Chapter 24: Broken String

Chapter 24: Broken Strings

Li Su hoped to get back to their old relationship with Li Shuo, but when Li Shuo actually came to him first to make peace, he became reserved and wanted to keep things as they were.

Because he knew they could never go back.

A thorn in his heart, every heartbeat hurt.

Not knowing how to face it, he chose not to face it.

Li Su lowered his head and started a new game.

Being ignored, Li Shuo's chest heaved, his breathing growing heavier.

"Brother, you resent me, don't you?"

Li Su paused and died once more.

"No, I just..."

"Just what? Mom didn't give up on me, but you gave up on me first."

Li Su set down the handheld console with a sense of defeat. "You didn't give me time to accept reality."

Li Shuo took a step into the room: "Weren't all these days enough for you? How much longer do you need, brother? Just tell me a time."

Li Su shook his head in defeat: "I don't know!"

Li Shuo stepped back to the door in disappointment: "Brother, if you don't want me anymore, just say the word. You don't need Mom's permission. I'll go back where I came from."

"That's not what I meant!"

Li Su wanted to explain, but Li Shuo was already gone from the doorway.

During dinner.

Li Su had a poor appetite; he only ate one of his favorite chicken wings.

Mom gave him another piece, but he took only a listless bite.

Mom watched him worriedly for a moment, then suddenly also gave a chicken wing to Li Shuo.

Mom hadn't served Li Shuo in a long time. Only when he first came to the Li family did Mom pay him special attention, but after he refused many times, that treatment stopped.

Li Su never looked at Li Shuo the whole time; Li Shuo lowered his head and ate the chicken wing quietly.

After the meal, Li Shuo volunteered to wash the dishes.

Li Su pulled his mom into the room.

"Mom, Brother Wuyi said before that there would be a placement test before the start of the elite school semester. With my current grades, I might not even get into the worst class. He... hopes I can go over during the summer... for tutoring."

Mom was not surprised by Li Su's words.

The Song family butler had called Mom to discuss it, but Mom didn't want Li Su to leave her so soon, so she had avoided the topic.

Yet Li Su brought it up himself.

Mom naturally also knew that with Li Su's current level, he couldn't even meet the minimum threshold of the elite school. If he didn't catch up, he might have trouble adapting at school.

"Gu Zi, have you thought it through?" Mom's eyes showed reluctance to let him go. "This will be a very long time away, and the studies will be very tough."

Li Su shook his head and said sensibly, "Studying isn't hard. Brother Wuyi became second in his grade with no effort, and he said studying is easy. With him teaching me, I won't have a hard time."

Mom gazed deeply at Li Su for a long while, then sighed and said, "Then I'll contact the Song butler in a few days and have him arrange someone to pick you up."

Li Su nodded.

Mom hugged Li Su. "Ah, if Gu Zi leaves, what will I do when I miss you?"

Li Su's gaze was complex: "Think of Li Shuo as me. If Li Shuo is happy, I'll feel it too, and then I'll know that Mom misses me."

Mom stiffened, trying not to show her reaction. She just patted Li Su and softly said, "Mm."

.

On the day he left home.

Song Wuyi came to pick up Li Su himself.

It was still that long black car with bright orange sofa; Song Wuyi had prepared a delicious cake on the table.

Li Su jumped into the car in two steps and sat next to Song Wuyi.

Li Su waved to Mom through the black-tinted glass. Mom couldn't see him, but she still waved back—but waved at empty space.

Both times he left home, Li Shuo wasn't there.

Li Su sat down, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Li Shuo was at school.

When he came home, Li Su was already gone.

Li Su left the home and family behind for Li Shuo, hoping Li Shuo would be happier that way.

This thought comforted Li Su a little.

Song Wuyi spoon-fed Li Su a mouthful of cream. Li Su wanted to feed himself, but Song Wuyi refused to give him the spoon, so Li Su could only crane his neck to take the spoon in his mouth and take the cream.

"So yummy."

Li Su was stunned, but not in the mood to savor it, so he just gave a very matter-of-fact comment.

Song Wuyi saw that Li Su wasn't very interested, so he stopped feeding him.

"I heard from your mom that you've been feeling down lately."

Li Su shook his head, forcing a smile.

Song Wuyi covered Li Su's face with one hand, somewhat disdainful: "Your smile is ugly."

Li Su's smile faded and he asked in a hoarse voice: "Do you feel sad because Aunt Ji favors Big Brother Song?"

Song Wuyi gave Li Su a strange look: "There is no favoritism. Ji Baimei doesn't love me, and I don't let an outsider's likes and dislikes affect my emotions."

Li Su blurted out: "Then you're so cold."

Song Wuyi's gaze suddenly turned cold and hard. Li Su nervously covered his mouth and stammered an excuse.

"No, I mean... you're... very... calm."

Song Wuyi snorted coldly, his hands resting primly on his knees, the picture of elegance.

Li Su wondered, "So this is what a noble looks like?"

.

Li Shuo cut class.

A chord snapped inside him—a terrifying premonition.

After class, Li Shuo scaled the back fence and sprinted all the way home.

Before he left in the morning, his mother had made egg fried rice with diced beef.

He didn't hit a single red light on the way to school.

He aced the morning quiz, and the teacher gave him a bag of snacks as a reward.

At lunch, no teacher took time to review test papers.

The first class after lunch was PE, and there was no physical fitness test.

The entire day was passing with an unnerving ease.

As he neared the entrance to the gated community, he passed a black car.

Li Shuo saw his mother standing there, staring his way with a pained, reluctant look.

He turned around without thinking.

The black car's rear had already pulled into the lane and accelerated away.

Li Shuo broke into a sprint after it.

But his mother called him back.

"Li Shuo, stop!"

For some reason, the way his mother said "Li Shuo" was no longer light and airy—it landed with force in his chest.

He gradually slowed to a stop.

His mother hurried over, grabbed his arm, and yanked him back.

"Where is your brother going?!"

His mother had no patience to explain; she just stated the cold fact:

"Going to the Song family, to study at an aristocratic school. He'll only come back for holidays and Chinese New Year." Li Shuo stood like a wooden statue, his lips parted. He made no sound, yet the silence was thunderous.