The suggestion, born of exasperation at his failure to live up to expectations, not only made Shen Changgeng's mouth twitch but also made Cheng Jin shudder. Before Shen Yu could launch into an impassioned coaching session, he hurriedly agreed, "I know."
Shen Changgeng looked a little disappointed at not hearing a form of address. Seeing this, Cheng Jin glanced around and suddenly felt that the unreliable Shen Yu was the only one who could decode the situation.
Seeing how emotional his parents were, Shen Xubai reassured his father with a look, telling him not to rush things. If the children had immediately started affectionately calling them Mom and Dad, that would have been truly strange.
Looking at the two brothers, who kept their emotions to themselves, a trace of pride showed in Shen Xubai's eyes. Wonderful. There are normal children in this family besides me.
"Little Jun, Little Jin." Shen Xubai avoided their surnames every time he called them. When the two brothers looked at him, he gently moved on to the matter at hand.
"Cheng Yong is currently in detention on domestic violence charges." Shen Xubai had no intention of hiding anything from his two younger brothers. He even gave them ample rights to know and to choose.
"The DNA test results are already back. As long as you agree, we can transfer your household registrations here at any time." As Shen Xubai spoke, he watched the brothers' expressions, only relaxing when he saw nothing unusual.
"We haven't found out why you ended up with the Cheng Family back then, so we can't establish charges of child trafficking. But the abuse charge stands."
Knowing that the Shen Family had not deliberately abandoned them, Cheng Jun felt a wave of relief.
His silence did not mean he didn't care. During all those years of torment, he had also wondered whether he might not be Cheng Yong's child.
But too much disappointment had accumulated. Ever since Cheng Jun dropped out of school, he had numbed himself with odd jobs. His only wish was to get his younger brother out of that awful home.
"I want to see him." Hearing what had happened to Cheng Yong, Cheng Jin couldn't help clenching his fists, hatred spilling from the corners of his eyes.
He had heard the doctor's words very clearly yesterday. Without timely care and recuperation, Cheng Jun's leg could very well develop lasting problems.
But they had neither money nor time. Cheng Jun would never let his younger brother drop out of school, either. He would only sacrifice himself. Cheng Jin couldn't imagine how stifling his brother's future life would be.
"All right." Shen Xubai had intended exactly that. Only by severing their ties with Cheng Yong as soon as possible could the brothers become part of the Shen Family sooner.
Listening to his eldest brother and younger brother's conversation, especially Cheng Yong's possible fate, Shen Yu flashed a victory sign in satisfaction, then silently tucked his fingers away under everyone's gazes.
Seeing Cheng Jin trembling, Shen Changgeng sighed silently, picked up his car keys, and gestured for the little fellow to follow.
His child had been wronged. Was he, as the father, supposed to hide behind everyone and watch? That would be utterly inhuman.
Lin Yujing stroked Cheng Jin's head. The brothers had suffered so much pain and hardship that even this ordinarily gentle woman wished she could kill their enemy herself.
As Shen Changgeng's wife, who had fought side by side with him, Lin Yujing had seen plenty of people with vicious and even despicable methods. But Cheng Yong was absolutely the first to treat his own children so terribly.
She found it hard to believe that Cheng Yong would treat his biological children like this-unless he had long known they weren't his.
While their parents seethed with righteous indignation, Shen Xubai took a sun hat from the coat rack and put it on Cheng Jin's head. Only after making sure the little fellow would be protected from the sun did he get ready to leave.
"What about me?" Seeing that he was about to be left behind, Shen Xingshuo straightened up in disbelief.
His younger brothers were all going, yet he, a full-grown man, had to stay behind?
"What would you go for?" Shen Changgeng turned to look at his second son, who grew taller but no wiser, and retorted irritably, "To beat him up in front of the police?"
"Hehe~"
Before Shen Xingshuo could argue, he heard gloating laughter beside him. Turning his head, he saw Shen Yu grinning happily, his teeth on full display.
Realizing he had forgotten to mute himself, Shen Yu manually sewed his mouth shut and pretended nothing had happened.
