Ji Ran loved his new car and thought everything about it was just right. Zhao Pingchuan was so good at picking things out that even Ji Ran couldn't have chosen a better one himself.
Still, he didn't drive it to work. Instead, he said to Zhao Pingchuan, "Brother, it'd be a waste to leave the car parked at the office all day. If it rains, you can just drive me to and from the subway station."
That way, Zhao Pingchuan wouldn't have to brave the wind and rain either.
Naturally, Zhao Pingchuan was happy to spend more time with him. He agreed and continued taking him to and from work every day.
As soon as Ji Ran arrived at the office, his teammates surrounded him, eagerly asking about his new car.
Yes, Ji Ran had posted a photo of himself, Zhao Pingchuan, and the car on his Moments.
Ji Ran explained with a smile, "It was a New Year's gift from my brother."
Everyone cried, "Wow! Your brother really spoils you!"
Ji Ran thought so too.
Someone said, "When are you going to drive it over and take us for a spin?"
Ji Ran readily agreed. "Sure, I'll drive it over next time."
He was as good as his word. A few days later, he drove the car to work and took his colleagues out to lunch in it.
His colleagues still felt it was a shame. "We should have invited your brother too."
They were still eager to hear more of the big shot's advice.
Ji Ran deliberately said, "The five of us fit perfectly in one car. If we'd invited my brother, which one of you would have stayed behind?"
Everyone burst out laughing.
His colleagues asked curiously, "Then why don't you usually drive to work?"
Ji Ran explained, "Traffic around the office is pretty bad at rush hour. Driving isn't as fast as the subway, so my brother usually takes me to the subway entrance."
Hearing that, everyone was even more envious. "Wow, why don't I have such a wonderful brother?"
Ji Ran told Zhao Pingchuan how much his colleagues liked him, and Zhao Pingchuan shook his head helplessly.
Zhao Pingchuan was happy that Ji Ran got along well with his colleagues. But when he picked Ji Ran up that day, he saw several cuts and bruises on his face. His expression darkened at once. "How did this happen?"
Ji Ran said, "It's fine, they're just flesh wounds. Brother, let's go home first. I'll tell you there."
Zhao Pingchuan drove them home, and neither spoke along the way.
Once they were home, Zhao Pingchuan said, "What on earth happened? Did you get into a fight?"
One look at Ji Ran's face was enough to tell that someone had hit him.
Ji Ran watched his expression, seemingly afraid he would be angry, and nodded almost imperceptibly. "I got into a fight with a colleague today."
Zhao Pingchuan waited quietly for him to continue.
He knew Ji Ran wasn't an impulsive person. He greeted everyone with a smile, and unless something had happened to cross his bottom line, he would never have hit anyone.
He first found the medicine and carefully treated Ji Ran's wounds as he listened to his explanation.
As it turned out, Ji Ran had wounds on the backs of his hands as well as his face.
A chill flashed through Zhao Pingchuan's eyes.
Ji Ran hid nothing and told him exactly what had happened.
Ji Ran's colleague Lin Lin had always been attracted to Zhao Pingchuan and often looked through Ji Ran's Moments for photos of his brother.
There was a man at the company named Zhang Tao, who belonged to another team. He had openly pursued Lin Lin for a long time, but she had never accepted him.
After learning of Zhao Pingchuan's existence, he had specifically looked for his photo, wanting to see who had stolen away the person he liked.
As it happened, he had seen Zhao Pingchuan in person before and recognized him immediately.
Zhang Tao went to Lin Lin and said, "Do you know who the person you like is, or what his name is?"
Lin Lin wondered what had gotten into him, but she shook her head honestly.
Zhang Tao said somewhat boastfully, "I know who he is. You all know Pingchuan Technology, right? The company that went bankrupt last year? Ji Ran's brother is Zhao Pingchuan, the founder of Pingchuan Technology!"
Everyone was shocked by his words.
As people in the same industry, they naturally knew of Zhao Pingchuan; they just hadn't met him in person.
Who would have thought Zhao Pingchuan was so young?
Lin Lin was shocked by the news too, but she still instinctively defended the person she liked. "So what? What's it got to do with you?"
Zhang Tao laughed dramatically. "Don't you get it? He's gone bankrupt! He's just a loser who never accomplished anything! A loser crushed under Gu Xingye's heel! And he's still out there putting on airs and fishing for fame. What a joke."
Ji Ran hadn't been paying attention to what was going on over there, but his ears suddenly caught Zhao Pingchuan's name. When he heard what Zhang Tao said next, he flew into a rage and rushed over. "What nonsense are you spouting? My brother isn't that kind of person!"
Zhang Tao sneered. "His surname is Zhao, and yours is Ji. How is he your brother?"
Ji Ran said, "None of your business."
