The brothers studied while listening to Shen Yu mutter. The boy's thoughts wandered from school to graduation, and he even began seriously agonizing over getting married, having children, and what to name his grandchildren.
Shen Jin helplessly bit his pen. He had never realized home could be so noisy: Shen Yu, sitting obediently beside him and picking at his fingers, was like five hundred ducks quacking in his head.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shen Jun saw his younger brother angrily drawing circles in his scratch notebook. Helpless, he too put down his pen and turned toward Shen Yu, whose eyes were sparkling.
"Why don't you go watch a movie for a while?" A thousand words filled Shen Jun's eyes, but in the end, they became a sincere suggestion.
"I don't like watching movies. They're so boring." Shen Yu's face drooped unhappily. He hated being alone and disliked the feeling of being ignored by the whole world.
[How boring! Playing with the TV isn't as good as playing by myself. Even I'm more interesting than a movie.]
Shen Yu pouted, hurt, feeling that his younger brother disliked him. Deep down, the boy desperately craved affection. Rather than watch a movie alone in the living room, he wanted to lounge around beside his family.
The boy's pleading look made him resemble a clingy puppy. His wilted cowlick looked listless, hanging dejectedly just like its owner.
Shen Jun could not help softening. Turning to see Shen Jin kicking his legs and giving up, with no desire left to study, he looked at Shen Yu with a smile.
"Then shall we watch a movie together?"
"Yay!" Shen Yu's eyes immediately lit up. Brimming with excitement, he closed the book in front of Shen Jun, desperate to rush out of the study right away. "I love watching movies."
Witnessing Shen Yu's double standards, Shen Jin's mouth twitched. A day or two would not make much difference anyway, so he went along with Shen Yu.
Shen Jin had originally wanted to find a science fiction film, but when he met Shen Yu's bright, wide eyes, he instinctively put on a comedy.
Mm, this suited his ready-made older brother's personality.
With company, Shen Yu was radiant. He sat happily on the sofa, chuckling from time to time, and even slapped a thigh wildly when he got excited, making Shen Jin look speechlessly at the ceiling.
"Boys need to be more careful when they're out in the world." Watching Shen Yu laugh like a lunatic, Shen Jin could not help lecturing him through gritted teeth. "Also, that's my thigh you're slapping!"
Under his younger brother's resentful stare, Shen Yu guiltily withdrew his chubby little hand and pretended nothing had happened. "I'm very well-behaved."
"You need to study hard and exercise so you won't get bullied out there. At least... you'll be able to run fast." Looking at Shen Yu's frail little frame, Shen Jin shook his head in exasperation.
At those words, Shen Yu stopped baring his teeth in a grin and looked pitifully at Shen Jin, though his face was entirely serious. "At home, I have our older brother and you two. I can be a useless little thing."
Shen Jun & Shen Jin: Why did someone make being a useless little thing sound so perfectly reasonable?
"People need to look ahead, not stand still." Although Shen Jun felt Shen Yu was entitled to that sort of life and suited to it, he still earnestly advised him.
"I can serve you tea and water!" Shen Yu bobbed his head and even began humming happily. "Without you, how would the Shen Family progress? Without me, who would bring you your meals?"
Shen Jin had not wanted to discourage Shen Yu, but the boy was far too smug, and the corners of his mouth curved upward despite himself. "With such a precise role for yourself, what would Uncle Liu and the housekeeper do?"
Shen Yu's enthusiastic head froze, and his whole body went motionless, though his wide eyes darted around. "I'm different. Little Yu can provide emotional value as well as personal service!"
Seeing Shen Jin's skeptical expression, Shen Yu nimbly climbed off the sofa and eagerly pounded his back. "How's that? Is Little Yu's service up to standard?"
Shen Jin reclined comfortably on the sofa, his face showing reluctant approval. "It's all right. Not enough to put Uncle Liu out of a job."
