CH 40

The fireworks came to an end, the night sky returned to silence, and tourists dispersed in twos and threes.

It was windy outside the observation deck, and Su Huanyi leaned against Su Chi, “Big brother, it’s so windy that I’m scared.”

Su Chi’s hand hanging by his side clenched into a fist, and he was silent for two seconds before saying, “Let’s go back.”

They took the elevator down to the observation tower together with the other tourists.

Outside the tower was a pedestrian street where taxis couldn’t get in, so they had to walk a short distance to the street outside.

The tour group that came later also followed them out, and the pedestrian street became crowded. Su Huanyi tugged at Su Chi, “Let’s go back by the river, it’s less crowded.”

Su Chi said yes.

The Qingfu River rippled slightly in the night breeze, and the two walked along the riverbank. The streetlights were lit up every ten meters or so, and the shadows under their feet kept lengthening and shortening.

Su Huanyi blabbered along the way, his long eyelashes casting shadows on his eyelids, twitching slightly as he spoke. Su Chi turned his head to the side and looked at him.

After a while of talking and not hearing a reply, Su Huanyi turned and met Su Chi’s deep eyes. “Big brother?”

“What’s wrong?”

Su Huanyi took a small step back, “I suddenly understand mother’s mood a little.”

“What mood?”

“It makes me feel like you want to dump me here when you look at me like that….”

“Su Huanyi.” Su Chi took a deep breath and said, “You were the one who said you wanted to go down this path.”

Su Huanyi was logical; “I was improvising.”

“…”

Su Huanyi’s heart tightened at the look in Su Chi’s eyes. The latter’s hand moved and he reflexively flashed to the side—

Su Huanyi knew he was finished the moment he landed on the ground.

Bang! His knee hit the pavement, and an arm went across his chest, cushioning most of the force.

“Why are you flashing?” Su Huanyi was picked up like a noodle, “Do you think you’re a star falling from the sky?”

Su-noodle-Huany softly got up. “Big brother, I was wrong.”

There was a moment of silence, and Su Chi’s voice slowed down, “Can you walk?”

Su Huanyi tried, “I can jump.”

Su Chi: “…”

The tall body was dwarfed in front of him. Su Chi crouched with his back to him, “Come up.”

Su Huanyi was flattered, “Big brother, this is not good!” He said as he climbed up with his hands and knees.

The weight on his back sank, and Chi straightened. He carried the man and walked forward without a word.

“You’re especially nice tonight, big brother.”

The sound of a heartbeat thumped in his chest. The two were physically close at the moment, and Su Chi’s breathing slowed. His hands firmly held Su Huanyi’s legs, and they didn’t move.

“It’s only this time.”

“Okay.” Su Huanyi nodded contentedly.

Su Chi fell silent. It was bold and absurd that, for the first time in twenty years, he had fallen in love with his brother.

Reason told him he should stop in time, let this person step back and stay out of the way. But the surge of emotion had not yet subsided, propelling him to carry the person on his back.

The situation this time was unique, and it will be the last time. ‘I won’t do be doing it again,’ Su Chi thought.

It wasn’t long after they returned from the business trip to Ning City that they entered December.

Su Huanyi felt that Su Chi was busier than before. He was away from the office for half of the day, so the time they spent together was drastically reduced.

Today was a rare moment where Su Chi sat in the office until the afternoon. Su Huanyi was sorting out the documents when Xiao Qin knocked on the door, “Director Su, the flight you asked me to book has been cancelled.”

Su Chi’s hands continued typing on the computer as he said, “Then change to the nearest one.”

“Okay. Is it still for two? ”

“Mm.”

Su Huanyi looked up after Xiao Qin had gone, “Big brother, are you going on a business trip again?”

Su Chi kept his eyes on the computer before him, “Yes, this Friday.”

Su Huanyi caught the key point, “Only two tickets have been booked. I didn’t expect that I’d replace Secretary Qin.”

The tapping on the keyboard stopped, “Who said Xiao Qin wasn’t going?”

Su Huanyi was surprised, “Then you’re not going to go, big brother?”

“……” Su Chi shut the laptop and looked straight over. “You are staying behind.”

