A City, Zhu family villa.
After a busy day of work, Zhu Shoushan started to deal with messages from his private account when he got home. As soon as he turned on his mobile phone, he received a multimedia message from an unknown number.
He paused, then clicked on the message.
Looking at a few high-definition photos and looking at the familiar faces in the photos, Zhu Shoushan subconsciously frowned.
<Unknown Number>: Zhu-zong’s son is in good spirits, isn’t he? He’s not on death’s door, so he can still have fun.
The obvious sarcasm made Zhu Shoushan frown even tighter.
What “not on death’s door”? What “still have fun”?
Tongtong’s illness was not a secret in A City, but only a select few knew that he’s critically ill. Who is this person? What do they mean by sending him these pictures?
He replied with a question, but there was no reply from the other side.
Zhu Shoushan called the number, but couldn’t get through.
At this time, Qin Manwen, who knew that he was back, suddenly came over and asked with concern, “Shoushan? What happened? Your face is so bad.”
When Zhu Shoushan heard her voice, he quickly locked his phone, turned his head to look at her, and went upstairs without saying anything.
He ignored her so deliberately, Qin Manwen’s gentle expression almost crumbled. She took a deep breath, and her chest heaved slightly.
Ever since Junhong’s “taking care” of Zhu Tong was revealed, Zhu Shoushan’s attitude towards her and her son was cold indifference. He has hardly say any words towards her since then.
She knew that Zhu Shoushan must be suspicious of them, and she didn’t dare to lean too close to him. She wanted to wait for Zhu Xin to come back and asked her to mediate their reconciliation. However, she didn’t expect that Zhu Xin would not even come back to see her during the National Day holiday.
After taking good care of him for so many years, she was still a white-eyed wolf in the end.
In Zhu Xin’s heart, she still couldn’t match her elder brother who she rarely met!
Qin Manwen was full of unwillingness and couldn’t help but worry.
If even Zhu Xin can’t be trusted, what could she do with the Zhu family in the future?
Nobody could answer her question. Meanwhile, in the study upstairs, after Zhu Shoushan entered the room, he turned on the lock and stared at the photos for quite some time. Then, he screenshotted them and sent them to his assistant.
[Go investigate the person behind this number and the boy in this photo.]
In that kind of remote school, what kind of friends did Tongtong make? Is their relationship so close?
Thinking of the clear implication of Zhu Tong’s “short life” that the person said, Zhu Shoushan’s face got even gloomier.
At the same time, Gongshui County.
The girl standing outside the homestay has an 80% degree of similarity to Zhu Tong. She had long hair, a shawl, clad in a white dress that complemented her tall figure. Standing on the street at night, she has a particularly outstanding temperament.
Zhu Tong never imagined that when he returned to the homestay late at night, he would still encounter such a big “surprise”.
How did Xiao Xin come to Gongshui County?
He stepped forward with slight hesitation. “Why are you here?”
Shao Ming pushed his bicycle and walked behind him.
As soon as Zhu Xin saw him, the corners of her mouth shriveled. Her tone got even more pitiful. “If you don’t go home to find me on vacation, I can only come to you. Where have you been? Why did you come back this late? I’ve been waiting for you for a long time! It’s so cold, I’m freezing to death.”
As she spoke, she rubbed her arms as if afraid of the cold.
Zhu Tong looked behind her and didn’t see anything like luggage, so he asked calmly, “How long have you been here?”
Zhu Xin said, “Since afternoon.”
Zhu Tong asked, “Then why didn’t you call me?”
Zhu Xin said, “Didn’t I want to give you a surprise?”
“…”
Zhu Tong looked at her expressionlessly, and said after a pause, “Uncle Liu won’t let you get cold outside.”
If Xiao Xin wants to come to Gongshui County, she must tell their grandfather first. Since their grandfather agrees to her coming, he will definitely tell Uncle Liu to take good care of her. Since she is waiting outside the homestay, Uncle Liu will definitely pick her up when she arrives in Gongshui County.
Uncle Liu also lived in the homestay. If he knew that Xiao Xin was outside in the cold, he would’ve run in panic to persuade her to wait inside where there’s air conditioning.
And before he came back, he sent Uncle Liu a WeChat message. Xiao Xin probably knew that he was coming back soon and waited outside on purpose.
So her pitiful appearance, shivering in the cold wind, was 100% staged.
Zhu Xin rubbed her arms for a moment, and her body suddenly stopped shivering, “Ge, you are so cold? You don’t feel pity for me, I just want to be spoiled by you for once.”
Zhu Tong: “You want me to feel pity for your reckless actions? Doesn’t that mean supporting such thoughtless actions? It’s so cold at night and you wear short sleeves outside. What if you catch a cold? Why can’t you take care of yourself? You’re this old already.”
