Chapter 62

Chapter 62

"061"

Xiao Lancui was about to hang up the video call, "Go to bed—"

"I'm coming to see you right now, brother!" Lu Ao cut him off, "Where are you?"

He set the phone on the entryway cabinet, the camera angled upward, and Xiao Lancui watched Lu Ao quickly throw on his jacket.

Before he could answer, Lu Ao was already out the door.

Xiao Lancui called out to him, "It's the dead of night."

The door silently clicked closed, and Lu Ao raced down the stairs, his voice following the sound of his footsteps, "That doesn't matter. Brother, where are you?"

Xiao Lancui hesitated for a second, then gave the address.

After hanging up the video, Xiao Lancui zoned out for a moment. Rationalizing it, he was doing something absurd.

They had only parted the day before, and this was still the Xie residence.

Emotionally, he didn't object—in fact, he was quite pleased.

Xiao Lancui threw off the covers, got up, changed back into his clothes, and headed downstairs. The Xie residence wasn't in a regular residential complex but in a family compound, and the meeting spot he'd set with Lu Ao was at the fork in the road just outside the compound.

The night was deep and quiet, everyone fast asleep, with only the entryway lit.

Xiao Lancui moved swiftly and quietly. As he was almost down the stairs, a voice suddenly came from the side, "Lancui?"

It was Mother Xie's voice.

Mother Xie's study was on the first floor. She was still working on her research and had stepped out to refill her water when she saw Xiao Lancui fully dressed and heading downstairs.

Mother Xie was surprised, "Going out at this hour?"

The corner of Xiao Lancui's eye twitched. He came down the last two steps, smiling as he said, "Yeah, just stepping out for a bit. You're still working?"

Mother Xie smiled, "About to turn in." She added with concern, "Is something urgent at this hour? It's got to be minus fifteen degrees and snowing. Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

Xiao Lancui felt the scene was oddly familiar.

A moment later, he remembered.

On the opera stage, there were those plays about down-and-out scholars and young ladies—where the lady would sneak out at night to meet her scholar in secret. Whether leaving or returning, she'd always run into her parents and get questioned.

Usually, those ladies would reply, "I felt stifled, so I came out for some air."

Xiao Lancui found it somewhat absurd, but it seemed he really was in a similar situation.

His expression stayed as calm as ever, "It's not far, just nearby. A friend of mine has an emergency and needs me."

Mother Xie nodded, "Alright then, put on your scarf and gloves, don't catch a cold. I'll leave the door unlocked for you—no one in the compound would dare cause trouble."

Xiao Lancui agreed and went out.

The snow wasn't heavy, and the flakes that landed on his face were dry, but it was still very cold. Xiao Lancui walked toward the fork in the road, mentally mapping the fastest route between the Xie residence and the apartment complex—he'd studied the capital's current road map.

With no cars on the road this late, it shouldn't take Lu Ao long to get here...

He frowned suddenly.

At this hour, could Lu Ao even get a cab?

He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone and text Lu Ao to tell him not to come, when suddenly a delighted voice called out ahead, "Brother!"

Xiao Lancui looked up in surprise. In the dim orange glow of the streetlight, small snowflakes fluttered past his eyelashes, and that tall, familiar figure jumped off a bicycle, tossed it to the side of the road, and in a few strides was right in front of him.

Xiao Lancui's gaze landed on that high-bridged nose, red and chapped from the biting wind. Even with those eyes hidden, that flush of red made him seem less cold and ruthless.

"Brother, your face is frozen translucent!" Lu Ao quickly pulled off his own hat and scarf, slipping the hat over Xiao Lancui's, completely covering Xiao Lancui's face. He piled the scarf on top of Xiao Lancui's already thick one, wrapping it tightly around several times, covering every bit of exposed skin on Xiao Lancui's face, leaving only his eyes visible.

After protecting his head and face, Lu Ao took off his own gloves, and with two warm hands grabbed Xiao Lancui's hands, rubbing them quickly through the gloves, even leaning down to blow warm breath on them from time to time.

A stream of questions kept tumbling out of his lowered head, "Is that warmer? Are you cold anywhere else? How about I—"

"Why did you bike here?" Xiao Lancui lowered his gaze, his dark eyes fixed on the hair pressed flat by the hat, "In this freezing weather, are you crazy?"

