Chapter 381

Chapter 381

◎He Was Here◎

You Shulei’s bed was by the window. On clear nights, moonlight would stream in through the glass.

He sat leaning against the headboard, the moonlight casting a sharp boundary, his whole body draped in shadow.

The four-bed dorm held only three occupants. Xiao Ye never slept there at night. The other two beds emitted steady breathing, accompanied by faint but noticeable snores—deafening in the quiet.

The moon cast a sleepy glow, but You Shulei couldn’t find rest. How long since anyone had called him that name? Hearing it again today felt like he had transformed from someone else back into himself.

The summer three years ago was a past he still couldn’t face—the scorching sun, endless sweat, the relentless drone of cicadas, his parents’ weary resignation, and the home that had crumbled beyond recognition after losing his brother.

He and his brother were complete twins. Though they looked identical, they were complete opposites. He was quiet, withdrawn, hesitant, wishy-washy, and easily swayed. His brother, on the other hand, was outgoing, assertive, quick-witted, and always scheming something. He had natural charm and had always been more likable.

Their parents weren’t particularly biased, but it was only natural to favor one child slightly over the other when their temperaments were so different. Yet he never felt jealous—because while their parents might have loved his brother a little more, his brother showered him with love.

He had been the little shadow trailing behind his brother. First pick of everything—his brother always gave them to him first. If anyone bullied him, his brother had his back. His brother always yielded, always accommodated him, saying, *“In the womb, I stole your nutrients, so I was born stronger and came out first. Since I got to be your big brother, protecting you is my lifelong duty.”*

He had thought their family would live peacefully and happily forever. But everything was destroyed that summer.

His brother was radiant and bold, always full of ideas and quick to act. During the summer break before high school, to earn some pocket money, he took on a job as a game leveling service. That was how he crossed paths with those five monsters.

The five were in the same class, but they came from different worlds. They had their own circle. He was introverted and timid, staying at his desk during breaks. His brother would go out to play, but only to chat or shoot hoops—throughout middle school, they hardly ever interacted.

Three uneventful years of middle school passed. He thought they were stepping into a new chapter of life. Instead, it was the end.

You Shulei didn’t know how those monsters had developed such sick fantasies about his brother. They lured him out under the pretense of a private transaction—and his brother never came back.

For seven whole days, his brother endured unspeakable torment. You Shulei didn’t know the details—he never even saw the body. But he knew his brother had been killed because they wanted him to call *him* out too, saying they wanted to *“try out twin brothers.”*

They had admitted it themselves.

When his brother first went missing, they didn’t yet know he was dead. Aware that his brother had been boosting games for one of the five, You Shulei went looking for them, asking if they’d seen him.

At first, he couldn’t find them—their families claimed they were traveling. As his brother’s disappearance dragged on, his parents, who had initially reported it to the police and searched everywhere, suddenly stopped. His mother wept endlessly; his father aged overnight. He sensed something was wrong but couldn’t get answers.

Finally, he confronted the last people who had seen his brother.

By then, his family already knew his brother was dead. The five families had banded together to suppress the incident and were negotiating compensation—but he didn’t know.

So after a few days of nervousness, the five murderers, realizing their families had smoothed things over, grew bolder. When he confronted them, they mocked him and got physical.

*“Looking for your brother? You’ll never find him!”*

*“Honestly, it’s his own fault. If he’d just cooperated, he wouldn’t have died. We’d have even paid him—wasn’t that what he wanted?”*

*“What a shame. We really wanted to try twins. Your brother… he was so stubborn. We choked him until blood vessels burst, and he still wouldn’t give in.”*

*“The police? Hahaha! Go ahead, call them! See if they’ll come. Your dad already dropped the case. Your family took our money—now you have to shut up. What’s one son for a few million? You’ve got another one—it’s not like your parents can’t have more.”*

The memories after that were chaotic. You Shulei couldn’t recall what happened. He only remembered struggling desperately, those leering faces contorting horribly. He tried to escape, but they pinned his arms, pressed his legs, one even straddling him.

That was where his memories of that year ended. When he woke again, he was in the hospital’s intensive care unit. At first, no visitors were allowed. He lost track of time, floating between wakefulness and oblivion.

Later, when visits were permitted, they were limited to ten minutes. His parents took turns sitting with him, begging him to move on, to stop seeking them out. *“We’ve already lost one son,”* they said. *“We can’t bear to lose you too.”*

He stayed in the hospital for nearly two months. What truly made him give up wasn't his parents' persuasion, but the fact that starting from his hospitalization, the families of those demons faced one tragedy after another—dying one by one. Rumor had it they even hired renowned Taoists, but to no avail.

