Chapter 421 What does it mean that his brother likes him?
421:
The three of them then began to look around the exhibition hall.
Qin Cheng was somewhat reluctant, not because he didn't want Li Wen to be with them, but because he was worried that Li Wen might accidentally say something he shouldn't, such as that he liked Ye Qingxi.
Although at that time, he did not confirm Li Wen's guess.
However, Li Wen clearly already accepted his guess.
And his guess was exactly correct.
Qin Cheng was naturally a little worried that he might inadvertently reveal his secret.
With this mindset, he was not so willing to let Ye Qingxi and Li Wen be alone together.
Therefore, when passing by the restroom, Ye Qingxi, intending to use the restroom, asked the two of them, "Are you two going?"
Li Wen casually replied, "Go."
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng then said, "I'll go too."
Li Wen: ? ? ?
Li Wen glanced at him, wondering if he really wanted to go, or if it was to prevent him from getting close to Ye Qingxi.
Unfortunately, Qin Cheng's face was expressionless, which naturally prevented him from discerning any clues.
The three of them went to the restroom together.
After leaving, I looked at the rest of the exhibition again.
After another hour, Ye Qingxi finally finished looking at the exhibition.
He bought a sculpture that he thought was quite nice, and Qin Cheng and Li Wen both wanted to pay for it for him.
Qin Cheng: ? ? ?
What are you paying for?
“A gift,” Li Wen said confidently. “Didn’t I already say that if Xiao Xi takes a liking to anything, I’ll buy it for him?”
Qin Cheng: "What gives you the right?!"
"Because I'm my brother's cousin."
Li Wen turned to look at Ye Qingxi, "Last time you went to my brother's roadshow, my brother was very grateful to you, and he specifically told me to remember to thank you for him!"
Ye Qingxi smiled and said, "Your brother is too kind."
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng turned and walked towards the direction of the payment.
Li Wen hurriedly tried to follow, but Ye Qingxi stopped him.
Li Wen: ? ? ?
Ye Qingxi looked at him and laughed again.
“Let my brother pay,” he said. “I was planning to go to the previous roadshow anyway, so I should be thanking him for the ticket, not the other way around.”
“Then I thank you too,” Li Wen said. “Otherwise, that guy would definitely think I’m talking nonsense and that I don’t know you.”
"It's not a big deal."
It's not worth paying for.
Li Wen looked at him, smiled, and leaned closer to him, saying, "Are you really that biased towards your brother?"
"While you were holding me back, your brother almost finished paying the bill!"
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi had such thoughts, and now that they had been suddenly brought up, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
He subconsciously let go, but then he heard Qin Cheng's voice.
What are you talking about?
"They're saying your brother is biased towards you." Li Wen looked at him. "What else can they say? What do you think we'd say?"
Qin Cheng: ...
When Qin Cheng turned around after paying the bill, he saw them whispering to each other, and he was so frightened that his heart almost jumped.
He walked over quickly and asked somewhat nervously.
Fortunately, it wasn't what he thought.
Qin Cheng looked at Ye Qingxi. Although Ye Qingxi was a little embarrassed, she didn't seem to know his hidden thoughts.
She even walked towards him on her own initiative.
Qin Cheng unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let's go eat," Li Wen said. "When we eat later, you're not allowed to take food from me."
Qin Cheng: ...
“Then eat more,” he said to Ye Qingxi. “If there’s anything you like, like cotton candy or Aristotle, you can pack it up for them to take back.”
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi almost burst out laughing.
Li Wen asked in confusion, "What are cotton candy and Aristotle?"
“It’s my cat and my great-grandfather’s dog,” Ye Qingxi said.
Li Wen: ? ? ? !!!
He only knew that Qin Cheng had a cat named Donut, but he didn't expect that Ye Qingxi had one too!
Is yours also a golden shaded dog?
Ye Qingxi nodded, "It's its key color, the gold dot."
