Chapter 4: Coffee Shop

Chapter 4: The Coffee Shop

Xu Xingli didn't reply immediately.

The moment he heard the sound, his pen paused. He then repositioned his fingers on the piano keys, but they hovered there, unpressed, for a long time.

The room was quiet, both inside and out, until a commotion broke the silence.

Xu Ming's voice was seething with anger: "Is this about right or wrong? Does that give him the right to pour milk on Xu Yu? That's utterly uncivilized! Our Xu family has never had such an incident!"

Then, a woman's voice, likely Ye Jiating's, interjected.

Followed by Xu Yu's sobs. He stammered, "That medicine was given by someone else, and I truly didn't know what kind it was. My intention was just to play a prank, I never expected... Regardless, it's all my fault, Xingli..."

Xu Xingli didn't catch the rest of the words clearly, but he didn't care.

His smile twisted into a sneer.

Was Xu Yu really able to manipulate the rest of the Xu family with such flimsy excuses?

Why hadn't he recognized the hypocrisy in those words before?

Perhaps they all did, but the Xu family chose to ignore it, and he himself chose to endure it silently.

He had considered changing the situation, but one misstep led to another. He had bowed his head once, and now he was condemned to keep it bowed forever.

Did he hate?

Yes, he did. But he lacked the capacity for complete hatred.

Was "sorry" truly effective? In his previous life, he was scorned and bullied—was that also just a joke? Even if it was, was the pain he suffered any less real?

If the pain didn't touch Xu Yu himself, did he truly believe it meant nothing?

At this thought, he slammed several keys, and a torrent of notes erupted, harsh and furious.

Xu Xingli was in a terrible mood, but he wasn't one to damage musical instruments. Just as he lowered the piano lid, another sound came from outside the door.

"You probably don't want me to just open the door with a key, do you?"

It was Xu Zhou again.

Xu Xingli was utterly exasperated; he simply couldn't fathom Xu Zhou's logic.

What was this person thinking? He was clearly just a "fake young master" in the family, so why go to such lengths? Even if it was just an act, it shouldn't be taken this far.

He yelled "Get out!" at the door, then furiously ripped the hearing aids from his ears and hurled them against the door. They clattered to the floor, shattering.

He had wanted to do this for a long time. These hearing aids, witnesses to his unbearable past, were long overdue for replacement.

Finally, the world fell silent. Xu Xingli stared fixedly at the doorknob, which remained undisturbed.

After a few minutes, he gradually calmed down, shrugged, and then settled back onto the piano stool to begin his practice for the day.

He couldn't hear anything and didn't know what was happening outside the room until colorful lights suddenly glinted off the tall sycamore tree outside the third-floor balcony.

Xu Xingli looked over and saw a person in a garish, high-visibility down jacket, clinging to the branches, one hand still straining to reach the window railing.

He hadn't quite made it when the balcony's glass sliding door was pulled open.

"Swish—"

"Oh my god!" The person yelped in surprise, nearly tumbling from the tree branch.

Xu Xingli frowned at him and asked, "Jian Ran?"

Jian Ran seemed to have found a lifeline and quickly reached out, saying, "Quick, pull me up! Why does your sycamore tree seem to be getting further and further from your bedroom balcony?"

Then he noticed Xu Xingli squinting at his lips. Remembering something, he quickly settled back on the branch, extended both hands, and awkwardly began to sign.

But before he could finish, Xu Xingli had already reached the railing and extended his arms to him.

Jian Ran gratefully lunged forward, and after some effort, the two finally landed safely on the balcony.

Jian Ran brushed the dust from his clothes and glanced downstairs, waving his hand. Seeing the servants and Ye Jiating depart with a sigh of relief, he turned to Xu Xingli.

"You didn't bring your hearing aids? No wonder you didn't respond when we called you at the door for so long, and you didn't reply to messages. I thought something terrible had happened to you! Do you know how worried we were?" he lectured.

Xu Xingli carefully deciphered his lip movements, then glanced guiltily at the door. The two small devices lay shattered on the floor.

"I broke them," he replied softly. "I don't have new ones."

