At Shen Yu's outlandish comparison, not only Cheng Jun, who was lying down, but even Cheng Jin, who had been immersed in grief, could not help raising his head to look at this clueless young master.
"Let's go home to recover." Seeing that his father had taken over the follow-up matters, Shen Xubai looked with a smile at the three young boys exchanging glances.
"Thank you, Mr. Shen." The word "home" struck a chord deep in Cheng Jun's heart. Then he lightly pressed his lips together and thanked him with impeccable courtesy. "I'll do my best to pay you back for the expenses."
"No, no, no." Shen Yu shook his head like a rattle, then gazed pleadingly at Shen Xubai, hoping his eldest brother would refuse.
"I look forward to seeing you grow." Unlike the others, Shen Xubai did not lavish indulgence on his two younger brothers who had been living away from home.
Instead, he saw that the boys were far from ordinary, and saw two hearts striving upward in terrible surroundings. In particular, the seemingly frail Cheng Jin had no less restrained pride and self-respect than Cheng Jun.
"I..."
The reassuring words left Cheng Jun stunned. He was just about to thank him when his younger brother stopped him. Then he watched Cheng Jin, who had always depended on him, respond calmly. "We won't disappoint you, Mr. Shen."
There could be no worse outcome than this. If they went back now, a beating would be unavoidable, and his older brother's body could not withstand another injury.
Cheng Jun was usually the one who took care of Cheng Jin in their daily lives, but he also knew that his younger brother had a mind of his own. Though a little embarrassed by his words, he nodded firmly along with him.
He believed his younger brother was the best.
Shen Yu eyed the brothers' clasped hands, his own hands itching for a moment. He sidled toward Cheng Jun, then immediately pretended nothing had happened when he was noticed.
[I really want to join the hand-holding squad. Why isn't my little brother holding my hand! Hmph (•̀⌄•́)]
[Oh no, my little brother's looking at me. This is so awkward!]
Cheng Jun: I can't see the slightest sign of your awkwardness.
Cheng Jin silently looked at Shen Yu, going over the different inner voices he had heard during their two meetings, and formed a rough guess about the boy's identity.
Shen Yu knew nothing of Cheng Jin's winding train of thought. Seeing his younger brother looking at him, he immediately nodded as though he had understood in an instant, then decisively reached out and took Cheng Jin's hand.
[Oh my, little brother Cheng Jin is so forward. I'm getting embarrassed~]
Cheng Jin: ...
"Are you planning to spin your way back?" After contacting the driver, Shen Xubai saw the three boys holding hands in a strange formation, and more than half his irritation dissipated.
He bent down and picked up Cheng Jun. The boy, who was around ten, weighed less than seventy jin and seemed unaccustomed to closeness with others. Cheng Jun held his body stiff, his arms resting helplessly at his sides.
Shen Xubai expertly adjusted his hold. After making sure nothing felt uncomfortable, he reassured him with a teasing remark. "Just think of me as a mobile wheelchair."
"Wheelchairs aren't this tall. A tractor would be more accurate." Eyeing his eldest brother's height, Shen Yu offered a well-reasoned objection.
Shen Xubai looked helplessly at the excited Shen Yu. Ever since they had rescued the two younger brothers, the boy had been itching to jump up in celebration.
Yet his identity had not been revealed, and Shen Yu did not dare say much. His conflicted, repressed expression left Shen Xubai both annoyed and amused.
"Stay here and be good. I'll come back for you in a moment." Both younger brothers were injured, and Shen Xubai did not want to treat them differently. He understood the principle of being evenhanded.
"I can hop! I can hop!" Favoritism never entered Shen Yu's little head. Seeing his eldest brother carrying the biological child away, he flapped his arms and tried to follow.
"I can support... big brother Shen Yu." Noticing Shen Xubai's dilemma, Cheng Jin considerately held Shen Yu's arm. "He won't fall."
With his younger brother supporting him, Shen Yu was so excited he wanted to jump up, and his little chest immediately puffed out.
[Woohoo! My little brother called me big brother!]
