The next day, everyone slept in. After a leisurely breakfast, they wandered around the nearby area. At noon, they found a tasty restaurant for a good meal before parting ways and heading home, finally wrapping up the National Day holiday trip.
Yu Shulin fastened his seatbelt, looking at the dark circles under Liang Zhou's eyes, and asked hesitantly, "Brother, didn't you sleep well? You have dark circles."
Liang Zhou shook his head without answering, parked the car in the garage, and headed straight into the villa without a word.
Yu Shulin, a step behind, looked somewhat puzzled at Ling Chun, who had hitched a ride back with them. "What's up with brother? He seems listless."
"Oh, it's nothing," Ling Chun said with a smile, downplaying it. "Probably over-nourished and... a bit frustrated, shall we say."
"......"
With that answer, Yu Shulin couldn't very well ask Liang Zhou what was really wrong. After an afternoon nap, he buried himself in homework—midterm exams weren't far off after the holiday, and he wanted to try for first place in his grade.
Liang Zhou sat in his room for a long time. At dinner, he ate hurriedly before going upstairs and didn't come out again. Yu Shulin, thinking he was busy, didn't disturb him.
After the holiday, it was back to school and work. Liang Zhou finally stopped lazing around at home every day and started reporting to the company on time. He Long also no longer had to run over delivering documents.
Not long after the midterm exams ended, Liang Zhou flew abroad for business negotiations, scheduled to last ten days.
Sitting in the empty villa, Yu Shulin finally sensed something was off... Recently, brother seemed to be avoiding him. They hadn't had a proper conversation in a long time.
He frowned, took out his phone, and sent a text.
"Brother, how are things abroad? Any trouble adjusting? Remember to eat on time."
A minute later, a reply came, just one word: "Yeah."
...As brief as ever, seemingly no different.
But no, something was definitely wrong. He frowned, thinking back carefully. After a long while, he finally pinpointed the issue—brother hadn't initiated contact with him in ages; it was always him reaching out first.
Once he noticed the clue, more and more suspicious details emerged.
Less time talking, avoiding physical contact, shorter and shorter phone calls, work getting busier, coming home later and later...
Why? Had he done something to make him angry?
He felt lost and a bit hurt. He thought they had been getting along so well... Didn't he used to pat his head often before? What was going on now?
He got his wish, ranking first in his grade for the midterms. Teacher Gao, breaking her usual stern demeanor, actually cracked a smile. Holding the ranking sheet, he wanted to call Liang Zhou with the good news, but picked up the phone only to hesitantly put it down again.
Four days. A full four days. He tried not contacting Liang Zhou proactively, and Liang Zhou truly never once reached out to him first.
Seeing him moping, Wang Zhi curiously pressed for details. After hesitating, Yu Shulin gave a rough outline of their situation, just changing the identities to "someone else."
"Yu Shulin, are you in a relationship?"
"Huh?" Yu Shulin felt his thoughts couldn't keep up.
Wang Zhi leaned in with a sly grin, nudging him. "Stop pretending. What you're saying sounds no different from a girl complaining her boyfriend is neglecting her. Spill it, which girl has stolen your heart?"
Yu Shulin was thoroughly thunderstruck. He pushed Wang Zhi's big face away, speechless. "You're so unreliable. Forget it, I'm not telling you. Did you do the physics worksheet? The teacher said she's checking next class."
"Oh, damn, I forgot!" Wang Zhi wailed in despair, frantically rummaging through his desk for the worksheet.
Li Tao, who had been reading a book, hesitated for a moment. Pressing his lips together, he turned to Yu Shulin with a sour expression. "You're unhappy?"
"Huh?" Yu Shulin was surprised he'd initiate conversation, blinked, and smiled. "No, just chatting. What are you reading? Doesn't look like a textbook."
Li Tao handed him the book, saying stiffly, "It's an original language book my uncle brought from abroad... Do you want to read it?"
Yu Shulin was surprised. He took it, looked at the cover with unfamiliar script, and glanced back at Li Tao with admiration. "What language is this?" He flipped through a few pages before handing it back helplessly. "I'd love to, but unfortunately, I can't understand it."
