Chapter 22 [VIP Three-in-One]
Illness strikes like a landslide.
After returning to the Shen family home from the old mansion, Shen Mian fell ill for several days. As his body weakened, his dependence on Shen Jinshan deepened dramatically, and he clung to the other's side all day long.
Shen Ci was a little jealous. He had just complained a few times when Shen Mian lashed out at him, complaining about why he had suddenly become distant recently.
He was very determined to remain silent. If Shen Ci ignored him, he would ignore Shen Ci for even longer.
Shen Ci was furious and called him an ingrate. He was all sweet talk and affection when he needed him, but discarded like trash when he didn't. He had never seen anyone act so rudely.
After being scolded, Chenmian stopped making a fuss. He lay on the bed staring at Chen Ci, and suddenly a smile appeared on his face—a faint blush from illness spread across his cheeks, making his eyes look strikingly bright, truly a beauty like snow mixed with powder, like spring flowers in bloom.
Shen Ci was alarmed, then heard Shen Mian say slowly, "Look at you, you've been worrying about these things all this time, and I have to coax you before you'll treat me well. Big brother wouldn't do that—big brother has always been very good to me."
Shen Ci's throat tightened, and he felt a little uncomfortable: "You like him just because he said some nice things, but you don't see all the things I've done."
Chenmian smiled with her chin raised, and stopped talking.
After resting at home for a few days, Shenmian's body had recovered to a great extent, which surprised Su Yueqiu: "Mianmian, you recovered so quickly this time."
Chen Mian dared not say that the thought of Shen Jinshan invigorated her spirits, and even her illness healed faster.
However, after learning that he would still have to live with Lin Langli after returning to school, Chenmian was not so happy.
At home, he would act childishly and make a ruckus with Shen Mianjun.
"He almost killed me this time, Dad, how can you be so biased?"
Shen Mianjun said, "I heard that you pushed him first."
He didn't dare tell Lin Langli that he felt Lin Langli was too close to him and acted as if he wanted to kiss him, which is why he did that.
Seeing that he was stammering and unable to speak, Shen Mianjun became somewhat angry, his face darkened, and he summoned the steward to send Shen Mian back to school.
Back at their lodgings, the little bread didn't pounce on Shen Mian and circle around her legs as usual. After not seeing her for a while, the silly cat had long forgotten that it even had an owner like Shen Mian.
Chenmian pulled out the little bread, hugged it in her arms, and kissed the cat's forehead repeatedly.
The driver put the luggage away and drove off quietly.
After returning from his leave in the afternoon, Shenmian found that Lin Langli was still not there. He took a rare opportunity to enjoy the common space of the living room. He watched a movie on the sofa for a while and unknowingly fell asleep.
As I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt of Shen Jinshan.
This dream was somewhat decadent and damp—yes, a erotic dream.
Where is it? I don't know. Dreams lack detail.
He didn't know where he was lying, his whole body was limp and he couldn't muster any strength. At that moment, someone approached him, and warm breath brushed against his face, making his sleeping face slightly itchy.
Something cool touched his flushed cheek, like a snake, slowly trailing down his cheek to his eyelashes, and even gently stroking his eyelids.
He turned his head slightly away, his brows furrowing in discomfort.
But he couldn't wake up. In that half-dreaming, half-awake state, something cool and soft touched the corner of his mouth.
Immediately afterwards, her lips were captured by the other person's mouth, a feeling completely different from the previous time when Lin Langli bit her lips.
The kiss started gently, but as time went on, his tongue was opened, his tongue tip was held, licked, and entangled. The feeling of being invaded gradually intensified, and Chenmian sensed the other's impatience, as if not only that, but also that he wanted to open him up a little more.
Sleeping was kissed until he let out broken, intermittent sobs. He heard his own voice, and it sounded so pitiful.
"Mianmian."
I can't remember whose voice it is, but it sounds familiar.
Who would call him Mianmian? —Is it his older brother?
In a daze, Shenmian called out the name Shen Jinshan.
The person on top of him paused, then their tongue, like a snake's forked tongue, withdrew from his mouth. Someone whispered in his ear, their voice cold and mocking:
"As expected, he's my brother's little bastard."
Shenmian felt wronged. He hadn't done anything wrong.
