The brothers who had been so close a second ago suddenly fell out. Bullied into yelping, Shen Yu flailed his arms, trying to hit his second brother.
Shen Xingshuo held his little brother back with one hand against his head. Just as he was about to make an arrogant declaration, he spotted the two boys on the bed watching him and instantly withdrew his hand.
Losing his support, Shen Yu pitched forward. Forced to serve as his backrest, Shen Xingshuo hit the floor headfirst, personally testing how sturdy the floor at home was.
Under everyone's gaze, Shen Xingshuo shut his eyes, thinking, This life will be over soon enough. After a nap, none of this will have happened.
"Second Brother! Second Brother!"
As he was helped up, Shen Yu went full drama queen. Just when he was about to screw his second brother over, Shen Xingshuo scrambled to his feet.
Pretty much certain the two boys were his younger brothers, Shen Xingshuo first glanced at Shen Yu, then greeted them as though nothing had happened. "Hello, I'm Shen Xingshuo."
A faint smile appeared on Cheng Jun's pale face, polite yet distant. "Hello. Sorry for the trouble my brother and I have caused."
Carefree as he was, even Shen Xingshuo could see how reserved the brothers were. Cheng Jun, especially, seemed unwilling to owe anyone a favor.
"All right, get some rest first." Seeing that the brothers had something to discuss, Shen Xubai waved the troublemaking duo out of the room.
"How are things being handled over there?" Only after making patient number two, Shen Yu, lie down and rest did Shen Xubai have time to ask what had happened to Cheng Yong.
"He's in detention for now, on domestic abuse charges." Shen Xingshuo scratched his head irritably. After all, Cheng Jun and Cheng Jin were registered under Cheng Yong's household. Until the paternity test results came back, they could not really take action.
"The hospital has already done the test." Thinking of the injuries covering Cheng Jun's body, Shen Xubai could not help frowning, utterly disgusted by Cheng Yong's years of abuse.
"Have someone give him some extra attention. Make him pay a price."
"That goes without saying. He should be grateful we're not killing him." Remembering the scene that morning, Shen Xingshuo seethed, itching to personally show Cheng Yong how vicious the world could be.
"Don't make decisions on your own. Pay more attention to how those two feel." Shen Xubai disapproved of his second brother's rough methods, but ultimately said nothing against them.
[Little cabbage, yellow in the field~]
[Made it to twelve, then lost my home~]
[Mom and Dad aren't home, eldest brother and second brother went into the study, my two little brothers don't want their brother, now I'm just a little scruff~]
Watching his eldest and second brothers leave, Shen Yu lay on his stomach on the bed all alone, whining pitifully.
Thinking of how the Shen Family had raised him for so many years while those two kids had suffered so much, Shen Yu whined for a while, then secretly hopped toward the room next door.
The brothers were speculating about the Shen Family's intentions. After realizing that his brother could hear the inner voice too, Cheng Jin pursed his lips without speaking.
[Should I knock, or not?]
[Shen Yu, are you an idiot? Of course you should knock!]
[Should I call them little brothers? Or just use their names? That feels really rude.]
[But leaning here is even weirder! I feel like a sneaky little eavesdropper.]
[I despise myself!]
Standing on one foot and leaning against the door, Shen Yu braced his left hand against the wall while remembering to flip himself off with his right.
The next second, the boy who had been endlessly mouthing off inside his head toppled into the room. Fortunately, Cheng Jin caught him in time, keeping his head from hitting the floor.
"Hi, we meet again." Shen Yu awkwardly picked at a pair of trousers. After picking for a while, he realized they were his little brother's and silently withdrew his hand. "Are you hungry?"
"No." Cheng Jin tried to give a harmless smile. This pampered young master had been mouthing off for so long that it was hard not to notice him.
"But I think you're hungry." People always liked to make conversation around food. With no easy way out, Shen Xiaoyu built one for himself, even offering a perfectly reasonable explanation. "You're just too embarrassed to say it."
