Chapter 18: Hide Away (Part 1)

Chapter 18: Hidden Away (Part 1)

Thinking about how he had already sworn brotherhood with Song Wuyi, Li Su felt he absolutely had to tell Li Shuo the news and have him join them, making the three of them inseparable like the three brothers of the Peach Garden!

However, when Li Shuo heard what Li Su had to say, he was so furious his face turned red.

"You said you wouldn't be friends with him! And now you're telling me you've become sworn brothers with him?!"

Accused, Li Su guiltily shrank back.

Saying he wouldn't be friends with Song Wuyi—that was because Song Wuyi had come suddenly that day, and he was still a stranger, with no emotional attachment to him.

Plus, Li Shuo had been pressing him relentlessly, insisting Song Wuyi was a bad influence. To appease Li Shuo, he had hastily agreed not to befriend Song Wuyi.

Although he knew Li Shuo would resist, he hadn't expected such an intense reaction.

It was as if Song Wuyi was his mortal enemy.

Li Shuo demanded of Li Su.

"You clearly said I was your only brother!"

Li Su argued, "You still are my younger brother now! Wu Yi is older than both you and me—he's the older brother, you're the younger brother, there's no conflict!"

Li Shuo shouted, "I don't want anyone else butting into our relationship! You're my older brother, and you can only be mine alone. I'm your younger brother, and I can only be yours alone! You're mine!"

"What do you mean I'm yours? My interactions with other people don't affect our brotherly relationship. If you don't want to swear brotherhood with Wu Yi, fine, don't! Why are you so angry? I was just trying to find you another brother out of kindness. Wu Yi is such a good person—would that really be such a bad thing for you?"

"I don't want it! And you're not allowed either!"

Li Su never expected Li Shuo to be so stubborn and unreasonable.

In his memory, Li Shuo had always been compliant with him.

But now, this loyal follower had raised his sword and turned it on him.

"If your feelings are so shallow, then I don't want them!"

Just like all those couples who came to the welfare home to adopt children—being picked over, not unique, not irreplaceable, not "only you."

Then Li Shuo—

No,

Xia Man—

I don't want him either.

Tears welled in Li Shuo's eyes, his nose burning.

Could he really let it go?

Li Su was furious, his breath shallow and trembling. There was only one thought in his mind.

In this fight between brothers, he had to win the argument.

Because he was the older one.

"My feelings are shallow? Fine, if you don't want them, then don't. I don't want you as my brother anymore either! I only have Wu Yi as my brother now. As for you—do whatever you like!"

Li Shuo was stunned.

He thought,

That night they had been on the same page.

What he meant by "only one" was about emotion.

But what Li Su meant by "only one" was about identity.

But this identity was fake!

Did that mean Li Su's feelings were not real either?

So anyone could come and have a piece of Li Su, anyone could become sworn brothers with him!

Li Su was meant to belong to him!

In that instant, Li Shuo's head felt like it was about to explode.

Only one thought filled his mind.

Hide Li Su away!

Hide him away!

Mom Li, who was preparing dinner, heard sounds resembling an argument. She came out of the kitchen and saw Li Shuo, his face flushed and his neck strained, glaring at Li Su with a look of hatred as if betrayed.

Mom Li rushed over angrily and slapped Li Shuo.

"What kind of attitude is that toward your brother?! How has your brother been anything but good to you, and you look at him like that?! Ungrateful wretch, heartless thing!"

Li Shuo's bitter gaze shot toward Mom Li.

Li Shuo often wondered if Mom Li had heard what the caregivers at the welfare home had said about him. Otherwise, why would she have that look on her face?

A look that said, "I knew you were a bad seed"—a smug, self-righteous look.

But if that was the case, why did she keep him around?

Because Li Su liked him?

Mom Li was startled by the look in Li Shuo's eyes, a chill running down her spine.

How could a child have such a desperate, frantic look?

Mom Li: "Go back to your room and think about what you've done!"

