Dai Linxuan sat on the edge of the bed. “Can I ask what caused it this time?”
A-Ling looked somewhat dazed. “There wasn’t really a reason… Maybe it was the rain yesterday. I really like rainy days.”
Dai Linxuan asked, “…Have you been taking your medication lately?”
A-Ling turned her face away and didn’t respond.
Dai Linxuan’s expression darkened a bit.
A-Ling wasn’t even forty yet, but she didn’t look young at all. Just over a year ago, she hadn’t been like this. After leaving that disgusting environment, she’d withered even more fiercely.
Especially those eyes—empty and numb. They always reminded Dai Linxuan of Lai Li when they’d first met.
Ever since he’d learned yesterday that Lai Li had mental health issues, he’d kept wondering: Had those twelve years really added any color to Lai Li’s eyes?
In the past year and more, A-Ling had seen the best doctors, taken the best medications, and had someone with her, yet she still chose a random day to end her own life.
If Lai Li’s memory problems had started from childhood experiences and gone untreated for so many years…
A-Ling suddenly called out, “Mr. Dai.”
Dai Linxuan snapped back to attention. “What is it?”
“I’ll take my medicine properly,” A-Ling said. Her gaunt cheeks twitched, a struggling expression flickering across her face. “You said yesterday that the child grew up well—is that true?”
Dai Linxuan closed his eyes briefly. It had only been one night, but he could no longer face the words he’d said himself: “He grew up well.”
“It’s true,” he lied.
A-Ling hesitated before asking, “Then… what did you mean when you said there was hope for us to live together in the future?”
Dai Linxuan knew he shouldn’t extinguish her hope right in front of a patient who’d just attempted suicide, but he still fell silent despite himself.
Before yesterday, he’d truly believed there was hope.
A-Ling seemed not to notice his evasion and continued on her own. “Probably not, right?”
Dai Linxuan’s eyes snapped up.
“If he grew up well, that means he doesn’t need me,” A-Ling said softly. “And I don’t need him either. After all, it’s been over twenty years… For a child who shouldn’t have been born, how much love could I give?”
Dai Linxuan’s fingertips trembled. “He’s innocent too. He’s suffered a lot and endured so much pain.”
A-Ling countered, “What about me?”
She subconsciously placed her hand on her other wrist and rubbed it twice. Several winding scars extended from her sleeve cuff, tapering off, making it impossible to imagine how large the area was that the fabric concealed.
Dai Linxuan fell silent for a long time.
“I know he had no choice in being born.”
“But I truly can’t love him.”
“So we probably shouldn’t live together.”
A-Ling spoke those three sentences slowly but firmly, as if she’d already made up her mind.
Dai Linxuan lowered his gaze. After a moment, he said, “Yesterday…”
A-Ling forced a difficult smile. “I just thought… a baby thrown into a trash can over twenty years ago actually survived to this day. How should I put it? It’s miraculous.”
It was inevitable that it would touch her. That was the beginning of her persecution, evidence of the crime, and a symbol of the courage from her youth that was gone forever.
“I understand,” Dai Linxuan said. “No matter what, take care of yourself first…”
The doorbell rang from outside. “Ding-dong—”
A-Ling tensed up, her eyes filling with immediate panic.
Dai Linxuan stood at once and reassured her. “It should be my brother—the one I mentioned. He’s here to pick me up.”
In the living room, the buzzcut man walked to the entryway and opened the door. “Mr. Lai.”
Lai Li stared at him. “Is this your house?”
Buzzcut replied, “The boss bought it, but it’s registered under my name.”
Lai Li asked, “Does my brother come here often?”
“No.” Buzzcut glanced toward the bedroom. “The boss came for the first time yesterday.”
Lai Li’s expression eased slightly. If he’d found out that during the two years his brother had been avoiding him, he’d been secretly meeting other men at their homes, he really would have lost control and gone mad.
