Chapter 24 – My Good Little Brother

Upon entering the house, they were just in time for the power to be restored, and the ceiling light flickered on.

Li Tang hastily wiped his eyes.

He wanted to break the habit of crying so easily. Today, he managed to hold back the tears, which only swirled in his eyes—a significant improvement.

Even though Jiang Lou still noticed.

Taking the tissue Jiang Lou handed him, Li Tang awkwardly changed the subject. “You mentioned something about sacrifice earlier. I didn’t quite catch it.”

Jiang Lou turned to move the foldable table back to its original spot, his expression hidden in the dimness. “It doesn’t matter.”

After the furniture was rearranged, Jiang Lou fetched a cardboard box from the closet. He opened it, revealing various first aid supplies.

Using a cotton swab dipped in iodine, he disinfected the wound on Li Tang’s hand. Li Tang instinctively pulled away, but Jiang Lou caught his wrist, preventing him from moving.

Li Tang had lost count of how many times Jiang Lou had treated his injuries. He didn’t intend to get hurt frequently, but he was just too fragile.

“How did this happen?” Jiang Lou asked.

Li Tang pursed his lips. “I tripped on the way here.”

“You walked?”

“There was traffic, so I had no choice but to walk.”

“Does your leg not hurt anymore?”

Ever since Li Tang fell on the track and got a massive bump on his head, his homeroom teacher stopped forcing him to do calisthenics. She would approve his leave requests without question.

“It… gets better after you get used to it,” Li Tang said bashfully. “And my house isn’t that far from here.”

As Jiang Lou was about to say something, a commotion suddenly came from outside.

Someone yelled at the house, “Jiang Lou, open up! Your auntie is here to see you!”

Li Tang wanted to follow, but Jiang Lou told him to stay inside. He usually listened to Jiang Lou, but he couldn’t help but feel curious.

He thought Jiang Lou had no living relatives left, yet there was an auntie.

Now that the lights were on in every household, Li Tang could see through the window the woman standing behind the convenience store owner. She had short hair that reached her ears, a bulbous nose, small eyes, and sallow skin and lips. She wore a work uniform with the name of a factory printed on it.

Li Tang was somewhat surprised.

This auntie didn’t resemble Jiang Lou at all.

Not only their appearances, but also their personalities and habits seemed to have nothing in common. The woman spoke in the local dialect of Xucheng, indistinguishable between ‘n’ and ‘l’, and swallowed her retroflex consonants, but Li Tang could still understand the gist. She was asking Jiang Lou why he hadn’t contacted her about such a major event.

In a calm voice, Jiang Lou replied, “The house is fine. It hasn’t collapsed.”

“But you should’ve told me!” the woman said, stepping forward to inspect Jiang Lou. “As long as you’re alright. But looking at this house with such a big crack, it must be considered dangerous, right? I heard the government plans to demolish this area and build new buildings. I wonder what the policy will be…”

Jiang Lou maintained his cool tone. “There’s no need to know, since the house isn’t yours.”

That hit a sore spot for the woman, and she dropped her fake smile. “How can it not be mine? Back when your father married, your grandfather temporarily gave you this house to live in, but that doesn’t mean I have no share in it.”

Seeing her true intentions exposed, Jiang Lou’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Words alone don’t count. Now, the property deed has my name on it.”

“I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t come with me when you were a kid, insisting on going to that orphanage. There must have been a reason!” the woman exclaimed, widening her eyes. “I never expected that as soon as you turned eighteen, you secretly transferred the house under your name, guarding against me, huh?”

Hearing the word ‘secretly’, Jiang Lou imperceptibly frowned. “The house belonged to my father. After his death, transferring it to my name was legal and proper.”

“Don’t try to pressure me with the law!” the auntie raised her voice. “This house was left by my father, and I should have a share in it. I asked someone, and even if we go to court, I might not lose!”

“Then sue me,” Jiang Lou said impatiently. “When you adopted me, it was only for the sake of the house and the child support. You know how much parenting responsibility you fulfilled. The court has records of everything.”

