Brother, Brother, But I'm a Profligate! - Chapter 14

After Fu Sili woke up from his nap, he finally heard from Bing Chun that Fu Jing had ordered a late dinner to be prepared for him the previous night. However, since Fu Sili had fallen asleep shortly after Bing Chun left, the servant had not woken him.

Fu Sili thought to himself, “Eat? Eat what? We have not even made up yet, and he expects me to just show up and dine with him? What nerve.”

He said, “I am not going over there to eat.”

“You do not have to go over there, Young Master. The Eldest Young Master had me deliver all the food directly to your courtyard.”

Bing Chun added regretfully, “The Eldest Young Master specifically had the chef learn Huaiyang cuisine and prepared a full table of food. It is such a shame you did not wake up to eat it.”

Fu Sili paused. “Huaiyang cuisine? A full table?”

Fu Jing was usually frugal and strict with his diet, typically preparing just enough for two people. Fu Sili had never seen Fu Jing set out a full spread of dishes before.

Bing Chun chuckled. “I told the Eldest Young Master you were asleep. In the end, Qiuyuan, Lixia, Fengfu, and I finished off that table of food together.”

Fu Sili replied, “Oh.”

Bing Chun said, “But I heard the Eldest Young Master did not eat much over there either. He just moved his chopsticks a few times before heading off to work. He returned to the Imperial Academy early this morning.”

Fu Sili wanted to say something, but he felt as though he had no way to open his mouth.

He hesitated, saying, “If he asks me to dine with him again and I happen to be asleep, you should”

As he turned, his footing slipped. His knee slammed against a chair, and the sudden jolt of pain chased away whatever thought he was about to express.

After that, Fu Sili rarely saw Fu Jing. It was as if both parties had returned to their normal boundaries. On the rare occasions they crossed paths, they merely exchanged a brief nod and went their separate ways, never dining together.

Once this distance was established, Fu Sili realized that their relationship had actually been quite close before.

Fu Sili detested Fu Jing’s hot and cold attitude. What little remained of their fragile mutual sympathy vanished, and he made no effort to seek reconciliation. Fortunately, Fu Jing was not a petty man. Even though Fu Sili’s relationship with him had cooled, Fu Jing would not target him behind his back.

Occasionally, Fu Sili would feel a twinge of nostalgia for the past, but otherwise, he had no other feelings. He immersed himself in his flourishing small business, working desperately to save up capital for his future trade.

On a day when the snow had just cleared over the capital and the sky was a vast, clear blue, he found a buyer for his Rush flower Quails. He priced them at eighty taels each, with a buy two get one free deal, and arranged to meet at the Tianyi Restaurant to inspect the goods.

The snow was melting, making it the coldest time of the year. As Fu Sili walked down the street carrying a three tiered independent quail cage, the biting wind whipped against the backs of his hands, leaving them severely chapped and his fingers red and swollen.

The sound of galloping hooves approached. A loud shout came from behind, and pedestrians moved to the side of the road to make way for others.

Fu Sili stood aside as a carriage pulled up, stopping right in front of the Tianyi Restaurant. A young woman with her hair in a bun, clearly a married woman, stepped down. She carried a scholarly air, though her brow was clouded with worry.

“There goes Madam Wang again.”

“It cannot be helped. Who told the Wang family’s playboy son to spend all his time in restaurants and marry such a jealous wife?”

“The Tian family was ungrateful. Their downfall is just karma. Years ago, the Tian family betrothed their daughter to the Eldest Young Master Fu, but as soon as his mother passed away, they turned around and married into the Wang family of the Ministry of War.”

Fu Sili froze. He turned to the vendors whispering nearby. “Who is that? Eldest Young Master Fu’s fiancée?”

Interrupted, the vendor looked Fu Sili up and down and smiled. “She is his ex-fiancée. Eldest Young Master Fu’s mother has been dead for over ten years. That betrothal is from over a decade ago. They must have been five or six years old at the time.”

Fu Sili looked shocked. Seeing the young man’s soft and friendly features, the vendor chuckled. “Young Master, you are not from the capital, are you?”

Fu Sili nodded. The vendor lowered his voice mysteriously. “Then you definitely would not know. Eldest Young Master Fu has not married to this day because of this Eldest Miss Tian.”

Fu Sili asked, “What?”

Fu Sili wanted to argue. According to this man, the engagement was broken when they were children. What could they have possibly known about love at that age? But then he reconsidered. Other children might not have known anything, but Fu Jing was different.

“Two years ago, Miss Tian got married. Eldest Young Master Fu returned from the south and has been stationed at the Imperial Academy ever since. He has not married or even discussed a match. Do you not think that is a bit too coincidental?”

“Being at the Imperial Academy is for his studies. What does that have to do with Miss Tian?”

“The Imperial Academy is close to the Wang residence. Who knows if Eldest Young Master Fu has that intention?”

Fu Sili recalled Fu Jing’s strange reaction when he had brought up the topic of marriage before. He thought oddly, “Not marrying, could it be he is heartbroken? Is that why he avoids the subject?”

“Hah, who knows? Maybe he has developed a taste for men instead.”

As Fu Sili listened to their nonsense, his train of thought was broken. He felt a shiver of disgust. “That is impossible.”

A deafening crash erupted from the restaurant. With a loud thud, a person hit the ground face first before quickly scrambling up and bolting toward the exit.

The man had high, arched eyebrows and bright, star like eyes. Despite the deep winter, he wore only a thin shirt and moved with incredible agility.

“Stop right there!” Several servants wielding clubs rushed out of the restaurant. One club swung out and struck the man squarely on the head.

Fu Sili watched as a trail of blood began to snake down the man’s forehead.