[I'm a big brother now! Hahaha, I'm not the youngest anymore!]
[Hehehe, everyone really does love me. Both my little brothers like me so much.]
Forced into liking him so much, Cheng Jin tightened his grip and nearly failed to suppress the incredulous look in his eyes.
This older brother looked like the guinea pig pursing its lips in his textbook.
"Are you cold, little brother?" Thinking Cheng Jin was shivering from the cold, Shen Yu immediately began taking off his jacket to help.
"I'm not cold. Let's head back." Cheng Jin could hardly bear to look at this clueless young master, but his tightly wound heart could not help relaxing.
Though Cheng Jun did not know what lay ahead, he had always deferred to his younger brother's opinion. Only when they arrived at the Shen Family's villa did he begin to have a faint suspicion.
When Uncle Liu saw the eldest young master carrying an injured boy, with the similar-faced Cheng Jin following beside him and the youngest young master hopping along, he immediately led them to the room that had been prepared.
Normally, no one lived on the ground floor. Since Shen Yu was injured and temporarily staying downstairs, another room had been prepared next door this time.
Lying down in a room where he felt completely out of place, Cheng Jun tugged at the hem of his clothes in embarrassment. Cheng Jin, however, sat at the bedside without standing on ceremony and immediately tucked in the corners of his older brother's blanket.
Though the room was simply furnished, every detail was exquisite. Even the fabric of the sheets was exceptionally soft.
Cheng Jin rubbed the sheet between his fingers. When he saw his older brother looking at him in puzzlement, he shook his head without speaking.
"Rest for now. We'll work through things bit by bit." Though Shen Xubai had already reached a conclusion in his heart, he still wanted to see the test results for himself.
But regardless, the two boys should not be buried in obscurity like this. They deserved bright futures of their own.
"Sorry for the trouble." Cheng Jun observed every courtesy. Seeing Shen Yu clinging reluctantly to the door, he gave him a gentle smile as well.
The butler considerately brought them milk, his gaze carrying a hint of excitement as he looked at Cheng Jun and Cheng Jin. But since Shen Xubai had not taken the initiative to introduce them, he could only suppress the surge of emotion in his heart.
[Why isn't anyone talking? Why isn't anyone talking!]
[I'm so anxious! I'm so anxious!]
[Are my two little brothers going to sleep in one room? I want to sleep here too.]
[My little brothers can wear my clothes. They're all new.]
[The three of us will wear exactly the same thing.]
[I'm going to be a big brother. I have two little brothers.]
"Ahem!" Listening to Shen Yu's excited inner voice, then looking at his two younger brothers' surprised expressions, Shen Xubai could not help interrupting with a light cough.
"Big brother, are you feeling unwell too?" Clueless Little Yu had no idea his thoughts had been exposed, and pattered over to Shen Xubai's side to express his concern.
"I'm fine. Behave yourself." Shen Xubai rubbed the little hero of their family. Meeting Shen Yu's big, sparkling eyes, he could not help rephrasing the words on the tip of his tongue. "Children need personal space."
The underlying message: You're too noisy. You'd better shut up.
Shen Yu's fluttering eyes immediately dimmed. Seeing that neither younger brother objected, and that they even deliberately avoided his gaze, he let his excited little head droop listlessly.
"Oh." His aggrieved voice carried sadness. Shen Yu looked at his two affectionate younger brothers, then at his eldest brother standing impassively by the door, and felt that he had been terribly wronged.
"Awooo-big brother, Little Yu, I'm back!"
Shen Xingshuo, who had gone with his father to sort out the mess, had just arrived home when he saw his youngest brother hopping about in distress. He immediately strode into the room with a fierce air.
"Who bullied our Little Yu!"
"It was... big brother." Shen Yu glanced over with his big eyes and tentatively tattled.
"Oh... oh?" Shen Xingshuo's tone shifted smoothly, and he slipped into his drama king act to lecture Shen Yu. "Why were you misbehaving?"
Shen Yu: Second brother! That's clearly not how you were acting just now!