To Treat Each Other Like Brothers - Chapter 7

Xie Shiyao did not reply, nor did he let go. In this extreme proximity, his gaze involuntarily flickered toward Lin Zhuyi’s earlobe. That healthy ear, the one without the hearing aid, showed no trace that the lobe had once been torn; it had healed perfectly. However, there was a transparent stud piercing the lobe. It was nearly invisible unless one looked closely.

Xie Shiyao was surprised. The placement was identical to the piercing on his own left ear. Why wear a transparent stud? Is it because he does not want it to be seen? But if he got the piercing, why hide it?

“When did you get your ear pierced?” Xie Shiyao asked.

Lin Zhuyi replied nonchalantly, “I do not remember. It was probably after you left for America.”

“Why?”

“Does it matter, Brother? Before I answer your question, you have to answer mine first. Were you thinking about me just now? You want to kick me out, so what do you plan to do if I refuse to go?”

Xie Shiyao let go with displeasure and countered, “Are you planning to loiter here? Are we even that close? Lin Zhuyi, since you have already said you remember those disgusting memories from the past, why continue to fake amnesia? What is the point?”

The corner of Lin Zhuyi’s mouth quirked up for a split second before he quickly suppressed it, as if he did not want Xie Shiyao to notice his happiness. He straightened his back, thought for a moment, and then sat sideways next to Xie Shiyao. Propping his head up with one hand on the back of the sofa, he observed Xie Shiyao.

“I also said that was a ‘maybe,’ so that sentence was merely a possibility.”

Xie Shiyao’s expression grew stern. He had originally thought it was a good thing that Lin Zhuyi had stopped pretending. Considering how Lin Zhuyi had spoken up for him in front of their aunt, Xie Shiyao had even felt a spark of kindness. He thought that catching up with the only living person who had been part of his past might be a reasonable act of charity.

But Lin Zhuyi was still playing games and lying to him. With that, Xie Shiyao changed his mind. He crushed the burnt-out cigarette butt heavily into the ashtray.

“The cigarette is finished. You should leave.”

Lin Zhuyi did not move an inch. “Aunt does not want me anymore either. Where else would I go? Surely Brother would not want me sleeping on the streets.”

Xie Shiyao said haughtily, “I do not keep dogs. There is no kennel here for you to sleep in.”

Lin Zhuyi said nothing. He merely continued to stare at Xie Shiyao with a casual, lingering gaze. That look was too naked, like a vigorous fire capable of setting a prairie ablaze at any moment.

Xie Shiyao glanced sideways, meeting that fiery gaze. “Your mother left you plenty of money and houses in good locations. This old mansion cannot accommodate you. Before my patience runs out and I can still speak to you civilly, leave.”

Lin Zhuyi continued to watch him. Seeing this, Xie Shiyao did not want to say anything more. He picked up his phone and called the housekeeper, Uncle Li.

“There is an outsider in the house. Call the security guards and have him escorted out. If he does not cooperate, call the police.”

He hung up and gave an arrogant, elegant smile. Extending a well-defined index finger, he pointed twice toward the door. “Even with amnesia, you can see where the door is, right?” Xie Shiyao mocked.

The vigorous fire seemed to die out. Lin Zhuyi sighed. “If this is what you want, I am willing to endure it for a while longer. But before I go, I am going to finish making this meal.”

After saying that, Lin Zhuyi got up and walked to the kitchen on his own. Before long, the sound of stir-frying echoed from the kitchen. During this time, Uncle Li stepped in to take a look. Seeing it was Lin Zhuyi inside, he shook his head at the security guards outside the door.

Because the ingredients were already prepared, the meal was finished quickly. It was a healthy spread of four dishes and a soup, consisting of homestyle cooking with very little oil. Lin Zhuyi was tactful enough not to stay for dinner. Before leaving, he stopped at the door and said something ambiguous.

“Brother, you have to be good while I am away.”

If this had happened ten years ago, back when Xie Shiyao was still a student with a temper, he would have smashed an ashtray against the door. But now, he silently listened to the sound of Lin Zhuyi closing the door. Sitting in the middle of the empty dining table, he used a silver spoon to scoop up a mouthful of the pork bone and yam soup Lin Zhuyi had stewed.

Be good? How childish.

The clear broth passed his thin lips and slid over the center of his pale red tongue. It tasted good, but compared to their past, the flavor seemed a bit too bland.

Xie Shiyao did not believe Lin Zhuyi would give up so easily. At least, that was what he believed for the next two weeks. During those two weeks, he was busy. He was busy shedding his former playboy image and learning to wear the mask of “Chairman Xie.” He was so busy that he even used sleeping pills to replace the post-intimacy embraces of his past.

His efforts yielded visible results. Several major projects within the group that had been mired in bickering for years were miraculously clarified and pushed forward under his leadership. Now, he only needed to sit behind his large desk and lift his light-colored eyes to make those distant relatives, who tried to defy him based on their seniority, break into a cold sweat.

During this time, Xiao Guai contacted him several times, wanting to meet up. It was nothing more than an attempt to extract more benefits under the guise of gratitude. Xie Shiyao did not mind that, but through the incident where Xiao Guai trended on social media, he realized the boy was not very bright. Boredom can be fixed, but stupidity is hopeless. It was not interesting, so every time Xiao Guai contacted him, he politely declined.