Su Huanyi froze.

“Why won’t you take me, big brother?” He came to the edge of the table and said, “I’ll be the only one left on the entire top floor once you guys leave. I’ll be as lonely as snow. ”

Su Chi was unmoved, “That’s great. We can build snowmen when we get back.”

“…”

The two brothers in the Su family had a fall out recently, and the whole family, from Su Jitong to Driver Lin, noticed.

At the breakfast table, Su Huanyi made a love rice ball and pushed it onto Su Jianchen’s plate, “Eat, second brother.”

Su Jianchen had now adapted to it and could even trim the uneven edges on his own. “Oh, thanks.”

Su Chi, across the table, paused his chopsticks and raised his head. He looked at Su Huanyi for a few seconds before lowering his head and continuing to eat.

Su Jitong was anxious as he remedied the situation, ” Little Yi, did you forget to make rice balls for your big brother?”

Su Huanyi sipped his milk and glanced at Su Chi, “Does big brother want one?”

Su Chi put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth, “I don’t dare ask for it.”

Yu Xinyan and Su Jitong, “….”

Su Jianchen held up the half-chewed rice ball, unsure of what to do.

After eating breakfast, Su Huanyi stopped outside the passenger door and hesitated for a moment. The car window was lowered, “Hurry up and get in.”

He pulled the door open and got in.

The car was moving smoothly along the road, and Su Huanyi had his head lowered as he fiddled with his hands. He felt embarrassed for sitting in Su Chi’s car after making trouble with him.

But he didn’t want to be left alone.

” I can apologize to big brother, but I want to know why I won’t be taken on this business trip.” Su Huanyi added, “Is it because you think I’ve given you trouble?”

The hand on the steering wheel tightened, “There’s no such thing.”

“Then why? It can’t be that the budget isn’t enough. I know our family has money.”

“You know that there’s money and you still think about touching porcelain all the time?”

“….”

The conversation went off the rails and the two entered into a new round of discord.

The sound of pages turning in the office was prominent. Su Chi looked up from the laptop, his gaze falling on the wilted strands of hair.

He tried to find a suitable reason, but none of them held water. The only one that did, couldn’t be said.

The uncomfortable atmosphere between them continued until the day before Su Chi’s business trip.

The flight had been rescheduled from the morning to the afternoon.

He was in his room packing his suitcase when the knock came twice on his door, and Su Huanyi came in.

Su Chi put down the clothes in his hands and straightened up to look at him. The two stared at each other for a moment, and no one spoke. It was Su Huanyi who finally broke the silence.

“Although you’re not taking me with you, I still wish you a good trip, big brother.”

Su Chi’s eyelashes drooped, then he reached out and gently touched the strands of hair, “I’ll bring you a gift.”

Su Huanyi blushed, “Then I want something expensive.”

Su Chi chuckled, ” too cheesy.”

The two tacitly reconciled, and Su Huanyi finally felt more comfortable. Although his elder brother was leaving him, he still had him in mind.

He said good night to Su Chi and went to bed.

Su Chi did not go to the company the next day. Driver Lin had to take Su Jitong to his friend’s house for a visit, so Su Huanyi had no one to take him. He was about to call a taxi when Su Chi stopped him, “I’m giving you the day off today, so there’s no need to go.”

Su Huanyi: “Why?”

Yu Xinyan had just sent Su Jitong out the door and turned around to say, “It snowed last night, so the road is slippery. What if you meet an inexperienced driver and the car skids? ”

Su Huanyi calmly turned into a salted fish, “Okay. Well, you should also pay attention to safety when you go out, big brother. ”

“I know.”

……..

However, Su Chi ended up not making the trip.

A call was made to Yu Xinyan’s phone at 10 a.m.

The call ended after half a minute, and she called on Su Huanyi and Su Chi, who was still at home, “Your father fell and is now in the hospital. Let’s go there now. ”

Although the tone of her voice was steady, she failed to close her coat after two or three tries.

Su Huanyi’s heart thumped, “Is it serious?”

“The initial conclusion is that it’s a fracture, but the rest is unclear.”

