Chapter 33 033 Indistinguishable Twins
On the way back.
The car's heater was on, and it wasn't so cold after going down the mountain, but what puzzled and worried Shen Yi was that Song Yang's hands were still icy cold.
It was a little better than before, but it still felt a bit chilly, making it hard to bear touching. Shen Yi noticed that her instant milk tea was hotter, so she swapped it with Song Yang's.
Song Yang held the milk tea obediently, and habitually took a sip from the cup, only to wince in pain from the heat.
Seeing his disheveled appearance, Shen Yi was both amused and annoyed. While opening a bottle of mineral water for him, she complained, "How can you be so clumsy?"
"……ha?"
He had kindly taken Shen Yi out for a drive to relax, but she scolded him for being stupid. Song Yang had a hundred complaints and wanted to argue with her, but when he saw that her eyebrows had obviously relaxed and there was even a hint of a smile in her eyes, he swallowed all his words.
All right.
Let her swear a couple of times, as long as she's happy.
When saying goodbye.
He couldn't help but call out to her again.
Under the moonlight.
The boy's expression was serious, with a rare stubbornness: "If you're not happy here, you can come with me anytime."
At that time, Song Yang realized that he had some thoughts he shouldn't have had.
If she's unhappy, he takes her home.
It's just another mouth to feed. The Song family isn't short of money, and Mom has always favored Shenyi the most. After learning about the "real and fake heiress" incident, she also increased Song Yang's allowance and repeatedly told him to take better care of Shenyi.
In short, for Shen Yi, living with the Song family would definitely be better than suffering mistreatment outside.
As long as she nods.
He will take her away.
After a while.
Shen Yi reached out and flicked Song Yang's forehead without mercy, his voice carrying a smug and arrogant tone that both of them felt a long time ago: "A trivial problem! Of course I can handle it! Who gave you permission to look down on me like that!"
Song Yang took a step back in pain, rubbing his forehead in annoyance: "No good deed goes unpunished!"
Go back!
Shen Yi made a face at him with a disgusted expression, then went straight into the courtyard and closed the door from the inside.
Song Yang was so angry he wanted to give her the middle finger and left in a very unpleasant mood.
"Creak—"
The iron gate was opened from the inside, and Shenyi's head peeked out.
She secretly watched Song Yang's back as he walked away, kicking stones around in frustration by the roadside, and whispered, "Thank you."
but.
She still wants to rely on herself more.
Running away from home is such a lame act...
Well?
The next day, in the evening.
Seeing Shen Yu and Jiang Yue, who had been absent from school all day, finally appear at her doorstep dragging their suitcases, Shen Yi decided to swallow her words and keep them to herself until she died.
Clearly, Jiang Yue had struggled with the decision before making it. She ran over and hugged Shen Yi tightly, as if trying to draw some reassuring strength from her.
Shen Yi hugged her back, then looked up at Shen Yu, who was pushing a small cart with five suitcases on it, almost completely obscuring him, and asked him with her eyes: What happened?
Shen Yu caught up with difficulty and explained the whole story: "We had a big fight with Dad last night. With Mom's support, she bought a house not far from yours so that we could move in and calm down for a while."
Jiang Yue nodded in Shen Yi's arms, indicating that he was right, and then added loudly, "I want to be with you! I don't want to go back to that awful home!"
As Jiang Yue spoke, she looked up at Chen Yi, a faint smile appearing in her doe-like eyes, along with anticipation for the future: "How about we live together from now on? As long as I have you, my brother, Jiang Pangbao, and Dad, I will feel very happy."
For Jiang Yue, wealth and luxury were never necessities.
If she wasn't the daughter her father was satisfied with, then she would also choose to leave with some backbone.
Shen Yi let out a soft breath, hugged Jiang Yue tightly, looked up at the square sky, and asked, "Where is Mom?"
The "mother" she was referring to was naturally Shen's mother.
In Shen Yi's memory, for the first ten years or so, her mother was a symbol of gentleness and beauty. Although her parents were busy with work and did not stay at home often, in the few times they spent together, her mother would unconditionally pamper her and fulfill all her desires.
They're all here, but what about Mother Shen? What is she going to do?
Jiang Yue's body trembled slightly at the question, and her voice was somewhat confused: "I asked, but Mom didn't want to leave with us. She only said that she would come to see us later."
"yes."
Shen Yu interrupted their conversation and urged, "Let's pack our luggage first, and we can have dinner together tonight when Mom comes over!"
Next, Shen Yu grinned and assigned rooms, looking more like he was playing house than running away from home with his sister.
There are three rooms in total that people can stay in.
Shen Yu gave the largest room to Jiang Yue and the sunniest room to Shen Yi. As for himself, he carried a suitcase into a dark, small room that didn't even have a window.
Shen Yi was touched, but also wanted to complain: "Thank you, but I don't live here at all. Your small room can't even fit your suitcases in the bed."
We've been siblings for so many years, there's no need to be so polite!
Shen Yu then shook his finger at her, pushed two of the remaining four suitcases in front of Shen Yi and two in front of Jiang Yue, and said, "Distribution complete!"
Although both Shen Yi and Jiang Yue were confused, they still laid the suitcase down together and opened it to check.
Soon, both of them fell silent.
Shen Yi opened the first suitcase and saw all the items she used to have at the Shen family home, such as duvet covers, pillowcases, slippers, hairbands, and even all kinds of cosmetics and skincare products. Shen Yu couldn't understand them, so he just stuffed in as many as he could.
The second one is even more outrageous.
Inside was a whole box filled with her favorite pretty dresses and jewelry, packed to the brim, including many luxury items.
