Su Hui came on strong, looking like he would not rest until he got what he wanted.
It was exactly like every previous encounter between those so-called “two brothers.”
But the current Su Pu was no longer the same as before.
He had once been adrift with nowhere to rely on, strapped for cash, forced to live under other people’s roofs.
But now, he had gained a new harbor.
Even if it was only temporary shelter, it was still far beyond Su Hui’s control.
Su Pu realized that this time, he did not have to accept Su Hui’s bossy commands.
“Su Pu, your wings have really hardened, huh? You even dared to stand us up?”
Whenever he got emotional, Su Hui’s voice became sharp and piercing, sounding mean and grating.
Su Pu had just handed out the survey questionnaires. Not wanting to disturb the participants’ mood, he forcibly dragged Su Hui to the side.
【I said I wouldn’t go. I already mailed the card back home.】
Su Hui had indeed received the card, but past experience told him there was no need to worry.
No matter how that mute struggled, he would always obediently submit in the end.
After all, perhaps because the more one lacked something, the more one cherished it, the little mute cared most about “family.”
Su Hui had seen through this point long ago.
Su Pu’s greatest desire came from his deepest fear—his family.
Su Pu longed far too desperately for a stable family, to the point that he would rather shatter himself just to fulfill that wish.
That was why every time Su Hui pulled out the line “we’re family,” no matter how outrageous the demand was, Su Pu would eventually give in.
That was Su Pu.
And that was Su Hui.
By coincidence, when Su Hui received the returned bank card, his group of fair-weather friends happened to be urging him to go out and hang out.
Ever since his card had been suspended, Su Hui had behaved like a “good boy” at home for several days, his heart itching unbearably.
Now that an extra one hundred thousand had dropped into his hands out of nowhere, it was more than enough for one night of splurging.
It was money meant for the “son” anyway—who spent it made no difference, right?
Su Hui went back to his room, picked out an outfit, changed clothes, and left whistling a little tune.
On the day of the Su Group anniversary gala, Su Fengxian and his son stood in the banquet hall, dressed to the nines, talking loudly and confidently.
They were just waiting for Li Jichuan to show up and push this flashy but hollow banquet to its climax.
But he never came.
They knew full well that everyone in the room was eagerly waiting to see the true face of the famously low-key head of the Li family.
Yet they waited the entire night and still did not see him.
When midnight arrived and the banquet had to end, the guests exchanged polite pleasantries with the dark-faced father and son, tacitly avoiding the awkward truth.
That night was undoubtedly the darkest moment in Su Fengxian and Su Hui’s lives.
After they returned home, Su Fengxian hit Su Hui for the first time.
Su Hui’s face burned painfully, instantly flushing and swelling.
It was also the first time Su Fengxian had ever said something so harsh to his treasured son.
“You really… have disappointed me.”
Su Hui had grown up commanding the wind and rain—how could he withstand such a blow?
He cried even harder than when his biological mother had died unexpectedly.
Yet even after he wailed through the entire night, his cold-hearted father never once came to see him.
After that day, Su Hui briefly went on a hunger strike for eighteen hours. When he realized it was useless, his attitude immediately softened.
He fabricated a flawless lie.
“It’s all Su Pu’s fault!”
Su Fengxian snorted, seemingly in agreement.
Su Hui then pushed all the blame onto Su Pu.
“He took our money but didn’t help us get things done. He completely disregarded our family bond and didn’t respect you as his father at all!”
“Why did you want him to marry Li Jichuan in the first place? Wasn’t it because you cared about him and wanted him to have someone to rely on? And what did he do? Before they even officially registered, he already learned to forget his roots…”
Su Fengxian was so angry that he smashed a cup, his lips trembling.
“Huihui, you—you go get that little bastard back here. I’m going to teach him a proper lesson… an ungrateful thing who eats from the inside and sells us out!”
Su Hui accepted the order.
He had been cooped up at home for days. After getting out, he first went to enjoy himself with his circle of young masters, then finally came over, unhurried, to put the squeeze on Su Pu.
“You just need to go apologize to Dad. We’re family—he’ll definitely forgive you. Besides, you took the money but didn’t bring Li Jichuan over. That really is your fault.”
Su Pu stared at him in disbelief and took a deep breath.
【I returned the card. I even kept the shipping information. I can find it and show it to you.】
“But we didn’t receive it. We were counting on you to bring Li Jichuan, and you broke your promise. How could Dad not be angry…”
Su Pu frowned.
【I won’t apologize. I didn’t do anything wrong.】
“Tsk,” Su Hui suppressed his irritation, mocking where this mute had found the nerve. “Do you know how angry Dad is? How disappointed he is? He’s always valued family the most, and yet it was you, as his son, who hurt him the deepest…”
Su Pu shook his head desperately, hands trembling as he typed.