Su Chi took the car keys and they went out. The three hurriedly got into the car and drove towards the hospital.

It was close to noon when they arrived at the city hospital. Su Jitong was in the VIP luxury ward, so Yu Xinyan and Su Huanyi went straight up while Su Chi first went through the formalities.

They pushed the door in, and they saw Su Jitong lying on the bed in the spacious VIP ward. A doctor and nurse were standing around, and they gave an overview of the situation when they saw the two come in.

Su Jitong had suffered a broken leg and a slight tailbone injury. Fortunately, it only required a month of recuperation in the hospital.

He was not paying attention when he got out of the car and slipped on the snow on the roadside. At the age of 50 or 60, his body is not as strong as when he was younger, so he fell and could not get up, so Driver Lin called an ambulance to take him to the hospital.

Yu Xinyan sat by the bed after the doctor and nurse left, “Look at you. How old are you that you don’t pay attention? You know it snowed, yet you still….ah forget it, just lie down. ”

Su Jitong felt guilty.

Su Huanyi came to the edge of the bed, “Dad, do you want to drink water or eat fruit?”

Su Jitong was busy averting his eyes, ” I’ll have some more hot water.”

Su Huanyi was pouring a glass of water when Su Chi came in through the door, “How are you, dad?”

Su Jitong explained the situation and added, “I’m fine for now. Don’t you have to go on a business trip? Hurry up and go.”

“It’s already been cancelled.” Su Chi sat down, “It’s not anything important.”

The three stayed in the ward all afternoon when Su Jianchen came in, and it was late evening when Su Jitong started to drive people away. “Okay, okay, it’s time for all of you to go back.”

Yu Xinyan said, “You three go back. Someone has to keep watch at night, so I’ll stay.”

Su Jitong drove her away too, saying, “It’s inconvenient for you to stay here.”

“What’s inconvenient? We’re an old married couple.”

“Oh, I mean, you have little strength. Can you help me if I want to get up? ”

Yu Xinyan hesitated, and Su Huanyi spoke up, “Then I’ll stay. Big brother and second brother both have to manage the company. I’m the saltiest.”

The plan was reasonable, even Su Jitong could not raise objections. He reached over with difficulty to stroke the strands of hair, “Tonight will be hard on you, little Yi. We’ll find a caretaker tomorrow. ”

Su Huanyi poked his head over to facilitate his stroking, “It’s not hard, it’s what I should do.”

The VIP ward had a side room, which was exclusively for the caretakers.

Su Chi walked with the other two out the door. Su Huanyi settled Su Jitong in and turned to tidy up the bed in the other room.

The quilt on the bed was a little thin, so he went to the front desk to ask for another one. He found Su Chi when he returned to the ward.

“Big brother?”

Su Chi stood in front of Su Jitong’s bed, “I saw mother and second brother off. I’m staying with you tonight.”

Su Huanyi’s mouth slowly opened wide as he looked at Su Jitong, who looked deflated, obviously unable to convince Su Chi.

It was already after ten o’clock, so Su Jitong slept early. Su Huanyi and Su Chi went to the caretaker’s room after washing up.

There was only one bed in the room, and the new quilt was already on the bed. Su Huanyi spread it out and said, “Let’s sleep in turns. It’s a bit cold at night, so it’s better to lie down and cover-up. ”

Su Chi sat on the sofa, “You sleep.”

Su Huanyi wanted to insist but was suppressed by a look from the former, “You sleep first. I’ll wake you up in the second half of the night and we’ll switch. ”

“Okay then.”

The lights in the room were turned off, leaving only a single reading lamp against the wall.

Outside, Su Jitong had already fallen asleep. Su Huanyi also wrapped himself in the blanket and slowly fell asleep. The only sounds heard in the quiet room were his deep breathing and Su Chi’s heartbeat.

He shouldn’t have come back, but he couldn’t rest assured of both Su Jitong and Su Huanyi.

It turns out that there are times when emotion overwhelms reason. Once the floodgates were opened, he couldn’t stop his emotions. They could only be suppressed temporarily to the bottom of his heart.

One day, they will either be diluted by time without leaving a mark, or they will overflow into a flood and overwhelm him.