The auntie’s face flushed red. “What do you mean, threatening me? Who said I didn’t raise you? When your mother left you right after giving birth, I bought milk powder for you to drink. Otherwise, how could you have lived until today? Later, when your father died, didn’t I cook you a few meals? How much money was left from your mother’s child support? Not enough to cover your food, drink, and daily expenses… Can you honestly say before heaven that you haven’t eaten or used anything of mine?”

Unable to bear listening any longer, the convenience store owner tried to mediate. “They’re family, auntie and nephew. If there’s an issue, sit down and talk it out slowly. No need to argue until your faces turn red and necks stiff…”

“Was it me who wanted to argue? You saw it yourselves, the earthquake just happened, and I rushed here from the factory to see him instead of returning home. And look at him, he’s acting like he doesn’t recognize family, slinging mud at me, saying I didn’t raise him… Oh heavens, our Jiang family has always valued blood ties above all else. How could such a white-eyed wolf be born among us? A few years of schooling and he thinks he’s something. It seems he inherited his cold-hearted mother’s trait of abandoning her husband and child…”

As she spoke, the woman started wiping her tears.

Neighbors had already gathered to watch the spectacle, some trying to persuade her. The chicken-raising uncle and his wife approached Jiang Lou, whispering, “Just say a few kind words to send her away. It won’t be good if things escalate. You’re still in school.”

Jiang Lou’s expression grew colder. He knew his auntie’s true nature well, realizing she wouldn’t easily back down. If he yielded today, the consequences could be endless.

He took out his wallet from his pocket and pulled out several bills. “Money for milk powder and meals.”

The woman stopped sobbing, staring blankly at the pink bills in his hand.

Jiang Lou pulled out two more. “Enough?”

The woman looked up. “What do you mean?”

“We’re even now.”

“You… this means you’re not acknowledging me as your aunt, right?”

“What difference does it make whether you’re acknowledged or not?”

Regardless, they were bound to fight over the ownership of the house. They had no feelings left for each other.

Jiang Lou didn’t want to entangle himself with her further. He threw the money at her chest and turned to leave.

Behind him were curses like “heartless little bastard” and “you deserve to be deaf and handicapped.” Neighbors held the auntie back, telling her to go home. It had just been an earthquake; there might be aftershocks later.

Only then did the clamor subside.

Jiang Lou returned to the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.

Li Tang shuddered, watching as flakes of plaster fell from the cracked wall.

Jiang Lou’s face was dark as he resumed cleaning Li Tang’s wound with the cotton swab. Hearing Li Tang hiss, he snapped back to reality, softening his movements.

Li Tang knew he hadn’t meant to hurt him. Jiang Lou was in a bad mood, so his actions lacked gentleness.

Reflecting on his own family relationships, Li Yuanshan had an older sister—Li Tang’s aunt. Though they rarely interacted, they would gather at Li Tang’s grandfather’s house during holidays to have reunion dinners. At those times, his aunt would give Li Tang red envelopes and sometimes small gifts from abroad.

Thus, Jiang Lou’s aunt completely defied Li Tang’s understanding. How could there be an aunt who was unwilling to care for her nephew and even sought to take away his only residence?

She even called Jiang Lou “disabled.” Hearing those words, Li Tang’s heart tightened.

Jiang Lou had lost his parents at a young age, with no one to rely on. He had to earn his own money for meals and education, struggling alone in the world, enduring more injuries than Li Tang could ever see.

Gaining a deeper appreciation for Jiang Lou’s resilience and hardships, Li Tang lifted his other hand and gently placed it atop Jiang Lou’s head.

He began to understand the significance of the head patting—it was akin to a comfort, silently conveying to the other person—don’t be sad, I’m here.

At that moment, Li Tang was seated while Jiang Lou was half-squatting in front of him, making the head-patting gesture incredibly natural.

However, Jiang Lou was clearly unaccustomed to having his head patted. His lowered eyelashes fluttered, and his body stiffened momentarily.

Yet his heart strangely calmed down.

Jiang Lou looked up at Li Tang. “Did you hear everything?”

Li Tang nodded.

“Do you think I deserve it?”

Li Tang shook his head.

He never arrogantly stood above others to pity their misfortunes, nor did he dare to presume to learn the truth from another’s mouth.

He was merely thinking, “I haven’t been good enough to you.”

