Chapter 23

No one noticed the cat’s movements. Lu Yichuan’s gaze rested on the wall, and upon hearing this, he merely flickered his eyelids. "He asked you this when he came to find you?"

"That’s not all..." Zhao Shuo said. "He also asked me if you were very busy and why you hadn't been replying to his messages."

"I must say, that brother of yours is quite well-behaved and sensible, though he does look like his health isn't very good. He coughs with every other word, yet even then, he was still concerned about whether you were doing well at school..."

Lu Yichuan interrupted him. "He is not my brother."

Zhao Shuo was stunned. "Huh?"

Lu Yichuan retracted his legs and stood up to head toward the sofa outside.

"He is not my brother," he said. "He is just a friend’s brother; we are not very close."

Zhao Shuo followed behind him, scratching his head in confusion. "Not close? The way he acted, I thought you two had grown up together."

He looked at Lu Yichuan’s expressionless face and probed, "I see. Next time he asks, I’ll just say I don’t know."

The man didn't speak, and Zhao Shuo immediately knew he had guessed correctly.

Thinking of the familiar way the so-called "brother" had behaved, and looking at Lu Yichuan’s slightly cold expression, he felt a spark of curiosity, but his intuition told him it was better not to ask.

Jiang Heng didn't have much fur and looked dirty, but he was actually easy to wash. Before long, he turned into a little pink-skinned kitten covered in a layer of inconspicuous white fuzz.

Zhao Shuo examined him for a moment and couldn't help but laugh.

Jiang Heng curled up in Lu Yichuan’s arms, resting his head on the man’s arm, and retreated into his own little shell.

The man stroked his head. "Don't laugh, you'll make him angry."

Zhao Shuo was surprised. "He’s that petty?"

With lightning speed, Jiang Heng lunged at Zhao Shuo and bit him.

*You’re the petty one!*

*Your whole family is petty!*

Zhao Shuo held up his wrist to show the faint teeth marks to Lu Yichuan. "Look, he really is petty."

Lu Yichuan reached out to touch the kitten’s newly grown milk teeth. "Be good, don’t bite just anything dirty."

Zhao Shuo: "..."

After leaving the pet shop, the two men and the cat went to the grilled fish restaurant next door.

As darkness fell, a row of barbecue stalls was set up along the street. Smoke drifted under the streetlights, and the scent of charcoal grilling spread on the breeze, infusing the cool spring night with a unique, vibrant atmosphere.

Zhao Shuo went to the freezer to get two beers and handed one to Lu Yichuan. Just as he popped the tab, a familiar face appeared at the entrance.

Gao Zhilan spotted them and waved at Zhao Shuo. "What a coincidence! Are you here to eat too?"

She was followed by six or seven people. When the girls saw Lu Yichuan sitting opposite Zhao Shuo, their eyes lit up, but before they could speak, a boy who had been standing beside them stepped forward.

"Brother Yichuan..."

Gao Zhilan was taken aback and turned to look at Lu Yichuan.

The man held his beer bottle, raising his eyes with an indifferent expression.

She looked at the boy again. "Do you guys know each other?"

Jiang Xingbai chuckled. "Our families are old friends, so we know each other."

Lu Yichuan reached out to press the cat’s head back down and stuffed a peanut into its mouth, saying nothing.

Gao Zhilan smiled. "Since you know each other, why don't we eat together? Have you ordered yet?"

Zhao Shuo replied, "We just did."

Gao Zhilan said, "It’s fine, we’ll just order another fish and pull the tables together."

Zhao Shuo hesitated and looked toward Lu Yichuan.

Before Lu Yichuan could speak, Jiang Xingbai had already sat down beside him.

Seeing this, Zhao Shuo could only call the owner over to combine the tables.

After some shuffling, the group finally sat down. Zhao Shuo asked Gao Zhilan, "Are you guys having a group dinner?"

"Something like that..." Gao Zhilan poured herself some tea. "Club recruitment, so I brought them out for a meal. I didn't expect Jiang Xingbai to know Senior Lu."

Jiang Heng suddenly realized something and turned to look at the boy sitting next to Lu Yichuan.

As soon as Gao Zhilan finished speaking, the eyes of the crowd fell on Jiang Xingbai. He pursed his lips and smiled shyly.

"I didn't expect Brother Yichuan to be here either. My health isn't good, so I often have to ask for leave at school. Plus, Brother Yichuan is very busy with his studies, so we don't see each other often. It’s normal that you didn't know."

*Jiang Xingbai...*

Jiang Heng repeated the name in his heart.

So, he had changed his surname to Jiang.

It was no wonder he hadn't recognized him; he had only seen Jiang Xingbai twice in his entire life. Once in a photo, and once at the Jiang residence.

The time in the photo was when he was forced to learn that he was not the biological child of the Jiang family. The massive shock had made his mind spin, and he had only caught a fleeting glance of the picture.

A thin, frail boy wearing old, washed-out clothes and jeans. Because of his congenital heart disease, his complexion was very pale.

One look was enough to see that he had been living a hard life.

The second time he saw him was at the Jiang home.

Zhao Huailan and Jiang Zhiming were weeping as they hugged him. The boy was held in their arms, still wearing those old T-shirts and jeans, his face pale and his expression timid—looking entirely out of place in the luxurious villa.

In contrast, Jiang Heng had been dressed from head to toe in expensive custom clothing, his skin rosy, his eyes clear and bright, forming a sharp contrast with the timid boy in the crowd.