I woke up from my dream, hit on the sofa by a little bread roll. I let out a muffled groan and opened my eyes. The sky outside the French windows had turned a dark blue, somewhat hazy.
Chenmian opened her phone and couldn't believe she had slept all afternoon.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he moved his joints uncomfortably; he had slept on the sofa for too long, and his shoulders and neck were very uncomfortable.
Someone heard him making a noise and came out of the bedroom.
Lin Langli, with a cold expression, walked over and took the small bread roll, his tone mocking: "Sleeping for so long, who did you dream about?"
Chenmian was a little angry: "You didn't even bother to cover me with a blanket when you came back. You're not as nice to me as Xiaobaozi is."
Upon hearing this, Lin Langli turned his head slightly. He was tall and slender, with the dark sky behind him. Only a small wall lamp was on in the living room. At first glance, Chen Mian was even a little startled.
"Sleep, haven't I been good to you?" He walked over slowly, his voice as soft as a viper's hiss.
Lin Langli's words left Chen Mian bewildered; the boy simply couldn't understand what the word "reconciliation" had to do with Lin Langli.
He sat there blankly on the sofa, while Lin Langli stood in front of him: "Chenmian, have I been bad to you?"
Chenmian stammered, "Lin Langli, you know what you've done, how dare you ask me that?"
"Isn't that what you deserved?" The young man's dark eyes narrowed slightly as he raised his hand to pinch and gently stroke Shenmian's chin. "You've done so many things to me. If I weren't a member of the Shen family, I would have been ruined by you long ago."
Shenmian asked, puzzled, "But you're fine now, aren't you? Why are you making assumptions? On the contrary, I'm the one who's in such a terrible state. Shouldn't you have gotten your revenge enough?"
"I haven't asked you yet what you meant when you bit my lip and said those disgusting things that day."
Lin Langli looked down at him, his fingertips sliding to his lower lip, gently teasing it: "What did I say?"
Chenmian picked at her nails, her expression a little unnatural. At this moment, she became a little more clever. "I won't hold it against you anymore. You're not allowed to do that again. From now on, we'll go our separate ways. You're not allowed to bully me anymore!"
"You think a kiss will make me forgive you? Chenmian, you're not that expensive."
"How disgusting! What kiss? You clearly bit me!" Chenmian refused to admit that she had been forcibly kissed. "What else do you want? I was dragged into this mess and almost drowned."
Lin Langli looked at him with a deep gaze.
Chenmian could only say again, "What you're doing is wrong, it's so perverted."
Seeing that Lin Langli remained unmoved, Chen Mian added in a bluffing manner, "Anyway, you're not allowed to do this again, or I'll definitely tell Dad and kick you out."
The little bread noticed the turbulent undercurrent between its two owners and meowed twice.
Drawn to her slumbering thoughts, she pushed away Lin Langli's hand from her lips, slipped on her slippers, and headed back to her room.
Lin Langli stopped him: "Sleep."
Unable to listen, fearing that Lin Langli would say something that would upset him again, he hurried back to his room.
The little bread scratched at the door from outside, while Chenmian buried her head in the blanket, finally forced to confront the problem that had been put on hold.
Lin Langli's words terrified him. What "wanting to kiss him, wanting to fuck him"? He'd seemed so respectable before, with that aloof, unapproachable demeanor, how could he suddenly become so aroused like that...?
He must be a lunatic.
His father and the others had no idea why he didn't want to live with Lin Langli. Before, he was worried that Lin Langli would beat him, and now he was worried about being raped.
He's a man, if he were really raped, would he still be able to shout it out loud everywhere? Chenmian simply couldn't imagine that humiliation.
Putting the two of them together is no different from letting a lamb go to a pack of wolves or letting Lin Langli eat at a buffet.
He knew that a cute personality and pretty appearance would attract more than one bad person.
Dad is so mean. I wonder if Shen Ci spoke up for him—Shen Jinshan must have spoken up for him, right?
Thinking of my elder brother, my thoughts drifted away again.
Marrying Shen Jinshan was, after all, a rather shocking idea. Although he would shed the label of the fake young master of the Shen family, wouldn't his family be burdened with rumors of "raising a child bride for Shen Jinshan"?
