Chapter 2: Dorm Life

[…Did you record it?]

[Today? No.]

Lai Li stood at the dormitory door, staring motionless at these two messages.

No today, but which day did he? In other words, had they done something like that before?

Lai Li had reason to suspect that Dai Linxuan was intimidating him. Though it didn’t seem like Dai Linxuan’s style, stuffing a dick into the mouth of the younger brother he’d raised didn’t seem like something he’d do either—and yet he had.

“Little Chestnut, the bedding is all set up, and your clothes are in the wardrobe. Call me if you need anything,” Uncle Ren said as he passed by. “The laundry room is a few steps to the right after you exit, and there are bathrooms on both sides of each floor. You shouldn’t have to wait in line at night.”

Lai Li frowned. “A big communal bath?”

“There are partitions.” Uncle Ren said helplessly, “Your big brother wants you to live on campus so you can integrate into the group quickly. Being too much of a loner isn’t good.”

Lai Li snorted derisively. “I think he’s just messing with me on purpose.”

Uncle Ren smiled and sighed. How much Dai Linxuan doted on this half-brother from a different mother was well-known in their circle. It was to the point that Lai Li’s current arrogant, unruly personality was a complete departure from the quiet and reserved boy he’d been when he first arrived at the Dai Family.

Uncle Ren continued, “The school cafeteria isn’t bad. If you really can’t stomach it, there’s a commercial street behind the west gate with a couple of famous private kitchens. Your big brother already got you a membership.”

Lai Li tugged at the corner of his mouth. “How thoughtful.”

Uncle Ren was about to say a few words about Dai Linxuan’s hard work to get Lai Li to settle down a bit when he was interrupted by the new roommate, who was pushing a suitcase and said to the door-blocking Lai Li, “Classmate, mind making way?”

Lai Li didn’t turn his head and barely shifted a small step to the side, letting the new roommate squeeze into the dorm. His phone vibrated. He opened it and glanced—it was a message from Dai Linxuan.

[My family’s]: Approved.

[Get lost and bark somewhere else]: ?

[My family’s]: Permission to date.

[Get lost and bark somewhere else]: Bro.

[My family’s]: Mm.

[Get lost and bark somewhere else]: There’s a thermometer in the first drawer on the left of your desk. Take it out and stick it up your ass to check if your brains have boiled into mush.

Lai Li nearly smashed his phone. He’d just shoved his dick in his mouth that morning, and now he was speaking like a brother granting permission to date? What the actual fu—

In the end, Lai Li didn’t curse that “sick” word in his mind. A long time passed, and Dai Linxuan never replied to this blatantly rebellious message.

Uncle Ren was chatting up the two new roommates, saying things like they should look out for each other from now on—standard pleasantries.

It was a four-person room, decent enough. Lai Li had stayed in places a thousand times crappier than this, but after what had happened that morning, everything felt utterly intolerable right now.

Lai Li shoved his hands in his pockets to suppress his irritation. “Uncle Ren, you can head back first.”

Uncle Ren smiled. “Alright. Talk to your big brother if there’s anything, or call me.”

After Uncle Ren left, someone muttered softly, “What a giant baby.”

Lai Li zeroed in on a curly-haired guy. “What did you say?”

“If your ears don’t work, go see a doctor. You’re blocking me.” The curly-haired guy had been blocked three or four times already and was fuming. “Can you stand somewhere else?”

Lai Li lifted his eyelids. “No.”

The curly-haired guy laughed in anger and rolled up his sleeves. “You fucking asked for it…”

Before he could finish, another roommate stopped him. “Don’t, don’t—first day, harmony is king!”

Lai Li’s temper was bad on a normal day, worse today. “Come on. If you can walk out that door on your own two feet today, I’ll write my name backwards.”

Just then, a voice requested from behind, “Classmate, could you let me through?”

Lai Li ignored it, staring down the curly-haired guy and pondering if getting into a fight on the first day of school would get the counselor to call his parents.

