"Yan Heqing!"
Seeing that he was awake, Lin Fengyi was delighted. He gently stroked his forehead. "Thank goodness, your temperature has finally come down."
Tears fell from Lin Fengzhi's eyes.
Lin Fengyi's heart ached terribly, and he hurriedly hugged him. "Do you feel that awful? I'll take you to the hospital right now."
Lin Fengzhi shook his head and only cried, burying his face deep in Lin Fengyi's arms.
His memories were still very hazy, but...
A voice in his heart told him that Yan Heqing wasn't a fraud and hadn't lied. He seemed... to really be his older brother.
"Waaa..." Lin Fengzhi burst into sobs.
"Zhizhi." His crying broke Lin Fengyi's heart, but he was helpless. "What's wrong? Don't scare me."
Lin Fengzhi finally looked up, his face red and swollen from crying. "Are you saying Mom and Dad adopted me?"
Lin Fengyi's expression froze instantly.
Seeing his expression, Lin Fengzhi understood. It was true. He really was adopted.
Overwhelmed by anguish, he pushed Lin Fengyi away and began sobbing hysterically.
It wasn't until the following afternoon that Lin Fengzhi returned to normal.
His complexion was terrible. Crouched beneath a flowering tree in the sunroom, he stared blankly at the kitten eating canned food.
Stroking the kitten's head, he said softly, "Little Dot, did you know? Just like you, I was taken in by this family."
"I'm not Mom and Dad's biological child, and neither of my older brothers is my biological brother. I have another older brother who's related to me by blood."
Lin Fengzhi's voice grew quieter and quieter. "I don't want this biological brother..."
"Zhizhi." Mother Lin walked over and crouched beside Lin Fengzhi. She gently stroked her youngest son's soft black hair. "No matter what happens, you'll always be Mommy's darling. Mom, Dad, and both your brothers all love you just the same. You know that, don't you?"
Lin Fengzhi's eyes reddened again. Tears splashed onto the back of his hand, and he bit his lip, refusing to speak.
Mother Lin sighed. "You met your biological brother, didn't you? He's a very good child."
Lin Fengzhi immediately looked up and asked anxiously, "Did he come to see you? Did he..." He hesitated. "Did, did he ask you for money?"
Mother Lin was surprised. "No. I met him when he was little. Why would you think that?"
On her first visit to the orphanage, she had liked Lin Fengzhi's biological brother best at first sight, not only because he was the best-looking, but also because he was so well-behaved and sensible.
Lin Fengzhi muttered, "That's how it always goes on TV... Anyway, if he uses me to ask you for money, I'll never forgive him!"
Mother Lin couldn't help laughing. "My darling is so kind! Listen to Mommy. Now that you've met your biological brother, you'll have another older brother to dote on you. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Why don't we invite him over for dinner tonight? I'll cook you both something delicious myself."
Lin Fengzhi was silent for a long time before nodding. "All right."
Yan Heqing was reading when his phone rang.
The call was from Lin Fengzhi.
The timing was roughly what Yan Heqing had expected. He answered, "Hello."
There was a long silence on the other end before he spoke. "This is Lin Fengzhi."
Yan Heqing was courteous. "Is there something you need?"
"You..." Lin Fengzhi took a deep breath. "I asked my mom and dad. They said you weren't lying."
"I'd like to invite you to my house for dinner. Would you like to come?"
The corners of Yan Heqing's mouth lifted slightly. "If you remember our childhood, you'll know I never turn you down."
Lin Fengzhi's heart began pounding faster. Through the phone, he seemed to see the smiling young man beneath the plum tree again.
My brother.
That was his biological older brother.
Lin Fengzhi rubbed the tip of his nose. "Send me your address. I'll send a driver to pick you up now."
Chapter 14: 014
In the original novel, Yan Heqing had died without ever visiting the Lin family home.
His relationship with Lin Fengzhi was only revealed after his death.
A guest should bring gifts when visiting someone's home. Though the Lin family was wealthy and prominent, Yan Heqing hadn't chosen anything expensive, buying only a basket of strawberries and a bouquet of carnations.
The Lin family's driver came to pick him up. Throughout the drive, the driver kept secretly observing Yan Heqing in the rearview mirror.
This person... looks a little like the young master.
Yan Heqing was looking out the window when he suddenly turned toward the rearview mirror. "Do you think we look alike too?"
Caught in the act, the driver was deeply embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I..."
He was too embarrassed to explain.
Yan Heqing was courteous. "It's all right."
Now the driver felt they didn't look alike after all.
His eyes and nose resembled the young master's, but how could he put it? It was very easy to tell they were two different people.
The driver withdrew his gaze and concentrated on driving.
They crossed half the city, passing from the old district through the bustling city center and into an exclusive wealthy neighborhood with abundant greenery.
It had its own supermarket, a golf course, and even a lake, a rare sight within the Second Ring Road.
The lotus leaves in the lake had all withered in winter. Fine snow drifted down, and the streetlights on both sides of the road suddenly lit up.
The driver continued farther in and stopped outside a detached house. A guard opened the iron gates, and the driver slowly drove inside. It took several minutes to reach the front door.
The door was open.
Mother Lin, Lin Fengyi, and Lin Fengzhi were waiting at the entrance.
The driver had just brought the car to a stop and was about to get out to open the door when Yan Heqing opened it himself and stepped out.
Neither servile nor arrogant, he first handed the carnations to Mother Lin. "Hello, Auntie. I'm Yan Heqing."
Mother Lin's eyes curved as she happily accepted them. "Thank you. Carnations are my favorite."
Then she looked at the fruit basket with delighted surprise. "You brought strawberries too! Zhizhi loves strawberries."
Seeing Yan Heqing again, Lin Fengzhi felt somewhat awkward. He bit his lip uneasily and took Lin Fengyi's hand.
Lin Fengyi immediately clasped Lin Fengzhi's hand in return and looked at Yan Heqing with scrutiny and wariness.
He didn't think Yan Heqing resembled Lin Fengzhi in the slightest.
Just those hands alone...
Lin Fengyi's eyes were full of contempt.
They were fair and slender, yet visibly rough and bony, utterly different from Lin Fengzhi's.