Moreover, Shen Jinshan may like him, but that should be the feelings of an older brother for his younger brother, not a man's desire for another person.
One problem after another popped up, extinguishing the excitement he had felt before falling into a deep sleep and the hope of escaping his predicament, leaving him feeling utterly dejected.
At one o'clock in the morning, Chenmian stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep, tossing and turning in bed.
The message sent to Shen Jinshan had not been replied to yet. It seemed that the man was very busy lately. Shen Mian wanted to go to see him again, but what if she disturbed her elder brother?
Previously unseen concerns now surfaced one after another, making Chen Mian restless and uneasy. She wished she could fly to Shen Jinshan the next moment and ask, "Brother, do you like me?" "Brother, will you be my wife?"
His heart and lungs felt burning and itchy, and the weakness from his illness surged up, making his mouth and throat extremely dry.
She tiptoed into the bedroom and went to the living room to open the refrigerator and get a drink.
There were no drinks stored in the refrigerator, only a few bottles of fruit wine that I bought last time but hadn't drunk yet. I had never tried this brand before. I touched the bottle and looked at it, and found that it was only eight degrees. Such a low alcohol content, not even as good as the rice wine that the housekeeper makes.
He muttered to himself, casually opened a can, and sat down on the sofa to drink it.
The bubble burst on her tongue, and the phone on her lap lit up. She looked and saw it was a message from Shen Jinshan: "Mianmian, what's wrong?"
She was still replying to his messages so late, which cheered him up a bit. Encouraged, he was about to reply to her message.
Suddenly, a tall figure appeared in front of her. Chenmian looked up and her heart stopped. She realized that Lin Langli had entered the living room at some point, and her eyes were not clear in the dim light.
He was startled and almost dropped the can in his hand.
Lin Langli's gaze fell on the jar of fruit wine, his tone enigmatic: "You drink in the middle of the night?"
"The alcohol content is very low; it's just a beverage." Chenmian took another sip and turned off her phone screen.
Lin Langli was silent for a moment, then sat down next to Shen Mian. The sofa sank, making Shen Mian feel uncomfortable. Suddenly, she smelled a very faint scent of alcohol, but it wasn't on her.
He looked over and saw that Lin Langli's expression was cold, even somewhat chilling, and he looked no different from before, staring straight at him, seemingly lost in thought. He didn't appear to be drunk or not quite sober.
Leaning back to the other end of the sofa, Lin Langli's voice came: "Why are you hiding? Are you afraid I'll kiss you, or afraid I'll fuck you?"
Lin Langli was so dazed that he couldn't help but tighten his grip on the beverage bottle. Wasn't he embarrassed? He just casually uttered such words; he was such a frivolous person.
"Peach flavor?"
After a moment of reflection, he realized that Lin Langli must have smelled the flavor of the drink he was drinking.
In the silence, Lin Langli's gaze lingered on him, as if an invisible hand were peeling back his clothes to examine him. Chen Mian's scalp tingled, and he got up to leave.
But before he could take two steps, someone grabbed his waist.
Chenmian felt a little dizzy, as if the effects of the alcohol were starting to wear off, and there was a smell of sparkling peach wine in her nostrils.
She tightened her grip on his arm.
Chenmian was trembling with fear, barely breathing. He tried to push away the arm that was wrapped around his waist, but Lin Langli held him tightly. Chenmian pinched him a few times, but Lin Langli did not let go.
He turned around in Lin Langli's arms, trying to reason with him: "You can't do this, I don't like you."
“I don’t like you either,” Lin Langli said.
Chenmian: "Then you absolutely can't. Go find someone else. You have plenty of money now. Find someone you like, and then you can move out together. That would be so much more comfortable."
Lin Langli looked up at him. Chen Mian had jet-black hair, snow-white skin, and red lips. Because of his fear, her eyes were still glistening with tears, like a pool of spring water. It was clearly a pure and innocent face, so why…
He felt a tightness in his throat, and suddenly buried his face in his sleeping abdomen, his Adam's apple bobbing heavily.
That's ridiculous.
He actually had such feelings for Shen Mian.
But he shouldn't like Shenmian. Can love and lust be separated like that? Even if he doesn't like her, even if he hates and despises her, would he still have unspeakable desires for Shenmian?
