Chapter 72 Brother Has a New Lover—I’ll Be the Homewrecker

Chapter 72: Bro’s Got a New Girl, I’m Here to Be the Third Wheel

Ji Zhijia hung outside for a bit to sober up before coming in.

Li Wangyue was still awake, curled up on the couch watching a movie.

When he saw Ji Zhijia come in, Li Wangyue got up. “Did you drink a lot? I made some hangover soup—I’ll heat it up for you.”

“I got it. Cold’s fine.” Ji Zhijia snuck a look at his face, but couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Li Wangyue poured him a bowl and said, “Your package arrived today. You had to open and check it in person to sign for it—it was a document.”

He put the soup on the table and grabbed a kraft envelope from the entryway cabinet.

“It came from the capital—an offer letter from the Zhenghong Forensic Lab.” Li Wangyue was happy too. “You switching jobs? I’ve heard this lab’s pretty famous.”

Ji Zhijia didn’t say anything, just picked up the soup and chugged it.

Li Wangyue figured he was still woozy from the booze, until he saw the frustration stuck on his face. “What’s up with you?”

Ji Zhijia took the envelope from him and tossed it in the trash. “I’m not going.”

Li Wangyue was shocked. “Why? That’s a great opportunity.”

“There’s no way I’m moving to the capital.” Ji Zhijia stuck to his decision.

“Why not? Haven’t you always wanted to do something big?” Li Wangyue was totally lost.

Ji Zhijia let out a long sigh, flopped onto the couch in frustration, and threw an arm over his eyes. “I ran into Shang Wendu at the hotpot place today. He’s the one who gave me the opportunity.”

Li Wangyue froze, bit his lip, and said quietly, “Doesn’t matter who gave it—as long as it helps you, that’s what counts.”

“I’m not going.” Ji Zhijia shook his head again. “I won’t get used to the capital’s weather, I’m not used to being alone out there, and the new company might not be as good as this one.”

He rattled off a bunch of reasons, but Li Wangyue knew the real one he wasn’t saying.

“You worried about me?” he asked.

Ji Zhijia’s face changed, then he waved it off. “No, you’re the last thing I’d worry about. It’s just that I’ve lived in Yunling most of my life. Staying on He Island is fine, but going all the way to the capital? I really don’t want to.”

“But you went to Australia before, stayed a long time for study, went back and forth a bunch. You never gave up no matter how much you traveled. I don’t buy that it’s because you can’t adapt—you’ve never been one to let circumstances push you around.” Li Wangyue sat beside him. “Don’t pass up a good opportunity because of me. No matter who it’s from, if you want it, you gotta grab it.”

Ji Zhijia was touched by what he said, his resolve loosening for a second before tightening back up. He shook his head. “No, opportunities can wait. With your situation, I can’t just…”

“Then I’ll come with you.” Li Wangyue blurted out.

The words hung in the air, and they just stared at each other, Ji Zhijia’s eyes slowly getting wide.

But Li Wangyue wasn’t kidding. “I’ll go to the capital with you. That way you can relax.”

“How can you do that? Your life, your job are all here…” Ji Zhijia got up and started pacing. “You haven’t been transferred, why would you…”

“You’ve helped me a ton. If it puts your mind at ease, I don’t mind moving to the capital.” Li Wangyue smiled instead. “Or do you think I can’t start over with work and life in another city?”

Ji Zhijia took a few deep breaths and locked eyes with Li Wangyue.

“Then… I’ll take it?”

“Mm.” Li Wangyue nodded slightly.

Ji Zhijia quickly fished the offer letter out of the trash, opened it, filled out the reply slip, stamped it, took a photo, and sent it back—all in one go.

When he was done, he just stared at the offer letter for a bit. “Forget it, I’ll take it back—”

“No.” Li Wangyue jumped up, snatched his phone, and tossed it away. “It’s already sent. No take-backs.”

Ji Zhijia still hadn’t wrapped his head around it. “We’re moving to the capital.”

