Chapter 50
Jiang Mi was silent for a moment before saying, “All right. I agree to your conditions.”
Liang Jinyi smiled at that, but after the smile faded, there was still an unmistakable trace of disappointment in his eyes.
“Brother, does our agreement start today?” Liang Jinyi asked.
There was no time like the present, so Jiang Mi hummed in agreement.
“Can we start this Friday instead?”
Jiang Mi looked at him.
“I want to spend your birthday with you this year.”
Jiang Mi’s birthday was March 9th, which happened to fall on this Friday.
Looking into Liang Jinyi’s expectant eyes, Jiang Mi did not refuse.
Just then, there was a knock on the private room door. A server came in carrying dishes, and Jiang Mi stopped thinking about it.
“Let’s eat.”
After dinner, Jiang Mi drove Liang Jinyi back to the Liang family villa.
In the blink of an eye, Friday arrived.
It was Jiang Mi’s twenty-eighth birthday.
The employees at the firm did not know when his birthday was, but Gu Yuan did. When he saw Jiang Mi that morning, the first thing he did was wish him a happy birthday.
Zhuosi Law Firm had excellent employee benefits. Employees were allowed to leave an hour early on their birthdays.
Jiang Mi did not leave a full hour early, but he did leave more than half an hour ahead of schedule. He drove to Experimental High School to pick up Liang Jinyi after school, then took him back to Hongfeng Road.
For the past several years, Jiang Mi had spent his birthdays studying and living abroad.
Now that he was finally back in China this year, naturally he would celebrate with his family.
Jiang Mi was also lucky today.
The drive from Experimental High School to Hongfeng Road normally took over half an hour, yet they did not encounter any traffic at all.
They arrived home before six-thirty.
After putting down his schoolbag, Liang Jinyi went into the kitchen to help.
Grandfather Jiang was once again in charge of cooking tonight.
Liang Jinyi said sweetly, “Grandpa, let me help you.”
Whenever Liang Jinyi came to Jiang Mi’s home—or went to Grandfather Jiang’s—he would always come into the kitchen to help.
Grandfather Jiang had long since stopped standing on ceremony with him.
“Sure, Jinyi. Peel a few more cloves of garlic for me.”
Grandmother Jiang still felt it was inappropriate.
“Jinyi, you’ve been in class all day. Go watch some television in the living room.”
“It’s fine, Grandma. I actually like cooking,” Liang Jinyi said.
Mother Jiang was on the phone. An employee from the factory had just called to ask how to handle an order.
Grandfather Jiang was nearly finished cooking.
Father Jiang came out with a cloth, wiped down the dining table in advance, and began setting out the bowls and chopsticks.
Standing in the living room and watching his busy family, Jiang Mi suddenly thought—
Wasn’t this exactly the kind of family life he wanted?
Jinyi did not seem lacking in any way.
He got along well with every member of Jiang Mi’s family.
At that thought, Jiang Mi shook his head.
How could he have such a crazy idea?
He must have been brainwashed by Liang Jinyi for too long lately, to the point that he had almost forgotten Jinyi was his younger brother.
“Dad, let me help set the table.”
Jiang Mi inserted himself into the household division of labor.
Just as they finished setting out the bowls and chopsticks, Liu Peipei’s family arrived carrying a cake.
Once Grandfather Jiang finished the last two dishes and saw that everyone was present, he announced that it was time to eat.
A few minutes later, a table full of delicious-looking, fragrant dishes had been set out.
Everyone took their seats.
Grandmother Jiang smiled and spoke first.
“Come, come. Let’s first wish Little Mi a happy birthday. I hope Little Mi’s career grows more and more prosperous.”
Liu Peipei immediately added, “I hope Brother gets more and more handsome.”
Mother Jiang said, “I hope everything goes smoothly for Little Mi next year.”
Grandfather Jiang raised his wineglass.
“Come, let’s wish Little Mi a happy birthday. Cheers, everyone.”
Dinner was lively and cheerful.
The time Liu Peipei had run away from home had left a huge psychological shadow on Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang.
Later, Jiang Mi had sat both elders down for a serious talk. He had even shown them recent statistics on depression and suicide among high school students in the country, thoroughly frightening Aunt Jiang.