"Forget it, then." Li Tao snatched the book back, turning his back to him, reverting to his usual prickly, hard-shelled demeanor.
Wang Zhi watched this scene almost in awe. After Li Tao hunched back over his book, he scooted closer to Yu Shulin and whispered, "He actually talked to you first. That's a miracle."
"We're all classmates. It's normal to chat." Yu Shulin smiled, pushing him back and pointing at the crumpled worksheet on his desk. "Hurry up and write. There are three minutes until class."
"Ahhh! Heaven wants to doom me—"
A baffling cold war had begun.
Yu Shulin, holding onto a stubborn streak of anger, ignored Liang Zhou. Liang Zhou, for reasons unknown, also didn't initiate contact. Occasionally, when calling Aunt Liu to check in, he'd just say a few words before hanging up.
The weather grew colder. Ten days later, Liang Zhou didn't return. When Aunt Liu called to ask, Liang Zhou said the negotiations were going smoothly, but he needed to stay abroad a while longer to finalize the specific cooperation details.
The anticipation in Yu Shulin's eyes gradually dimmed. Watching Aunt Liu hang up the phone, he looked somewhat lost at his own mobile before heading back to his room.
"What in the world is going on..." Aunt Liu watched him go upstairs, sighing worriedly. "What's happened between these two brothers? They were fine before. How did they suddenly start having a falling out?"
Uncle He frowned, thought for a moment, found no answer, shook his head, picked up the watering can, and went to the garden.
Guan Bowen, seeing Liang Zhou staring blankly at his phone, shook his head with a smile, his eyes holding a mischievous glint that didn't match his refined appearance. "What's wrong? Fight with your girlfriend?"
"Not a girlfriend." Liang Zhou put the phone back in his pocket, rubbed his temples, and took a big gulp of coffee... Hmm, really bitter.
Guan Bowen raised an eyebrow. "A boyfriend, then?"
Liang Zhou's hand jerked. The coffee cup, not set down properly, toppled onto the table, rolled once, and stained the clean tablecloth.
"So it is true." Guan Bowen whistled, gloating. "Well, your female fans will be heartbroken. Those actresses at the company hoping to cozy up to you will hate you to death."
"Don't talk nonsense. I don't have time for that sort of thing right now." Liang Zhou avoided his gaze, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair, his face full of weariness.
Seeing this, Guan Bowen stopped teasing and instead said with concern, "Don't push yourself too hard. It's not like this is the only chance for cooperation. Why rush so much to solidify things with those foreigners? Working non-stop like this, you'll wear yourself out."
Liang Zhou waved a hand. "Have to push. The company's artist roster is decent for now, but we still don't have many truly top-tier talents. Building a good relationship here is beneficial for the company's long-term development. Besides, it's about time we cultivated one or two solid A-listers."
"Hey hey, am I not a big enough star, not steady enough?" Guan Bowen complained.
Liang Zhou looked at him lifelessly. "If you weren't shouting about retiring, then I could indeed develop this line more slowly."
Guan Bowen rubbed his nose and fell silent.
Just as Yu Shulin was feeling depressed, Yu Xiu from City H started making trouble again.
Forced by the court to repay the debt, Yu Xiu was so desperate he almost had to sell his house and car. But then suddenly one day, the pressure from the court vanished. That damned Lawyer Ling also stopped pressing him. Life seemed sunny again. At first, he was still wary and apprehensive, repaying the money dutifully on time each month. Later, seeing that no one really came to pressure him anymore, he grew bold and missed one payment. He waited a long time, and after confirming that the court and that Lawyer Ling had truly stopped urging him to repay, he gradually began to swagger.
He thought his nephew had softened and let him off, so he simply forgot about the repayment altogether. He was also lucky; after losing his job, he actually made a small profit in business. His ambitions grew, and he started looking down on the meager fixed salary from a regular job. Business brought money fast, so he continued doing it.