Lin Langli was shaken and gradually became confused. He stared at the moist lips of the sleeping man and couldn't help but recall the feeling of that day.
It is indeed very soft, truly wonderful.
Unfortunately, he ate too quickly, which frightened Chenmian.
Shenmian was very uncomfortable with this kind of touching, so she grabbed Lin Langli's ear with one hand and pulled his hair with the other.
Lin Langli was forced to tilt his head back, but he refused to let go. Instead, he reached under the hem of the sleeping man's pajamas and pressed his lips against that small patch of exposed skin.
Startled, Chenmian trembled, her cheeks burning, and she couldn't be pushed away no matter what she did.
He thought about Lin Langli's current behavior and muttered "slut" under his breath.
How dare Lin Langli say such things to him? It was clearly him who was more…
The next second, Lin Langli heard a light slap on his buttock.
Chenmian burst into tears, feeling wronged: "Can't you be reasonable? I've been so well-behaved and obedient with you all this time, yet you still have those kinds of thoughts about me, and you even say it's all my fault. Isn't it right for me to scold you?"
Lin Langli did not answer. He simply stared intently at Shen Mian's reddened eyes, his dark pupils churning with complex emotions: a gloomy possessiveness, a cold restlessness, self-examination and condemnation, and judgment of Shen Mian's inferior character—all mixed together and difficult to separate.
He didn't like this feeling.
He pressed his hand against the sleeping man's waist and abdomen, feeling it tremble slightly, shaking rapidly along with its owner. Lin Langli remained silent for a moment, then suddenly released his grip.
Chenmian hurriedly retreated, staggering. By the time he regained his footing, Lin Langli had already walked past him expressionlessly, a stark contrast to his earlier act of licking and kissing his waist.
The next morning, when Shen Mian woke up, Lin Langli was no longer in the living room. Reassured, she went to school. When she returned home after class that evening, Lin Langli was still not back.
In the days that followed, Lin Langli left early and returned late, so Shen Mian usually didn't run into him. Occasionally, if they happened to meet, the young man would just treat him as an obstacle and casually look away.
This disregard brought a quiet sense of relief to Chenmian. Compared to the forceful kisses that night, the terrifying aggression and unpredictable attitude, this indifference was much more comforting to Chenmian.
He was finally able to catch his breath from that suffocating pressure.
Once he regained his senses, his dormant thoughts involuntarily drifted back to Shenjin Mountain.
He texted and called Shen Jinshan, and his elder brother never missed a reply. But it was always the same calm and reassuring tone. Shen Mian looked through the chat history over and over again, trying to find some other thoughts in his mind.
But no.
Chenmian stared blankly at the ceiling, pondering what to do—perhaps all that was needed was a trigger.
This opportunity soon arose.
As the weather turned cooler, Shen Mianjun suddenly announced in the family group chat the following week that the family had decided to go to the Shen family's newly opened mountain resort for a relaxing weekend. Of course, it would be even better if Lin Langli could develop a sense of belonging to the family.
There had been many such family gatherings before. Chen Mian's heart skipped a beat as she subconsciously waited for Chen Jinshan's reply.
Not long after, Shen Mian saw Shen Jinshan's message pop up. What a coincidence, he just happened to have some free time.
The hot spring resort is located in a neighboring city and is still in trial operation. The courtyard is planted with a large bamboo forest, with small fish ponds nestled among them, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere with a lot of artistic conception.
After getting out of the car, Chen Mian looked around but didn't see Chen Jinshan. Her face fell and she became dejected.
"There's traffic on Friday, so Big Brother will be a little late," Shen Ci explained for him. A little while later, he invited him to go to the hot springs. Shen Mian felt a little relieved when he saw that he didn't invite Lin Langli.
Unexpectedly, after changing his clothes and walking to the hot spring, Lin Langli was already soaking in the water with his eyes closed, his fingers resting on a vermilion tray on the water's surface, on which were placed thirst-quenching wine and fruit.
Subconsciously, she wrapped her bathrobe tighter around herself.
Shen Ci ordered him a hot drink and dragged Chenmian into the water.
The hot spring was steaming, making their bones feel weak. Seeing that Lin Langli ignored them, Chen Mian felt a little better. He sank his body down, revealing only half of his delicate face.
