EIP 30

Zhou Jun was so terrified that he tightly shut his eyes. After a while, he cautiously opened them a crack, peeking at Zhou Yan. To his dismay, Zhou Yan’s expression was truly frightening. Each word seemed to burst forth like it had been bitten off, “What did you say?!”

Zhou Yan never expected his younger brother to end up in bed with Yong Jin.
He nearly blacked out from the shock, almost losing his balance. Seeing his elder brother stumble, Zhou Jun hurriedly got to his feet and reached out to steady him. But as soon as he grasped Zhou Yan’s thin arm, his expression darkened. “Elder Brother, you really shouldn’t smoke opium anymore.”

Zhou Yan shoved him away and shouted angrily, “How dare you lecture me! Kneel!”

Zhou Jun frowned but obediently knelt down. “Elder Brother, that substance has drained you. How could Sister-in-law be so indulgent with you?” Zhou Yan’s face turned pale, not just from anger but also due to his poor health.

Zhou Yan became even more irate. “Do you even understand the word ‘shame’?” he scolded. “You used to mess around, and I let it slide, but now you’re acting like a spoiled child and acting all righteous?” The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Zhou Yan continued, “You keep telling me to stay away from those things, yet everything you use, everything you enjoy, I earned it! If I don’t indulge, do you think foreigners will trust me to do business? Or is it that you’ve taken Yong Jin’s side now?!”

Zhou Yan’s words hit Zhou Jun like a slap to the face, leaving him feeling bewildered as he lowered his gaze and fell silent. Ultimately, he was punished by being made to kneel in the ancestral hall, but he didn’t protest any further. During this time, his sister-in-law secretly brought him dinner, and Zhou Jun quietly urged her to keep an eye on their elder brother’s health. She placed the lunchbox down and assured him she would, encouraging him to eat and advising him not to be foolish by kneeling all night.

After she left, Zhou Jun indeed stopped kneeling. He sat on the cushion, staring at the numerous spirit tablets, one of which was for his mother. His father had returned to Germany shortly after marrying his mother and had never returned since. After his mother’s death, Zhou Jun had used his study abroad as an excuse to search for his father in Germany.

That man had remarried in Germany and was living a happy, fulfilled life. Zhou Jun didn’t feel much about it, but after returning to school, he found himself increasingly indifferent to his studies. The scolding his elder brother had given him wasn’t solely due to his involvement with Yong Jin. It was because Zhou Yan had discovered that, during those years in Germany, he hadn’t completed his degree. His frequent misconduct had led to numerous disciplinary actions, and the strict university had eventually expelled him.

Zhou Yan had only learned of this matter recently, and Zhou Jun’s confession about sleeping with Yong Jin had simply added fuel to the fire. With his brother’s disappointment mounting, he was now unwilling to speak with him at all.

Zhou Jun had spent a considerable time in Germany, and although he hadn’t completed his studies, he was introduced by a friend to a private arms club. Politely put, it was called a “club,” but in reality, it took advantage of the turbulent times to traffic weapons.

After returning home, he naturally cut ties with the club. Although it was easy to enter the trade, leaving it was a different matter, but Zhou Jun was lucky. He met Miss Yang, who had the connections and resources to sever his involvement with the club cleanly before he returned to the country. This is why, despite Miss Wen also being his classmate, Zhou Jun held Miss Yang in much higher regard.

Zhou Jun might leave Miss Wen behind in lively social scenes time and again, but he held a deep respect and affection for Miss Yang. Anything she requested of him, he would usually see through without fail. Miss Yang was a well-protected lady, who, while willing to seek assistance from her family’s influential members on his behalf out of fondness, never expected any form of repayment from Zhou Jun.

A considerate lady like her was, of course, easy to admire, and Zhou Jun certainly did. He spent the entire night in the ancestral hall, and the next morning, his sister-in-law, following orders, came to tell him to wash up and prepare to meet a visitor. Zhou Jun was initially puzzled, wondering who could have revealed his secrets to his elder brother. But upon meeting the guest, everything became clear.

The guest was Allen, the one who pretended to be British. With a slight smile, Allen extended his hand in greeting. Though Zhou Jun felt irritated, he showed nothing outwardly and maintained polite conversation in English with him. After their meal, Allen warmly invited them to a teahouse. Zhou Jun was about to agree when his sleeve was tugged by Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan, abandoning his usual intimidating demeanor from home, responded courteously, “My younger brother is still a bit inexperienced. Going there might not be enjoyable for him.” Zhou Jun was momentarily taken aback, only to hear Allen cheerfully respond in clumsy Chinese, “Mr. Zhou, Stinson is not so young. He’s very capable.”

Zhou Jun interjected in English, “Allen, I’m stepping out for a smoke, care to join me?”

Without waiting for Zhou Yan’s reaction, Zhou Jun stood up and walked outside. As Allen followed him out, he offered him a cigarette and lit it, smiling as he said, “Hope you and my brother have a pleasant partnership.” Allen responded with interest, “Why does your family seem unaware of your affairs, Stinson? Haven’t you told them anything?”

Zhou Jun replied coolly, “I don’t think we’re that close.” Allen, unbothered, continued, “And I doubt you’d want to be. You never even notice people like me.” His words carried a hint of sarcasm, leaving Zhou Jun puzzled. He wondered if, unbeknownst to him, he might have flirted with Allen’s girlfriend, since Allen was clearly acting hostile toward him.

They smoked in the open hallway outside the private room on the second floor, where petals were scattered across the wooden floor. The smoke from the cigarettes drifted into the air. After Allen made his remark, he ignored Zhou Jun’s puzzled expression and leaned in close, whispering in his ear, “Don’t look at me like that. I won’t say anything more.”

The sticky tone of his voice sent chills down Zhou Jun’s spine. Feeling unsettled, Zhou Jun instinctively took a few steps back. “Then I’ll thank you in advance,” he replied, sidestepping Allen and returning to the private room. Zhou Yan instructed him to take a rickshaw home, but Zhou Jun packed his things and said, “I’d rather go back to my apartment.” Zhou Yan’s voice turned cold, “For the time being, you’ll stay with us.”

Zhou Jun didn’t resist much. He returned to the Zhou family residence and dutifully stayed for a full week. Zhou Yan was always out early and back late, so Zhou Jun spent his time at home, often acting as a punching bag for his sister-in-law’s sparring practice, leaving him sore all over. Exhausted from the day’s activities, he’d fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

One night, after washing up and going to bed early, he was suddenly jolted awake in the middle of the night. As he opened his eyes, he noticed a faint red glow in the room, flickering on and off. Zhou Jun stared intensely in that direction, reaching for the knife under his pillow. Just then, a voice came from where the red light was: “I tried calling, but couldn’t get through to you.”

Zhou Jun’s tension melted away, and he flopped back onto the pillow. “You… why do you keep sneaking into other people’s homes like this?”

The mattress dipped as someone sat down, and the small bedside lamp flicked on. Yong Jin was sitting at the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch Zhou Jun’s face, his tone casual. “Here to steal someone. Can’t exactly do it out in the open.”