CH 44

It will be my first time doing this; here is a bonus chapter in dedication to Lenka. Thank you for your support!

On the third floor, Su Jitong and Su Chi sat on the sofa in the study.

“Dad, what’s the matter?”

Su Jitong brewed his words, “Eldest, what do you think of Little Yi?”

Su Chi’s heart hit the ground and there was a momentary pause, “He’s pretty good.”

Su Jitong made up his mind and followed his words, “Yes, although Little Yi is not related to us by blood, he is no different from our own. It’s just that no matter how close we treat him, in the eyes of outsiders, he’s still just the ‘adopted son of the Su family’.”

He added, “I want Little Yi to be able to be independent.”

Su Chi didn’t answer, waiting for him to go on.

“I discussed it with your mother, and we  removed Little Yi out of the house registry.”

The light outside the window reflected on Su Chi’s face, and he suddenly raised his eyes.

Su Jitong did not notice, “in a couple of years, he will be given a subsidiary company. That way, he can set up his own business, and later start dating……”

“Dad.” Su Chi suddenly spoke, his low, hoarse voice startled Su Jitong, “When was it?”

“The time when Little Yi came of age. Eldest, you can be frank if you have any opinions. Between father and son, we ……”

“I have no opinion.” Su Chi’s chest heaved as he said, “That’s fine.”

“You really have no opinion?”

“I will teach him well how to manage the company in future.”

The attitude of this statement could not be clearer, and Su Jitong put his heart down. He patted Su Chi’s shoulder, “That’s good. Our family has a lot of assets, and you brothers’ are all even in one bowl.”

“I know.” Su Chi got up, “Dad, I’ll go back first if there’s nothing else.”

“Fine, you go back.”

The study door clicked shut. Su Chi stood in the corridor. The light overhead was bright, falling on the tiled floor and reflecting a white light.

His heart pounded violently, and his feet inexorably picked up speed as he walked down the stairs.

The seemingly unbreakable shackles were being broken at this moment.

………

Su Huanyi was still sitting in the hall at this moment, sending messages. Nie Yihu had sent him flowers, and he had to return a good person card as a courtesy. This was the most basic etiquette of being a man.

As soon as the message was sent, Su Chi came down the stairs.

He looked up from his phone, “Big brother?”

Su Chi walked straight in front of him. A wisp of hair fell on his brow and his eyes were hot.

Su Huanyi shrank from his look, “What did you talk to Dad about?”

Su Chi was looking at him like he was a fat little piglet he was going to drag off to be sold.

“Things at work.” A hand fell on top of his head. Warm fingers run through his hair, wrapping around the strands with a gentle tug. Su Chi looked down, “What are you doing?”

Su Huanyi’s eyes narrowed as this was the first time his hair was stroked for such a long time, “I was giving Mr. Nie a card.”

The hand on his head paused, “Send more, it makes no difference.”

Su Huanyi had just issued one and he compromised, “It’s better to save them for him.”

“Save them for what? Following the law of sustainability?”

“…”

Su Jianchen had taken the bouquet of flowers, leaving only a small card on the table. Su Huanyi looked at the card and he tried to reach over for it.

Just when his hand had reached out, Su Chi suddenly said, “Go upstairs and change your clothes.”

He retracted his hand, “Change my clothes for what?”

“Today is a holiday. I’ll take you out.”

The two first went upstairs to talk to Su Jitong and his wife, saying they were going out.

Su Jitong readily agreed, “Okay, you should go out for the holidays and get into the festive spirit.”

He was worried that the eldest might have a grudge, but now the two brothers are going out for the holidays. Who else could have a better relationship than these brothers in their family?

“Ask your second brother to join you since you’re going our.”

Before Su Huanyi could answer, he heard Su Jitong say, “Second brother is busy.”

Su Jitong regretted, “Then don’t bother him.”

On the way downstairs to his room, Su Huanyi asked his elder brother, “What is second brother busy with?”

“Busy checking for land mines.”

“……”

Su Huanyi prepared quickly. He changed his clothes and went downstairs to wait in the living room. A few minutes later, he saw Su Chi coming down the stairs.

A coat made the person as tall as a pine, and a shallow sweater collar revealed a long neck. The whole person looked capable and spirited. Unlike him who was wrapped up like a ball.

He felt that the two of them standing together should be the difference between a spring shoot and a cultivated bamboo.

Su Chi walked up to him, “Ready?”

Su Huanyi emerged from his down jacket, “Yes.”

Su held his head back to avoid his dangerous strands of hair, “Let’s go then.”

From the living room was the hallway which faced the entrance door.

Su Huanyi supported himself to the wall to change his shoes. His down jacket piled up and he swayed as he bent over. A hand reached over and steadied him.

“Big brother, you’re particularly kind-hearted today.”

Su Chi caught the point. “Today?”

Su Huanyi reconstructed, “Today, every day and every year.”

Su Chi: “Heh.”

They went out the door and got into the car. It slowly drove away from gate.

Su Huanyi looked at the receding street view outside the car window, “Big brother, did we kick second brother out of the group chat again?”

Su Chi drove the car attentively, looking ahead, “He did the same thing to me yesterday.”

