Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Su Qiang asked, "Who is Xiao Zhou?"

Su Yu cast a resentful glance at Shen Tingzhou, "Xiao Zhou is Doctor Shen's favorite."

Although it had nothing to do with Su Qiang, he got angry right away, "Why should he be the favorite?"

Hearing that he was acknowledged as Shen Tingzhou's favorite, Zhou Zitan's lips curled into a fishhook-like smile, and his fighting spirit rose another notch, "Why can't I be the favorite!"

Su Qiang asserted forcefully, "I just won't allow it."

Zhou Zitan sneered, "Who do you think you are?"

Seeing they were about to fight, Shen Tingzhou spoke up again to control the situation, his gaze sweeping over them, "Alright, stop arguing!"

Su Yu patted his own belly and said plaintively, "When you say 'you' looking at Xiao Zhou, and 'stop arguing' looking at us, I know Doctor Shen favors Xiao Zhou."

Shen Tingzhou: You're good at finding reasons to be jealous.

Fueled by Su Yu's provocation, Su Qiang was also very angry, "Why do you favor Xiao Zhou!"

Zhou Zitan stepped in front of Shen Tingzhou, "Who gave you the right to yell at Doctor Shen?"

Su Qiang retorted angrily, "Who gave you the right to touch Doctor Shen?"

Zhou Zitan said proudly, "I am Doctor Shen's favorite."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Seeing Su Qiang roll up his sleeves ready for a fight, Shen Tingzhou twitched his eyelid and hurriedly patted Zhou Zitan on the shoulder, "Calm down, calm down."

Su Yu bit his lip, eyes red, looking heartbroken, "You obviously like Xiao Zhou the most. You pat his shoulder but not mine."

Zhou Zitan's lips couldn't help curling upward again, sending a joyful and satisfied look at Shen Tingzhou, feeling like a tail would sprout any moment.

Shen Tingzhou closed his eyes briefly.

What was going on? Why were they fighting over him?

Facing the "enemy," Zhou Zitan acted arrogantly, raising his chin and saying, "Of course, I've known Doctor Shen for a long time."

Su Yu said coolly, "Knowing him for so long, and yet you still hang out with someone who bullied Doctor Shen."

Bullied Doctor Shen?

Who, who bullied Doctor Shen?

Su Yu pointed, "That's him!"

Following his finger, Zhou Zitan saw Yu Jurong leaning against the stairway, his handsome face wearing a lazy smile, looking like an outsider enjoying the show.

Seeing Su Yu point at him, Yu Jurong innocently shrugged at Zhou Zitan.

Zhou Zitan turned seriously to Shen Tingzhou, "Doctor Shen, did he bully you?"

Not wanting the situation to escalate, Shen Tingzhou promptly said, "No."

Su Yu immediately chimed in, "Did you hear that? Doctor Shen said yes!"

Shen Tingzhou: "...I said no."

Su Yu said to Zhou Zitan, "Doctor Shen has already said twice that it happened. What are you still doing here? Go beat up Yu Jurong!"

His confident manner made Zhou Zitan momentarily confused.

Shen Tingzhou decided not to let Su Yu stir things further and raised his voice, "Everyone who listens, sit on the sofa!"

The obedient Zhou Zitan responded first, quickly finding a seat on the sofa.

Su Yu, not to be outdone, also sat down on the sofa.

Su Qiang, not understanding why, followed suit and sat down too.

The three of them sat side by side, but none of them were convinced, and they continued arguing.

"Don't touch me."

"You shouldn't touch me."

"Both of you shut up."

"You should be the one to shut up."

"I won't."

Shen Tingzhou felt his head spinning from their bickering and looked helplessly at Yu Mingyan, "Mr. Yu, Mr. Xiao Yu is pregnant..."

Yu Mingyan smiled and waved at Su Yu, leading the reluctant expectant father away.

Yu Jurong also waved at Zhou Zitan, "Let's go."

Zhou Zitan rolled his eyes, looking indignant, and finally left with Shen Tingzhou.

Left alone, Su Qiang frowned, looking around, wondering why no one came to take him.

After sitting alone for a while, Su Qiang left in frustration.

