Chapter 46 Foster Brother [VIP]
"Beep—"
Passing cars honked their horns long.
The view brightened and then dimmed, but only the man's simple and resolute words clearly reached my ears.
Qingran didn't doubt the truth of these words, but she didn't reply. She stroked the warm paper cup and took a sip.
The rich aroma of mango milk blends with fresh fruit pieces. With a gentle bite, the fruit pieces burst with sweet and sour juice, instantly clearing away any chaotic thoughts.
He swallowed the milk tea and spoke.
"How have you been doing abroad all these years?"
Pei Xuhui hadn't drunk any milk tea, but his heart felt as if it were being soaked in unripe fruit juice, both swollen and astringent.
All those countless sleepless nights and self-examinations became insignificant under this greeting.
The man brushed aside the past struggles lightly: "It's alright."
The young man smiled slightly: "That's good."
Pei Xu replied, "You've changed a lot."
Qingran: "Aren't you one too?"
Pei Xu smiled and said, "Isn't it a good thing to become more mature and composed?"
Qingran looked up at him.
When it comes to maturity and composure, the most obvious change from boy to man is indeed in physique and appearance.
The man standing in front of him was slightly taller than before, with straight shoulders and a broad chest. His figure had lost its youthful immaturity and exuded the aura of a mature man.
Looking at his face again, his features had grown longer and the lines had become more defined and sharp. His eyes were no longer as shallow as they used to be, which could be seen through at a glance. Instead, they were deep and sharp, giving people a strange sense of oppression.
Qingran did not hide her scrutiny, her gaze tracing the man's outline and body inch by inch.
Then they discovered that men were becoming increasingly adept at concealing their true feelings; even if the muscles beneath their clothes tensed slightly from being stared at, and their heartbeats quickened slightly, their faces showed no sign of anything amiss.
Qingran felt quite pleased, and after looking at him, she looked into those eyes that held him and the shimmering river water.
"Immaturity and instability are also good."
He opened his arms and stepped forward to hug the man, saying the belated words: "Welcome back."
When I picked him up at the airport yesterday, Pei Xuhui said he was back.
Qingran's answer was: Welcome back.
The embrace was so soft and real, carrying the familiar scent of jasmine from my dreams. From unattainable to within reach, it made Pei Xu feel as if he had fallen into a dream.
Even in a dream, he reflexively reached out and hugged the person in front of him.
The body in his arms was slender and delicate, with a waist so small it could be encircled in one hand. Pei Xuhui felt as if he were holding a fragile and rare porcelain vase, hesitant to tighten his grip yet unwilling to let go.
He felt a light, shallow breath on the side of his neck, like a cluster of intense fire, gently kissing the skin of that small area like a dragonfly skimming the water.
The man endured the burning pain, lowered his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep, lingering sniff.
The movements were light and slow, like an addiction that cannot be broken. // A gentleman seeks out the haunting memories in secret.
Pei Xuhui inhaled the faint fragrance emanating from the young man's hair, and a strand of emotion, which he could not hide, spilled from his lips.
I miss you so much, so very much.
I miss him when I'm abroad, I miss him when I'm back home, and I still miss him even when I'm holding him in my arms.
All the pain and excitement, self-loathing and longing of the past ten years can be summed up in one sentence: "I miss you so much."
As the cruise ship sailed across the river, the shimmering lights on the water's surface created a soothing melody.
Qingran stepped out of the man's embrace: "It's time to go home."
His arms were empty, and even the remaining warmth was quickly dissipated by the wind. Pei Xuhui felt lost and dejected.
"good."
...
That embrace that night seemed like a sign of reconciliation, and afterwards Qingran and Pei Xuhui's relationship returned to normal.
He no longer deliberately avoided talking to men. He would greet them when he saw them and say goodbye when he left. When his parents were unable to see him, he would even ask a man to see him off.
Logically speaking, Pei Xu should be pleased with this brotherly and respectful way of getting along, since this is exactly the kind of brotherly boundary he forced himself to adhere to.
October, the golden autumn season, is just around the corner.
The 1st is National Day, a day of celebration for the whole country.