He needed to be better in the future.

The clock ticked past eight o’clock. The road outside was still congested, with honking horns blaring incessantly.

No aftershock came, but Li Tang received a vacation notice from the class representative, Li Zichu, first.

The WeChat group erupted. Some checked in with each other, assuring their safety, some celebrated the unexpected holiday, and others inquired if the teaching building had collapsed.

Li Zichu: No, I am currently helping the teachers organize the desks and chairs at school.

He had rushed to school immediately after the earthquake. The classmates sent him clasped hands emojis, expressing admiration for this dedicated class representative.

A little later, Huo Xichen posted a photo in the group: Whose umbrella is this, dropped under the podium.

He was also at school.

Sensing something unusual, Li Tang privately messaged Li Zichu, asking: Are you together with Huo Xichen?

Five minutes later, Li Zichu replied: Yeah, he insisted on coming along.

Li Tang: Have you reconciled?

Li Zichu: We’ve never been together, so what breakup and reconciliation?

Before Li Tang could respond, Li Zichu sent a second message: During the earthquake this afternoon, he was the first to rush into my room and shielded me with his body.

Followed by a third message: Although he keeps saying he doesn’t like guys, and although I was the one who seduced him, I think maybe he’s just timid and afraid to admit it. He might have genuine feelings for me after all.

Li Tang wasn’t interested in meddling in other people’s affairs, but as friends, he still offered a kind reminder: Don’t force-kiss him again. You said he’s timid; what if you scare him away?

Li Zichu responded with a gritted-teeth voice message: “Yes, it was him who forced a kiss on me!”

Li Tang was rather surprised, his expectations for this brotherly relationship rising significantly.

His phone was charging from the socket. Li Tang called his mom, explaining that the roads were difficult to navigate and he would return late.

Putting down the phone, he noticed Jiang Lou staring at him.

“Your mother isn’t well?” Jiang Lou asked.

“Mm-hmm.” Li Tang placed the phone on the table. “After this period of rest, she’s much better.”

Jiang Lou averted his gaze, remaining silent.

Li Tang guessed he was thinking about his own mother.

It was also from the auntie’s cursing earlier that Li Tang learned Jiang Lou’s mother hadn’t passed away; she had left the family right after giving birth to him.

If his mother knew that Jiang Lou not only grew up safely but also worked so hard and excelled, would she regret abandoning him back then?

For dinner, they had instant noodles.

During this special time, they had no choice. It was fortunate enough to have something to fill their stomachs.

To make matters worse, Jiang Lou’s bowls were broken during the earthquake, leaving only a chipped soup bowl that could barely be used.

Li Tang was just about to suggest that Jiang Lou eat first while he waited until he finished, but Jiang Lou had already poured hot water into the bowl with his pack of Fresh Shrimp Fish Cake Noodles.

His own Spicy Beef Noodles were soaked directly in the bag—tearing open the packaging, tearing the seasoning packets, scattering the contents inside, and pouring hot water through the bag opening.

Li Tang had never seen such a crude method of preparing instant noodles. He was astonished and tense, asking once if “the bag wouldn’t leak” and another time worrying if “the plastic bag would produce harmful substances when heated.”

Jiang Lou’s response was, “You won’t die. I used to eat like this often.”

Li Tang fell silent for a moment, then displayed a bittersweet, empathetic expression.

He didn’t object further but looked around, attempting to find something to tie the bag opening to prevent the steam from escaping.

Failing to find a suitable tool, he found a piece of paper.

It was the poster that had fallen during the earthquake—the movie “Titanic,” released in China in 1998. The paper was damp and yellowed, previously used to cover cracks on the wall.

Li Tang picked it up, brushing off the dust.

Jiang Lou took it, seemingly ready to toss it out the window, but Li Tang stopped him.

“This was put up by your parents, right?”

By the timeline, it should have been before Jiang Lou was born.

So this wasn’t just a poster; it was a memento of Jiang Lou’s parents’ love.

Furthermore…

Looking at the embracing couple on the poster, Li Tang recalled the scene of watching this movie with his mother when he was young.

He felt a sense of nostalgia. “My mother also liked this movie very much.”

After a long pause, Jiang Lou said, “Is that so.”