Shen Yi raised her head, her eyes twitching: "Shen Yu, are you kidding me?"
Are you really playing house here?!
And why is there only one slipper... never mind, that's not the point!
More importantly, most of these items were bought by Shen's mother for her birthday, and they are extremely valuable! She would feel justified if the Shen family wanted to call the police and have her arrested!
Shen Yu said matter-of-factly, "These are all things that my mother asked me to bring to you. Don't rush to refuse. Just keep them for now. Anyway, it's not like I'm going to sell them to you if you keep them at home. Keep them in case you need them someday."
Shen Yi wasn't that aloof, nor did she have the so-called principle that she would never touch a single penny of the Shen family's money even if she starved to death. Her previous rejection of Shen Yu was simply because she genuinely didn't need it.
In this situation, Shen Yu's words make sense. Since all three of them are here, it wouldn't be a problem to leave some valuables for emergencies.
So Shen Yi first closed the two suitcases that Shen Yu had brought her, and then looked at Jiang Yue across from her.
Jiang Yue squatted on the ground, her expression even more complicated.
She pointed to a box containing books and dolls, indicating that she could understand that, but when she opened another box, it contained various photography equipment.
Shen Yi glanced at it. She only recognized the camera and tripod inside. She couldn't understand what the rest were, but even a fool could tell that they must be very expensive.
Shen Yu's phone vibrated. He picked it up, glanced at it, and then laughed triumphantly, "I knew he would cut off my card. Luckily, I bought everything I needed beforehand and swiped my card big! Haha!"
Shen Yi and Jiang Yue exchanged a glance.
Both of them saw a strong sense of helplessness on each other's faces.
never mind.
Oh well, it's already like this.
Shen Yi generously handed the silk duvet cover from his suitcase to Jiang Yue, saying, "Here, he's already taken it, so you might as well use it."
Although Chen's mother arranged for people to come and furnish the place for them, it only seemed to meet the standard of being habitable. Jiang Yue's ordinary bed sheets and blankets could never compare to the comfort of this place.
Jiang Yue accepted it without hesitation.
Although someone had already cleaned it, it still took the three of them a while to arrange all the household items.
Right now.
The sound of high heels clicking on the stone pavement rang out, and all three of them dropped what they were carrying and ran into the courtyard.
The iron gate outside the courtyard was pushed open.
A gentle and beautiful noblewoman stepped in, frowning at the old and worn-out surroundings. But when she saw her children rushing out of their rooms to surround her, she finally smiled, embracing her two daughters and asking, "Are you alright?"
Jiang Yue replied, "Everything is fine!"
Shen Yi hadn't seen her mother for a long time. Now, in her familiar embrace, smelling her familiar and comforting light fragrance, she couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat.
"Yiyi has lost a lot of weight."
After exchanging a few words with Jiang Yue, Chen's mother cupped Chen Yi's face in her hands, her brows furrowed with heartache. She then turned and glared at Chen Yu: "I told you to take good care of your sister, and this is how you take care of her?"
Shen Yu dared not utter a word.
"It's not his fault."
Shen Yi immediately spoke up for Shen Yu, pointing in the opposite direction and shifting the blame to Jiang Jiabao: "My younger brother is too fat, so I'm exercising to help him lose weight."
"So that's how it is."
Mother Shen put down her hand, then turned back after hearing footsteps and urged, "Put the things in and then leave."
Shen's mother didn't come alone; she also packed a lot of food from the private restaurant that Shen Yi and Shen Yu used to love, and laid it all out on the round wooden table.
Mother Shen remembered each child's preferences and carefully rearranged the positions of their favorite dishes, placing them in front of each child.
Seeing the three children engrossed in their meal, she finally smiled and explained her purpose: "Dad was wrong in this matter. If you want to stay here, then stay. I'll find a few more caregivers to come and take care of you. You can go back home once you've calmed down. Yiyi, you should go home as soon as possible. Mom will cook you some delicious food to help you recover."
Upon hearing Mother Shen's words, all three of them slowed down their eating pace.
Shen Yi put down her chopsticks and chewed quickly, trying to finish the food in her mouth, because she had something to say.
Looking up, Shen Yi saw that Jiang Yue and Shen Yu had the same expression and movements as her.
Shen Yu swallowed his food first, looking puzzled, and asked, "Mom, what do you mean? Does this mean you've already forgiven him, and you've come here to be his advocate?"
"It's Mom's fault, I caused you all to get hurt too."
Mother Shen lowered her eyelashes, her gentle face filled with deep regret. Why did she have to talk about such things at home? She didn't want the children to hear it.
Jiang Yue had never spoken in such a cold voice before, and her words revealed the essence of the problem: "The one who hurt us is not you, it is him."
“Yueyue, Daddy made a mistake, but he regrets it.” Mother Shen held Jiang Yue’s hand, unsure whether she wanted to persuade her or herself: “In the future… this kind of thing will never happen again.”
so.
Forgive him this time.
As long as you can forgive him.
Their family remains happy and fulfilled.
Jiang Yue's face showed astonishment, clearly not expecting her mother to "betray" them like this.
Shen Yi raised her head and exchanged a glance with Shen Yu.
The tacit understanding that siblings have developed over the years means that they only need a glance to understand what each other is thinking.
None of them were willing to compromise.
Shen Yi revealed a knowing look and said directly, "So you regret it. You regret letting us know the truth. That way, you could just shut up, endure the pangs of conscience, and pretend nothing happened, minimizing the harm. But have you ever thought about it? Would we, who were deceived, really be happy?"