Li Wen: Well, you two not only have matching bracelets, but also matching cats!
Li Wen: ...
Li Wen felt he didn't want to say anything more to these two brothers who looked too alike.
“Let’s go,” he said. “Perfect timing. I’ve already looked it up, and there’s a nice private restaurant nearby.”
Really? Ye Qingxi was somewhat expectant.
The three of them left the exhibition hall and headed towards the parking lot.
Li Wen also drove there, so he didn't get into the same car as them, but instead got into his own.
Qin Cheng followed him and went with him to the private restaurant.
Ye Qingxi got out of the car out of curiosity and went inside.
This private restaurant is decorated in a very traditional style.
You can't see it from the outside, but once you push the door open, you'll find a hidden world inside.
When the waiter standing at the door saw people coming in, he led them forward.
Ye Qingxi followed the waiter through the corridor and finally arrived at their private room.
The waiter brought over the menu, and Ye Qingxi looked at it, casually ordered three dishes, and then handed the menu to Qin Cheng.
Qin Cheng ordered several dishes without any hesitation, and then looked at Li Wen.
Li Wen's tastes were similar to theirs, so he only added two more dishes.
Before long, the dishes were brought out one after another by the waiters.
As netizens have said, the food at this private kitchen is indeed delicious, but the portions are a bit small. So, although the three of them ordered a lot, it was just the right amount.
When Ye Qingxi was almost finished eating, she glanced around and realized that there was no restroom in the private room, so she prepared to go out to use the restroom.
Qin Cheng silently looked at Li Wen.
Li Wen: ...
Li Wen sighed helplessly: "Fine, he won't go!"
Since he didn't go, Qin Cheng didn't go either.
Ye Qingxi then left the private room alone.
Li Wen watched Ye Qingxi close the door, waited a few seconds, and thought he should be far away before saying helplessly, "Do you have to keep such a close eye on me?"
Qin Cheng said in a calm tone, "I told you to stay away from him."
Li Wen was puzzled. "Didn't I already say that I wouldn't tell him you like him?"
Ye Qingxi, who had just realized she hadn't brought her phone and returned to get it: ? ? ? !!!
What's the meaning?
Ye Qingxi was a little confused.
What do you mean by his brother liking him?
Of course his brother likes him.
He's his older brother, and they grew up together. How could his brother not like him?
Then why say, "I won't tell him you like him"?
Ye Qingxi felt that she couldn't understand it.
He stood outside the door without realizing it, as if frozen in place, without making a sound.
They dared not make any noise.
Inside, Li Wen continued speaking, seemingly helpless. He said, "I'm not stupid. If I suddenly told him you like him, he'd be very surprised, and might even subconsciously reject you. What good would that do you? What good would it do me? I want him to know, but I'll definitely hint at it, little by little, subtly letting him feel that your feelings for him aren't just brotherly; you might actually like him. I would never directly say that you like him, that you don't simply see him as a younger brother. Look at you, staring at me like I'm about to tell him, 'Ye Qingxi, you don't know, do you? You treat your brother like an older brother, but your brother treats you like his wife.'"
Ye Qingxi: !!
Ye Qingxi was so surprised that she felt as if she had been struck by an unknown lightning bolt.
The blow made his eyes widen, and he felt completely disoriented.
What is Li Wen saying?
What do you mean his brother treats him like a wife?!
What kind of joke is he making?!
"Shut up," Qin Cheng said. "Stop spouting nonsense!"
Exactly! Ye Qingxi thought to herself: Stop talking nonsense!
"If I were talking nonsense, why are you watching me so closely now?" Li Wen looked at him with a smile.
"If I'm talking nonsense, even if I really told Ye Qingxi that you like him, what are you afraid of? You just need to explain to Ye Qingxi that I'm talking nonsense, right? You're his brother, do you think he'd believe me and not you?"