It was the dead of winter, and Jian Ran had just climbed the tree to the third floor, so he was sweating profusely. But Xu Xingli had just emerged from his warm bedroom, and the sharp, biting wind had turned his cheeks, nose, and ears bright red. Coupled with his guilty expression, he looked truly pathetic, making it impossible for anyone to scold him further.

Jian Ran had intended to say more, but seeing Xu Xingli's state, he immediately pulled him into the bedroom and closed the balcony door.

Turning around, he saw Xu Xingli already back at the piano and immediately exclaimed, "You really take your talent for granted! You can play the piano even without hearing aids. I heard the piano downstairs, then came up and called you, but you didn't answer. Do you know how unsettling that is!"

Xu Xingli missed Jian Ran's initial remarks this time, catching only the last sentence. He offered an apologetic smile and said, "I'm sorry."

Jian Ran seemed to understand why some people always enjoyed tormenting Xu Xingli.

The young man was fair-skinned, with rosy lips and pearly teeth, and a pair of light brown, captivating "peach blossom" eyes that held a deep, tender gaze. The pink mole on his ear was particularly striking.

And after Xu Yu's return, he appeared even more fragile and helpless, like an abandoned stray. His expression was often subconsciously aggrieved and pitiful, and his face would easily flush with any emotional shift. Everything about him seemed delicate and easily marked.

Pervert!

Jian Ran snapped back to reality, then slapped himself hard.

Regardless of the reason, anyone who bullies is a pervert!

And he shouldn't be having such thoughts about his own friend!

Jian Ran's actions startled Xu Xingli, who widened his eyes and stood up, asking, "What are you doing?"

Jian Ran saw him approach and suddenly felt a little awkward. He waved his hand, backing away quickly, then remembered something and swiftly reached into his pocket, magically pulling out a handful of blueberries.

Xu Xingli's eyes immediately lit up.

Seeing his reaction, Jian Ran couldn't help but smile and handed him all the blueberries. Watching him eat with relish, he asked, "Has that issue from the welcome banquet still not been resolved? Auntie didn't seem to be in a good mood; I almost didn't get to see you. Good thing I can climb trees!"

Xu Xingli stared intently at him, and after understanding his meaning, he blinked and shook his head: "It's resolved. Xu Zhou showed them the evidence."

Jian Ran raised an eyebrow at this: "Your brother? How did he get the evidence?"

Xu Xingli pursed his lips, unsure how to answer.

He couldn't possibly say that his brother had installed cameras in his room; he felt Jian Ran's pure and delicate heart couldn't handle such a revelation.

As it turned out, Jian Ran was indeed as innocent as his name suggested. Seeing Xu Xingli's silence, he managed to rationalize it himself: "It must have been obtained from those young masters, right? As expected of Brother Xu Zhou, he can even get something like that!"

Xu Xingli offered a faint smile, neither confirming nor denying.

Jian Ran then gestured downstairs with his chin and asked, "What's up with Auntie? When she looked at me, I felt like there was a hidden dagger in her smile."

Xu Xingli shrugged, replying calmly, "I just poured milk on Xu Yu."

Jian Ran's eyes widened instantly: "Holy cow! You're so fierce!"

Xu Xingli rubbed his fingers, saying modestly, "It was alright."

Jian Ran sighed in admiration, giving him a thumbs up: "You're amazing! But honestly, Xu Yu deserved it. He played his tricks, but it backfired, and he even tried to frame you. Luckily, you have your brother, who's a normal person in your family. Growing up together really makes a difference, huh."

"..." Xu Xingli didn't respond.

Jian Ran thought Xu Xingli hadn't understood that part of his lip-reading, so he repeated it, specifically adding sign language gestures.

Xu Xingli understood, but he still remained silent.

To be honest, he now felt that the most abnormal person in the entire family was Xu Zhou.

Cold and distant, moody. And, what kind of decent person installs surveillance cameras outside their younger brother's room?

Thinking of Xu Zhou's demeanor, Xu Xingli let out a derisive snort.