[I'm doomed. I got so happy I accidentally laughed out loud.]
Watching Shen Yu tilt his head and glance around, Cheng Jun really wanted to tell this boy who called himself his older brother that even without unmuting himself, his thoughts could still be heard.
Shen Changgeng was in a good mood now, especially with all his children gathered around him. With the burden of more than a decade lifted, he finally had the inclination to clear up his youngest son's confusion.
"Yesterday, Xubai told me to watch how your second brother handled the aftermath. It turned out his so-called solution was violence."
Remembering how fiercely Shen Xingshuo had wanted to beat Cheng Yong to death yesterday, Shen Changgeng shook his head. "The police nearly arrested the wrong person."
The moment they got out of the police car, they saw the boy pummeling Cheng Yong. Seeing the middle-aged man howling with his head bloodied, the police had almost detained Shen Xingshuo.
"Tch, a gentleman uses fists, not words. I'm no gentleman, but he's scum! You have to fight violence with violence with someone like him, let him know..." At this point, Shen Xingshuo cast a discreet glance at his two younger brothers.
Who knew whether Cheng Yong was a psychopath who found pleasure in beating people? But he bullied the weak and feared the strong, not daring to lay hands on anyone else, so he had latched onto Cheng Jun to vent his anger.
Thinking of how Cheng Yong had only broken two ribs yesterday, Shen Xingshuo frowned unhappily, his tone full of regret. "What a waste."
"You still can't go." Shen Changgeng simply had nothing left to say to his second son. Turning to look at Shen Yu, who stood beside him with a pleading gaze, his tone immediately softened. "Little Yu, be good and stay home too."
Shen Changgeng's double standard was plain as day. Cheng Jun said nothing beside them. He knew his mobility was limited and going out would only cause trouble for the others.
Besides, Cheng Jun neither had the courage nor felt comfortable acting spoiled. He could only conceal his faint envy with silence.
"All right, I'll keep my little brother Little Jun company."
Sensitive to the change in Cheng Jun's mood, Shen Yu immediately moved to his younger brother's side with easy familiarity and complained pitifully, "We're both so pitiful."
Everyone avoided mentioning the word "pitiful" in front of Cheng Jun and Cheng Jin, but coming from Shen Yu, it carried a sense of humor and helplessness.
"It's all right. You'll get your stitches out soon." Cheng Jun was somewhat uncomfortable with Shen Yu's closeness, but seeing the boy's aggrieved expression, he offered a passable attempt at comfort.
"Getting stitches out hurts too. Look, this leg has gotten thinner." Shen Yu pinched his left leg, then compared it with his right and sighed regretfully.
"Eat some pig trotters to build yourself back up." Watching Shen Yu mutter and gesture, Shen Xingshuo cheekily twisted the knife. "While you're at it, build up your brain too!"
Shen Yu was shocked. Shen Yu was furious. Seeing that his parents and the other two had already left, he could only turn his aggrieved gaze toward Cheng Jun. "Little brother-"
Receiving Shen Yu's plea for protection, Cheng Jun helplessly looked at the smug Shen Xingshuo, then at Shen Yu, who was furious and had no one backing him up. He continued his stiff attempt at reassurance. "Don't be angry. You're very smart."
"Heh!" That single sentence soothed the bristling little brat. Shen Yu swung his uninjured leg and looked at Shen Xingshuo with disdain.
Even with no adults at home, he, Shen Yu, was still everyone's little darling, with his younger brother protecting him.
His smug little expression conveyed his thoughts perfectly. Shen Xingshuo could barely stand to look and waved a dismissive hand. "Go on, keep spoiling him. Look how smug he's gotten!"
Cheng Jun, the one doing the spoiling, felt helpless. He patted Shen Yu's hand to signal him to rein it in, only to end up with a puff-cheeked Shen Yu.
Experiencing the task of keeping both sides happy for the first time, Cheng Jun looked helplessly toward the sky, but the smile at the corners of his mouth would not fade.
The two brothers' indulgent back-and-forth brought him naturally into the family, as though he had never left.