Chapter 94 Storm 07

"Return, evacuate immediately! Not a word of today's events can be disclosed." Fu Luoyin hissed urgently. "Interrogate him again! Let's see what else he can come up with!"

Lin Shuicheng's condition was already apparent – his entire body trembled, and his teeth chattered. The mention of 'God' struck everyone present like a bolt from the blue, leaving them, including Lin Shuicheng himself, stunned.

Without hesitation, Fu Luoyin scooped him up in his arms and rushed outside.

He whispered soothingly, "It's alright, it's alright. He's just trying to scare you. Don't worry, who knows what that madman means? Don't dwell on it, Lin Shuicheng, don't think too much."

In Fu Luoyin's embrace, Lin Shuicheng bit his lip desperately, gripping his hand until it turned white. His gaze was almost hopeless as he muttered, "I'm not, I'm not..."

"I know," Fu Luoyin drew him closer. They were moving fast, with agents from Unit 9 and Unit 7 clearing their path. In an attempt to reassure him, he quickly thought of something to say, "If you were, our Chief would be dancing with buttered bread, wouldn't he?"

Under such circumstances, this statement held little persuasive power. Fu Luoyin anxiously observed him, still expressionless but instinctively holding onto him tightly, as if nothing in the world could separate them.

Looking into Fu Luoyin's eyes, Lin Shuicheng gradually calmed down after a long while, his body relaxing.

Fu Luoyin bent down to lift him into the car, then sat beside him.

The accompanying doctor approached, asking Fu Luoyin, "Does Mr. Lin need a sedative?"

Fu Luoyin gently stroked Lin Shuicheng's head, sensing that something was still off with him. He whispered, "Should we take a nap? We'll be home when we wake up."

Lin Shuicheng remained silent.

The doctor administered a sedative to Lin Shuicheng.

Moments later, he fell asleep.

Fu Luoyin held him close in his arms and gazed at him for a long while.

After an eternity, he closed his eyes, resting his chin on Lin Shuicheng's shoulder.

The car drove silently towards their home.

Fu Luoyin reached out to tenderly touch Lin Shuicheng's cheek, then softly brushed his breath against the teardrop mole near his eye.

"So you fell asleep so quickly," Fu Luoyin murmured, a hint of a bitter smile tugging at his lips. His voice was raspy as he continued, "You need me to carry you, support you, and yet you make me worry so easily. Yet here I am, still angry with you, Lin Shuicheng."

"What do you want me to do, what should I do?"

When Lin Shuicheng woke up, he heard Su Yu and Fu Luoyin conversing in the hallway outside his room.

He hadn't seen Su Yu in a long time and didn't expect him to visit at this hour. Both of them were speaking in hushed tones, as if they were afraid of waking him up.

Lin Shuicheng sat up on the bed, wrapped in his blanket, listening silently.

Fu Luoyin was being scolded.

"You can't do that, you know. Your brother-in-law has been through so much and isn't in a good state. Yet, you still provoke him like that. I understand your anger, I really do, but please don't look at me like that... It's all in the past, let's not torment each other anymore." Su Yu's voice was muffled and indistinct. "Move on. It's not that you two aren't compatible, it's just that you weren't destined to be together. Does holding a grudge help? Does it, Negative Two? Huh?"

"My brother is dead, yet I met him. That's our connection," Fu Luoyin replied sternly.

"Then what's the point of this stalemate with your brother-in-law now? If you've come to your senses, let go sooner rather than later, or have a proper talk with him—"

"I won't talk to him."

"Then you'll suffer alone, and your brother-in-law will suffer with you."

"What suffering does he have? What does he—"

"Lower your voice! Last time, your antics landed Sister-in-law in the hospital for three days of intravenous drips. Have you any sense of what is decent?"

There was a moment of silence outside, followed by Fu Luoyin's slightly subdued voice: "...I need a cigarette."

"You're still smoking despite your sister-in-law's condition," Su Yu scolded him. "Do you know how terrified I've been these days? With Dong Hei busy on the front lines and you caught up in this mess, it's caused quite a stir. My mother has been urging me to come and see you, even suggesting that we just pair up if you're unhappy... Phooey! If you're going to be stubborn in your anger, you might as well break up. Your sister-in-law is a benefactor to our family, and while we may not have the same wealth and status as your family, protecting her is no issue for us. Besides, what are you so angry about? Does your sister-in-law even know that your brother is your brother? Isn't she suffering too? If you have the nerve, do it decisively and end things for mutual peace. Now, what's the situation with Qin Wei? Why does he call your sister-in-law 'God' when he sees her?"

"He didn't confess. After that, he didn't speak anymore. Both Ninth Bureau and the Security Department asked me to bring Lin Shuicheng in for another round of interrogation, but I refused."

Fu Luoyin murmured again, "I won't leave him alone."

Before Su Yu could respond, he added, "But I don't want to reconcile with him either."

Upon hearing this, Su Yu realized that all his efforts in lecturing the man about morals had gone down the drain, as he hadn't absorbed a single word!