Seeing her husband's career picking up, Zhou Mei started thinking again about transferring to Chenghan High School. But as soon as she brought it up, she was scolded by Yu Xiu, who was becoming increasingly domineering. He bluntly said she had no vision—business was so profitable, why bother being a teacher? She was unconvinced, but thinking of the family's debt and the money Yu Xiu had been bringing home recently, she gradually softened. Gritting her teeth, she also started helping Yu Xiu with the business.
The two worked from dawn till dusk, and through sheer hard work, they really earned quite a bit. If they had continued like this, it could have been a genuine path to prosperity. But Yu Xiu, accustomed to the leisurely life of an office worker, once his passion for business cooled, turned his attention back to Yu Shulin. He had inquired around; Yu Shulin's half-brother was very wealthy. Although he couldn't find out exactly what the man did, judging by the impressive manner of the lawyer he sent, he certainly wasn't poor.
Yu Xiu thought of his own debts and the money in Yu Shulin's hands, and his mind began to stir. If he could regain custody of Yu Shulin, wouldn't the debts disappear? And the money Yu Shulin held—he needed capital to expand his business, and that money would be perfect as startup funds. The little brat hadn't pressed him for repayment lately, probably feeling soft-hearted towards his uncle. Why not seize the chance to improve their relationship and coax the custody back?
Zhou Mei was hesitant upon hearing his plan. "What if he's unwilling to come back?"
Yu Xiu frowned; he really hadn't thought of that.
Zhou Mei, having been exposed to many things as a teacher, saw him pondering in silence. Her mind turned, and an idea popped up. "If he's unwilling, we still have a way to handle him. If his current guardian is negligent in their duties, we can fight for custody."
"Will that work?" Yu Xiu doubted.
"Absolutely!" Zhou Mei nodded.
After some such scheming, Yu Shulin received a "concerned" phone call from Yu Xiu just before Christmas. He was already in a bad mood, and being disgusted by Yu Xiu like this ruined whatever mood he had left. After hanging up, he thought for a moment, then turned his phone off completely.
Anyway, Liang Zhou wouldn't contact him. Having the phone was useless; better to lock it in a drawer! He decided to change his phone number after Liang Zhou returned.
Yu Xiu put down the phone with a dark expression, ignoring Zhou Mei who came over to ask about the situation. He snorted coldly and set about finding a way to get Yu Shulin's address—won't answer the phone, huh? Then he'd have to resort to force!
Somehow, he actually managed to get Yu Shulin's current address from the family who had bought Yu Shulin's old house.
Seeing it, his heart leapt with joy—Yu Shulin was actually living in a standalone villa now! The Liang family was indeed rich! Maybe after gaining custody of Yu Shulin, he could even squeeze some money out of the Liang family.
After putting away his phone, Yu Shulin felt a bit empty inside, but also thought that having one less thing to worry about would be good for his studies.
City No.2 High School had frequent exams: monthly tests, quarterly exams, midterms, finals... plus various inter-school joint exams—it was a rhythm meant to roast you thoroughly. Due to his recent poor state, Yu Shulin underperformed in the latest joint exam, dropping back to second place.
Li Tao pinched the ranking sheet, glanced back at Yu Shulin who was still smiling and chatting with Wang Zhi, snorted coldly, his face turning even sourer.
"Shulin, it's okay. You just underperformed this time. Next time we'll get first place again!" Wang Zhi comforted him.
Yu Shulin found it amusing. "More than that, I'd like to see what you'd be like if you got first place."
Wang Zhi rolled his eyes at him and turned back to his seat. Top students are so annoying!
At Christmas, the school was swept up in a trend of exchanging apples. Yu Shulin's popularity soared; over half the girls in the class gave him one. He stared helplessly at the pile of colorfully wrapped apples on his desk and smiled wryly.
This is really... ridiculous.
He rubbed his forehead, went out at lunch break to buy a bunch of chocolates, and distributed them to the girls in the class as thanks for their apples.
The boys were practically green with envy, but seeing his open and generous attitude, they couldn't really say anything. They could only roar angrily in their hearts: Top grades, handsome, rich family, good temper—a total enemy of all males! Before they could at least complain about his height, damn it, now he's shot up too. Simply inhuman!
