Afterward, Lu Jinsheng and Ji Shang were unusually harmonious at the table, without a trace of their earlier hostility.
They seemed like friends who had not seen each other in ages and had already started chatting.
They talked entirely about business. Ji Shang admired Lu Jinsheng's ideas, while Lu Jinsheng admired Ji Shang's grand strategic vision.
The two appreciated each other, as though each had found a kindred spirit.
Seeing them get along so well made An Yubei happy too.
One was his older brother, and the other was his friend. He did not want them to become enemies.
Being friends was actually quite nice.
In the future, Lu Jinsheng would return to the Lu family as its heir, and Ji Shang would also become a formidable force in the business world. If they could join forces, they would surely have no rivals in business.
It was a win-win.
Seeing that they were about done, An Yubei asked, "Have you finished eating?"
Both nodded together. "Yes."
Ji Shang added, "I'll go pay."
At that moment, Lu Jinsheng said, "I've already paid."
Ji Shang stared at Lu Jinsheng in disbelief, looking like an old man trying to read his phone.
Lu Jinsheng clearly had not left his seat, so how had he paid the bill?
Lu Jinsheng smiled and said, "There's a QR code here. You can just scan it to pay."
Ji Shang tightened his grip on his phone, inwardly thinking that he had miscalculated and let Lu Jinsheng beat him to it.
An Yubei said, "How could I let you pay? I'll transfer the money to you."
Lu Jinsheng earned all his money through part-time work, and An Yubei did not want to put him out. He picked up his phone, only to find that he could not locate Lu Jinsheng's WeChat contact anywhere.
"Why isn't your WeChat here anymore?"
Beside him, Ji Shang's heart lurched. He thought he was done for; he was about to be found out.
There was no escaping it after all.
Lu Jinsheng took out his own phone and held the screen out for An Yubei to see, saying aggrievedly, "I told you that you deleted me."
An Yubei looked over in confusion and saw that Lu Jinsheng's latest message showed they were no longer friends.
His gaze moved upward to Lu Jinsheng's message inviting him out, followed by his own reply saying that he was going to the office with his brother and would not be coming out.
An Yubei searched his memory but found no recollection of this. He had gone to bed very early yesterday and did not remember chatting with Lu Jinsheng at all.
He checked the time again. The conversation had taken place after he had fallen asleep.
Who had used his phone while he was asleep to reply and block Lu Jinsheng?
An Yubei shifted his gaze from the phone to Ji Shang, who stood beside him looking thoroughly uncomfortable, and everything became clear.
An Yubei felt upset.
Why did my brother delete Lu Jinsheng's WeChat?
Why did my brother touch my phone? Doesn't he know that's my privacy?
Aren't they friends? Were they just putting on an act earlier?
A hurt look slowly emerged in An Yubei's eyes. Soon, he said softly, "I must have deleted you by accident. Sorry. I'll add you back now and transfer you the money."
Ji Shang wanted to explain, but those had all been An Yubei's thoughts. He could not ask about them outright.
After adding Lu Jinsheng back on WeChat, An Yubei immediately transferred the money. "Lu Jinsheng, let's meet another time. I'm heading back first."
Lu Jinsheng happily accepted the money and said with a smile, "Sure, another time."
Ji Shang glared at Lu Jinsheng, practically wanting to devour him.
He finally understood why Lu Jinsheng had rushed to pay. So he had been waiting for this chance to tell on him?
Shameless!
"Just you wait." Leaving those words behind, Ji Shang hurried after An Yubei.
An Yubei walked very quickly. He was clearly angry.
"Xiao Bei, I didn't mean to. I just didn't want you having too much contact with Lu Jinsheng. He's not a good person."
Knowing An Yubei was angry, Ji Shang took the initiative to admit his mistake.
Anything he said now would be superfluous, so he could only bring out his ultimate weapon-sincerity-to show his care and affection.
But An Yubei was not buying it now. He was too angry to speak.
