Chapter 2
For several days, everything remained calm and quiet. Shen Jiyun felt restless staying at home.
On that day, he intended to go out, but Shen Yuzhe sensed something: “Where are you going?”
Shen Jiyun replied, “To the supermarket. We’re running low on supplies at home, so I’m going to buy some.”
Shen Yuzhe stood up and said, “I’ll go buy them.”
Shen Jiyun scoffed, “You can’t even tell salt from vinegar. How would you know what to buy?”
Shen Yuzhe furrowed his brows, “I…”
Shen Jiyun knew what he was about to say and interrupted with a wry smile, “Do you really think I should avoid that guy with the last name Wang forever? Besides, he’s just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old punk. He dares to attack me in broad daylight?” Saying this, he casually picked up the duckbill cap hanging behind the door, put it on his head, and ruffled Shen Yuzhe’s hair, teasing yet affectionate, “Like a little watchdog.”
Shen Yuzhe asked, “??”
Shen Jiyun clarified, “I mean, like a police dog.”
Shen Yuzhe responded, “…???”
Shen Jiyun said, “Enough, stay at home and read your books. Be good and wait for me to come back,” and then he closed the door and left.
Shen Yuzhe pondered for a moment, feeling like he might have been overly cautious.
In reality, ever since his brother dropped out of school, he had been getting into fights with local youths. But he hadn’t suffered any major injuries because his brother had been active since childhood and had studied martial arts such as Sanda and Muay Thai. So, Shen Yuzhe had never really worried.
However, this time was different. This time, his brother had offended Wang Chaolin. Wang Chaolin might not be able to defeat his brother, but what about Wang’s family?
Shen Yuzhe wasn’t aware of their background, and a sense of unease lingered in his heart.
Just as he was becoming increasingly anxious, he received a text message on his phone from He Minghao.
The message inquired about Shen Yuzhe’s summer plans and invited him to join an academic summer camp abroad.
He Minghao’s father was a university professor, and his uncle was a member of the National Academy of Sciences. With such connections, there were likely a lot of resources available to him. Even though they had only known each other for a few days, Shen Yuzhe couldn’t easily decline such an opportunity.
“What kind of summer camp? Which country?” he replied.
He Minghao responded, “It’s a summer camp related to our future field of study, in Country B. Several renowned biologists will be giving lectures on gene research. The brochure also mentioned a special session by Stanley Barton! What do you think? Interested?”
… Stanley Barton?
Shen Yuzhe’s eyes lit up. In high school, he had read Barton’s paper on “Mutants.” According to Barton’s research, current genetic technology could combine certain special genes from animals with the human genome to create a superior human race.
For instance, inserting the echolocation genes from whales into humans could grant them echolocation abilities. Similarly, implanting the genes that ants use to communicate chemically through scent glands could allow humans to communicate non-verbally…
These fascinating research directions intrigued Shen Yuzhe. However, Barton’s research was quite controversial, facing strong opposition from human rights organizations and ethical associations. Therefore, it remained largely theoretical.
But for young students like them, these quirky studies were far more interesting than dry academic subjects.
Shen Yuzhe’s interest was piqued: “It sounds interesting. How much does it cost to attend this camp?”
He wasn’t naïve enough to believe that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Sure enough, He Minghao replied, “It’s 50,000 yuan per person for two weeks. This covers the visa, airfare, and all accommodations and activities in Country B.”
Shen Yuzhe’s heart sank as he read the message.
He Minghao didn’t know his family situation and continued to encourage him enthusiastically, “Talk to your parents. We’ve both secured spots at the National University with scholarships. They should reward you with something, right? 50,000 yuan isn’t that expensive. I feel like it’s a pretty good deal. Going on a trip abroad would cost about the same.”
Shen Yuzhe held his phone, unsure of how to reply.
Even though Shen Jiyun had never been stingy with his allowance, Shen Yuzhe was well aware of their current financial situation.
The Shen family had been considered a lower-middle-class household originally. The compensation they received after their parents’ accident wasn’t substantial, and over the past three years, their finances hadn’t seen much growth. With both brothers’ expenses for food, housing, and education, their money had been flowing out more than coming in.
…
After hesitating for a moment, Shen Yuzhe responded to He Minghao, “Sure, I’ll ask.”
He could always decline later, saying that his family had other plans.
Setting down his phone, Shen Yuzhe sighed.
The money their family had wouldn’t have stretched much further than covering their own university education. Now that his brother wasn’t attending school, there might be a bit more left, but with prices rising every year, the future was uncertain.
At one point, Shen Yuzhe had even wondered if his brother dropped out of school to save money to let him study for a few more years.
Of course, Shen Jiyun had promptly shut down that suspicion with a disdainful look and a retort of “Do you take me for a saint or something?”
Nevertheless, in the past few years, they had lived quite frugally.
If their family had more money, would his brother need to cook every day?
Staring at their modest 60-square-meter home, Shen Yuzhe’s worries resurfaced. His brother was currently floating aimlessly in society, without much income. Eventually, he would have to rely on Shen Yuzhe to provide for the family.
Once he had the means, he would buy a bigger house for them and give his brother his own room, complete with a high-end computer. He hoped that his brother would be content with playing games at home and not engage in any reckless behavior.
Envisioning a brighter future, Shen Yuzhe felt reinvigorated and immersed himself in his studies.
Just as he was starting to worry about his brother’s well-being again, Shen Jiyun returned.
“Why did it take you so long to go to the supermarket?” By then, Shen Yuzhe had been waiting near the living room entrance for half an hour. When he saw his brother return, he immediately furrowed his brows, resembling a wife questioning her husband for coming home late.
He then noticed that his brother’s clothes had some bloodstains, and his knuckles were scraped.
“What happened? Did you get into a fight?” Shen Yuzhe exclaimed.
Shen Jiyun muttered, “Encountered a few troublemakers.”
Shen Yuzhe asked urgently, “Were they Wang Chaolin’s people?”
His brother remained silent and turned away. Shen Yuzhe persisted, “Was it them?”
Shen Jiyun couldn’t escape, and he reluctantly admitted, “I’m not sure, probably.” Then, afraid that Shen Yuzhe might overthink it, he added, “But there were several of them, and I scared them off even though there were more of them.”
Shen Yuzhe suppressed his emotions, wanting to scold but unable to find the words.
Shen Jiyun chuckled awkwardly and said, “Don’t make that expression. I’m fine.”
He lowered his head to inspect the items he had brought back, among them two small rectangular cake boxes, both containing cakes that had been thoroughly squashed. Shen Jiyun seemed more distressed about this than anything else. He held the boxes in his hands, exclaiming, “Oh no, oh no,” as though his heart had been wounded.
Shen Yuzhe asked, “Why did you buy cakes?”
Shen Jiyun replied, “Today is our eighteenth birthday. Did you forget?”
Shen Yuzhe’s heart ached for a brief moment.
Seeing his younger brother still frowning, Shen Jiyun sighed and said, “Alright, I’ll try to stay home more from now on. If I encounter Wang Chaolin and his gang, I’ll avoid them. Is that okay?”
Shen Yuzhe responded, “…”
Shen Jiyun rummaged through the bags again and exclaimed in frustration, “Oh no, I seem to have lost a bag of seasonings.” He picked up his keys, ready to go out and search, but Shen Yuzhe stopped him.
“What’s missing? I’ll go to the convenience store downstairs and buy it.”
Shen Jiyun said, “Soy sauce, cooking wine, and a packet of sugar… Remember, the soy sauce should be the dark kind. Don’t get it wrong.”
Shen Yuzhe nodded, “Got it.”
Muttering the items to himself, Shen Yuzhe went downstairs.
The early summer evening breeze carried a hint of moisture, and the humid air seemed to mirror the unease in Shen Yuzhe’s heart.