-

Shen Tingzhou drove Zhou Zitan home.

On the road, Xiao Zhou was still feeling smug. Shen Tingzhou glanced at him and asked, "Why are you with Yu Jurong?"

Zhou Zitan's expression froze, and he stammered, unable to speak.

Seeing this, Shen Tingzhou became even more suspicious and guessed, "It can't be related to your brother, right?"

Zhou Zitan immediately shook his head, but his shaking looked more like nodding. His guilty conscience was too obvious, making Shen Tingzhou helpless.

Zhou Zitan rarely lied; he acted boldly and openly.

"So—" Shen Tingzhou stopped at a traffic light and looked at him, cutting straight to the chase: "All those ideas before were given to you by Yu Jurong, weren't they?"

Zhou Zitan stopped shaking his head and remained silent.

That's it then!

Shen Tingzhou sighed, "Then why did he bring you to Su Yu's place today?"

Zhou Zitan mumbled, "I don't know either. He said he had other ideas to make my brother forget about Jiang Ji, but we needed to go somewhere first, so I followed him."

Shen Tingzhou felt something was off but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

Shen Tingzhou came to Su Yu's place every Wednesday, and Yu Jurong should have known that since they had met several times.

If he brought Zhou Zitan here today to coincidentally run into Shen Tingzhou, what was the purpose?

Could it be that he, like Su Yu, enjoys watching dramas?

Looking at Zhou Zitan, who was hanging his head in guilt, Shen Tingzhou patiently advised, "You should stay away from him and not listen to his ideas."

Zhou Zitan looked conflicted, "But my brother..."

Shen Tingzhou, frustrated, said, "Yu Jurong's ideas are all bad ones, none of them practical!"

Zhou Zitan moved his lips but finally lowered his head, "Okay."

-

Shen Tingzhou took Zhou Zitan back and went straight home.

As he got off the elevator, he saw the tall figure standing outside his door, and his lips curled up involuntarily.

Xu Xun turned around, standing against the light in the corridor, his silhouette blurred. The eyes looking over were half-illuminated, shining brightly.

Shen Tingzhou spoke lightly, "Why are you here?"

Xu Xun repeated, "The cats at home said they missed you."

Shen Tingzhou looked at the paper box in his hand, assuming the silver tabby was inside.

"They stayed at home, and I came to see you." Xu Xun handed the box to Shen Tingzhou, "This is a cake."

Shen Tingzhou took the cake and entered the password in front of Xu Xun, opening the door.

As they walked into the foyer, Shen Tingzhou put down the cake and heard Xu Xun say behind him, "I miss you too."

Shen Tingzhou slowly turned around, and Xu Xun stared at him intently, looking like a cat begging for treats.

Xu Xun stepped forward and hugged Shen Tingzhou, nuzzling his neck, making Shen Tingzhou feel warm inside.

"Then—" Shen Tingzhou curled his fingers as if itching, "Stay for dinner."

Xu Xun lifted his head and kissed Shen Tingzhou, his voice muffled, "Come back earlier next time; I've been waiting for half an hour."

Shen Tingzhou felt a flush on his face, "Next time, call me or I'll come to you..."

Xu Xun gently bit Shen Tingzhou, "Come back earlier!"

Seeing signs of Zhenzi surfacing, Shen Tingzhou chuckled, "Got it."

Xu Xun licked where he had bitten Shen Tingzhou, making Shen Tingzhou look away, slightly embarrassed, "There's no food in the fridge..."

Xu Xun said, "Let's eat the cake first, then go buy some groceries."

Xu Xun bought a matcha-flavored cake, dense and fragrant, just the flavor Shen Tingzhou liked.

While eating, the Steward called Shen Tingzhou, asking if Xu Xun was there.

Shen Tingzhou glanced at Xu Xun and replied, "He's here. Do you want to talk to him?"

The Steward calmly said, "No need. As long as he's not lost."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

After hanging up, Shen Tingzhou asked Xu Xun, "Did you tell the Steward when you left?"

Xu Xun looked down while slicing the cake, "What's there to say."

Shen Tingzhou laughed, "Another argument?"