He took the elevator down, planning to catch a taxi home, and refused to speak to Ji Shang the entire way.
He was truly furious.
Ji Shang stood anxiously beside An Yubei. "Xiao Bei, I was wrong. I really was. Will you forgive your brother?"
It was Ji Shang's first time apologizing so humbly, and he did not know whether he sounded sincere enough.
An Yubei pouted. I don't want to forgive him. My brother went way too far. He actually won't let me make friends.
Other than my family, Lu Jinsheng is my only friend. My brother actually dislikes Lu Jinsheng and won't even let me see him. I'm so angry.
My brother isn't nice anymore. I don't like him anymore.
My brother doesn't respect me at all!
Hearing An Yubei's thoughts, Ji Shang regretted his actions more and more.
He had hurt An Yubei.
He had thought that giving An Yubei every sense of security and removing every source of unease for him was what it meant to treat him well.
Little had he known that what An Yubei needed most was friendship and respect.
He took An Yubei's hand and said solemnly, "Xiao Bei, don't be angry anymore. I really was wrong."
"I won't object to you spending time with Lu Jinsheng anymore. I won't interfere."
These words still failed to move An Yubei. He pulled his hand away and walked straight out when the elevator opened.
He stood in line at the taxi stand, waiting for a cab, while Ji Shang tried to persuade him beside him. "Xiao Bei, let's take our car. Don't wait in line here."
An Yubei still ignored him.
I'm going to run away from home and never come back.
I'm not going to talk to my brother anymore.
Hearing An Yubei's thoughts, Ji Shang panicked. An Yubei wanted to run away from home. What if he never came back?
Seeing that An Yubei's turn was nearly up, Ji Shang hoisted him over his shoulder in desperation and walked away.
An Yubei first cried out in surprise, then began struggling. "Let me go! I don't want to ride in your car! I won't!"
An Yubei was speaking now, but he no longer called him his brother.
Ji Shang angrily swatted An Yubei's plump bottom and said, "You won't even call me your brother anymore? You deserve a punishment."
Hanging upside down, An Yubei felt a little dizzy. Frightened, he clung to Ji Shang's waist, feeling terribly wronged.
"I don't want to be on good terms with you anymore! You're a bad person! You're bullying me!"
"Ji Shang, I hate you."
Ji Shang's gaze hardened, a trace of displeasure creeping onto his face. "Say that again?"
"Ji Shang is a bad person! He bullies me! I hate Ji Shang!" An Yubei repeated defiantly.
After stuffing him into the car, Ji Shang told the driver to drive, then pulled An Yubei into his arms again.
Tears clung to the corners of An Yubei's eyes as he struggled and kicked his legs. "Let me go! I want to get out!"
Ji Shang knew he could not let go. If he did, An Yubei really would leave.
"All right, Xiao Bei. Be good. Stop fussing."
He rubbed An Yubei's head and coaxed him softly. "I was wrong. Don't hate your brother anymore."
An Yubei sat on Ji Shang's lap, his whole body nestled in Ji Shang's arms as he cried. "Ji Shang is bad. He actually spanked my bottom."
"I won't forgive Ji Shang. Ji Shang doesn't respect me, and he even spanked my bottom. Ji Shang is a super bad person."
Seeing An Yubei cry threw Ji Shang into even greater turmoil. He had only spanked An Yubei because An Yubei's thoughts of running away from home had angered him.
How could he run away from home? What if he encountered danger?
Besides, how could he leave him!
He could not leave him.
Ji Shang moved his hand down to An Yubei's bottom and rubbed it, saying, "Don't be angry, Xiao Bei. I'll rub it for you. It won't hurt after I rub it."
An Yubei still felt terribly wronged. He cried as he said, "No, I don't want to talk to you anymore."
"Ji Shang, I'm telling you, I'm angry, and you can't coax me out of it."
Ji Shang: "...!"
What was he supposed to do when Xiao Bei was angry?
Could someone teach him how to soothe a little baby?