After the Straight Male Incubus Became a Heartthrob - Chapter 33

Gu Jiazhi was exhausted yesterday. He accidentally fell asleep in the airport lounge and missed his flight, forcing him to rebook a ticket upon waking up this morning. He had even purchased delicious local specialties to bring back for Ye Lin to taste, imagining they would watch a movie together and enjoy a sweet time as a couple.

In his imagination, the soft morning light would shine through the floor-to-ceiling windows to illuminate the living room. He and Ye Lin would sit on the sofa, shoulder to shoulder and head to head, sharing their innermost thoughts. He would complain about the hardships at the company, and Ye Lin would comfort and encourage him. At the same time, he would playfully pester Ye Lin for some sweetness. Then, they would kiss passionately, unable to part.

However, he never expected to enter the living room and see Ye Lin lying in Gu Zhe’s arms, looking relaxed, like a kitten seeking comfort from its master. Gu Zhe, who possessed the exact same face, was lying on the sofa. For a split second, Gu Jiazhi felt as if he were looking at a reflection of himself.

He could only imagine how much intimacy Gu Zhe had stolen in his place. Ye Lin would have kissed him proactively, played games with him, spoken to him tenderly, and perhaps even kicked him playfully in a mock temper. These were the moments of warmth that Gu Jiazhi deserved after working hard for days, yet Gu Zhe had usurped his place and stolen it all.

“Damn it, who let you in?”

Ye Lin heard the noise and reacted belatedly, sitting up to look toward the entrance. But before he could see the figure clearly, Gu Jiazhi had already reached them and swung a heavy punch at Gu Zhe. Seeing the aggression, Ye Lin fled to the side in fear.

The attack was too fast. Gu Zhe still had Ye Lin’s weight on him, and although he turned his head, he could not fully dodge it. A bruise immediately bloomed on his left cheek.

“Gu Zhe, you did this on purpose, did you not?” Gu Jiazhi clenched his fist and swung again.

“Gu Zhe?” Ye Lin repeated the name, his brain momentarily frozen.

“Why has it always been like this since we were children? Whatever I like, you have to steal. When we were young, it was toys; now that we are older, it is Ye Lin.”

Gu Jiazhi tried to strike again, but this time his fist was caught.

“Are you a stupid pig?” Gu Zhe pushed him away forcefully, hurriedly straightened his clothes, and looked at Ye Lin. “If Ye Lin had no intention, how could I be here?”

Gu Jiazhi staggered back a few steps before stopping. He looked at Ye Lin, his mouth opening and closing as if he wanted to speak but could not. His heart was in immense pain, far more agonizing than seeing Ye Lin intimate with Liang Wenle. With Liang Wenle, there was only jealousy, but with Gu Zhe, there was also a profound sense of disappointment and desolation.

“No, wait, you two?” Ye Lin looked back and forth between the two identical faces, trying to find a difference. Finally, he identified them by their eyes. The one on the verge of collapse was Gu Jiazhi, while the one sitting disheveled on the sofa was Gu Zhe.

That meant, just now, he and Gu Zhe had been together. Ye Lin’s mind was a tangled mess of yarn. Then, a surge of anger rushed through him, turning his cheeks a bright red.

Gu Zhe moved quickly, restoring his appearance to a neat state in an instant. He let out a cold laugh and looked at his younger brother. “Gu Jiazhi, do you really think Ye Lin is sincere with you? A liar like him can offer so-called sincerity anytime and anywhere as long as there is money involved. Just now, he was leaning in my arms saying that although you are twins, he still prefers the older brother because the younger one is too much of a waste.”

For Gu Zhe, this chaotic scene was nothing to fear. Instead, it was something to be exploited to break Gu Jiazhi’s spirit and force him to return home obediently.

Ye Lin picked up a glass and threw it at Gu Zhe. “Gu Zhe, stop framing me! I never said that! You lied to me! You pretended to be Gu Jiazhi to trick me!”

Gu Zhe dodged the glass and continued his slander. “Stop acting. Anyone who has known Gu Jiazhi for more than a month can tell us apart. You clearly liked me, so you just went along with it.”

Ye Lin finally realized that Gu Zhe was taking revenge, trying to drive a wedge between him and Gu Jiazhi to force the latter to leave Fanxing. He could not let this despicable person succeed. “Jiazhi, listen to me. Gu Zhe is an actor. He is too good at acting, and I simply did not notice just now.”