"The reason you keep telling me to stay away from him is because you're afraid I'll bring this up with him, and then you'll be in a difficult situation. If you say I'm talking nonsense, and Ye Qingxi believes it, you'll only ever be his brother. But if you don't say I'm talking nonsense, and Ye Qingxi believes it now, you might not be able to stay by his side as his brother anymore."
"So you don't want me to say it, and you don't dare let me say it. Don't worry, I understand all of this. I don't want to ruin your marriage, so of course I won't tell him directly."
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi listened silently, waiting for Qin Cheng's reply.
But he didn't receive a reply from Qin Cheng, because Li Wen spoke up again.
"That day I asked you what I was lacking in, and you said, 'I'm a man.'"
“I was very confused at the time. What’s wrong with men? His father was married to a man, and he likes his father so much and gets along very well with his father’s partner. It’s clear that he doesn’t mind this. So why are you bothered by it?”
"Later I figured it out. When Ye Qingxi likes women, you can comfort yourself by saying that you are not a woman and that you are not the type of woman he likes. So you can't turn him gay and ruin his happiness. Therefore, you can continue to pretend that you are just his brother, and you can not fight or compete with him. You can continue to keep him in your heart."
"But if he likes a man, then you, as a man yourself, may not be able to continue to silently keep him in your heart without fighting or competing. You are also a man. You say you are brothers, but the whole world knows you are not related by blood. So why can't you? In fact, you are the one who grew up with him since childhood and has been protecting and caring for him all the way."
"The flower you raised with your own hands may not like people and may like other flowers, but once it likes people, how can you really be at ease letting it like someone other than you? Therefore, Ye Qingxi's partner can only be a girl. Only when he likes a girl is it the best for you and for the person he likes, isn't it?"
Qin Cheng chuckled and said, "Li Wen, do you think you're so smart?"
His desire for Ye Qingxi to not like men was partly due to that factor, but it was much more than that.
Ye Qingxi's surname is Ye, and he is Ye Min's grandson.
If Ye Qingxi falls in love with men, then his grandfather will inevitably feel that his family environment has influenced him and that he failed to raise Ye Qingxi properly.
His grandfather would blame himself, and Ye Qingxi would also feel bad because of his grandfather's self-blame.
"Do you think it's easy to marry a man in our family?" Qin Cheng said coldly.
"Xiao Xi's father was able to marry her daddy because he had Xiao Xi a long time ago, because the Feng family and our family were a good match, and because everyone in the Feng family liked Xiao Xi. That's why they were able to get married."
"As for my uncle, it's because he and my uncle's husband knew each other since high school, because he helped my uncle get into A University after returning to school and constantly encouraged him in college, because my grandfather always admired my uncle's husband, and because he led my uncle to create their own glory. But even so, when they got married, my grandfather still said that he did not agree with the marriage and did not support it. He only didn't make a big deal out of it because the other party was my uncle's husband."
“This is one of only two same-sex marriages in our family. One is because of Xiaoxi’s existence, which is a problem, and the other is because we have weathered storms together. Now, tell me, at this moment when Xiaoxi is already twenty-two years old and his career is booming, what kind of person is qualified to marry him without my grandfather objecting because he is a man?”
"I'm telling you, no."
"Because there will never be another bug like Xiao Xi, nor will there ever be someone to guide him through the most important years of his life and lead him to a better and brighter future."
“From the moment he came to the Mu family, he was the best and most outstanding person, both in his character and in his work. He is the Mu family’s greatest pride and the treasure my grandfather cherishes. My grandfather loves him and values him, so my grandfather could never think that any other man is worthy of being with him.”
“You’re not Xiaoxi, you don’t know how important my grandfather is to him, and you wouldn’t understand how sad he would be if he got married but didn’t receive my grandfather’s blessing.”
"That's why I said because you're a man, I hope he gets a girlfriend."
“Li Wen, your conditions may be very good for others, but for the Mu family, they are just so-so. My grandfather doesn’t care about them at all and doesn’t even look at them.”
"But how many people in this world are better off than you?"