Jian Ran didn't catch the emotion in his laugh, then, remembering something, he said, "You can't go without hearing aids forever. Since I'm here today, I'll go with you to buy some."

Xu Xingli blinked, then considered it. The winter break was almost over, and he would soon be returning to school.

He hadn't gone to a special education school because of his hearing impairment; instead, he attended an international school with other young masters and ladies, so hearing aids were essential.

Seeing him nod in agreement, Jian Ran immediately stood up: "Then let's go."

There was no one downstairs, and Xu Xingli got into Jian Ran's car unimpeded.

The driver took them to the mall, and the two, familiar with the layout, took the elevator to the third floor and walked directly to a hearing aid specialty store.

Xu Xingli was a regular customer there, and they also accepted custom orders. Xu Xingli usually liked to add a starry sky pattern, just like his name.

But before they could reach it, as they passed a coffee shop, the transparent glass window revealed a chaotic scene inside.

Xu Xingli's attention was diverted. He merely glanced over and saw a girl frantically wiping the clothes of the person opposite her with a tissue, bowing repeatedly and apologizing.

Xu Xingli frowned, his steps faltering, which Jian Ran beside him noticed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his gaze following.

However, before he could clearly see, Xu Xingli had already turned and walked towards the coffee shop.

Jian Ran snapped back to attention and quickly followed.

The coffee shop was warm and inviting, with the rich aroma of coffee beans mingling with the sweet scent of milk and desserts, creating a pleasant, non-cloying olfactory experience.

But Xu Xingli disliked this smell. From the moment he entered the coffee shop, his brow remained furrowed until he reached the center of the conflict.

The girl's hands trembled as she clutched the coffee-stained tissue, bending over and apologizing incessantly.

Xu Xingli walked straight over, helped her up, then stepped in front of her, saying, "Please calm down, sir."

The person whose clothes were stained with coffee continued to rant. Seeing Xu Xingli approach, he showed no intention of letting the girl off, spewing unpleasant insults.

Unfortunately, Xu Xingli couldn't hear, nor did he bother to decipher the lip movements. Jian Ran, unable to bear it any longer, was about to rush forward to shield Xu Xingli when Xu Xingli spoke first: "How much are your clothes? I will compensate you fully. Please calm down."

Upon hearing this, the man's fury immediately subsided by half. Xu Xingli, adept at reading people, promptly took out his phone and offered it to him, saying, "Please leave your contact information. I will transfer whatever amount you need."

Only then did the man relent, waving his hand and leaving.

Jian Ran was indignant: "Grabbing a girl and not letting go, that man is truly something." Then he asked, "Are you really going to pay him?"

"It's not a particularly famous brand, not expensive," Xu Xingli shrugged, then turned to the girl behind him. She was in tears, bowing to them, and incessantly repeating "thank you."

Xu Xingli helped her up and said, "It's okay, you don't need to worry, and you don't need to do anything. I just purely wanted to help you, you don't owe me anything."

Tears streamed down the girl's face again, and she choked, unable to speak.

Xu Xingli comforted her a few more times, and the girl composed herself, returning to attend to customers.

The coffee shop owner also thanked them and even treated them to two cups of coffee and some desserts, insisting that they stay.

The two then sat down in the coffee shop. Xu Xingli looked at the cappuccino on the table with its exquisitely crafted latte art and took a small sip.

It was bitter.

His brows instantly furrowed, and he pushed the coffee away.

Jian Ran smiled at the sight, placing an exquisitely shaped blueberry mousse cake in front of him, saying, "You have the taste of a child."

Xu Xingli did not refute.

He disliked all bitter things, which was why he didn't like coffee, didn't smoke, and didn't drink alcohol.

As for the empty wine glass that had appeared in his room last time, that was Jian Ran's doing.

"But it's incredible that you would actually get involved in this," Jian Ran said, taking a sip of coffee and looking at him.

The old Xu Xingli was naturally aloof, neither warm nor cold to those around him, let alone strangers.

But he merely shrugged lightly, offering no explanation.

They sat for a few minutes when a figure suddenly walked past Xu Xingli.

Xu Xingli's gaze instinctively followed, then abruptly stopped.