CH 5

Chapter 5: Two-Faced Man

When Jin Yanliu woke up and opened his eyes, he saw Zhou Beiyang’s face and thought he must be dreaming.

Although they lived together and often saw each other, this was the first time Jin Yanliu had seen Zhou Beiyang’s face up close.

Zhou Beiyang had a complexion that was smooth and fair, sharp jet-black eyebrows, and the most well-defined brow and nose structure. His European-like brow and high, straight nose made his features stand out. His eyelashes were thick and long, and his lips had a clean color.

Jin Yanliu looked at him for a while, but his attention was ultimately drawn to a faint scar on Zhou Beiyang’s right brow bone.

The scar interrupted his elegantly arched, dark eyebrows and remained quite noticeable upon closer inspection.

Jin Yanliu knew that he was the one responsible for that scar.

Back in their high school days, when his grades were poor, Jin Yanliu used to hang out with a group of wealthy and idle second-generation individuals. One time, they got into a fight with a group of troublemakers from a neighboring school over a game of billiards. The altercation escalated into a brawl in the alley behind the school. In the midst of the heated confrontation, Zhou Beiyang suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Seeing Jin Yanliu in a tough spot, Zhou Beiyang, who had always been a diligent student, grabbed a brick and joined the fight.

The opposing party ended up with a broken head, while Zhou Beiyang didn’t fare much better, leaving a scar on his brow. The doctor had warned that if the blow had been slightly off, Zhou Beiyang could have lost his eye.

That incident solidified their bond as sworn brothers, and they truly developed an unbreakable connection.

As Jin Yanliu reminisced about these past events, the realization that he would soon sever ties with Zhou Beiyang filled him with both heartache and sorrow.

He reached out his hand and gently touched Zhou Beiyang’s brow bone.

As his fingers made contact with the warm skin, he paused for a moment. Then, Zhou Beiyang’s eyelashes twitched, as if he was about to wake up.

…

“Oh my God!”

Jin Yanliu was startled, and he sat up in bed.

The memories of the previous night flooded back to him. He remembered drinking too much, and then…

Damn it.

He immediately lowered his head to examine himself, only to find that he was wearing his pajamas neatly, with all the buttons done up. He quickly lifted his shirt and checked his pants, feeling both the front and back.

Although he had no sexual experience, based on his limited knowledge, it seemed that nothing had happened.

He let out a sigh of relief and kicked Zhou Beiyang with his leg.

Zhou Beiyang furrowed his brow slightly, then opened his eyes and looked at Jin Yanliu with a momentary daze before quickly sitting up.

His voice was husky but calm. “You’re awake,” he said.

Jin Yanliu’s heart pounded as he asked, “How did I end up here? And why are you here…”

“Do you not remember?” Zhou Beiyang replied.

Jin Yanliu pursed his lips.

“You got drunk last night, and Fatty and I brought you back here for convenience in taking care of you, so I slept here too,” Zhou Beiyang cleared his throat. His pajamas were neatly pressed, without a single wrinkle.

His demeanor and tone were natural.

Jin Yanliu let out a sigh of relief.

He had always said that Zhou Beiyang was disciplined from a young age. Even when he went crazy from drinking, Zhou Beiyang was always sober. There was no way they would have ended up in bed together.

He had worried unnecessarily, and it had caused him to overreact.

He rubbed his face and simply said, “Oh.”

Zhou Beiyang got up from the bed, pulled open the curtains, and sunlight flooded in, slightly dazzling.

Jin Yanliu raised his hand to shield his eyes, then lay back down on the bed.

As he relaxed, exhaustion and a headache washed over him. He stretched lazily on the bed, and Zhou Beiyang, standing by the window, glanced back and caught a glimpse of his fair waist. He quickly turned his head and left the bedroom.

Jin Yanliu lay there for a while, then burst into laughter, finding his earlier panic amusing.

He had actually doubted that Zhou Beiyang and he had been intimate. It was both absurd and humorous.

