Ying Huai

The day Ying Huai returned to Song Cheng, it was drizzling. The car picking him up was stuck in traffic and couldn't leave the airport immediately. He called Lin Jian Shan, asking her what time she got off work that afternoon.

Lin Jian Shan found it strange that he called, and hearing his question made her feel even more peculiar. She was silent for a few seconds, then said with an odd tone, "Little brother, you're not planning to ask me out, are you?"

Ying Huai looked at the gloomy sky outside, still calling her by her full name as before: "Lin Jian Shan, don't call me that."

From kindergarten to high school, the two of them grew up with Xie Zhi Lan. Ying Huai was the youngest of the three.

Lin Jian Shan still remembered the teacher's comments about Ying Huai when he was little, that he was very smart but not sociable, encouraging him to be braver and take the initiative to make friends with others.

However, very soon after, the teacher, who had been full of compassion for this lonely little student, completely changed her view of Ying Huai after Children's Day. More than half the class was either asleep or throwing up, all elementary school students Ying Huai had gotten drunk by mixing alcohol with Coca-Cola.

She called Ying Huai, the only one present and sober at the time, outside and asked him, "Who told you to bring alcohol to school? Why did you give it to your classmates?"

Ying Huai looked up, his dark eyes wide, and said with a puzzled expression, "Didn't you say I should learn to share and take the initiative?"

In his eyes at the time, the bottle of alcohol his father carefully stored was very worthy of sharing. And he, who had stolen his father's alcohol, how could he be said to be not brave?

When Xie Zhi Lan and Lin Jian Shan recounted this story, they laughed so hard they almost fell off their chairs: "I think Teacher Xiao Yue regretted letting Ying Huai take that initiative for the entire year."

At the end of the semester, her comment about Ying Huai still kept the old opening, but the latter part was changed to "however, impulsive actions, easily going overboard, hope parents pay more attention."

It's unknown whether his parents actually paid attention, but this comment remained unchanged until Ying Huai graduated from elementary school.

Later, Ying Huai attended Yi Zhou School, still not caring about anyone as before.

But when his grandfather's identity was no longer a secret, becoming common knowledge, everyone's comments about him naturally shifted from lonely to arrogant.

Xie Zhi Lan didn't find Ying Huai arrogant; he always suspected that Ying Huai might be missing a nerve or two in his brain. Whether praised, scolded, or talked about by others, he always had the same bored expression. After listening, he would turn and walk away, completely without any intention to retort.

His observational skills were very strong, one could say keen. Just two days after Xie Zhi Lan broke up with his ex-girlfriend, he noticed signs of him flirting with the class beauty next door, immediately revealing a look of disdain. Yet, he was completely oblivious that the class president, who constantly chased him for homework and wouldn't let him skip class, actually had no interest in homework.

Lin Jian Shan also didn't find Ying Huai arrogant. She found Ying Huai very childish; his height kept increasing, but his intelligence didn't change much.

Normal people are naive and innocent when they are young, gradually maturing mentally as they grow up. But Ying Huai was the opposite; when he was young, he was quiet and reserved, following her around, reminding her of calculation errors, or incorrect long jump movements, like a little old man;
as he grew older, the thoughts of those around him became increasingly complex, their schemes as numerous as a swollen sponge, yet Ying Huai remained consistent, largely unchanged.

He clearly didn't understand Xie Zhi Lan's malicious jokes, but when Xie Zhi Lan nudged him with his elbow, he would absentmindedly nod along. Everyone around would laugh, and Xie Zhi Lan would lean close to his ear to remind him what they were talking about earlier. Ying Huai would push Xie Zhi Lan's head away, looking very annoyed, only the rims of his ears under his black hair turning slightly red.

Lin Jian Shan accidentally saw this scene and felt that sometimes Ying Huai was so pure he was adorable.

However, she had long passed the age where a maiden's heart would just begin to stir, simply because she saw the cold, quiet boy next to her reveal a hint of vulnerability, and she would assume she understood his inner world and could change him somewhat.

She couldn't change Ying Huai, and now it had been six years since everything changed.

Lin Jian Shan chuckled into the phone, then returned to the main topic, answering him, "Normally, I get off work at six, but tonight I have a dinner appointment with a client, so I'm not sure. Do you need something?"

Ying Huai didn't answer, saying very decisively, "If so, then forget it."

The next second, he was about to hang up.

"Ying Huai, wait a moment," Lin Jian Shan quickly called him back. "What exactly do you need me for? Is it urgent?"

The rain was getting heavier, and traffic on the road would probably be congested for a while longer.

Ying Huai was stuck at the airport with nothing to do, so he didn't hang up and explained to her, "My car is at the service station. Xie Zhi Lan crashed it last time, and I sent it for repairs but haven't picked it up yet. This afternoon I have to go to school, and I'm not sure what time I'll be able to get there, so I was asking if it would be convenient for you to give Qi Qi a ride."