The privileges those spoiled heirs relied on vanished along with their parents' deaths. Their family assets were devoured by greedy relatives. A group of underage individuals who evaded justice through power and influence paid a far harsher price in reality than any court judgment could impose.

By the time he was discharged, he had transformed from You Shulei into You Shuang. His father didn’t explain why, only saying his brother had better grades and attended a better high school. To receive a better education, he was made to assume his brother’s identity.

He resisted. If he became You Shuang, what would happen to his brother? Wouldn’t it be as if he had vanished without a trace?

He fought back, but it was useless. His mother begged him in tears, saying this was the only way he could survive.

He didn’t understand why he had to live under his brother’s name, but in the end, he couldn’t defy his family. When high school started, he became You Shuang, while You Shulei was declared deceased and erased from records.

Strangely enough, from then on, his health gradually improved. There were even several near-death encounters, but he narrowly escaped each time. Yet this came at a cost—he couldn’t interact too much with others, because those who spent too much time with him would face bad luck or illness.

You Shulei thought perhaps this was the best outcome for him. He’d rather be alone than build a family under his brother’s name. The happier he became, the more that name would remind him of how brutally his brother had died.

Still, he often found himself doubting who he really was. Had You Shuang disappeared, or was it You Shulei?

Gazing at the pale dawn sky, You Shulei sighed softly. If his brother returned, he didn’t know whether he should advise him to let go. He wasn’t afraid of death. If fate decreed he must die, he would accept it. But they always wanted him to live.

The weather in September was unpredictable—so hot one couldn’t stay outdoors for five minutes, yet capable of sudden winds and rain.

Waking up in the morning, Ji Nanxing checked the time—just past seven. They still had time for breakfast at home before school. Boot camp had ended, and classes had officially begun, so mornings were more relaxed than during training.

He hit the curtain button, and the white sheer curtains slowly parted. But instead of sunlight, he saw the large tree outside thrashing in the wind. Today’s weather wasn’t great—the wind had picked up.

Xiao Ye rolled over, dragging Ji Nanxing close, pressing against him tightly and hooking a leg over him. Nosing into his neck, he slid a hand beneath him and gently rubbed his stomach, his voice hoarse. “Feeling better? Any discomfort left?”

Ji Nanxing turned onto his back. “I’m fine. Just ate too much. Took meds for indigestion—it’s nothing.”

Xiao Ye tightened his embrace, regretful. “Shouldn’t have let you eat those pig blood cakes last night. No more heavy food in the evenings.”

Ji Naonao might look thin, but he was fairly healthy. In all their time living together, he’d barely ever caught a cold or fever. Yet last night, shortly after dinner, Naonao complained of stomach pain, nearly scaring Xiao Ye into rushing him to the hospital.

Thinking of the leftover pig blood cakes in the fridge, Xiao Ye said, “Aunt Xin will be here later. I’ll have her take those away—no more eating them.”

Ji Nanxing chuckled, not arguing, and nudged him. “Up now. School’s waiting.”

Xiao Ye bundled him in the blanket. “Rest a bit longer. Let’s have noodles today—easier to digest.”

Ji Nanxing didn’t linger in bed for long. Once Xiao Ye finished washing up and went downstairs, he got up too. After straightening the sheets, he opened the window to air out the room—only to freeze at the sight outside.

By the time Xiao Ye finished cooking the noodles, he went looking for Ji Nanxing and found him still in pajamas, standing in the small garden outside.

Grabbing a throw blanket from the sofa, Xiao Ye stepped out. “The weather’s turned windy today. Coming out without changing—aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?”

Ji Nanxing: “Wind doesn’t make it cold—still hot.”

The wind had already left the garden littered with petals, flowers battered and broken.

Xiao Ye followed his gaze. “What’s wrong? What are you looking at? Channeling Daiyu at dawn?”

Ji Nanxing: “Looking at a wisp of dark mist. That evil spirit from last night must have come by.”

But it had only lingered outside, making no attempt to enter, so the warding talismans buried around the house hadn’t been triggered—only traces of yin energy remained from the ghost’s lingering presence.

Xiao Ye scowled. “He tracked us down?”

True to their name, evil spirits lived up to expectations. Most would flee from a Taoist, but this one had sought them out.

Ji Nanxing gave a noncommittal hum and turned to go inside.

Xiao Ye asked, “What’s the plan? He must know we tracked down his brother. Maybe he’s been shadowing him this whole time.”

Ji Nanxing shook his head. “We wait. Let him make the move.”