Su Hui stormed forward, exuding the kind of determination that would not rest until he got his way.
It was exactly like every encounter between the two “brothers” in the past.
But Su Pu was no longer the same as before.
He had once been adrift, struggling, forced to rely on others.
Now, he had a new safe harbor.
Even if it was temporary, it was beyond Su Hui’s control.
Su Pu realized that this time, he didn’t have to endure Su Hui’s domineering ways.
“Su Pu, looks like your wings are getting strong—daring to stand us up?”
Whenever Su Hui got emotional, his voice became sharp, cutting and unpleasant.
Su Pu had just handed out the survey forms and didn’t want to disturb the participants, so he had to use sheer force to drag Su Hui aside.
[I said I wouldn’t go, and I already mailed the card back.]
Su Hui had indeed received the card, but his past experience told him there was no need to worry.
No matter how much that mute kid resisted, he would eventually give in.
Perhaps because the less one has, the more one values it, Su Pu cared most about “family.”
Su Hui had seen this clearly a long time ago.
Su Pu’s deepest desire came from his deepest fear: family.
He so desperately wanted a stable family that he seemed willing to break himself to achieve it.
Thus, every time Su Hui invoked the “we’re family” argument, no matter how outrageous the request, Su Pu would ultimately yield.
That was Su Pu.
That was Su Hui.
Coincidentally, when Su Hui received the bank card that Su Pu had returned, his group of friends was urging him to go out and party.
Since his card had been suspended, Su Hui had obediently stayed home a few days, itching to get out.
Now, with an extra 100,000 yuan in hand, he could easily indulge for a night.
After all, it was money meant for his “son”—what difference did it make who spent it?
Su Hui picked out an outfit, changed, and left humming a tune.
At the Su Corporation anniversary party, father and son, Su Fengxian and Su Hui, were dressed sharply, standing in the banquet hall chatting freely.
They were just waiting for Li Jichuan to appear and bring the extravagantly staged event to its peak.
But… he never came.
They knew in their hearts that the guests had all been eagerly waiting to see the usually low-profile Li family head.
They waited the entire evening… but still, no show.
By midnight, when the party had to disperse, the guests politely exchanged parting words with the father and son, who were scowling.
That night was arguably the darkest moment in Su Fengxian and Su Hui’s lives.
Back at home, Su Fengxian struck Su Hui for the first time.
Su Hui’s face burned hot, swelling immediately.
For the first time, Su Fengxian also scolded his precious son harshly:
“You’ve really… disappointed me.”
Su Hui had grown up spoiled, commanding attention—he had never endured such a blow.
He cried worse than when his biological mother died unexpectedly.
After wailing and throwing a fit all night, his stern father didn’t even glance at him.
Later, Su Hui briefly fasted for 18 hours but saw it was useless, and softened again.
He concocted a perfect lie:
“It’s all Su Pu’s fault!”
Su Fengxian snorted, seemingly agreeing.
Su Hui pinned all the blame on Su Pu:
“He took our money but didn’t help us, completely disregarding family ties, and didn’t even respect you as a father!”
“Why did you want him to marry Li Jichuan? Wasn’t it because you cared, wanted him to have support? And yet he, without even officially registering, already learned to be ungrateful…”
Su Fengxian was so angry he smashed a cup, his lips trembling.
“Hui Hui, go get that little brat and bring him here. I’ll teach him a lesson… ingrate!”
Su Hui obeyed.
He had been cooped up at home for a few days. After first enjoying a bit of fun with his friends, he came calmly to confront Su Pu.
“Just apologize to Dad. We’re family—he’ll forgive you… Besides, you took the money but didn’t bring Li Jichuan over. That is your problem.”
Su Pu couldn’t believe it, taking a deep breath.
[I returned the card. I still have the shipping info, I can show it to you.]
“But we never got it. You were supposed to bring Li Jichuan over, but you stood us up. Can you blame Dad for being mad?” Su Hui said.
Su Pu frowned.
[I won’t apologize. I did nothing wrong.]
“Tsk,” Su Hui suppressed his irritation, amazed at where this mute kid got his nerve. “Do you know how angry Dad is? How disappointed he is? He values family, yet you, his son, hurt him the most…”
Su Pu shook his head violently, typing with trembling hands.
[I never promised anything!]