After school, he carried a pile of apples home. Just as he tossed his backpack onto the sofa, Aunt Liu happily emerged from the kitchen, holding a pot of soup with an enticing aroma.
"Young Master Shulin is back! Go wash your hands, there's good food today!"
Seeing her beaming face, Yu Shulin smiled too. He placed the apples on the coffee table and began unwrapping them one by one. "What's the occasion today? That smell, you must have made a lot of delicious things."
"The young master is back." Aunt Liu finished and retreated to the kitchen, her voice drifting out. "Young Master Shulin, where did you get so many apples, and all wrapped so prettily? From girls?"
His unwrapping slowed. He felt somewhat dazed, somewhat hesitant. "My brother... is back?"
"Yes, yes, he arrived this afternoon. Been on a plane for over ten hours, still adjusting to the time difference."
Light footsteps sounded on the stairs. His body stiffened, and he turned to look.
Liang Zhou seemed just as he was at their first meeting: wearing a gray shirt, back straight, expressionless. But looking closely, one could see the bloodshot eyes and a trace of fatigue hidden beneath the cool demeanor.
"Brother..." Yu Shulin forced a smile. It had only been less than two months, yet he couldn't even greet him naturally anymore. He waved the apple in his hand. "You're back. Let's wash up and eat."
Liang Zhou nodded. His gaze fell on the pile of beautifully wrapped apples, his steps pausing briefly. He walked down, reached out to ruffle his hair, lingering for a moment before withdrawing his hand with restraint. "You've grown quite a bit taller."
"Mm." Yu Shulin nodded, closing his eyes to savor this long-lost warmth. The grievances that had been accumulating in his heart suddenly surged up. He reached out and hugged him. "Brother, welcome home."
Liang Zhou stood still, his body stiff. He raised a hand to pat his shoulder, then pushed him away. "Alright now, still acting spoiled at your age. Go wash your hands, it's time to eat."
He obediently stepped back, lowered his eyes, and began tidying up the scattered wrapping paper on the table. His voice held a laugh, but the excitement and anticipation in his eyes dimmed bit by bit. "I'll clean this up and be right there. You must be tired, brother. You go ahead and eat, I'll join you in a moment."
Liang Zhou stared at his hands as they gathered the wrapping paper, his own fingers twitching slightly. Then he stepped past him and walked away.
Once the other person had entered the dining room, Yu Shulin's movements slowed, eventually coming to a complete stop... It's different, it's really different. What exactly has gone wrong...
After Christmas came New Year's Day, and the classmates were all excited.
Following the splendid New Year's Eve party, the students rushed out of the school gates in high spirits, ready to fully enjoy this last long holiday before the final exams.
Zhou He came over from his own class, slinging an arm around Yu Shulin's shoulders excitedly. "Shulin, let me crash at your place tonight. My parents aren't home today, and it'd be boring alone. Let's pull an all-nighter gaming!"
Thinking of Liang Zhou, who had been leaving early and returning late since coming back, a shadow passed through Yu Shulin's eyes. He nodded. "Sure, I've never really played games before."
"No problem, I'll teach you! Let's go buy some game discs first. Come on, come on, I know a reliable shop." Zhou He grinned from ear to ear, a competitive fire burning in his heart—today, he was determined to open this bookworm's eyes to a whole new world!
The street selling game discs was a bit chaotic, filled with small shops favored by students. It was crowded and disorderly. Yu Shulin, who normally only traveled between home and school, had never been to such a place before and couldn't help feeling a sense of novelty.
"What kind of games do you like? Adventure or something more intense? Story-heavy or combat-focused? Since it's your first time, maybe something puzzle-based? Like solving mazes..." Zhou He picked through the discs at the stall, carefully considering his preferences.
Yu Shulin listened to his chatter while pushing his bicycle, his mood improving considerably. He leaned in to look as well. "I haven't played any, just pick what you think is good." As he spoke, his gaze swept over the stall. Out of the corner of his eye, he accidentally caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. Startled, he quickly turned his head for a closer look, but didn't see anyone suspicious.