After that, Aunt Jiang no longer dared to criticize Liu Peipei at every turn.
Meanwhile, Liu Peipei had also been working hard over the past few months. Her grades were steadily improving, and the atmosphere in Uncle Jiang’s family had become much better.
As for Jiang Mi and his parents, their relationship had always been harmonious.
At the dinner table, everyone talked about people and events at work, gossiped about relatives, and discussed recent social and international news.
All in all, it was an ordinary yet exceptionally warm family dinner.
Jiang Mi turned his head and glanced at Liang Jinyi sitting beside him.
Liang Jinyi was peeling shrimp.
When he noticed Jiang Mi looking at him, his brows moved in confusion.
Then, apparently understanding what Jiang Mi wanted, he placed the freshly peeled boiled shrimp into Jiang Mi’s plate.
Mother Jiang saw this and frowned.
“Jiang Mi, how old are you? How can you make Jinyi peel shrimp for you?”
Liu Peipei heard this and glared unhappily at Liang Jinyi before saying to Mother Jiang, “Auntie, he eats my brother’s food and lives in my brother’s home every day. What’s wrong with peeling one shrimp for my brother?”
Liang Jinyi looked perfectly well-behaved.
“Auntie Jiang, it’s fine. I’m willing to do anything for Brother, let alone peel a shrimp.”
Jiang Mi felt those words were a little excessive.
He glared at Liang Jinyi, returned the shrimp to him, then said to his mother, “Mom, I’ll peel my own. Happy?”
Grandmother Jiang watched the scene with a smile.
“Little Qin, young people have their own way of getting along. As long as they’re happy, why interfere with the details?”
There had been a small interlude during dinner, but overall the meal remained lively and cheerful.
After dinner, Father Jiang and Uncle Jiang washed dishes in the kitchen while everyone else sat in the living room chatting, watching television, and eating fruit.
The tangerines Grandfather Jiang had bought today were very sweet.
Liang Jinyi had just eaten one and thought it tasted excellent, so he sat beside Jiang Mi and began peeling a second one with his long fingers.
Mother Jiang brought up another matter she had been concerned about.
“Little Mi, how have things been going with Lin Wan lately?”
Aunt Jiang asked curiously, “Who’s Lin Wan?”
Mother Jiang said, “The girl Yuehong introduced to Little Mi a while ago.”
Then she turned back to Jiang Mi.
“Little Mi, you two are still in contact, right?”
Jiang Mi felt a sharp gaze turn toward him from beside him.
He cleared his throat.
“Mom, I think…”
“You think what?” Mother Jiang asked.
“I don’t think Lin Wan and I are suitable.”
The moment Jiang Mi finished speaking, he felt the sharp gaze beside him soften slightly.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Not suitable?!”
Mother Jiang’s voice instantly rose.
“Weren’t you very satisfied with her before? Didn’t you say there was a good chance?”
The softened gaze beside him immediately became sharp again.
Jiang Mi sighed inwardly.
With his usual good temper, he said, “We spent some time getting to know each other and realized we weren’t very suitable.”
Mother Jiang frowned at him for a long moment before earnestly saying, “Little Mi, Lin Wan is pretty, has a good temper, a good job, and a good family background. If even a girl like that doesn’t satisfy you, then tell me—what kind of person are you looking for?”
“Obviously, someone Brother likes.”
Liang Jinyi looked at Mother Jiang.
“Auntie Jiang, don’t rush Brother. I believe that within two years at most, Brother will definitely have an absolutely perfect partner.”
Mother Jiang did not believe him at all.
She said irritably, “Jinyi, you have no idea how picky your brother is.”
He had been choosing for so many years without finding a single person he was satisfied with.
Liang Jinyi said as though it were obvious, “Auntie Jiang, Brother is so wonderful. What’s wrong with being picky?”
Liu Peipei was eating an apple.
For once, she agreed with Liang Jinyi.
“Exactly, Auntie. My brother has such great qualities. Shouldn’t he be picky?”
Mother Jiang was left speechless.
She shook her head.
“You two just keep flattering him. Be careful your brother doesn’t turn forty and end up an old bachelor.”