Gu Jiazhi stared at Ye Lin’s panicked eyes, feeling utterly disappointed. “When Liang Wenle met us for the first time as children, even he could distinguish between Gu Zhe and me.”

Ye Lin’s heart leapt into his throat. He knew Gu Jiazhi’s sore spots better than anyone and explained emotionally, “How can you compare me to Liang Wenle? Gu Zhe does not want to harm Liang Wenle, so of course he does not act in front of him. He wanted to harm me, so he mimicked you!”

Seeing the fire burning brighter, Gu Zhe added more fuel. “I would never mimic this stupid brother of mine. You were the one who threw yourself at me. You said I have money, ability, and power over the Gu family, making me far more impressive than Liang Wenle and more worthy of your affection.”

Ye Lin shouted that he did not, but he knew proving his innocence was too difficult. He looked at Gu Jiazhi. “Jiazhi, you know Gu Zhe better than I do, right? If he were upright and honest, you would not hate him. But you hate him because his character is wretched. Therefore, every word he says is a calculated lie and not worth believing!”

Gu Zhe did not want to fall into the trap of self-justification, so he turned up the heat even more. He raised a hand to his mouth in an “OK” gesture. “Gu Jiazhi, you have no idea how skilled this guy is. He just used this place to help me. Tsk tsk, he was born to be used by men.”

Gu Jiazhi did not reply. He charged forward and punched Gu Zhe again. Blood splattered, Gu Zhe’s lip split, and half of his face swelled instantly. Following that was a knee to the abdomen that made Gu Zhe double over.

Gu Zhe was stunned for a moment, not expecting Gu Jiazhi to strike so ruthlessly. He asked in disbelief, “Gu Jiazhi, you are hitting me for this piece of trash who steps on several boats at once?”

Gu Jiazhi did not answer; he just continued the assault. Ye Lin clutched his clothes and retreated from the combat zone, continuing to curse at Gu Zhe. “You are the piece of trash, and a brain-dead one at that. You deserve to be beaten to death!”

Twins coexist in the womb from the moment of conception, and their bond is usually far stronger than that of ordinary brothers. Even if there is jealousy or hatred, it rarely reaches the level of becoming mortal enemies. Throughout their lives, they had fought countless times, but never once like this. Gu Jiazhi remained silent throughout, throwing punches frantically at vital spots without showing any mercy.

Gu Zhe had just finished speaking when he was kicked again, falling to the ground. His head hit the sofa, his hair was a mess, and his face was bruised and swollen beyond recognition. Gu Jiazhi was too familiar with his brother’s fighting style and used their unique twin intuition to block his counterattacks before they even began. Soon, Gu Zhe’s nose was bleeding, his right eye was so swollen he could not open it, and he had lost a tooth.

Ye Lin’s pupils dilated. He had never seen such a scene; it looked like a blood feud. Gu Jiazhi was still fighting like a silent machine, his brain only executing the code to strike.

“Hahaha!” Gu Zhe grinned, his teeth covered in bloody foam, looking terrifying. “Your heart is in pain. It feels like your body is being torn apart, right? That is why you are so angry! Gu Jiazhi, you are hilarious! You thought Ye Lin rejected the 1.2 billion because he truly liked you, but in reality, he just doubted I could produce the money and wanted to use your reputation to develop Fanxing. But now that you have no money, he hooked up with me. You understand now, right? He is just a…”

Before he could finish, Gu Jiazhi landed a heavy blow to his stomach. The words were cut off as Gu Zhe’s features contorted, and he coughed up a large amount of fresh blood. It felt as if his internal organs were shattered by that punch.

Ye Lin found the bloody scene terrifying but still spoke up to explain. “Jiazhi, do not listen to him. I did not hook up with him, and I never wanted to use you. I sincerely want to start this business with you and grow the company.”

Gu Jiazhi did not respond. He just kept hitting, his face cold as he cursed Gu Zhe. “I knew since we were children that you were a hypocritical jerk. You pretended to be well-behaved on the surface but were dark and wretched behind everyone’s back!”