He was speechless. "I was saying..."

"Stop talking about me. My stomach hurts," Fu Luoyin said. "Go check on Lin Shuicheng. If you have time these few days, spend some time with him."

"Big Brother, Second Bro, you should still take care of yourself even if you have stomach pain," Su Yu advised. "Don't think that just because you were in the military, you can endure anything. I've seen dozens, if not fifty, soldiers who got injured during their service."

"Mm."

Footsteps drew closer to the room, and Lin Shuicheng put on a robe before getting out of bed.

The moment Su Yu entered, he froze, whispering, "Sister-in-law, you're awake..."

Lin Shuicheng nodded at him and gave a gentle smile. "You're here. Have you eaten?"

"..." Su Yu felt like he was never going to shake off the "glutton" label with Lin Shuicheng. However, Lin Shuicheng seemed in good spirits and willing to engage in conversation. So, Su Yu followed up on his words. "Not yet, I'm starving. Have you eaten, Sister-in-law? Should we order takeout?"

He knew that Lin Shuicheng hadn't been eating much since he came back and had lost weight.

Lin Shuicheng replied, "I'll cook."

Su Yu was taken aback for a moment before feeling pleased. "That's great! I can finally have your cooking again! Let me tell you, after I had the coconut chicken you made last time, the one from the third hospital just didn't..."

As he praised Lin Shuicheng, he mentally assessed Lin Shuicheng's state: He was willing to cook, which meant today wasn't too bad. The more this was the case, the more they needed to encourage and accompany Lin Shuicheng in any autonomous actions.

Su Yu accompanied Lin Shuicheng as he took his medicine and watched him put on a mask before heading to the kitchen. He went to assist him.

Fu Luoyin was studying in the living room with his back to them. From the kitchen, one could see him sitting motionless on the sofa like a child being punished—except he was sitting instead of standing. Su Yu almost laughed out loud. Fu Luoyin sat alone, completely still, as if he were a primary school student being disciplined.

Smiling, Su Yu glanced at Lin Shuicheng, who casually asked, "What are you laughing about?"

Explaining himself, Su Yu said, "I think Fu Luoyin looks like a little kid being scolded. Seriously, sis, he's been rude to you these past few days, so I've already lectured him. Don't take it to heart, and don't feel too upset."

"Could you tell me more about him?" Lin Shuicheng asked softly while peeling an apple with a potato peeler, his movements gentle.

Su Yu was taken aback. "About what?"

"Fu Luoyin," Lin Shuicheng replied.

He seemed calm and composed as he carefully chose his words. "Is it possible that his family didn't treat him well?"

"That...," Su Yu scratched his head. "Well, regarding Uncle and Aunt, uh, we might seem a bit biased. After Aunt Chu gave birth to him, she fell ill and took a long time to recover, which affected her career. During Fu Luoyin's childhood, there wasn't much supervision. He attended school in both Jiangnan Branch and Star City, often eating at our place. But later, he found our cooking too unappetizing and started eating at the school cafeteria instead. You could say he grew up rather independently. In high school, there was a big argument with Uncle Fu over his college aspirations, to the point where their father-son relationship was nearly severed. That was because he was dating Xia... Xia Ran, whom Uncle Fu disapproved of. Later on, they pressured him into inheriting the family business, but Luoyin adapted quickly once he took over."

As he spoke, Su Yu observed Lin Shuicheng's reaction.

Lin Shuicheng appeared deep in thought.

Su Yu cleared his throat again. "He's... just very capable, probably the most capable person I know. He's also quite stubborn. Uncle Fu and the others think that Elder Brother Fu Er is into research and shouldn't be involved in company affairs, so they left the company to him and insisted he join the military's Seventh Bureau. But Fu Er is actually quite competent. Aren't we all entangled with our own issues, given how long we've known each other since childhood? In the end, it didn't matter much."

When he talked about their school days, he rattled on extensively.

When Chu Shihan was in college, Chu Jingshu almost flew down to the Jiangnan branch to accompany him; around that time, Fu Luoyin had just settled down to study in Star City. Every weekend, neither of them had anyone to send them meals. Coincidentally, Dong Shuoye was also without meal deliveries. Su Yu's family's cooking was like a biological weapon, so the three of them would borrow their teacher's motorbike to ride five kilometers away for hot pot, feeling a sense of camaraderie in their shared predicament.

The simmering broth bubbled gently in the pot. Lin Shuicheng carefully divided the century eggs with a thread, the steam rising and softening his exquisite features into a gentle blur.

In the end, Su Yu's chatter was gently interrupted by his voice. "Let's eat."

Su Yu fell silent.

When Su Yu went to call Fu Luoyin for dinner, Fu Luoyin refused to come over. "I'm not hungry. You guys go ahead. I'll order takeout later."

The dishes for the day were light, with congee made from century eggs and lean meat as the main staple – fragrant, smooth, and easily digestible. Lin Shuicheng had also prepared a pot of chicken soup, skimming off the excess oil spoon by spoon to leave behind only the purest, richest broth.