Before he knew it, October had arrived. That day was unexpectedly light on work. As Xie Shiyao left the Yaoshi Building and sat in the driver’s seat, he gazed at the sunset, feeling a momentary sense of hesitation, unsure of where to go. It had been over a month since he last saw Lin Zhuyi. Having been quiet for so long without causing trouble, he wondered if the boy was dead.

Xie Shiyao did not know what he was thinking, but his leather shoe pressed the gas pedal. With one hand on the steering wheel, he began driving aimlessly around North City. Eventually, the Rolls-Royce inexplicably stopped in front of a high school. It was exactly when school let out. From inside the gates, students in uniforms swarmed out.

Xie Shiyao shifted gears and reversed, hiding the car behind a tree and curiously observing the students. Soon, Lin Zhuyi appeared in his field of vision with headphones around his neck. He was tall and fair, nearly two heads taller than the average student, making him easy to spot at a glance.

A physiological sense of disgust made Xie Shiyao’s heart race, but at the same time, he wanted to know where the guardian-less Lin Zhuyi had been living lately. Just as Xie Shiyao was about to follow him, a familiar-looking boy suddenly ran up behind Lin Zhuyi, grinning as he reached his side. Upon seeing the boy, the two immediately began chatting and laughing. Occasionally, the boy would pat Lin Zhuyi’s shoulder. They looked exceptionally harmonious.

Since Lin Zhuyi had never had friends growing up, Xie Shiyao remembered this boy very clearly. He was the same boy who had been walking with Lin Zhuyi in front of the bookstore near the Yaoshi Building. Two bright, same-aged faces soaked in the sunset were perfectly harmonious and incredibly eyesore-inducing.

Xie Shiyao’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. He really wanted to drive right into them. Lin Zhuyi had interfered when they were kids, causing Xie Shiyao to fall out with many friends. Now, this “evil seed” had a stable friend of his own? Does Lin Zhuyi even deserve that?

The engine gave a rhythmic roar. Xie Shiyao knew this was a school, not a main commercial street. He could not act like he did last time. So, the Rolls-Royce pulled out from behind the tree, turned around, and drove down another road toward the sunset. Xie Shiyao took out his phone and called Xiao Guai.

“Do you want Japanese food tonight?”

Xiao Guai dressed up beautifully, wearing sunglasses, a mask, and an outfit designed to accentuate his slim waist. Xie Shiyao picked him up, and he sat in the passenger seat. The assistant had booked the restaurant. Xie Shiyao had never been there, but Xiao Guai looked extremely happy the moment he entered the private room. With a minimum spend of 10,000 yuan, it would be strange if he was not happy.

Ordering food was not enough to meet the minimum spend, and ordering too much would be a waste for two people, so Xie Shiyao simply ordered two bottles of sake. It worked out well since Xiao Guai was chatting excitedly; the alcohol could fill that mouth.

How does Lin Zhuyi get to make friends?

If that innocent boy knew the true nature hidden beneath Lin Zhuyi’s skin, he would probably run away in terror. After dinner, Xie Shiyao took Xiao Guai to a boutique downstairs and bought him a few sets of clothes. It was not that he had never thought about taking Xiao Guai to a hotel. But when Xiao Guai pretended to be drunk in the back seat, leaning weakly against his shoulder and saying he was too drunk to remember his home security code, Xie Shiyao felt his stupidity intolerance flare up.

At 11:00 PM, Xie Shiyao dropped Xiao Guai home, took off his coat, which was drenched in the scent of over-applied perfume, and returned to the old mansion. He had drunk quite a bit at dinner and was slightly tipsy. He pressed the switch with his index finger, and the mansion lit up.

Xie Shiyao’s eyes widened in surprise. Lin Zhuyi was sitting on the sofa, looking at him with a beaming smile.

“Brother, you missed me, didn’t you?”

The alcohol-induced haze instantly spread to his scalp. Xie Shiyao looked at the ghost-like Lin Zhuyi and then at the door. The home security code had been changed. How did Lin Zhuyi get in?

Lin Zhuyi saw his confusion, stood up, walked over, and took the coat from Xie Shiyao’s hand. “This is the place where I lived for ten years. Everyone knows me. Even if you gave instructions, they would be too embarrassed to keep me out.”

A surge of irritation rose in Xie Shiyao’s throat. In this familiar place, facing this familiar person, he struggled to restrain himself from reverting to his hot-tempered childhood self and maintained the posture “Chairman Xie” ought to have.

“Being able to get in does not mean you should be in. Uncle Li is old and soft-hearted. I can understand that. But you, Lin Zhuyi, you should not exploit that.”

“But Brother clearly missed me. Otherwise, why would you go to the school specifically to see me?” Lin Zhuyi dropped this sentence calmly as he went to hang up the coat.

Lin Zhuyi’s fingertips brushed against the thick fabric. The moment he hung the coat on the wall, he suddenly buried his face in the material and took a sniff. When his face reappeared under the light, Lin Zhuyi’s expression was no longer relaxed. A flash of gloominess crossed his features.

“Brother, you never wear perfume. Whose perfume is this? Who did you go to see after you saw me?”