Why should we entrust our future to a man who has told a colossal lie?
Shen Yu was equally baffled and questioned, "Is it because he has no other women or children? He doesn't even care that his own daughter is living away from home, so why must the company be handed over to his own child instead of the person who is most loyal to him?"
He doesn't care about blood ties as much as you think, nor does he care about this family as much as you believe! We don't care that much about so-called wealth either; we just want our family to live together happily.
Shen Yi added more incisively, "It's not that he loves you. It's probably because he doesn't have a high need for sex. Those so-called thrills aren't worth the risk of losing your and your family's support, and everything he's worked so hard to get."
Yes.
The Shen family's growth and expansion to its current state owes much to Shen's mother and her family.
Their relationship was once a typical one of a wealthy heiress and a poor boy. However, Shen's father was indeed talented. The company was handed over to him to manage over the years. Although it almost faced bankruptcy and went through a difficult period, he eventually won the gamble. The company's assets under his management increased nearly fivefold, which led to everything they have today.
Before meeting her husband, Shen's mother was also an only child in her family. She had studied abroad alone, hoping to inherit the family business after returning to China. She didn't ask her to expand the business, but only to keep it.
Later, however, she willingly became a supportive wife because of love.
But she clearly has her own talents and has never been just a pretty face.
Jiang Yue vaguely realized what they wanted to do.
So Jiang Yue cooperated, squatting down at Shen's mother's feet, letting tears soak her face as she cried like a pear blossom in the rain, holding her mother's hand and pleading, "Mom, I don't want to be with him, I really don't want to see him, I hate him, I won't forgive him, please..."
The conflicted emotions constantly showed on Shen's mother's face.
She hesitated, struggled, and wanted to make a final choice.
Shen Yi closed her eyes, feeling somewhat powerless.
She felt a little like a stranger to herself, like a detached bystander who had driven her helpless mother, who was also crying, to this point, but she still continued, "Please stay here too, let's live together..."
"I will go back."
Mother Shen slowly stood up, supporting herself on the table. Her voice was hoarse and contained a hint of vulnerability and confusion as she said, "...I'm sorry, it's because I'm too weak."
＊
After Chen's mother returned home, no one touched the food on the table; all three of them were preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Recalling his mother's pained and conflicted expression before she left, Shen Yu was momentarily confused: "Are we doing the right thing?"
just.
Although there was no communication, the three of them reached a silent understanding.
They stood together, protesting, telling their mother that they absolutely did not want to go back to that home.
They are also forcing their mothers to choose between their children and their husbands.
What happens after you make the choice?
When wealthy families separate, it involves more conflicts of interest and the distribution of assets.
Shen Yi had already thought of this and had already adjusted herself. At this moment, she could only comfort them: "What else can you do? She didn't fight for what belonged to her and even accepted it as a favor from that man. What can you two high school students do?"
Shen Yi had to remain absolutely calm, and only she could say the harshest things.
She was the only outsider in this matter.
"……yes."
Jiang Yue echoed Shen Yi's words, saying helplessly, "We have no choice."
Speaking of which...
Jiang Yue felt a pang of regret: "Yesterday was my fault. We were hiding, we shouldn't have let him know that we already knew."
Just bear with it a little longer...
Just bear with it a little longer. Once Shen Yu goes to university, he can participate in company affairs and won't be affected by her impulsiveness and recklessness.
"Do you think he wouldn't check the security footage to make sure no one heard anything that day?"
Shen Yi picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and said, "That kind of person wouldn't make such a basic mistake."
"yes."
Shen Yu also put a piece of food on each of their plates and urged them, "Eat something. You'll have the energy to think about the future. Also, as the eldest brother, I am like a father to you all, and from now on I am your father..."
"roll."
"I don't want to."
Neither of them gave me any face.
Shen Yu said awkwardly, "Then I'll be the head of the family for now, right? I'll make the first family rule right now: no matter what happens, we'll face it together, and no one is allowed to blame themselves anymore. Raise your hand if you agree."
As he spoke, he raised his hands, as if he wanted to lift his feet as well.
With his mouth stuffed full, Shen Yi was still peeling a hairy crab in his hands. After a while without success, he simply raised the crab with both hands and mumbled, "...I agree too."
Jiang Yue was amused by the two of them and said loudly, "Okay, okay, I know! These things are not our fault!"
＊
night.
After finishing her homework and coaxing Jiang Jiabao to sleep after exercising, Chen Yi washed up and made sure the lights in her parents' room were off before changing into her pajamas and tiptoeing to the other side.
Jiang Yue waited for a long time, and after seeing Shen Yi come in, she immediately closed the door.
The two people were lying on the same bed, very close to each other.
Shen Yi whispered, "Dad gets up early in the morning, so I have to sneak back tomorrow morning."
Jiang Yue nodded to show that she understood, and then said apologetically, "It's all my fault. I haven't figured out how to tell Dad that we're moving here yet. I was hoping you could come and keep me company."
"It's okay."
Shen Yi smiled and said, "We can explain if we get caught, but the reason... is indeed hard to come up with."
To be honest, that definitely wouldn't work; Jiang's father would worry that Jiang's mother would complain. But making up a reason would require some skill.
The daughter suddenly returned to this alley, and even brought Shen Yu with her. It's really strange! But if we don't say anything, this alley is only so big, and we can't hide it for more than a few days.
Let alone a few days.
The next morning, Shen Yi tried to sneak back, but she saw her father sitting solemnly in the courtyard waiting for her and was caught red-handed.
There was no other way but to admit that Jiang Yue and Shen Yu had both come over.
Morning.
Now, the family of six is sitting together eating breakfast.