Shen Ci deliberately splashed water on him, and Shen Mian, whose face was covered in water, splashed water back at him without backing down.
The two were arguing and bickering, which inevitably disturbed Lin Langli. The young man opened his eyes, his pupils dark and deep. He glanced at Shen Mian and then looked at Shen Ci: "Dad wants to talk to us in detail tonight. Remember the time."
Confused, Shenmian approached Shenci to ask when she saw Lin Langli's cold and hard back as he got up and left.
He remained silent and simply brushed it off.
Chenmian thought it was a family matter, and since he had no right to inherit, he didn't care much and just grabbed the tray and started eating the fruit on it.
A little past dinner time, Shen Jinshan arrived late. Su Yueqiu scolded him for rushing, saying the barbecue grill had only just started.
Shen Jinshan smiled and responded, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard before landing on Shen Mian.
"Brother!" Chenmian immediately ran over and squeezed between him and Su Yueqiu to listen to their conversation.
Shen Jinshan raised his hand and touched his head. The warmth of his fingertips traveled through his hair, and Shenmian's heartbeat quickened instantly.
Shen Mian's mind cleared up. After dinner, he pulled his brother toward the edge of the woods. Shen Jinshan asked, "What's wrong, Mianmian?"
"Brother, I want to ask you something."
"you say."
Chenmian took a deep breath and mustered her courage to ask, "Brother, do you have a girlfriend or boyfriend?"
Upon hearing this question, Shen Jinshan was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "No, what's wrong? Does Mianmian want to introduce someone to her brother?"
Just as Shen Mian was about to shake her head and say that she would never introduce someone to someone, Shen Jinshan raised his hand and brushed away the strands of hair that had stuck to Shen Mian's cheek after soaking in the hot spring, and said softly, "But Mianmian, your brother doesn't want to get involved in these things these past few years. But you, Mianmian, are so old now, it's time to find a partner, isn't it? Is there anyone you like?"
Shen Mian's face flushed slightly, unsure whether she should be happy for Shen Jinshan's denial or saddened by his tactful rejection.
"I...I love my brother the most," he murmured, speaking shyly and hesitantly.
After finishing speaking, I couldn't help but feel my heart pounding, eagerly anticipating Shen Jinshan's reaction, even if it was just a slight change in his emotions.
But Shen Jinshan seemed completely oblivious, still looking at him with the same gentle gaze one would give a child. Hearing this, he made no comment, only saying, "Mianmian likes gentle people? Indeed, Mianmian, your personality requires a partner who can tolerate you in every way."
The deer in her heart had bolted, and Chen Mian felt as if she had swallowed a green apricot whole, the sourness spreading through her. She ignored Chen Jinshan's subsequent analysis and stormed off in a huff.
Shen Ci and her mother had disappeared without her noticing. Shen Mian listlessly tugged at the bamboo leaves beside her, looking very unhappy.
She had only spent a couple of days with Shen Jinshan, and after that he would be busy with final exams. As time dragged on, Shen Mian became increasingly uncertain.
He belatedly realized that something was wrong with Shen Jinshan. It seemed that since middle school, Shen Mian had never heard of his older brother's romantic rumors.
During his school days, Shen Jinshan was already quite famous. Even he and Shen Ci, two elementary school students, knew about a senior in the middle school who was excellent in academics, good-looking, and had a good personality. In short, Shen Jinshan was always a popular figure on campus, and there were countless people who secretly or openly admired him.
He and Shen Ci even helped deliver love letters to Shen Jinshan on behalf of others.
Later, when my older brother joined the company, my father arranged several blind dates for me, but they always seemed to end without any results, so I don't have a deep impression of them.
How could this be? Chenmian couldn't understand it. Although her brother was very outstanding, how could his standards be so high?
Or is it that my brother is asexual, or perhaps impotent?
The next thought was quickly suppressed—if Shen Jinshan couldn't do it, Dad would be very worried.
But apart from a few blind dates at the beginning, after careful reflection, Shenmian realized that her father had never mentioned them again.
He stood there awkwardly, stunned. There were many people in the world who were more outstanding than him, and more beautiful than him, but Shen Jinshan didn't even look at them. So what about him?
