Chapter 72: Seeking Praise

Dai Linxuan gently pulled Lai Li over, released his wrist after drawing him close, and said to Jin Ming with a hint of apology, “We haven’t eaten yet. How about later?”

Jin Ming tilted his head, gesturing toward the place next door. “Perfect timing, then. The cafeteria food here isn’t bad.”

Dai Linxuan naturally steadied Lai Li by the waist, and the body under his hand stiffened as expected. He didn’t look at Lai Li but smiled and continued, “My brother’s injury hasn’t fully healed yet. He needs to eat something more delicate.”

Jin Ming frowned slightly.

Dai Linxuan asked mildly, “We’re not suspects who need to be arrested immediately, right?”

“. . . Of course not.” Jin Ming had no choice but to compromise. He gave Lai Li a deep look. “Then . . . in two hours? Let’s meet at eight?”

Dai Linxuan nodded slightly.

Jin Ming cradled his injured limb as he left the neighborhood, waving to them over the railing.

Dai Linxuan’s smile faded, and he headed toward the other exit of the neighborhood.

“Bro . . .” Lai Li called.

Dai Linxuan didn’t turn back. “Come here.”

Lai Li irritably glanced toward the police station but ultimately followed. Compared to that cricket, his brother’s mood mattered more.

He quickly sent a message to his bodyguards, telling them to dispose of the prosthetic eye in the house . . . But how was he supposed to explain why the bodyguards were helping him?

Lately, his brother hadn’t ordered the bodyguards to monitor him, so he could say he’d encountered a dangerous incident and hadn’t reported it in time. That should work.

Lai Li’s mind raced. He looked up and saw Dai Linxuan stopped by a car at the roadside . . . There was no driver in the car.

This meant his brother had driven himself—a private trip.

Lai Li’s expression instantly cooled. He quickened his pace, caught up, and ducked into the back seat after him. “Bro, didn’t you say you weren’t close to Jin Ming?”

Dai Linxuan said, “Take off your clothes.”

Lai Li paused, peering over Dai Linxuan’s shoulder at the rear window. Though the windows were privacy-tinted, he could still see outside clearly from inside, making it hard to get over the mental hurdle.

He hesitated. “We’re in the car, and there are still people outside.”

Dai Linxuan looked at him. “Is it that you can’t take them off in the car, or that you can’t take them off with me in the car?”

“. . .” Lai Li shrugged off his jacket and tossed it into his lap. He took a deep breath, then unbuttoned his thin, close-fitting hoodie and flung it at his brother’s head, baring his upper body covered in scars.

The hoodie had been worn against his skin all day, carrying a strong scent that belonged to Lai Li. Dai Linxuan slowly removed it, his gaze landing on Lai Li’s collarbone, then sweeping downward bit by bit, pausing briefly at the wound on his waist. It looked like it had healed decently—no tearing.

Lai Li suppressed his temper. “I’m not hurt. My hand got nicked by accident.”

Dai Linxuan lifted his eyes. “Explain?”

“You explain first.” Lai Li stared at him and repeated, “Didn’t you say you weren’t close to Jin Ming?”

Dai Linxuan chuckled. “You think I came looking for him?”

Lai Li paused, then realized. “You put a tracker on my phone?”

“Yeah.” Dai Linxuan shifted slightly, moving to the center console, towering over Lai Li.

He reached out, wrapped an arm around Lai Li’s waist, cradled the back of his neck, and pulled him into his embrace, letting out a long sigh. “Not just your phone—every car you own, every watch, even your sneakers . . . I’ve put trackers on all of them.”

Dai Linxuan kissed the side of Lai Li’s hair absentmindedly. The newly grown strands were a bit stiff, poking at his lips uncomfortably. He lowered his head and took the skin at Lai Li’s neck between his teeth, half-biting, half-kissing.

Lai Li couldn’t suppress a muffled grunt.

The car wasn’t cold, but the wet sensation and slight sting on his neck still made him break out in sweat. He couldn’t focus on what his brother was saying.

A group of middle school boys fresh from school were making a racket by the roadside, fiercely debating which character in their game was the strongest. One tripped over a raised stone brick, stumbling before he could curse—and spotted the luxury car. “I know this one! Rolls-Royce!”

“You’re full of shit—it’s not!”

“Then what is it?!”

“Go check the logo . . .”

The privacy film wasn’t foolproof, especially now that the sun had set and the light outside was dim. From certain angles, someone might glimpse inside . . .

The student in his school uniform suddenly pressed close to the window, shielding his eyes to peer in. “What’s it like inside? Can’t see a thing . . . Heh, I’m so handsome.”