As they expected, Jiang's father was completely baffled: "Yueyue, you've moved in too? What happened?"
"Ha ha!"
As the older brother, Shen Yu had no choice but to bravely step forward and explain, "Uncle Jiang, our parents have been arguing a lot lately because of work and aren't home much. I'm about to take the college entrance exam, and I don't want to be affected by them, so I thought it would be nice to move out and have some peace and quiet. I brought Jiang Yue with me, so we won't bother you too much! But our parents only allow us to live near you, saying that if anything happens, at least you can look after us and feel at ease!"
Shen Yu usually has a carefree and joking demeanor, but now he lies without any hesitation. Not to mention Jiang's father, even Shen Yi was almost fooled by his matter-of-fact and serious expression.
After hearing this, Jiang's father had no doubts and even said, "That's good. Then you can all come to our house for dinner from now on."
"Oh."
Mother Shen sneered, picked up the dishes and stood up, complaining, "Do we have that much rice at home? You're so arrogant."
Jiang's father's expression darkened, and Shen Yu immediately smoothed things over: "No need, Uncle Jiang, my parents will arrange for someone to take care of us. But we live nearby now, so Jiang Yue can come and visit you often."
Before Jiang's father could speak, Jiang's mother added, "Don't try to be friendly with them. These young masters and ladies wouldn't look down on our simple meals."
Shen Yu looked somewhat embarrassed and was at a loss for words.
Jiang Jiabao was only aware that his sister would be closer to him and they would see each other more often in the future, so he happily lowered his head and ate his rice.
As for Jiang Yue and Shen Yi?
They were already used to their mother's strange and unpredictable nature, so they had no expectations and were not easily hurt.
Shen Yi finished her soy milk in one gulp and said, "It's getting late, let's go to school."
＊
Bus stop.
Xu Qingzhe was naturally somewhat surprised to see the three siblings appear together.
This wasn't the first time Shen Yu had met Xu Qingzhe. He wanted to say something, but he abruptly stopped after realizing that not only Shen Yi, but even Jiang Yue could greet this guy.
Um……
He wasn't quite sure if his two younger sisters would side with him if he made things difficult for Xu Qingzhe now.
Seeing the sudden low pressure emanating from Shen Yu, Jiang Yue looked at Shen Yi in confusion and tugged at her sleeve.
Shen Yi: "..."
Shen Yi had a headache, but he still had to say something to break the awkwardness, so he could only formally introduce them to each other: "This is my brother, Shen Yu, and this is Xu Qingzhe, whom you have met before, my good friend."
The last sentence was deliberately emphasized, more like a warning, to prevent Shen Yu from suddenly saying something he shouldn't.
Yes.
In Shen Yi's heart, her relationship with Xu Qingzhe had changed from friends to good friends.
Thinking back to the last time he saw Xu Qingzhe, which was not a pleasant scene, Shen Yu still kept a straight face and reluctantly nodded as a greeting.
They remained silent the entire way.
The four of them walked into the campus side by side, attracting some curious glances, but only a few.
Because this lineup is at best a "happy reunion" of the Shen family siblings, with the addition of Xu Qingzhe, who is inexplicably there, which is rather strange.
If Jiang Yue were to slap Chen Yi at the door, the forum might explode, and vice versa. But this kind of harmonious family storyline is destined not to attract much attention; people will just gossip about it behind their backs and that's it.
Jiang Yue was not used to dealing with such probing gazes from others. Although she was holding Shen Yi's hand, she still unconsciously lowered her head.
Suddenly.
A large hand slapped her hard on the back.
Shen Yu followed and put his hand on Jiang Yue's shoulder: "Don't be afraid, hold your head high and stand tall."
"……Um!"
Jiang Yue nodded and, under Shen Yu's gaze, also raised her head.
Shen Yi found the scene somewhat amusing, but because she slowed down to admire Shen Yu's "military training" of Jiang Yue, she accidentally bumped into Xu Qingzhe and stumbled forward.
"……careful."
Xu Qingzhe supported Shen Yi's shoulder to prevent a tragedy from happening, and then squeezed out two dry words: "Watch where you're going."
"Thanks."
Shen Yi naturally thanked them, but suddenly felt a probing gaze... very close to them.
The two of them turned their heads at the same time.
Xu Qingyi, who appeared out of nowhere, stood on the other side of Shen Yi, resting his chin on his hand and staring thoughtfully at the hand that Xu Qingzhe was holding Shen Yi with.
It felt like being electrocuted.
Xu Qingzhe immediately withdrew his hand, his tone extremely cold: "What do you want to do?"
"What can I do? Please don't treat your dear brother like an enemy every time you see him, okay? It's so heartbreaking."
Despite his complaints, Xu Qingyi's smile remained undiminished as he praised Xu Qingzhe, "You've already managed to get to live with her family? That's impressive."
These nonsensical words made Shen Yi unconsciously frown and look at Xu Qingzhe, trying to find the answer to Xu Qingyi's sudden "provocation" from him.
There is no answer.
Xu Qingzhe was unwilling to listen to Xu Qingyi's nonsense any longer, so he grabbed Shen Yi's hand and strode forward, saying, "Ignore him."
Shen Yi didn't want to care about Xu Qingyi.
The problem was that her other hand was also firmly held by Xu Qingyi at that moment, putting her in a real dilemma.
The standoff between the three attracted the attention of passing students who slowed down to watch, and also caught the attention of Shen Yu and Jiang Yue.
Shen Yu shouted at the top of his lungs, "What are you two doing? Let go of my sister!"
