Zhuang Tongguang’s sudden arrival finally eased the bizarre stalemate.
He closed the door behind him, saw Jiang Heguang, but didn’t proactively greet him. Perhaps it was because he harbored resentment towards this Jiang family heir who was trying to snatch his family member, but more so it was a lurking sense of competition and unease in the face of a threat.
Even though Zhuang Tongguang understood Xin Hexue’s personality, understood the rift between the two families caused by the “biological father’s” absence for over a decade, and that Xin Hexue could never return to the Jiang family….
What was he afraid of? Was it because he suddenly realized the title of “big brother” might be taken away by the Jiang family, no longer possessing uniqueness?
Zhuang Tongguang was not sure.
He merely exchanged a cold, mutual nod with this Jiang family member.
“Where are Lu Yang and Lin Oufei?” Zhuang Tongguang glanced around the VIP ward, confirming no one else was in the living room or bathroom. “They both left?”
It seemed he hadn’t heard the Red Prince’s earlier words.
Xin Hexue felt relieved. Even he didn’t want one round of the battleground to end only for another to begin; his energy was quite limited.
The Red Prince returned to his “successful” persona, and now replied somewhat human-like, “To not delay the afternoon classes of Hexue’s friends, I had the driver take them back to school.”
Zhuang Tongguang temporarily placed the thermal lunchbox on the coffee table, stepped forward, and skillfully unfolded the bed tray. Only then did he notice the little black dog lying on the blanket, pressing against Xin Hexue’s thigh.
“Where did this puppy come from?” He frowned, rationally attributing it to Jiang Heguang. Immediately seizing on this fault, he looked at Jiang Heguang with full condemnation. “The patient needs quiet rest. Who knows what germs cats and dogs carry? President Jiang is being too reckless.”
Xin Hexue reached out and placed a hand on Zhuang Tongguang. “Big Brother, I asked him to bring it.”
He picked up the little black dog’s front paws and gently pushed Zhuang Tongguang’s hand with the pads. “Quite cute, isn’t it?”
Zhuang Tongguang’s gaze fixed on Xin Hexue’s face, the look behind his glasses melting from ice to water. “Mm.”
He lowered his head to see the paw print on the back of his hand, the corner of his mouth lifting imperceptibly. “Why didn’t you tell me on the phone first? I could have prepared lunch for it, and brought a welcoming gift.”
He lifted the thermal lunchbox onto the bed tray. “First put…”
Xin Hexue: “His name is Xiao Hei.”
Zhuang Tongguang accepted the dog in one second. “First put Xiao Hei down. You go wash your hands, it’s time for lunch.”
Xin Hexue glanced at Jiang Heguang, who was still lingering in the room, worried this person might say something else that was unacceptable by ethical standards. So he simply resorted to his old trick, melting into Zhuang Tongguang’s arms. “Big Brother, I’m sleepy. I want to eat after I wake up from my nap, okay?”
Zhuang Tongguang froze for a moment. His subconscious acted faster than his thoughts, his sharp eyes behind clear glasses looking over. “My brother needs to rest. President Jiang, please leave.”
He found a reasonable basis for expelling the guest. “I heard a senior of the Jiang family passed away. President Jiang must be very busy. It’s enough for me to stay here.”
Jiang Heguang suddenly remembered that he had a funeral to attend.
Even if he was unwilling to leave at this moment, he had to go attend to those things he “should-do”. This made him feel his identity was a hindrance again.
He answered a call, and the person on the other end was also saying things he didn’t like to hear. His brows furrowed tighter. “Buy two bags of dog food and some pet supplies later, and deliver them to the ward.”
Jiang Heguang gave the room number to the other party.
The assistant hesitated: “Ah… Okay?”
The phone beeped as it hung up, and the ward door closed quietly shortly after.
“He’s gone,” Zhuang Tongguang said.
Xin Hexue opened his eyes.
Zhuang Tongguang then set out the bowls and chopsticks, reaching out to carry Xiao Hei down from the bed. “Now can you go wash your hands and eat?”
He looked at Xin Hexue, his face full of indulgence and helplessness.
………
That night, however, it began to rain.
The rain was pattering down, and while cold wind and rain blew outside, the inside was as warm as a spring due to the heating.
With the sound of raindrops outside the window in his left ear and the sound of water from the bathroom in his right, Zhuang Tongguang quietly walked from the bedside to the window. He reached out and closed the window where slanting rain was drifting in with a “shua” sound. The sound of rain softened, and the ward was completely isolated from the outside world, forming its own independent space.
He lowered his gaze to look down below.
