A Spoiled Sweetheart's Survival Guide to the Love Battlefield - Chapter 4

Time Song had been feeling a bit bored, so he casually pulled a book from the adjacent shelf to flip through. Midway through, Lin Yiming called.

“Songsong, did you get home?”

For some reason, Lin Yiming’s voice sounded muffled and blurry, making it difficult for Time Song to hear him clearly.

“Yeah, I am,” Time Song said, his porcelain-white fingers turning a page. He asked casually, “Where are you? It’s so noisy over there.”

His voice was naturally soft, and when transmitted through the phone, it carried a slight electronic static.

Lin Yiming felt half his body go weak with affection.

He swallowed hard, using his hand to cover the microphone to dampen the noise of the crowd. “I’m still at the university. I accidentally left my phone in the dorm earlier, and those guys recklessly hung up on you. I’m so sorry, baby.”

In reality, he and Su Tang had just finished watching a stage play. After realizing the incoming call had been from Time Song, Su Tang had been continuously apologizing, his eyes looking as if he were on the verge of tears.

Lin Yiming’s heart had softened instantly. Since it was something that could be resolved with a simple explanation to Time Song, he naturally wasn’t going to blame Su Tang. However, he had no intention of telling his little boyfriend that he had gone out to watch a play, especially since holding onto two un-gifted tickets was rather embarrassing.

Time Song uttered a soft “Oh,” leaning his body lazily against the back of the chair, intending to chat a bit more.

Right at that moment, a rhythmic knocking suddenly sounded from the door.

“Songsong?”

The voice outside was cool and distant, with a slight tilt at the end.

It was Wei Huaichen.

Time Song was startled, nearly dropping his phone.

He pulled the phone slightly away from himself, turned his head, and raised his voice to ask, “Yes? What is it?”

“Come out for dinner,” Wei Huaichen said unhurriedly.

“Okay, I’ll be right there!”

Immediately after, Time Song brought the phone close and whispered, “I have to hang up now.”

Those last few words carried a slight breathiness, instantly making Lin Yiming blush to the tips of his ears.

“Okay, honey, kiss me—”

His words were half a beat too slow.

Time Song seemed to hear Lin Yiming saying something amidst the chaotic noise, but by the time he realized it, his fingers had already swiftly pressed the end-call button.

Thus, all Lin Yiming received was a cold, heartless sequence of “beep, beep, beep.”

Beside him, Su Tang’s face was filled with guilt. He gently tugged at Lin Yiming’s sleeve, shaking it slightly. “Your boyfriend isn’t angry, is he? I really didn’t do it on purpose just now, I didn’t see it was him…”

He was feeling a bit regretful now. His previous behavior of hanging up on someone else’s boyfriend felt almost like he had been possessed. It was probably because it was too dark in the theater, causing him to act in a daze.

Lin Yiming, however, did not care at all, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. “Oh, don’t worry about it. My baby has a great temper; a small matter like this won’t—”

As he spoke, he suddenly spotted something, and his eyes lit up instantly. “Wait for me here a moment. My baby mentioned before that he likes the pastries from that shop over there. I’ll go buy a couple of pieces and be right back.”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Lin Yiming’s figure had already run off into the distance.

So Lin Yiming can actually remember a casual remark someone made so close to his heart.

Su Tang stood frozen in place, a forced smile appearing on his face.

After finishing dinner, Cheng Gao rinsed his mouth and asked Time Song in a casual tone, “While your mother and I were busy abroad, how have you been living on your own?”

Time Song’s fingers, which were resting casually on the table, curled inward slightly.

He lifted his head and smiled, a strand of hair falling by his ear. His almond eyes curved slightly, making his entire demeanor appear extraordinarily obedient and sweet. “I’ve been well. Everything has been going smoothly.”

In truth, over the past five years, his father had maintained contact with him, though it was strictly limited to exchanging greetings during major holidays.

However, they would deposit a substantial amount of living allowance into Time Song’s account every month. Over these years, Time Song hadn’t touched a single penny of that money, keeping it all saved in a specific account.

Since his second year of high school, Time Song had started earning his own living expenses through his artwork.

Nevertheless, Time Song had no intention of sharing this with anyone. After a brief thought, he added, “You both should take care of your health while managing the company affairs. You don’t need to worry about me.”