Ugly as hell.

Lai Li used every ounce of self-control not to push his brother away. He just stared fixedly at the window and rasped, “Bro.”

Dai Linxuan tightened his arms instead, kissing from his neck up to behind his ear. “Scared?”

“Of course . . .” Lai Li snapped back to attention. “You said trackers?”

Dai Linxuan hummed by his ear. “Bear with it even if you’re scared, okay?”

Goosebumps erupted all over Lai Li, a strange shiver sparking like electricity straight to his tailbone.

Dai Linxuan traced circles around his ear with his lips. “Have some sympathy for your brother’s fear after losing you and getting you back, hm?”

“Okay.” Lai Li lost all ability to think and agreed quickly. “—I’m not scared. Put as many trackers as you want.”

The kids outside quickly lost interest in the car and bounced off into the neighborhood.

Lai Li immediately shoved Dai Linxuan away, grabbed his collar, and kissed him fiercely. Their lips and teeth clashed intensely as they pulled each other deeper into their embrace.

If they kept going, it’d get out of hand. Dai Linxuan pulled back first, tilting his chin up to dodge Lai Li’s kiss. “Relax, don’t press on the wound.”

Lai Li tilted his head and nipped at his Adam’s apple but remembered they had to go to the police station later and restrained his force.

“Can you explain now?” Dai Linxuan touched his neck, brushing over the bitten skin. “Why lie to me? Why show up at Jin Ming’s place?”

Lai Li was still dazed, his gaze following his brother’s hand. It took a while for his brain to resume normal thinking.

Dai Linxuan tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Cat got your tongue? Think seducing me would make me drop it?”

“. . .” Lai Li pulled open Dai Linxuan’s jacket and buried his face in it, nuzzling. “Bro, I was wrong.”

Dai Linxuan asked, “Wrong how?”

Lai Li said, “Shouldn’t have lied . . . Shouldn’t have kept things from you.”

Dai Linxuan drawled leisurely, “Yeah, didn’t I say at lunch that you could go out to meet friends, but not wander off?”

Lai Li stayed silent.

Dai Linxuan lowered his gaze to the top of his head. “Didn’t I also say not to drive yourself lately?”

Lai Li furrowed his brow. “I haven’t started the meds yet.”

Once he began the psychiatric drugs, his body might react with symptoms like dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, irritability . . .

But Lai Li hadn’t fully recovered yet, so Doctor Ye suggested waiting before starting treatment.

“Xiaoli, you . . .”

Dai Linxuan closed his eyes briefly, unable to say it.

—Lai Li was a mental patient, after all. Even though he’d had his license for four years without a single accident, Doctor Ye said he spent most of his time in a symptomatic state. What if something happened? There were so many cars and pedestrians on the road . . .

Lai Li understood the unspoken words. “I called Doctor Ye. She said my condition is stable enough to drive.”

Dai Linxuan paused slightly.

Lai Li said, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm innocent people.”

Anyone else might say it to hurt, but Lai Li truly didn’t get it.

Dai Linxuan was used to the occasional stab to his heart and didn’t react much. He smiled wryly. “Suddenly so sensible?”

Lai Li looked up. “Bro, why haven’t you asked me?”

Dai Linxuan asked, “About what?”

Lai Li prompted, “The project document.”

If Third Uncle hadn’t shown up suddenly today, he wouldn’t have remembered. He wouldn’t have realized Dai Linxuan hadn’t asked.

Dai Linxuan knew what he meant. “The smiley face? Wasn’t that a prank?”

Lai Li recounted Third Uncle approaching him but omitted that Song Zichu was Dai Enhao’s illegitimate son. Lai Li wasn’t sure how Dai Linxuan felt about Dai Enhao. Telling him the truth rashly might make him feel guilty for “usurping the nest” and interfere in Song Zichu’s life.

Lai Li absolutely wouldn’t allow that.

His brother could only have him as a brother.

Dai Linxuan wasn’t too surprised by Third Uncle’s actions. He’d figured it out when the PPT opened at the meeting. That smiley wasn’t a common meme—it was clearly made by Lai Li himself.

If not for the recent car accident, Dai Linxuan might have laughed more sincerely.

The mix of emotions at that moment defied description.

. . .

After hearing it, Dai Linxuan laughed helplessly. “He said you’re my blood brother? Then I’d really be a beast.”

Lai Li grumbled discontentedly, “If I were your blood brother, you wouldn’t love me anymore?”

“I’d love . . .” Dai Linxuan’s fingertip slipped into his waistband, pressing lightly. “But it couldn’t be this kind of love.”

