Chapter 45: Cousins' Situation - A Separate Side Story - The Fall (Part Two)
Rewind time, to that gloomy, rainy afternoon...
Li Xiao flicked the umbrella in his hand, glanced at the unconscious bear lying on the ground, and a clear look of disgust appeared on the boy's handsome face.
Turning around to ask what was going on, I discovered that the boy had vanished without a trace.
The word "you" stuck in Li Xiao's throat, and he couldn't help but chuckle.
"What an impolite brat," the boy muttered to himself.
As I walked towards the door, I suddenly stepped on something hard.
Li Xiao stopped, bent down to pick it up, and saw that it was a name tag issued by the school. Three words were clearly printed on it in black on a white background.
"A metaphor for a light boat."
So... is that your name?
The boy whispered the text below the photo, his turquoise eyes slightly narrowed.
He then gave a soft hum, stuffed the item into his pocket, and strolled out with leisurely steps.
...
Yu Qingzhou ran along the road, still shaken.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally slowed down, exhausted.
The rain is still falling.
The icy rain pounded against my face, inescapable.
Yu Qingzhou leaned on her knees, panting heavily on the deserted tree-lined path, like a fish that had just escaped death.
"—A light boat?"
Yu Qingzhou didn't even realize when the person approached.
Hearing the sound, I looked up and saw a wide umbrella covering my head, and familiar eyes looking at me with concern.
After a moment of stunned silence, Yu Qingzhou snapped back to reality and immediately stepped forward, crashing headlong into the person's arms.
Shen Yun was slightly startled by the child's sudden action, and then reached out to hug him.
"A light boat?"
Noticing the other person's trembling, Chen Yun's hand tightened slightly, and he gently stroked the back of the child's head and patted the other person's shoulder and back.
"Did something happen?" Shen Yun asked in a low voice, softening her tone.
Yu Qingzhou simply tilted her head.
"No," the child said in a small voice, which sounded a little strange because it was muffled inside his clothes.
At the same time, Shen Yun felt the grip on her clothes tighten.
Yu Qingzhou sniffed deeply in Shen Yun's arms. Perhaps because of the rain, the usually slightly cold fragrance seemed to have softened a bit.
He sniffed repeatedly, his head rubbing against Shen Yun's neatly ironed shirt, making it a mess.
Shen Yun, who is usually a clean freak, remained unusually silent. Perhaps sensing the child's unusual behavior, he let the child cling to him as if he were a piece of driftwood.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Yu Qingzhou seemed to have completely calmed down.
"Nothing... nothing at all."
The child looked up and answered in a small voice.
A weak statement, delivered in a calm tone that leaves no room for doubt.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun paused slightly before bending down and gently picking up the small child.
"Okay, I understand. Let's go home," Shen Yun said softly.
He wasn't a person who smiled often, especially not the kind of smile that was almost reassuring. When it appeared on his face, it gave the impression of awkwardness and helplessness.
Of course, it still looks very good...
Yu Qingzhou thought to herself, feeling the warmth of the other person's palm.
That warmth... was almost no different from before.
Yu Qingzhou still remembers falling from a height when she was a child.
He thought he was going to die, but he was caught safely halfway through.
He opened his eyes from the unfamiliar embrace, enveloped in that same pleasant, cool fragrance.
My heart rate returned to its initial level.
Then it gradually transformed into another strange drumbeat.
While overjoyed, Yu Qingzhou couldn't help but worry inwardly: would this sense of security last forever?
If one day in the future he has to let go, or be the one who is let go—
If that moment really comes—
Yu Qingzhou could no longer think about it.
He could almost see himself shattered into pieces, scattered and melting away in the cold rain, until he finally disappeared...
My heart suddenly clenched with pain.
Yu Qingzhou stopped in his tracks.
"elder brother--"
"how?"
"It's nothing, I just feel that this is... this is really nice."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yu Qingzhou felt the hand holding her tighten its grip, then loosened its hold.
He didn't know how much time had passed, so much so that he thought the conversation had ended.
Only after the soft patter of rain beside him came a brief, melodious reply.
"Um."
Shen Yun gave a soft "hmm," seemingly agreeing with her earlier childish words.
...
Tap tap, tap tap.
Yu Qingzhou turned over in the dim light.
I don't know why, but I dreamt about things from the past.
