Chapter 32 Part 2: The First Love and the Big Brother’s Secret (2)

Xu Hengzhou was very busy at the time. He left after handling the matter, which took no more than ten minutes, and he hadn’t noticed Xiang Chen hiding behind the class monitor.

“I thought then, ‘This person is truly wonderful!’” Xiang Chen continued to praise him effusively. “If only I had encountered a parent like you when I was little.”

“You liked me because of that?” Xu Hengzhou asked. If that were truly the case, he would have to thank that troublemaker.

“No, not entirely!” Xiang Chen denied. “That only showed your impartiality; it didn’t reflect your kindness.”

Xu Hengzhou was so stunned that he was momentarily speechless.

“But I quickly discovered your kind side!” Xiang Chen reassured him. “Later, I saw you again at your family’s mall. You performed first aid on an old woman who suddenly collapsed. Everyone else ignored her, but you stepped in and even took her to the hospital.”

At his mention, Xu Hengzhou remembered. That day, he was inspecting the mall when he encountered an old woman suffering a sudden medical emergency.

He knew that if such a condition received timely treatment, it would be fine, but prolonged delay could be fatal.

Xu Hengzhou himself knew how to perform first aid. If someone died in a mall under his management, it would certainly affect business. Therefore, seeing no one else helping, Xu Hengzhou had no choice but to roll up his sleeves and intervene himself.

It was a rare moment of benevolence for him in a year, and he hadn’t expected Xiang Chen to witness it so coincidentally.

Xiang Chen summarized, “You were kind-hearted, and because of that incident at the school, I already had a good impression of you. So, I decided to pursue you!”

Xu Hengzhou felt his head spinning from everything Xiang Chen had said tonight. He had initially felt quite sorry for him, but the more he spoke, the angrier Xu Hengzhou became.

His face stern, he asked, “There are plenty of kind-hearted people in the world. Why did you choose me?”

Xiang Chen was silent for a moment, then quietly said, “You’re handsome…”

He understood. Xu Hengzhou thought with a blank face, ‘So, feelings are all about looks.’ If he had been ugly, even if he had done good deeds, it probably wouldn’t have mattered.

What could he do? He really wanted to hit him.

Feeling his affections had been deceived, Xu Hengzhou truly wanted to pin Xiang Chen down on the bed and spank him. But looking at the child’s small, doughy appearance now… he decided against it. It wouldn’t be good if he accidentally hurt him.

Xu Hengzhou, feeling utterly exhausted, asked, “So how did you get my name wrong?”

Xiang Chen looked at him, then said with a touch of grievance,

“I wanted to pursue you back then, but I was too afraid to tell you directly. So, I thought I’d secretly follow you a few times to see what you liked. Then, I saw you talking to a saleslady, and I thought she might know you, so I went to ask her your name…”

“And then she told you my name was Wang, giving you that incorrect name?” Xu Hengzhou paused, then asked, “How did you ask her?”

Xiang Chen thought for a moment and said, “I just asked her what the big brother she was just talking to was called.”

Xu Hengzhou, “Was I the only one talking to her at that time?”

Xiang Chen nodded. “There were other people, but you were the only man.”

Alright, case solved. Xiang Chen had, in all likelihood, unwittingly asked one of Xu Hengzhou’s admirers. Despite his appearance clearly signaling that he was gay, many girls still held onto hope.

That saleslady was probably one of them, deliberately misleading Xiang Chen.

Xu Hengzhou remained silent. Xiang Chen probably guessed the reason, and his voice dropped. “Did she intentionally lie to me?” He and Xu Hengzhou had almost missed each other.

Xu Hengzhou reached out and stroked Xiang Chen’s head. “It’s alright. Look, aren’t we getting along quite well now?”

“Yes!” Xiang Chen immediately brightened. “You’re my big brother now!”

Hearing this, Xu Hengzhou sighed deeply in his heart. He and Xiang Chen had nearly become lovers before transmigrating, but after, by a strange twist of fate, they had become brothers.

His own psychological journey was clear. He had a good impression of Xiang Chen, and the small, harmless child Xiang Chen he met after transmigrating, who was also living a difficult life, stirred his protective instincts.

He wanted to bring the child into his care and shield him.

Conveniently, he had told a lie, creating an improvised identity. It was impossible for him to harbor romantic feelings for Xiang Chen, who was still a young child, so the role of a brother was actually an excellent choice.

As for Xiang Chen, he initially hadn’t understood why Xiang Chen accepted so quickly, adapting to the brotherly identity even faster than he had. After listening to him speak so much tonight, Xu Hengzhou had likely figured it all out.

He had miscalculated two things.

First, Xiang Chen didn’t actually like him as much as he thought; at most, he had merely entertained the idea of a romantic relationship.

Second, Xiang Chen’s personality. Perhaps it was due to having so little in his childhood, receiving so little, and rarely having his wishes fulfilled.

Therefore, Xiang Chen’s personality, to put it nicely, was ‘Zen-like’; to put it less flatteringly, he lacked ambition.

He was like a small snail, withdrawn into its shell, cautiously extending its feelers to test the waters. The moment Xu Hengzhou rejected him, he immediately pulled his head back, retreating completely into his shell.

After transmigrating, Xiang Chen learned from Xu Hengzhou that he didn’t actually dislike him, and Xu Hengzhou showed him kindness.

So, Xiang Chen tentatively tried to interact with Xu Hengzhou again. This time, Xu Hengzhou’s behavior must have greatly pleased him, leading Xiang Chen to become increasingly close to him.

Actually, Xu Hengzhou didn’t know that there was another reason why Xiang Chen accepted so quickly.

Although it’s often said that the gay community can be chaotic, Xiang Chen had never been exposed to it. His only sources of related knowledge were two:

One was the story website Huo Kai introduced to him, and the other was academic books on gay psychology borrowed from the library. The most risqué thing he had ever witnessed was the two boys kissing at the bar.

So, here’s the problem: that website was famously clean, with descriptions below the neck being strictly forbidden. What would academic books discuss?

There’s no need to elaborate here, as most people wouldn’t be able to read them anyway—they are too boring.

The resulting consequence was Xiang Chen’s incredibly limited understanding of same-s*x relationships. He had always believed that two boys dating simply meant living together, and at most, a kiss.

In that case, being brothers wasn’t really much different. At most, they couldn’t kiss, but what did that matter? They could still kiss on the cheek, and he could even be like a doll for his brother to play with.

As long as his brother continued to treat him so well, he would love his brother the most!

Xu Hengzhou, who hadn’t noticed any such clues in their conversation, had no idea that Xiang Chen was utterly ignorant of such matters. If he had known, he probably would have coughed up a mouthful of old blood.

He pondered for a while, feeling he had understood. He sighed deeply again. What could he do? Even with clarity, he was helpless when it came to the little child, Xiang Chen.

He had pampered him for so long that it had almost become a habit. The child was well-behaved, endearing, and handsome.

Moreover, after hearing so much tonight, despite the subsequent frustration and anger, his pity for Xiang Chen grew even stronger. He would likely spoil him even more in the future.

He had missed Xiang Chen’s first childhood, so he would make up for it by giving him a better one.

With an abundance of paternal affection and a significant increase in his trust towards Xiang Chen, Xu Hengzhou looked at the tear stains still on Xiang Chen’s doughy face in the moonlight and decided to give him a surprise.

He poked Xiang Chen, urging him to look.

Under Xiang Chen’s curious gaze, Xu Hengzhou spread his hand. From his empty palm, a bottle of milk suddenly appeared.

Xiang Chen paused, then tentatively reached out to touch it. After confirming it was real, he was both surprised and delighted. “Brother, you can do magic! Where did you hide the milk just now? Will you teach me?”

Xu Hengzhou: “…”

Xu Hengzhou, feeling exhausted, put the milk away. Xiang Chen was still examining his hand, flipping it back and forth. Xu Hengzhou exasperatedly pinched Xiang Chen. “I need to tell you something.”