Festive music played in the streets and alleys, bright red flags were hung, and employees of major companies enjoyed a week-long holiday as per regulations.
Taking advantage of this rare day off, Mr. and Mrs. Pei left their two older single parents behind and happily went on a trip to see water at a famous scenic spot in China.
Qingran received a call from his grandmother, asking if he wanted to eat osmanthus cake.
Pei Xuhui seems to have mentioned this before.
Just as he hung up the phone, the man stepped down from upstairs.
The weather forecast indicates that the autumn heatwave will be intense in early October, with temperatures remaining high throughout the National Day holiday. Therefore, men will dress relatively coolly today.
She wore a loose-fitting light-colored short-sleeved t-shirt on top and black casual trousers on the bottom. Her black hair was loosely covering her forehead, and she had long eyebrows and deep-set eyes, looking young and casual.
You can actually see a bit of Pei Xuhui's carefree and unrestrained past in his casual outfits.
"Grandma said she's going to make osmanthus cake, are you going?" Qingran asked, looking up.
Pei Xu replied, "Go."
The two of them left without hesitation.
Because Pei Xuhui had passed his driving test and could drive, he could travel between the county town and Qing City at any time. The two of them didn't pack their luggage, changed their shoes, and went straight out the door.
Qingran sat in the passenger seat and watched the man start the car and grip the control lever with his right hand. His palm was large and his fingers were long and slender, with blue veins visible on the back of his hand. His proportions were comparable to those of a hand model.
He appeared relaxed, but inwardly he wondered how long the owner of the hand could endure it.
[Host, do you need some help?]
The system actively inquired and prominently displayed the "Passion Perfume" product from the online store page in front of Qingran.
Qingran's gaze lingered on the product description.
It's not a drug, but those who smell it are more likely to be attracted and have their latent desires aroused, increasing the ambiguous atmosphere and creating a sense of romance.
[Need not. ]
Upon arriving at their destination, the car was parked on the street outside the alley. As soon as the two got out of the car, they smelled a strong fragrance of flowers.
As they walked further in, their gaze followed them forward, and they saw a fair-skinned little girl squatting outside the gate of the courtyard next to the Yu family's house.
The little girl, who was only two or three years old, was playing with a dog under the care of an elderly person. The puppy's innocent barks and the child's clear laughter were full of carefree joy.
The fact that the girl's family moved here is somewhat related to the Yu family, because the person who used to live next door was the one who knocked on doors everywhere and had mental problems.
Because of Pei Xuhui's despicable idea, that family moved away ten years ago, reportedly to the countryside.
"Hold the ladder for me."
"Hey, why did you pick it from so high up? Just pick it from a little lower down."
"Ranran and Xu Hui are coming, but this little bit isn't enough."
"Ranran and Xu are coming back? Why didn't you say so earlier? Come down, come down, let me pick them."
"Are your old arms and legs any good enough?"
"Hey, you underestimate me..."
The sound of Grandpa and Grandma Yu talking could be heard coming from across the courtyard wall.
"Grandpa, don't climb anymore, I'll do it," Qingran said as she pushed open the door.
Ten years have passed, and this courtyard, which is always carefully maintained, seems to have remained unchanged. The magnolias and gardenias have faded, and on the other side, a tree full of golden osmanthus flowers has bloomed.
Under the osmanthus tree, Grandma Yu held onto the wooden ladder, while Grandpa Yu, with his gray hair, was about to climb up.
This scene overlaps with the scene of Pei Xuhui picking magnolias many years ago; the event is the same, and the people are the same.
After firmly persuading the two elderly people to go back inside, Qingran and Pei Xuhui took over the task of picking osmanthus flowers.
Grandma Yu poked her head out of the kitchen window and pointed, "Just pinch the flowers, don't shake them, otherwise picking up the scraps will be a real hassle."
"Understood," Qingran replied loudly.
Pei Xuhui asked him from the side, "Shall I do it?"
Qingran: "No, I also want to try climbing the ladder."
It's as if climbing the wooden ladder isn't something you have to do to pick flowers, but rather something you do casually for fun.
The man was amused by his words, and his usually indifferent expression brightened considerably, just like the autumn sunshine.
