To Treat Each Other Like Brothers - Chapter 3

After staying at the club for another half hour, Xie Shiyao left with Xiao Guai. As the designated driver took the wheel, Xiao Guai obediently rested his head on Xie Shiyao’s shoulder.

The two remained silent, and the car was very quiet. Only then did Xie Shiyao hear the continuous vibration of the phone in his pocket.

Xie Shiyao did not intend to hide anything from Xiao Guai and calmly unlocked his phone.

Countless messages from Lin Zhuyi popped up.

Xie Shiyao was startled. He read them one by one, his expression shifting from surprise and speechlessness to rising irritation.

Xiao Guai saw one of the messages that read “I miss you” and looked up in shock. “Is this… your partner?”

Xie Shiyao was about to answer when the phone began to vibrate; this time, it was a direct call.

Would Lin Zhuyi ever give it a rest?

Xie Shiyao suppressed his temper and slid to answer, but in that instant, he realized the caller was actually the butler, Uncle Li.

Xie Shiyao pressed the phone to his ear. “Calling me at this hour, did something happen at home?”

Uncle Li replied, “Even though you do not want to hear any news about him, I feel I should tell you. Young Master Lin arrived just now. He is in the living room.”

Xie Shiyao was displeased. “Why did you let him in?”

Uncle Li said awkwardly, “After all, before you returned, the Young Master had always lived here.”

“Kick him out.” Xie Shiyao felt a mix of irritation and curiosity. “What is he doing there? Just because I ignored him?”

“The Young Master said he was worried about you because you were not replying to his messages, so he came back to check on you. When will you be back? Do you… want to see him?”

Worried about me? A fox offering New Year greetings to a chicken.

“Tell him I am not coming home. Let him wait on the street. That is all.”

The call ended, and silence returned to the car. Xie Shiyao remained quiet for a moment, blocked Lin Zhuyi’s number, and looked up at the sunroof.

Streaks of rain crisscrossed the glass. Most of the droplets drifted toward the back of the car due to inertia, except for one that remained stubbornly pinned in place.

The frustration in Xie Shiyao’s heart seemed to be absorbed by this single droplet that defied the laws of physics. He blinked, strangely hoping the droplet would stay there forever. Unfortunately, the driver accelerated, and the droplet finally lost its grip on the sunroof, sliding down and leaving a long trail of water behind.

The childish expectation in his eyes vanished with a soft “thud” in his mind.

The car turned into a parking lot, and Xie Shiyao entered the penthouse of his own Yaoshi Hotel with Xiao Guai.

Xie Shiyao did not like sleeping alone. He could not fall asleep by himself. He had seriously wondered if he had a sex addiction.

But later, he realized he did not. More than the act itself, he preferred the moments afterward when those people, on the edge of unconsciousness, would tremble and hold him tight, refusing to let go, clinging to him and grasping him firmly.

That rainy night, Xie Shiyao once again tasted the sensation of being held tightly.

It was good.

Except for the fact that another face kept surfacing before his eyes.

How can he be so haunting? Why can I not drive him away?

The next morning, as the sky began to grow light, the room remained pitch black due to the closed curtains. Xiao Guai was curled up against Xie Shiyao’s arm, sleeping peacefully, and Xie Shiyao was enjoying his tranquil rest.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang at the room entrance.

Ding-dong.

Xie Shiyao was a light sleeper. He opened his bleary eyes and checked his phone. It was 8:30 AM, the time for housekeeping. He scratched his messy hair; he had been so focused on “that matter” last night that he forgot to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

The doorbell continued to ring.

Xie Shiyao shouted toward the door, “No cleaning needed. Go away. Come back after checkout.”

The hallway went quiet for a moment.

Xie Shiyao rolled over to continue sleeping. Being held by someone, drowsiness quickly reclaimed his mind. Just as his consciousness drifted on the border between wakefulness and dreams—

Ding-dong.

Ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong-ding-dong.

This long, nearly provocative string of chimes forced Xie Shiyao’s eyes wide open. Xiao Guai also looked toward the door in confusion, his eyes hazy with sleep.

Xie Shiyao sat up abruptly with a curse. He threw off the covers, threw on the bathrobe hanging in the hallway, tied the belt at his waist, and walked toward the door with his upper body half-exposed.

