The car was on its way to the Jiang family home.
After sending Fu Yanli a WeChat message, Jiang Xun leaned back comfortably in his seat and idly played a game on his phone.
Jiang Zixing pressed his lips together, then spoke with an air of casualness. "Second Brother, are you settling in at Uncle Fu's place?"
"Is he quiet at home, too?"
Jiang Xun kept his head lowered, tapping at his phone screen as his eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly. Naturally, he knew Jiang Zixing wasn't asking out of concern for him.
It was because of Fu Yanli.
He replied offhandedly, "Uncle treats me pretty well. He even makes breakfast for me himself."
At those words, Jiang Zixing's expression froze for a moment, and his hands tightened involuntarily on his knees.
Breakfast made by Fu Yanli himself was something he'd only ever dreamed of.
Yet Jiang Xun had done nothing and still received what Jiang Zixing had longed for.
If he hadn't given up his engagement to Chu Xingye to Jiang Xun, would he have been the one enjoying that breakfast now?
Jiang Zixing lowered his eyes, his thoughts churning until a private sense of grievance made his eyes redden.
Just then, a voice sounded unexpectedly beside him. "You were clearly the one who fell down the stairs yourself back then. Why didn't you explain that properly to Mom, Dad, and our eldest brother?"
Jiang Xun finished a round of his game and put his phone down. He regarded the dejected Jiang Zixing at leisure, adding with a faint, ambiguous smile, "My dear little brother?"
Caught off guard by the question, Jiang Zixing snapped out of his own emotions and looked at Jiang Xun in alarm and confusion.
"I did explain back then. You were there too, Second Brother. Mom and Dad just didn't believe me."
His eyes were still red, making him look like a pitiful victim of bullying.
The driver up front kept his eyes lowered and pretended not to hear.
Jiang Xun watched him for a long time before finally letting out a slow, "Did you?"
The original owner of his body had indeed targeted Jiang Zixing repeatedly out of jealousy, but he'd only ever damaged his belongings.
As for the story that had spread like wildfire through their social circle-that he'd deliberately pushed Jiang Zixing down the stairs, breaking his leg and keeping him from entering a dance competition-it was a complete false accusation.
Jiang Zixing had accidentally fallen down the stairs himself.
The original owner had happened to be passing by.
When their parents rushed over after hearing the commotion, all they saw was Jiang Zixing sprawled on the floor in pain, while the original owner stood at the top of the stairs, looking cold and doing nothing to help.
The couple had no time to question Jiang Xun and hurried to help Jiang Zixing up.
"Zixing, are you all right? Don't scare Mommy..."
"My leg hurts so much. I can't move it..."
Tears filled Jiang Zixing's eyes, and his voice shook. "Mom, Dad, I fell by accident. It had nothing to do with Second Brother..."
It would have been better if he hadn't explained. His explanation only deepened the misunderstanding.
He'd said those words looking so fragile and pitiful, every inch the victim.
No matter how the original owner tried to explain that he'd been falsely accused, no one believed him. After all, he really had targeted Jiang Zixing often before.
The original owner was stubborn. In the end, when the misunderstanding left him unable to defend himself, disappointment and spite drove him to simply accept the blame and admit he'd pushed him.
"Second Brother, I really didn't expect things to turn out like that." Jiang Zixing lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly. "I explained it so many times afterward, too, but Mom and Dad wouldn't believe me. There really wasn't anything I could do..."
Jiang Xun gave a soft laugh. "Should I thank you, then?"
Had he genuinely wanted to explain on his behalf, or had he wanted to show off his own kindness and generosity, making everyone misunderstand the original owner even more?
Only Jiang Zixing himself knew the truth.
Jiang Zixing pressed his lips together and said nothing, lowering his head as he unconsciously picked at his fingers, a faint sheen of tears in his eyes.
Why... I'd never done anything to hurt Jiang Xun. I'd even tried to be friendly so many times, but he'd never accepted it. He just kept targeting me.
Was it my fault our identities had been switched?
I didn't want things to be like this, either. Why blame me?
A wave of grievance welled up inside Jiang Zixing.
By the time they reached the Jiang family home, the sky had darkened.
The moment Jiang Xun stepped through the door, Liu Ma greeted him warmly, a false smile plastered on her face. She brought him slippers and fussed over him, addressing him as "Second Young Master" at every turn.
Jiang Xun bent down to change his shoes and scoffed. "Enough. You might not find it sickening, but watching you makes me want to throw up."
Liu Ma's smile immediately stiffened. Jiang Xun ignored her and headed inside once he'd changed his shoes.
Jiang Zixing followed him in, and Liu Ma's false smile instantly became genuine. "Come in, Young Master. Madam made your favorite cola chicken wings."
After the previous incident, Deng Shu had intended to fire Liu Ma, but Jiang Zixing had spent ages pleading on her behalf.
Liu Ma had worked for the Jiang family for over a decade and had always treated him well since he was little.
Unable to resist his pleas, Deng Shu had let Liu Ma stay. But if anything like that happened again, no amount of pleading would help.
Jiang Zixing had been subdued ever since coming home. He took only a few bites of dinner before saying he was full.
Deng Shu asked, "Zixing, why are you eating so little? Are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Shiyuan said, "Be good. Sit down and eat a little more."
Jiang Zixing forced a smile. "I'm fine, just a little tired. Take your time eating. I'll go back to my room first."
As Jiang Zixing left the dining room, Jiang Huaijin turned his gaze toward Jiang Xun opposite him, who was eating as though nothing had happened.
Zixing had been perfectly fine when he came home from school. All he'd done was go out to pick up Jiang Xun, yet he'd been out of sorts ever since returning.
Jiang Huaijin set down his bowl and chopsticks. With a slight frown, he stared at Jiang Xun in displeasure. "Did you do something to Zixing again?"
Jiang Shiyuan also turned a suspicious gaze toward Jiang Xun.
Seeing the atmosphere at the table about to turn tense, Deng Shu hurried to smooth things over. "Let's eat first. Let's not talk about this now."
Jiang Xun lifted his eyes and glanced at them, then unhurriedly finished the food in his bowl.
Only when Jiang Huaijin was on the verge of losing patience did he set down his bowl and chopsticks.
"Yes, yes, yes. I did it all. Everything is my fault. I shouldn't have shown my face in front of Jiang Zixing and ruined his appetite."
The muscles in Jiang Huaijin's face twitched, his expression growing uglier. "Jiang Xun, can't you speak properly?"
"Am I the one who doesn't want to speak properly?"
Jiang Xun laughed softly, but his eyes had reddened without his noticing. "Right, I deserve to be falsely accused. I deserve to take it without being allowed to explain."
He stood up, tears brimming in his eyes, but stubbornly held them back, refusing to let them fall.
"Mom, Dad, Brother, since I'm not welcome in this home, I'll just leave." A barely perceptible tremor crept into his voice. "It's not as though you've ever truly treated me as your son or your little brother anyway."
Before any of them could react, Jiang Xun raised a hand to wipe away the tears that had just fallen and hurried away.