Zhu Xin’s eyes widened slightly, “You, are you still admonishing me? Go get a mirror and look at yourself! It’s such a cold night, you’re still riding a bicycle outside with that thin clothing. You’re the one who can’t take care of yourself…”
As she retaliated, she suddenly thought of something. Zhu Xin’s face changed, and she reached out and touched his face, “Are you okay? How can you go outside this late? Is it cold? You won’t catch a cold, right?”
She suddenly stretched out her hand, Zhu Tong was stunned, pulled her hand down, and said helplessly, “How can I be so frail?”
Zhu Xin looked straight at him.
How can he be so frail?
Zhu Tong: “…”
Thinking of his previous physique that would collapse with the slightest hint of breeze, Zhu Tong really didn’t have the confidence to say that he was not “frail”.
He coughed lightly, “It’s okay, I’m wearing a windproof jacket, so it won’t be cold.”
Then he looked at Zhu Xin’s mid-sleeve chiffon dress with exposed forearms.
Zhu Xin was stunned and pre-empted, “Then you said that you didn’t go home during the holiday because you still get tutored during the holidays. I waited all afternoon and you came back this late, definitely not because of studying. You just don’t love me, that’s why you don’t come back to see me during the holiday.”
“…”
Zhu Tong never imagined that the excuse he made would be exposed that easily by his own actions!
‘I know it, lying is not good. Now what should I say to make my excuse airtight?’
He coughed again tactically.
Zhu Xin immediately panicked, “Why are you coughing again, do you have a cold?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
‘The impression of my frailty has been ingrained into the marrow already, huh?’
He explained, “No, I won’t catch a cold, don’t worry… I really want extra tutoring. Today is just the only day I’m not. I still want to have a holiday.”
He had the guts to say that, because throughout the entire Gongshui No. 1 Middle School, there was absolutely no one who loves studying more than him.
“If you don’t believe me, ask…” He was in a hurry to find someone who could bolster his lie for him, so he turned his head subconsciously. As he saw Shao Ming behind him, he was stunned for a moment.
He seemed to have forgotten something.
He hasn’t introduced his sister and Shao Ming yet!
He just… left Shao Ming hanging for a long time?
Zhu Xin seemed to have just noticed the person standing behind Zhu Tong, and followed his gaze. Her expression did not change, but her eyes darkened.
The boy standing under the streetlamp has dark and deep eyes, and the outline of his face is angular and stern, but the slightly raised lip shape just properly weakens the coldness of his facial features, showing a hint of masculine elegance.
This is Shao Ming, who often appears in the photos sent to her by her brother.
Zhu Tong was not very good at dealing with this kind of scene, so he said dryly, “This is my sister Zhu Xin, I mentioned to you before… Xiao Xin, his name is Shao Ming, he is my classmate and deskmate.”
Shao Ming smiled and said, “Hello.”
Zhu Xin looked at him for a while, and smiled as well, “Hello, Shao Ming-ge.”
Although she was smiling, she looked at Shao Ming with an imperceptible scrutiny.
Shao Ming remained motionless, allowing her to look at him.
Zhu Tong felt that the atmosphere between the two was a bit strange. He turned his gaze back and forth between the two, and finally looked at Shao Ming and said, “Let’s go in and talk.”
If they all stay outside any longer, they could catch a cold.
Shao Ming nodded immediately and said, “Okay.”
As he said that, he habitually stretched out his hand, pushing the bicycle with one hand and holding Zhu Tong’s shoulder with the other.
Seeing his natural action, Zhu Xin’s pupils shook.
Zhu Tong didn’t notice at all. He looked at Zhu Xin and said, “Xiao Xin, let’s go.”
Zhu Xin instantly regained her senses, glanced at Shao Ming again, and said, “Oh, good.”
After turning around, her eyes darkened.
When did her brother become so unguarded?
They are twins who have been separated for a long time, and she still hasn’t got the reunion she wanted. Zhu Xin felt an acidic bubble1An irritation brought up by jealousy, basically. almost erupted in her heart.
Entering the courtyard, Shao Ming went to park the bicycle, while Zhu Tong and Uncle Liu said a word, and took Zhu Xin to their side.
In Zhu Tong and Shao Ming’s shared space, the living room was clean and tidy. No matter which angle someone looked at, they could see everything was spotless.
As soon as Zhu Xin entered the door, she was shocked by this “familiar style”. She said, “Ge, you are really clean.”
Zhu Tong replied, “I didn’t clean it, Shao Ming did the cleaning in the living room.”
Mainly because both of them are very hygienic.
Zhu Xin: “…”
Acidic Bubbles × 1.