Xiang Chen’s eyes widened. “What is it?” Was he going to teach him magic?

Xu Hengzhou slowed his speech, giving him time to recall. “Do you remember asking me what I brought with me when I transmigrated?”

Xiang Chen nodded. “I remember. My little pouch is still with you. Brother, you must hide my ring carefully; that one is very valuable.”

Xu Hengzhou asked, “Aren’t you curious about what I brought?”

Xiang Chen looked at him strangely. “Didn’t you bring a pile of snacks, Brother?”

Xu Hengzhou: “…Who told you I brought a pile of snacks?”

“Wasn’t it…?” Xiang Chen’s voice trailed off.

“No,” Xu Hengzhou said calmly, trying hard not to sound boastful. “I brought my family’s mall.”

After a long silence from Xiang Chen, Xu Hengzhou pinched his face. “Are you dumbfounded?”

Xiang Chen stared at him, dazed. “Brother, I think I’m hallucinating. I heard you say you brought a mall with you when you transmigrated.”

“It’s not a hallucination.” Xu Hengzhou said, then took out a few more small items to show him: a box of chocolates, and the large box of cookies Xiang Chen had eaten before. Even if Xu Hengzhou was a master magician, he couldn’t produce these without preparation.

Xiang Chen pinched his own arm, confirming it hurt. He then grabbed Xu Hengzhou’s hand, incredibly excited. “Brother, brother, you really brought the mall with you!”

Xu Hengzhou nodded reservedly. “What kind of golden finger would it be without transmigration?!”

Xiang Chen completely missed the sarcasm in his words. He shamelessly snuggled closer to Xu Hengzhou, smiling ingratiatingly. “Brother, I’m super well-behaved. You’ll share your delicious food with me, right?”

Xu Hengzhou chuckled as he pinched the child’s doughy cheek. Xiang Chen obediently offered his face for the pinch, acting utterly subservient.

“Here,” Xu Hengzhou said with a smile. “Don’t you like that blue fat cat? Then I’ll be your Doraemon. I’ll give you whatever you want, as long as you’re well-behaved.”

He finished speaking, then felt something was amiss and added, “Sometimes, you don’t need to be so well-behaved with others. Just listen to me.”

Xiang Chen’s little heart suddenly beat very fast. He thought his brother was the best brother in the world.

Although he liked Doraemon, it wasn’t because of its magical pocket. He loved Doraemon for its unwavering companionship to Nobita. Even with all of Nobita’s flaws, Doraemon always stayed by his side.

But now, his brother said he was willing to be his Doraemon.

Xiang Chen instinctively grabbed Xu Hengzhou’s hand, too excited to speak coherently. “R-really? You’ll always stay with me, and never leave me?”

“I won’t leave you. Brother will always be with you.” Xu Hengzhou knew that the successive deaths of his loved ones had deeply traumatized Xiang Chen. He feared loneliness and being abandoned by those he cared about.

Perhaps before transmigrating, he wasn’t someone Xiang Chen truly cared about, but after, Xiang Chen’s dependence on him had clearly deepened.

This was why he reacted so intensely to the idea of someone leaving him; he feared Xu Hengzhou might abandon him.

Xiang Chen gripped Xu Hengzhou’s hand with his two small, chubby paws, saying softly yet firmly, “You’re the best brother. I like you the most, and I’ll be very good to you too. I’ll always stay with you.”

“Good, I know,” Xu Hengzhou said, his voice laced with a smile.

He stroked Xiang Chen’s head, pulled out a pack of wet wipes, and cleaned Xiang Chen’s face again. Then he urged him, “Go to sleep now, it’s late.”

Xiang Chen nodded, clutching Xu Hengzhou’s hand, unwilling to let go, clearly intending to sleep like that. “Goodnight, Brother.”

Xu Hengzhou allowed him to hold one hand, while his other arm encircled Xiang Chen, his voice gentle. “Goodnight, Little Star.”

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