PTBLSI chapter 46

 

On the way back, Qi Xi was especially happy to be going home. He kept the few sprigs of wintersweet that Lin Xianjing had given him yesterday. He placed the small bottle on the dashboard, and a faint wintersweet fragrance drifted through the car, improving his mood.

When they arrived outside the residential complex, he received a call from Qi Zhounan. Qi Zhounan said miserably, “Brother, can you take me in?”

“Why should I take you in?”

Qi Xi asked back without any brotherly consideration. Out of habit, Qi Zhounan replied, “Dad left, saying something about an overseas project, and he took that female secretary with him. My mom goes crazy at home every day. I’m going crazy too! Save me!”

Qi Xi no longer cared about what Qi Feng did. After analyzing Qi Zhounan’s words, Qi Xi replied, “Do you want me to go help you beat your mom?”

Fu Yanchuan couldn’t hear the person on the other end of the line, but from that one sentence, he could guessed who was calling. He had signed a project with Qi Feng’s company, but it required Qi Feng to stay overseas long term. Between family and money, Qi Feng chose money without hesitation.

Qi Zhounan didn’t mind what Qi Xi said and replied, “You might not even be able to beat her. Just take me in! I don’t want to go back!”

“But I’m also living in Brother Yan’s place. I don’t have room for you. When I have my own place in the future, you can come then.”

Qi Zhounan didn’t think Qi Xi was brushing him off. By then, he might already be an adult. He replied, “I’m right outside your complex. If you don’t come, I’ll sleep on the street.”

Qi Xi subconsciously glanced at Fu Yanchuan. He knew very well what it was like to sleep on the street. Just then, the car pulled up to the complex, and Qi Zhounan was squatting by the roadside like a stray dog. Qi Xi turned his head and happened to see him.

Fu Yanchuan stopped the car. “Do you want to deal with him?”

Qi Xi didn’t want to deal with Qi Zhounan, but he deeply empathized with his situation. Being homeless is miserable. However, he wasn’t sure what Fu Yanchuan meant. He was living in Fu Yanchuan’s home and didn’t have the right to bring Qi Zhounan in. He didn’t want Fu Yanchuan to reluctantly take Qi Zhounan in because of him.

Suddenly, Fu Yanchuan said, “Call him into the car.”

Qi Xi looked at Fu Yanchuan in surprise. “Brother Yan, I can let Qi Zhounan stay at a hotel. I have money now.”

Fu Yanchuan could tell that Qi Xi didn’t dislike Qi Zhounan. He glanced at Qi Zhounan, who was looking everywhere for them outside. “Don’t worry. There are plenty of places to take him.”

“Is that okay?”

“As long as you’re happy.”

Qi Xi thought Fu Yanchuan was the best. Suddenly, he lunged toward Fu Yanchuan but was pulled back by the seatbelt. He only managed to stretch his hand toward him.

Fu Yanchuan leaned closer to him. “So happy?”

“Yeah, because you’re so good! Hurry and kiss me.”

Fu Yanchuan lightly pecked his lips. Qi Xi shrank back, rolled down the window, and shouted to Qi Zhounan outside, “Qi Zhounan, here!”

Qi Zhounan hadn’t hung up the phone yet. He overheard the conversation between Qi Xi and Fu Yanchuan in the car. His gaze shifted from Qi Xi’s face to Fu Yanchuan’s. He snorted before getting into the car.

Qi Xi thought that Fu Yanchuan was taking Qi Zhounan back to their home, and he wondered where Qi Zhounan would sleep. There was an empty room, but no bed. At worst, Qi Zhounan could sleep in his room, but he really didn’t want that.

After getting into the elevator, Fu Yanchuan pressed the button for the floor below theirs. Qi Xi was about to press another button when Fu Yanchuan grabbed his hand.

“You pressed the wrong one.”

“It’s not wrong.”

Qi Xi stared at Fu Yanchuan, confused. Fu Yanchuan’s eyes were full of certainty. He held Qi Xi’s hand, waited until they reached the floor, and led him out. Then, he opened the door to an apartment.