The curly-haired guy got creeped out by the stare, cursed under his breath, brushed past Lai Li, and stormed out of the dorm without looking back. Only then could the last roommate enter smoothly.

“Introductions?” The roommate who’d just broken up the fight had a good temper and introduced himself. “I’m Huang Hao. The curly-haired one who left is Jiang Xiao. What’s your names?”

The guy who’d just come in cooperated. “Song Zichu. Our names are at the foot of the beds.”

The school had assigned beds in advance to avoid conflicts. Besides, they were all bunk beds with desks below, none right under the AC—nothing worth fighting over.

Lai Li didn’t speak, his gaze lingering on Song Zichu.

This roommate wore very old clothes; his light T-shirt was washed to near transparency, though his appearance was neat. Probably uncomfortable under Lai Li’s stare, he spoke up proactively. “You’re Lai Li? That’s a pretty rare surname.”

Lai Li ignored him, withdrew his gaze, turned, and left the school.

Jing Zixiao had ordered a full table of dishes at a private kitchen near the school to celebrate Lai Li’s entry into university. The moment Lai Li walked in, he noticed. “Fuck, you got into a fight without me? What’s up with that hand?”

Lai Li’s right knuckles were coated in red medicine. With his vast experience, Master Jing could tell it was a fresh injury, within six hours.

“Smashed a mirror.”

“What did the mirror do to you…” Midway through, Jing Zixiao’s tone turned subtle. “And your mouth?”

“Heat sores. Don’t fucking imagine shit.” Lai Li pulled out a chair and sat down with a bang.

Jing Zixiao was skeptical but, seeing no little flings around Lai Li, didn’t dwell. “Didn’t your bro come home? Why the bad mood still?”

Lai Li shot him a glance. “Why should I be in a good mood just because he came home?”

Jing Zixiao shrugged. “I’m not blind.”

Anyone with eyes could see that over the two years Dai Linxuan had been abroad, Lai Li’s temper had grown more explosive day by day. But every time Dai Linxuan returned, Lai Li’s aura stabilized into something harmonious.

Their friends even joked that if Lai Li was a rabid dog, Dai Linxuan was the heavy-duty dog leash.

“Your sister had her birthday yesterday…”

“Dai Yi isn’t my sister.”

“Fine, fine, don’t blow up at me. She’s Dai Linxuan’s blood sister, and you call him bro—how do you cut ties… Okay, I won’t say it!” Jing Zixiao raised his hands in surrender. “At Dai Yi’s birthday banquet yesterday, reporters snapped you and Dai Linxuan.”

Lai Li didn’t care. “What’d they say?”

Jing Zixiao talked while eating without missing a beat. “Summary: Dai Linxuan’s even more mature and charming after two years away, expanding his partner pool big time. And this return, he’s likely taking a director position at the Dai Group. Unless he drops dead, he’s the heir.”

“Who wrote that piece?” The last two sentences darkened Lai Li’s face.

“The writer is the daughter of He Family Second Older’s wife’s brother. You just beat up He Shuxin last week—don’t poke the He Family again, or your bro might have a heart attack from you.”

Most importantly, they weren’t wrong—

The Dai Family situation was delicate. Former head Dai Enhao had been in a vegetative state from a car accident years ago, still lying in a nursing home. His old positions were temporarily handled by his wife, Jiang Qiujun.

An outsider holding the Dai Family’s lifeline was inherently precarious, and plenty hated her for it.

Dai Enhao and Jiang Qiujun had only two kids: Dai Linxuan and Dai Yi. Side branches wanting power just needed to off these siblings. Dai Enhao was a vegetable in the nursing home, unable to have more kids, and Jiang Qiujun’s health had been poor lately—who knew how long she’d last? No matter how capable she was, what could she do?

“What about me?” Lai Li asked abruptly.

