TVDC 61: Guilty Conscience

Saturday is the day that Zhou Mingmei said the whole family would go to the orchard to pick strawberries.

Qiu Xuning followed He Zhiyuan the whole time, never leaving his side.

Qiu Shouhai looked puzzled and asked Qiu Zhaozhao, “When did those two get so close?”

Qiu Zhaozhao said absentmindedly, “You still don’t know? The two of them are so close that they’re just short of wearing the same pair of underwear. They’re as close as real brothers.”

Qiu Shouhai said in a sarcastic tone, “I don’t see Qiu Xuning being this clingy with me.”

Qiu Zhaozhao glanced at him and said, “Why are you always targeting Ningning? He’s your little brother.”

Qiu Shouhai said, “Where the hell have I targeted him? The gift I bought for him is still in my room. I told him if he calls me ‘gege,’ I’ll give it to him, but look, he won’t even call me once!”

Qiu Zhaozhao said, “That’s your problem, who told you to always bully him?”

Qiu Shouhai was so angry that his face turned red and said, “Where have I bullied him!”

Qiu Zhaozhao said, “You have been bullying him.”

Qiu Shouhai couldn’t be bothered to repeat this meaningless conversation with her, so he took the basket first and entered the orchard.

Qiu Xuning followed behind them, taking a smaller basket, while He Zhiyuan didn’t take a basket.

Qiu Xuning picked a big and red strawberry, rubbed it gently in his soft palm, and held it under his nose, gently sniffing it.

He Zhiyuan stood in front of him and looked down at him. “What are you doing?”

Qiu Xuning squinted his eyes and smiled softly at him. “You smell it, the fragrance of the strawberry.”

While saying this, he brought the strawberry in front of He Zhiyuan.

He Zhiyuan slightly leaned down and sniffed the strawberry, taking in the natural fruity fragrance mixed with the sweet scent from the sun’s exposure—a very pure and fresh fragrance.

Qiu Xuning pulled his hand back and wiped the surface of the strawberry. He wanted to eat it, but hesitated, wondering if there were pesticide or dust residues in it. After hesitating for a while, he chose to put the strawberry back in the basket.

He Zhiyuan, however, reached out and picked up the strawberry, opened the bottle of mineral water he carried with him, and washed the strawberry clean.

Qiu Xuning looked at him with a surprised gaze and said, “You’re being so wasteful.”

Yet he didn’t stop him. When He Zhiyuan finished washing the strawberry and brought it to his mouth, he was still a bit surprised. He bit into the strawberry first because his fingers had touched the not-so-clean part of it, and he didn’t want to take it with his hand again. His mouth was small, and it was a little difficult to eat the whole strawberry in one bite.

He Zhiyuan stared at him and smiled, then extended his finger, pinching the plump and shiny strawberry. He fed it to him.

Qiu Xuning blushed a little and felt a bit embarrassed, but he still ate it bit by bit, like a little bird pecking at rice. He finished the strawberry from He Zhiyuan’s hand.

This scene, falling into the eyes of Qiu Zhaozhao and Qiu Shouhai, made them both feel a kind of piercing sensation.

Qiu Zhaozhao said, “Did you see? He’s not even his real brother.”

Qiu Shouhai didn’t speak. His gaze fell on Qiu Xuning’s profile. Under the pale light, Qiu Xuning’s expression was fully visible, especially the thin blush on his face which was even more obvious.

Qiu Shouhai still remembered that at some unknown point in time, Qiu Xuning had become shy, like a little girl, blushing at the slightest thing and crying at the drop of a hat.

At this point, he was blushing like a little girl, and it really looked like it was true.

Qiu Zhaozhao pushed him a little and said, “Hurry up and pick the strawberries, the big ones are going to be picked by others.”

Only then did Qiu Shouhai retract his gaze and go to pick strawberries with Qiu Zhaozhao.

Qiu Xuning, like a hardworking little bee, quickly filled a basket with strawberries. He wasn’t greedy but he’s just afraid that he would pick too many to finish.

Just outside the orchard, there was a small stream that seemed to be flowing down from the nearby mountain, and it was very clear and clean.

Qiu Xuning washed a few strawberries, handed them to He Zhiyuan, and then sat on a small bench outside the orchard while eating the strawberries.

This was probably the time when the strawberries were fully ripe so they were very sweet and full of juice. Qiu Xuning ate several before stopping.

He Zhiyuan didn’t seem to like strawberries very much, so he only ate a few that Qiu Xuning had washed for him. When Qiu Xuning asked him again, he just shook his head.

They had already picked and eaten their fill, but Zhou Mingmei and the others took a long time before they came out. 

When they headed home together, they too returned with their baskets full.

After getting home, Qiu Xuning washed all the strawberries and placed them into the fruit bowl.

Qiu Zhaozhao, standing nearby, said, “Mom went to pick peaches and apricots, they’re really sweet. Do you want to eat some?”

Qiu Xuning shook his head and said, “The apricots are a bit sour, I don’t like them.”

Qiu Zhaozhao smiled. She liked eating things that were a bit sour but she didn’t dislike sweet ones, so she loved eating many kinds of fruit, especially apricots. They had a little sourness, which could be gently sipped.

Qiu Shouhai squeezed over from behind and lowered his voice, saying, “Qiu Xuning, come to my room later, I have something to give you.”