After purchasing the seasonings and turning around, Shen Yuzhe noticed someone in black watching him from a distance. However, the person quickly averted their gaze.
…Was this one of the people Wang Chaolin sent to deal with his brother?
Shen Yuzhe’s heart raced, and he pretended to remain calm as he walked back home, keeping an eye on his surroundings.
After walking a short distance, he realized that the person was still following him from a distance. As he approached his house, an idea flashed in Shen Yuzhe’s mind. Suddenly turning around, he headed back in the direction of the convenience store.
The person tailing him wasn’t prepared to turn around suddenly and had no choice but to continue walking.
As the two passed by each other, Shen Yuzhe casually glanced at the person.
It was a middle-aged man with a square face and high forehead, a bit of stubble on his chin. He wasn’t particularly remarkable in appearance.
However, in the instant that Shen Yuzhe looked at the person, that person also looked back. The cold killing intent in the person’s eyes sent shivers down Shen Yuzhe’s spine.
Unexplainably, Shen Yuzhe’s mind conjured up the words his desk mate had recounted – “Wang Chaolin threatened to make your brother disappear from this world.”
“Boss, another bottle of liquor, Erguotou, and a kilogram of it,” Shen Yuzhe said calmly to the shopkeeper.
After buying the alcohol, Shen Yuzhe turned around once again, only to discover this time with shock that he was not being followed by just one person.
From behind a tree to the nine o’clock direction, from the bus stop around the corner, from the right side, someone who seemed to be conversing with a vendor…
All these unfamiliar faces were within a radius of three hundred meters from their home.
They knew now. They knew that Shen Jiyun lived here.
As he unlocked the door to his home, Shen Yuzhe’s hands holding the keys were trembling uncontrollably.
He closed the door, but he couldn’t shut out the lurking danger outside.
He leaned against the door, feeling drained, his body covered in cold sweat.
“Did you get everything?… What’s wrong?” His brother poked his head out from the kitchen.
Shen Yuzhe nonchalantly said, “Nothing. I got everything. Take a look.”
Shen Jiyun asked, “Why did you buy a bottle of white liquor?”
Shen Yuzhe explained, “Well, now that we’re both adults, I thought we could celebrate with a little alcohol.”
Shen Jiyun scoffed, “With our alcohol tolerance, what’s the point?”
A few seconds later, Shen Jiyun’s roar came from the kitchen, “I told you to buy dark soy sauce, but you bought light soy sauce!!”
Shen Yuzhe forced a smile.
Dinner that night was more lavish than usual. It included sweet and sour carp and a plate of braised spare ribs. The two squashed cakes were placed side by side in the middle of the table with candles lit.
Before dinner, Shen Yuzhe had already poured wine for himself and his brother. They clinked their glasses, wishing each other a happy birthday.
Shen Jiyun grimaced and said, “Damn it, people usually drink white liquor in small glasses. You’re using such big glasses, you’re going to get me killed!”
Shen Yuzhe chuckled, “Doesn’t matter, each of us gets a glass. Sharing the good fortune!”
Shen Jiyun gritted his teeth, resigned, “Sharing the hardship…”
Taking a sip, he almost spat it out.
Shen Yuzhe also made a pained expression, pretending to be in agony. He quickly picked up a spare rib and put it in his mouth, saying, “…it’s weak.”
With red eyes and a thick neck, Shen Jiyun blurted out, “I’m almost poisoned by this sip of alcohol, and you can still taste anything, damn it! If you like it, go ahead and drink!”
Shen Yuzhe laughed heartily, “Go on, you should eat too.”
Then, he watched as his brother, inebriated, collapsed in front of him. Just before succumbing to the alcohol, his brother’s slurred speech managed to utter a last sentence, “How come I… I didn’t realize before… you, you can hold your liquor better than me?”
Shen Yuzhe carried his brother into the bedroom and placed him on the bed. He chuckled to himself, “Silly, that’s because I was drinking water.”