Shen Yu angrily planted his hands on his hips, unwilling to accept his younger brother pushing his luck. He switched targets to Shen Jun and massaged his shoulders with a beaming smile.
Shen Jun did not know whether to laugh or cry at his antics, but the boy was utterly serious and insisted on demonstrating his signature skill.
Three minutes later, however, Shen Yu heaved a long sigh and collapsed onto Shen Jin, panting.
"No line of work is easy. Little Yu has been worked to exhaustion today too!"
Pinned beneath him, Shen Jin lost all will to live. He had not expected his frail-looking ready-made older brother to be solid all the way through. "After tomorrow's follow-up, you should exercise with our older brother."
After all, Shen Yu looked even weaker than Shen Jun.
Hearing the teasing in Shen Jin's voice, Shen Yu angrily lunged forward to fight him, and the two rolled into a tangled heap on the sofa.
Shen Jun raised his eyebrows. The noise of their roughhousing had already drowned out the television, and his usually quiet younger brother was laughing loudly too, showing the lively expression a boy his age ought to have.
After ample time to recover, Shen Jun was ready to go to the hospital to have his stitches removed. Since it was the Shen Family's private hospital, Shen Changgeng felt at ease having the driver take the three children to Han Rong's examination room.
The boys were close and affectionate, with none of the distance and caution of their first meeting. Even Shen Jun and Shen Jin's eyes held smiles when they looked at Shen Yu.
Han Rong stood at the door with an unreadable expression. Only when the room quieted down did he motion for Shen Jun to lie down and begin the routine follow-up examination.
Seeing that Shen Jin was a little nervous, Shen Yu turned and went to the lounge to pour hot water, leaving Shen Jun's biological younger brother to keep him company.
Watching the affectionate scene between the brothers, Han Rong once again thought of the Moments posts that had spread like wildfire. "Is Little Jun Little Yu's older brother?"
After all, everyone still called Shen Yu the young master, so had the two brothers actually integrated into the Shen Family?
Shen Jun trembled slightly, seemingly embarrassed to face his parents' friend, and could only lower his eyes a little. "Little Yu is the older brother."
"Oh, is that so? I thought Little Yu was the younger brother." Han Rong seemed very surprised, then looked worriedly at the brothers' faces, as though regretting his loose tongue.
Seeing his older brother lower his eyes, Shen Jin looked up and gave Han Rong an indifferent glance, faintly impatient. "It's just a form of address. It doesn't matter."
"Little Jin is right. It's only a form of address, after all." Han Rong smiled in relief, greatly appreciating how reasonable the brothers were. "I'm just worried that if your classmates ask about it, it might hurt your reputations."
Now the two understood. Shen Yu was a few days older than them, so one side had to be adopted. If Shen Yu's status was not clarified, public opinion would inevitably point toward them.
Seeing that Han Rong seemed genuinely concerned about their situation, Shen Jin lowered his eyes to conceal his thoughts. "Thank you, Uncle Han."
Seeing how readily the boy understood, Han Rong nodded in satisfaction and added with deliberate intent, "You brothers should get along well. I watched Little Yu grow up. He's Brother Shen's pride and joy."
The adopted child was his pride and joy, while his biological children had suffered every hardship away from home. He believed the brothers now had something to weigh up.
When Shen Yu carefully returned to the room carrying two cups of hot water, he suddenly noticed that the atmosphere inside was strange.
Han Rong had finished removing the stitches. Before leaving, he patted Shen Yu on the shoulder, nearly making the hot water spill.
Seeing this, Shen Jin wanted to step forward, but seemed to have some reservation and silently stayed seated, waiting for Shen Yu to come over.
Careless Shen Yu did not notice the change in their emotions. Thinking the stitch removal had hurt the bone, he looked deeply worried, his fleshy face full of concern. "Does it hurt a lot? Drink some water. I'll get you some candy."
Once Han Rong had gone for good, Shen Jun motioned for Shen Jin to close the door, then sighed softly and looked helplessly at Shen Yu's worried face.
"You need to be smarter."