Of course, this statement was completely useless. Shen Yi clearly sensed that neither of them had let go, and they had even increased their strength in unison.
Ouch!!!
The person involved, Shen Yi, was baffled by the scene and wanted to say something, but her attention was unexpectedly diverted.
now.
Xu Qingyi's face no longer carried the cheerful smile of the past; it had become much more serious, with his thin lips slightly pursed, as if he were investigating something.
As for Xu Qingzhe? His cold face wasn't something that had just appeared overnight; he looked no different from usual. After hearing Shen Yi unconsciously hiss in pain, he immediately let go of her hand.
But more than the pain and confusion, Shen Yi was shocked at this moment.
She had never seen twins who looked so alike.
In comparison, their facial features are so similar that even the moles at the corners of their eyes are in the same position and the same size. They have almost identical faces, but their expressions and temperaments are so different that people often forget they are identical twins when they are apart.
But now that Xu Qingyi no longer smiles like that, they really are no different from each other.
Chen Yi looked at this and then at that.
She was even somewhat terrified. Both of them were expressionless, and she... she couldn't even tell who was who anymore?
Is the person to her left Xu Qingzhe?
But the face on the right looks even uglier!
Chen Yi stood there, lost in a dual recollection of his own eyesight and intelligence.
That can't be right, can it?
Although she has a slight case of face blindness, how could she possibly mistake someone she's known for so long? She'd be ashamed of herself if word got out!
Just as Shen Yi was frantically struggling with which "Xu Qingzhe" to film and before she could say "Let's go," one of them suddenly lifted her chin with their finger, and the handsome young man's face suddenly drew close, about to kiss her.
My mind went blank for a moment.
Of course she wanted to refuse, but the accident happened so suddenly, and the person in front of her was the "Xu Qingzhe" she knew and trusted. So she froze on the spot.
Just as she could feel the boy's breath and was about to press his lips against hers, she stopped.
The person behind him, unable to bear it any longer, bypassed Shen Yi, grabbed his shoulder, and shoved him backward until he fell to the ground, coldly saying, "Get lost!"
All of this happened so fast that gasps of surprise rang out from the crowd. Most people didn't see Xu Qingyi make a move to kiss Shen Yi before he was pushed to the ground.
Shen Yi then realized what was happening and was startled. She took several steps back to seek comfort from Jiang Yue and Shen Yu.
Jiang Yue jogged forward and shielded Shen Yi behind her. Her delicate face, usually associated with high intelligence, showed a hint of stunned disbelief, clearly taken aback by the situation.
Shen Yu didn't hold back at all. He stepped forward, grabbed Xu Qingyi by the collar from the ground, and punched him directly.
Xu Qingyi pushed Shen Yu's hand away, supported himself on the ground with one hand, and stood up cleanly and neatly. He regained his usual smiling demeanor. After taking the punch, he pressed down on Shen Yu's fist, which was about to launch another attack on him: "Alright, you can't beat me. Let my brother have a better chance."
Even with training, an ordinary rich kid's practical skills would never compare to his.
Shen Yu also realized this, and with veins bulging, he cursed, "You scum!"
Xu Qingyi just smiled, lowered his head to straighten his clothes and walked past Xu Qingzhe, leaving only the words: "If you want something, you have to fight for it. Don't miss out on everything because of your cowardice like you did when you were a child."
＊
Shen Yu kept cursing and swearing the whole way, saying he was going to find the school to check the surveillance footage and that Xu Qingyi had to be given a disciplinary action.
Shen Yi ignored Shen Yu's anger and instead looked thoughtfully at Xu Qingzhe, who was walking a little ahead, pondering everything that had happened that day.
Jiang Yue thought Shen Yi was still frightened from what had just happened, so she quickly comforted her, "It's okay, Yi Yi, let's stay away from him in the future!"
Seeing that Jiang Yue was even angrier than she was, Shen Yi finally understood the problem.
First of all, Xu Qingyi doesn't like her, let alone say that he loves her so much that he would forcefully kiss her in public.
Engaging in such "intimate" behavior with her at this time would only make Jiang Yue more resistant to him. What's the point of him doing something so thankless?
not to mention……
Shen Yi looked at Jiang Yue and asked, "Has Xu Qingyi been actively trying to get closer to you lately?"
Jiang Yue was surprised that Shen Yi would suddenly ask this question. After thinking for a while, she said, "He does talk to me on his own initiative, but not as frequently as before."
Jiang Yue also realized what Shen Yi was trying to say, and the two of them immediately had the same thoughtful expression: "What exactly does he want to do?"
Strange.
That's really strange.
so.
The preparatory bell rang, and Shen Yi turned to look at Xu Qingyi, asking directly, "What are you doing? I'm not your target."
Yes.
She couldn't figure it out, but after sending Xu Qingzhe a message, he didn't reply for a long time, which made her really curious.
"It has nothing to do with that kind of thing."
Xu Qingyi smiled meaningfully at Shen Yi, but ultimately chose to tell the truth under her probing gaze: "I just wanted to see my brother's angry expression. Sorry."
Shen Yi still didn't understand: "Pure debt?"
Xu Qingyi nodded smugly: "You can understand it that way."
Shen Yi: "...?"
Shen Yi tried to understand, but Shen Yi really couldn't understand.
She cursed him inwardly, thinking he was crazy, and silently turned away.
＊
This kind of thing is bound to have an impact.
On the forum.
Shen Yi was shielded behind Xu Qingzhe, while Xu Qingyi fell to the ground in a disheveled state, raised his head and showed them a provocative smile. This photo directly triggered hundreds of replies.