But his brother had bought this house? It seemed the person inside wasn’t just a friend. And this buzzcut guy was clearly someone his brother had hired—either to care for her or protect her?
In the bedroom, A-Ling said, “Actually, I’ve had a good life this past year or so. It just felt especially unreal, like a dream.”
Dai Linxuan softened his voice and assured her, “It’s not a dream. You’ll be free.”
“I never saw any of your people before, so I was always uneasy, always thinking it was another trap…” A-Ling looked out the window. “I’m much better now. I’ll take my medicine and get treatment properly, so don’t worry.”
“That’s good.” In his peripheral vision, Dai Linxuan saw Lai Li approaching. “Freedom isn’t far off. In the meantime, you can think about what you want to do next—maybe what kind of city you’d like to live in.”
A-Ling wanted to say she couldn’t imagine it. She hadn’t seen the outside world in many years and had no idea what other cities or lives were like.
But suddenly, birdsong came from outside the window. She looked over, and her blurry vision sharpened. Two small birds whose names she didn’t know darted back and forth on the damp branches. Above the treetops, a flock of geese flew south.
She snapped back to reality. In this past year and more, though she’d lived in constant fear and terror and hadn’t dared to go out, she’d still seen some new things.
The birds and cats in the neighborhood were noisy. Dogs occasionally barked. The aroma of neighbors’ cooking was enticing. The family downstairs often argued over trivial matters one day and laughed together watching TV the next.
She had already seen the outside world.
A-Ling withdrew her gaze, a ripple stirring in her heart. She answered solemnly, “I will.”
“Bro.” Lai Li had reached the doorway.
Dai Linxuan didn’t introduce them. “We’ll head out first. I’ll come see you when I have time.”
A-Ling said, “Okay, goodbye.”
Her gaze skimmed vaguely over Lai Li’s face—just as it had for the past year or so. The doctor said her mental state affected her vision, making it hard for her to focus.
To her, Mr. Dai’s brother was just a blurry figure—tall, neither fat nor thin, with upright posture and a full head of hair.
Even without clear features, she could sense he was a very handsome young man.
She felt him glance casually her way before turning and walking toward the door with Mr. Dai.
Mr. Dai brushed the moisture off his brother’s shoulder. “Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”
“The rain was blowing too much… Bro, do you have plans tonight?”
“I can clear my schedule.” Mr. Dai’s voice carried a tenderness he didn’t show others. “What do you want to do?”
“Anything?”
“No being spoiled. Can’t be too wild.”
Their voices faded into the distance. A-Ling sat stunned for a moment, thinking, They have such a good relationship.
When the buzzcut man came in, she suddenly remembered something and asked, “I read in the newspaper last time that Mr. Dai’s brother is adopted?”
“Yeah, different surnames.”
A-Ling gave a slow “oh” and looked out the window again.
Lai Li stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor. “I thought we were seeing the doctor today.”
“We were originally scheduled for today,” Dai Linxuan said. “But we switched doctors last minute, so it’s now the day after tomorrow.”
Lai Li didn’t ask more and went along with it. “Then why not go back tonight?”
“You want to go back?” The elevator doors opened, and Dai Linxuan walked out. “Isn’t it nice to hang around here?”
Lai Li followed his steps. “A date?”
Dai Linxuan paused, then smiled after a moment. “Yeah, a date.”
A date wasn’t exclusive to lovers; it worked for friends or brothers too.
Unfortunately, it was already four in the afternoon. With only a few hours until deep night, they couldn’t do much or go far. They picked a private restaurant by the river and had dinner, just the two of them.
Then, sharing an umbrella and bumping shoulders, they strolled along the riverbank.
Dai Linxuan asked, “What are your plans going forward?”
Lai Li grumbled, “My plan was to take a leave from school to be your assistant, but you won’t let me. Why ask?”
Dai Linxuan tugged at his lips. “That really won’t work. You’d be dangling in front of me all day, messing up my work efficiency.”