“This report was creative—didn’t call you your bro’s flawless accessory again.” Jing Zixiao said deadpan. “At the end, it questions if an eight-year-old boy even has reproductive capacity!”

“…”

Jing Zixiao laughed until he shook, the chair creaking. He coughed hard a few times before stopping. “For real, not just them—I sometimes wonder why your bro’s so good to you. You’re not his son.”

Was Dai Linxuan good to Lai Li? The answer was an unhesitating yes.

Without Dai Linxuan, Lai Li would’ve died long ago. His carefree, pressure-free life of indulgence was all thanks to his brother propping him up.

Jing Zixiao sighed. “If I hadn’t known you for years, I’d believe the rumors your bro’s a pedo…”

Thinking of Dai Yi’s words last night—”Big bro raised you this long just to fuck you”—plus this morning’s events, Lai Li’s face blackened completely. He snapped the chopsticks in his hand.

Crack—two became four.

Jing Zixiao jumped. “All that energy with nowhere to go, huh!”

Lai Li turned to him. “Pedo what?”

“Pedophile.” Jing Zixiao quickly distanced himself. “Not me saying it—just bored gossips speculating. First, you’re eight years younger, not father-son. Second, you can’t be a Dai bastard, or you’d be rivals—he wouldn’t dote like this. So probably your bro has some kink, needs a kid around to satisfy his lust.”

“…Fucking disgusting.” Lai Li said slowly.

“I told you it’s not me! Curse my mom again and we’re fighting!” Jing Zixiao raised his voice and tsked hard. “Of course I don’t believe it. Who spends that much to get laid? Dai Linxuan’s sunk at least nine figures into you over twelve years. Last year alone, those two sports cars you bought could fund a small company, plus that ski resort you whimsically opened later—enough to keep how many lovers?”

Actually far more than nine figures, but Lai Li wasn’t about to elaborate.

As a chaebol heir, Dai Linxuan showed no indulgence. He embodied self-discipline perfectly. While peers drowned in wine, women, and scandals, he graduated top school, worked hard building his business, stayed clean—and at just thirty, owned assets independent of the Dai Family.

No elder in the circle didn’t praise him.

If there was one flaw in Dai Linxuan’s thirty years, everyone thought of Lai Li.

Lai Li had come to the Dai Family at ten, nominally a foster son but with his own household registry and bloodline.

Outsiders said the Dai couple, high up in status, were charitable in taking poor Lai Li home—unwittingly harming their own son. Others glorified parents; Dai Linxuan glorified a brother.

Twelve full years: Lai Li wanted for nothing, suffered no hardship, endured no scolding. Dai Linxuan spoiled and indulged him; no disaster was too big for punishment.

If he wanted the stars, Dai Linxuan would pluck down the moon too.

Media reports on Dai Linxuan always praised first, then pivoted: “But if this continues, he’ll ruin himself at the hands of that nameless brother.”

Jing Zixiao comforted, “Paparazzi are like that. No scandals to dig on your bro, so they always use you.”

Lai Li didn’t care what others thought of him. He lifted a spoonful of soup to his mouth, saw it was milky white, and set it down hard, scooping himself some sea urchin steamed egg instead. “Who said my bro’s a pedo?”

“Lots say it. Pinning the origin… ” Under Lai Li’s stare, Jing Zixiao gave up struggling. “He Shuxin and his lackeys. After you beat him, they’re spreading shit everywhere out of spite.”

Their words were worse, slapping every filthy label on Lai Li. They even said he’d grown up, body not as tender, and abandonment was inevitable.

Jing Zixiao added, “But don’t worry. That nonsense just circulates in small circles. Who’d report it? No hard evidence—paps dig for cash, not suicide.”

Lai Li tapped the table with his spoon, eyes icing over. “Last time I went too easy.”

Jing Zixiao got new chopsticks from the waiter. “Don’t be rash. He Shuxin’s still in the hospital.”

Lai Li took them, irritated. “Can’t be impulsive short-term. I’m dorming now, military training starts weekends.”

“Dorming?” Jing Zixiao couldn’t fathom. “You’re a freshman, but not some eighteen-nineteen kid. Should be fine applying for off-campus.”

When Lai Li first arrived at the Dai Family, he hadn’t even started school. His physical and mental state were poor; after two years’ recovery, he began classes. Even with one-on-one tutors for elementary and middle school, he couldn’t catch up, entering university at twenty-two.

He stayed silent, slowly eating his food.

Jing Zixiao got it. “Your bro won’t let you?”

A few months earlier, right after the gaokao results came out, Lai Li had video-called Dai Linxuan to share the good news. His score had exceeded expectations by more than thirty points, and at the time, Dai Linxuan had promised to return to the country before school started, coaxing him into agreeing to live in the dorms for his freshman year.

“No big deal, it’s just one year,” Jing Zixiao said. “Besides, didn’t your brother already buy you an apartment off-campus? You can sneak out and stay there when there’s no bed check.”

Lai Li’s face remained expressionless. “Why should I sneak around?”

Jing Zixiao replied, “Because your brother won’t allow it… Staring at me won’t help—it’s not like I’m the one stopping you. If worst comes to worst, just go whine to Dai Linxuan. He spoils you so much, he might just agree.”

If it weren’t for what happened that morning, Lai Li definitely would have gone to Dai Linxuan. But now…

“We’ll see.”

“Oh right, Jing Deyu’s ban has been lifted. Shall we three get together tonight?” Jing Zixiao shoveled rice into his mouth as he spoke.

“Just the three of us?” Lai Li glanced at him.

“You know those other people.” Jing Zixiao sighed.

Lai Li’s circle consisted mostly of fair-weather friends who were all too practical. They might not have genuinely enjoyed hanging out with him; it could have been instructions from their families to cozy up to him and Dai Linxuan—who almost never joined in on their generation’s social fun.

And not long ago, Lai Li had beaten up He Shuxin.

Lai Li was nothing more than a “kept little brother” favored by Dai Linxuan, while He Shuxin was a legitimate heir from a prestigious family, with real inheritance rights. Everyone was afraid of offending the He Family, so they kept their distance from Lai Li for the time being. Once they saw he hadn’t fallen from grace, they’d come crawling back.

Lai Li showed no emotion about it. “Let’s meet up then. Where?”

Jing Zixiao said, “Cloud Summit. You’re just starting school, so we’ll keep it to light drinks—no wild stuff.”

Lai Li said disdainfully, “I never do that wild stuff anyway. It’s filthy.”

Jing Zixiao wanted to roll his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, Young Master Lai looks down on everyone.”

Lai Li snorted. “It’s you guys who treat yourselves like garbage cans, willing to swallow anything.”

“…Doesn’t that include fresh meat?” Jing Zixiao rolled his eyes. “At the very least, you could date someone. Get bored, then switch. You really need to fix that no-touching phobia of yours.”

Lai Li didn’t have a no-touching phobia.

Dai Linxuan was a person, after all.

Just last night, they’d slept in the same bed. When he woke up that morning, Lai Li had been sprawled across Dai Linxuan like a starfish, and then they’d…

Lai Li snapped another pair of chopsticks.

Jing Zixiao was utterly speechless. “You really are a young master. How many pairs of chopsticks does it take to finish one meal?”

Lai Li closed his eyes briefly. “Call someone to take the soup away.”

“What a fussbudget.” Jing Zixiao directly ladled Lai Li’s serving of signature soup over to himself. “If you don’t want it, fine—I’ll have it. What, are you tired of gourmet food already?”

He didn’t use a ladle but gulped it down straight from the bowl. He wiped his mouth and muttered in confusion, “No issue here. Tastes the same as always.”

Lai Li curled his index finger against his philtrum, sounding impatient. “Drink as much as you want.”