Li Wazi noticed the determination in Ye Ling’s eyes and wondered if this was still the frail little boy he once knew.
He thought silently. Perhaps Ling has grown up. Perhaps he is ready to be a father!
Li Wazi, who did not know many words, listened to Ye Ling and said nothing more. He stayed close and watched out for the younger man. If by chance he walked too fast and fell, Li Wazi would quickly help him up.
The four finally met up when they turned at an intersection.
“Liu, Mo, what’s the verdict? What did the county magistrate say? He tipped the scales in our favor, right?” Ye Ling blurted out when he faced his brothers.
Ye Liu observed his youngest brother, who had sweat so much in his rush over here. He lifted his hand to wipe away his sweat.
“There’s no verdict yet. The trial continues tomorrow. For now, we go home, before it gets dark.”
Beside him, Ye Mo’s fury had not diminished, and he glared at Li Wazi as if blaming him.
He only had one job. Why was he so unreliable?
Li Wazi found himself on the receiving end of Ye Mo’s glare. He looked awfully innocent.
His eyes answered Ye Mo. Ling wanted to come, and your wife agreed, so what could I do? I couldn’t say no to that.
Despite understanding the message conveyed by his good friend, Ye Mo glared speechlessly at him anyway.
“Why do we have to wait until tomorrow? What did the old woman request?” Ye Ling asked, eyebrows furled.
He would not rest until he knew everything that had happened.
Ye Mo said to him, “Ling, let’s go home! You don’t have to worry about a thing. Ling and I will take care of it.”
He may be filled with anger at the moment, but he would always consciously lower his voice when speaking to his youngest brother.
Once, when they were young, he raised his voice at Ye Ling which scared the younger one so much he fell sick. The incident frightened Ye Mo too, and when the two elder brothers got wind of it, they gave him a good beating! For several days he could not show his face!
“Ling, Mo’s right. Let’s get home first. Little Duo must be worried sick. Be good,” Ye Liu smiled at him and said.
Ye Ling felt something that had been repressed inside him for the longest time. He felt so repressed that for a moment he felt he could not breathe.
He could not figure out why they always seemed to be hiding the truth from him.
Was it that they did not want him to worry?
But he was part of the family, wasn’t he?
Was he really that weak and sapless?
As he pondered, he began to take deeper breaths. His already pale skin only got paler.
Softly he said, “Am I your brother or not? I’ve been sick since I was young! And a cripple too! Mom and Dad must have brought the wrong kid home! You all treat me really well, and you always think for my sake. You’re willing to spend so much on my medication, but why do I feel that I’m not one of you?”
With that, he walked back on his own. His figure never looked more lost, helpless, and disappointed.
Ye Liu furrowed his brows while Ye Mo tightened his.
Li Wazi raised his brows too, wondering where Ling was going.
“Ling, what are you talking about?” Ye Liu sped up ahead and walked with Ye Ling. “It’s not that we don’t want to tell you, Ling. Look at the sky. We can tell you everything after we get home, before it gets late. Furthermore, Little Duo must be worried sick about us right now.”