The air pressure in the car was frighteningly low. Yan Zhigui, who usually acted like a good boy to please the boy, said nothing. He sat on the seat with his head down, and his closed eyelids covered his bloodshot eyeballs.
Xu Nuo tilted his head to look out the window. If Yan Zhigui went to shake his hand as usual, he would find that the boy's hand on his knee was cold.
The distance that usually could be covered in a leisurely manner seemed particularly long today. It felt like centuries had passed in the car before the Yan family’s house came into sight.
Xu Nuo opened the car door and got out. The strap of his schoolbag was pulled and he fell into Yan Zhigui's arms without any preparation.
"Brother," Yan Zhigui said calmly, completely different from the man who had just threatened a classmate and threatened to fight in the classroom. "Can I go to your room later?"
"If I say no, you won't come?"
Xu Nuo was holding his breath and didn't want to pay attention to him. For the first time, he roughly pulled out his sleeve and turned to go upstairs.
As expected, just as Xu Nuo put down his schoolbag and changed into home clothes, he heard Yan Zhigui's pitiful voice at the door.
"elder brother……"
He repeatedly told himself not to be soft-hearted, and Xu Nuo sat on the edge of the bed, took a deep breath, and tried to calm down.
To be fair, he was very grateful to Yan Zhigui. His mother was busy with her remarriage and was unable to take care of him. He moved out of the home where he had lived for almost twenty years and transferred to another school. If Yan Zhigui hadn't stuck to him all day, he probably wouldn't have been able to adapt so well.
Looking back now, the casual physical contact, falling asleep in each other's arms every night, and the inseparable life even at school, were all too extraordinary for non-blood-related stepbrothers in a blended family.
What cannot be avoided is that Yan Zhigui's feelings for him are really a little different from those between brothers.
Xu Nuo was confused and couldn't understand how things turned out like this. He didn't even know what he was thinking.
There was the sound of the lock cylinder being turned by the key on the bedroom door. Xu Nuo was startled and stood up from the bed and walked to the desk at the door.
The door was opened and Yan Zhigui stood at the door. His hair was disheveled and hung listlessly in front of his forehead, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, with an almost morbid persistence.
Yan Qingshan and Xu Rong had gone to a cocktail party, and now they were the only two left at home. Xu Nuo instinctively sensed danger and stepped back.
He was blocked by the desk from behind and had no way to retreat. The tiny subconscious movement seemed to make Yan Zhigui even crazier.
The tall boy came over and hugged his waist, holding him tightly in his arms. His hot body temperature made Xu Nuo feel uneasy.
"Yan Zhigui, don't..."
"Brother obviously likes me touching you..." Yan Zhigui buried his head in the crook of Xu Nuo's neck, and spoke right into his ear, his breath disturbing, "Every time I hug brother, brother will blush."
"Enough," Xu Nuo pulled out a hand and struggled to push him away, but unfortunately the tall and strong Yan Zhigui stood still like a bronze statue, and instead his arm hit the Transformers behind him due to the reverse thrust.
The assembled model fell to the ground, its parts scattered. A thud made the two people at the door pause. After all, this was Yan Zhigui's first gift to him, and Xu Nuo had always treasured this model.
"Let me go first," Xu Nuo broke free, ran over and squatted down to check the model on the ground.
A small black machine flashing red light stood out among a pile of colorful parts. Xu Nuo picked it up carefully and examined it in his hand.
"Brother!" Yan Zhigui strode forward but was still a step too late. The young man squatting on the ground lowered his head and stared at the miniature camera in his hand.
Xu Nuo looked up, his eyes empty as if he had an answer, "What is this?"
Yan Zhigui felt a buzzing sound in his head, squatted on the ground, and tentatively stretched out his hand, but the boy dodged him again.
"Don't touch me!"
"Brother..." For the first time, Yan Zhigui felt helpless like a child who was about to be abandoned. He was afraid of making him angry again, so he held on to the corner of Xu Nuo's clothes tightly.
He almost forgot about the pinhole camera. During this period of time, he had almost moved into Xu Nuo's room, and the camera was of no use.
"Yan Zhigui..." Xu Nuo's voice trembled, as if he was trying his best to endure it, "I'm scared, please go away..."
Too many people have commented on him like this, saying that he is gloomy and scary, and that he is undisciplined. Yan Zhigui never cared about it, except Xu Nuo. Only Xu Nuo could not be afraid of him and alienate him.
"Brother...don't, don't leave me", tears burst out of Yan Zhigui's throat. Xu Nuo was hugged by him, and the boy's face was buried in his abdomen. Xu Nuo could feel his tears wetting his clothes.
Neither of them spoke in the room anymore, only Yan Zhigui sobbed quietly from time to time.
As if admitting defeat, Xu Nuo sighed softly and put his hand on his head. Yan Zhigui's hair was hard and a little prickly to the touch.
"Don't cry..." Xu Nuo tried to put her hand on his forehead, but this time she pushed it away. Yan Zhigui showed a beautiful face with tears in her eyes.
Not sure if it was true or if this little pervert was pretending, Xu Nuo let out a breath. Some of what Yan Zhigui said was indeed true. His blushing and heartbeat every time he was with him could not be faked.
"Don't cry...I won't abandon you."
After receiving the promise, Yan Zhigui immediately wiped his tears and began to express his loyalty, "Brother... I will never do anything you don't like. Please, please like me a little more, okay? I like you so much... so much."
Even though I was mentally prepared, my heart still skipped a beat when I heard him express his promise so directly.
“…I’ll try my best.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