Gu Zhe was beaten into a bloody mess, yet he still spat blood at Gu Jiazhi and laughed. “And what about you? You are a pathetic waste! You have always known, right? Anyone who meets me will despise and look down on you, thinking you cannot compare to me in the slightest. Even Ye Lin is like that; otherwise, why would he willingly lie in my arms today?”

Gu Jiazhi suddenly remembered many things from their childhood, and his eyes slowly turned red. Gu Zhe seized this second of distraction to launch a counterattack. In the blink of an eye, Gu Jiazhi was thrown off, smashing into the glass coffee table and falling to the ground. Blood stained a large area of the floor.

Gu Zhe rushed up to grapple with him, breaking the television screen and tearing the sofa apart. The floor was covered with shards of glass and porcelain, shimmering like snow. A large refrigerator fell over with a loud bang, and countless food items and drinks rolled out, dirtying the floor. Blood splattered in the air alongside soft white cotton stuffing from the furniture, a stark contrast of red and white.

“Come on, Gu Jiazhi, hit me to death! At worst, we both die!” “Shut up! This time, only you will die!” “Funny. A waste like you can only kill me by risking your own life!” “Die!”

They were like two dying beasts tearing at each other, leaving no path for survival. Ye Lin saw that the fight was getting more vicious, with blood staining the living room everywhere. Realizing someone might actually die, he took out his phone to call for an ambulance and the police.

This was a fight where both parties were risking their lives; it was difficult for an outsider to intervene. Moreover, both men were covered in blood and injuries, making it impossible to tell who was who.

“Jiazhi, Gu Zhe, you are brothers! There is no need to kill each other!” “Stop it, right now!”

Ye Lin shouted, and out of a sense of conscience, he tried to move in to stop them. Suddenly, a stool flew toward him, heading straight for his head. Fortunately, he ducked quickly, or his brains would have been scattered. However, his shoulder was hit. He let out a cry of pain and looked at the living room with a drooping shoulder.

“Actually, this thing is not that serious! Stop fighting!” At this point, Ye Lin only dared to use words to persuade them, fearing a physical intervention would make things worse. “Really, listen to me.”

Ye Lin endured the pain of his dislocated shoulder and stepped into the living area again. The sight of the piercing red blood made his legs weak. The brothers had moved their fight into the kitchen. He could hear the sound of rushing water and shattering porcelain.

“Stop fighting! Someone is going to die!” Ye Lin quickly dodged the shards on the floor, trying to enter the kitchen.

Suddenly, the door opened. Paramedics and police arrived simultaneously. The police subdued the two men and put them into the ambulance. The two white stretchers were stained red, and their faces were unrecognizable; they looked like two masses of blood and flesh. The medical staff did their best to stop the bleeding, utilizing various instruments.

Ye Lin tried to explain the cause of the fight to the police, but he did not know how to start, so he used the excuse of the twins having explosive tempers. Since they were brothers and the injuries were severe, formal statements would have to be taken later. After the police finished asking for a general overview, they let him leave.

The brothers were sent into different ICUs in the same facility, two red lights illuminating the hallway. Ye Lin paced anxiously in the corridor, looking up at the emergency lights every second. At first, he was angry at Gu Zhe for deceiving him and had cursed him with the most vicious words. He was also upset with Gu Jiazhi for misunderstanding and questioning him. But now, none of that mattered. He only prayed that both of them would be successfully rescued.

In the face of life and death, all grievances take a back seat. As long as they survived and recovered, they could settle the score later. His arm was dislocated, and the medical staff had bandaged it upon his arrival, so it was now hanging in a sling. He should have been resting in a ward, but he could not sit still and waited outside the emergency room.

The sound of running footsteps came from the end of the hall. It was the anxious parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gu. They called out their children’s names with choked voices. Mrs. Gu was already crying, making a prayer gesture. “Please let my children be okay. Please.”

Mr. Gu looked at the emergency room and asked Ye Lin, “Were you the one who called the police and the ambulance?”

Ye Lin nodded truthfully. “Uncle, we are friends. I saw the fight was too severe and I could not stop them, so I called for help.”

Mr. Gu noticed Ye Lin’s left arm in a sling. He took out a business card and handed it to him, thanking him politely. “Thank you. If you have any difficulties in the future, you can come to me.”

Ye Lin pushed the card back. “It is fine, Uncle. It was just a small help.”