Xu Xun denied it, "No."

Shen Tingzhou didn't quite believe him, "Then why did you come out alone?"

Xu Xun remained silent, and Shen Tingzhou suddenly thought of a possibility, "You wouldn't be afraid of the Steward..."

Xu Xun covered Shen Tingzhou's mouth, emphasizing, "I'm not afraid of anything."

Shen Tingzhou smiled.

It seemed he was indeed afraid of being criticized by the Steward, so he came over himself, unwilling for Shen Tingzhou to visit him.

Xu Xun slumped his face and turned his head away.

This petulant look made Shen Tingzhou want to support him. "Next time he says something, I'll definitely stand by your side."

The first thing to do was to hold back laughter when the Steward complained.

Xu Xun turned his head and fed Shen Tingzhou a mouthful of matcha cake. "Let him talk; it's enough for me to know you're on my side."

Goodness, how could there be such a considerate person in the world!

Shen Tingzhou felt soft inside and said firmly, "Rest assured, I will always stand by your side!"

Xu Xun fed Shen Tingzhou another bite of matcha cake. "Mm, I believe you."

After finishing the cake, Shen Tingzhou and Xu Xun went out to the supermarket to shop.

There was a large supermarket near Shen Tingzhou's residential area. They walked out and walked back, each carrying one handle of the shopping bags to share the weight.

A fiery red sports car passed by and then quickly backed up.

Ling Yun rolled down the window, looking at the two who were acting intimately, and frowned delicately as she honked her horn.

Shen Tingzhou turned his head. "Miss Ling?"

Ling Yun's gaze swept over Xu Xun before landing on Shen Tingzhou. "Didn't you like Qin Shiyao and pursue her for years? How can you be so unclear with a man on the street?"

She was almost pointing at Shen Tingzhou's forehead, asking if he was gay or straight.

Shen Tingzhou immediately felt the intense gaze from Xu Xun, while Ling Yun stared at him with an accusing look.

Shen Tingzhou couldn't betray his friend by saying he wasn't pursuing Qin Shiyao, nor could he admit to Xu Xun that he "liked" other girls.

His ambiguous appearance infuriated Ling Yun. "You, with your thick brows and big eyes, looking handsome and reliable, Shen Doctor, didn't expect you to be a scumbag!"

Shen Tingzhou: ... Uh, thanks for the compliment.

Ling Yun angrily said, "I'll tell Qin Shiyao about this today. You wait."

Then she floored the accelerator.

Seeing that things had gone wrong, Shen Tingzhou chased after her, shouting, "You're speeding! There's a kindergarten ahead!"

Ling Yun: ...

Seeing Ling Yun slow down, Shen Tingzhou relaxed and turned to see Xu Xun looking at him quietly.

Xu Xun said nothing, silently picking up all the shopping bags and walking forward.

Shen Tingzhou hurried to explain, "There's nothing between me and Qin Shiyao."

Xu Xun nodded, indicating he understood.

Shen Tingzhou tried to take the shopping bags, but Xu Xun said, "I'll handle it. Don't tire yourself out; you're so busy."

Shen Tingzhou glanced at Xu Xun, who seemed genuinely concerned about not tiring him.

After a few steps, Shen Tingzhou saw a small store selling oversized diamond ring candies. He told Xu Xun and went in to buy one.

Shen Tingzhou handed the candy to Xu Xun. "This is for you."

Xu Xun extended his hand, palm down, clearly not a gesture to take the candy.

Shen Tingzhou reacted for a moment, then slipped the ring candy onto Xu Xun's slender finger. Only then did the corner of Xu Xun's mouth turn upward slightly.

When Shen Tingzhou tried to take the shopping bags again, Xu Xun didn't mention anything about being tired.

Seeing Xu Xun's mood visibly improve, Shen Tingzhou relaxed, thinking, "Although Zhenzi is spoiled, he's easy to please."

-

That evening, after Xu Xun left, Shen Tingzhou returned to his bedroom and found a diamond ring candy hanging on the doorknob.

It wasn't the one he had given Xu Xun; the color was different.

