Chapter 49
The two IV bags took three and a half hours to finish, but by the time the infusion was over, Liang Jinyi’s temperature had finally come down somewhat. His face was no longer burning red like it had been in the middle of the night, though his voice was still hoarse and every muscle in his body ached.
The doctor prescribed some medicine. After Jiang Mi picked it up, he took Liang Jinyi and left.
It was already after seven in the morning, and the sky had brightened into a clear blue. Before going home, Jiang Mi first took Liang Jinyi to a breakfast shop outside the hospital.
Liang Jinyi clearly had little appetite. Normally, he could finish half a kilogram of noodles, but this morning he could not even finish a palm-sized bowl of pumpkin porridge.
Once they got into the car, Jiang Mi waited until Liang Jinyi had fastened his seat belt before driving off.
“Take the day off. Don’t go to school today.”
Liang Jinyi also felt he had no energy for class. He gave a listless hum.
Jiang Mi then asked, “Should I take you home now?”
“Home?”
Liang Jinyi’s unfocused gaze, which had been resting beyond the windshield, sharpened. He looked at Jiang Mi.
“Brother, which home are you taking me to?”
“The Liang residence, of course. There are people there—”
Before Jiang Mi could finish, Liang Jinyi cut him off.
“Brother, I don’t want to go back to the Liang residence. I want to go to your home.”
Then, suddenly, Liang Jinyi added, “Brother, Auntie Zhu is pregnant. My dad is planning to get married.”
A ninety-second red light appeared ahead.
Jiang Mi had just stepped on the brake when he heard those words. His braking became a little abrupt.
He looked stunned.
“You said Uncle Liang is getting married?”
Father Liang had always had girlfriends over the years. Jiang Mi and Liang Xuping both knew that.
But ever since Liang Xuping’s mother passed away, Liang Hong had never remarried. Jiang Mi had assumed he never would.
“Mm. I found out yesterday.”
Liang Jinyi’s expression grew somewhat melancholy.
“Brother, I was in a bad mood last night. I originally wanted to tell you about it. But when I got to your door, the password didn’t work. I thought the lock was broken, so I called you, and you told me you’d changed the password.”
Liang Jinyi was sick now, so he already looked more haggard than usual.
Although his voice was calm, the pain in his eyes was impossible to hide.
Looking at his younger brother like this, Jiang Mi felt his heart suddenly tighten.
Liang Jinyi looked at him again.
“Brother, I don’t want to go back to the Liang residence right now.”
Jiang Mi pursed his lips.
The light ahead turned green, and he pressed the accelerator.
Liang Jinyi’s voice was still hoarse. When Jiang Mi did not answer, he repeated stubbornly, “Brother, I don’t want to go back to the Liang residence right now.”
Jiang Mi kept his eyes on the road.
“Then don’t go back.”
More than twenty minutes later, Jiang Mi brought Liang Jinyi back to Shimao Tingfang.
Liang Jinyi had sweated heavily from the fever and felt uncomfortable, so the moment he got home, he wanted to take a shower.
Since he still had a fever, Jiang Mi told him to simply wipe himself down in the bathroom.
Liang Jinyi obediently agreed.
After wiping himself down, he changed into soft pajamas and returned to his room.
Jiang Mi had already called Liang Jinyi’s homeroom teacher to ask for leave.
Seeing that Liang Jinyi still looked sleepy, Jiang Mi said, “Rest properly at home. I’ll come back at noon to check on you.”
Liang Jinyi immediately caught something in those words.
Leaning against the headboard, he asked, “What about you, Brother?”
Jiang Mi glanced at his watch.
“It’s almost time for work. I’m going to the office.”
Then he reminded Liang Jinyi to call him if he felt uncomfortable.
Liang Jinyi stared at him for a moment.
“Brother, can’t you skip work today? Can’t you stay with me?”
Jiang Mi froze.
Liang Jinyi was naturally someone very important to him.
That was why even while sleeping, Jiang Mi had still worried about his illness and gone to his room in the middle of the night to check whether his condition had improved.
At the hospital, afraid of disturbing Liang Jinyi’s rest, he had let Liang Jinyi lean on his left shoulder until it went numb and sore without moving once.
But Jiang Mi also genuinely valued his career.
He had already arranged to visit a client’s company today to discuss business.
And Jinyi’s condition was clearly much better than last night. He should be capable of taking care of himself now.
“Brother, I want you to stay with me. Okay?”
Liang Jinyi sat weakly against the headboard.
Before Jiang Mi could give his answer, his phone suddenly rang in the living room.
“I’ll go answer the phone first.”
