The four brothers refused in unison. Afterward, Shen Xubai and Shen Jin exchanged a couple of glances, then began questioning Shen Yu in tacit agreement.
"I'm not dating anyone. I'm working hard at my studies every day."
Shen Yu shook his head like a rattle drum and held up four fingers to swear, his almond-shaped eyes full of sincerity.
Only after confirming that Shen Yu wasn't lying did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Shen Xingshuo was so frightened that he kept patting his chest. "Good thing I haven't led you astray, or Dad really would chase me down and beat me."
After all, he was the only one in the family who liked to run his mouth. If Shen Yu suddenly got the idea to find someone to date, he could commit seppuku before their dad even lifted a finger.
The New Year passed amid laughter and horseplay. Shen Yu studied in the mornings and dragged his younger brothers into fooling around in the afternoons, even finding time in between to reply to Ji Cიცen's messages. Every time Shen Jin rolled his eyes at him, he just grinned.
Once the New Year was over, they entered the final sprint, with weekly and monthly tests coming one after another. Amid days spent complaining that sitting made his butt hurt, Shen Yu faced the citywide mock exam.
Seeing Jiang Minjie touch Ji Cიცen's books for luck, Shen Yu grew playful too. He high-fived him, linked pinkies, and cast spells, clamoring to transfer his deskmate's clever brain to himself.
For all his outward chatter, Shen Yu felt nervous and expectant when he received the exam papers. Once the full-scale mock exam was finally over, he hurried home with a spring in his step, as though he had been set free.
Only when