Just as his hand touched the handle, he stopped, preparing to push the door open.

To his surprise, a calm and familiar voice sounded from outside.

“Why haven’t you opened the door yet, Brother?”

Xie Shiyao’s mind went blank. The fingertips that had touched the handle pulled back instantly as if they had been electrocuted.

Lin Zhuyi? Why was he out there?

How did he know I was here?

The peephole on the door was a dark void, emitting an eerie aura, as if the person outside was pressed against it, peering in.

By now, Xiao Guai had also gotten out of bed, his clothes disheveled as he draped himself in a large bathrobe. “Brother Xie, what is wrong?”

Xie Shiyao remained standing still, silent. Xiao Guai, not understanding the situation and seeing Xie Shiyao acting like a statue, pushed the door open for him.

The door was opened by Xiao Guai’s own hand.

The hallway lights flooded into the room. As the door swung wide, the scent belonging only to Lin Zhuyi wafted in.

Lin Zhuyi stood outside.

Every expression on Xiao Guai’s face froze the moment he saw Lin Zhuyi. How could there be someone who looked so much like himself? He looked at Xie Shiyao, then back at Lin Zhuyi, trying to find an answer in their silent interaction.

What Xiao Guai found strange was that the look in Lin Zhuyi’s eyes outside shifted from composure to something terrifying.

However, that frightening expression lasted only an instant. In the next second, Lin Zhuyi had already arranged a polite smile and spoke to Xiao Guai:

“Hello, I am his younger brother, Lin Zhuyi.”

“He did not reply to my messages all night, and he did not come home. I was a bit worried. But…”

“My brother… is he good in bed? Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Huh?” Xiao Guai was stunned by this unprovoked insult. A younger brother? Where did this much hostility come from?

Yet, Lin Zhuyi’s tone was incredibly sincere, as if he truly wanted to know the answer and was genuinely unaware of how insulting the words were, appearing to have purely low emotional intelligence.

Xie Shiyao took a step forward, poking his head out to check the hallway. After confirming no one else was around, he grabbed Lin Zhuyi by the neck and threw him into the room.

The door was slammed shut.

Xie Shiyao used immense force, and Lin Zhuyi fell to the floor from the momentum.

Xie Shiyao immediately straddled Lin Zhuyi, raising his hand high, preparing to slap him. “What kind of way is that to talk? You are acting like you have no upbringing. Apologize.”

Xiao Guai, never having seen such a scene, was scared out of his wits. He quickly grabbed Xie Shiyao’s hand. “Brother Xie, do not lower yourself to your brother’s level.”

Lin Zhuyi gazed up at Xie Shiyao, narrowed his eyes, and mimicked Xiao Guai’s tone, repeating sarcastically, “Brother Xie?”

Xie Shiyao desperately wanted to strike, but his hand was held back by Xiao Guai. He could only say to Xiao Guai, “We fought all the time when we were kids. Do not be afraid. He deserves a beating.”

He really is just a brother, not a lover. Xiao Guai felt a sense of relief, but he still refused to let go. “Brother Xie, your grip is so strong. What if you hurt him?”

At the mention of “strong grip,” a chilling frost erupted in Lin Zhuyi’s eyes. “How do you know Brother has a strong grip? Did you find out last night?”

“I really did not expect you to be into this, Brother.”

From the message bombardment last night, to running off to the ancestral house alone, to using Uncle Li to tell him he was home, and then inexplicably ruining his sleep and making him look so pathetic in front of someone else…

He needed to be taught a lesson.

Fueled by his morning grumpiness, Xie Shiyao reached his limit. He forced his hand free from Xiao Guai’s grasp and delivered a sharp slap to Lin Zhuyi’s left cheek.

No expression of pain appeared on Lin Zhuyi’s face.

After licking the blood from the corner of his mouth, Lin Zhuyi suddenly bucked his hips and grabbed Xie Shiyao’s bathrobe collar, pulling him closer. He asked coldly in return:

“Why did you intentionally avoid hitting the right side of my face? Are you unable to bring yourself to do it, Brother?”

“It seems Brother hasn’t vented his anger yet. Should I give you the right side too? Your partner is right there. If you care about me this much, aren’t you afraid he will be jealous?”

His jet-black hair was scattered over his swollen, pale cheek, also hiding the hearing aid in his right ear.