2L: I was there and I was completely dumbfounded. What kind of drama is this, two men fighting over one woman?
6L: I've never seen Xu Qingyi make this expression before...it's so captivating!
9L: I'm totally in love with Shen Yi! Being protected by Xu Qingzhe like this makes me feel so safe! Who can beat him?! Who can?!
15L: Just looking at this photo in the main post, I thought some celebrity's new drama had premiered... Wow, those three faces are amazing!
17L: Two pictures, Xu Qingzhe and Xu Qingyi have the same face.
23L: Hahaha, is that the point?
41L: So what's going on here? Have brothers turned into love rivals?
45L: Besides looking alike, how else can you tell that Xu Qingzhe and Xu Qingyi are brothers?
49L: Yes, I've never seen those two talk to each other at school, and I've never seen them walk together to and from school.
56L: Rumor has it that these two brothers don't live together, or even grew up together, and probably aren't very close.
65L: Let me summarize. Their relationship was already bad, and they didn't communicate at all on weekdays. But because they were twins, they looked similar and had similar interests. Fate played a trick on them, making them coincidentally fall in love with the same woman.
69L: (Hands over a pen) You write it.
72L: Rather than being fought over by men, I envy Shen Yi for being able to have such a good relationship with Jiang Yue and Chen Yu. How come they can go to school together despite their awkward identities?
74L: Could it be that Shen Yi has gone back to the Shen family? Tsk tsk, she's so lucky.
76L: That's normal. After all these years, what's the difference between fake and real?
...
The forum was buzzing with gossip, and everyone loved to chat about it. The rumors got more and more outrageous, with some even saying that Xu Qingyi transferred to their school to compete with Xu Qingzhe for Shen Yi, and that he even got into Class B first because of his proximity, all so that he could spend more time with Shen Yi.
This rumor...
Well, it's not entirely a rumor. Xu Qingyi did come to Class B for that very reason.
This claim was also corroborated by some of the students in Class B who were secretly gossiping about it. After all, on his first day after transferring, Xu Qingyi ignored Song Yang, that little tyrant, and specifically asked to be Shen Yi's deskmate! How audacious!
But is it because he loves Chen Yi, or does he want to take everything his younger brother has? Which does he truly want: romantic love or familial affection? That remains to be seen!
The rumors on the forum were so detailed and convincing, it was as if an author was about to actually write a love triangle story for them.
Someone timidly suggested...
[Have you all forgotten something? When Xu Qingyi transferred here, Shen Yi was still Wen Que's fiancée, right? And if Shen Yi goes back to the Shen family... given their current relationships, it's hard to say who will continue the engagement, isn't it?]
The building tilted like that, and it went from a love triangle to a love quadrangle.
Shen Yi glanced at it hastily and felt a headache coming on.
Fortunately, these posts only lasted a few hours before being deleted by the forum administrators on the grounds of "inducing early romantic relationships." Even if people were curious, they could only gossip about them behind their backs.
Shen Yi patted his head.
It hurts a little, never mind, I don't want to think about it anymore.
Whether it's her, Jiang Yue, or Xu Qingzhe, they should all stay away from Xu Qingyi!
evening.
Shen Yi and Jiang Yue led Shen Yu toward the bus stop, with Song Yang following beside them.
After hearing what [Zhui] said and [Wen] said, Song Yang learned that Shen Yi and Wen Que had broken up. He seemed to be in a good mood and said that he would help Shen Yi get out of the shadow of heartbreak, so he followed along.
After discovering that Shen Yu was also there, Shen Yu didn't treat him like an outsider and directly explained that he and Jiang Yue had also moved to the vicinity.
Song Yang's greatest strength is that—
He is curious about many things, yet not that curious, because he has his own self-consistent logic.
For example, Shenyi and Wenque broke up.
In Song Yang's view, she and Wen Que should have separated eight hundred years ago. Now it can only be considered that she has made up her mind to completely cut off all ties.
As for Shen Yu and Jiang Yue moving there?
That is, Shen Yi doesn't want to go back to the Shen family, but their sibling relationship is very deep, which is reasonable and there is no problem.
Upon seeing Xu Qingzhe at the bus stop, Song Yang was able to greet him confidently and proactively: "Hi! We're here again! Haha!"
Given Song Yang's enthusiasm, Xu Qingzhe couldn't possibly ignore it, so he could only respond politely with, "What a coincidence."
Jiang Yue glanced at Chen Yi, seemingly lost in thought: "What a coincidence."
There were five of them this time, but all the empty seats were double seats.
Shen Yi naturally sat with Jiang Yue.
Xu Qingzhe and Shen Yu each sat in a window seat, with empty seats next to them. These two seats were in front of and behind Shen Yi and Jiang Yue, respectively.
Song Yang looked at this and then at that, and suddenly found himself in a dilemma.
Finally, he sat down next to Shen Yu.
Xu Qingzhe didn't care, and he didn't want to sit with Song Yang either.
But when the bus arrived at the next stop, Song Yang got up and walked two rows to the back, then plopped down next to Xu Qingzhe.
Xu Qingzhe: "..."
Confused, but saying nothing.
Shen Yu: "?"
I don't understand, but I don't ask.
Another stop arrived, and Song Yang got up again and sat down next to Shen Yu once more.
Shen Yi retorted, "Are there nails in your pants?"
Can't you just sit still? What are you doing walking around like that?
Song Yang retorted, "What I'm doing is treating everyone equally, making sure no one is neglected!"
Shen Yi and Jiang Yue exchanged a glance, and then stood up together.
Jiang Yue sat down next to Shen Yu, while Shen Yi sat down next to Xu Qingzhe.