Rootless water fell from the sky, wetting the honeysuckle trees growing on the ground. The snow is crystal clear, and the trees are full of red fruit. At first glance, it looks like an elegant freehand painting
Zhuang Tongguang turned his head, wanting to call Xin Hexue over to see.
His heart was full of anticipation, when he suddenly realized he was like a child wanting to share a toy.
And then it dawned on him that it was so late into the year; winter was just around the corner, and he seemed to have made no progress all these years.
A ringtone broke the silence. Zhuang Tongguang looked at the bed tray where the phone was placed, buzzing and vibrating.
The caller was Lu Yang.
Zhuang Tongguang didn’t want to answer, nor did he want to inform Xin Hexue about it. Even though Lu Yang wasn’t in this room, the phone ringing made him feel restless and prickly, as if he had intruded into a newlyweds’ chamber.
He paced back and forth, and the little dog also trotted after his feet.
“Big Brother?” A muffled call came from the bathroom. “Is my phone ringing?”
Zhuang Tongguang had nowhere to hide. He could only pick up Xiao Hei’s leash and go out to walk the dog, creating an alibi for himself.
As it was dragged to the corridor outside the ward, the little black dog looked puzzled and barked once.
“Shh.”
Zhuang Tongguang immediately raised an index finger and gave Xiao Hei a stern look.
He took the dog downstairs, only for his mind to clear and realize it was raining, and that it was dark.
Unable to walk the dog, he came back up.
Separated by a door, he could vaguely hear Xin Hexue talking on the phone with Lu Yang.
“Just now… taking a shower… didn’t hear…”
“…Of course… I miss you too…”
“Tomorrow…”
The crease between Zhuang Tongguang’s brows tightened, and by the time he came back to his senses, he had already unconsciously twisted the smooth door handle.
Xin Hexue, who was on the call, turned his head. His hair was still damp and gleaming black, not fully dried. “Big Brother, you’re back?”
Zhuang Tongguang came in with Xiao Hei in tow, closed the door behind him, and explained with downcast eyes. “Yeah, the dog kept barking, so I took it downstairs for a walk.”
Xin Hexue beckoned. “Come here, puppy.”
Zhuang Tongguang let go, and Xiao Hei, biting the leash, ran over and sat obediently at Xin Hexue’s feet.
Lu Yang on the phone asked, “Didn’t we agree to meet tomorrow? You want to see me now? You miss me that much, it’s not like it’s impossible…should I go out and get a taxi right now?”
Xin Hexue: “I’m not calling you.”
Lu Yang: “Wait, what? What other dog are you keeping?”
Xin Hexue gave a light laugh, stroking the furry head that came to his hand. “You’ll know when we meet tomorrow.”
He hung up and called Xiao Hei. “See if you like the dog bed your ex-father had someone deliver?”
Sure enough, a resting spot for the dog was set up in the corner by the sofa. Jiang Heguang was probably too busy to do anything else, so he only had someone bring Xiao Hei’s daily necessities and food in the evening.
Zhuang Tongguang silently retrieved the hairdryer from the cabinet drawer. Without a word, he plugged it in, and the dryer roared to life. He raised his hand to blow-dry Xin Hexue’s hair.
“There’s heating in here, so it’s fine.”
Xin Hexue felt ticklish from the wind. As soon as he reached out to block it, his hand was immediately captured by Zhuang Tongguang.
Just a wag of his tail, and Zhuang Tongguang knew what he wanted to do.
“Okay, okay.”
Xin Hexue surrendered, but Zhuang Tongguang still held his hand, not letting go.
Xin Hexue looked completely docile, blinking. “I really won’t move.”
Zhuang Tongguang’s gaze only briefly met his before shifting away. “You have a criminal record. Not trustworthy.”
Xin Hexue laughed. “Big Brother, can you not bring up things from when I was five?”
Back then, it was just because it was the first time he left Grandma’s house, the first time entering the city, the first time seeing a hairdryer…
That’s why he got scared by the whooshing sound and hid under the blanket.
Mainly, he was still young then.
Zhuang Tongguang didn’t seem to think so. He always acted as if Xin Hexue would never grow up.
He held the hand tightly, and it was as if the sweltering summer sky were enveloping Xin Hexue’s hand.
Xin Hexue: “Your glasses are fogged up.”
Zhuang Tongguang: “Mm.”
It was from when he came back from outside. The cold lenses met the warm air inside the room, and moisture condensed on the glasses.
Fortunately, this layer of obstruction prevented Xin Hexue from seeing that his eyes were also misty.
He turned off the hairdryer and placed it on the nearby table. He didn’t rush to put it back in the drawer, instead he lowered his head and unfolded Xin Hexue’s hand.
The hand had fair, beautiful knuckles, and the soft fingertips were tinged with a faint pink. So Zhuang Tongguang carefully pried them open as if opening a flower bud.
The outstretched fingers were covered by similarly spread fingers, and the temperatures merged, so warm it felt like the palm lines were melting together, indistinguishable from one another.
Zhuang Tongguang compared for a while, then let Xin Hexue withdraw his hand. In a joking tone, he said softly, “When you were little, your hand only reached about here on mine.”
He gestured, pointing to a spot just below the base of his palm.
“Isn’t that too exaggerated?” Xin Hexue just laughed at him, his smiling eyes dark and bright. “Stop secretly flattering yourself. Your hands weren’t that big when you were little either, and mine weren’t that small.”
‘You grew up holding my hand, how could I not know?’ Zhuang Tongguang stared at his empty palm for a long time, then smiled along with Xin Hexue. The unspoken words at the tip of his tongue changed.
“Mm, you’re right. I don’t remember clearly.”
He changed the subject, bringing up a lingering question. “By the way, you and Lu Yang, what exactly…”
Xin Hexue directly cut him off. “You already talked to me about this before, right? I think I made it quite clear to you. There’s no need to continue.”
Zhuang Tongguang blurted out, “Do you like him that much?”
So much that you have nothing to say to your brother anymore?
Zhuang Tongguang’s tongue felt a bit bitter. He pressed his lips together and sighed. “Okay, I understand. It’s my fault.”
Suddenly, his nose bridge felt lighter, and his vision blurred accordingly.
It turned out his glasses were now in Xin Hexue’s hand.
Xin Hexue couldn’t stand the water droplets. Impatient for them to evaporate, he took a lens cloth and wiped them clean. Seeing that Zhuang Tongguang didn’t react, a playful impulse arose.
He put the glasses on his own face. As soon as they were on, he felt dizzy. He reached out like a blind man groping an elephant. “Big Brother, did your prescription increase again? Why can’t I see anything?”
His outstretched hand was immediately caught by Zhuang Tongguang, and a kiss hotter than his palm came forward, not gentle, but like a collision, a stamp.
Xin Hexue froze for a moment. “Zhuang Tongguang?”
Zhuang Tongguang lowered his gaze. “Didn’t you say you can’t see clearly?”
Xin Hexue accused him of pretending not to understand. “Of course I can see if you’re this close.”
“Mm.” Zhuang Tongguang traced the lips before him with his eyes, their lines, shape, and color becoming clear in his mind one by one. His Adam’s apple rolled with difficulty, and his voice came out hoarse and closer, “Then look at me more carefully.”
Following these words was a willful kiss.
His hands braced on the headboard, the distance from his chest just enough to confine Xin Hexue within a fully enclosed space.
Zhuang Tongguang kissed cautiously and carefully, as if it were a difficult problem. He had a frown, and his closed eyes opened from time to time to observe Xin Hexue’s reaction.
Seeing it wasn’t an expression of discomfort, he immersed himself fully.
Raindrops pattered against the glass window, blurring the two worlds inside and out.
With nowhere to hide, Xin Hexue had to lean back, and his sitting position on the bed also became awkward. He tried to use his knees to push against Zhuang Tongguang, but it created an opportunity for Zhuang Tongguang to press his knees apart, leaving him to open his thighs and let the other party squeeze in.
Unable to advance or retreat, a sound escaped the seam of Xin Hexue’s lips. “Stop… stop kissing.”
During a break in the kissing, Zhuang Tongguang panted. “I can’t hear.”
His eyes were hot, his heart was hot, his ears were hot. He could only hear his own heartbeat.
Could it be they were a blind and deaf pair of brothers?
Xin Hexue felt like laughing inwardly.
When it was about enough, he pushed Zhuang Tongguang away, pretending not to understand. “Big Brother, what are you doing?”
“Is it to admonish your brother who has ‘strayed onto the wrong path’ by getting a boyfriend, so you’re teaching by example like this?” Xin Hexue retreated to advance, deliberately finding a high-sounding excuse for him.
Reminded that Xin Hexue was dating Lu Yang, Zhuang Tongguang’s face grew hot, and an elder-brother type of shame arose.
How could he…?
But…
But…
“I just realized, there are so many things I taught you.” His lowered gaze met Xin Hexue’s eyes, burning intensely. “So this kind of intimate thing should also be taught by me.”
A flurry of kisses covered him, carrying their shared breath and body heat. This time, the kisses went from Xin Hexue’s eyes all the way to the tip of his nose and to his lips. Then he lifted his head and kissed his forehead reverently.
“Tonight, your big brother isn’t here. Only Zhuang Tongguang is.” He said. “After tonight, you can place this person before you wherever you want.”