The young man’s mature and understanding manner was somewhat heartbreaking.

“That’s good then.”

Cheng Gao averted his gaze and cleared his throat. “If you encounter any difficulties, let the family know at any time. We will absolutely never let you lack for anything.”

“Okay,” Time Song nodded.

“Dad, Mom, are you staying for good this time?”

“We’re not leaving again.”

Cheng Gao sighed softly. “The matters abroad are basically resolved. Xiaosong, you should pack up your things and come home to live more often in the future. I didn’t realize before that you hadn’t returned home even once over these years.”

“You and Huaichen need to get along well from now on and support each other.”

“Oh right, speaking of which…” Cheng Gao suddenly smiled. “Since we’ve been back for so long, I haven’t heard you call Huaichen ‘Brother’ even once.”

Time Song froze.

He turned his head abruptly, locking eyes directly with Wei Huaichen’s smiling gaze.

Wei Huaichen’s eyes were a sort of inorganic grey; when he smiled, his expression appeared somewhat emotionally detached, yet it remained gentle.

Time Song’s heart skipped a beat.

He guessed that Wei Huaichen probably didn’t like him very much, which was why he had deliberately avoided this issue ever since his return.

He hadn’t expected it to be noticed anyway.

Time Song had never called anyone that before, and opening his mouth to say it felt suddenly embarrassing.

The beautiful young man appeared rather anxious.

He bit his lower lip, his delicate labial tubercle becoming increasingly prominent as his teeth left a small row of marks on his lip.

The tips of his ears flushed a quiet crimson.

“What’s wrong? You don’t want to say it?”

Cheng Gao was smiling, his tone carrying a hint of urging.

With so many people watching, it would truly be unreasonable if he refused to say it.

After a moment of inner conflict, Time Song finally managed to force those two words from between his lips.

“Ge…”

“Gege.”

The repeated word sounded intimate. His voice was incredibly soft and quiet; if one didn’t listen closely, it could easily be missed.

The moment he spoke, Time Song’s fair cheeks instantly flushed with a rosy hue, extending even to the tip of his nose, looking precisely like a blossoming peach blossom exceedingly delicate and sweet, making one want to take a bite.

“Mm.”

Wei Huaichen maintained a perfectly measured smile on his face, neither too much nor too little.

It looked almost as if it had been meticulously calculated.

Time Song stayed at the house that night.

The weather recently had been unpredictable; though it had been clear during the day, the sky had grown dark and gloomy by evening.

Around eight o’clock, the housekeeper came to knock on Time Song’s door. “Xiaosong, are you asleep?”

“What is it, Auntie?”

The door opened a crack, and Time Song poked his head out, looking as cautious and stealthy as a small animal.

The housekeeper was instantly amused. “I just ran into Huaichen in the hallway. He asked me to bring this to you.”

As she spoke, she handed over a paper bag and a glass of milk.

“Okay, thank you, Auntie.”

Time Song took the items. Upon opening the bag, he discovered a brand-new set of pajamas.

He truly didn’t have pajamas to wear and had originally planned to just make do for the night. He hadn’t expected Wei Huaichen to be detailed and considerate to such an extent; he was truly gentle and thoughtful.

A warm current surged through Time Song’s heart. He felt deeply touched and resolved to thank Wei Huaichen properly in person tomorrow.

After drinking the milk and washing up, Time Song went to sleep.

In his dream, dizzying and unpleasant images flashed repeatedly. Time Song’s body curled tighter, and upon closer inspection, the small form under the blanket could be seen trembling slightly.

Rumble…

A sharp clap of thunder pierced through the sky.

Time Song was startled awake. Clutching the thick blanket tightly to his chest, he sat up abruptly in bed, his hand pressed against his chest as his heart raced and his breathing turned chaotic.

It seemed he had suffered another nightmare.

However, as to what the dream was specifically about, he couldn’t recall it clearly at the moment.

Time Song massaged his aching forehead.

The pattering of the rain outside continued, accompanied by continuous rolls of thunder, which left him feeling agitated.

His hand fumbled across the nightstand, switching on a small lamp before picking up his water glass.

It was empty; there wasn’t a single drop of water inside.

Time Song felt a burning sensation in his throat that was truly uncomfortable. Although he was thoroughly unwilling to leave the warmth of the bed, he had no choice but to get up.