Seeing his firm attitude, Mr. Gu did not insist. However, he had a good impression of this honest young man and added, “Then I will cover your medical expenses this time and give you some money as a thank-you gift.”

Ye Lin nodded, thanking him for the kindness. Beside them, Mrs. Gu was so weak from crying that she had to lean into Mr. Gu’s arms. “Hubby, they always fight, but why did they try to kill each other this time? It is too terrifying.”

Mr. Gu’s brow was furrowed in worry. “Sigh, after this is over, we must have the brothers work on their relationship. They cannot always be fighting.”

Mrs. Gu trembled as she cried. “Xiao Zhe has always been so sensible. How could he fight Jiazhi like this?”

Mr. Gu shook his head helplessly. “Jiazhi’s temper is just too explosive. It must have been him who struck first with lethal intent, and Xiao Zhe had no choice but to fight back.”

Hearing this, Ye Lin immediately understood the situation Gu Jiazhi had lived in for years. He could not help but explain, “Uncle, Auntie, it was Gu Zhe who provoked first. He insulted Gu Jiazhi, saying he was nothing without the Gu family. That is why Gu Jiazhi acted.”

Both parents were stunned and looked at Ye Lin in disbelief. Mrs. Gu was the first to speak. “Is that true? Xiao Zhe has a pure character and is well-behaved. How could he mock his brother?”

Mr. Gu agreed. “Yes, I watched Xiao Zhe grow up. He has a good temper, while Jiazhi’s is terrible. Even this time, Jiazhi insisted on starting a business and fooling around!”

As expected, biased people never realize their own favoritism. If siblings do not get along, it is often due to the parents’ lack of virtue. The poor relationship between the twins was inseparable from this couple. Ye Lin saw they were beyond help and could only remark, “For now, let us pray for their safety. Once they wake up, you should take good care of both of them.”

At this time, other relatives and friends of the Gu family arrived, including Liang Wenle. Liang Wenle was surprised to see Ye Lin there. However, considering that the Gu parents were old-fashioned and did not accept homosexuality, he restrained his actions and pulled Ye Lin outside to ask what happened.

Ye Lin simplified the story. He happened to encounter the two brothers fighting, got injured while trying to stop them, and called for help. Liang Wenle was skeptical, sensing there was more to the story. “Really? Why did you happen to meet them and stop them right at that moment?”

Ye Lin thought for a moment to cover the lie. “Your father was so scary that day. I was terrified and did not dare look for you. Gu Jiazhi saw I was pitiful and took me in. Since he is straight anyway, I stayed at his apartment. Who knew Gu Zhe, that idiot, would suddenly show up and mock Gu Jiazhi for being a waste who could never succeed in business? Then they started fighting. It was very violent. I stepped in to stop them and my arm got dislocated. It hurts so much.”

After speaking, Ye Lin shifted his arm slightly, and the genuine pain brought tears to his eyes. Seeing this, Liang Wenle was deeply distressed. He gently touched the arm and grumbled in a low voice, “You are so stupid. If they want to fight, let them fight. What does it have to do with you? It would be fine even if they ended up disabled, but I will be heartbroken if your hand is broken.”

Ye Lin tilted his head to kiss his cheek and smiled. “If Wenle is heartbroken, it means you have me in your heart. I am so happy.”

The tips of Liang Wenle’s ears turned slightly red. He called Ye Lin a dummy but kissed the back of his hand tenderly, urging him to rest and stay out of fights in the future. The relationship between the Gu brothers was notoriously bad, so a violent fight was normal. Furthermore, Ye Lin was injured, so what suspicion could there be? Surely the Gu brothers would not be willing to let the person they liked get hurt in a fight.

Liang Wenle held Ye Lin for a while before returning to the emergency room entrance. He was Gu Jiazhi’s friend, so it was only right for him to be there. However, being lazy, he sat down on the furthest bench after a short while and whispered to Ye Lin. They were some distance away from the Gu relatives, so they were unlikely to be overheard.

Liang Wenle complained about the poor family environment of the Gu household, noting that only a few relatives had shown up. He said that if he were in the emergency room, the whole hospital would be packed with people wailing for him. From his description, it sounded like an emperor passing away in ancient times, where all concubines, servants, and ministers had to mourn.