Shen Tingzhou smiled, took down the candy, and then discovered another one on the bathroom sink.

Realizing something was amiss, Shen Tingzhou began a thorough search of his home. Sure enough, he found more diamond ring candies in the cupboard, fridge, coffee machine, desk, and under the pillow.

Shen Tingzhou gathered all the candies he found and took a photo to send to Xu Xun.

Xu Xun replied, "There are more."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Shen Tingzhou changed Xu Xun's contact name to "Ring Candy Wholesaler" and continued searching the corners of his home, finding several more.

Shen Tingzhou found a glass jar and placed the colorful ring candies inside.

Suddenly, his phone rang. Shen Tingzhou picked it up and saw it was Qin Shiyao calling. Sighing, he resignedly answered.

Qin Shiyao cut to the chase, "Ling Yun mentioned she spotted you being affectionate with a man in public. Have you finally become an item with that green tea?"

What does "绿茶" mean? It sounds so unpleasant.

Shen Tingzhou clarified for Xu Xun, "He's not a绿茶."

Qin Shiyao drew out her tone, "Yes, yes, how could he be a sleaze? Clearly, he's your understanding and considerate little brother."

Shen Tingzhou: ...

Though it was true, he did find Xu Xun understanding.

Qin Shiyao: "Rest assured, I've already explained everything to Ling Yun. Next time, you can introduce your gentle and considerate little brother openly. Don't make him feel like a secret husband who can't see the light of day, making pitiful sounds."

Shen Tingzhou: "…There were no pitiful sounds."

Qin Shiyao, not one to miss out on any drama, chimed in, "If you can't even make pitiful sounds, your tea skills still need refining."

Shen Tingzhou felt that the lowest level of tea was the one that made pitiful sounds; the higher-level ones often…

An image of Xu Xun saying "Don't tire yourself" popped into his head unbidden.

Shen Tingzhou shook his head, quickly dispelling these random thoughts. "Thank you for clarifying. Is there anything else?"

Qin Shiyao: "Alright, alright, I won't disturb your nightlife anymore."

Shen Tingzhou's nightlife consisted merely of watching videos and then going to bed, a simple and unadorned routine, occasionally being stunned by something from the Hua District.

Yu Jurong had released a new video, and Shen Tingzhou initially didn't want to watch it, but its title was "The Doctor."

Seeing this name, Shen Tingzhou was suddenly startled. Recalling Yu Jurong's actions today, he clicked on the video, wanting to see what Yu Jurong was up to.

The first scene was a murder case, with a doctor in a white coat lying on the ground, covered in blood.

After watching the entire video, Shen Tingzhou realized the doctor wasn't the main character but simply a victim.

The murderer who killed the doctor engaged in a battle of wits and strength with the detective, mostly strength, which eventually led them to the bed.

The detective considered the doctor his lifelong friend and vowed revenge upon seeing the doctor's brutal death at home. However, the cunning murderer toyed with him, dragging him to bed as well.

Shen Tingzhou watched it twice, wondering if he was overthinking things. He felt the film seemed to be hinting at something, with the characters' relationships feeling oddly familiar.

Could it be about him, Zhou Zitan, and Yu Jurong himself?

This Yu Jurong was very strange, extremely strange.

Shen Tingzhou exited the video and habitually browsed through the gossip section.

As expected, today's posts were filled with explosive information, leaving Shen Tingzhou somewhat dazed.

"Ugh, men who don't keep their promises are so annoying! They convinced me to meet that couple and play a seven-day switch game. I agreed, and now it's only the fifth day. Why are they stopping me? Someone is waiting downstairs!"

"Haha, impressive! You're with me because your buddy likes me, and you love your buddy."

"Well, today I finally managed to tell my boyfriend apart from his brother."

The last post stood out among the chaos, seeming refreshingly different.

Shen Tingzhou lacked the courage to open most other posts, but curiosity got the better of him with this one since he knew the real person involved.

The replies were relatively harmonious, all congratulating the poster on improving their face blindness.

Shen Tingzhou had a basic understanding of face blindness, knowing it was primarily genetic and currently untreatable.

The poster's condition seemed mild, or perhaps the Hua District had some special remedy?