A pair of porcelain-white, delicate feet slipped into a pair of fluffy slippers. Time Song covered his mouth to release a small yawn, shuffling his slippers lazily as he walked outside.

Upon reaching the ground floor, Time Song unexpectedly noticed a rustling commotion coming from the kitchen.

Who could be in there in the dead of night? Could it be a thief?

In an instant, countless worst-case scenarios flashed through Time Song’s mind. He held his breath and crept over stealthily…

“Songsong?”

Just as he was about to draw close, a slightly hoarse voice interrupted his movements.

Time Song was startled, freezing in his tracks.

It took him a moment to react. “Ge?”

The title slipped out automatically, causing Time Song to nearly bite his own tongue.

Wei Huaichen didn’t seem to have slept yet. Amidst the shifting shadows, Time Song could discern that he was still wearing the clothes from earlier that day. His body leaned back slightly against the kitchen counter in a casual posture, appearing like a silhouette in the night.

It was just that the darkness was far too dense, so much so that even when Time Song narrowed his eyes, he couldn’t see the other man’s face clearly.

After calling his name, Wei Huaichen fell silent.

Time Song felt a sense of strangeness in his heart. To break the awkwardness, he forced a topic. “Ge, why haven’t you turned on the light?”

As he spoke, he stepped forward, intending to switch on the lights.

“Wait a moment.”

To his surprise, Wei Huaichen spoke out to stop him. His voice sounded different from how it did during the day, carrying a low, lazy depth as though he were suppressing something.

“Don’t turn on the light.”

Time Song was stunned for a moment, then stood obediently in place.

“So good.”

In the darkness, Time Song heard Wei Huaichen let out a soft laugh using his breath.

That fleeting sound seemed to lightly scratch against Time Song’s earlobe, causing that sensitive patch of skin to burn inexplicably.

“Ge, what’s wrong with you?”

Time Song quickly rubbed his ear, finally unable to resist asking.

Wei Huaichen stared at him fixedly.

The young man opposite him blinked. Due to drowsiness, his eyes carried a glistening moisture, looking entirely innocent as he stood in place, not daring to step forward.

Wei Huaichen’s gaze shifted downward, landing on Time Song’s pajamas.

Those were his own clothes, so the size was rather large for Time Song.

Although Time Song had fastened the buttons all the way to the top, a section of his fair, delicate collarbones remained exposed. He had rolled up the sleeves, but the trouser legs were somewhat long, drooping entirely over the fluffy slippers.

His frame was too small to fill out such a garment, making him look like a child who had secretly put on an adult’s clothes.

He looked somewhat pitiable.

Such a posture was particularly prone to provoking the darkest impulses in others, especially for the current Wei Huaichen.

He felt his breathing tighten.

His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his eyes grew increasingly dark, as though clouded by an enduring shadow.

Wei Huaichen spoke unhurriedly, “Don’t be afraid, I just feel a bit unwell.”

Hearing that Wei Huaichen was unwell, Time Song instantly grew anxious. “Then should I go call Dad and Mom for you? In what way do you feel unwell?”

After all, Wei Huaichen was the rare person in this house who had shown him kindness. Even though he wasn’t well-acquainted with this brother, Time Song already harbored a family-like affection toward him.

The rain outside continued, showing signs of intensifying during the gaps in their conversation, casting a damp, dreary atmosphere over the entire estate.

Wei Huaichen didn’t answer.

Within the confined space, only the sound of their shallow breathing remained, seeming to intertwine together.

“Ge?”

Time Song grew increasingly worried. His voice softened, sounding as sweet as some sort of ripe fruit. “If you feel unwell anywhere, you can tell me, or I can support you back to your room.”

Wei Huaichen unhurriedly set down the glass in his hand, producing a dull thud.

“Why aren’t you coming over?”

His voice was indistinct, carrying a peculiar trace of amusement.

“What?”

Time Song didn’t hear clearly.

He was just about to step forward to check on Wei Huaichen’s condition.

Right at that moment, a flash of lightning split the sky outside, illuminating the cramped room as bright as day.

Rumble…

The thunder exploded.

In that fleeting second, Time Song clearly saw the item resting beside Wei Huaichen.

It was a white medicine bottle.

Except, its packaging was entirely different from any ordinary medicine he had ever seen before.

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