“Su Pu, am I giving you too much face?”
Seeing the old method fail, Su Hui grew furious and humiliated.
“You’re just taking advantage of the Li family protecting you, forgetting your roots, huh?”
His mind racing, Su Hui thought of a new way to torment Su Pu.
“What if I go back and tell Dad I changed my mind, that I want to marry Li Jichuan? That way, I can get him to come over, right?”
Su Pu’s whole body stiffened, his face going pale in an instant.
He didn’t even have the strength to type, his hands trembling as he tried to express his disbelief.
Seeing this, Su Hui chuckled inwardly.
He had found it again—Su Pu’s weak spot.
“Anyway, you and Li Jichuan haven’t registered yet, and no one officially knows you’re together. So switching back now… that should be fine, right?”
Su Hui tidied his hair and looked at Su Pu.
He, too, had a handsome face, inheriting most of his mother’s features, with a proud, commanding aura in his eyes.
“One’s a mute working at a coffee shop; can’t speak a word in a lifetime. The other has studied abroad, received an excellent education, and been immersed in art since childhood. Who do you think the Li family would choose as the spouse of the sole heir?”
Su Pu’s face drained of all color, while Su Hui grew even more smug.
“Su Pu, why do you even try to compete with me?”
Su Hui left it at that, giving Su Pu only two options.
Either he obediently went home, confessed all his “faults” to Su Fengxian, and became a permanent puppet.
Or he stuck to the truth, at the cost of losing Li Jichuan—and losing this engagement.
Su Pu couldn’t choose. For his entire life, he had only trained himself to quietly endure suffering.
He couldn’t run. He wouldn’t resist.
After a long while, Su Pu returned to the coffee stall, continuing to teach.
As if nothing had happened.
Perhaps, in a way, nothing had happened.
After all, this was the way the world worked.
Whenever something good happened to Su Pu, it immediately turned into disaster.
Whenever light shone on him, the sun would soon shift, and the light would vanish.
What remained was eternal darkness and loneliness.
Perhaps Li Jichuan was just a fleeting sunlight in his life.
Once, in middle school, he had been illuminated by him—a single moment made eternal.
This second moment of light was merely a fleeting favor of fate, like a beautiful dream that one must wake from.
One must lose it.
Su Pu taught calmly, collected the forms calmly, and said goodbye to Ouyang calmly.
He returned home calmly.
Calmly, he faced the end of this beautiful dream.
“Little monkey’s back! Come on, Mr. Li’s waiting for you to finish dinner!”
Uncle Wang heard the noise and came to the door with the warmest smile.
Su Pu felt a sting of emotion rise in his nose.
He changed his shoes and washed up, and Uncle Wang guided him to the dining table, smiling.
“Finally, today Xiao Chuan has time for dinner. Wonder who it’s because of…”
Li Jichuan’s ears flushed red. He then, trying to cover it, called everyone in the household to join for dinner.
Su Pu pressed his lips together, suppressing all his emotions, and sat beside him.
It felt like this was the first time they had dinner together.
Perhaps… also the last.
Tomorrow, when Su Hui realized Su Pu hadn’t apologized to Su Fengxian, he would surely report it to him.
With Su Fengxian’s decisiveness, Su Hui would probably be brought over that very night.
And then… sent away.
Su Pu took a bite of the sweet-red-braised pork on his plate, and suddenly his stomach turned. He covered his mouth and ran off.
Fortunately, he hadn’t eaten much, so there wasn’t much to vomit.
Once his stomach was empty, two servants helped him back to his bedroom, and he collapsed into bed.
His mind hazy, he felt a warm, dry hand touching his forehead, brushing away the cold sweat forming there.
After a moment, the other side of the mattress sank.
Through the blanket, someone held him gently, patting his back.
Was this… soothing him to sleep?
Su Pu’s mind was muddled, his heart tortured, like a traveler desperate for his oasis after a long thirst.
Soon, he found it, stretching out his arms to hold tightly to that person, that island, the harbor where his soul rested.
I don’t want to leave you.
Can you choose me?
Please, please choose me. Please love me…
Su Pu closed his eyes, letting tears flow freely.
If this was the last chance for tenderness, he would hold on tight.
Otherwise, what could he use to fight the endless loneliness that awaited him day and night?
Leave a Reply