Zhu Tong had already walked towards the refrigerator as he asked, “What would you like to drink?”
Zhu Xin sat upright on the sofa, watching her twin brother skillfully open the refrigerator, and replied with a smile, “No need, I’m not thirsty.”
She knew her brother’s habits to a T. The only beverages available in his refrigerator are water and milk.
Zhu Tong asked again, “Really not? I have sweetened milk drink, vitamin drinks, cola, and sparkling water. Shao Ming prepared a lot of drinks, all of which are delicious.”
Zhu Xin: “…”
Acidic Bubbles x2.
Looking at the “highly recommended” look from Zhu Tong, she paused as if to think. “Then I want sweetened milk.”
Zhu Tong quickly brought the milk over, and when he handed it to her, he asked, “Have you eaten dinner yet?”
Zhu Xin shook her head, “No, I originally planned to wait for you to come back and eat together.”
“…”
Zhu Tong looked down at her.
Zhu Xin knew at a glance that he was going to scold him for not calling him when she arrived. She hurriedly said, “It’s okay, when I arrive at the hotel later, I’ll ask Uncle Liu to get me a meal. I’m not going to starve myself.”
Zhu Tong frowned immediately and said, “I see, but you still haven’t got dinner, right? I’ll go out to eat with you.”
Zhu Xin said, “No need, it’s so late already.”
Zhu Tong’s frown deepened. He turned his head to look in the direction of the refrigerator, offering, “How about we eat something here?”
Zhu Xin thought that Uncle Liu was in charge, and nodded happily, “Okay, what’s there to eat?”
Zhu Tong thought about the ingredients in the refrigerator and went silent.
He hesitated: “There are… noodles, do you want it?”
Zhu Xin: “…”
This Young Lady Zhu has never eaten such simple ingredients, where there is not even a prefix in front of the noodles to denote what kind of noodle it is.
But she has always been well-behaved. So she continued to nod. “Mn. I’m not picky.”
“…”
Zhu Tong entertained the guests like a poor man without much money, and reluctantly said, “Actually, the noodles are good. Shao Ming made me a bowl of egg noodles last time, and it was delicious.”
Zhu Xin: “…”
Acidic Bubbles ×3.
Her brother is truly inseparable from “Shao Ming”! He can’t not mention him within three sentences!!
Zhu Xin thought of something: If you want to capture a person, you must subtly occupy every corner of their life.
Sudden heartbreak.
Her opponent has a very high-spec ability. His prey has been eaten, his bones picked clean.
Zhu Tong said that as he had already walked to the kitchen. Zhu Xin looked at his back in a complicated way, and suddenly realized something. Her dignified appearance almost crumbled, and she stood up in pure reflex. “What are you doing?”
Zhu Tong said as if it’s obvious: “Cooking.”
It’s so late already, there’s no way he’ll ask Shao Ming to do it.
The last time Shao Ming cooked noodles, he saw it. There were not many procedures. Cooking noodles should be easy. He also learned how to use the gas stove, so there shouldn’t be any obstacles.
–Plus, Zhu Tong is eager to try.
Zhu Xin’s heart was beating hard like a drum, but she didn’t know how to articulate her feelings properly. “Ge… why don’t you forget it? I… uh, actually, I’m not very hungry.”
She no longer knew whether to be impressed that her brother was even in the kitchen or nervous about how her brother could be in the kitchen.
–But her gut instinct said that her brother’s cooking is definitely not edible.
Although she is “healthy”, she can’t afford to gamble her life like this!
Zhu Tong tried to assuage her hesistance, “It’s okay. It’s going to be ready soon. You sit and wait for me to finish.”
“That…”
Zhu Xin wanted to stop him, but there was a soft sound at the door. Suddenly someone pushed the door and came in. Seeing the twins who were far apart in the living room, he paused for a second or two at the door: “…What’s wrong?”
Zhu Xin: “…”
Zhu Tong said calmly, “I’m going to cook a bowl of noodles for Xiao Xin.”
“…”
Shao Ming’s expression was the same as Zhu Xin when heard that her brother was about to cook noodles.
He changed his shoes at the door, walked directly to Zhu Tong and said, “I’ll do it.”
Zhu Tong retorted, “No, I can…”
“Your sister came to see you specifically, and you left her alone in the living room?”
“…”
Zhu Tong wanted to deny and asked Shao Ming to entertain her instead; but on second thought, they didn’t know each other before. If there’s two strangers forced to look at each other in the living room… awkward would be an understatement.
Shao Ming smiled and reassured him, “You guys can chat and catch up, I’ll cook the noodles.”
Now the cooking duty has changed hands. Zhu Xin’s face flashed a bit of embarrassment, but she quickly became relieved.
At least her life is guaranteed, right?
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