Chapter 33
In early January, all of Ye Zhous exams were finally over.
When hed had a falling out with Shang Jin before, hed thought that returning home also wasnt bad. Now that hes already good with Shang Jin, Ye Zhou was very reluctant to go home, not to mention that hed definitely meet with his older brother this time.
Escaped New Years Day, still cant escape the fifteenth.
Ye Zhou dragged himself to the dorm and was about to close it up. Finally, he began to sort out his luggage and prepared for the upcoming road home.
Your home is so close, so why havent you been back?
All the other students couldnt wait to return home on the day the exam ended, or the day after. Apart from Ye Zhou who had his own reasons, only Shang Jin stayed in the dorm just like a person who stayed outside.
Its because I live near, so Ill go back whenever I want to go back. While Shang Jin was talking to Ye Zhou, his hands didnt paused in the slightest while playing games, You on the hand, tomorrows already the Xiaonian1, and youre just going today?
Ye Zhou set the suitcase upright and sat to one side, saying with a sigh, Going back home isnt as comfortable as being in the dorm.
Coming out of the instance2, Shang Jin turned and said, Whatever other people love to say, just let them say it. As long as they dont point at your noise and force you to listen, then dont worry about it.
Ye Zhou unhappily said, You think everyone can be like you, a robot completely without feelings and not caring?
Shang Jin tsked and said, Just saying some things. I refuse personal attacks.
Ye Zhou scratched his head and languished on the table. Anyway, Shang Jin already knew his situation, so he wouldnt disguise himself in front of him. Not wanting to go home was not wanting to go home: there was no need to find another excuse.
Shang Jin glanced at the time and said, Keep dragging it on, youre really going to be late.
I know, I know! Ye Zhou hefted up his backpack, dragged his suitcase and walked to the door. He remembered one more thing. When you leave, cover up the little pedicab.
Shang Jin:
Ye Zhou gave him a skeptical look. Did you hear it or not?
Shang Jin boldly and self-confidently said, No.
Ye Zhou:
Going downstairs, Ye Zhou had planned to cover the car with an oversized plastic bag. But time waited for no one. Ye Zhou looked at the messy graffiti on the car, thought for a moment, and gave up on it.
Anyway, it was already this ugly. Dirty spots should be okay!
No matter how much he didnt want to go home, the train still sent him back on time.
After leaving the train, Ye Zhou stood at the exit and recalled the sour experience of being squeezed on the bus last time, and his first reaction was to take a taxi. However, if he took it, hed arrive home half an hour faster than taking the bus.
Since he didnt want to go home earlier, and also didnt want to be squeezed on the bus
Ye Zhou got himself worked up into a tangle while hesitating in deciding which way to go.
Zhou Zhou?
When this unfamiliar yet familiar voice sounded, Ye Zhou reflexively wanted to escape.
What youre afraid of would really come
Ye Zhou took a deep breath and turned around, squeezing out a smile. Brother
Ye Heng and Ye Zhou were about the same height. The two people werent very much alike. Compared with Ye Zhou, Ye Heng was gentler: wearing glasses and refined in manners. He reached out to take the suitcase from Ye Zhous hand. In the end, he wasnt able to take it.
Ye Zhous right hand had been clutching at the suitcase handle since he saw Ye Heng. He still didnt let go when Ye Heng was going to lift it up.
Ye Heng looked at him questioningly. Zhou Zhou?
Ye Zhou seemed like hed received a shock, the hand grabbing the luggage handle suddenly jerked up.
Lets go to the car first.
Oh Ye Zhou followed behind Ye Heng. Even though Ye Zhou and Ye Heng were the same height now, but Ye Hengs back was still the same as in his memory: it was lofty as a big mountain that he could never climb up.
At the side of the car, Ye Zhou really wanted to sit in the backseat, but once his brothers eyes swept over, he could only brace himself to open the passenger door.
It was still good in the train station that was noisy all around: even if they didnt talk, it wouldnt be too awkward. Now that the two people were in an enclosed space, the car door isolating them from the clamor outside, the awkward atmosphere gradually grew.
Ye Zhou, whod always been known as the little communication expert at school, was now totally possessed by muteness, lowering his head and pretending to be focused on playing on his mobile phone, only hoping that the time could go by a bit faster.
Ye Heng glanced at the side of his younger brothers face while waiting at the red light. He tried to soften his tone and said, How are things at school? I heard that A Unis infrastructure is very good. Ive always wanted to see it.
If this sentence was said by someone else, Ye Zhou would enthusiastically invite them and furthermore, promise to act as the guide if the other really came.
Not bad. Not knowing whether this was answering the school life or the school infrastructure, Ye Zhou finished talking and lowered his head to devote himself to playing on the phone, his entire body exuding the dont talk to me aura.
Ye Heng continued to ask, Do you have a girlfriend yet?
Ye Zhou didnt raise his head and said, No.
Ye Heng sighed and didnt have any intention to continue speaking.
Ye Zhou realized this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. The body that had been strained all along gradually relaxed.
Ye Heng was keenly aware of this slight change and was even more frustrated.
Going all the way back home without a word, Ye Zhou entered the house and found that the family had made a table full of dishes.
