A Scoundrel Through and Through

Xie Qi Zhi finished school ten minutes earlier than his older brother. He waited until most of the class had left before standing up, going downstairs, and crossing the sycamore-lined street, the sound of rain pattering on the umbrella.
Just as he came into Xie Zhi Lan's sight, the bald, Mediterranean-haired teacher on the podium also picked up his lesson plan and said, "Class dismissed."
Xie Zhi Lan beckoned Xie Qi Zhi over, then reached into his desk compartment, taking out a blue baseball cap and putting it on the boy's head.
He smelled a strong scent of lavender from the brim of the cap and his older brother's fingers that had just withdrawn: "Where did you wash it?"
"In the dorm area, borrowed their dryer for a bit, it's quick." Xie Zhi Lan pulled his hand, making him sit on his lap, and gently tapped the brim of the cap with his curved finger: "Not wearing a mask again."
Xie Qi Zhi swung his legs, saying nothing.
Xie Zhi Lan didn't nag further. He somehow produced a box of pre-peeled dried meat, took one out, and brought it to the boy's mouth.
Xie Qi Zhi bit into it, chewing slowly.
At dismissal time, inside and outside the classroom, many people passing behind his older brother would pat his shoulder and say, "Let's go, Brother Lan." A few also glanced at Xie Qi Zhi, asking, "Is he...?"
His older brother would take Xie Qi Zhi's hand and shake it at them, as if showing off a very well-behaved kitten: "Qi Qi, my younger brother."
Someone "tsk-ed" and said, "White hair? Your younger brother is even more fashionable than you."
Xie Qi Zhi's eyes, hidden beneath the brim of his cap, blinked and quietly curved upwards.
"Brother Ying, Brother Lan, aren't you going? Where are we eating lunch today?"
Ying Huai said nothing, sitting beside them, openly texting on his phone, his elbow resting on an open math textbook. His desk was always very empty, with few scribbles on the surface. One book, one pen, that was it. Compared to the cramped seats of others, his desk was conspicuously empty, with enough space for him to lie down and sleep.
The questioner felt bored, shrugged at Xie Zhi Lan, and left.
Xie Qi Zhi, however, keenly sensed that something was off in the atmosphere. Just as he was about to speak, a head suddenly poked through the doorway outside: "Brother Lan, waiting for me?!"
It was a girl, looking very sweet, with a bob haircut and big eyes, with a small dimple when she smiled.
Xie Zhi Lan called the girl "An An." Xie Qi Zhi was stunned, instinctively got off his lap, and took a few steps back.
The girl named Qiao An An saw him and also let out an "Oh?"
Before Xie Zhi Lan could introduce him, Ying Huai suddenly put away his phone, interrupting abruptly: "Haven't you told her yet?"
Xie Zhi Lan cut him off: "Don't say anything."
Xie Qi Zhi didn't understand what was happening, only seeing his older brother stand up, ruffle Qiao An An's hair, and lean down to say something to the girl. Their heads were very close, looking extremely intimate.
Qiao An An looked over Xie Zhi Lan's shoulder, towards him, her big eyes curved, and nodded a greeting to Xie Qi Zhi.
Xie Qi Zhi didn't know why he was so unhappy, as if he didn't understand why his older brother no longer paid attention to him and talked to someone else first. He lowered his thick eyelashes, impolitely ignoring the girl's kind smile, and took a step back. His elbow hit Ying Huai's chair with a "thud."
He hugged his aching spot with a slight grievance, then suddenly realized someone was looking at him. He looked up and met Ying Huai's gaze. With his thin eyelashes lowered, his eyes were lazy, showing no sympathy when he accidentally caught Xie Qi Zhi's teary-eyed expression of pain. He leaned in close and whispered, "Oh dear, does it hurt?"
Xie Qi Zhi bit his lip tightly, turned his head away, ignoring his annoying teasing.
Xie Qi Zhi thought lunch would be just the two brothers, and Qiao An An probably thought so too. So, from two people, it suddenly turned into four, plus Ying Huai, who was as close to his older brother as a shadow.
Only Ying Huai didn't feel awkward. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, leisurely watching Xie Zhi Lan choose between "his beloved younger brother" and "his adorable little girlfriend," even if it was just a small choice like walking in the rain and sharing an umbrella with someone.
Coincidentally, Wu Xiao Long and Xu Si Miao hadn't left yet, and walked out of the classroom one after another.
Ying Huai suddenly called out to them: "Xiao Long, Xu Si Miao."
Both turned their heads. Ying Huai pointed at Xie Zhi Lan and asked, "Brother Lan's treating, going to eat at 303 Road, want to go?"
"Go, go, go!" Wu Xiao Long quickly agreed, seeing Qiao An An holding Xie Zhi Lan's hand, then glancing at Xu Si Miao's expressionless face, an interesting look immediately appeared on his face.
Xu Si Miao didn't have such big emotional fluctuations. She smiled: "Okay."
Wu Xiao Long rubbed his arm, feeling a shiver for no reason.