Lai Li shuddered, then a wave of displeasure surged in his heart. But he knew blood brothers getting together was too shocking for Dai Linxuan, so he said nothing more.

Dai Linxuan looked at him thoughtfully. “Did you do a paternity test on the side?”

“No need.” Lai Li denied it without blinking. “I know if I were your blood brother, you never would’ve let me eat your . . .”

“Okay, enough.” Dai Linxuan covered his mouth. “You really didn’t do any kinship test?”

Lai Li: “Really.”

Dai Linxuan dropped it. “Let’s go eat. It’s about ten minutes from here to the restaurant. You can use the time to cook up a better lie.”

Lai Li: “. . . I wasn’t trying to deceive you.”

Dai Linxuan chuckled noncommittally.

He’d originally booked a new private restaurant on Upper Pear Street—over twenty days ago, on a business trip, he’d promised to take Lai Li there when he returned.

He just hadn’t expected Lai Li to fly out to find him, or the car accident after coming back.

But this little punk clearly didn’t remember.

It was too far to Upper Pear Street, so Dai Linxuan booked Lake Island Restaurant instead. As they parked and entered, they unexpectedly ran into someone.

He Shuxin sat in the lobby lounge area, squeezed next to a girl, with Tang Yuanyang and his gang of cronies nearby.

Dai Linxuan entered a step behind, so they didn’t see him. They blurted out at Lai Li, “What bad luck.”

He Shuxin stiffened but said nothing.

Even fresh from surgery, Lai Li could make them crawl on the floor searching for their teeth. But as he lifted his leg, his shoulder was gripped.

Dai Linxuan thanked the valet, then glanced coolly over. “Stay away from people with no manners.”

Lai Li instantly cheered up and said docilely, “Bro, I want the soup-filled yellow croaker.”

Dai Linxuan said, “Already ordered.”

The manager led them into a private room. He Shuxin didn’t look their way, his rigid body taking a long time to relax, the whip wounds on his back still faintly aching.

*

Dai Linxuan had ordered ahead, so the food arrived shortly after they sat.

The yellow croaker had its center bone removed, leaving few spines. Dai Linxuan scooped some fish meat and soup into a small bowl for him, infused with the fresh flavors of sea cucumber, abalone, and shellfish—extremely tempting.

Lai Li took a bite. “Not as good as yours.”

“I only made it once, for your birthday. Can’t compare to a pro chef here,” Dai Linxuan said amusedly. “Even if you’re buttering me up, you still have to come clean.”

“I didn’t know Jin Ming lived there too. Pure coincidence.” Lai Li said unhappily. “I was chasing someone and he saw me. He insisted on joining the chase and dumped the trash on me.”

Dai Linxuan barely touched his chopsticks. After watching him for a bit, he asked, “Chasing who?”

Lai Li answered, “A cricket.”

Dai Linxuan furrowed his brow.

Lai Li said slowly, “Bro, the Slum District is gone, but the people who built the Beast Fighting Arena and Dissection Building are still out there . . . That cricket you just saw—they’ve been keeping him caged, turning him into their tool.”

Dai Linxuan said, “Don’t call him that.”

Lai Li didn’t like him speaking up for others. “That’s what he is.”

“Lai Li.” Dai Linxuan said, “Calling him that—do you see yourself the same way? I don’t like it.”

Lai Li was placated again and said reluctantly, “Fine, Bamboo Leaf Green then—his old title.”

Dai Linxuan asked, “You know him?”

“We fought once.” Lai Li recalled. “I won.”

As he said this, Lai Li stared straight at him, somehow resembling the German Shepherd raised by Jing Deyu’s sister when it begged for praise.

Dai Linxuan truly couldn’t bring himself to praise such a thing. At the same time, a base sense of relief welled up in him—if Lai Li had lost that match, he probably would have suffered greatly, whether through beatings or going hungry and cold… Fortunately, Lai Li hadn’t gone through any of that.

Dai Linxuan’s voice grew a little hoarse. “Why did he show up here?”

“Cricket… The only reason he was kept alive until now was for one purpose.” Lai Li spat out two words: “Killing people.”

If they had sent some other criminal, it could have been explained as scouting for information. But sending a cricket? That left only one possible role.

A person trained from childhood, constantly fighting in matches upon matches upon matches, then kept caged in some dark place after growing up, never having lived a normal life… Aside from fighting or killing, what else could they do?

If he hadn’t met Dai Linxuan, that might have been Lai Li’s fate as well.

But compared to those crickets, he would only ever kill for himself.