Xie Shiyao’s heart thundered. What partner? Lin Zhuyi acted as if he were possessed, saying the most unpleasant things imaginable.

He raised his hand to strike again.

In that moment, a flash of triumph from a successful scheme crossed Lin Zhuyi’s eyes, followed immediately by his gaze losing focus and clouding over with a layer of mist, turning into an expression of grievance.

Lin Zhuyi actually began to cry. He cried with an expressionless face.

“Brother, I missed you very much. Aunt is so annoying; she keeps forcing me to answer questions I do not want to answer. I sent you messages, but you did not reply.”

“I ran away from Aunt’s place, but I did not expect that you would not return to the ancestral home either. I guessed you might be at the hotel. Luckily, the hotel manager recognized me and kept calling me ‘Young Master,’ so I asked him to help me find you. He wanted to suck up to me, so he brought me here.”

“What can I do? This world is foreign to me. I only remember you. Was I really wrong?”

Xie Shiyao was absolutely dumbfounded!

With acting skills like this, what could he not succeed at? Why did he have to use all his talent just to disgust him?

Xie Shiyao said, “You are still acting? What exactly do you want? Is it money?”

At the mention of “money,” Lin Zhuyi’s expression stiffened, and his pupils contracted sharply as if pricked by a needle.

Ultimately, Lin Zhuyi set aside all his sorrow and returned to a state of calm. “Everyone in the family is dead. Should we not rely on each other?”

Without waiting for Xie Shiyao’s reaction, Lin Zhuyi looked up and spoke to Xiao Guai: “I searched for my brother all night. He never replied to me. I was too angry. If what I said earlier offended you, I am sorry. Can you help me persuade my brother to take me home?”

Xie Shiyao felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He doubted both his vision and his hearing.

Lin Zhuyi… just said “I am sorry”?

Xiao Guai had never experienced such a situation. Although Lin Zhuyi had insulted him, he had also referred to him as “Xie Shiyao’s partner.” The words carried a sense of “only you can persuade Xie Shiyao,” which gave Xiao Guai a strange sense of satisfaction.

Xie Shiyao looked at Xiao Guai. “You have a shoot this afternoon, right? I will drop you off in a bit. Go put your clothes on first.”

Xiao Guai nodded blankly. It was strange; when Xie Shiyao looked at Lin Zhuyi, his eyes were full of anger and impatience, looking incredibly vivid. Yet, when he looked at Xiao Guai, there was no emotion at all.

Xiao Guai could not describe the feeling in his heart and could only go to the bathroom to change.

Once Xie Shiyao was sure Xiao Guai had left, he got up from Lin Zhuyi. He stood over him, his eyes initially filled with fury.

Soon, that fury was replaced by a habitual numbness.

He glanced at Lin Zhuyi with the extreme coldness one would show a dog. “Why are you faking amnesia?”

“How could I, Brother? I certainly am not.”

Xie Shiyao felt both exhausted and enraged by this haunting presence. In a state of ultimate numbness, he lamented, “Lin Zhuyi… why could you not have died along with Dad?”

Lying on the floor, accompanied by the sound of Xiao Guai changing clothes, Lin Zhuyi spoke softly, “Actually, I often think that too.”

“Only, if I died, would you cry for me? Would you?”

The automatic curtains slowly opened.

Sunlight enveloped Lin Zhuyi. Xie Shiyao looked at the glowing figure of Lin Zhuyi, who was almost muttering to himself, and asked in return, “Is your life or death worth even a single tear of mine?”

Lin Zhuyi changed the subject instead. “Let us make a bet. Let us bet that sooner or later, you will cry for me once.”

This absolute certainty almost made Xie Shiyao laugh in anger. “Where does your confidence come from?”

Lin Zhuyi nodded thoughtfully. He pushed himself up and stood from the floor.

In four years, he had grown significantly. Standing face-to-face, he was actually two centimeters taller than Xie Shiyao.

Lin Zhuyi leaned down, his nose nearly brushing against the tip of Xie Shiyao’s ear. He said unhurriedly, “Brother, since you are in such a hurry to shake me off…”

“Then I shall insist on having my way.”

At this point, Lin Zhuyi’s expression became incredibly dark and cold.

“Because you and I are destined to depend on each other for life.”