The call was from Liang Xuping.
The moment Jiang Mi answered, Liang Xuping called his name, then asked, “Did Jinyi tell you that my dad is getting married?”
After the New Year, Liang Xuping had gone traveling around the country again.
A few days ago, there had been an Asian photography competition, and he had even selected one of his favorite photographs from last year to submit.
“He told me this morning,” Jiang Mi said. “Jinyi also said Miss Zhu is pregnant.”
Jiang Mi did not know much about Liang Hong’s romantic life.
“She’s about six weeks along,” Liang Xuping said, clearly knowing the details. “So… how’s Jinyi taking it?”
“He seems okay.” Jiang Mi asked, “What about you?”
“Me?”
Liang Xuping laughed.
“I’m almost thirty. My mom died more than twenty years ago. Of course I can accept it. Besides, Miss Zhu has been with my dad for five years. She’s stayed by his side longer than any of his other girlfriends. My dad probably really does have feelings for her.”
“But I can accept it because I’m older. Jinyi is still young. Jiang Mi, he’s your little brother too. You have to look after him properly.”
Jiang Mi wanted to say that he certainly wanted to treat Liang Jinyi like his own younger brother.
Unfortunately, Liang Jinyi was outrageously bold and had no desire whatsoever to remain his younger brother.
“Hey, Jiang Mi, why aren’t you saying anything?” Liang Xuping asked in confusion.
“All right, I know. I’ll take good care of Jinyi.”
“Good. I’ve always trusted you to handle things, so I’ll leave little brother in your hands as usual.” Liang Xuping added, “You’re probably about to go to work, right? All right, I’m hanging up.”
After the call ended, Jiang Mi stood in the living room for a while before returning to Liang Jinyi’s room.
The moment Liang Jinyi saw him come back, he stubbornly repeated his earlier question.
“Brother, are you still going to work?”
Jiang Mi looked at the obstinacy in Liang Jinyi’s eyes and sighed helplessly.
“No. Happy now?”
Liang Jinyi’s lips immediately curved in satisfaction.
“All right. Get some rest,” Jiang Mi said.
Liang Jinyi stared at him.
“Then Brother has to stay in my room. You’re not allowed to leave.”
Jiang Mi could not be bothered to argue with him any further.
“Fine, fine. But can I at least go to my room and get a book?”
His expression was full of helplessness.
“Jinyi, you can’t seriously expect me to sit beside your bed and stare at you the whole time, can you?”
“Why not?” Liang Jinyi asked seriously.
“Go to sleep. I’ll get a book and make a phone call to arrange today’s work.”
Jiang Mi left Liang Jinyi’s room.
First, he called Gu Yuan and told him he could not go to work today. After arranging everything, Jiang Mi stood in the living room and thought for a moment.
He did not go to his room to get one of the books about adolescent development.
Instead, he went to the study and picked up a book on economic law.
There were too many legal provisions to remember. To prevent mistakes, Jiang Mi periodically reviewed them.
Carrying the book, Jiang Mi sat down at the desk in Liang Jinyi’s room.
Liang Jinyi craned his neck to look at the book he had brought over.
He laughed.
“Brother, why aren’t you reading one of those books about solving adolescent development problems?”
Jiang Mi’s hand paused as he opened the book.
He turned to look at Liang Jinyi, whose face was still haggard as he sat against the headboard.
“Brother, I should tell you something. No matter how many books you read, you won’t find a solution.”
Liang Jinyi looked into his eyes.
“There’s nothing wrong with me that needs fixing. I just grew up, developed other emotional needs, fell helplessly in love with someone, and started pursuing him in a perfectly reasonable way.”
After saying that, Liang Jinyi pressed further.
“Brother, how much longer do I have to pursue you before you’ll agree to date me?”
“Liang Jinyi, go to sleep.”
Jiang Mi lowered his gaze to the legal provisions in his hand.
“If you don’t sleep, I’m going to work.”
Liang Jinyi laughed.
Then he obediently lay down beneath the covers.
“All right, all right. Brother, I’m going to sleep.”
Jiang Mi stared blankly at the book in his hands.
After a while, his lashes moved slightly.
Against his will, Liang Jinyi’s words surfaced in his mind.
There was nothing wrong with him that needed fixing.
Growing up.
Other emotional needs.
Falling helplessly in love with someone.
A reasonable pursuit.
After a long while, Jiang Mi shook his head with complicated feelings and forced his gaze back onto the economic law book.
Liang Jinyi slept deeply.
By eleven-thirty, he still showed no signs of waking.
Jiang Mi checked his phone and replied to an employee about work.
Then he picked up his book, stood quietly, and left Liang Jinyi’s room.
He tossed the book onto the coffee table and went into the kitchen.
His cooking skills were poor, but after living abroad for several years, he could at least make plain congee without any trouble.
Liang Jinyi was sick and needed bland food.
More than half an hour later, the plain congee in the clay pot bubbled fragrantly.
Jiang Mi added some leafy greens, then opened the refrigerator and selected an ingredient he felt capable of handling, making a plate of lightly stir-fried mushrooms.
Then he went to wake Liang Jinyi for lunch.
The moment Jiang Mi pushed open the bedroom door, Liang Jinyi lifted the covers and sat up.
When he saw Jiang Mi, his expression turned slightly displeased.
He accused, “Brother, didn’t you promise to stay in my room with me the whole time?”
“It’s lunchtime. I went out to make you something to eat.”
“Since you’re already up, come to the dining room.”
Liang Jinyi had never eaten food cooked by Jiang Mi before.
He roughly shoved both feet into his slippers and followed Jiang Mi toward the dining room.
“What did Brother make?”
His voice was full of anticipation.
Afraid he would be disappointed, Jiang Mi said, “Just ordinary vegetable congee and stir-fried mushrooms.”
Then he added, “You’re sick. You should eat something light.”
Jiang Mi went to the kitchen, filled two bowls with vegetable congee, placed one in front of Liang Jinyi, then brought out the stir-fried mushrooms and gestured for him to eat.
After taking a few bites of the vegetable congee, Liang Jinyi suddenly looked up.
“Brother.”
Vegetable congee required no special skill. It was hardly a delicacy, but it was not difficult to make edible either.
Hearing Liang Jinyi call him, Jiang Mi raised his head.
Liang Jinyi said, “Brother, I hope that when I’m seventy, I’ll still be able to eat congee you cooked for me.”
There was not the slightest attempt to hide the meaning behind those words.
Liang Jinyi was young.
When he liked someone, he wanted nothing more than to announce it to the entire world, tear open his chest, and show Jiang Mi the fiercely beating heart inside.
Jiang Mi did not respond to those words.
He could not respond.
He lowered his lashes and continued drinking his congee.
Liang Jinyi showed no disappointment.
He called, “Brother,” then changed the subject.
“Brother, our teacher said the other day that there’s a parent-teacher meeting on Monday. Go for me.”
“A parent-teacher meeting?”
Jiang Mi was not yet thirty and had never attended anyone’s parent-teacher meeting before.
“Uncle Liang isn’t going?”
“My dad has only attended one of my parent-teacher meetings. Every other time, Uncle Lin went.”
Liang Jinyi looked at him.
“Brother, I want you to come to my parent-teacher meeting on Monday. Can you?”
Jiang Mi’s lashes moved.
He softly agreed.
Liang Jinyi smiled in satisfaction.
After taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor, Liang Jinyi’s temperature came down by that evening.
Although it fluctuated slightly afterward, it remained within a normal range.
On Saturday evening, Jiang Mi drove Liang Jinyi back to the Liang residence, after agreeing to attend his parent-teacher meeting on Monday.
He parked outside the Liang family villa’s iron gates and watched the young man walk alone into the grand, imposing building.
Only after a long while did Jiang Mi drive back to his parents’ home.
In the blink of an eye, Monday arrived.
Liang Jinyi had told Jiang Mi that the parent-teacher meeting would begin at three-thirty.
Before three in the afternoon, Jiang Mi packed up early and left work.
All the second-year high school students at Experimental High School had parent-teacher meetings today.
By the time Jiang Mi reached the area around the school, a long line of cars was already parked outside the gates.
He had no choice but to park some distance away.
After getting out of the car and registering his identity at the school entrance, Jiang Mi entered the campus.
The moment he walked in, he saw Liang Jinyi waiting for him by the gate.
When Liang Jinyi saw him, his eyes curved.
“Brother, let’s go. I’ll take you to the classroom.”
Experimental High School used to have elite classes, but someone had reported the practice two years ago. For the past two years, the school had not dared to organize any so-called elite or rocket classes.
There were only separate liberal arts and science tracks.
Liang Jinyi was in Class Six of the second year.
There were around fifty students in the class.
His seat was in the fifth row by the window, and beside him sat his good friend, Zhu Yurui.
Zhu Yurui’s mother had come for his parent-teacher meeting.
She was a very warm person and even exchanged a few pleasantries with Jiang Mi.
Before long, the homeroom teacher of Class Six arrived.
All the students were chased out of the classroom, leaving only the parents inside for the meeting.
Zhu Yurui thought standing in the corridor and watching the parent-teacher meeting was boring.
He patted Liang Jinyi on the shoulder.
“Brother Liang, we finally get out of these two classes. Let’s go downstairs and play basketball.”
Liang Jinyi stood outside the window, staring at the person inside the classroom.
He refused without the slightest hesitation.
“No. Go play by yourself.”
“Brother Liang,” Zhu Yurui pleaded. “There’s nothing interesting about staying here.”
Liang Jinyi did not even look at him.
“I think it’s very interesting.”
Zhu Yurui could not understand what was interesting about it.
But since he could not persuade Liang Jinyi, he had no choice but to leave with Huo Ran and several others to play basketball on the court.
Experimental High School was one of Bei City’s top high schools.
Most students were highly self-disciplined academic achievers.
Some took advantage of the parent-teacher meeting to go have fun.
Others went to the library or cafeteria to study and work on test papers.
Still others remained in the corridor outside the classroom, reading and studying.
Liang Jinyi was staring at Jiang Mi when a girl from his class suddenly called his name.
Liang Jinyi turned around.
The girl smiled.
“Hey, Liang Jinyi, is that your older brother attending the parent-teacher meeting for you today?”
Liang Jinyi glanced at her.
“No.”
“Not your brother? Then he’s…”
The girl hesitated.
If that man was not his older brother, was he an elder?
But he only looked a few years older than them, not that much older.
“He’s my boyfriend,” Liang Jinyi said.
The girl froze for a second.
She did not take him seriously and rolled her eyes.
“Then you two are pretty well matched.”
“Thank you. I think so too.”
The girl had only asked about Jiang Mi because she appreciated handsome men.
But seeing that Liang Jinyi clearly had no intention of explaining and was even willing to make up such an absurd lie, she no longer wanted to talk to him.
She went downstairs with her companion to buy snacks at the convenience store.
At the beginning of the parent-teacher meeting, the teacher handed out the results from the start-of-term exam.
Liang Jinyi had done very well.
Second in his class.
Tenth in the entire grade.
The first half of the meeting focused on students’ healthy development.
The second half focused mainly on academic performance.
During this section, the homeroom teacher specifically praised Liang Jinyi.
In last semester’s start-of-term exam, he had ranked sixteenth in his class and eighty-fourth in the grade.
But his scores had improved with every monthly exam throughout the semester.
Now, he had reached tenth in the grade.
Experimental High School had a thousand science-track students, and ninety percent had entered the school as top students.
It was difficult even for low-ranking students to improve.
But the top hundred in the grade were already the elite among elites.
For Liang Jinyi to improve this much was truly exemplary.
The homeroom teacher even asked Jiang Mi to share his methods for educating the child.
What methods did Jiang Mi have?
Jinyi had always been highly self-disciplined when it came to studying.
But that was clearly not what the parents staring at him with shining eyes wanted to hear.
So Jiang Mi shared a few of his own study experiences.
Self-discipline and efficiency were, after all, genuinely useful.
The parent-teacher meeting lasted an hour and a half.
Jiang Mi also confirmed that Liang Jinyi was performing quite well at school, which finally put his mind at ease.
After the meeting ended, he walked out of the school with Liang Jinyi.
It was already after five.
There were still ten or so minutes before classes usually ended, but the school did not require them to stay.
The second-year students were dismissed immediately.
Students and parents walked toward the gates together.
Liang Jinyi wore the blue-and-white school uniform and carried a backpack.
Beside him walked Jiang Mi in a light-gray coat, mature and composed.
Liang Jinyi smiled.
“Brother, haven’t I done pretty well at school these past six months?”
“You have.”
Jiang Mi had never been the kind of elder who belittled a child.
Jinyi had indeed done very well.
“Then shouldn’t you reward me?”
The two walked beneath the banyan trees lining Experimental High School’s avenue.
Liang Jinyi spoke as though it were obvious.
In the past, Jiang Mi would have smiled and agreed that he deserved a reward.
But now, he first asked, “What reward do you want?”
Liang Jinyi’s gaze fell on Jiang Mi’s fair cheek.
His breathing quickened for a second.
“Brother, I want to kiss you.”
Jiang Mi’s footsteps stopped.
He quickly glanced around.
Only after confirming that no one was paying attention to them did he relax slightly.
Then he glared at Liang Jinyi with a warning in his eyes.
“Liang Jinyi, there are people everywhere.”
Liang Jinyi hummed.
“All right, then. I’ll accept Brother’s reward after we get home.”
Jiang Mi’s chest rose and fell heavily several times.
After calming himself, he said, “Jinyi, let’s have a proper talk today.”
There were some things he had to make a decision about.
Seeing Jiang Mi’s solemn expression, Liang Jinyi’s lashes trembled.
“Okay.”
They reached where Jiang Mi had parked.
Jiang Mi got into the driver’s seat.
After Liang Jinyi sat down in the passenger seat, Jiang Mi said, “We’re not going home to cook tonight. We’ll eat outside. What do you want?”
Liang Jinyi thought for a moment before answering.
“Let’s go to the revolving restaurant near Global Center. My biological brother took his girlfriend there before. I heard the atmosphere is romantic and elegant, very suitable for couples to whisper sweet nothings—”
Jiang Mi’s eyelid twitched.
He ignored the suggestion and simply stepped on the accelerator.
Twenty minutes later, the Audi stopped outside a Chinese restaurant.
Jiang Mi told Liang Jinyi to get out.
Liang Jinyi glanced at the restaurant sign and looked displeased.
“Brother, I don’t want to eat here.”
Jiang Mi maintained his composure.
“I want to eat here.”
Liang Jinyi stared at him for a while.
“All right. Brother’s wishes are more important.”
Seeing Liang Jinyi obediently give in, Jiang Mi rubbed his temples with a headache.
If only his younger brother were this obedient about the other matter.
The Chinese restaurant served excellent food, but it was expensive, so there were not many customers.
Jiang Mi asked for a private room and handed Liang Jinyi the menu.
After Liang Jinyi ordered several dishes, Jiang Mi gave the menu to the server.
Once the server left, Jiang Mi looked at Liang Jinyi and got straight to the point.
“Jinyi, are you certain that what you feel for me is romantic love, and not misplaced familial affection?”
“You’ve liked me since you were little. When you were six or seven, you were even clingier than you are now. If I ignored you even slightly, you would get upset. Are you really sure you understand what you’re feeling now?”
Liang Jinyi said, “Brother, I’m very sure what kind of feelings I have for you.”
He looked at Jiang Mi stubbornly.
“Brother, I don’t want to sleep with Liang Xuping, and thinking about him doesn’t make me hard.”
How could he say something so bluntly?
Jiang Mi’s little finger trembled.
But meeting Liang Jinyi’s direct, burning gaze, his throat also went dry.
He took a deep breath and calmly looked back at him.
“But Jinyi, I don’t dare trust your feelings for me. You’re only seventeen. A teenager’s love can arrive with overwhelming intensity, and often disappear just as intensely.”
“Maybe one day you’ll wake up and realize that what you feel for me is only affection for an older brother.”
“Or maybe you simply won’t like me anymore.”
“Maybe everything that’s happened lately is nothing more than your hormones acting up.”
“So, Brother, what exactly are you trying to say?” Liang Jinyi asked.
Jiang Mi said, “Jinyi, let’s separate for a while.”
“For the next year, we won’t see each other.”
This was the best solution Jiang Mi could think of.
Jinyi had only developed feelings for him within the past half year.
Then time could wash everything away.
Whether he had confused a younger brother’s affection for his older brother with romantic love, or had truly fallen in love with Jiang Mi, they would have no contact at all for the next year.
Many people had liked Jiang Mi before.
He also knew that most feelings in this world faded easily.
The pursuers he had rejected usually found someone new before long.
Liang Jinyi did not speak.
He quietly looked at Jiang Mi for a long while.
Then he asked, “If I still really like Brother after one year, will Brother date me?”
Compared with his peers, Jiang Mi had always been more mature, rational, and strong.
He never ran away from difficulties.
He faced them head-on and became more determined with every setback.
But when it came to Liang Jinyi, he rarely found himself wanting to escape.
He had never considered this possibility.
Or perhaps he had deliberately avoided considering it.
But Liang Jinyi had forced the question directly in front of him.
Jiang Mi could only give an answer.
“I’ll consider it.”
Liang Jinyi leaned back against his chair and slowly shook his head.
“Brother, no. I’m not satisfied with that answer.”
He leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
“If I endure an entire year without seeing you, kissing you, or hugging you, only for you to tell me afterward that you thought about it and still think we’re unsuitable, wouldn’t I have lost out terribly?”
Jiang Mi’s head hurt.
“Then what do you want?”
Liang Jinyi said, “If I manage to go an entire year without seeing Brother, then one year from now, I want to date you.”
“Once a week.”
“For an entire year.”
“And during those two years, you’re not allowed to get involved with any man or woman who has feelings for you. You have to remain single the whole time.”
“If Brother agrees to my conditions, I’ll agree to yours.”