“Mm.” Li Wangyue nodded, a smile rising in his eyes.

Ji Zhijia pumped his fist hard. “Great!”

Once he calmed down, Ji Zhijia remembered what Shang Wendu had said earlier. “When you left the Ting family, did Ting Huayi leave you any inheritance?”

During his illness, Li Wangyue had no financial pressure—the company had taken care of him, and the three small design firms transferred from Huacheng had been generating steady dividends.

Li Wangyue hesitated for a moment, then said, “Yes. I didn’t plan to take it at first, but later Ting Zhenxi had already transferred the companies to my name.”

Ji Zhijia let out an “oh.” “Ting Huayi’s money was probably not very clean anyway. Maybe he laundered it for you, so at least it’s safe. You were entitled to inherit his estate anyway—no point in not taking it. If you didn’t, Ting Huayi would have died for nothing.”

Li Wangyue laughed.

When they heard they were moving to the capital, Li Ping was surprised but quickly accepted it.

After dinner, Ji Zhijia cleared the dishes and went to wash them. Li Wangyue was about to head into the kitchen when Li Ping grabbed his sleeve.

“What’s going on with you two, moving together?”

“He got a job transfer—there’s a better opportunity over there—and I want to get out and see things too.” Li Wangyue explained.

Li Ping hesitated, looking at him with a complicated expression, and asked quietly, “Are you two… dating?”

“Huh?”

Li Wangyue really hadn’t expected Li Ping to think that way.

“I never heard you talk about a girlfriend, so I wondered if you might be… Before, with that kid, that doctor, thinking back now, it seems like…”

She was referring to Qin You.

Back then, he would occasionally go out with Qin You, though he never brought him home. But Li Ping might have seen them walking side by side from the balcony.

Before Li Wangyue could say anything, Li Ping spoke first. “I’m not blaming you, that’s not what I mean. At your age, after everything that’s happened, I’ve come to terms with it… But if something’s going on, I hope you’d tell me.”

“I know. If I ever have a partner, I’ll bring them to meet you.” Li Wangyue said gently. “But Zhijia and I really are just friends.”

Li Ping nodded, then looked a bit regretful. “You two know each other so well, and Zhijia is a good kid. What a shame it’s not…”

Li Wangyue couldn’t help but laugh. “You really can’t force feelings.”

Li Ping gave him a light shove. “I know, I wasn’t trying to play matchmaker.”

Li Wangyue carried the dishes into the kitchen. Ji Zhijia, wearing gloves and washing efficiently, tilted his chin for him to set the plates aside.

The decision to move to the capital was made quickly. Packing luggage and moving followed in a very tight schedule.

The day they landed in the capital, the two first slept all afternoon at the hotel before heading out in the evening to find food.

The two of them had temporarily settled in an apartment on the outskirts of the city, in a quiet area, and it wasn't too far of a drive to Zhenghong Forensic Studio.

This was also one of the properties from Ting Huayi's estate that was allocated to Li Wangyue. He was visiting for the first time. Aside from the basic fixtures and some large furniture, the place had hardly any other décor.

After registering with the property management and getting the utilities connected, they could move in immediately. Ji Zhijia felt the place was too cold and lacked a cozy feel, so he suggested buying some soft furnishings. Li Wangyue went along with him.

He had mixed feelings about decorating.

Li Wangyue's room faced the mountains, with a beautiful view of the scenery, and he could even hear the birds chirping.

Ji Zhijia worked overtime almost every day, especially since he had just started his new job—endless tests, endless meetings, and endless team follow-ups.

On the occasional weekend, Ji Zhijia would sleep in, and his new colleagues would invite him out to a new Korean BBQ place for a good meal.

Li Wangyue knew he had just finished a work assignment and encouraged him to go.

Ji Zhijia changed and freshened up, the work fatigue wearing off a bit as he happily headed out.

"I won't be back for dinner tonight."

