Chapter 54
Note: not proofreaded
Zhen Yuanbai turned around and met Shi Bufan’s smiling face. He suddenly couldn’t keep his taut face anymore, purposely saying, “I won’t hug you.”
“Please do a good deed and hug me.” Shi Bufan talked like the girl selling matches, “Just hug me for a second and I’ll go.”
Zhen Yuanbai withdrew his gaze to walk away when he suddenly looked at him again, making Shi Bufan’s smile deepen. Zhen Yuanbai’s heart seemed to be poked by something and he unhappily tossed his things up to hug him from behind.
Shi Bufan gradually wrapped his arms around him, feeling suddenly satisfied.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re coming?”
“What if you freeze under such cold weather?”
Although before asking, he had a general understanding, after Shi Bufan personally said that, Zhen Yuanbai couldn’t help but feel sweet. He let go of the other party’s waist and said, “Ok, I’m going back now.”
Shi Bufan wasn’t clingy this time. He bent over and grabbed Zhen Yuanbai’s things, saying, “I’ll bring you up.”
“But it’s very late...”
“It’s very late and I came all the way here for you. Are you really going to shoo me off after giving me a hug?”
Zhen Yuanbai was brought upstairs and Shi Bufan didn’t say anything to him either, but felt honey filling his heart. Zhen Yuanbai found that strange and asked, “Why are you so happy?...I won’t let you in my home.”
Shi Bufan burst into laughter, seemingly even more happy. Zhen Yuanbai was a bit confused, but alert too. If his father found out that he went in the middle of the night to pick up Shi Bufan, he’d be in deep trouble.
“I won’t enter your home.”
“Then why are you laughing...?”
“I’m happy because you came out to pick me up.”
“Who went to pick you?” Zhen Yuanbai was stubborn, so Shi Bufan used another excuse, saying, “I’m happy because I get to see you.”
The elevator became silent and Zhen Yuanbai glanced down and then secretly gazed at him. He suddenly couldn’t hold in his laughter and chuckled. After he was done laughing, his face turned red. Coincidentally, the elevator doors opened, so he quickly snatched his things and rushed out, saying, “Quickly head back and be careful on your way.”
“Ok.”
Zhen Yuanbai ran a few steps ahead and then turned around to meet Shi Bufan’s gaze for a second. In the next second, the elevator doors closed.
Zhen Yuanbai was suddenly a bit disappointed in his heart because he faintly realized that he couldn’t bear to see Shi Bufan go.
He messaged Annoying Shi, “Come and jog with me tomorrow.”
“There will be thick snow on the ground tomorrow.” Shi Bufan quickly responded, “If you want to see me, I’ll come visit you tomorrow morning.”
Who wants to see you? While thinking, Zhen Yuanbai responded, “Let’s go to the library tomorrow instead.”
Shi Bufan walked out of the neighborhood and laughed again when he saw this message. He kicked the snow and as the snow fluttered in the air, he shoved his hands in his pockets and spun in a circle; he couldn’t conceal his happiness at all.
People that were dating were strange. Just a casual word or movement could make the other party feel appreciated and treasured. Shi Bufan knew that Zhen Yuanbai liked him as well. If he dared to be stubborn and mention breaking up with him in the future, he’d harshly kiss him.
His gaze towards Shi Bufan couldn’t help but warm up as he said, “You’re really a genius.”
Zhen Youxiu glanced sideways to see Shi Bufan’s proud face and this gave him the motivation to compete with him as well. He also completed an exam for his elder brother to check, and it was also full marks. Zhen Yuanbai didn’t let any of them go easily. After he went through each question, he also said with determination, “If you were able to obtain this score during your high school examination, our school would definitely welcome you with banners.”
Zhen Youxiu indifferently said, “I won’t score 0 points.”
Shi Bufan who registered into an elite school with 0 points was speechless.
He chuckled, saying in a good attitude towards Zhen Yuanbai, “It’ll be the 30th the day after tomorrow. Are you guys returning to your old home?”
“Yes.” Zhen Yuanbai said, “Our parents are on break, so we’ll definitely go back to celebrate the New Year with our grandparents. How about you?”
After he finished, he suddenly recalled what Ling Xuan had said and he subconsciously glanced at Shi Bufan. The latter glanced down and said faintly, “I’ll see when the time comes.”
Zhen Youxiu knitted his eyebrows, feeling something was up.
By the time the two brothers ended back, Zhen Yuanbai seemed to be thinking of something. Zhen Youxiu glanced at him several times before asking, “What’s the matter?”
“Don’t always target him.” Zhen Yuanbai said a bit angrily, “He never provoked you before.”
Zhen Youxiu said, “I feel like he’s a bad seed.”
“How can you say this about him?”