He frowned, a sense of unease rising in him. But then he thought about the distance between City S and City B, and forced the worry back down.
The two had strayed a bit off the main path while buying the discs, so on the way back, they took a shortcut.
The shortcut was a narrow alley that led out to the main road back to the villa. From there, it would only be a seven or eight-minute bike ride. The alley was long, winding, and usually deserted.
Zhou He was excited, flipping through the game discs repeatedly and urging, "Let's hurry! There's one really great game here, let's play this one first!"
"Okay." Yu Shulin smiled and nodded. He was just about to ask what game was so captivating when his expression changed. He grabbed Zhou He's arm, his gaze alert as he looked ahead.
Zhou He also saw the figures approaching from the front. At first, he thought they were just other people taking the shortcut and didn't pay much mind. But now, pulled by Yu Shulin, he looked up carefully and realized something was wrong.
"They're all carrying tools, and they don't look friendly." Zhou He frowned, glancing back. Sure enough, a few others were slowly closing in from behind. He pulled Yu Shulin behind him and said in a low voice, "We're surrounded."
As the figures drew closer, they could see it was a group of young thugs with hair dyed in messy colors, holding wooden clubs and steel pipes. Their gazes were contemptuous and full of malice.
"What do you want? If it's money, we'll give it to you. Just don't hurt anyone." Zhou He knew there was a group of thugs near the school who liked to rob students. Seeing their posture, he assumed they were part of that group. If he were alone today, he might have tried to find a chance to break through. But with Yu Shulin here, whose slight build clearly couldn't withstand a beating, it was better to pay them off and avoid trouble.
The thug at the front hefted his wooden club, looked at Yu Shulin, gave him a once-over, then pulled a photo from his pocket and glanced at it. He waved his hand. "It's this kid. Get him. Be careful not to kill him."
"Damn it! A bunch of punks!" Seeing they were targeting a specific person, Zhou He yanked his schoolbag off and threw it to the ground. He grabbed Yu Shulin's bicycle and hurled it at the thugs, then pulled Yu Shulin as he ran toward the other side.
"Run! They're after us!"
The thug leader, unable to dodge in time, was hit squarely by the bicycle. Enraged, he swung his club. "Stop them! Beat them!"
Yu Shulin's face was grim as he followed Zhou He, trying to break through. But they hadn't gone more than a couple of steps before they were blocked. The sound of something cutting through the air approached from behind. He pulled Zhou He and sidestepped, pressing their backs against the wall, just barely dodging a steel pipe swung at them from behind.
The pipe hit the concrete ground with a sharp clang. His expression changed instantly—if that blow had landed, it would have broken bones for sure. These thugs were playing for real!
"Damn it, you bastards!" Zhou He was furious. He shoved Yu Shulin behind him and charged at a thug lunging forward. "Stay back! Let me teach these punks a lesson!"
How could Yu Shulin possibly hide safely behind him? Besides, with so many opponents, there was nowhere to hide even if he wanted to. More importantly, he had no intention of hiding at all.
He flung his schoolbag into the face of one thug, kicked another to the ground, bent down to snatch the steel pipe from his hand, and swung it hard at the one who had shaken off the bag and was lunging again. After swiftly dealing with him, he spun around and delivered another kick to a thug who was trying to get up. "Zhou He, watch yourself! Grab their weapons, don't get hit by the pipes!"
Hearing the commotion behind him, Zhou He grew anxious. After knocking down a thug and seizing his wooden club, he stole a glance back and was shocked. "Who would've thought, Shulin! You've got some skills too. I thought you were getting pummeled."
Of course. When he first entered prison, he had been bullied relentlessly. The only way to avoid being beaten was to fight back. Even though he was later moved to a different cell where things were slightly calmer, he hadn't forgotten those ruthless fighting techniques.
Living a peaceful life, he was happy to be a mild-mannered, easygoing person. But if someone wanted to destroy that peace... His mind flashed back to the thug leader pulling out the photo to compare. A vague suspicion formed in his heart, and his strikes became even more vicious.
