"Ah..." Shen Mu Lan frowned. "Did you two have a fight? Tell me about it. I'll help you figure it out."
Ji Yanzhi turned his face away, clearly unwilling to talk. "Let's go."
"Go... go where?"
"Your brother has known all along that our relationship was fake. I came today to get lectured with you."
Those words struck Shen Mu Lan like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened, and his whole body froze.
"Stop standing there. Let's head out."
"Wait, wait, wait..." Shen Mu Lan swallowed with difficulty. "How... how could you tell my brother already knew?"
"Ji Ting told me." Ji Yanzhi lowered his eyes, his voice utterly flat. "He's never been wrong."
Shen Mu Lan fell apart on the spot and dropped onto the bed. "I'm done for. I'm definitely done for."
Ji Yanzhi didn't comfort him. He left the room and went to find Shen Lin in the kitchen on his own.
"Political Commissar Shen."
Shen Lin was still cooking. "Go sit down. The food will be ready soon."
"Shen Mu Lan knows he was wrong, but he lied for my sake. Most of the responsibility lies with me."
At those words, Shen Lin put down the spatula, turned off the stove, and looked at him. "I thought you two would keep up the act to the bitter end."
Ji Yanzhi fell silent for two seconds. Just as he was about to speak, Shen Lin said, "Grandpa has wanted to meet you for a while. Go keep him company."
"Shen Mu Lan..."
"Don't worry." Shen Lin chuckled. "He's all grown up. He won't get a beating."
Ji Yanzhi had no say in how someone else's older brother disciplined his younger brother, so he nodded and went to find Grandpa Shen.
Shen Lin pointed out the room