Su Huanyi thought back and remembered the sensational welcome – it was yesterday, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

He congratulated himself on his noble kindness, “It’s better for me. I wanted to share half of my credit to you.”

Su Chi threw him a glance at him.

Halfway through the journey, his mobile phone WeChat suddenly rang. Su Huanyi picked it up and took a look; it was second brother.

He felt so guilty, “Big brother, second brother sent me a WeChat. Did he discover that we sneaked out behind his back and came to ask?”

Su Chi didn’t look flustered at all, “No.”

Su Huanyi hesitated to click on the message.

[Su Jianchen]: I’ve finished checking, and there isn’t a single flower with bad luck.

[Su Jianchen]: I feel like I wasted my time. [angry]

…… His second brother was still stuck in that node from a few hours ago. Su Huanyi sent a message to comfort him.

[Su Huanyi]: The world of flowers doesn’t need to be taken seriously.

He turned to Su Chi after sending the message, “I’ll never doubt you again, big brother.”

Su Chi faintly rebuked him, “That’s what you said last time.”

Su Huanyi was coy, “Now the faith has deepened.”

…

It was an hour later when they entered the city center as the traffic was at its peak. It was noon, and the streets were crowded with people, the shops on both sides were decorated with festive lights.

Su Chi pulled into the parking lot under the commercial street. The cold air hit Su Huanyi’s face the moment he got out of the car. He took out the scarf Su Chi had given him and wrapped it around his neck.

The weather at the end of December was even colder than before, and the turtleneck alone could no longer withstand the cold.

The crowds became thicker from the underground garage to the ground level and Su Huanyi was bumped into. Su Chi used his arm to separating him from the bustling crowd, “Come here.”

Su Huanyi then obediently stuck to his side.

They wanted boiled beef so they went to a restaurant. They entered and saw a white haze of heat on every table.

The waiter guided them to their seats, and Su Huanyi stood in before the table to unwrap a scarf. He wrapped it so quickly that it was tangled around him, he now couldn’t pull it off for awhile.

There were many customers coming to eat, and there were three girls walking down the aisle. Su Huanyi leaned against the table to make way for them, and the part of the scarf behind him swept against the iron plate in the middle of the table.

Su Chi reached out to intercept the scarf. The three girls passed and he got up to help Su Huanyi get the scarf out of the nook of his neck.

Su Huanyi tried to stretch out his neck to make it easier for him to do so. He even looked like he was yielding because of the excessive effort.

Su Chi lifted his eyes halfway through the process and frowned slightly, “Adjust your expression.”

Su Huanyi strained his neck, “Mmm?”

“…unless you don’t want me to be taken away by the police.”

“…”

The scarf was removed and the jacket was taken once he settled down. The beef was half fried and half boiled and needed the waiter’s extra help.

The waiter placed the dishes on the table and looked at Su Chi after frying. Su Huanyi’s eyes also glued over, probing slightly.

Su Chi looked at the waiter, “Give him some first.”

The waiter was stunned and then said yes. He turned and dropped the meat onto Su Huanyi’s plate.

“Big brother, you are so kind.”

Su Chi saw through it and said, “You say “you’re kind” to whoever gives you the food.”

Su Huanyi did not admit it, “When?”

“Didn’t second brother order for you meatballs and you complimented him?” He looked at the amnesiac across the table and reminded with a sneer, “The popping juicy ones.”

…… hiss! Su Huanyi remembered.

He praised, “Second brother is always so good at what he does.” He even managed to order a meatball that could pop with juices.

Su Chi didn’t know what was on his mind and he picked his chopsticks with a “mmm”.

The two of them ordered six portions of beef, two plates of vegetables and one portion of mixed rice. It was already an hour later when they finished cooking and eating them one by one.

Su Chi settled the bill at the front desk and turned around, “Where do you want to go later?”

Su Huanyi rubbed his belly, “Brother, I’m so full, but I still want to eat.”

Su Chi had an expressionless face as he dragged him out. This person’s lines were almost always the same. The difference was the last few words.

Su Huanyi followed Su Chi down the elevator, “Where are we going?”

“To the mall. Didn’t you say that you still want to eat?”

He didn’t remember, “Is there a snack shop on the top floor of the mall?”

Su Chi lowered his head and took out his phone.

Su Huanyi came over, “You’re checking for me?”

“I’m looking at which way to the hospital is free of traffic.”

“…”

To reach the shopping mall, they had to cross a commercial street with many people and cars, and some vendors selling on the side of the road.

This commercial street was built in the early years and had been renovated a few times since. The main road was neat and spacious, but the alleyways in it were a bit dirty.

The two did not take the alleyway, but just walked along the side of the main road. They were passing a junction when a delivery truck suddenly leapt out of the alleyway on the right, passing behind them in a fast and furious manner!

Before he could react, Su Huanyi’s arm was pulled and he fell straight into an airtight embrace – an arm wrapped tightly around his back and his vision was completely blocked. He only heard several shouts from around him.

He was wrapped in Su Chi’s arms and his cheek felt the rapid heartbeat underneath the heavy coat.

The author has something to say:

Su Chi: Unlock–! (My heart, unlock!)