Whoever was plotting against him, he would drag them out into the open!
The thugs hadn't expected these two to be so capable in a fight, especially that fair-skinned, slender, and seemingly fragile-looking one—he turned out to be the most formidable fighter of them all!
They had miscalculated.
The thug leader glared viciously at Yu Shulin. He hefted his wooden club, then discarded it. Pulling a long knife from the back of his waist, he pushed aside a few of his incapacitated underlings and charged forward, knife raised.
Zhou He and Yu Shulin stood back-to-back, using a stick to fend off the thugs rushing at them. Out of the corner of his eye, Yu Shulin saw the gang leader's movement. His pupils contracted, but it was too late to pull Yu Shulin away. His eyes widened as he shouted, "Shulin, dodge!"
By now, both of them had taken several hits, and their movements were slowing down. Yu Shulin caught a glint of a blade, but his body was held back by two thugs. Concerned for Zhou He, who was still back-to-back with him, he gritted his teeth, took two more blows, sidestepped, moved forward, twisted his body nimbly, and swung his stick hard at the gang leader's arm.
A faint, almost imperceptible sound of bone cracking was heard. The gang leader let out a miserable howl, his hand went limp, and the knife clattered to the ground.
Yu Shulin blocked attacks from two other thugs, kicked over the gang leader who was kneeling on the ground clutching his arm, picked up the knife, and pressed it against the leader's neck. He stepped on the man's chest, applying slight pressure, and shouted to the others, "Everyone, stop right there! Zhou He, come over here!"
The gang leader let out another agonized cry under the pressure, his broken arm hanging at a grotesque angle, his face pale.
The other thugs were shocked at the sight. Hesitating for a moment, they gradually stopped their movements. Zhou He glared at them warily as he retreated to Yu Shulin's side, grimacing and rubbing his arm. "Damn punks, that hurts."
Yu Shulin shot him a grateful look, then looked down at the still-howling gang leader. A cold smile curled his lips. "Who sent you to beat me up? Talk!"
The gang leader was tough. Despite the pain, he stubbornly turned his head away with a cold snort and roared at the remaining thugs, "What are you standing around for? Beat them! Don't worry about me!" The employer had paid a hefty sum this time; getting hurt was worth it!
Seeing the other thugs begin to stir again, Yu Shulin's gaze turned icy. He stood up, tossed the knife to Zhou He, gripped the steel pipe tightly, and swung it down hard on the gang leader's right leg. With a crack, the gang leader's body convulsed twice, his eyelids fluttered, and he passed out.
Zhou He stared, dumbfounded, stammering, "Shu, Shulin... you, you didn't kill him, did you...?"
Yu Shulin shook his head, bent down, and pulled a photograph from the gang leader's pocket. He looked at it and confirmed that the person in the photo was indeed himself. Judging by the background, it seemed to have been taken secretly in the last couple of days. He waved the photo, his gaze sweeping over the stunned thugs, and smiled gently. "Who exactly sent you to beat me up? Tell me. If you don't, I'll break his other leg."
These thugs were relatively young. The worst thing they'd ever done was beat someone half to death and send them to the hospital. They had never seen someone like Yu Shulin, who could break a man's leg without batting an eye. They were terrified.
"Talk?" He held the steel pipe, threateningly positioning it over the gang leader's other leg.
The thugs shuddered and immediately spilled everything they knew like beans from a tipped basket. They revealed what the person who contacted them looked like, when the contact was made, what benefits were promised, and so on.
The more Yu Shulin heard, the darker his expression became, and his grip on the steel pipe tightened.
Zhou He watched with growing alarm, glancing at the motionless gang leader on the ground, unsure whether to break the heavy silence.
He didn't have to wrestle with it for long. The sound of hurried footsteps mixed with the faint siren of a police car gradually approached. Among the noise, one man's anxious voice stood out clearly.