“Do you really like him?”
This was the second time Zhen Youxiu asked this. Zhen Yuanbai was mute for a second before he suddenly nodded and said, “Yes, I like him.”
“...” This time, Zhen Youxiu was shocked, but Zhen Yuanbai didn’t bother with him, stepping on the snow as he continued to walk. Zhen Youxiu was shocked for a while and a glimpse of panic flitted across his face. He quickly caught up to Zhen Yuanbai and asked, “Aren’t you afraid of him bashing your head once he recovers his memory? Have you forgotten the times he bullied you in the past?”
“So what if he bashes me?” Zhen Yuanbai said unyieldingly, “This has nothing to do with you.”
Zhen Youxiu’s expression froze and he asked, “You’re not afraid of me telling our parents either?”
Zhen Yuanbai suddenly stopped and he slowly turned around, summoning the courage to ask, “Do you want to change your name to Zhen Taoyan?*”
[T/N: Taoyan is equivalent to “dislike” or “annoying” in English]
It seemed as though lightning had struck Zhen Youxiu as he asked, “What did you say?”
“If you tattletale, I’ll call you Zhen Taoyan.”
“...” Zhen Youxiu glanced at him for a while before he slowly said, “In the past, you said you want to become a scientist. Did you forget?”
“Of course I didn’t.” Zhen Yuanbai was confused, wondering why he mentioned this. However, he needed Zhen Youxiu to promise him something important. “If you don’t tattletale on me, I’ll give you half of my allowance.”
Zhen Youxiu’s eyelashes flickered and he said, “Are you a fool?”
“...”
Zhen Youxiu quietly walked ahead as Zhen Yuanbai knitted his eyebrows, reaching over to tug his hand. “There’s nothing wrong with dating and I’m not holding up on my studies either. If you tell our parents, you’re Zhen Taoyan and a tattletale.”
“Who said I’ll tell our parents?” Zhen Youxiu pushed Zhen Yuanbai’s hands off and remained silent for a while before he said, “You can do whatever you want. I won’t care anymore.”
Zhen Yuanbai curled the corner of his lips up and reached over to hug him, saying, “Good younger brother. I’ll buy you food.”
“Did you forget everything?”
“What did I forget?”
Zhen Youxiu glared at him and reached over to push his hands down, saying, “God doesn’t save people seeking death. If Shi Bufan breaks up with you and beats you up in the future, don’t come looking for me to beat him up for you.”
Zhen Yuanbai chuckled right then and rubbed Zhen Youxiu’s head, saying, “If someone bullies you in the future, I’ll have Shi Bufan help you.”
Zhen Youxiu’s face darkened and he slapped Zhen Yuanbai’s hand off, hard. The latter groaned in pain as the back of his hands were red from the slap. Even after a while, he felt the stinging sensation.
He hissed. While blowing the back of his hand, he followed Zhen Youxiu home, murmuring, “He sure is naughty for his age... so annoying.”
As he walked in, he noticed that Zhen Youxiu was waiting for him by the elevator, saying, “Let’s make a deal.”
“What deal?”
“Didn’t you say you’ll give me allowance?”
Zhen Yuanbai regretted, asking, “Didn’t you say you didn’t care?”
“Indeed, I don’t.”
Zhen Yuanbai was confused.
Zhen Youxiu said indifferently, “I want half of Shi Bufan’s allowance.”
Zhen Yuanbai’s eyebrows twitched and he felt a headache, saying, “Why should he give you his allowance?”
“You better get Shi Bufan to do so by today, otherwise I’ll tell our parents tomorrow.”
Next, now matter what Zhen Yuanbai said, Zhen Youxiu said nothing.
There was no way that Zhen Yuanbai would mention this to Shi Bufan. He never thought that this brat would do this. He actually... actually wanted Shi Bufan’s allowance! Zhen Yuanbai rolled in bed as Shi Bufan sent a picture of his dinner along with the caption, “Eating out with Ye Lian and the guys.”
Zhen Yuanbai felt extremely conflicted. Shi Bufan definitely had a huge sum of allowance every month. Zhen Youxiu was being greedy by asking for half of his allowance. Zhen Yuanbai flipped through his account back. He had been recording this since he started to fake date Shi Bufan because he normally never paid whenever he went out with Shi Bufan. Therefore, he recorded the amount of money Shi Bufan had paid for him, thinking that if Shi Bufan had remembered everything one day, he’ll return the money owed AA style.
But now that Shi Bufan had recovered his memory, he still needed to fake date him. Under a moment of desperation, he continued to record their outing expenses and he even specially prepared an old backpack used to store the cash that Shi Bufan forced him to take. Whenever he finished eating with Shi Bufan, he would shove his own portion of money in his backpack, preparing to return it to Shi Bufan in the future.