Deep in my heart, I questioned myself: What right do I have?
Do they have an emotional foundation? But emotions are different; Shen Jinshan seems to only treat him as a younger brother.
Chenmian squatted down dejectedly, his fingertips digging into the muddy ground.
"Sleepless Night, do you like Shen Jinshan?"
A sudden sound startled Shenmian. The young man turned around and saw Lin Langli standing not far away, bathed in the hazy moonlight, his expression inscrutable.
Chenmian refused to answer, got up and tried to walk around him, but was stopped by Lin Langli, whose sharp eyes swept over him: "Isn't he your most relied-upon brother? What, does he know you have those kinds of feelings for him?"
Chenmian's mind went blank with a sudden "buzz," and she instinctively wanted to deny it.
Lin Langli looked at him with a hint of pity, as if he were a pitiful and laughable person.
"You like him? So you tossed and turned at night, unable to sleep, and came here because you knew he was coming?"
Chenmian forced herself to remain calm, refusing to think about why Lin Langli knew about this, since he hadn't told anyone.
He retorted weakly, "What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think everyone is as twisted as you?"
Lin Langli tilted his head and even managed a slight smile: "Me? You think I'm a pervert? But we have nothing to do with each other. You haven't been acting like a child with me for over ten years, calling me 'brother' for over ten years. Besides, I've been putting up with it for a long time."
Chenmian failed to notice the deeper meaning of the person's last words and stubbornly refused to admit it. Lin Langli saw that although there were tears in his eyes from being exposed, he was struggling to maintain his composure and did not show any fear. He snorted coldly.
"So, do you think Shen Jinshan would agree to your confession? To agree to the confession of someone who has been his younger brother for over ten years?"
Shen Mian's face turned pale, and then she heard Lin Langli say, "Do you think Mom and Dad will agree to your idea?"
From beginning to end, Shenmian timidly thought of acting first and informing later. Shen Jinshan held such a high position in the family that as long as she could get Shen Jinshan under control, she would have no more worries. She never dared to think deeply about the attitude of her family.
Was Lin Langli threatening to tell his family?
Even if his parents love him dearly, they won't allow him to stay in the Shen family. His situation will only get worse than it is now.
Chenmian dared not imagine such a situation, and felt a chill run down his spine from Lin Langli's words.
No, you can't let anyone else know first!
"What...what do you want to do?" Chenmian's voice trembled, and she took half a step back.
Lin Langli's gaze drifted lightly toward the Shen family's small building in the distance, as if he were about to call someone over at any moment.
“It’s nothing,” he said calmly, but with a hint of malice. “I just think that you should get some advice from others about this kind of thing.”
"No!" Chen Mian cried out anxiously, tears streaming down his face, his heart pounding as if it would burst from his chest. He couldn't let anyone know, absolutely not!
In the most chaotic moment, Chenmian suddenly pushed away the person in front of her and ran outside.
Chenmian saw that the moment Lin Langli was pushed away, his expression turned to surprise, and then he began to chase after him.
He cannot be caught by Lin Langli.
Chenmian's entire body was consumed by this single thought.
Running out of the villa, I saw a few scattered figures, and like startled birds, I hid in the shadows. Finally, I simply walked up the shady side of the mountain, away from the paths and pedestrians in the development zone.
She ran for an unknown amount of time until she could no longer hear the footsteps behind her. Then she stopped and gasped for breath.
By the dim moonlight, he saw his clothes covered in dust and scratches, and the back of his hand was also cut. Looking at his disheveled appearance, Chenmian couldn't help but sob softly.
Why does Lin Langli always oppose him?
His mischief couldn't harm Lin Langli in the slightest; instead, it made his parents deeply disgusted with him.
He tried to please Lin Langli, and Lin Langli developed feelings for him again and started touching him inappropriately.
He changed his mind and wanted to be with his elder brother, but Lin Langli was about to announce it to the world and ruin his reputation...
The more Chenmian thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Looking at the steep hillside, she suddenly had the thought that she might as well die.
But he didn't want to. If he died, Lin Langli would be overjoyed. He would get revenge on him without lifting a finger, and his hands would be clean. No one could blame him.
His eyes, filled with confusion and grievance, were sore from crying; he didn't know what to do.