Tap tap.
Unable to sleep, Yu Qingzhou simply sat up and followed the sound to the window.
The rain was still falling outside, and sporadic raindrops splashed against the windowpane, blooming into fleeting, transparent bouquets.
Yu Qingzhou was genuinely surprised to see the things that had been placed on the windowsill at some unknown time.
He pushed open the window, reached out, and picked up the small candy box.
Why this thing?
Tap tap.
The sound rang out again, this time very close by.
Yu Qingzhou turned his head at the sound and saw a green-eyed young man standing by the window, looking at him with a half-smile.
"Kid, we meet again?"
Li Xiao greeted him with a grin.
Upon seeing this, Yu Qingzhou couldn't help but furrow her brows.
"...It's you again?"
"Tsk tsk, this is not the attitude one should have towards their savior."
Li Xiao crossed his arms and said matter-of-factly.
Yu Qingzhou felt that if this were a push-open window, he would definitely smash it directly onto that smug-looking face.
"It would be a shame not to go for a drive on such a nice day," Li Xiao said again.
Yu Qingzhou glanced at the gloomy "good weather" outside the window, sighed resignedly, and began rummaging through her clothes for going out.
He gave instructions without even looking up.
"Don't go through the window! If you dare climb out the window, you'll—"
"Just what?"
Upon hearing the cheerful voice so close to him, Yu Qingzhou paused.
Then, without even looking up, he delivered a solid elbow strike, so powerful that even Yu Qingzhou felt a sharp pain in his flesh.
"you……"
In the blink of an eye, Yu Qingzhou found himself completely embraced and encircled in the arms of an uninvited guest. The warm breath against his shoulder pattered against his skin, stirring up an unsettling shiver.
"Kill me."
Li Xiao chuckled softly and said slowly, "If that's what you want."
The young man still seemed to be covered in the moisture from outside, and the damp, sticky coolness clung to the two of them.
Yu Qingzhou remained silent, then bit down on the other person's smooth arm, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth.
Li Xiao finally released Yu Qingzhou slowly, his green eyes staring intently at the blood-stained corner of her lips.
"Shut up when you're clear-headed. Your babbling is so annoying so early in the morning."
Yu Qingzhou complained, but finally found a sweatshirt that she liked.
Just as she was about to change her clothes, she suddenly realized that Li Xiao was still staring straight at her. This situation was truly...
"Turn around," Yu Qingzhou commanded expressionlessly.
"Hmph, it's not like there isn't—"
The young man's words were abruptly cut off.
This time, what hit Li Xiao was a white vest, a vest that had just been taken off and was still warm from his body.
Li Xiao quietly leaned closer, took a deep breath, and then neatly folded the items and put them aside.
While Yu Qingzhou was changing clothes, Li Xiao walked around the room and came to a conclusion.
"We should find someone to tidy up the room," he suggested sincerely.
Yu Qingzhou pulled her clothes down over her head, let out a soft breath, and said truthfully, "I don't have any spare money to hire a part-time worker."
"I mean I can—"
Halfway through the conversation, a crisp cell phone ringtone suddenly sounded in the room.
Yu Qingzhou took the phone and gestured for Li Xiao to be quiet.
"—Hey, bro?"
Upon realizing the identity of the person she was talking to, Yu Qingzhou unconsciously softened her tone and her eyes became gentler.
Li Xiao walked to the window listlessly.
"Okay, I understand... Well, that's all for now, see you later."
Yu Qingzhou hung up the phone and immediately resumed her normal expression.
Li Xiao vaguely guessed the content of the call, and he was just waiting for the other party to speak first.
Sure enough, Yu Qingzhou said, "I'm going home for lunch, so..."
“Then I’ll take you there,” Li Xiao interrupted softly.
"No, I can go there myself..."
As she spoke, Yu Qingzhou seemed to suddenly realize something, paused for a moment, and then said softly, "I'm sorry."
Why apologize for no reason?
Li Xiao smiled nonchalantly, his crimson lips close to Yu Qingzhou's ear, whispering, "I've already said, even my life is yours."
The house was empty again when everyone was alone.
Yu Qingzhou touched her earlobe, recalling that moment that was almost a kiss.
The faint scent of candy in the air was gradually masked by the steam...
