CH 27

Zhou MuHui didn’t think he would see Xin Yi’s mobile phone here, the kid’s phone was so easy to recognize, on the phone case was his own writing, Zhou MuHui stayed with him for a good little year, how could he not remember it.

“Pick-, picked it up!”

The person under his foot scream was piercing, using strength wanting to move Zhou MuHui’s foot that was stepping on him, Zhou MuHui’s voice was icy, returning the question to him, “Picked it up?”

The other party nodded, frightened, he got just pressed down by Zhou MuHui and beaten up, how would he dare to tell a lie, “Really picked it up, not lying to you!”

He was so scared that the effect of alcohol disappeared, pointing at the small alley on one side and begging him while trembling, “Bro, just, just there!”

Zhou MuHui didn’t take his word for it, his foot stepping even harder, the person under him was scared badly, crying and howling, “I’m not lying to you! I’m not lying to you! A kid lost it!”

Zhou MuHui turned his head to look at it, but paused in an instant.

The other party took advantage of the gap he made while being in a daze to roll and crawl away, but Zhou MuHui was blankly staring at one side, the corner leading to his house, then after a long while, only then did he slowly squatted down, picking up the mobile phone that was forgotten. 

Read it on milkteatranslations.wrdpres.cm

It was Xin Yi’s mobile phone.

… that was lost here.

He inexplicably thought about Xin Yi’s avoiding his gaze when he gave him his new number, and there was also…

The time that the other person mentioned, was the night when Xin Yi sent him back. 

He probably heard something, Zhou MuHui thought. 

The night Xin Yi sent him back home, he then went around and followed him, what did he say that day, so the kid didn’t come for a month. 

Zhou MuHui turned around, walking forward with his face expressionless, it was very messy here, even the ground was randomly paved with gravel slab, Zhou MuHui intentionally stepped on a twig, it was probably left by the rainstorm, it made a cracking sound under his foot. 

The dark and quiet alley was innocently broken by the sound, but Zhou MuHui paused for a while, then stopped without making a sound. 

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He remembers now.

It was just past Qing Ming Festival that day, he sent home the little kid on the car, because he came back a little bit late, his mother waited a bit for him at the door, Zhou MuHui went up to greet her, and the other party talked about their family’s debt, then wanted him to change job, and finally sounded him out about… that person.

Zhou MuHui’s heart inexplicably trembled, he actually doesn’t care about other people finding out about this matter, after all, as long as someone is willing, although it’s been six or seven years, it is still possible to find it on the internet. 

He never thought about hiding it, but Xin Yi…

Zhou MuHui silently clutched the phone in his hand, so that’s why Xin Yi looked at him with fear that day, Zhou MuHui thought, turned out… he already knew about it.

Xin Yi became extremely clingy after his college entrance exams, he didn’t have homework to write, and also didn’t have to be constantly nervous about his studies, so he ran out to find Zhou MuHui every day, and even volunteered to work together with Zhou MuHui. 

But it didn’t even take two days for him to be dragged back by his dad. 

Xin Yi texted Zhou MuHui aggrieved, saying that he might not be able to go over for a while, his family wanted to take him out to play, Xin Yi couldn’t refuse.

Zhou MuHui replied very quickly, Xin Yi looked at the single ‘hmm’ on the screen, pouted, jabbed at his phone and replied a ‘okay’.

Xin Yi originally determined that he’ll only be back in July, but Zhou MuHui saw him at the end of July. 

The kid was a bit tanned, and didn’t appear as small as before, standing prettily by the side of the road, waving at him, “Zhou MuHui!”

Zhou MuHui paused, and saw him run over in a hurry, even the box in his arms trembled.

Zhou MuHui was a bit unusual, Xin Yi didn’t notice the whole time.

“Why are you not speaking.” Xin Yi circled around him, looking at him weirdly. 

Zhou MuHui put down the object, with his back facing him, muttering, “No.”

Xin Yi couldn’t see his face, then hurriedly ran in front of him, said while looking at him, “You’re not happy to see me?”

Xin Yi couldn’t tell what was wrong, but Zhou MuHui had this expression like he didn’t really want to see him, Xin Yi was anxious, squatting in front of him and moved closer to him, called him in a whisper, “Zhou MuHui, what’s wrong with you?” 

He was still all good before he left, why was he suddenly like this.

Zhou MuHui was making an inventory of the things on the ground, hearing that he turned his head, looked at him, “Not unhappy.”

Only not understanding, Xin Yi already knew, why does he still dare to pester him.

Xin Yi looked at him confused, after a while Zhou MuHui didn’t show any other abnormality, only then did he slowly rest assured.

“I’ll be checking my grades the day after tomorrow.” Xin Yi moved to his sides, pulled at the corner of his clothes, pursed his lips, and said, “Zhou MuHui, I am a bit afraid.”

Zhou MuHui didn’t move, said while keeping the same posture, “Afraid of what?”