It wasn't like this at first. She was sobbing and crying until her throat hurt and her head was spinning from lack of oxygen.
It cried itself to sleep in such a harsh environment.
When I woke up again, it was still pitch black outside, but the sky halfway up the mountain was exceptionally bright, and there were also the "beep beep" sounds of search and rescue.
Chenmian sat under the thickest tree in the dense forest, hugging her knees and silently shedding tears.
Did you look for him after you discovered he was missing?
Did they know that they liked the eldest brother and had those kinds of feelings for Shen Jinshan...?
If Lin Langli really told his parents, he probably wouldn't want to live anymore.
Chenmian didn't know how long he had been thinking in this daze, but he felt that time was passing very slowly. Several times he was almost discovered by the search and rescue team with their bright flashlights, but he narrowly avoided them.
As they ventured deeper and deeper, all around grew silent. In the dense forest, the moonlight lost its brilliance, and darkness pressed in like a tidal wave. Only after falling into a deep sleep did they belatedly feel fear.
Could there be ghosts? Could there be snakes or wild boars?
I drift into a deep sleep and let my mind wander, using this as a way to distract myself.
In a daze, just as I was feeling my mind fading away, I heard two cheerful "woof woof" sounds.
It's a dog barking.
Have you found him? His sleep cleared a little, but he was still afraid and wanted to hide again.
But instead of the loud commotion and cheers of the search and rescue team, a clear, gentle voice rang out. The voice was not loud, and the tone was calm, but it was as clear and pleasant as jade hitting water, and it immediately caught people's ears in the environment: "Bread, don't shout."
With her swollen, red eyes wide open, Shenmian cautiously peeked out to look.
It was a young man walking his dog. He was wearing a light-colored windbreaker, and had a refined and outstanding temperament. His appearance was not very clear, but judging from his voice and his tall and slender figure, Chenmian judged that he must be good-looking.
Looking further down, I saw that the dog named Bread was a large, shiny golden retriever, excitedly circling its owner with its tongue lolling out.
Chenmian also misses his little bread a little. She wonders if Lin Langli will make things difficult for the little bread because he holds a grudge against him for buying the cat.
He blinked, his nose tingled, and he couldn't help but want to cry again. Chen Mian was not a particularly strong boy to begin with, and tonight he cried more times than he had cried in the past few years combined.
Chenmian retreated, unwilling to be discovered by others. But with a "crack," her shoes stepped on a dry branch, the sound particularly clear in the silence.
The young man had obviously heard it too, and walked over in the direction of the sound.
Chenmian subconsciously tensed his body, wanting to run but feeling frustrated that he definitely couldn't outrun the dog, so he simply stopped moving and continued to lean against the tree with his eyebrows drooping.
A young man approached.
"Sleep?" He pronounced Sleep's name accurately.
Chenmian was stunned and instinctively wanted to cover her face.
But the man remained remarkably calm, without a trace of doubt or inquiry on his face. He looked at Chenmian and asked, "Chenmian, are you thirsty?"
"You've mistaken me for someone else," Chenmian denied in a muffled voice.
"Alright." The young man tightened the dog leash a little, took out a silk handkerchief from his shirt pocket and handed it to the dog. "Here, wipe yourself. Do you want some water? Your voice sounds dry."
Even a stranger knows to care about themselves.
Feeling a little better, Chenmian took the handkerchief and wiped her face, then took the bottle of mineral water and gulped down a big mouthful.
"Thank you. What's your name?" After replenishing his water, Chenmian finally regained some strength. He looked carefully at the face in front of him and found that it was indeed as he had guessed. He was very handsome, but he did not have the cold nature of the Shen family. He had the kind of face that made people feel naturally good about him.
Zong Bingwen chuckled softly, gave his name, and then tapped his finger lightly in the air, reminding him, "You still have a little dust on your face that you haven't wiped off."
Chenmian was stunned for a moment, then took the silk handkerchief and vigorously rubbed the spot that Zong Bingwen pointed to.
He was unaware of how pitiful he looked. His long, thick eyelashes were stuck together with tears, forming an inky stain. His eyelids and the corners of his eyes were wet and red from crying for so long. The tip of his nose was also smudged red. He looked both disheveled and pitiful, like a kitten or puppy that had been soaked by the rain, looking wronged. He even had an involuntary sob in his voice as he spoke.