However, after getting drunk, he seemed to have had a wild dream, and now he couldn’t quite recall the details.

He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom. While taking a shower, he shouted, “Xiao Yang, I have a meeting today. Get me a dress shirt.”

He had gotten used to having Zhou Beiyang prepare his clothes every day. He couldn’t remember when this habit started, perhaps in high school. At first, it was just helping him with the school uniform, then underwear, and eventually, Zhou Beiyang would coordinate his entire outfit, including accessories like watches, belts, and ties, which he would wear directly.

Zhou Beiyang acknowledged with a response, and soon he brought Jin Yanliu’s clothes. The bathroom in Jin Yanliu’s bedroom was for his own use since he lived alone. The shower glass was transparent, and even through the mist, everything could be seen clearly.

But as brothers who had grown up together, they had seen everything of each other. Jin Yanliu rubbed his hair and said, “I don’t feel like having Western food. I still want to drink the porridge you made for me last time.”

Zhou Beiyang asked, “Do you want to have some baozi?”

“Yes,” Jin Yanliu replied, “I’d like the ones with beef filling.”

Zhou Beiyang nodded and left.

This simple and heartwarming everyday life instantly brought comfort to Jin Yanliu. He stood beneath the showerhead, tilting his head back as the warm water cascaded down his body. He ran his fingers through his hair, strengthening his determination.

Such pure and deep brotherly affection should not be tainted or destroyed by impostors. Even for the sake of their genuine bond as family, he couldn’t allow impostors to lay claim to it.

Speaking of which, he was incredibly unlucky.

Unwillingness turned to anger.

After finishing his shower, he became even more certain that he hadn’t done anything with Zhou Beiyang last night. There wasn’t a trace or hint anywhere on his body.

However, during the shower, the dream from last night became clearer.

The sensations in the dream felt so vivid and real, as if it were the hot water pouring over him at that very moment, causing his body to tense up.

In the dream, he was so wild. The other person was like a lifeless fish, watching him with excitement, gasping heavily, but not moving.

Jin Yanliu wasn’t a picky eater. He enjoyed both Western and Chinese cuisine, and breakfast usually consisted of a rotation of a few dishes. His favorite baozi came from a shop that had been open for over ten years halfway up the mountain. When Zhou Beiyang brought them back, the porridge was almost ready too. Jin Yanliu, dressed in loose shirt and pants, was stirring it with a spoon.

Zhou Beiyang walked over and took the spoon from his hand. “You go ahead and eat the baozi.”

Jin Yanliu went to eat the baozi while Zhou Beiyang also took a bite. Jin Yanliu grabbed another one and handed it over. “It’s a bit hot.”

Zhou Beiyang took a bite, leaving the other half, which Jin Yanliu promptly stuffed into his own mouth. His fair fingers wiped off a smudge of oil from the corner of his lips.

Zhou Beiyang glanced at him, his eyes shimmering slightly, then lowered his head to serve the porridge.

“Why have you been drinking so much lately, and you even dyed your hair?” Zhou Beiyang asked after a while.

Jin Yanliu chuckled in response. “Well, how does it look? Do you like it?”

He pursed his lips and blew upwards, causing his hair on the forehead to flutter, showing a rather vain appearance.

“It looks good,” Zhou Beiyang said, “but yesterday I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Only Jin Yanliu’s looks could pull off such a color.

“Just wanted to change my image, so I impulsively dyed it,” Jin Yanliu said. “I’ll change it back in a while for the new movie I’ll be filming.”

Zhou Beiyang brought the porridge over to Jin Yanliu. “Have you been dealing with something troubling lately?” he asked.

“Just a minor issue, I can handle it myself,” Jin Yanliu replied.

Zhou Beiyang didn’t probe further, but advised, “If you feel like drinking, do it at home. I’m quite busy now and can’t be with you all the time. When you’re out on your own, especially, be careful.”

Jin Yanliu smiled and remained silent.