Alright, problem solved, the world should be quiet now.
Song Yang: "...?"
He considers everyone else so much, but nobody considers him? Okay!
Although Song Yang was somewhat dissatisfied, it was a minor matter. He sat down in Shen Yi's original seat and stared at the back of her head with a slightly resentful look.
Shen Yu stared at the back of Song Yang's head.
Was this guy always this "enthusiastic"? He wasn't sure.
In Shen Yu's memory, Song Yang was practically a completely different person depending on whether his younger sister was by his side or not.
The train has arrived at the station.
Shen Yi called out, "Get out of the car! Let's go buy groceries and cook! Xu Qingzhe, you're coming too!"
The reason is the same as last time.
With so many people, are we really going to let Xu Qing leave alone? That would be too isolating for him. No way.
Thinking of Xu Qingzhe's brother—
Shen Yu, no longer bothering to study Song Yang, immediately chimed in, "Yes! You're coming too!" (This refers to the mess Xu Qingyi had made that morning.)
Xu Qingzhe: "...?"
Why?
Finally, the location for the group's "gathering" changed from Shen Yujiangyue's house to Xu Qingzhe's house.
The reason is simple.
Shen's mother never imagined her children could cook, and she never even turned on the gas for them.
The group of people carried the groceries and headed towards Xu Qingzhe's house.
Song Yang walked enthusiastically with Xu Qingzhe, chatting about this and that. Shen Yu caught up with them at some point and joined them, interrogating Xu Qingzhe about his family like he was checking a census. Xu Qingzhe simply ignored him, at most giving a few perfunctory replies.
Shen Yi gripped Jiang Yue's hand tightly, swaying it more violently in the air. The two of them were acting so exaggeratedly that they looked like elementary school students on a school trip.
final.
The person standing in the kitchen also became Xu Qingzhe.
The reason is quite simple.
Xu Qingzhe glanced at them disdainfully: "Do you even know where my family's salt is?"
All right.
Jiang Yue truly didn't know, and Shen Yi originally did know, but had forgotten because she hadn't been here for so long.
Shen Yu glanced at Xu Qingzhe and then at Shen Yi. Combining this with what had happened that night, he was certain that Xu Qingzhe was Shen Yi's "master." She had been to his house more than once, which was why she had so naturally suggested bringing them along just now.
Although he understood the situation, Shen Yu was still very unhappy.
Even if Shen Yi doesn't end up with Wen Que, it shouldn't be this poor kid who popped up out of nowhere, right? Especially since his attitude is terrible! And his brother's character is even worse! That's a huge drawback!
Thinking this, Shen Yu used the excuse that the kitchen was too small to help Xu Qingzhe and kicked Shen Yi and Jiang Yue out.
Except for Song Yang.
He was so curious about how Xu Qingzhe cooked that he insisted on staying to watch.
The two of them had nothing to do, so they sat together in the courtyard watching the moon.
Shen Yi sighed, "The moon is so round."
Jiang Yue chimed in, "It's still very bright."
Shen Yi laughed and said, "If Shen Yu heard this, he would definitely call me illiterate, and then scold you for being made stupid by me."
Jiang Yue smiled and said, "The minority must obey the majority. From now on, what he says will have no effect."
Shen Yi gave a thumbs up: "Support."
A delicious aroma soon wafted from inside. Shen Yi sniffed the air, then suddenly stood up and said, "I'll go buy some soda!"
Jiang Yue also stood up: "I'll go with you."
"No need." Shen Yi waved his hand and pointed ahead, saying, "There's a convenience store over there. I'll be back in two minutes. You should keep an eye on them. I'm worried something might happen and Qingzhe might not be able to handle it alone."
Chen Yi's words express genuine concern.
She had just heard a plate break in the kitchen, and both Shen Yu and Song Yang screamed in surprise. She didn't know which of them had done it.
Jiang Yue didn't insist. After Shen Yi skipped off to buy soda, she got up and went inside to check on the situation.
The living room lights were off, making the room dim.
Jiang Yue heard something fall to the ground and, following the layout of her house, found the light switch.
She crouched down, intending to pick up the English book and... uh? the pink notebook from the ground.
Jiang Yue's gaze lingered on the notebook for a few seconds; its overly extravagant decorations clearly told her who its owner was.
Jiang Yue curled her lips into a smile, having no intention of further exploring other people's privacy. She wanted to pick up the textbook and notebook and pretend she hadn't seen anything.
unfortunately--
A square strip of paper, clearly folded, fell out from the gap in the notebook.
Two sentences were clearly written on it.
I like you. I fell in love with you at first sight, and I'm not kidding!
I don't care about Wen Que, I only care about your feelings, I want to be with you.
Jiang Yue froze on the spot.
This is Shenyi's notebook, but the words on it are clearly not Shenyi's handwriting.
The notebook was found in Xu Qingzhe's house, and the note inside was not written by Shen Yi, so there is only one answer left.
Jiang Yue quickly looked up and glanced towards the kitchen.
He quickly tucked the note back into the notebook, then put the notebook and textbook back in their original places.
Although she did think Xu Qingzhe and Yiyi were a better match.
However, in this situation, it would be more appropriate for her to pretend that nothing had happened and that she knew nothing. There are some things that are beyond her control.
Just as Jiang Yue added the note to her notebook, she felt a gaze coming from outside.
In the courtyard.
Shen Yi was carrying a bag of soda, tilting her head and looking in Jiang Yue's direction with a puzzled expression, seemingly unaware of what Jiang Yue was doing.