Convinced he was in the right, Zhang Tao refused to let it go. "He used to be the distinguished boss of a company, and now he's actually willing to sit around at home unemployed, living off some younger brother he picked up who knows where. He really knows how to adapt to circumstances."
Hearing him go further and further, Lin Lin rebuked him coldly. "Zhang Tao!"
"Am I wrong?" Zhang Tao smiled maliciously. "Ji Ran, what is your relationship? Two unrelated men living together every day-what innocent relationship could they possibly have?"
Ji Ran couldn't stand hearing anyone slander Zhao Pingchuan. By now, he was furious, and he charged at Zhang Tao with his fist raised. "Shut your mouth!"
By the time their colleagues pulled them apart, both had taken a beating. When their supervisor learned what had happened, he gave them both a scolding.
Because their colleagues all spoke up for Ji Ran and testified that Zhang Tao had made hurtful remarks, their supervisor also forced Zhang Tao to apologize to him.
Ji Ran hadn't wanted to make peace, but after his team leader spent a long time trying to persuade him, he couldn't bear to put everyone in a difficult position and reluctantly agreed to let the matter drop.
After explaining everything, Ji Ran stole a cautious glance at Zhao Pingchuan, afraid he would be angry.
Noticing his gaze, Zhao Pingchuan said, somewhat amused, "You hit him to stand up for me. How could I scold you for that?"
Seeing that he wasn't angry, Ji Ran immediately straightened up. "He's got a filthy mouth. If I hear him say it again, I'll hit him again."
But Zhao Pingchuan abruptly fell silent.
Ji Ran had a bad feeling. Thinking he had said something wrong, he asked, "Brother, what's wrong? Don't take what that man said to heart."
Zhao Pingchuan's lips twitched, and he suddenly said, "Ranran, he wasn't really wrong."
Ji Ran froze, his voice rising sharply. "What?"
What Zhang Tao had said was so awful that Ji Ran had wanted to tear his mouth apart. How could his brother say that?
But Zhao Pingchuan said, "I really haven't accomplished anything. I'm hiding at home like a coward."
Ji Ran shook his head repeatedly, frowning. "No, you're not."
He truly couldn't stand hearing others speak ill of Zhao Pingchuan, much less hearing Zhao Pingchuan speak that way about himself.
Zhao Pingchuan said, "I lost to Gu Xingye, and I don't even have the courage to get back on my feet."
Ji Ran wanted to say it wasn't Zhao Pingchuan's fault, that it was all part of the novel's setup and beyond anyone's power to change, but he couldn't say any of that.
How could Zhao Pingchuan belittle himself like this?
Ji Ran was so anxious he was nearly in tears, but all he could do was repeat, "No, that's not true. It isn't like that."
"I've accepted your care without a worry, but I've never thought about what I've done to deserve any of it."
He laid bare everything on his mind, showing it all to Ji Ran without reservation, bloody as it was.
Ji Ran couldn't take it anymore. He buried himself in Zhao Pingchuan's arms, his face pressed into the crook of his neck, and shook his head vigorously. "Brother, stop. You're not that kind of person."
But Zhao Pingchuan didn't stop. "Because I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll fail again, and even you will discover that I, Zhao Pingchuan, am nothing special."
Was that what it was?
Ji Ran went still.
He had always thought Zhao Pingchuan was lingering in his current circumstances because he hadn't recovered from his failure, or perhaps because he felt this peaceful, simple life was what he wanted.
Ji Ran could accept either of those things.
But was Zhao Pingchuan actually afraid of disappointing him?
How could he possibly be disappointed?
Ji Ran was suddenly glad that the commotion today had brought out what Zhao Pingchuan had kept hidden in his heart. He cupped Zhao Pingchuan's face, and their gazes met unobstructed. They were so close that Zhao Pingchuan could even see his own reflection in Ji Ran's eyes.
Ji Ran said, "If that's what it is, Brother, you're worrying for nothing. Even if you're utterly defeated and never get back on your feet, you won't mean any less to me."
He paused, then added, "Besides, I know better than anyone how wonderful you are."
He had spoken from the bottom of his heart. Zhao Pingchuan could hear how earnest he was; he wasn't offering empty comfort, but truly meant what he said.
Zhao Pingchuan frowned slightly and gently touched the wounds on Ji Ran's face with tenderness.
In this world, Ji Ran was the only person he cared about.
What happened today made him realize that Ji Ran's feelings toward him would not change.
But he couldn't really keep hiding behind Ji Ran as a weakling forever. He wanted to shield his Ranran from the wind and rain.
"I understand," Zhao Pingchuan said. The corners of his mouth lifted in a small smile, carrying a lightness he hadn't felt in a long time. "Thank you, Ranran."