Surprised, Qi Xi asked, “How did you open it?”

Fu Yanchuan replied casually, “When the property was first released, a few floors were reserved. No one lives here.”

“So this is also your place?”

Qi Xi didn’t understand what reserving a few floors meant, but he understood that Fu Yanchuan owned many apartments. He clung to the doorframe and poked his head inside. The layout was similar to their current home, and the decorating style was the same, just without any signs of life. But it was very clean, probably cleaned regularly.

Considering how wasteful it was for Qi Zhounan to use such a big place alone, and how he himself had never lived alone in such a big place, he said to Fu Yanchuan, “This isn’t very good, right?”

“It’s very good.”

Fu Yanchuan looked toward Qi Zhounan behind them. “You can live here as long as you want. Someone will come clean it. If you want to eat, call the building manager, and he’ll arrange it.”

Qi Zhounan had been quietly observing Fu Yanchuan ever since they got into the car. Hearing this, he immediately understood Fu Yanchuan’s scheme.

Fu Yanchuan was deliberately arranging for him to live there alone so that he wouldn’t bother them and would also lose any excuse to cling to his brother. Truly a sinister adult.

He snorted inwardly and immediately hugged Qi Xi’s other arm. “Brother, this place looks so empty. I’m kind of scared to be alone. I’ll be scared to death at night.”

Qi Xi didn’t know what Qi Zhounan was thinking. All he knew was that Qi Zhounan could live alone in such a big apartment, and he wanted to live in one too.

If he lived there, he could ride a bicycle inside. How happy would that be!

Without thinking, he replied, “How about we switch?”

Both Fu Yanchuan and Qi Zhounan froze, then looked at each other with disdain. Qi Zhounan only glanced at Fu Yanchuan once before daring not to look at him again. He could only tell Qi Xi, “Brother, you can come live with me.”

“Wouldn’t that still be two people?”

Qi Xi’s life goal was to live in a big house with Qi Tian Dasheng. He looked at Fu Yanchuan with a negotiating gaze. He still wanted to switch places with Qi Zhounan.

“No.”

Fu Yanchuan understood Qi Xi’s meaning and gave him no room to negotiate. He pulled back the arm that Qi Zhounan was holding and led Qi Xi into the elevator without looking back.

In the elevator, Qi Xi continued to try to persuade him. “Really not okay? You let Qi Zhounan live there, so let me stay too!”

“Have you considered me?”

“You’re right upstairs. It’s so close. I can still eat with you every day.”

The elevator doors closed. Fu Yanchuan pressed Qi Xi into the corner under the surveillance camera. He lowered his head, lifted Qi Xi’s chin, and lightly bit him. Without room for argument, he said, “Not enough.”

“What’s not enough?”

Fu Yanchuan kissed him directly, sucking his lips red, and asked back, “What do you think?”

Qi Zhounan only relaxed after Fu Yanchuan left. Before leaving, Fu Yanchuan glanced at him. That look made him feel like he’d been killed. By the time he reacted and tried to chase after his brother, the elevator had already left.

In the end, Qi Xi failed to negotiate living alone in a big house. After entering, he looked at Fu Yanchuan up and down repeatedly and asked enviously, “Brother Yan, how many houses do you have?”

Fu Yanchuan put away the shoes Qi Xi had changed out of. He glanced at Qi Xi and walked toward the kitchen, saying, “Not many.”

He had planned to eat breakfast at the sanatorium today, so he didn’t have anyone prepare it and planned to cook for himself.

Qi Xi dragged his slippers and followed him, still thinking about when he would have his own house. As he helped Fu Yanchuan, he took the opportunity to ask, “Brother Yan, how much does one unit here cost?”

Fu Yanchuan paused for a moment and said casually, “Not sure. Maybe one or two hundred million.”

Qi Xi was shocked and started complaining about housing prices. “It’s just one house. Why is it so expensive? Will I never be able to afford one in my lifetime? Then I’ll never have my own home!”

“Qi Xi.”

Fu Yanchuan suddenly called out to him in a serious tone. After washing his hands, he held Qi Xi’s shoulders and said, “You can treat this place as home.”