Liang Jinyi laughed.
He stared at Jiang Mi’s profile.
“Auntie Jiang, I promise you, when Brother turns forty, he definitely won’t be an old bachelor. He’ll definitely have a partner.”
Jiang Mi stuffed the half-peeled tangerine back into Liang Jinyi’s hands and said to Mother Jiang, “Mom, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing with my own life.”
“All right, all right.”
Grandmother Jiang stepped in to smooth things over.
“Little Qin, what are you so anxious about? Young people nowadays marry late. Yuna’s son is five years older than Little Mi, and he still doesn’t have anyone.”
Mother Jiang was stunned.
Was Jiang Mi supposed to remain single until thirty-three?
She wanted to say more, but then remembered that today was Jiang Mi’s birthday and hardly the right occasion to pressure him about marriage.
So she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
Liang Jinyi peeled away the remaining half of the tangerine skin.
His jade-like fingers carefully removed the white pith.
He broke off one segment and put it into his mouth.
His eyes immediately brightened.
He held the tangerine toward Jiang Mi.
“Brother, want some? This one is really sweet.”
Liang Jinyi was merely offering him the tangerine, without doing anything excessive.
Jiang Mi hummed and broke off a segment to taste.
“Brother, isn’t it sweet?”
Liang Jinyi shifted slightly to the right.
His thigh was now pressed against Jiang Mi’s.
Even through his suit trousers, Jiang Mi could almost feel the burning heat of Liang Jinyi’s leg.
Without changing expression, Jiang Mi shifted slightly to the other side.
After giving Liang Jinyi a warning look, he replied, “It is pretty sweet.”
At ten that evening, after eating his birthday cake, Father Jiang drove the two elderly people home while Jiang Mi drove Liang Jinyi back.
Liang Jinyi got into Jiang Mi’s Audi.
After fastening his seat belt, Jiang Mi prepared to start the engine.
Liang Jinyi asked, “Brother, can you drive a little slower tonight?”
Jiang Mi said nothing and drove at his usual speed.
Seeing this, Liang Jinyi did not ask again.
He simply used the light spilling in from both sides of the street to stare greedily at Jiang Mi.
Jiang Mi eased off the accelerator slightly.
More than fifty minutes later, Jiang Mi stopped the car in front of the Liang family villa.
Liang Jinyi glanced at the villa not far away and voiced his thoughts without reservation.
“Brother, I don’t want to get out.”
Jiang Mi’s expression remained calm.
“It’s late. You should get out.”
Liang Jinyi raised a hand and switched on the overhead light.
The sudden brightness made Jiang Mi narrow his eyes slightly.
Liang Jinyi gazed at him intently.
After a long while, he asked, “Brother, if we don’t see each other for a year, will you miss me?”
Without waiting for Jiang Mi to answer, he smiled to himself.
“Brother, I’ll miss you very much.”
“Every single day.”
Jiang Mi was silent for a moment.
Then he suddenly said, “Jinyi, there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Liang Jinyi had not taken his eyes off Jiang Mi once.
“Your grades can’t drop.”
Jiang Mi coughed and slightly avoided Liang Jinyi’s gaze, which seemed hot enough to burn him.
“If your grades fall, that means I’m having a negative influence on you. Then I’ll be even less likely to accept your feelings.”
“And…” Jiang Mi added, “I don’t like people with bad grades.”
Liang Jinyi laughed.
“I understand, Brother. I’ll study hard, and I’ll also…”
His voice softened.
“…miss you properly.”
Then he pulled himself together and brought up another matter.
“Brother, hire someone to cook for you.”
“You often have business dinners and drinking engagements. At lunch, you already eat fast food downstairs from your office. Brother, you need to eat a proper dinner. Your stomach isn’t good to begin with.”
Liang Jinyi was only seventeen.
Sometimes Jiang Mi felt he was terribly immature.
Yet listening to him say these things now, Jiang Mi also felt that his younger brother was already very sensible.
He knew how to care for someone.
“Brother?”
When Jiang Mi did not answer, Liang Jinyi called him.
Jiang Mi’s lashes trembled.
“All right.”