Lin Shuicheng ate quietly before going to the living room to work on his model.

As soon as he left, Fu Luoyin extinguished his cigarette and retreated to the study.

Struggling with the situation on both sides, Su Yu wished to join Lin Shuicheng for a chat but, seeing him engrossed in work, decided not to disturb him. Instead, he asked Fu Luoyin for a guest room and went upstairs to prepare the next psychological counseling plan for Lin Shuicheng.

Alone, Lin Shuicheng gazed at his computer screen, immersed in an ocean of data, as he continued his research.

"Input—Dynamic modeling of Chu Shihan's assassination attempt at the harbor."

"Calculation result: Lin Shuicheng."

"Repeat calculation—Remove communication system and trading system references—Dynamic modeling of Chu Shihan's assassination attempt at the harbor."

"Calculation result: Lin Shuicheng."

Lin Shuicheng's eyes remained fixed on the screen without blinking.

After a moment, he selected "Re-import—Model of Lin Wang and Lin Deng's car accident off the cliff." He removed the trading system coordinates.

His finger trembled slightly as he pressed Enter.

"Calculation result: Lin Shuicheng."

...

When Fu Luoyin emerged from the study, he found Lin Shuicheng dozing off beside the desk.

The house was spacious, and the heating was less adequate compared to the small rental apartment at Star University. Fu Luoyin hesitated for a full half-minute before finally approaching him and gently lifting him up, carrying him towards the bedroom.

Feeling himself suspended in mid-air, Lin Shuicheng stirred awake, soon realizing it was Fu Luoyin. He was held like a compliant little kitten as they made their way to the bedroom. Noticing that Lin Shuicheng had woken up, Fu Luoyin's expression tensed. He lowered his gaze, meeting Lin Shuicheng's eyes before looking away.

Lin Shuicheng was placed in bed and tucked under the covers. Just as Fu Luoyin was about to leave, he heard Lin Shuicheng softly call out to him, "Fu Luoyin."

He responded stiffly, "Mmm?"

"Have something to eat, porridge is good for your stomach," Lin Shuicheng's voice sounded low and gentle.

"Mmm," Fu Luoyin acknowledged.

"Our encounter...," Lin Shuicheng spoke with difficulty, "was it... by chance? That day when you waited for me in the parking lot, it was...?"

"..." For some reason, Fu Luoyin's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this question.

He actually didn't want to recall how he and Lin Shuicheng had met. It was a mistaken beginning, as he had only sought a beautiful student with a pleasing appearance, while Lin Shuicheng hadn't seen him at all.

Back then, even he himself disliked who he was. How could he have expected Lin Shuicheng to like him? All he wanted was to shatter those memories, tear them apart, and flush them down the drain, wishing they could have met under better circumstances.

Fu Luoyin whispered, "Don't overthink it."

But what exactly did he want Lin Shuicheng not to think about, he didn't know.

— Because of their encounter, fate seemed destined to rip off his disguise in a bloody manner at this very moment, exposing the most hidden, shameful, and awkward truths before his eyes. It made him realize that his former lover and current one were brothers.

Was this also part of fate's plan?

Just as he was the root cause of Chu Shihan's case, he was the butterfly itself.

He sensed Lin Shuicheng's thoughts, feeling as if glass shards were grinding against his heart. He sat down beside Lin Shuicheng's bed and, after a long while, said, "All of that was a lie, a deception. My brother... he wouldn't have been killed because of anyone. He just happened to be on that road that day."

His voice trembled with effort, trying to remain steady. "I met you because I was out of my mind and still searching for a substitute at that time. That's all there is to it. There's no such thing as destiny in this world."

"Then, do you feel that your family has been unfair to you?" Lin Shuicheng asked softly. "Have you ever thought that if you had been born earlier or... if you had never existed in this world, perhaps you wouldn't have had to suffer so much?"

"There's no point in talking about these hypotheticals, Lin Shuicheng," Fu Luoyin said, feeling increasingly anxious as he listened. "There aren't many 'ifs' in life. We just need to make the best of what we have."

Lin Shuicheng fell silent for a moment before he spoke. "Let's break up, Fu Luoyin."

Fu Luoyin was stunned.

It was as if an icy blade had pierced his chest, freezing his thoughts in that instant.

He felt like a child who had thrown a tantrum to get a toy, believing that his parents would eventually give in, only to be taken straight to the police station and told that he was adopted.

This was not how he had imagined things would unfold.

"I heard your conversation with Su Yu," Lin Shuicheng continued. "If you're struggling to make a decision, then let me do it. We shouldn't have had much of a connection anyway. I never liked you; I've always seen you as Chu Shihan's substitute. The kindness I showed you before was due to my guilt."

Fu Luoyin's eyes reddened instantly, looking rather frightening. "What did you say?"

"I have never liked you, not even for a single minute," Lin Shuicheng said calmly. "If you've been wanting to make a scene with me these past few days, I suppose you've had your fill of venting. Let's break up."