Jiang Yue was so startled that her hand trembled, and the notebook and the note fell to the ground again. She even staggered back two steps and almost lost her balance.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Shen Yi put down the soda and wanted to come in to help, but after seeing the note on the ground and meeting Jiang Yue's expression of wanting to stop her but failing, she fell into deep thought.
Shen Yi tried his best to remain calm, expressionless as he tucked the note back into his notebook, placed it on the table, and then walked awkwardly into the yard.
etc.
What did she just see? Calm down, calm down... calm down what? How can I calm down?!
It was written so clearly on that note!
Although she didn't see all the details clearly because of the short time, she understood the whole thing from just the first sentence!
Like? Love at first sight?
This is a confession of love!!!
Shen Yi felt as if eight hundred little people were dancing and celebrating in her mind at the same time, and she was so excited that she wanted to cry tears of joy.
Waaaaah...
This is completely different from the original plot! It's developed in a completely different way!!!
Jiang Yue didn't fall for Xu Qingyi, that complicated and neurotic man; instead, she fell for Xu Qingzhe, a perfect young man who was almost perfect except for his grumpy face. Good, good, good!!!
Besides being great!
Shen Yi couldn't think of any other words; she wholeheartedly approved of the marriage!
Chen Yi faced the wall, indulging in a solitary revelry in his mind.
Footsteps sounded.
Jiang Yue hesitated for a moment before walking to Shen Yi's side, feeling somewhat annoyed.
In theory, Xu Qingzhe shouldn't have been involved in Shen Yi's confession... but Shen Yi saw it all, so there's nothing I can do. I'm really sorry!
It must be because of what happened during the day that Xu Qingzhe made up his mind to bravely confess his feelings. That makes perfect sense.
So Jiang Yue took the initiative to speak, tentatively asking, "Yiyi, what do you think of Xu Qingzhe?"
Xu Qingzhe's one-sided affection is already obvious, so it all depends on Yiyi's attitude towards him.
Shen Yi revealed a complex expression of "a daughter is no longer under her mother's control once she grows up," and quickly began brainstorming.
Why did Jiang Yue ask her this question?
Is it because you're still hesitant about whether to confess your feelings to Xu Qingzhe, and therefore want to ask for your good friend's opinion?
Her answer could very well affect their relationship. Jiang Yue might regret it and immediately pull away the "love letter" as if nothing happened. What if Jiang Yue is heartbroken and Xu Qingyi takes advantage of the situation… Ugh, ugh, ugh, she absolutely won't allow that to happen!!!
Shen Yi knew her expression would be ferocious when she thought of Xu Qingyi, so she didn't dare turn around. With her back to Jiang Yue, she said, "I think Xu Qingzhe is an exceptionally good person, really. He's academically excellent, a good person, and good-looking. Apart from being a little grumpy, he's a perfect person no matter how you look at him!"
Therefore, Jiang Yue must be cherished!
Don't let the perfect Xu Qingzhe pass you by and fall for the scheming Xu Qingyi instead! Don't do that!!!
Jiang Yue saw Shen Yi's lack of turning around as proof of her "shyness," so she pressed on and asked, "Then do you think Xu Qingzhe is a suitable boyfriend?"
"Of course it's suitable!"
Shen Yi answered almost instantly, praising Xu Qingzhe even more earnestly: "Xu Qingzhe is so outstanding, it's perfectly normal for girls to like him. Anyone who can be with him will definitely be very, very happy!"
Jiang Yue asked this kind of question, which confirmed Shen Yi's suspicions...
This is not a misunderstanding! It's not a drill! It's not a rehearsal! This time it's for real!!!
Don't be shy!
It's perfectly normal for girls their age to have some innocent and budding feelings for the opposite sex!
Jiang Yue smiled and said, "Great, I understand."
Very good.
So, all that's left is for Xu Qingzhe to return the notebook to Chen Yi, and everything will proceed smoothly!
Shen Yi was so excited that he couldn't speak.
She looked up at the sky, so moved she almost cried.
Waaaaah—
Did she really understand? That's great!
Both of them remained silent on the surface.
One person is playing "The Truth Is True" in their mind, while the other is playing "Good Days" in their mind.
Nobody noticed.
The boy stood behind them, his expression one of utter astonishment.
Inside the kitchen.
Song Yang and Shen Yu were still engaged in a heated debate, discussing whether to add sugar or salt to scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
Song Yang adds a spoonful of sugar, and Shen Yu adds a spoonful of salt. Neither of them is willing to give in, and they both feel that they would be at a disadvantage if they added less.
Xu Qingzhe originally just wanted to ask the two of them to at least get one of them out of the way so that he wouldn't have to stop making dinner.
But unexpectedly...
I overheard their conversation.
Xu Qingzhe turned away in silence and fled back to the kitchen.
He silently washed the ingredients, and amidst the incessant arguing between Song Yang and Shen Yu, a resolute voice echoed in his mind.
"Of course it's suitable!"
Xu Qingzhe is so outstanding, it's perfectly normal for girls to like him. Whoever gets to be with him will definitely be very, very happy!
And then there's Xu Qingyi's line.
"If you want something, you should fight for it. Don't miss out on everything because of cowardice like you did when you were a child."
The hands used to wash the vegetables unconsciously exerted force.
Xu Qingzhe has always believed that what is yours will always be yours, and what is not yours will be useless no matter how hard you try to fight for it.
The only person I could think of was her.
He was unwilling to let this opportunity slip away.
...
Song Yang noticed something was wrong and opened the window in surprise: "Quickly ventilate the room! Shen Yu, can't you do something productive? Can't you see that Xu Qingzhe's ears are red from the heat?"
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