"Even setting aside family background and just talking about character, not even mentioning my second uncle and youngest uncle, how many people are better than you?"
Li Wen was stunned. He hadn't expected that there was such a reason behind Qin Cheng's words.
Qin Cheng didn't say much.
He only said what he could say, and didn't say a word about anything more profound or related to Ye Min.
He dared not speak of it, for if he did, he would only feel guilty.
Of course he knew that unrequited love was the most useless thing.
He had heard his family tell him more than once not to have a crush on someone, and that his parents had suffered for so many years because of their crushes.
His father said: You are my son, who is not good enough for you? Whoever you fancy is their honor.
His mother said: If you confess your feelings, you might have a chance. If you don't confess, the other person won't know at all, and it might even cause misunderstandings.
Qin Cheng remembered everything, and he never thought he would have a crush on someone.
Until he realized he had fallen in love with Ye Qingxi.
He had no choice but to harbor a secret crush.
If he is fortunate enough to one day glimpse Ye Qingxi's affection for him from some of her words, actions, or expressions, then even if the road ahead is full of storms, he will cut through the waves and lead Ye Qingxi forward.
But if he is unfortunate enough to see Ye Qingxi's affection for someone else someday, then...
When the other person is a girl, he will offer his blessings and give them all the care he can.
When the other party is a man, it's best if he's clean and spotless, otherwise, let alone his grandfather, he won't let him off the hook.
"Let's not talk about this anymore," Qin Cheng said. "It wouldn't be good if Xiao Xi heard this when she came back later."
Li Wen nodded.
He looked at Qin Cheng, wanting to say something, but was too embarrassed to speak.
Qin Cheng said he wasn't Ye Qingxi and didn't know how important his grandfather was to Ye Qingxi, but Li Wen felt that he wasn't completely unaware.
Although the test questions that day were made up, Ye Qingxi's answers were serious.
Therefore, he knew very well that Ye Qingxi valued her family far more than herself.
So, from another perspective, if he really likes men, Qin Cheng, who is not related to him by blood but grew up with him since childhood and is like a childhood friend, has an advantage in some ways.
Of course, this is based on the premise that Ye Qingxi likes men.
Currently, Ye Qingxi's sexual orientation is unclear. He has never been in a relationship and believes that both boys and girls are acceptable.
Under these circumstances, Qin Cheng would not take the initiative to attack.
The more he loved Ye Qingxi, the less likely he was to take the initiative, and the more he wanted to give her the freedom to choose from her heart, the freedom to take the easy path.
"It's a pity I drove today, otherwise I could have had a drink right now," Li Wen said.
Qin Cheng thought to himself: That's true.
Meanwhile, Ye Qingxi quietly left the private room without alerting anyone.
He didn't stop until he reached the end of the corridor and turned a corner.
Ye Qingxi felt her mind was in a mess and she couldn't think clearly at all.
His brother liked him, but it wasn't just a typical brother's affection for his younger brother; it was a love that also included romantic feelings.
how so?
Ye Qingxi wondered, when did this start?
He couldn't figure it out, and he couldn't understand it.
He didn't understand why Qin Cheng had fallen in love with him.
He didn't know when Qin Cheng started to fall in love with him.
He remembered the bracelet on Qin Cheng's wrist, the one he had given him, the one he had worn for eight years.
But Qin Cheng was only a senior in high school at that time. He couldn't have started liking her from his senior year, could he?
Ye Qingxi felt like she was a ball of yarn.
There were no loose threads, only a pile of yarn on the ground.
He silently went to the toilet and walked back.
Just as she was about to turn the corner in the corridor, she took a deep breath and walked out of the corner as if nothing had happened.
Ye Qingxi walked to the door and calmly pushed it open.
Qin Cheng asked in confusion, "Why did it take so long?"
Ye Qingxi said calmly, "There are murals on his walls. I took a look when I came back. They're quite beautiful, and there's even a little cat in them!"
He noticed this when he followed the waiter in.