Qiu Xuning didn’t say anything. Qiu Shouhai said, “You wouldn’t hold a grudge over something so small, would you? It was such a small matter from before and you’re still holding a grudge until now?”

Qiu Xuning whispered in defense, “I’m not holding a grudge.”

Qiu Shouhai said, “You’re not holding a grudge, but you’re not even talking to me now?”

Qiu Xuning was silent. He ignored Qiu Shouhai simply because of Qiu Shouhai’s personality. The more he engaged with him, the more persistent Qiu Shouhai became, but now, it seemed ignoring him would only make him more persistent.

Qiu Shouhai reached his hand out, but Qiu Xuning, alert, took a few steps back, distancing himself from the range of Qiu Shouhai’s hand.

Qiu Shouhai saw him step back and awkwardly retracted his hand. He said, “Damn it, I’m your ge, not some wild beast! Why are you avoiding me?”

Does Qiu Shouhai not know that Qiu Xuning is afraid of being touched? Of course he knows. From the first time he hugged Qiu Xuning and saw the tears well up in his eyes, he knew. Yet he kept doing it again and again, and there was actually a lot of intention behind it.

Until now, he still hasn’t repented, wanting to continue using this trick to make him cry. It’s almost become a subconscious thought.

Qiu Xuning didn’t say anything. He gave Qiu Shouhai one last look and turned to run away.

Only Qiu Zhaozhao and Qiu Shouhai were left standing there. Qiu Zhaozhao said, “You’ve upset him again.”

Qiu Shouhai said in a rough voice, “Can’t you see for yourself? Where have I upset him?”

Qiu Zhaozhao lowered her head while washing the apricots, and said, “He doesn’t like you touching him, so don’t touch him. You even reach out to hug him—It would be strange if he liked you after that.”

She paused for a moment, glanced at Qiu Shouhai, and said, “If you ask me, if you really want to get along with him well, then you should listen and behave. Don’t be so touchy. If you treat me like this, I’ll hit you.”

Qiu Shouhai was a little embarrassed but still argued stubbornly, “He’s a guy, does he still need to be afraid of this?”

Qiu Zhaozhao gave him a glance, neither too light nor too harsh, and said, “If you’re still like this, then stop thinking about getting along with Qiu Xuning. Let me make it clear, don’t bully him anymore. Don’t make him cry again and affect his studies. I’ll tell mom.”

Qiu Shouhai didn’t say anything. Everyone at home favored Qiu Xuning, and he had already gotten used to it. This time, Qiu Xuning did so well on his exams again which made him even more likable, and that was normal. Even he couldn’t help but boast to his colleagues about how impressive his younger brother was.

However, having such an impressive younger brother, yet he himself had accomplished nothing.

Qiu Xuning returned to his room and hadn’t caught his breath yet when the sound of knocking at the door suddenly rang out.

Qiu Xuning didn’t move. The somewhat impatient knocking sound didn’t have the style of He Zhiyuan or Qiu Zhaozhao, but seemed more like… Qiu Shouhai.

Sure enough, Qiu Shouhai’s voice came from outside. “Qiu Xuning, open the door. I’m here to deliver something to you. I’ll leave once I give it to you and I won’t go in, is that okay?”

His tone sounded fairly gentle. Qiu Xuning hesitated for a moment but still walked over to the door, opening it slightly, and peeking at him through the gap.

Qiu Shouhai said, “Here, I spent half a month’s wages on this. Do you know that this is the most money I’ve spent on anything? Damn it, you have to accept it.”

He said while shoving a box of things through the door gap, not caring that Qiu Xuning didn’t catch it. It fell to the floor, and he turned around to leave.

Qiu Xuning closed the door and looked at the box on the floor. After hesitating for a moment, he bent down to pick it up.

He placed it on the table. He opened the box and took a look, and his face immediately turned red. He hurriedly closed the box.

That Qiu Shouhai!

At this moment, the knocking at the door sounded again. Qiu Xuning paused for a moment, hurriedly hid the box, and then went to open the door.

This time, it was He Zhiyuan. He stood at the door, looked down at Qiu Xuning, and asked, “Has Qiu Shouhai been here?”

Qiu Xuning tightly gripped the doorframe and gently nodded.

He Zhiyuan could also see the flush on his face and the slightly nervous look in his eyes. The kind of expression was as if he had done something wrong.

“What did he say to you?” He Zhiyuan asked.

Qiu Xuning was so nervous that his throat felt dry. “H–he didn’t say anything to me.”

He Zhiyuan said nothing, but there were plenty of signs that Qiu Xuning was lying. He didn’t even realize that when he lied, he would display so many small gestures—his expressions, movements, and even his eyes.

“Didn’t say anything?” He Zhiyuan mulled over the words and his eyes slightly deepened. He said softly to Qiu Xuning, “If he harasses you, come to me.”

Qiu Xuning didn’t say anything. He was still thinking about the things Qiu Shouhai had sent him—a whole big box full. He was really bold to dare to give those to his younger brother who was still in high school. If Zhou Mingmei and the others found out, they would tear him apart.

Qiu Xuning was mentally plotting some way to destroy the evidence and slowly drifted off in thought.

Seeing that he didn’t speak, He Zhiyuan felt emotions deepen in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed them, and softly said, “As long as you’re fine.”

Qiu Xuning listened and just softly said, “mm,” not paying attention to his expression.

Hearing the sound of Qiu Xuning’s door closing, neither too light nor too heavy, He Zhiyuan’s expression completely darkened.