Curious, Shen Tingzhou continued reading the replies.

"It hasn't improved. They look too similar. I really can't tell them apart. I use other means to differentiate them."

Sighing, Shen Tingzhou realized that even the unique qualities of the Hua District couldn't cure this genetic condition.

"He bet me that if I could recognize him at a masquerade ball, he would grant any wish within a year. To win, I used a trick and sprinkled a special chemical powder on his shoulder."

The poster's story drew few replies, but Shen Tingzhou found it captivating.

It sounded like a cute couple.

"They both wore vampire costumes and didn't wear glasses, but I recognized him thanks to the powder. To avoid suspicion, I pretended to mistake him for his brother and followed the brother instead."

"Later, the lights went out suddenly. Just as I was startled, his brother pinned me against the wall and kissed me."

This sudden twist left Shen Tingzhou's mind blank for a moment.

The people in the Hua District were excited.

"What happened next?"

"I've seen plenty of spicy stories here, but I love this sweet and sour one. Poster, please continue."

"Those overly flamboyant men are boring. This one is better—initially indifferent, but eventually irresistible."

"+1 to the above. The older brother seems interesting. My vote goes to the older brother."

Shen Tingzhou was still in shock: where were his cute little couple?

The thread heated up, and the poster soon replied.

"At the time, I was so shocked I couldn't react. Usually, when I mistakenly kiss him, he looks awkward and avoids me. I don't know why he suddenly kissed me."

"The lights came back on, and he dragged me into the dance floor, telling me to close my eyes and count to ten. When I opened my eyes, my boyfriend was back. I never saw him again that night, nor have I seen him since."

After this, more people supported the older brother.

A user named "Cockroaches Everywhere" was particularly enthusiastic, posting several times urging the poster to choose the older brother.

"You must choose the older brother. The younger one isn't worth it. The older brother is good. Trust me!"

Shen Tingzhou couldn't understand why the older brother was so popular and frowned, skimming through the replies.

Suddenly, his phone rang—it was Zhou Zitan calling.

Shen Tingzhou flipped through the posts and casually answered the phone. Zhou Zitan's frightened voice filled his ears.

"Doctor Shen, my brother is missing again."

"What?" Shen Tingzhou sat up abruptly, setting aside the tablet. "When did this happen?"

"About ten minutes ago. I searched the entire villa but couldn't find him. He... Huh." Zhou Zitan walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and saw someone squatting in the backyard. "That looks like my brother."

Shen Tingzhou: "?"

Zhou Zitan quickly went outside. After confirming it was He Yanting, he reported back to Shen Tingzhou, "It's my brother, it's my brother. He's digging something in the backyard."

Shen Tingzhou breathed a sigh of relief. "What is he digging?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Zitan asked, and Shen Tingzhou faintly heard He Yanting mention something about a grave. A moment later, Zhou Zitan replied, his voice full of emotion.

"Doctor Shen, my brother said he's digging a grave for me. He's actually going to bury me in the He family's backyard. How could I be so honored?"

Shen Tingzhou fell silent.

What was happening in this world? It felt like he couldn't understand it at all.

Shen Tingzhou forced a smile. "It's good that your brother is fine. It's late, go to sleep early."

Zhou Zitan nodded obediently. "Mm-hmm."

After hanging up, Shen Tingzhou logged out of the flower district forum and quietly entered the bedroom, lying down on the bed.

Good night, this incomprehensible world.

-

This year, the Steward's birthday coincided with Christmas Day, and there were only two days left until Christmas. Shen Tingzhou went to the mall to pick out a gift for him.

Last year, when Shen Tingzhou had his birthday, the Steward gave him a generous present.

With his "huge" budget, Shen Tingzhou headed straight to the watch store on the fourth floor. He had long admired a vintage pocket watch that matched the Steward's demeanor.

Descending from the elevator, Shen Tingzhou spotted two familiar figures—

It was Su Qiang and the boy with face blindness.

Seeing these two together, Shen Tingzhou felt as if the world was a circle, where everyone he knew kept reappearing.

Su Qiang saw Shen Tingzhou and instinctively waved, then pouted, remembering something.