While he asked aloud, there was another voice in his heart—

I know, of course I know.

This was also my mother’s favorite movie.

In 2012, “Titanic” was re-released in China. Thirteen-year-old Jiang Lou bought a ticket and went to the cinema alone.

It was a 3D remastered version, and the ticket price was expensive for him back then. He skipped dinner for a month to save up the money.

He just wanted to see the movie that his father described as “mom’s favorite.”

Perhaps due to his young age, Jiang Lou watched the entire movie with apathy, unmoved even when the couple-like man and woman beside him cried and hugged each other.

He found it ironic—how could she enjoy the love story in the movie, which crossed social classes and disregarded everything, when in reality she couldn’t bear poverty and chose a life of greater privilege?

In the end, he didn’t throw away that poster.

Li Tang carefully folded the poster and tucked it between the pages of a thick dictionary. “Usually you won’t see it. When you accidentally come across it later, it will be a pleasant surprise.”

Jiang Lou stepped forward, cupping Li Tang’s face with both hands, placing a kiss near his lips.

He told Li Tang, “You coming into my life is the real surprise.”

Two more hours passed. Outside, the night was dense, and the sirens had temporarily ceased.

They sat side by side at the door, playing with a stray dog that had run here to “take refuge.”

Perhaps due to regular feeding by nearby residents, the puppy remained round and plump. Upon seeing Li Tang, it wagged its tail wildly, as if remembering him as the kind person who had once given it a grilled sausage.

Jiang Lou finally picked up his phone, dismissing the dozens of missed calls from “Little Fox.” Li Tang watched with a frown: “Is your phone just for show? Why couldn’t I get through?”

Jiang Lou chuckled, tapping a few times to set a unique ringtone for Li Tang. He told him, “Everyone else’s calls vibrate.”

Li Tang pursed his lips, wanting to laugh but fearing that showing too much satisfaction would reveal his “fox tail.”

The rain had stopped, and the oppressive heat of the day had dissipated. The air was filled with the damp smell of decaying leaves and earth.

The news reported that there were no casualties from the earthquake thus far, allowing the originally bustling city to sink into sleep.

Excessive tranquility always provoked a desire to disrupt it.

Li Tang deeply inhaled, seizing the opportunity to ask the question that had been lingering in his heart. “So, how should I address you?”

They were already in the closest relationship possible, but calling him by his name always seemed distant.

Moreover, he was already Jiang Lou’s “Little Fox,” and he desperately wanted Jiang Lou to become someone exclusively his.

Even if it couldn’t be publicly known, only in private.

Jiang Lou left the decision to him. “Whatever you want.”

Li Tang pondered, even though he already had a clear inclination, waiting for Jiang Lou’s approval.

“You’re two years older than me,” Li Tang asked. “Can I call you ‘Brother’?”

When he was very young, Li Tang yearned to have an older brother.

Someone who could play with him, practice piano together, and do homework together. When his father beat him, his older brother would stand up for him. When he was confined to solitary confinement, his older brother would rescue him from the darkness, telling him that it was okay to lie and say he wasn’t scared. You were so young, and it was understandable to be afraid.

In his memory, he had briefly possessed an “older brother,” but the joy at the time was overshadowed by the fear of not finding his mother. After returning home, he fell ill with a fever. When he woke up, he couldn’t remember anything.

Maybe it was just a dream.

Seventeen-year-old Li Tang was still innocent, still holding the purest expectations for the people in this world.

On the other hand, nineteen-year-old Jiang Lou had long known that life always involved many fleeting possessions and enduring losses.

Before his eyes was the sight of his mother’s retreating back, his father’s bloody corpse, and the endless ridicule and insults, covetousness and greed, baseless accusations, and rampant malice that had echoed in his ears over the years.

Even if he had lost half his hearing, the world was silent and desolate, like a ruin that could never be rebuilt.

Therefore, despite repeatedly testing and observing, and repeatedly confirming that the person in front of him was unaware, he still felt that those clear eyes and innocent words were cruel enough to flay a person piece by piece.

Without waiting long, perhaps only the duration of two deep breaths, Jiang Lou answered, “Of course.”

Of course, my good little brother.