The private room was very spacious. In the atmosphere of darkness and flashing lights, Shen Lin sat on the soft sofa. Beside him was the howling, ghostly singing. He couldn’t stand it and threw a grape from the fruit plate at the singing teenager. The teenager, hit, wasn’t angry. Instead, he walked over to the sofa, grabbed Shen Lin, and put the microphone to his mouth.
Everyone present was friends and classmates. The boy who handed Shen Lin the microphone was named Jia Chao. His parents had named him, hoping he would surpass and become great. Little did they know the homophone pun of this era would make Jia Chao a joke for years. Shen Lin gave this poor brother some face. Arms crossed, he hummed a few words into the microphone, not a single word in tune. Before he finished humming, the phone in his pocket rang.
Shen Lin’s first reaction was that Shen Minyan was calling. That was how father and son had interacted for three years. Shen Minyan was busy. During the day, he had no time to control him, but at night, when he came home and didn’t see him, he’d call. Of course, he hung up every time. Every time after hanging up, within an hour, Shen Minyan would find him.
Once, Shen Lin deliberately found a black bar, the kind that couldn’t get a license after several applications. Students like him gathered there. No restrictions, truly free. He had just sat down when Shen Minyan arrived with people. It was a truly murderous look. His dad, in a dark suit, walked over, surrounded by two teams of bodyguards. That night, before the nightlife even started, he hadn’t even had a sip of wine, and his dad grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out.
Shen Lin’s face burned, humiliated. Thrown into the car, he howled: “Shen Minyan, you’re spying on me. You put a tracker in my phone; don’t you know that’s illegal?”
Shen Minyan sneered. Zhang Shun, driving, sighed. “Second Young Master, Chairman Shen searched one by one. Don’t make a fuss. Haven’t you seen the news about accidents in black bars…”
Shen Lin couldn’t remember what Zhang Shun said after.
His mind kept repeating Zhang Shun’s words: “searched one by one.”
???
There were so many bars in Beicheng. Shen Minyan actually searched one by one. How long did it take to find this place? Shen Minyan didn’t speak to him, occasionally pinching his brow, looking tired. Back home, about to sleep, Shen Lin received a message from a friend. The bar he had just left was raided by the district police for illegal operation. Shen Lin still found his dad’s look terrifying when he remembered it. He unconsciously touched his neck and was already gesturing for the private room waiter to turn off the music.
He took out his phone and walked to the corner. When he saw the caller ID, he was surprised. Why was it Youyou? He glanced at the top right of the phone. It was already twelve. Why wasn’t Youyou asleep? He answered, and the familiar voice came through.
“Second Brother.”
Everyone saw the Shen young master, who had just been indignant, completely change his expression. Jia Chao actually saw doting and loving-kindness on his face. Who was on the phone? Shen Lin, who had just wanted to turn off the music in the private room to deal with his dad, heard his little brother’s innocent voice and grabbed his coat to go out, afraid the smell in the private room would reach the little guy on the phone.
Jia Chao grabbed his arm. “?”
Shen Lin made faces at him and showed him the phone screen. No one present didn’t know Shen Lin had a three-year-old little brother. More than half his classmates had watched “Little Feet Big Adventure” and were fans of Youyou. When the variety show was hot, his classmates had hoped Shen Lin would bring his little brother to school for them to see. But Shen Lin was famous for his bad temper. Everyone only talked privately, not daring to ask Shen Lin.
Shen Lin blocked the receiver and walked quickly out of the private room, putting the phone to his ear. “Youyou.”
The little guy on the other end was huddled under the blanket, his voice a bit muffled. “Second Brother, where did you go?”
The words he usually used to deal with parents came easily, but now he was tongue-tied. Shen Lin opened his mouth and said “Uh” several times before saying, “Brother is studying outside with classmates.”
Today’s Su Youli was no longer an illiterate little kid. Kindergarten had homework every day. He had to study every day. It was so late. He was comfortably sleeping in bed, but Second Brother was still studying outside. His heart ached for Second Brother.
“Second Brother works so hard.” The little guy sniffled, remembering that running in the yard at noon today made him feel cold all over.
His little brain immediately imagined Second Brother holding a book, sitting under a lamp, studying seriously.
Second Brother didn’t like wearing gloves. His hands must be frozen stiff when writing. Shen Lin had never felt so guilty in his life. He slipped from the corridor to the quiet balcony, crouching by the railing to listen to Youyou talk. Teenagers weren’t afraid of the cold. The clothes he wore today weren’t very thick. It was fine in the private room, but after a while outside, he was freezing. The cold wind made his nose red, but Shen Lin couldn’t bear to hang up.
The little guy on the phone was still asking when he’d be back. His voice was soft. Shen Lin wished he could fly home immediately, crawl into Youyou’s blanket, and sleep holding the cotton-candy-like little warmer. He could tell the little guy on the phone was already very sleepy, his voice getting smaller and smaller, until it could no longer be heard, replaced by Shen Yan’s voice urging him home.
By the time Shen Lin got home, it was already one in the morning. The little guy on the bed was nestled beside his big brother, holding a grey long-eared rabbit, looking obedient. Because he was still thinking about Second Brother not coming home before bed, his little brows were furrowed.
As soon as he entered, Shen Lin was glared at by Shen Yan on the bed. Shen Yan leaned against the headboard, pointing at his late-returning brother, silently scolding: See how I’ll deal with you tomorrow. Shen Lin lowered his head, washed up, changed into pajamas, and came to watch his brother sleep, gently poking the little guy’s cheek.
The next day, the adults in the family held a family meeting. The family curfew was set at ten at night. No excuses unless for business. If away for several days, like on business trips or filming, they had to tell Youyou in advance, not let the child worry about the adults outside. The little guy also learned from Brother Xiao Tang’s teaching that children who don’t sleep past nine won’t grow tall.
This immediately grabbed the little guy’s attention. From that day on, he never stayed up late again. At the end of the month, the little guy noticed Mom, Dad, Big Brother, and Second Brother were all a bit mysterious, often hiding from him to talk.
In the morning, the little guy was carried downstairs by Brother Xiao Tang for breakfast. The little guy, warm from sleep, hugged Brother Xiao Tang and whispered, “Brother Xiao Tang, I’m going to have a birthday.”
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Allshipper On DB Chapter 128