He didn’t know how to speak words of comfort, fortunately, Xin Yi didn’t want him to comfort himself, listened to his words and said, “I am afraid I didn’t do well on my exams, Zhou MuHui, you accompany me to check my grades, I specifically slip away and came back.”

He smiled at Zhou MuHui, begging him obediently, “Is that okay?”

Zhou MuHui paused for a moment, and evaded his eyes.

“Hm.” 

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Xin Yi’s grades came out at eight in the evening, the kid couldn’t sit still during the whole afternoon, Zhou MuHui watched him walk back and forth around himself, and for the first time didn’t tell him not to move around randomly.

“What are you eating?”

Xin Yi followed him for a whole day, and only randomly ate two bites at noon, and now was sicklily slouched on the table, shaking his head at him.

“I am unable to eat…” 

He only showed a pair of eyes, looking pitifully at Zhou MuHui, “I am stressed.”

Zhou MuHui lowered his head to look at him, “It’ll be fine.”

He walked out after saying this, the weather was very hot today, and the store was empty without any person, the boss lady let the two of them watch the store, and also went out, Zhou MuHui pulled down the door curtain, calling him, “I’m coming back in a while, don’t run out.”

“Where are you going?”

Xin Yi hurriedly sat up.

“Buying dinner.”

Xin Yi let out an ‘oh’, and slouched back on the table disheartened.

Zhou MuHui didn’t know what he wanted to eat, so bought a little more, the place he went was a bit miscellaneous, which delayed his return a bit, but he hadn’t even walked near the store when he saw a crowd of people in the front, Zhou MuHui couldn’t tell what was that feeling, but he was stunned for a moment in a conditioned reflex, stopping his steps. 

Not far away someone saw him, Zhou MuHui’s eyelid twitched, seeing the other party yelling at him in a panic, “Xiao1 Zhou!! Come quickly!”

“Your little brother was taken away by the cops!”

Zhou MuHui was already that the age where he would panic when encountering troubles, but that day he still couldn’t help but tremble, the soups and water fell on the ground altogether, but Zhou MuHui couldn’t bring himself to care about it, chased fast-paced in the direction the neighbor pointed. 

It was actually quite stuffy that day, with weather under thirty-eight degrees2, it was so sunny that it made people dizzy, but Zhou MuHui could only hear his violent heartbeats, along with his hands that couldn’t stop trembling, their area was an old urban area that has been deserted a long time ago, the police station was not too far away, but Zhou MuHui still felt that he couldn’t reach the end of it no matter what. 

They said that Xin Yi fought with people, Zhou MuHui thought, how could that be possible? This little kid was so timid, usually when he was knocked into or bumped into his eyes would turn red, he was someone who would quiver and tremble when seeing him, how could he dare to get into a fight with others.

“It’s real! Your bro is so fierce, seizing people and pressing them to the ground to beat, we almost didn’t dare to stop him!”

“Other people were taller than him by half a head, were pressed under his body and fiercely beaten, we didn’t see it clearly, the two people spoke then started to argue, then after that, they were fighting.”

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Zhou MuHui was called into the police station.

“Oh, speaking about Cáo cāo and here he comes3.”

The policeman made a sign at Zhou MuHui, and said while pointing at Xin Yi, “It’s your little brother? Watch him, a five-hundred-word self-criticism report, cannot be short of a single word.”

Zhou MuHui’s back was drenched with sweat, seeing Xin Yi back to him, with his ears hanging down, and did not turn around even after hearing that he had come, with the appearance of someone who was guilty after making a mistake.

“What are you looking at, you have to write too!”

The yellow head at one side shrank his neck, and nodded in a hurry, “Write! Write! Immediately gonna write!” 

The policeman pushed the door and left, Zhou MuHui paused for a moment, turning his head to look at the person who had just spoken.

“Zhou, brother Zhou…”

The yellow head smiled at Zhou MuHui apprehensively, Zhou MuHui didn’t move for a while, only looking at him quietly, just now he felt that this voice sounded familiar, now that he is seeing the person, he discovered that it was really an acquaintance. 

It was the “coworker” from the car washing station from before. 

“Zhou MuHui…”

Xin Yi called him in a whisper from behind, Zhou MuHui withdrew his gaze, but his heart seemed to have missed a beat in the next second.

The corner of Xin Yi’s mouth was still green, the knee under his short pants was also scraped, Zhou MuHui’s eyes scanned over, on his body were seven or eight obvious bruises, and some were still bleeding, Zhou MuHui was stunned.

“The policemen wanted me to call my guardians… I didn’t dare to…”

The little kid smiled carefully, pulling his hand.

“Zhou MuHui, wait for me to finish writing and we’ll go home.”

The hand he stretched out was covered in bruises, Zhou MuHui didn’t move, only staring at him, next to it was a fit of overwhelming anger.

“Why did you get into a fight?” 

Zhou MuHui asked him, Xin Yi blinked, said to please him, “It’s nothing, just…”

“Why did you get into a fight?!”

Zhou MuHui snapped at him.