"Alright, drive safe." Li Wangyue was doing a word puzzle on the couch.

Ji Zhijia closed the door and left.

The house fell quiet. Just as Li Wangyue filled in a line, there was a knock on the door.

"Did you forget something?" Li Wangyue put down his pen and newspaper, getting up with a resigned sigh to open the door. "Always so forgetful..."

He pulled the door open, then slammed it shut abruptly.

The person outside reacted quickly, shoving his hand into the door gap. His palm was instantly pinched, drawing blood, but he didn't make a sound.

Li Wangyue quickly let go, and the door slowly swung open.

The man outside was wearing an extremely ordinary jacket, pure black, just like his hair and eyes. When the hallway light went out, he seemed to disappear.

Li Wangyue let his arms fall to his sides, clenching them into fists, his knuckles white.

The man withdrew his hand, glanced at the purple-red bruise on his palm, and pressed it with his thumb.

"Brother." He slowly lifted his eyes. "So heartless."

Li Wangyue didn't speak. He couldn't speak—it felt like someone was choking him, and he couldn't catch his breath.

He turned and staggered toward the coffee table. His medicine was in the drawer. He must be hallucinating again...

He took three stumbling steps and tripped, his head heading straight toward the corner of the coffee table. Just as blackness crept into his vision, an arm shot out to catch him and steadied him.

Li Wangyue's eyes were vacant. He pushed the hand away and pulled open the drawer, rummaging.

"The medicine... where is it..."

"You're not hallucinating." Ting Zhenxi lowered himself into a crouch, watching him in silence.

It took Li Wangyue a while to recover. He recoiled and shrank back. "...Xiao Xi."

Ting Zhenxi raised his hand and pressed the fresh, hot wound on the back of his hand against Li Wangyue's cheek: "Not a hallucination."

The searing touch landed on his skin. Li Wangyue flinched away as if electrocuted, their eyes met briefly before he looked away.

"There's a first aid kit in the second drawer of the cabinet. Get it yourself and put it on yourself." Li Wangyue's legs were too weak to stand.

Ting Zhenxi watched him for a second, then got up and walked to the cabinet.

He bent down and rummaged through it, and only then did the guy behind him dare to look at his back.

"Are you shacking up with Ji Zhijia?" Ting Zhenxi pulled a tube of medicine out of the drawer.

Li Wangyue didn't say anything.

Ting Zhenxi turned around, sat down on the sofa, and unscrewed the medicine tube.

The ointment was cool and refreshing, soothing the pain and reducing inflammation as it spread over the skin.

"What are you here for?" Li Wangyue spoke up first for the first time.

Ting Zhenxi didn't answer this time. After he finished applying the medicine, he put the tube back.

He looked around the room—the cold, quiet living room, with its dull, chilly colors.

"Do you like this place better than that house?" he asked.

He paced around the living room, checking everything out.

"Are you living with Ji Zhijia? You guys sleep in separate rooms at night, right? That vase must have been his buy—you don't like that kind of pattern."

Li Wangyue didn't feel like answering his questions, but then he suddenly noticed a patch of red on his left ribcage.

It was still spreading.

Li Wangyue thought he was seeing things, but squinting, he realized it was a bloodstain, spreading and getting bigger.

Ting Zhenxi kept walking, his lips terrifyingly pale, his body starting to sway.

"You're bleeding!"

Li Wangyue caught him just in time, his hands lifting and then dropping, afraid to press anywhere recklessly, as he grabbed his phone to dial 911.

Ting Zhenxi raised a hand to touch his left rib, saw the blood on his fingers, and his gaze grew unfocused.

"What the hell happened to you..." Li Wangyue laid him flat on the carpet, grabbed a shirt from the sofa, balled it up, and pressed it against the bleeding spot.

"I don't know." Ting Zhenxi rubbed the still-wet blood on his fingertips. "I heard you have a new lover. Congrats. I'm here to be the third wheel and ruin your life."