In the blink of an eye, the man was pinned, and a brawl ensued. However, the man was skilled. He soon gained the upper hand, grabbing the servants by their necks and tossing them aside. He shouted at the top of his lungs, “Is this ever going to end? Huh?”

“I am a young master of the Duke Cao’s Residence! I just touched your little pet a couple of times! It was just a touch!”

Even standing where he was, Fu Sili felt the vibration of the man’s booming voice. It made his ears ache.

Just as Fu Sili was about to walk around the commotion, he realized the quails in his cage were far too quiet. He lifted the cover, and his mind went blank.

Quails are timid yet feisty creatures. They should have been fluttering wildly from the noise, but they lay motionless. Fu Sili hurriedly set the cage down to check. He opened it and felt them. All three quails were limp and unresponsive. His three quails had been frightened to death.

By now, the man had finished off the servants. He pushed himself off the ground, looking relaxed and arrogant, even as more servants chased him from the restaurant.

As the man prepared to run, he was blocked by a red-faced youth holding a birdcage.

The man gave a flippant look and blew a breath of air. “Hey there, little beauty. Brother does not have time to play with you right now.”

Fu Sili had never met someone so shameless. His face darkened. Before he could speak, the man’s eyes flashed. He suddenly laughed, grabbed Fu Sili by the wrist, and hauled him along as he ran.

Fu Sili screamed, “You bastard! My birds! Pay me back! Pay me back!”

To get his compensation, Fu Sili mustered all his strength to keep up with the man. With the man pulling him along, the two quickly disappeared at the end of the long street.

“Oh no!”

Bing Chun suddenly locked eyes with Gao Yi. His bamboo hat fell to the ground. He was about to rush forward to protect Fu Sili, but the crowd surged, blocking his path.

He was frantic with worry. “Quick! Go tell the Eldest Young Master! The Second Young Master of Duke Cao’s Residence, Gao Yi, has taken the Young Master!”

The two figures ran through the winding alleys, successfully losing their pursuers.

Fu Sili’s throat felt like it was on fire. Suddenly, Gao Yi let go of his wrist and turned to bolt again.

Fu Sili froze for a second before chasing after him. “Stop!”

He ran a few steps, and seeing Gao Yi pulling away, he lunged forward in a burst of desperation and kicked the man square in the rear.

Caught off guard, Gao Yi fell flat on his face with a heavy thud. Fu Sili immediately pinned him down, grabbing his collar. “Pay me! Pay me!”

“Are you crazy? Who the hell owes you money?”

Annoyed at being harassed, Gao Yi tried to push Fu Sili’s face away. Fu Sili leaned in and bit him.

Gao Yi hissed in pain and pulled his hand back. He raised a large palm to slap the insolent brat, but when his eyes met Fu Sili’s delicate features, he pinched the boy’s cheek instead. “Let go of my collar, or I will twist your face off!”

Fu Sili’s face crumpled, but he remained defiant. “When you rushed out of Tianyi Restaurant, you scared my three quails to death!”

He had run too fast, and sand had gotten into his eyes. As he spoke, he could not help but blink back involuntary tears.

Drip. Drip.

Gao Yi paused. He let go of Fu Sili’s face and wiped the tears that had fallen onto the back of his hand. Two red finger marks were now visible on the boy’s fair skin.

Fu Sili’s face hurt, but his heart hurt more. He suppressed his rage to reason with the man. “Someone was going to buy these three quails for one hundred and sixty taels. I will not ask for more, just pay me one hundred and sixty taels.”

“One hundred and sixty taels?” Gao Yi’s lip twitched. “Are you robbing me?”

Gao Yi looked up at the boy who was making such a large demand. He adjusted his position and scoffed, “I do not have money. Just a worthless life.”

Fu Sili’s voice rose. “No money? No money? Do you have one hundred and fifty?”

Gao Yi replied, “Forget one hundred and fifty. Even if you tried to sell them to me for five taels, I would not have it!”

Fu Sili had been working himself to the bone lately and had spent a large sum of money. Was he really supposed to just watch it all go down the drain? He glared at the man playing the rogue on the ground and began searching him for any valuables.

Gao Yi spread his arms and legs out. “Go ahead. If you find a single copper coin, I will take your last name.”

Fu Sili searched for a long time but found nothing. Even the clothes were made of cheap fabric. He snapped, “When you were fighting those people, did you not say you were a Young Master from Duke Cao’s Residence?”

Gao Yi asked in genuine surprise, “Who told you people from Duke Cao’s Residence have money?”

Fu Sili asked one last time, “Really no money?”

Gao Yi stood firm. “No money! Even if I had it, I would not give it to you! Who knows if you just brought some dead birds along to frame me!”

He waited to see how long the youth would keep pestering him, but suddenly, the boy let go, his furious expression turning into a cold calm.

Gao Yi patted his collar, which had been crumpled by the tugging. The kid looked small, but his grip was strong. Gao Yi had worn these clothes for two years without a rip, but the boy had nearly pulled the threads apart. “A perfectly fine youth, yet all you do is try to swindle people. How rotten. Is this not better? Now get off me.”

“You are an ungrateful one. Someone was following you on the street, and I helped you lose them, but instead, you try to pin these dead birds on me”

Fu Sili suddenly threw a punch. “Bah!”

Gao Yi took the hit to his abdomen, and a spark of anger flared in his chest. He performed a carp leap to flip onto his feet, intending to teach this arrogant brat a lesson, but the boy had already snatched up his birdcage and bolted.

Seeing him run as fast as a rabbit, Gao Yi laughed in spite of himself. “Do not run if you have the guts! You little maniac!”

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