Lai Li’s expression darkened. “Do you and your assistant share an office at Dai Corporation?”
“Of course not, but distance isn’t the issue.”
Lai Li turned away. “Right, you just want me as far from you as possible.”
Dai Linxuan turned his face back. “I never said that.”
Lai Li made a demand. “Fine, not an assistant. Then I want to move to Hezi Mountain Mansion.”
“Okay.” Dai Linxuan agreed readily.
“I want the master bedroom,” Lai Li added. “With you.”
“You can sleep wherever you want.”
Lai Li’s expression softened a bit. After a while, he asked, “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What are your plans going forward?”
“That’s a long story,” Dai Linxuan said. “After entering Dai Corporation, Wanli will hand power to Vice President Zhang. We’ll focus on maritime shipping first—the elders in the group really value that sector. Once we make achievements there, Grandpa will trust me with more…”
Lai Li listened quietly. “Bro, do you really want Dai Corporation that badly?”
Dai Linxuan smiled faintly. “Can’t I?”
“Of course you can. It’s yours by right.” Lai Li paused. “What if Dai Yi wants it too?”
“Then we’ll compete fairly,” Dai Linxuan said.
Lai Li felt a spark of pleasure. “What if I want it too?”
“??” Dai Linxuan raised a brow. “How would you take it? The only way is if I replace President Jiang first, then hand it to you… Ambitious, aren’t you, Little Chestnut?”
“I mean, if I were your blood brother, would you still compete with me?”
“That’d be comparing to Xiao Yi?” Dai Linxuan laughed helplessly. “If you were my blood brother, you’d have had her life. I naturally wouldn’t invest so much energy, or develop extra feelings…”
Lai Li’s face grew darker. “Stop.”
“And if we hypothetically discovered now that you’re my blood brother, after all the beastly things I’ve done to you…” Dai Linxuan sighed. “Forget Dai Corporation—if you wanted me dead, that wouldn’t be an issue.”
Lai Li frowned. “I won’t even let you die.”
Dai Linxuan complied. “Alright, Your Majesty.”
“…” Lai Li’s eyes flickered. “What if you found out someone else was your blood brother? Would you be good to him too?”
“So many hypotheticals?” Dai Linxuan chuckled. “One of you is enough for me. I wouldn’t acknowledge another.”
The emperor felt thoroughly soothed, his mind clearing. Even the rainy day looked pleasant, and the rushing river gained some charm.
“What about plans besides work?”
“What do you mean?” Dai Linxuan asked. “With you?”
Lai Li hadn’t meant to ask that, but it was what he wanted to hear, so he hummed in agreement, and the topic veered off.
Dai Linxuan chuckled for a bit, then looked at the rippling river under the night sky. “Depends on you.”
Lai Li wanted to control the pace, but with his brother indulging him, an inexplicable frustration built up. Probably because Dai Linxuan had hidden so many things from him, lied about so much—making any promise feel empty… even fake.
Like it was all just words to placate him, ready to be broken anytime.
They walked a long stretch along the riverbank, their hands at their sides occasionally brushing. Lai Li probably found it annoying and shoved his into his pocket.
Dai Linxuan switched the umbrella to his other hand. “Little Chestnut.”
Lai Li responded, “Hm.”
They seemed to run out of things to say. The people and matters they could discuss were tangled with too many secrets, so they had to deliberately avoid them to prevent unhappy lies.
Dai Linxuan thought for a moment. “Besides the memory issues, is there anything else that feels off?”
Lai Li lowered his gaze. The damp ground reflected two figures, one tall and one shorter, their edges blurred into vague dark halos like clusters of spying eyes.
He stepped into a puddle, splashing water.
Dai Linxuan’s pant leg immediately gained a wet stain. He looked at Lai Li helplessly. “If you don’t want to answer, just say so. No need to be so…”
Lai Li suddenly squatted down, frowning as he tried to wipe Dai Linxuan’s pant leg.
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