Tao Zhi’s room was arranged on the same floor as Fu Zheng’s, in two adjacent rooms. Fu Si Heng lived alone on the second floor, while Xu Yujia was out.
But even living in adjacent rooms wasn’t enough to satisfy Fu Zheng. He pushed Tao Zhi’s suitcase while continuing to nag, “You’re really not going to share a room with me? My room is huge.”
Tao Zhi: “…No.”
“Or how about you think it over some more?” Fu Zheng said again.
Although Fu Zheng was consciously imitating Fu Si Heng’s low, deep voice, to Tao Zhi’s ears, it sounded no different from the old lady at the village entrance muttering away.
“I’ll be fine right here,” Tao Zhi said. “Why do we have to room together anyway?”
“Of course it’s so I can take better care of you and show you around,” Fu Zheng declared righteously.
But Tao Zhi still didn’t want to share a room with him.
Because Fu Zheng was just too noisy.
Tao Zhi wouldn’t budge, which frustrated Fu Zheng to no end, but he was helpless. He had no choice but to give himself an out, yelling as he headed downstairs to squeeze some grape juice for Tao Zhi.
There was a grapevine in the estate that Tao Zhi, during his fourth-grade summer visit, had helped the brothers build together.
It was the perfect season now—the grapes were ripe. Fu Zheng had long since instructed the household staff to pick them fresh that morning and store them in the fridge, so he could squeeze them for Tao Zhi that afternoon.
Fu Zheng headed to the kitchen, while Tao Zhi unpacked his suitcase and organized his things.
There wasn’t much: a few changes of clothes went into the wardrobe, and his summer homework went on the desk.
By the time he finished, Fu Zheng had brought up the grape juice.
Tao Zhi took a sip—it was sweet and delicious.
Fu Zheng perked up instantly, a bit smug. “Of course it is. I squeezed it for you myself…”
“Fu Ge?”
As Fu Zheng spoke, Fu Si Heng’s figure appeared at the door, naturally drawing Tao Zhi’s gaze.
Tao Zhi looked over.
Fu Zheng, interrupted mid-sentence: “???”
So annoying.
Fu Zheng ground his teeth.
Fu Si Heng stood at the door and addressed the two inside. “I have something to take care of, so I’m heading out. I probably won’t be back for the next few days.”
For some inexplicable reason, Fu Si Heng announced his itinerary like a report. “If you need anything, just ask Wang Ma. Go to bed early tonight—don’t stay up too late, got it?”
The last part was clearly directed at Tao Zhi.
Or maybe… all of it was.
Tao Zhi was momentarily stunned, then quickly responded, “Got it, Fu Ge.”
“Mm.”
With that, Fu Si Heng left.
“What the heck,” Fu Zheng grumbled. He really was acting so weird. “He came all the way just to say that one thing?”
“Whatever, ignore him. Tao Zhi, come on—I’ll take you horseback riding.” Fu Zheng forcibly turned Tao Zhi’s face back toward him, demanding his full attention.
–
Fu Zheng scheduled every minute of Tao Zhi’s summer vacation down to the second, leaving no idle time. He practically wanted to pile the whole world’s fun right in front of Tao Zhi, his enthusiasm boundless.
He was especially like a husky.
Fu Zheng wasn’t usually like this.
At school, in front of others or his group of friends, he maintained a cool, aloof image. He even weighed his words carefully to uphold his bad-boy persona.
He thought it made him look cool, and plenty of people agreed.
He wanted to keep up that image in front of Tao Zhi too.
But he failed.
For some reason, whenever he saw Tao Zhi, he couldn’t stay aloof. He had so, so much he wanted to say, so he dropped the act entirely.
His true nature came out—he did whatever he wanted, sticking to Tao Zhi’s room every day, welcome to do anything.
Today, on a whim, he brought his game controller over to play horror games with Tao Zhi.
With a straight face, he told him, “If you get scared, just sit close to me.”
“Mm, I’m not scared.” Tao Zhi sat cross-legged on the sofa, his gaze a little vacant.
It was eleven at night, and Fu Zheng still hadn’t gone back to his own room. He insisted on staying to game.
Tao Zhi let him.
Fu Zheng gamed; Tao Zhi zoned out.
At half-past eleven, Tao Zhi went downstairs for a glass of water.
After a week at the Fu house, all his good habits had been ruined by Fu Zheng—he’d picked up the bad habit of drinking ice water too.
He had just opened the fridge door when a voice sounded behind him.
“Not asleep yet?”
The quiet dining room suddenly had a voice, startling Tao Zhi. His face paled as he whipped around to find Fu Si Heng.
His lips moved a couple times. “Fu Ge?”
“Mm.” Fu Si Heng had just gotten back and noticed Tao Zhi’s expression. “Did I scare you?”
“Sorry.”
“No, no…” Tao Zhi denied it and closed the fridge first.
He hadn’t expected to run into Fu Si Heng at this hour.
Since that one glimpse when he first arrived, Fu Si Heng hadn’t shown up at the estate.
Fu Zheng had said he was probably staying near the company.
After their father passed, Fu Si Heng had taken over the company.
Word was he was swamped, which was why he hadn’t come to see Tao Zhi… Fu Zheng rarely saw him either.
Fu Zheng had told him not to worry about Fu Si Heng—maybe they wouldn’t see him again all summer. Tao Zhi had felt pretty down about it.
But here he was…
Fu Si Heng, upon returning home, casually draped his suit jacket over his arm. He’d undone the top two buttons of his shirt and stood about six or seven meters away from Tao Zhi.
A faint mix of alcohol and cigarette smoke wafted over.
Tao Zhi suddenly felt it was awkward standing face-to-face like this.