Mom Li sent Li Shuo to his room and locked the door from the outside.

Li Su stood frozen in place for a long time.

Li Shuo's sudden ferocity had struck his heart like an eagle's sharp beak.

Some words, once said, were immediately regretted.

Li Shuo had always been submissive and ingratiating toward Li Su, keeping Li Su in a superior position, so Li Su couldn't handle Li Shuo suddenly shouting at him so disrespectfully.

Moreover, he had grown up being doted on.

Being scolded directly by Li Shuo, he felt super wronged.

Before dinner, Mom didn't go to get Li Shuo.

Li Su felt awkward and didn't want to talk to Li Shuo either, and ate his meal in silence, head down.

Around ten o'clock in the evening, the house had fallen silent.

Li Su tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.

He couldn't understand Li Shuo's thoughts, just thought he was being ridiculous.

.

But Li Shuo hadn't eaten dinner.

When Li Su threw a tantrum and refused to eat, Mom would get really anxious and coax him with sweet talk, as if skipping a meal would kill him.

Li Su had learned from his mom how to show love, and he also felt that if Li Shuo didn't eat, it would be the end of the world.

He got out of bed, went to the living room, and got the spare key from the cabinet under the TV.

He went to the kitchen, heated up the leftovers in the microwave, and carried the bowl to Li Shuo's door.

First, he knocked to let Li Shuo know he was there.

Then he unlocked the door with the key.

The click of the lock echoed. Li Su startled and looked back, but saw nothing.

The door slowly opened, and Li Su carefully squeezed into the room.

"Huole, are you hungry?"

Li Su got no response.

Click. The light came on.

But Li Shuo was not in the room.

Li Su was shocked.

He put the bowl on the floor and ran to the window to look.

A rope made of bedsheets led straight down to the grass on the first floor.

This was the sixth floor!

The rope was made of two bedsheets, two comforters, and a few pieces of clothing twisted together, but it was still far from the ground.

Li Su had once told Li Shuo about a movie just like this, where the hero escaped from a high place like that.

Li Shuo, was he escaping?

A heavy regret welled up inside Li Su.

He rushed out the door and sprinted downstairs, and found a dent in the grass under the window.

And the rope was nearly three meters above the ground.

Li Su could already picture Li Shuo falling from that height.

Such a big dent probably meant he landed on his back—it must have hurt a lot.

Li Su was so upset that tears were streaming down his face. He wanted to call Li Shuo's name, but he was afraid of waking the neighbors, especially Mom.

Mom hated it when Li Shuo caused her trouble; if she found out Li Shuo had run away like that, she'd be livid.

Li Su had heard Mom say more than once that she wanted to send Li Shuo away. He was afraid Mom might actually get rid of Li Shuo, so he showed ten points of love when he only felt six.

Li Shuo wasn't outgoing to begin with, and at first, he and Li Su didn't play well together.

Li Su always felt that Li Shuo secretly looked down on him.

Until his constant efforts to please finally got Li Shuo to open up to him.

To keep Li Shuo, Li Su showed ten points of care, and only then did Mom stop talking about sending him away.

Even though Mom didn't say that anymore, Li Su always felt that Li Shuo was an outsider in the family. Mom didn't treat him like family, and he didn't either—to him, this home was just a place to live.

Now Li Shuo was gone.

Ten points of care was ten points of care—he truly cherished him. Personality differences could be bridged by blood. No matter what, he and Li Shuo were brothers. How could he possibly abandon his own younger brother?

Li Su looked around tearfully. The neighborhood was almost empty at night.

It was dark, with just a few streetlights.

The chilly wind made him shiver. He hugged himself and walked out of the neighborhood.

Where could Li Shuo go?

If Li Su had run away, Li Shuo would probably go to the park to find him.

But since Li Shuo ran away, where was Li Su supposed to look?

Li Su prided himself on knowing Li Shuo eight out of ten, but when it came to guessing his thoughts, that eight was just a façade—it was really only two.