Shen Xingshuo made no attempt to hide his mockery. Shen Yu craned his neck in anger, pulled the soup pot in front of himself with a fierce air, and vowed to serve Cheng Jun a brimming bowl.
Only when the broth was about to spill over did Shen Yu reluctantly stop ladling, then carry it over to Cheng Jun with his full attention.
"Th-thank you." Seeing that Shen Yu practically wanted to make the bowl bigger, Cheng Jun sucked in a breath, feeling the pressure of finishing his meal.
When Cheng Jin saw Shen Yu turn his gaze toward him, he instinctively shielded his bowl with his hand. Facing Shen Yu's slightly disappointed expression, he explained, "I'll help myself to the dishes I like."
As he spoke, Cheng Jin made sure to stretch out his arm, demonstrating to Shen Yu that he could reach the dishes himself.
"All right." Shen Yu regretfully returned the ladle to the pot. His big eyes darted around before settling on his eldest brother's bowl.
Taking it upon himself not to upset his little brother, Shen Xubai voluntarily handed over his bowl, then received an overflowing serving of tomato and tender pork soup.
Faced with Shen Yu's expression asking for praise, Shen Xubai silently swallowed the words on his lips and praised him against his better judgment. "Well done, Little Yu."
Encouraged by the praise, Shen Yu was full of enthusiasm. As a poor little boy who had grown up eating meals provided by various households, he had always eaten however much others served him, too embarrassed to ask for more even if he was still hungry.
Now that he wielded the ladle, he wanted nothing more than to fill a big bowl for everyone and have them eat until their bellies bulged.
Seeing Shen Xubai's and Cheng Jun's brimming bowls, the others unanimously declined Shen Xiaoyu's kindness. Shen Changgeng even waved his hand, urging his youngest son to sit down and eat.
Shen Changgeng: If I couldn't finish it, how embarrassing would that be for the head of the family!
After Shen Yu's antics, the Cheng brothers were no longer ill at ease, and even smiled as they responded to Lin Yujing's casual conversation.
Seeing his older brother drinking from his bowl, Cheng Jin decisively poured half of it into his own, leaving Cheng Jun room to eat the other dishes.
Cheng Jun smiled, his heart warmed. Today felt like a dream: a warm house, piping-hot food, a little brother looking after him, and a harmonious... family.
As Shen Changgeng picked up food, he watched the brothers looking after each other and could not help feeling a wealth of emotions.
Even after falling into such dire circumstances, neither had lost sight of who he was. The older brother treated others with unfailing courtesy, while the younger was attentive and considerate, and both remained ever optimistic about life.
Not wanting to spoil the warm atmosphere, Shen Changgeng had intended to tell them only once things became clearer, but Cheng Jin came to him first.
The study.
"Where's your brother?" Shen Changgeng gestured for Cheng Jin to sit down, and father and son met each other's eyes as equals.
"He's reading. I went to the bathroom, and I'll go back in a little while." Facing Shen Changgeng, who had long held a position of authority, Cheng Jin showed no fear and unobtrusively explained why he had come out.
"You think things through more than Little Jun does." Shen Changgeng admitted that he had misjudged them during the day. He had thought the older brother, Cheng Jun, was bringing up his younger brother, never expecting that Cheng Jin quietly kept the overall situation in hand.
"My brother is very good." Cheng Jin bit his lip as he answered. The twelve-year-old clenched his fists, afraid he did not project enough resolve.
"Do you want to ask about Little Yu, Cheng Yong, or the two of you?"
Cheng Jin said nothing. Shen Changgeng did not want to bring business tactics into his family, either, so he bent halfway down and asked gently.
"All of them." Seeing that Shen Changgeng had directly named his questions, Cheng Jin took the opportunity to ask what had been weighing on him all along.
"Have you... been looking for us all this time?"
"Of course. I never stopped."
Shen Changgeng looked back at Cheng Jin. The boy's resolute eyes held a stubbornness, as though he wanted a clear answer yet feared hearing one that would hurt.
"Oh." Cheng Jin gave a simple response, but his voice trembled at the end.
Though neither said it outright, each had his own suspicions. Shen Changgeng reached out and embraced the stubborn boy before him. Feeling the child trembling in his arms, he sighed softly.