"Officer, it's just ahead. I don't know what state my nephew is in after being beaten. Those little hooligans are despicable! And it's also my nephew's brother's fault. He knew the area around the school has been unsafe lately, yet he didn't protect him properly. So careless!"
"Sir, please don't worry. The ambulance is right outside. If he's injured, treatment can start immediately."
"Alright, alright. Sigh, it's a good thing I was thinking of the kid and came to check on him. Otherwise, who knows how bad this could have gotten. If something happened to the child, how could I ever face my sister? I..."
"Sir, please calm down. The situation might be..."
The conversation cut off abruptly. The newcomers stared wide-eyed, unable to believe the scene before them.
Yu Shulin stood still, holding the photo, his face grim. Seeing Yu Xiu staring at him, he smiled. "Uncle, long time no see. I never expected you to give me such a big 'gift' right after we meet."
The police officer looked at the gang of thugs—some lying on the ground, some leaning against the wall, some rolling around—and his mouth twitched. He turned to Yu Xiu. "What was it you said? That you came to visit your nephew and saw thugs bullying him? That he was being beaten badly?"
The surroundings were chaotic, but as Yu Xiu met Yu Shulin's cold eyes, he felt the world fall silent. This child... seemed completely different from before.
Liang Zhou was having a meal with Ling Chun when he received the call from the police station.
He rushed to the station and saw Yu Shulin sitting alone on a chair in the police station, motionless, holding a cup of hot tea, his face expressionless and his eyes vacant. His heart clenched, then softened intensely.
All those tangled, dark worries and apprehensions that had made him uneasy and kept him at a distance suddenly didn't seem important anymore. As long as this child was okay, he could endure anything.
He was his guardian, wasn't he? And the boy called him brother... So being good to him, accepting his dependence and closeness, protecting him, and accompanying him as he grew up—weren't all these things just natural?
Thinking this, the months of avoidance suddenly seemed pale and ridiculous.
"Shulin?" He approached slowly, reached out, and gently touched the bruise on the corner of Yu Shulin's eye, his movements careful.
Yu Shulin was still in a daze. After the initial adrenaline faded, the injuries on his body began to assert their presence with a vengeance. When the wound near his eye was touched, the pain doubled. He jerked his head back, the cup in his hand slipping, water splashing out.
"Careful!" Liang Zhou hurriedly steadied his hand.
Finally snapping back to reality, Yu Shulin looked up at the person bending over him. The emptiness in his gaze gradually focused. He forced a smile, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Brother, you're here."
Liang Zhou took the cup from his hand and set it aside, then sat down next to him. After a pause, he raised his arm and placed it around Yu Shulin's shoulders, frowning as he asked, "What happened? Where else are you hurt?"
Such natural interaction, such intimate contact—it had been so long since he'd felt this. Although the pressure on his shoulder aggravated the wound there, he felt happy. He didn't dare move, afraid that if he did, this concern would vanish. He lowered his head, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. "They attacked me first. I didn't want to fight."
"I know, don't worry." Seeing him lower his head and explain anxiously, Liang Zhou felt a pang of heartache. He pulled him a little closer, his voice gentle. "Where are you hurt? Let's go to the hospital."
Yu Shulin shook his head, subtly leaning closer to Liang Zhou. He blinked, hiding the cold glint deep in his eyes. "I'm not badly hurt... Yu Xiu is inside. I want to wait for the outcome."
"Yu Xiu?" Liang Zhou frowned, his face darkening.
Ling Chun walked over, supporting the howling Zhou He with a headache, and dumped him onto the chair next to Yu Shulin. He said to Liang Zhou, "We've pretty much figured things out. Who knows what that Yu Xiu was thinking? He hired a bunch of thugs to corner Xiao Yu, then pretended to just happen to see it, called the police, and waited for them to arrive so he could play the hero. Speaking of which, these two kids are pretty good fighters. I heard when the police arrived, those thugs were all as docile as quails. Their leader had his arms and legs broken and was taken straight to the hospital."
Liang Zhou turned to look at Yu Shulin, who averted his gaze.