The boy with face blindness glanced at Shen Tingzhou and whispered to Su Qiang, "Do you know him?"

Su Qiang deliberately spoke loudly, "Just a man who likes Xiao Zhou the most."

The boy with face blindness looked puzzled. "Who is Xiao Zhou?"

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but laugh and walk over, asking a question that struck Su Qiang's soul, "Even if I like Xiao Zhou the most, why should you be angry?"

Su Qiang was taken aback. Why was he so angry?

It seemed because yesterday Su Yu was very indignant, and he was influenced by him, feeling indignant too.

But in reality, he had only met Doctor Shen four times, including today, and the doctor had even helped him.

Su Qiang immediately stopped being angry and greeted him warmly, "Doctor Shen, what brings you here?"

Shen Tingzhou wasn't surprised by his change of expression; after all, Su Yu was even more unpredictable. He smiled and said, "I'm buying a gift for a friend."

Su Qiang was quite generous and pulled out a black card from the mall for Shen Tingzhou. "If you spend half a million, you can get a fifty-thousand discount with this card."

Poor Xiao Shen had brought enough money, but not enough to spend half a million.

Shen Tingzhou was about to politely decline when the boy with face blindness suddenly said, "Ah, my boyfriend is here."

Shen Tingzhou followed the boy's gaze and saw a tall young man standing beside the escalator on the second floor.

The boy said to Su Qiang, "I'll go check."

Su Qiang glanced at the young man on the second floor. "That's his brother, not his boyfriend."

Shen Tingzhou instantly understood what he meant and looked at the boy, who was already heading down the opposite escalator. Su Qiang didn't even try to stop him.

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to tell your friend?"

Su Qiang leaned against the circular glass railing, his eyes shining with a familiar light. "I'm on Team Big Brother, so I don't want to tell him."

Shen Tingzhou: "..."

Could Su Qiang be the "cockroaches crawling all over your house"?

The boy with face blindness had already gone downstairs and affectionately linked arms with his brother, looking up and smiling while talking to him.

From a distance, Shen Tingzhou couldn't hear the details or see the brother's expressions clearly.

Su Qiang clenched his fists and cheered, "Kiss him, kiss him, kiss him!"

The boy downstairs really did tiptoe to kiss his brother's jaw.

Su Qiang continued chanting, "French kiss, French kiss, French kiss!"

Shen Tingzhou pressed his forehead, then pressed it again. "Why don't you... tell him? This doesn't seem right."

Su Qiang argued, "He's mistaken so many times already, what's one or two more? Besides, what kind of young people don't make mistakes!"

It made sense, and Shen Tingzhou found himself unable to refute it.

Su Qiang suddenly let out a low exclamation, excitedly saying, "Kissed, kissed."

Shen Tingzhou looked down and saw that the older brother was indeed kissing the boy's eyelid, shocking Shen Tingzhou's pupils into a slight tremor.

He asked Su Qiang in a trembling voice, "Are you sure it's the older brother?"

Su Qiang raised his chin, "Of course, I grew up with them since we were kids."

If it really is the older brother, then it's just too...

Shen Tingzhou moved his gaze away but couldn't help looking back at their progress. The older brother had pulled the boy into a corner, where they couldn't see what was happening from their angle.

Su Qiang dragged Shen Tingzhou to find the best "viewing" spot, saying as he searched, "Definitely a French kiss! He didn't wear glasses today; he must have come here on purpose. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist."

A voice came from behind, "Big Qiang."

Su Qiang's veins immediately bulged on his forehead, and he turned around with fiery eyes, roaring, "I told you not to call me Big Qiang!"

Shen Tingzhou turned around, and the one who called Su Qiang Big Qiang was the boyfriend of the face-blind boy.

Wow, the main character is here!

"Hmm?" The younger brother's gaze leaped over Su Qiang and landed on the second floor, "Isn't that my brother?"

Shen Tingzhou looked at Su Qiang, who had quietly given up the best "viewing" spot: ...

The younger brother walked over and saw the two people kissing downstairs, with his brother taking the initiative, and his expression instantly changed.