It was the first time someone had held him like this. Entirely unlike his older brother's thin shoulders, Shen Changgeng's embrace was broad. Only then did Cheng Jin learn what having a father felt like.
"I'll accept what comes next, but your feelings will come first." Although he wanted to deal with Cheng Yong directly, the children were the ones who had been hurt, and Cheng Jin had the right to decide Cheng Yong's fate.
"If you want, you can go see him tomorrow."
"All right." Shen Changgeng's words were firm and reassuring. For some reason, Cheng Jin's eyes stung, and he even felt some resistance and an inexplicable sense of grievance. He bit his lip hard and said nothing more.
[Ugh, when will this lousy little leg of mine get better? Hopping around every day leaves me with no dignity in front of my little brothers.]
[No, getting better too quickly won't do either. What if Little Jun gets upset? We should stick together through good times and bad.]
[Little Jun is so shy. What if he didn't get enough to eat tonight?]
The sudden stream of muttering interrupted the emotions engulfing Cheng Jin. His clenched hands loosened, and he took a deep breath to steady himself.
"You've more or less guessed Little Yu's situation." Noticing Cheng Jin tense and then relax, Shen Changgeng considered his words before explaining tactfully, "The little fellow was adopted. He grew up in the Shen Family."
To have reached his position, Shen Changgeng had naturally experienced and witnessed a great deal. At this point, he was even more afraid that the children would harbor resentment. However successful his career was, he would still be less happy than an ordinary person.
Hearing that Shen Yu was adopted finally explained the "biological child" that had puzzled Cheng Jin for so long. Cheng Jin nodded thoughtfully, then asked the question that concerned him most before leaving.
"When... did people start hearing him?"
Having more or less deduced that Shen Yu did not know others could hear his thoughts, Cheng Jin was very curious about why Shen Yu had appeared in the alley.
"Two days ago." Shen Changgeng had no intention of hiding it, and even deliberately wanted to tell the brothers what Shen Yu had intended. "He was hopping around, insisting on going out to find someone. We couldn't stop him."
Despite hearing the emotion in Shen Changgeng's voice, Cheng Jin did not feel quite so reassured. Having spent so long at the bottom of society, he habitually considered what lay behind Shen Yu's actions.
How had Shen Yu known the Shen Family's biological children were there? What was the point of finding them? Was it really because of family affection?
In the past, Cheng Jin would have treated that last question with utter scorn, but thinking of Shen Yu's lively, unpredictable personality, he could not help feeling a little lost.
"I'm going back. I'm worried my brother will get anxious." Shaking off his gradually wavering thoughts, Cheng Jin clenched his fists and left the study.
Cheng Jun had already finished a quick wash. His injured leg did not stop the boy from taking care of himself. Seeing his little brother return, he did not press Cheng Jin about why he had been out for so long.
Children developed thoughts of their own as they grew up. Although Cheng Jun always protected his little brother behind him, he also hoped Cheng Jin could grow.
Cheng Jin's steps faltered. His brother's silence did not mean he would gloss over things. From meeting the Shen Family to moving into this house, Cheng Jin did not want his brother to carry the fear of the unknown.
"Jun." Cheng Jin opened his mouth, only to find he did not know where to begin.
Should I explain it outright: I suspect we're the Shen Family's children? We're going to have new parents?
These ten years had worn away all their fantasies about relatives. Cheng Jin worried that once their identities were revealed, his brother would feel even more ill at ease around the Shen Family...
"I know." Cheng Jun always smiled gently. Seeing his little brother's conflicted expression, he curved his lips into a smile. "Go take a shower."
Watching Cheng Jin walk into the bathroom with heavy steps, Cheng Jun casually picked up the book on the bedside table, concealing the helplessness in his eyes.
If it were true, that would be good, too. His little brother could have a good life and better prospects.
His only worry was that wealthy families had strict rules, and they would end up escaping one hell only to fall into another...
[I remember now! My second brother ate the last little rib! I was wondering why it disappeared after I put it in my bowl!]
Cheng Jun's tense lips relaxed. Perhaps it was not as bad as he had imagined.