Reasonable, well-supported, and considerate-such sophistry made Cheng Jun laugh from his bed. He gently patted the bed in invitation. "Come in."
"Yay!" With permission granted, Shen Yu hopped over and clambered onto the bed. Watching how clingy Shen Yu was, Cheng Jin could not help feeling sour inside.
"Little Jin, sit here too." As his older brother, Cheng Jun saw through his thoughts at a glance, and the curve of his lips widened.
They rarely had such quiet moments. They had never expected to experience a surprising sense of peace through Shen Yu.
"Does your leg still hurt? I'll have the wheelchair in my room brought over tonight." Looking at Cheng Jun's suspended lower leg, Shen Yu blew on it tenderly, as though comforting a little child.
"I don't need a wheelchair." Cheng Jun's tightly wrapped lower leg trembled slightly, as though it could really feel the air Shen Yu blew.
"I've never used it. It's super new!" Thinking Cheng Jun disliked using other people's things, Shen Yu immediately waved his arms as he explained, "I haven't sat in it even once. I hop everywhere!"
At the mention of hopping everywhere, Shen Yu could not help straightening his back, his proud expression making him look as though he was waiting for praise.
Amused by Shen Yu's instinctive reaction, Cheng Jun nearly coughed himself breathless as he lay propped up.
Shen Yu hurriedly helped him drink some water, still remembering to boast. "I'm amazing. I can go downstairs on one foot."
"I can even do somersaults on the bed!"
"I'll recite an ID number for you right now!"
"All right, I'll use the wheelchair tonight." Seeing that Shen Yu would spill even his family's assets if he kept refusing, Cheng Jun hastily raised a hand to stop the boy's wild declarations.
The two chatted harmoniously. Ignored for ages, Cheng Jin stared resentfully at his brother, silently considering the possibility of breaking his own leg.
[Why isn't Little Jin saying anything? Have I been playing favorites?]
Noticing Cheng Jun's soothing gaze, Shen Yu nodded thoughtfully. Both his little brothers had just arrived home. He could not prepare a wheelchair for only one of them. The other...
"I'll get my brother some water." Seeing Shen Yu's strange gaze land on him, Cheng Jin decisively turned away, afraid Shen Yu would say something outrageous the next second.
Clearly, Shen Yu's arrival had interrupted the brothers' conversation, but he did not realize it. He even thought they were feeling uncomfortable and began racking his brains for topics.
Unlike the disgruntled Cheng Jin, Cheng Jun lay in bed, quietly feeling time pass and listening to Shen Yu's chatter beside him.
It was as though he had carried a mountain on his back all those years, while these few minutes were spare time he had stolen, allowing him to simply catch his breath for a few minutes.
Shen Yu talked until his mouth was dry, only to discover that Cheng Jun merely gave him brief responses, while Cheng Jin rested beside them with his eyes narrowed, completely ignoring his existence.
"Do you have any wishes?" Shen Yu felt aggrieved at being ignored, but still worked hard to encourage himself. Being an older brother means doing something useful!
At that, Cheng Jin raised an eyebrow and tugged at the corner of his mouth without speaking, though inwardly he grumbled, I wish your mouth would shut up for a while.
"Are we making wishes?" Cheng Jun looked gently at Shen Yu, who kept jumping from one idea to another, then at his unhappy, pouting little brother. The smile never left his lips.
"Yes." Seeing that Cheng Jun was interested, Shen Yu excitedly took out the basketball Shen Xingshuo had left behind, then hopped merrily back.
"We don't have a crystal ball, so make a wish on this!"
Cheng Jin watched as the basketball was stuffed into his brother's hands. After holding back for ages, he finally laughed in exasperation. "You think it's a bowling ball that grants wishes?"
Understanding Cheng Jin's mockery, Shen Yu defiantly put his hands on his hips. He had never lost when it came to corny jokes.
"Do you know why playing basketball indoors doesn't make you sweat much, but playing outside does?"
Seeing Cheng Jin narrow his eyes at him, Shen Yu stood on both feet, full of himself. "Because you're an outside amateur!"