This is the first time Zhou MuHui showed such a fit of obvious anger, Xin Yi was scared silly, looking at him dumbly.

“Zhou Mu…”

“I am asking you.”

“……”

Xin Yi’s eyes were quickly filled with tears, yet Zhou MuHui’s face didn’t show the slightest change, and even throwing off his hand, Xin Yi was stunned, looking at his arm that was hanging down at one side, lowering his head blankly.

He didn’t speak, closing his lips tightly, not daring to speak a single sentence.

But the yellow head at one side spoke, saying that he didn’t provoke the kid, just went in to buy a few things, how could he know that Xin Yi would rush out, and would randomly punch him. 

He was speaking and calling injustice, probably because he saw that Zhou MuHui’s behavior toward Xin Yi wasn’t good, and started to speak more and more nonsense, saying that Xin Yi was crazy, and even blamed Zhou MuHui for not looking after Xin Yi. 

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“Brother Zhou, say how could you have such bad luck, and also have such bad eyesight, finding a lil bro like this.”

Zhou MuHui didn’t speak yet, when Xin Yi rushed over, gritting his teeth and kicking him, “You’re farting4!”

His move was too abrupt, no one reacted, the yellow head’s scream in his throat went out, because Zhou MuHui dragged Xin Yi back, then looked at him profoundly.

That look was so ruthless that it could kill, almost drowning him in this hot air. 

Yellow head’s spine on his back almost exploded.

Before Zhou MuHui left he went to deposit the bail, Xin Yi was following behind him with his head lowered, the two of them walked quite far away, then Zhou MuHui turned around.

“Why did you get into a fight?”

He asked one more time.

Xin Yi’s eyes turned red, with his hands behind his back refusing to answer, his knees were still slightly bleeding, Zhou Muhui paused, suddenly carrying him, and put him down on the steps at one side. 

“……”

“He was talking about you.”

Xin Yi was trying his best to hold it, but his tears still fell out, “I just had to hit him.”

They stayed at the police station for a long time, the sky was painted black, Zhou MuHui looked at him for a long while, then squatted in front of him.

Zhou MuHui knew that it had something to do with him when he saw Yellow head, Xin Yi is very obedient, never provoking others for no reason, not even mentioning fighting, Zhou MuHui could almost guess what the other party said, to be able to make an always soft kid angry like this, even making him raise a hand.

“You already knew… don’t you?”

Zhou MuHui caressed his head, calling him, “Xiao Yi5.”

This is the first time he is calling Xin Yi like this, Xin Yi scrunched his nose, raising his head a bit dully.

Zhou MuHui handed him the mobile phone he kept to himself for a few days already, whispering, “Picked it up…near my house.”

Xin Yi lost his voice, even forgetting to let his tears flow, “I… Zhou MuHui…”

“Don’t be angry… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

Zhou MuHui lowered his head, “I know.”

He knows what kind of person Xin Yi is, he always knew.

Only Xin Yi’s liking was too bright, Zhou MuHui didn’t dare to have it.

“What you have heard, and what he said, it’s all true.” Zhou MuHui said, “He wasn’t wrong.”

His voice was very soft, as if he silently let out a sigh.

Zhou MuHui though, it’s also good that he knew, it’s good that they talked it through.

This way, he will be afraid, hide far away, it would be best if he considered him like a severe flood and fierce beast6, not going near him again. 

Also letting Zhou MuHui.. put out this inexplicable state of mind.

“But, but…”

Xin Yi became anxious, sitting on the steps and looking at him at a loss, his eyes were bright, Zhou MuHui thought at first that it was light, but noticed afterward that it was water.

Because large streams of sensation of coolness dropped on the back of his hand.

“I don’t want others to bully you.”

Xin Yi wailed, “No one can.”

He cried until he was almost out of breath, the back of his hand randomly wiping his face, doing his best to say, “I want to protect you, Zhou MuHui, I like you.”

The bright moonlight was imprinted on his face full of traces of tears, the kid actually isn’t good-looking when crying, yet Zhou MuHui was looking at him, and didn’t come back to his senses for a long time.

His heart was beating wildly at this moment, Xin Yi’s phone rang, Zhou MuHui saw him lower his head, only showing the green purple on the corner of his mouth, but his finger couldn’t help but move.

Zhou MuHui thought.

He might have to admit defeat.

He fell into the enemy’s hands.

Notes:

This chapter was a bit long! It was 3855 characters (o_o) compared to 3392 in the previous chapter, but the next chapter is going to be longer, 4277. (Thus, might take me more time) I personally quite like the last two sentences in this chapter! hehe. 

And WordPress is still driving me nuts, it’s been over two months and the font in the text editor is tiny like it happened to me months ago… And no one has the solution to it, I’ve looked on Google already…

NB: I made a slight change in chapter 22: “She’s been delivered.” => “She’s been liberated.” I originally put “delivered” because it meant she was delivered from the pain and everything but I read it again and it sounds a bit weird so I changed it.