【I never promised anything!】
“Su Pu, have I been too nice to you?”
When the old methods no longer worked, Su Hui flew into a rage.
“You’re just relying on the Li family backing you up, so you’ve forgotten where you came from, haven’t you?”
His brain spun rapidly, and Su Hui came up with a new way to torment Su Pu.
“How about this—I’ll go back right now and tell Dad I’ve changed my mind and want to marry Li Jichuan instead. That way, we can definitely get him to show up, right?”
Su Pu’s entire body went rigid, his face turning deathly pale.
He no longer had the strength to type. His hands shook as he stared at Su Hui in disbelief.
Seeing this, Su Hui smiled inwardly.
Found it again—your fatal weakness.
“Anyway, you and Li Jichuan haven’t registered yet, and your relationship hasn’t been officially announced. Switching back now should still be possible, right?”
Su Hui smoothed his hair and looked at Su Pu.
He was handsome as well, having inherited most of their mother’s looks, with an air of arrogance between his brows.
“One is a mute who works in a coffee shop and can’t speak for the rest of his life; the other has an overseas education, grew up with proper schooling and artistic cultivation, and is a healthy, whole person. Who do you think the Li family would ultimately choose as the partner of their sole heir?”
All the color drained from Su Pu’s face, while Su Hui grew more and more pleased.
“Su Pu, what right do you have to compete with me?”
Su Hui stopped there, leaving Su Pu with two paths.
Either he obediently went home, admitted all the blame to Su Fengxian, and permanently became a puppet;
Or he chose to stand by the truth, at the cost of losing Li Jichuan and losing this engagement.
Su Pu could not choose.
After all, in his entire life, the only thing he had mastered was the ability to calmly accept all suffering.
He could not escape. He did not know how to resist.
…
After a long while, Su Pu returned blankly to the coffee stall and continued teaching.
As if nothing had happened.
Perhaps nothing really had.
After all, this was simply how the world worked.
Whenever something good happened to Su Pu, it would turn into a disaster in the blink of an eye.
Just as whenever light shone on Su Pu, the sun would soon shift, and that beam of light would withdraw.
Leaving behind only eternal darkness and loneliness.
Perhaps Li Jichuan was also just a ray of sunlight in his life.
Su Pu had once been illuminated by him in middle school—once, yet forever.
This second illumination was merely fate’s occasional mercy, like a beautiful dream that must eventually end.
That must be lost.
Su Pu taught calmly, collected the forms calmly, and bid farewell to Ouyang calmly.
He returned home calmly.
And calmly awaited the end of this beautiful dream.
“The little monkey is back! Come on, hurry up—Mister Li is waiting for you to finish dinner!”
Uncle Wang heard the noise, came to the door to welcome him, and gave him the warmest smile.
Su Pu looked at him, his nose stinging with sudden tears.
After changing shoes and washing his hands, Uncle Wang pushed Su Pu to the dining table, smiling brightly.
“Rare that Xiaochuan has time to eat dinner today. Wonder who it’s because of…”
Li Jichuan’s ears turned red. He then tried to cover it up by calling everyone in the house to come eat together.
Su Pu pressed his lips together, suppressing all his emotions, and sat beside him.
This seemed to be their first time eating dinner together.
Perhaps… it would also be the last.
Tomorrow, when Su Hui realized that he had not gone to apologize to Su Fengxian, he would certainly complain again.
Given Su Fengxian’s decisiveness, he would probably send Su Hui over that very night.
And then have him thrown out…
Su Pu swallowed the braised pork Uncle Wang had placed in his bowl. Suddenly his stomach churned violently, and he covered his mouth and ran off.
Fortunately, he had not eaten much, so there was not much to throw up.
After his stomach was completely empty, Su Pu was helped back to the bedroom by two servants and laid into bed.
His consciousness blurred. He felt a warm, dry hand touch his forehead, wiping away the cold sweat that had formed there.
After a while, the other side of the mattress sank.
Through the blanket, someone held him and gently patted his back.
Was this… coaxing him to sleep?
Su Pu’s mind was muddled, his heart wracked with torment—like a traveler parched for ages, desperately searching for his oasis.
Very quickly, he found it.
He reached out and tightly embraced that person, that island, that harbor where his soul could rest.
I don’t want to leave you.
Can you choose me?
Please, please choose me. Please love me…
Su Pu closed his eyes and let the tears stream freely.
If this was the final chance for tenderness, he wanted to hold it tight.
Otherwise, what could he use to withstand the endless loneliness of all the nights to come?