The rain pattered incessantly. Xie Zhi Lan grabbed Ying Huai and pulled him back into the classroom.
"What are you trying to do?" Xie Zhi Lan asked, puzzled.
"Aren't you afraid your younger brother and girlfriend will feel uncomfortable?" Ying Huai met Xie Zhi Lan's gaze, innocently and bluntly saying, "Now that you're the one feeling awkward, the two of them will definitely be much more comfortable."
Xie Zhi Lan was choked by his obvious tone, his sparkling peach blossom eyes curved, his voice sounding as if ground out from between his teeth: "You scoundrel."
Ying Huai patted his shoulder and slipped past him: "It's nothing."
Outside the classroom, Qiao An An frowned, asking with a hint of worry, "What's wrong with them?"
"They seem to have been arguing before." Wu Xiao Long explained, "I heard Brother Lan scold Ying Huai for being an emotionless robot, and then they didn't talk to each other all morning."
Xu Si Miao interjected coldly, "Didn't talk but still going to eat together?"
"303 Road is Ying Huai's aunt's restaurant; it's usually hard to get a table, so of course he has to go."
Xu Si Miao scoffed, "Arguing but still relying on him, you guys are something else."
Wu Xiao Long was long used to Xu Si Miao's sarcasm and didn't react to her words. Qiao An An, however, glanced at her, thinking she was talking about herself, and her expression suddenly became a little awkward.
Xie Zhi Lan walked out of the classroom. Qiao An An stepped forward and familiarly hooked her arm through his.
Xie Qi Zhi's "older brother" was caught in his throat before he could utter it. He turned his head and saw Ying Huai raising his umbrella, preparing to step into the rain. He ran a few steps to catch up, ducking under Ying Huai's umbrella, the rainwater splashing and wetting his white sneakers.
Ying Huai paused for a moment, switched the hand holding the umbrella, enveloping Xie Qi Zhi, and asked, "Did you take the wrong path?"
Xie Qi Zhi looked up and called him, "Brother Ying Huai."
Ying Huai asked, "Who's your brother?"
Xie Qi Zhi naturally corrected himself: "Ying Huai."
Ying Huai didn't pay attention anymore.
Xie Qi Zhi touched his rain-soaked sleeve, looked up, and continued, "Ying Huai, can you lower the umbrella a bit? The rain's getting on me."
"No," Ying Huai said coldly, "It's because you're too short; try to grow taller."
To accommodate Xie Qi Zhi's pace, the two gradually fell behind. Ying Huai showed no impatience, only lowered his eyes to assess him for a moment, then was surprised to find that Xie Qi Zhi wasn't dawdling. Each step he took could indeed only cover such a small distance.
Xie Qi Zhi wore his baseball cap, completely unaware of the gaze from above. Leaving the school gate, he looked at the backs of his older brother and Qiao An An ahead, then grabbed Ying Huai's uniform hem and asked, "Does older brother not need me anymore?"
Ying Huai reminded him, "You came over to this side yourself."
Xie Qi Zhi thought to himself: I came over to find you, so can't he just lead me back?
Ying Huai seemed to be able to hear what he was thinking, and calmly said, "Qi Qi's childish thoughts."
His voice had no superfluous emotion, but it made one even angrier to hear. Xie Qi Zhi let go of his uniform hem and angrily hit him once, then turned around and stomped off.
"Are you angry back?" Ying Huai strode after him, pressed down on Xie Qi Zhi's head, and leaned down to say, "Do you know what time it is? I waited for you for over two hours. Even if your phone was dead, you could have borrowed someone else's to call me and tell me to pick you up, right?"
Xie Qi Zhi lowered his eyes and suddenly replied, "I couldn't call; I don't remember your number either."
Ying Huai: "..."
Xie Qi Zhi lowered his head, slipped out of his arm, pressed the elevator button, then raised his fair wrist. His hoodie sleeve slid down, revealing a section of a gold watch strap. He said, "And don't tell my older brother he'll worry. He has my location; he knows where I am."
The elevator doors opened, and Xie Qi Zhi stepped in first. Immediately after, he took his phone out of his hoodie pocket and turned it on. He had to tell his older brother about Li Ye, telling him to come tomorrow morning and take him straight to the police station for a blood sample for identification.
Ying Huai leaned against one side of the elevator, clearly seeing the entire smooth and complete startup animation on his phone.

Alright, so the dead phone was also a lie.

He lowered his eyes and looked at Xie Qi Zhi for a long time, watching him type messages to Xie Zhi Lan with a clatter, even the tips of his soft white eyelashes clearly showing indifference towards him.

Through his indifferent expression, Ying Huai read Xie Qi Zhi's meaning: Did I tell you to wait for two hours? You're not my biological brother, why bother with this?

Ying Huai gritted his teeth. He had never been one to meddle in others' affairs. It was rare for him to care about someone, only to be provoked by a series of infuriating actions from this troublesome child, making him want to burst out laughing.