Ye Zhou casually asked, Tomorrow is the Xiaonian. How is food so sumptuous today?
I also said that. Isnt it because your brother said that youre coming back today so make a bit more food to welcome you home. Mother Ye put out two dishes from the kitchen. Little Heng, dont go out again once you finish eating in a moment. Originally, you also didnt arrive home for long. Just off the plane, you didnt take a proper rest but insist on driving to pick your brother up. Its not like he cant return home by himself.
Ye Zhou looked at Ye Heng in astonishment, not expecting that he would also only return home today.
Ye Heng responded and beckoned to Ye Zhou to sit beside him. Lets eat. Dont foolishly stand there.
Right, Little Heng, how did you suddenly come back his time? Ye Zhous family didnt have a dont talk when you eat, dont talk when you sleep rule. Father Ye took the braised pork and placed it in front of Ye Heng, switching it with the stir-fried greens. When you returned on the Eleventh, didnt you say that youd be busy this Lunar New Year and wouldnt have the time to come back?
Isnt this because I miss moms cooking? In a sentence, it made Mother Ye burst with joy and she pushed a few big dishes in front of Ye Heng. Ye Heng seamlessly moved these dishes in front of Ye Zhou. Its a little busy. My flight is tomorrow afternoon.
Mother Yes incessant smile froze on her face, and even Ye Zhou raised his head to look at him. Mother Ye said, This time is too rushed.
Ye Heng smiled and didnt speak.
Ye Zhou was only surprised for a few seconds. After that, he quietly became a diner. At the dinner table were the conversations between his parents and Ye Heng. Originally thinking that he could past the night in harmony like this, who knew that before the dinner finished, Mother Ye aimed a criticism at Ye Zhou, How are you like a closed-off gourd everyday? Your brother came back and you dont know to say a few more words. If one didnt know, theyd think youre strangers.
Ye Zhou took a sip of soup. Since entering the house, his mood hadnt been too great. What I want to ask, didnt you all ask it already? What else can I say?
Zhou Zhou, when I returned on the Eleventh, I heard dad and mom said that you took a scholarship. Thats really awesome. Ye Heng patted Ye Zhous shoulder, seeming to be happy for him. I heard that A Unis scholarship is very difficult to get.
Yeah, Ye Zhou pursed his lips and said in a low voice. He lifted his eyes and glanced at Ye Heng. Not noticing the little complacency in his eyes, his mouth modestly said, Its just a second-class scholarship, so its not so difficult.
Dont praise him. I think hes a bit lazy now.
Mother Yes sentence made Ye Zhou no longer have the interest to speak. No matter how Ye Heng asked him afterwards, he only answered him with mms and ahs. The result was that it provoked Mother Ye to scold him a spell.
At night, Ye Zhou nested in his bedroom to read. Ye Heng knocked twice on the door and pushed in to enter. Ye Zhou sat up in bed, walked over a few steps and asked, Whats the matter?
Ye Heng put the fruit on the table and sat on the bedside. He patted next to him and said, Sit.
Ye Zhou sat down a meter away from Ye Heng. His eyes wandered around, not looking at the other.
The words that mom said, dont take it to heart. You life has just begun. Theres no need to live by someone elses standards. Theyve dealt with grades all their lives, so they see grades as especially important, but not everything can be measured by scores. Ye Heng casually flipped through the book Ye Zhou had left on the bed. Theres a lot of things in life thats more important than scores. You can make more friends, go out and play, or meet a girl you like and fall in love. Even engrossing yourself in online games is fine. Dont always stuff yourself in books and socialize more.
Yeah. It may be that hed repressed himself too much in front of Ye Heng, so Ye Heng didnt know that he usually wasnt an uncommunicative person on campus. Ye Zhou also didnt plan to correct him. This was the first time Ye Heng said these words to him, and Ye Zhous nose was somewhat sour.
Ye Heng rubbed Ye Zhous head and stood up. Before leaving, he asked, Tomorrow, can you send me off?
Since going to junior high school, whether it was Ye Heng going to study abroad or going to work, Ye Zhou had always found every kind of excuses not to go. Ye Heng also didnt request it of him. Ye Zhou nodded and said, Okay.
Click. The bedroom door was closed.
Ye Zhou lay in bed and was a bit confused in his head. He took out his cell phone and opened Shang Jins chat box.
Ye Zhou:As someone like you who has outstanding achievements, if you have a younger brother whos inferior to you in anything and everything, how would you see him?
Shang Jin who was playing a game saw the message Ye Zhou sent. Disregarding the instance he was in, he directly picked up the phone to reply.
Shang Jin:First, I only have a three-year-old sister now. I dont know how shell be in the future. Second, each persons personality is different. If you want to ask me how your brother thinks of you, I have no way of answering. But youre usually so noisy, I think your brother should be annoyed to death by you.
In an instant, all the little trivialities in Ye Zhous mind vanished. He grabbed his cell phone and hatefully jabbed at the screen.
Ye Zhou:Im still annoyed to death by you! Not even letting out a fart in half a day! Its almost like Im talking to air everyday!
Shang Jin:What, do you want me to report to you when I fart later on?
Ye Zhou: