Chapter 4 — The Lost Brother

Of course. Those two are still in a long-distance relationship, so it is quite normal for someone to seize the opportunity and wedge themselves between them.

Pei Huaiqing’s thin lips pressed into an increasingly tight line. He murmured an apology and strode toward the staircase to make a phone call. I had just successfully completed a major project. My supervisor offered glowing praise and announced that I was in line for a raise. I practically floated back to my desk, my entire being overflowing with ambition and fighting spirit. Right at that moment, those three familiar characters, Pei Huaiqing, flashed persistently across my phone screen. Confused, I pressed answer. Pei Huaiqing skipped all pleasantries, cutting straight to a command:

Lin Wu, quit your job in Guangzhou this very instant.

After a month of complete radio silence, this was the very first sentence he chose to bestow upon me? Arbitrary and dripping with arrogance. At his core, he still looked down upon me, viewing me as a mere subordinate. I forced down the rising surge of ire and replied with icy politeness:

Pei Huaiqing, I genuinely adore my current job and I have zero intention of resigning.

He fell silent for a span of two breaths, then let out a sudden, dry chuckle.

Lin Wu, do you have any idea how much you resemble a stubborn, unreasonable child right now?

Running off to Guangzhou without a single word of explanation, wasn’t it all just a pathetic bid to catch my attention?

Well, congratulations, you have officially succeeded.

Now, pack your bags and move to Beijing or go back to your hometown. There is still a chance for the two of us to mend things.

The hand gripping my phone turned deathly pale at the knuckles. A searing fury ignited in my chest.

Pei Huaiqing, from the very moment I uttered the word breakup, I have never once entertained the thought of looking back.

The breathing on the other end of the line hitched for two agonizing seconds.

Lin Wu, your judgment is entirely clouded by raw emotion right now. Every single decision you are making is utterly irrational.

Let us speak again in a few days.

The line went dead. A soft tissue was extended gently toward the edge of my desk. My colleague, Xiao Su, looked at me with deep concern in her eyes.

Wipe away those tears.

I reached up to touch my cheek. My fingertips brushed against a cold, damp patch. I murmured a quiet thank-you and hurried to the restroom to repair my composure. When I emerged, I noticed Xiao Su lingering near my desk with a hesitant expression. Finally, she could no longer hold it in:

I am so sorry... I accidentally overheard bits of your conversation just now.

Honestly, the absolute best remedy for a broken heart is diving headfirst into a brand-new romance.

You are so utterly adorable; you have a whole army of eligible men just waiting in the wings!

Xiao Su enthusiastically paraded a lineup of outstanding young men from her social circle before me, yet none of them managed to capture my wandering eye. Still, I grew immensely fond of Xiao Su as a friend. I visited her family home for dinner on several occasions, and her relatives were universally warm and welcoming. Her older brother, in particular, was a remarkably kind soul. On torrential rainy days when hailed taxis were impossible to secure, he would persistently offer to drive me home. The windshield wipers swept back and forth in a steady rhythm. Su Yueming’s long eyelashes fluttered gently like the wings of a delicate butterfly. He asked in a soft, low voice:

Wu Wu, would it be all right if I came to pick you up from work again tomorrow?

The mutual affections of mature adults require no spoken confessions. My ears flushed crimson, and I gave a barely perceptible nod. The following day, as we strolled out together to purchase afternoon tea, Xiao Su linked her arm through mine and squealed with excitement:

Oh my god, look at the five o’clock position! That is the absolute textbook definition of an elite, high-society couple!

I turned my head. Xu En stood on her tiptoes, waving enthusiastically in our direction.

Wu Wu, we came all the way here just to visit you!

Pei Huaiqing stood merely a few paces away, his dark gaze fixed heavily upon me. Xiao Su leaned in close to my ear, whispering anxiously:

Wu Wu, where on earth did you manage to cross paths with such impossibly gorgeous people?

The corners of my mouth twitched into a bitter smile.

They are my dearest best friend and my former boyfriend.

Xiao Su instantly clamped her mouth shut, her expression souring.

Wu Wu, is this your lovely new friend?

Xu En flashed a sweet, radiant smile toward Xiao Su. Xu En possessed a gentle disposition and striking beauty; practically everyone who met her found themselves instantly charmed. Yet Xiao Su merely tightened her grip on my arm and offered a stiff, frigid nod in return. Knowing the messy history shared between the three of us, she held zero fondness for them. Perhaps unaccustomed to receiving such a cold shoulder from a stranger, Xu En’s smile faltered, freezing awkwardly on her features. Pei Huaiqing seemed physically incapable of bearing any distress directed at her. He strode forward, fixing his piercing stare entirely on me.

Lin Wu, we traveled all this way to see you, and you do not even intend to play the gracious host?

I averted my gaze, quietly asking Xiao Su to help me request a brief leave of absence. Outside, the heavens opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour. Pei Huaiqing held only a single umbrella in his hand. Xu En had already nimbly stepped beneath its shelter, pressing close to his side. Pei Huaiqing pressed his lips together, opening his mouth as if to speak, but I had already turned and walked into the adjacent convenience store, emerging with a freshly purchased umbrella.

Let us go, there is a rather decent Cantonese restaurant just around the corner.

Pei Huaiqing gripped the handle of his umbrella until his knuckles whitened, silently trailing behind me in my wake. Without needing any prompting from them, upon entering the restaurant, I purposefully seated myself on the single-person side of the booth. The already dismal expression on Pei Huaiqing’s face darkened further into a thundercloud. Yet I no longer possessed an ounce of energy to cater to his fragile moods. I ordered a handful of dishes, taking care to explicitly list the specific dietary restrictions and ingredients each person at the table detested. Xu En suddenly chimed in, her tone dripping with faux wonder:

Wu Wu, you have changed so drastically. It is as if you suddenly grew up overnight.

I carefully rinsed our chopsticks and bowls with scalding hot tea before replying with total indifference:

People change, Xu En. It is simply the nature of time.

Pei Huaiqing gripped his chopsticks with enough force to snap them. The atmospheric pressure surrounding him plunged into heavy gloom. The proprietor delivered a steaming plate of boiled prawns to the center of the table. Pei Huaiqing automatically reached out, his long, slender fingers deftly peeling away the translucent shells. Just as he moved to place the very first succulent prawn into my personal bowl, I raised my hand to block him, my voice completely devoid of emotion: