen Zhuo turned and glared at the person sitting with their hands folded to the side: "Why do you insist on taking me away?"
Wen Zhaoye replied with a matter-of-fact expression, "You're my sister, of course I'll take good care of you."
It's always like this. At times like this, Wen Zhaoye doesn't care about her opinion at all. When asked, he just says he's taking care of his younger sister.
She suddenly remembered the results she had found through her search some time ago:
Q: How do I get rid of a persistent person?
A: Disgusting him
What would be considered disgusting for Wen Zhaoye?
He keeps saying that other people are unclean and not good enough for her, but what about someone else?
The more she thought about it, the more ingenious she felt her method was; Wen Zhaoye would definitely stay a hundred thousand miles away from her without hesitation.
Thinking of this, Wen Zhuo chuckled, a rare occurrence for her. Wen Zhaoye was stunned. She straightened up and leaned closer to Wen Zhaoye, her clear voice carrying a hint of sharp malice: "You say those people are all unclean, then who do you think is clean?"
"You?"
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