Zhou He, however, was quite excited, wearing an expression that said "I'm the baddest dude in the world." He said happily, "You have no idea, those thugs were total weaklings. I just threw a left hook, a right hook..."
"Left hook, right hook, huh? Does your wound not hurt anymore?" Ling Chun raised an eyebrow and pressed down heavily on his shoulder.
"Ow! Brother Chun, have mercy!" Zhou He convulsed all over, putting on the act of someone about to die from severe injuries.
Ling Chun sneered, pressing even harder. "Brother Chun? Hmm?"
Zhou He scrambled out of his reach in a few moves, crossing his arms over his chest like a violated maiden. He shook his head, saying, "No, no, no, Lord Chun, Lord Chun, spare me!"
While they were messing around noisily over here, Yu Xiu was being led out by two expressionless police officers. His face showed a trace of anxiety as he continued to argue, "I really was just passing by. I came to City B on business and just thought I'd drop by to see my nephew. How could I possibly have any connection with those thugs? They're framing me. Officer, I know I'm not as wealthy as the Liang family, but you can't be this biased and falsely accuse me like this."
The police officer looked somewhat impatient and ignored him. He walked directly up to Yu Shulin, his expression softening a bit. "Young man, Mr. Yu Xiu says this is all a misunderstanding. He is your uncle, you..."
"He is indeed my uncle," Yu Shulin stood up, his face expressionless. "But ever since my mother passed away, he has been scheming to get the inheritance she left me. He also embezzled the compensation money from her accident. My relationship with him is very poor. As for my current address and the school I attend, I have never told him."
"Shulin, what nonsense are you talking about? Your uncle has always been good to you, you..." Yu Xiu grew frantic immediately. This was truly a case of going for wool and coming home shorn. His original plan was to have the thugs beat up Yu Shulin, then suddenly appear to rescue him, boosting his favorability while also pinning a "failure of guardianship" label on the Liang family to more righteously fight for custody. But who could have imagined Yu Shulin's fighting skills were so good? So many thugs couldn't subdue him, and he even managed to get that photo!
Yu Shulin didn't even glance at Yu Xiu. He continued speaking to the police officer, "The court has records of my lawsuit against Yu Xiu. He still hasn't repaid all the accident compensation money he took. I originally thought, since we're family, I wouldn't push too hard. But I never expected he would hire people to attack me."
The police officer's look at Yu Xiu was now no different from looking at garbage. He twisted Yu Xiu's arm and started dragging him toward the detention room. "You are suspected of hiring assailants to injure someone. Until we clarify the truth of the matter, you'll stay in the detention room."
Yu Xiu wanted to say something more, but when he looked up and met Liang Zhou's icy gaze directed at him, he shuddered and suddenly didn't dare speak.
"Tsk tsk." Ling Chun shook his head, clearly full of disdain for Yu Xiu. "That level of intelligence... I can hardly bear to watch."
Zhou He also looked indignant, nodding. "So stupid. How could Shulin have such a disgusting uncle?"
Yu Shulin stood stiffly in place, his heart a tangle of emotions. Finally, he took a deep breath, turned his head to look at Liang Zhou, and forced out an ugly smile. "Brother, let's go home."
"Okay." Liang Zhou put an arm around his shoulders and walked out with him, looking back at Ling Chun. "I'll leave things here to you. Get to the bottom of it."
Ling Chun raised an eyebrow, understanding that Liang Zhou had no intention of letting Yu Xiu off easy. He waved his hand and sighed, "Always exploiting your good friends. Leave it to me. I'll definitely give you a satisfactory answer."
Liang Zhou took Yu Shulin and Zhou He to the hospital to properly get their injuries examined and treated. When he saw the deep purple bruises on Yu Shulin's shoulder and back, he got up irritably, paced a few steps, and suddenly felt like having a cigarette.
Zhou He's injuries were a bit lighter than Yu Shulin's. He was good at dodging, so the injuries were mainly concentrated on his arms.
After all the commotion, the two of them were long since hungry. When they got home, they hurriedly ate their fill, gave themselves a quick wash, and climbed into bed to sleep. The plan to play games was completely forgotten.