"Hold on tight, or I'll fall."
Pei Xu replied, "Don't worry, I'll be there to cushion your fall."
He looked at the people on the wooden ladder.
The young man sat high on the wooden ladder, looking down at the scattered osmanthus blossoms and dappled sunlight falling on him, bright and radiant.
Pei Xuhui squinted slightly as the light shone on him.
After picking the osmanthus flowers, the two sat facing each other under the shade of the tree, picking up the remaining debris and broken leaves. Afterward, they handed the cleaned osmanthus flowers to Grandma Yu to make osmanthus cakes.
As Qingran stepped out of the living room, she smelled her washed hands: "The osmanthus scent is so long-lasting, it's still so noticeable even after washing."
Pei Xuhui, who was looking at his phone, was somewhat distracted upon hearing this; the one with the lasting fragrance was clearly...
He then pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why he was overthinking things again.
"He Anzhou heard I'm back in China and invited us to play pool this afternoon. Shall we go?"
Qingran pointed to herself in surprise: "Me too?"
He was genuinely surprised.
Since Pei Xuhui went abroad and his classmates graduated and left school, he had never seen Pei Xuhui's close friends again. Why would He Anzhou call him?
Pei Xuhui nodded, without explaining that this was probably because He Anzhou's impression of them was still based on what happened ten years ago.
Staying in the time when they were still inseparable.
"Was it really He Anzhou who called you?" Qingran suddenly asked.
The man looked up: "Of course, why do you ask?"
Qingran: "I suddenly remembered the year you graduated from high school. We were playing at my grandma's house, and you said you were going to find He Anzhou."
He smiled, seemingly oblivious, and asked, "The situation today is quite similar to that of back then, isn't that a coincidence?"
Pei Xuhui was shaken, but remained calm on the surface and replied, "Yes, it's a coincidence."
He chose to lie to escape back then, but now it seems that his attempt to escape was in vain.
In addition, Qingran reminded him that He Anzhou was one of only two people who knew his feelings for Qingran.
The other is Pei Xuhui himself.
Should he try to avoid meeting the two of them?
"Sure, I'm free this afternoon anyway."
Upon hearing this, the man changed his mind and remembered to remind He Anzhou not to let anything slip.
The two played games for a while, and then Grandma Yu's carefully prepared dish was ready in the kitchen.
In her hands, ordinary osmanthus flowers are transformed into countless varieties, including osmanthus cake, osmanthus rice cake, osmanthus rice pudding, and osmanthus chilled cake.
The first three look similar, but they taste quite different.
However, Qingran still likes Osmanthus Rice Cake the most because it looks beautiful, with its crystal clear amber color.
Having eaten too many different kinds of osmanthus cakes, Qingran barely ate any lunch. In the afternoon, she told the two elders and then went out with Pei Xu to keep their appointment.
The location sent by He Anzhou was a leisure club in the city. When the two arrived, the club was waiting for them at the door.
Seeing Qingran and Pei Xu get out of the car, one tall and handsome and the other slender and elegant, the scene of them walking side by side was harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
He Anzhou whistled in a nonchalant manner.
"Hey, after all these years, you two are still inseparable!"
This lighthearted remark eased the awkwardness that had arisen between the group after so many years apart.
Qingran replied, "Not really, we just made up a few days ago."
He Anzhou: "What's wrong? Did you two have a fight? What happened?"
Surprised, he immediately pressed for answers, his curiosity running high, and he didn't even notice Pei Xu's glance signaling him to shut up.
Qingran: "He suddenly left the country without saying a word, only telling me right before he left, and he still hasn't explained why he decided to go abroad."
Not only Qingran, but He Anzhou also didn't know why Pei Xuhui went abroad.
He claimed that he and Pei Xuhui knew about the matter, but Pei Xuhui had never actually admitted it to him.
So he looked at the person in question with a puzzled expression: "Yes, why did you go abroad in the first place?"
The man responded with a death stare.
Just then, I heard Qingran's injured voice.
"My brother still won't tell me why?"
A note from the author:
Thanks for watering! *kissing*
Reader "Tree Without Thoughts" watered with nutrient solution +1
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