Qin Cheng and Li Wen believed him because he spoke so convincingly, especially since he mentioned cats.
Li Wen asked curiously, "Does it look like your cotton candy?"
Ye Qingxi shook her head, "He drew a tabby cat, which could probably beat three of my cotton candies."
Li Wen burst into laughter.
Ye Qingxi picked up her chopsticks and ate the snacks she hadn't finished, which she had said she would eat when she got back.
Li Wen asked him, "So, do you want to order something for your cotton candy and your great-grandfather's Aristotle?"
Ye Qingxi shook her head.
He said, "But I can bring a box of snacks for my grandpa and great-grandpa. The snacks here are quite delicious."
"good."
Li Wen then ordered another box of pastries.
He and Qin Cheng had spoken without restraint while Ye Qingxi was away, but after they finished, they couldn't help but worry that Ye Qingxi might have unexpectedly returned and overheard their conversation.
Therefore, Li Wen even opened the door to take a look.
But by then, Ye Qingxi had already walked to the end of the corridor and turned the corner.
Li Wen breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was around.
Qin Cheng couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"Let's not talk about these things in public next time," he said to Li Wen.
Li Wen nodded.
Therefore, the two of them were silently observing Ye Qingxi's expression.
It's a pity that a movie star like Ye Qingxi would never let them see through her.
Especially since he is now a director and screenwriter, he writes, directs, and acts in his own way so naturally that Qin Cheng and Li Wen couldn't figure anything out even after looking at him for a long time.
After the snacks were packed up, Ye Qingxi waved to Li Wen and followed Qin Cheng back.
He sat in the passenger seat as always and asked Qin Cheng affectionately, "Brother, do you want some? Brother Wen asked for an extra portion for me, I'll share with you."
Hearing his intimate tone and seeing the smile on his face, Qin Cheng felt even more strongly that he probably hadn't heard Li Wen's conversation with him, or even if he had, he didn't believe it.
Otherwise, Ye Qingxi would not only keep her distance from him, but she would also be so close to him.
"You eat it," Qin Cheng said.
"I'll save a few for you," Ye Qingxi said.
He also thought about sending half a portion to Mu Shaoting, since his aunt was a devoted dessert lover.
Qin Cheng naturally did not object.
The two went home together.
"You're back," said Old Master Feng.
Ye Qingxi knew he was most likely there, so she sweetly agreed and gave him one portion of the pastries, and Mu Feng another.
“We went to see a sculpture exhibition today, and afterwards we went to a nearby private restaurant for a meal. We found that their snacks were pretty good. Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, you should try them.”
"Good," said Grandpa Feng happily.
Mu Feng didn't particularly like this, but since Ye Qingxi offered it to him, he wouldn't refuse.
Ye Qingxi handed the remaining portion to Aunt Zhang and asked her to divide it into two portions, and then divide one portion in half again.
Aunt Zhang nodded and did as he said.
Ye Qingxi chatted with Grandpa Feng and his grandfather.
Qin Cheng was also among them.
He was a man of few words; Ye Qingxi did most of the talking.
As he listened to Ye Qingxi talking and watched him and Old Master Feng acting coquettishly, he became even more convinced that Ye Qingxi must not have heard him.
Otherwise, how could he be acting the same as usual right now?
He should have been surprised by his feelings for her long ago, and then at a loss for what to do.
Qin Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, then saw Mu Feng looking at Ye Qingxi tenderly, and said to Grandpa Feng, "Don't keep teasing him."
Grandpa Feng retorted defiantly, "What, you want to be my grandfather too?"
Mu Feng: ...
Ye Qingxi almost burst out laughing.
Qin Cheng also found it somewhat amusing.
He looked at his grandfather's speechless expression and at the smile that Ye Qingxi finally couldn't hide on her face.
Sometimes, having a crush is fine, Qin Cheng thought. At least the world is peaceful and sunny now, and the person he likes is still radiant and bright.
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