Xie Qi Zhi was a very delicate child, accustomed to being cared for by others. At home, even just helping to clear the dishes would earn him praise from the housekeeper or Xie Zhi Lan from head to toe.

Initially, Ying Huai didn't know that raising him involved this step, and Xie Qi Zhi himself didn't say anything, so Ying Huai always wondered if he had been sulking under his blanket for a long time.

In this kind of rainy weather, the roads were wet, the air was damp, and the climate was humid. Xie Qi Zhi's soft white hair would easily stand up, and every time he woke up, he would struggle for half a day, making him feel very upset.

Given Xie Qi Zhi's lazy nature, plus his bad temper when it rained, without anyone to pick him up, he probably wouldn't budge, and Lin Jian Shan would have to be bothered for a few more days.

Ying Huai felt he wasn't overly anxious; there was no need to pick him up right away, but staying at someone else's house couldn't be as comfortable as staying at his own.

However, Lin Jian Shan's voice sounded extremely puzzled: "Give Qi Qi a ride? Where to? He's doing very well at my place."

"Take him back to my place," Ying Huai asked, "Didn't Xie Zhi Lan tell you?"

Apparently, the last time they met, Xie Zhi Lan had nodded in agreement for Xie Qi Zhi to stay at his place, even expressing surprise at his ability to get something for nothing: "Damn it, what makes you so special? If Uncle knew, he'd probably be so moved he'd come back to life!"

Ying Huai remembered saying at the time, "If he came back to life, he'd still have to go to prison for another ten years."

Thinking back, Xie Zhi Lan seemed sober then, but he must have been drunk, otherwise, he would never have joked about his father.

Moreover, compared to himself, Ying Huai felt that Xie Zhi Lan was truly the one who got something for nothing.

This person's abilities and character were both very ordinary, so where did Xie Qi Zhi's immense adoration come from? Every time he saw his brother, he would become as docile as a cute kitten, clinging only to his brother, never extending his claws no matter how much he was petted.

Could the relationship between brothers be that close?

He wasn't even born of Xie Zhi Lan.

"Zhi Lan didn't tell me. The last time we talked about Qi Qi was over a month ago. He said you were very busy and couldn't take care of Qi Qi, so he contacted me." The sound of a computer mouse clicked through the phone. Lin Jian Shan said, busy with work, "Besides, Qi Qi is doing very well here. He occasionally comes to my place for dinner, Brother Jiang often plays games with him, and they get along very well. It seems he's also very interested in my tabby cat. Ying Huai, are you sure you have enough time and energy to take care of Qi Qi now? Otherwise, constantly moving him back and forth isn't very good, is it?"

Ying Huai paused for a moment. Raindrops on the glass gathered, became soaked, and then slid down.

He didn't want to explain to Lin Jian Shan how his thoughts had changed, so he said to her, "Xie Zhi Lan probably just forgot to tell you. Don't let Qi Qi play with the cat for too long, it's not good for his breathing."

"I know, Qi Qi has his limits," Lin Jian Shan said carelessly, laughing, "What are you worried about? It's as if Qi Qi is your younger brother."

Ying Huai slightly lowered his eyelids and only said, "I'll come pick up Qi Qi a bit later. Just letting you know."

"Alright, Qi Qi comes home quite early. He should be home then, or you can call him," Lin Jian Shan replied.

Ying Huai said "Alright" and hung up.

At eight in the evening, Xie Qi Zhi went to Lin Jian Shan's house to feed the fat cat. Although the fat cat recognized him, its attitude remained extremely cold, only burying its head in the canned food, not even glancing at him.

He carefully, meticulously, squatted half a meter away, reached out, and stealthily stroked its sleek fur once, then stood up and left.

If he stayed any longer, it wouldn't just be one stroke.

As he closed the door, he heard the fat cat drawl a "meow—" as if complaining.

It must be scolding him, thinking he was a bad human, completely lacking manners. Xie Qi Zhi thought to himself.

Upon returning to his residence, Xie Qi Zhi had nothing to do, so he turned on the TV. Coincidentally, a program teaching the elderly how to exercise appeared, and this episode happened to be about Tai Chi.

He pressed play, deciding to compensate for his shortcomings with diligence, following the old man in the white robe on TV. Who knew, maybe he could get a head start in the next PE class.

When the doorbell rang, Xie Qi Zhi had just learned the "White Crane Spreads Wings" movement. Thinking it was Brother Jiang or Sister Lin coming to find him for a late-night snack, he excitedly ran to open the door. As soon as he opened it, he saw Ying Huai.

No late-night snack, he came empty-handed.