Yu Qingzhou opened the candy box she had taken from the windowsill, peeled off a candy, and put it in her mouth.
It's not very sweet; it's a pear-flavored mint.
A familiar aroma, carrying distant memories, slowly unfolds on the tip of the tongue.
Yu Qingzhou sat at her desk, pulled out the bottom drawer, and among the clutter was an inconspicuous little name tag with her name clearly written in black on a white background.
Hey, kid, is this yours?
In his memory, a handsome young man leaned against the windowsill and looked at him.
A red umbrella leaned against the corner of the room, water stains dampening the cold, hard floor.
[To be so scared of such a small thing as not wanting to go to school, really—]
The boy chuckled, his emerald eyes curving into a mocking smile: [What a coward.]
——
"I'm stuffed."
Yu Qingzhou put down her chopsticks, ignored her father's reproachful gaze, stood up, and walked straight to her room.
"Never mind, let him go."
The mother comforted her husband, gently nudging his arm to indicate that there were guests present.
"I'll go take a look."
Shen Yun stood up and said to the others present, "I'll be back in a bit."
As he spoke, he nodded to Shuangshuang.
The girl wanted to say something, but Shen Yun was always a woman of her word. With her future in-laws watching, she could only smile understandingly.
"They're all like this..."
Before the father could say anything more, his wife kicked him in the shin with her toe.
After a moment of tense expression, the man continued drinking silently as if nothing had happened.
The woman warmly urged her future daughter-in-law to eat the food while it was still hot.
"Are you alright? My brother seems to be—"
"Hey, that kid's always been like this, always throwing tantrums. I've gotten used to it over the years, it's just tough on you, having to witness this for the first time. I'll make sure he apologizes to you, Shuangshuang, in person later."
"Auntie, you're too kind. It's nothing. It's just... I was a little surprised to see Shen Yun so nervous for the first time."
Shuangshuang smiled and said casually, but her eyes were unconsciously fixed on the direction the two people had left.
"A light boat?"
The room was lit, and as soon as Shen Yun entered, she saw Yu Qingzhou lying on the bed fully clothed, not knowing whether she was asleep or not.
Shen Yun then gently walked to the bedside, but as soon as he got close, Yu Qingzhou immediately opened her eyes and stared straight at him.
"Is it okay if you don't go with your fiancée?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yun paused slightly: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
He tried to reach out and touch Yu Qingzhou's hair, but surprisingly, she avoided him.
“I’m not a child anymore,” Yu Qingzhou said calmly, looking back at the other person.
He silently added in his mind: So please don't treat me like a child.
After a moment of silence, Shen Yun spoke in a much gentler tone.
“I know,” he said, then paused and added, “but no matter what, you will never change the fact that you are my brother.”
Unchanging tenderness...
Unchanging relationship...
No matter how unwilling she was, Yu Qingzhou would eventually have to bow down to the other party.
"Alright, alright, I'll make you my brother in the next life. Is that okay?"
Yu Qingzhou slowly sat up, his hood askew to one side, but he was completely unaware of it.
"I'm going outside for a walk. Want to know what you'd like to eat, or—"
As he spoke, Yu Qingzhou paused slightly. He suddenly realized that Shen Yun's gaze towards him seemed somewhat strange.
"Brother?" Yu Qingzhou called out tentatively.
"nothing."
Shen Yun snapped out of her daze and naturally raised her arm to straighten Yu Qingzhou's clothes.
The atmosphere between the two suddenly became somewhat somber.
——
"I mean, you two brothers have a really good relationship."
On the way back, Shuangshuang casually put her arm around her boyfriend's shoulder and teased him softly.
"Oh, really?"
For some reason, the other party's response sounded somewhat inattentive.
"What's wrong, Shen Yun?" Shuangshuang stared at her boyfriend's face with concern.
"No, it's nothing." Shen Yun gently shook her head.
He remembered Yu Qingzhou's half-joking vow in the room.
The thought of the red marks of varying shades left on the other person's neck when the collar tilted to one side always felt incredibly jarring.
My younger brother has found someone to date. As his older brother, I should be giving him my blessings and encouraging him. But... why?
(Can we hurry up?)
Suddenly, the hopeful plea of a child echoed in my ears.
And when did things start to change between them...?
His hands tightened around the steering wheel, and he stared intently out the window at the endless night.
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