Although he didn’t know if that day would come, from the bottom of his heart, Zhen Yuanbai didn’t like to take advantage of people.
He didn’t understand. Zhen Youxiu and him both had the same parents. He, on one hand, was embarrassed to even ask for money even though he was dating Shi Bufan, but how did Zhen Youxiu have the guts to...
As he was thinking this, Zhen Youxiu suddenly sent him a message. “Our parents should be coming back soon and we are probably heading back tomorrow morning. If you don’t ask Shi Bufan, I’ll tell them that you guys are dating, tomorrow.”
Zhen Yuanbai quietly changed Zhen Youxiu’s nickname to “Zhen Taoyan.”
Zhen Taoyan: why exactly do you like Shi Bufan?
Zhen Yuanbai thought about it for a while before replying. What the heck does this have to do with you?
Fine. Zhen Youxiu thought. It’s not like Shi Bufan didn’t have any strengths. At least his elder brother knows how to swear now.
Zhen Yuanbai rolled around in bed and when he was chatting with Shi Bufan, he had been thinking about this matter the entire time. He finally said goodnight to Shi Bufan and then he still felt a thorn pricking his heart. He knew that Zhen Youxiu might really tattletale to their parents. It’s one thing if he got a beating, but if everyone finds out... if, if they don’t allow him to be with Shi Bufan anymore... if they forced him to transfer... if they dragged him out to get electrocuted, what should he do?
An hour after he said goodnight, his mind was still scolding Zhen Taoyan, that brat. He finally mustered the courage to pick up his phone and he felt as if his heart was about to jump out of his chest.
He typed everything in one breath. Youxiu knows about us. He says that he wants half of your allowance, otherwise he’ll tell my parents.
After he finished typing this, he suddenly felt as if he was working with Zhen Youxiu to swindle Shi Bufan’s money, so he awkwardly deleted everything when a “?” suddenly popped up.
Shi Bufan raised his eyebrows.
He almost immediately knew what Zhen Youxiu was thinking.
He obviously knew what he was like in Zhen Youxiu’s heart — a devil who bullied his elder brother, a tiger who wants to eat the rabbit, a frog who thinks too highly of himself, a pervert who plans on tainting the school genius. In Zhen Youxiu’s eyes, he wasn’t worthy of Zhen Yuanbai in any way. After all, Zhen Yuanbai was well-behaved, sensible, and even had good manners. Even without the title of a “genius,” he was still treasured by many.
Zhen Youxiu was a brat. In the past year, he was way shorter than himself, but he dared to come over and warn him not to bully his elder brother. Basically, Zhen Yuanbai’s weak personality had a real impact on Zhen Youxiu, so he tried his best to protect him. He knew that his elder brother had a weak personality. Even more, he might even think that his elder brother was a bit stupid, so he kept his eyes on him. In the end, his elder brother was taken by Shi Bufan, this bully. Don’t mention Zhen Youxiu, but if Zhen Pingjin and Qin Ying had found out, they probably couldn’t accept this either.
But seeing that Zhen Youxiu had forced Zhen Yuanbai to ask himself for an allowance, it meant that Zhen Yuanbai must’ve admitted to liking him. There were two reasons why he did this. One. He hoped that Shi Bufan was narrow-minded and this could ruin their relationship, best if they broke up. Second. He noticed that he couldn’t stop this anymore, so he started to find an escape route for his elder brother.
After all, they could still gain some money even if Shi Bufan broke up with Zhen Yuanbai in the future.
Shi Bufan’s mind analyzed the situation and then suddenly felt a tinge of coldness. Zhen Youxiu, this dude... he really is clever for his age.
How could he have such a philistine thought? How come Zhen Youxiu and Zhen Yuanbai were siblings, but they were polar opposites? Look at how innocent and naive his Congming darling was!
However, since his wife’s younger brother was asking for money, he thought he should give him it anyway. After all, he’d considered it as a betrothal gift.
Zhen Yuanbai attempted to change the topic and asked, “How come you’re not asleep yet?”
“You told him that you like me?” This was what Shi Bufan cared the most. Even if he knew in his heart, he wanted to hear Zhen Yuanbai personally admit to this. He finally received a message. Yes.
Shi Bufan was about to reply when he thought of something and said to Zhen Yuanbai, “I know. I won’t give him money, but I have a way to prevent him from telling your parents.”
Zhen Yuanbai’s eyes brightened and he asked, “What’s the method?”
Shi Bufan found Zhen Youxiu’s WeChat and sent him a message before returning to his chat with his darling. “I’ll tell you on our wedding night.”
Zhen Yuanbai was confused.
There must be something wrong with Zhen Taoyan and Annoying Shi’s brains!
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