The gazes that fell upon him were like needles piercing his skin. At that moment, Jiang Heng felt like a despicable thief who had stolen someone else’s happiness. He had been eating their food and wearing their clothes, and now that the true owner had returned, all his past "wicked deeds" had nowhere to hide.

So, he had cowardly run away.

At certain moments after his resurrection, Jiang Heng had even felt grateful. Grateful that he had died, grateful that he no longer had to face the boy whose life he had stolen; otherwise, he wouldn't have known how to make up for the eighteen years of love and life he had missed.

Even if it hadn't been his choice, the guilt always suffocated him.

He hadn't expected that four years later, he would end up like this.

There was still a sickly pallor to his face, but every movement was elegant and refined; he looked no different from those pampered young masters.

Jiang Xingbai raised his hand, inadvertently revealing the watch on his wrist, and complained to Lu Yichuan, "Brother Yichuan, why did you suddenly leave on my birthday? You gave me such an expensive watch, and I didn't even get to thank you properly."

Gao Zhilan leaned over to take a look. "Tsk! Giving away such an expensive watch so casually—Senior Lu is certainly generous."

*Birthday...*

Jiang Heng froze.

So, Lu Yichuan hadn't come to the hospital that day because he was celebrating his birthday.

During this time, Lu Yichuan hadn't spoken. He popped open a can, tilted his head back to take a sip of beer, and took another peanut to hold out to Jiang Heng’s mouth, his voice tinged with the smell of alcohol. "Are you not eating anymore?"

Suddenly, everyone in the room turned their eyes to Jiang Heng.

Jiang Xingbai watched as Lu Yichuan’s attention was drawn away by that ugly little cat, and the smile on his face became somewhat strained. "Brother Yichuan, you’re raising a cat?"

"Mm," Lu Yichuan replied. He reached out and hooked the kitten’s chin. His features, blurred by the haze of smoke, carried a coldness different from his usual demeanor. "I adopted it a couple of days ago."

Jiang Xingbai picked at the strap of his watch and couldn't help but speak up. "What a coincidence, I also adopted a cat a couple of days ago. It’s a Ragdoll, very beautiful."

Lu Yichuan finally turned his head to look at him. "You adopted a cat?"

Seeing that he was finally looking at him, Jiang Xingbai smiled. "Yes, it arrived home yesterday. It’s still a bit shy, but in a couple of days, I can bring it over to play with your cat."

Lu Yichuan seemed to chuckle, the sound drowned out by the rowdy noises from the table next door. When the noise subsided, he spoke. "Isn't your mother allergic to cat fur?"

Jiang Xingbai bit his straw and took a sip of his drink, not noticing the way Lu Yichuan’s gaze had grown cold. "Yes, but since she saw that I liked it, she let me keep it. As long as I change the sheets and covers frequently and don't let the kitten into the rooms she stays in often, it’s fine."

The can turned in Lu Yichuan’s hand, but he said nothing.

Jiang Heng was also silent.

A few seconds later, he stood up and took the peanut that Lu Yichuan had placed on the table into his mouth.

*Roasted peanuts are delicious,* he thought.

...

It was nearly ten o’clock at night when they finished eating.

At the entrance, Gao Zhilan said goodbye to Lu Yichuan and Zhao Shuo. "We’re going to go sing karaoke, so we won't be heading back with you."

She turned her gaze to Jiang Xingbai. "Xingbai, are you coming with us or..."

Jiang Xingbai smiled sheepishly. "I won't go. My health isn't good, and my mom makes me get home before eleven every night."

"Alright. Are you heading back by yourself then?"

Jiang Xingbai looked at Lu Yichuan. "Brother Yichuan is taking me home."

Lu Yichuan didn't speak, so Gao Zhilan assumed he had agreed.

Watching them leave, Zhao Shuo scratched his head. "I’ll be heading back then. Oh, right, Brother Lu, should I take your cat back for you?"

Before Lu Yichuan could react, the cat in his arms nimbly leaped into Zhao Shuo’s arms.

Lu Yichuan froze for a moment.

Zhao Shuo rubbed the cat’s head and grinned. "The little guy is quite agreeable. Let's go, I'll take you back and feed you some ham."

Watching Zhao Shuo’s retreating back, Lu Yichuan twitched his fingers, feeling as if his heart had been torn open.

It didn't hurt, but it was cold.

An unstoppable cold.

"Brother Yichuan..."

Jiang Xingbai called out to him, snapping the dazed Lu Yichuan back to reality.

There was a smile on his face, and he seemed genuinely happy. "It's so late, let's not call the driver. I’ll just go to the roadside and hail a cab."

"No need..." Lu Yichuan said. "I called someone."

Before Jiang Xingbai could react, a car pulled up beside them, and Jiang Zhuo poked his head out of the window. "Jiang Xing-xing, come home with me."

Jiang Xingbai was stunned when he saw him, his expression turning blank. "Brother, why are you here?"

Jiang Zhuo let out a "heh." "What? Are you not happy to see me?"

"Why did you come here!" Jiang Xingbai complained. "Brother Yichuan was going to take me home."

"Guess why I came here? It was your Brother Yichuan who messaged me. It’s late at night, don't people have other things to do? It’s such a hassle for him to take you back and then have to find someone to take him back. Hurry up and get in the car."

"I don't want to."

Jiang Xingbai had drunk some alcohol with them earlier that night, and now it was going to his head, making him stubborn.

"I don't want to go back with you."