Jiang Mi did not give Liang Jinyi any more time to drag things out.
He calmly reminded him, “Okay, it’s late. Get out and go home.”
Liang Jinyi looked at Jiang Mi’s profile a few more times before opening the door, grabbing his schoolbag, and getting out.
The wind was strong tonight.
The moment Liang Jinyi stepped out, it whipped his blue-and-white school uniform noisily around him.
Jiang Mi wanted him to go inside first, but Liang Jinyi said, “Brother, you leave first. I’ll stay here and watch you go.”
Jiang Mi shifted his gaze to the windshield, started the engine, and pressed the accelerator.
The Bentley soon left the Liang family villa behind.
Jiang Mi glanced in the rearview mirror.
Liang Jinyi’s figure grew smaller and smaller.
Finally, after a turn, his younger brother disappeared completely from view.
Jiang Mi looked forward again and lowered the window slightly.
The cool night wind of early March struck his face.
Jiang Mi looked at the neon-lit streets and eased onto the brake.
By the time he arrived home, it was already after eleven.
Jiang Mi returned to his bedroom and took off his coat.
It was his birthday today, and many friends had sent him birthday wishes.
Jiang Mi replied to them one by one.
Finally, he looked at the message Lin Wan had sent half an hour earlier.
He first thanked her, then asked whether she was free tomorrow and if they could meet so he could apologize to her in person.
A little over ten minutes later, Lin Wan replied and agreed.
They settled on a time and place.
The next day, Jiang Mi arrived at the agreed café ten minutes early.
A few minutes later, Lin Wan finally arrived.
“What would you like to drink?” Jiang Mi asked after she sat down.
Lin Wan ordered a black coffee.
Once she finished ordering, Jiang Mi took the initiative to say, “I’m sorry for taking up more of your time.”
Lin Wan looked at him with a complicated expression.
After a long while, she gave a self-deprecating smile.
“Don’t say that. It’s not your fault you don’t like me.”
Then she could not help asking the question that had been bothering her.
“Jiang Mi, though, I remember that during those first few days, you were pretty enthusiastic toward me. Why did you suddenly lose interest? Did I do something that made you uncomfortable?”
Lin Wan was a very understanding woman.
By all logic, someone like her should have been Jiang Mi’s ideal partner.
But for some reason, aside from a trace of guilt, he felt no emotional stirrings toward her at all.
“No. It’s my problem.”
“Your problem?”
Confusion appeared on Lin Wan’s beautiful face.
“In university, you said you were too busy to date. Now you’re almost thirty and still putting your career first?”
Jiang Mi could not tell an outsider what was really troubling him.
He smiled.
“You can think of it that way.”
“All right.”
Lin Wan was not the type to cling.
In truth, ninety percent of people in this world had pride and respected others. Once rejected, they did not shamelessly continue pestering someone.
“You saying that does make me feel better than telling me I simply wasn’t charming enough to move you.”
Jiang Mi spoke sincerely.
“You’re wonderful and very outstanding. I’m the one without the good fortune. In the future, you’ll definitely meet someone better than me.”
He meant every word.
Lin Wan was beautiful, gentle, considerate, had a good job, and came from a kind and harmonious family.
A woman like her truly deserved a man better than Jiang Mi.
They simply were not meant to be.
“All right, then. I’ll take your good wishes.”
Lin Wan spoke freely and easily.
She had fallen for Jiang Mi at first sight in university.
Over the years, she had dated two boyfriends, but she had never been particularly satisfied from the beginning, and both relationships had eventually ended without result.
Some time ago, her aunt had said she wanted to introduce her to someone—the nephew of a dance friend from her neighborhood.
Lin Wan was nearing thirty.
Her family was harmonious, her parents loved each other, and she herself did not dislike marriage.
If she was satisfied with someone introduced by an elder, she was willing to give them both a chance.
Then she saw Jiang Mi’s photo and learned about his recent life from her aunt.
Women were often far harsher than men when judging appearance.
Many boys had been exceptionally handsome during their school years, only to become overweight and greasy after a few years of work.
But Jiang Mi still looked exactly as he had the first time she saw him.
As though he glowed in a crowd.
Lin Wan had long forgotten the crush of her youth.
But when she saw Jiang Mi again in the restaurant, she felt her heart start pounding fiercely once more.
Unfortunately, the fate that had not existed when they were young still did not exist now.
“Then can we be friends?”
Lin Wan would not force anything.
She smiled.
“Having a lawyer friend should be pretty convenient.”
Seeing her take it so gracefully, Jiang Mi relaxed.
“Of course.”
After finishing afternoon tea with Lin Wan, Jiang Mi drove home.
On Monday, he went to work as usual.
And throughout the following week, Jinyi did not appear in his life at all.
Jiang Mi was somewhat unaccustomed to it.
In the days before, although Liang Jinyi had given him some breathing room, his younger brother had spent most of the time aggressively pressing forward.
Outside of work, Jiang Mi’s free time was almost entirely occupied by thoughts of how to deal with the matter between him and Liang Jinyi.
Now that he no longer needed to think about it, Jiang Mi suddenly found himself with free time.
On the third evening of cooking dinner for himself, Jiang Mi contacted a housekeeping agency and hired an auntie to handle his weekday dinners.
As for his spare time, he either studied and improved his professional skills, met friends, went hiking, or attended social events to expand his network.
Jiang Mi could always arrange his life in perfect order.
In the blink of an eye, March ended, and the tail end of spring arrived.
Father Liang was getting married, so Liang Xuping returned to Bei City from another province.
Within two days of returning, he noticed something unusual between Jiang Mi and his younger brother.
One evening after work, he took Jiang Mi to a quiet bar for drinks.
Without beating around the bush, he asked directly, “Jiang Mi, did you and Jinyi have a fight?”
The mojito had a sharp taste.
A cold, biting sensation filled Jiang Mi’s mouth.
After gathering himself, he raised his eyes.
“No.”
Liang Xuping narrowed his eyes and spoke with the expression of a wise man who had seen through everything.
“Don’t try to fool me. He doesn’t even live at your place anymore. Didn’t he stay there every day last semester?”
“How is he getting along with Miss Zhu?” Jiang Mi changed the subject.
Miss Zhu was Liang Hong’s fiancée and Jinyi’s future stepmother.
Strictly speaking, Jiang Mi should have called her Auntie Zhu, but she was only three years older than him.
He could not bring himself to say it.
“Pretty well.”
Liang Xuping said, “Zhu… Auntie Zhu may look a little delicate and like acting spoiled, but she isn’t pampered or unreasonable. She’s kindhearted too. Jinyi isn’t someone who causes trouble either, so the two of them get along fairly well.”
After learning that Liang Hong was going to remarry, Jiang Mi had spent only a few days finding out everything about the future Mrs. Liang.
Miss Zhu came from a poor background.
Her parents were divorced, and her family had little money.
But she herself was intelligent and hardworking. She got into a well-known media university and became a financial journalist after graduation.
Several years ago, she met Liang Hong during an interview.
At some point afterward, the two became familiar with each other, and then began dating.
Unlike Liang Hong’s other girlfriends, however, Miss Zhu had not quit her job to stay home and spend lavishly.
She had continued working.
Jiang Mi had deliberately looked into her.
Her professional ability was quite good.
Many of the interviews she had written were both detailed and powerful.
Jiang Mi had also asked Uncle Lin, who said Jinyi got along well with the new madam.
Still, Jiang Mi could never completely stop worrying.
“Jiang Mi, look at you. You still care this much about little brother.”
Liang Xuping spoke earnestly.
“You’re ten years older than Jinyi. I know he can be stubborn sometimes. Don’t argue with a kid. If he makes a mistake, forgive him.”
“I know.”
Jiang Mi smiled.
“Don’t worry. Jinyi and I are fine. We didn’t fight.”
“Really? Then why did he refuse when I invited him camping with us this weekend? He used to cling to you more than anyone.”
Liang Xuping and Jiang Mi had agreed to go camping with several friends that weekend.
“Liang Xuping, he’s almost eighteen. He can’t follow me around like a little tail for the rest of his life.”
Jiang Mi had no way to tell Liang Xuping what was really happening between him and Jinyi.
“Jinyi has his own circle of friends too.”
Liang Xuping studied Jiang Mi for a long while.
Both Jiang Mi and Liang Jinyi seemed emotionally calm, not like two people who had fought.
After thinking about it, he temporarily accepted Jiang Mi’s explanation.
He sighed.
“Yeah. Little brother is almost eighteen.”
“He’s going to be an adult.”
An adult?
Jiang Mi stared absentmindedly at the white liquid in his transparent glass.
Father Liang’s wedding was not grand.
As the friend of a younger family member, Jiang Mi did not attend.
After the wedding ended, Liang Xuping left Bei City again.
The results of the photography competition from some time ago had been released, and he had won second prize.
Liang Xuping was now full of enthusiasm for his new career.
Jiang Mi was also forever full of drive for his own career.
Zhuosi Law Firm expanded again this year and even recruited two well-known lawyers from top-tier firms.
One day, Jiang Mi was reviewing documents when a female intern hired by the firm the previous month walked in.
She handed him several contracts she had just printed.
Seeing that Jiang Mi was not too busy, she brought up something unrelated to work.
“Lawyer Jiang, I just discovered a really funny coincidence.”
Jiang Mi leaned back from the computer screen.
“What coincidence?”
When assigning work, Jiang Mi could be somewhat forceful and expected employees to handle matters according to his instructions.
But outside of work, he did not put on airs as a superior.
He was gentle and considerate, and the young female intern liked him quite a bit.
“My younger sister and your younger brother are both second-year students at Experimental High School.”
She had discovered this by accident while chatting with coworkers at lunch.
Jiang Mi paused, then smiled.
“That is quite a coincidence.”
The intern was only twenty-two and full of curiosity.
“Lawyer Jiang, what class is your younger brother in?”
“Class Six.”
The intern immediately became excited.
“What a coincidence! My sister is in Class Six too.”
Jiang Mi froze.
That really was quite a coincidence.
The intern asked, “Lawyer Jiang, what’s your younger brother’s name? My sister talks about her classmates all the time, but I can’t remember anyone in her class with the surname Jiang.”
His younger brother’s name was no secret at the firm.
“My younger brother’s surname is Liang. Liang Jinyi.”
“Liang Jinyi!”
The intern became even more excited, raising her voice.
“My sister mentioned him just last night.”
“Oh? What did she say?”
Jiang Mi looked at her.
The intern was only twenty-two herself, still very much a young woman.
“My sister said a handsome guy is still handsome even when he’s sick. Apparently, being ill just gives him this fragile kind of beauty.”
“Sick?”
Jiang Mi frowned.
“He’s sick?”
The intern gave a startled sound.
“Lawyer Jiang, you didn’t know?”
“I didn’t. I haven’t been home these past few days.”
Then he asked, “What happened?”
“She said it seems like a cold. Isn’t the flu going around pretty badly lately? Quite a few students in their class are sick.”
After finishing her gossip, the intern remembered that she still had work to do.
She said goodbye and left Jiang Mi’s office.
After she left, Jiang Mi opened the contract she had just delivered.
He read several pages before his thoughts inevitably drifted toward Liang Jinyi.
Sick again?
Had his health really become this poor?
A little after five that afternoon, Jiang Mi packed up early and left work.
As he passed through the open office area, Gu Yuan looked up from speaking with an employee and saw him.
He exclaimed, “Lawyer Jiang, leaving early today?”
“I have something to do.”
Jiang Mi did not go to the parking garage.
It was only a little after five, and traffic outside the CBD was not yet too congested.
He hailed a taxi and went to the entrance of Experimental High School.
Around ten minutes later, the dismissal bell rang.
Within two minutes, the previously quiet school entrance became crowded.
Teenage boys and girls in school uniforms poured out of the school.
Jiang Mi sat in the back seat of the taxi, watching the gate.
Several more minutes passed.
As the dense crowd gradually thinned, Jiang Mi saw two boys walking out of the school together.
The moment Liang Jinyi left the school gates today, he saw his family’s car.
He waved goodbye to Zhu Yurui and walked toward the Liang family’s Bentley.
He had just pulled open the rear door when his movement suddenly stopped.
He turned his head.
And looked behind him.