Qi Xi’s chest suddenly trembled. After staring into Fu Yanchuan’s eyes for a long time, he said, “But this is your house. I’m just—just your—”

He didn’t want to finish the sentence. Fu Yanchuan looked at him for a long time, then suddenly asked, “Would it be okay if it were your house?”

“Huh?”

Fu Yanchuan leaned closer, cupped Qi Xi’s face, and said, “I’ll give the house to you and let it become our home, okay?”

“But—”

“But what?”

Qi Xi didn’t know what the “but” was. On the one hand, he was touched by Fu Yanchuan’s words. The words “our home” were touching.

But, on the other hand, he felt that something wasn’t right. Could he really have a home with Fu Yanchuan?

Fu Yanchuan waited a long time for an answer. He smiled slightly and rubbed Qi Xi’s cheek with his palm as he said, “Don’t feel pressured. Just treat the house as a New Year’s gift from me. Is that okay?”

—Is that okay?

Fu Yanchuan wanted to give Qi Xi a whole house as a New Year’s gift, and he even asked if that was okay.

Qi Xi’s mind was already blank. He nodded, then shook his head and finally said, “It’s too expensive! I can’t give you something in return.”

Fu Yanchuan leaned close to his lips. “I’ve already received the return gift. You are my most precious gift, Qi Xi.”

“Wait!”

Qi Xi suddenly pushed Fu Yanchuan away and clutched his heart as if a crazy rabbit were jumping around inside, about to make it burst.

Fu Yanchuan hurriedly supported him and asked, “What’s wrong? Is your heart uncomfortable?”

“No.”

Qi Xi looked up at Fu Yanchuan. The throbbing in his heart intensified again. Tears welled up in his eyes as he said, “Brother Yan, I think I like you more and more. What should I do? My heart is about to beat itself to pieces.”

Fu Yanchuan couldn’t control the smile spreading across his face. He pulled Qi Xi into his arms, pressing their chests together. He lightly kissed his lips and asked, “What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. Who told you to be this good?”

Qi Xi wrapped his arms around Fu Yanchuan’s neck and closed the last bit of distance between them. His rapid heartbeat was conveyed to Fu Yanchuan in the most direct way.

Fu Yanchuan tilted his head and brushed against Qi Xi’s ear. Then he said, “Will you accept my gift?”

“Mm.”

Qi Xi didn’t realize what he had accepted. He only felt that everything about Fu Yanchuan was good and that he liked everything about him. He held onto him without letting go.

After a long while, Fu Yanchuan finally nudged him. “Breakfast isn’t ready yet.”

“But I want to hold you. I don’t want to leave you, not even for a moment.”

Fu Yanchuan was helpless and suggested, “How about a hug from behind?”

Qi Xi hung onto Fu Yanchuan’s back the whole time he made breakfast. He realize that Qi Xi was clingier and better at coaxing than ever before. Pressed against his back, Qi Xi called to him from time to time. Once Fu Yanchuan responded, Qi Xi said, “I like you so much.”

Several times, Fu Yanchuan almost decided to forget about making and eating breakfast.

In the end, though, breakfast was set on the table as usual. While eating, Qi Xi brought up Qi Zhounan again and asked, “Did he bully you, too?”

“No.”

Qi Xi shook his head. “Qi Zhounan is actually pretty good. When we were little, he often gave me food, but his mom scolded him every time she saw it. Later, he would secretly put snacks in my room. Sometimes he’d even buy toys for Dasheng.”

Fu Yanchuan looked at him for a moment, then suddenly said, “If you want, you can let him come eat.”

“Really?”

Qi Xi was delighted and nodded. Then he immediately asked, “Can we invite Xie Hui, too?”

So that was what he was happy about. Fu Yanchuan replied stiffly, “Of course.”

“I’ll call Xie Hui right now and ask when he’s free.”

Qi Xi didn’t notice Fu Yanchuan’s displeased expression at all. He left his half-eaten breakfast and went to call Xie Hui.

Gripping his chopsticks, Fu Yanchuan regretted agreeing.

 

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