Ye Lin silently critiqued his exaggeration but endured the nausea to say sweet words to coax him. “If Wenle were in the emergency room, I definitely would not be able to eat or sleep. I would get so thin I would be nothing but bones.”

Liang Wenle was delighted, looking like a foolish ruler blinded by a favored consort. Ye Lin thought Liang Wenle’s character was poor; his good friend was in the emergency room, yet he was outside complaining and not worried at all.

Liang Wenle held him and whispered, “If the rescue fails and I pass away, will you look for a new man?”

Ye Lin almost vomited but forced himself to answer. “If Wenle passes away, I will not be able to go on. I will definitely follow you and find you in heaven.”

Liang Wenle was overjoyed and wanted to kiss Ye Lin for a long time, ignoring everyone, but he restrained himself. He had long forgotten the gravity of the current situation, completely immersed in a fake happiness. Behind a thick wall, Gu Jiazhi was being rescued, his life hanging in the balance, while Liang Wenle was showing off his love outside and making jokes about his brother’s life and death. Even more ironically, the person in his arms was the one Gu Jiazhi liked and the reason Gu Jiazhi was injured.

Mr. and Mrs. Gu were still crying, and nearby relatives comforted them and prayed. Liang Wenle was not affected by the heavy, sorrowful atmosphere. He just felt it was taking too long and whispered a complaint. “It is so boring. In two more minutes, let us use your arm as an excuse to leave. I do not think he will die. Gu Jiazhi cannot be that unlucky.”

Ye Lin still wanted to wait and tried to persuade him. “That might not be good.”

Just as he spoke, the light in the emergency room went out. A doctor wearing a mask came out and announced that the patient was out of danger but needed to be moved to the Intensive Care Unit. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Once Mr. and Mrs. Gu confirmed Gu Jiazhi was okay, they followed Gu Zhe’s gurney, saying many moving things.

Ye Lin was disappointed by this scene. He grabbed Liang Wenle’s sleeve and said in a low voice, “Let us go see Jiazhi.”

Liang Wenle accompanied him to the outside of Gu Jiazhi’s room. Through the sterile glass window, they could see that Gu Jiazhi was wrapped in bandages from head to toe. A ventilator was connected to his nose, and he was surrounded by numerous instruments. He no longer looked human; they could only tell it was Gu Jiazhi by the room number.

Liang Wenle made a tsking sound, remarking on the severity of the injuries. At the same time, he looked toward Gu Zhe’s room next door. “Is Gu Zhe that powerful? Gu Jiazhi was actually beaten like this?”

Ye Lin quickly warned him, “Lower your voice. His parents treasure him; if they hear you, they will scold you again.”

Liang Wenle rolled his eyes helplessly and took out his phone to share the gossip with friends, reporting the tragic state of Gu Jiazhi being beaten by his brother. He even bragged that once Gu Zhe recovered, he would help Gu Jiazhi hit him back. His friends, of course, praised his loyalty and strength, providing plenty of emotional validation.

Ye Lin was not in the mood for his phone. He pressed his palm against the glass, staring at Gu Jiazhi in the room. Tears shimmered in his eyes, but he held them back. With Liang Wenle beside him, he could only say everything silently in his heart.

It is so frustrating. Why did you have to misunderstand me? Now you are seriously injured and cannot get up. I hate Gu Zhe as much as you do. I could never be with him. I just trusted you too much. Gu Zhe disguised himself as you, so I was tricked. Your parents are so biased; they only care about your brother. Gu Jiazhi, you have to get well soon. I am serious. You are the best person I have ever met. You must live a long life.

When his thoughts reached this point, his eyes were red and he felt like crying. Liang Wenle hugged him from behind and whispered into his ear. “Let us go back. My dad is going abroad on a business trip these few days, so he will not have time to worry about us.”

Ye Lin wanted to stay longer and planned to find more excuses, but he choked up as soon as he spoke and did not dare to say a word. Seeing no response, Liang Wenle gently bit his ear and playfully threatened him. “If you do not leave, I will carry you out. That would give those two old-fashioned people a real shock!”

The circular glass window reflected their figures pressed together. If Gu Jiazhi opened his eyes, he would see this couple standing outside the door in a loving embrace. Fortunately, he could not open his eyes for the time being. Therefore, he also could not see Ye Lin being led away by Liang Wenle, his gaze full of lingering reluctance.