"Is there anything else?" After rubbing against it for a while, Chenmian asked.
Zong Bingwen looked closely and, seeing the small red patch that had been rubbed so hard, couldn't help but chuckle: "It's gone."
"Oh, thank you, I'm leaving. I've dirtied the handkerchief, so I won't return it to you." Chenmian glanced around, feeling that this place was no longer safe, and wanted to hide a little deeper.
Zong Bingwen shook his head: "It's alright, be careful, I'm going back now."
Chenmian turned and left. Then she heard Zong Bingwen remind her from behind: "Don't go any further. If you're not angry anymore, go home."
As expected, they couldn't fool them.
Chenmian wandered aimlessly, his clothes getting torn in several places by tree branches, but he didn't care and just kept walking forward.
As night deepened and the sky began to glow a hazy blue, I finally realized that I had spent the night in turmoil.
He had never experienced such hardship in his life, but after Lin Langli arrived, Chen Mian suffered repeated losses and encountered many unfortunate things he had never experienced before.
He truly hated Lin Langli.
Chenmian finally felt a pang of regret. If he had known better, he wouldn't have provoked the other party or associated with Lin Langli. Perhaps he would never have discovered that he and Lin Langli were the real and fake young masters, and naturally, he wouldn't have suffered these hardships afterward.
His stomach was growling with hunger, and he had only drunk a little water all night. He was exhausted and couldn't help but have the thought of giving in. He thought in frustration, "Maybe I should just go back."
Go back and beg Lin Langli to let him bully him however he wants, as long as he doesn't tell his parents about his feelings for his older brother.
He couldn't outmaneuver Lin Langli. Lin Langli's methods were so sophisticated that he even knew about Lin Langli's feelings for Shen Jinshan. What else couldn't Lin Langli do?
Let's go back.
Anyway, he was a complete idiot, he couldn't do anything right, and no one had ever thought highly of him.
Therefore, after Lin Langli returned, his parents easily became biased towards him, Shen Ci also changed, and sooner or later the older brother would also prefer Lin Langli as his younger brother.
In his despair, he found a kind of reckless courage and headed towards the mountaintop. The mountaintop had few trees and a wide view, so if the search and rescue team hadn't left yet, then there must be people there.
The sky gradually became clearer, the grayness faded, and it became even bluer.
Panting, Chenmian reached the mountaintop and saw a large platform with a dark red floor. Several people were standing below a mountaintop café, which was run by someone, and a few search and rescue team members wearing red windbreakers stood out.
Chenmian glanced over secretly and, not seeing Lin Langli, breathed a sigh of relief.
He was so exhausted that his whole body felt weak, and his clothes were covered in dust and scratches. The young master had never been so disheveled. But Chenmian had no time to think about these things. He just felt so tired and wanted to sleep without a care in the world.
It's unclear who first spotted him, but with the question "Is he asleep?", the group's voices erupted like boiling water, a cacophony of chatter filling the air.
Exhausted, he couldn't even lift his head, so he simply sat down on the ground, waiting for someone to carry him or lift him down.
But suddenly a figure was cast onto the floor in front of him, blocking some of the light. Chen Mian couldn't help but look up and met Shen Jinshan's unfathomable eyes.
Shen Jinshan stared at him expressionlessly. He was tall and slender, and had changed out of his usual suit and was wearing a tracksuit. His hair was not as meticulously styled as usual, with stray hairs falling messily over his forehead.
“Brother…” Chenmian’s voice trembled with tears, her eyes filled with aggrieved tears, but when she thought of Lin Langli’s threat, her whole body stiffened—did her older brother know? Would he also hate her as Lin Langli said?
A note from the author:
Lin Langli had the most tricks up his sleeve: boiling, Red Cliff, forced... In short, although he couldn't gain the emotional advantage in the early stages, he managed to get the first blood through his hard-earned skills and shameless fighting and grabbing, and then kept eating and eating.
But will he then avoid using a crematorium? That's impossible, haha.
Guess which husband has the most dignified and virtuous demeanor of an empress, and the best tolerance and magnanimity.
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