Zhou Beiyang glanced at him and asked, “Did you hear what I said?”

“I heard you,” Jin Yanliu said. “Yesterday, when I got drunk, did I embarrass myself?”

“I was the only one who saw it, so don’t worry,” Zhou Beiyang reassured him.

Indeed, in this world, perhaps only Zhou Beiyang truly knew every aspect of Jin Yanliu. Although they weren’t blood-related, their bond was stronger than that of most biological brothers. They had no secrets between them and always treated each other with honesty and trust.

Jin Yanliu cast a glance at Zhou Beiyang. Zhou Beiyang sat upright, dressed in simple attire. His face was somewhere between boyish and mature, and over the years, his features had become more defined. Most strikingly, his broad, sturdy shoulders and his 186-centimeter height gave him a commanding presence. Despite the sweltering weather, he had buttoned up the top button of his collar.

He refrained from smoking or drinking, and had no vices whatsoever. This gentle and seemingly ascetic gentleman was the one who offered Jin Yanliu the most tenderness, and reciprocally, Jin Yanliu was also his source of great care.

During their meeting yesterday, Jin Yanliu noticed that Zhou Beiyang had an exceptional physique—well-defined abdominal muscles and a strong waistline. He was no longer the little boy who used to follow Jin Yanliu around, imitating his basketball moves.

It seemed like Zhou Beiyang had natural talents for taking the dominant role, especially considering that he had been more physically developed than Jin Yanliu since childhood.

Having such an exceptional man by his side was indeed risky.

Was there anyone else in the world more remarkable than his younger brother?

The possibility of letting impostors off the hook was quite slim.

Jin Yanliu took a determined bite of the baozi.

After finishing breakfast, Xiao Pangzi arrived just as Zhou Beiyang was leaving. Xiao Pangzi greeted Zhou Beiyang through the car window, and Zhou Beiyang nodded in response. He didn’t display any airs of a famous star or a wealthy heir but emitted a sense of aloofness that kept people at a distance.

No different from their usual interactions.

It seemed that nothing eventful had occurred last night.

Xiao Pangzi let out a sigh of relief and entered the house after Zhou Beiyang departed.

Zhou Beiyang didn’t head straight back to the hotel. Instead, the car descended from Qiuming Mountain and arrived at a villa area located at its foot. Parking the car in front of one of the villas, he stepped out and immediately unbuttoned his collar, revealing a multitude of passionate love marks on his collarbone.

Reaching for a lighter and a cigarette on the coffee table, he entered the house. The room was dimly lit with drawn curtains, but as he ignited the flame, his deep eyes were illuminated. Holding the cigarette between his lips, he furrowed his brow slightly and took a deep drag before casually tossing the cigarette box onto the table. He then made his way to the adjacent room.

Inside, the curtains were also drawn, and Zhou Beiyang, with the cigarette still in hand, switched on the lights. The room was suddenly flooded with brightness, revealing a wall adorned with photographs.

Covering the entire expanse of the wall were pictures of Jin Yanliu, spanning from his teenage years to his twenties, both clothed and unclothed. The absence of a bed in the room was replaced by a heap of cardboard boxes, a baseball glove, a guitar, Transformers, teddy bears, and old school textbooks—a collection of nostalgic relics. Against the wall stood a wardrobe displaying a row of clothes of various sizes, ranging from school uniforms to suits.

Zhou Beiyang pinched the cigarette, exhaling a long plume of smoke, his gaze drifting aimlessly with a tinge of darkness.

The human heart is a complex entity, capable of harboring a love so intense that it yearns to be cherished at the pinnacle of adoration, while simultaneously longing to grip tightly, bite into the flesh, and drag the object of affection into the depths of an abyss.

Author’s Note: At this point, I would like to issue a disclaimer: Xiao Zhou’s prolonged repression has led to some distortion and deviance within his character. His preferences are of an extreme nature! His storyline follows the path of extreme repression that eventually culminates in an explosive outburst.