"I'm not crazy." Lu Ao lifted his face, the streetlight casting a glow over his smile, his dark eyes gleaming with obvious pride, "I calculated it—taking a cab on the main roads would take at least half an hour to get here. But riding a bike lets me cut through the alleys, saving half the time!"

Xiao Lancui knew which shortcut Lu Ao had taken. He was well aware that he should correct this kind of reckless mindset and behavior in Lu Ao.

Riding a bike at breakneck speed in sub-zero temperatures in the dead of night was practically asking to die.

But he also knew, even more clearly, that he didn't want to correct it.

Just then, a snowflake landed on Lu Ao's cheek. Xiao Lancui pulled his right hand out of his glove, his dry, slightly cool fingertips touching Lu Ao's face to brush away the snowflake.

As he was about to pull his hand back, Lu Ao suddenly called out, "Don't go!"

Xiao Lancui was confused, "What?"

Lu Ao's hands were still wrapped around one of Xiao Lancui's hands and an empty glove for warmth, his dark eyes shining as if freshly washed, staring intently at Xiao Lancui, "Brother's hand is so warm. Can you touch my face again?"

Before Xiao Lancui could move, Lu Ao leaned in even closer. This time, Lu Ao sought out Xiao Lancui's hand, pressing his right cheek against that dry, slightly cool palm, closing his eyes in contentment and saying, "Brother, I really missed you."

His wind-chapped face gently rubbed against Xiao Lancui's palm, and Xiao Lancui was shaken by such intense neediness.

Was it... really that strong?

The last time Xiao Lancui had been this shaken was when he coughed up blood and collapsed in the snow, at the moment he died.

He had been shaken by Lu Ao's love for Qi Ying.

He had imagined countless times that Lu Ao would make a move against him, yet in the moment of his actual death, he still couldn't believe Lu Ao had truly dealt the fatal blow.

It was also in that moment that he was shaken by Lu Ao's obsessive love.

Loving someone so much that he would meticulously plot to kill his only remaining family.

He was certain that if Lu Ao had a place for family in his heart, it would only be him. But Lu Ao had still chosen to kill him.

Such intense emotion—Xiao Lancui had felt it too. Aiding Lu Ao to ascend the throne, seizing the pinnacle of power—these were the goals of his lifetime. For them, he could sacrifice everything, stain his hands with blood, and stop at nothing.

But for a single person?

He truly found it hard to understand.

Xiao Lancui looked at Lu Ao and asked the question that puzzled him, "Why do you like me so much?"

He said, "I merely brought you home; I haven't done anything else for you."

He'd only given him a few sets of clothes and a few meals—so why did he like him this much?

But his life, his everything, had been devoted to that wolf, and in return, he got his ashes scattered and betrayal.

Why?

Xiao Lancui watched those eyes open, deep black and pure, and clearly saw the intense, overwhelming emotion within them.

"Because it's you."

Lu Ao nuzzled his cheek against Xiao Lancui's palm, "Because it's you, I like you."

Because it was him?

Could Lu Ao and the original Xiao Lancui have had some past connection?

But he quickly dismissed that thought.

When they first met, Lu Ao showed no sign of recognizing him.

If not the original Xiao Lancui, then why?

Xiao Lancui didn't understand. He figured he might never understand this emotion, no matter what caused it.

But it didn't matter.

Now he had it too.

He had another Lu Ao—one who was devoted and fiercely loved him.

This time, he took the initiative to stroke the face nuzzling him, and Lu Ao's eyes brightened even more, "Brother—"

"Bro!" A sharp cry interrupted Lu Ao.

Lu Ao's smile froze instantly, and he looked coldly behind Xiao Lancui.

Xiao Lancui turned and met Xiao Mian's angry face. Pointing at Lu Ao, Xiao Mian demanded, "Who is he?" He was furious. "Why does he get to call you brother?!"

Xiao Lancui asked calmly, "Were you following me?"

Xiao Mian immediately denied it, "I wasn't!" He still glared fiercely at Lu Ao, "I went downstairs for water and ran into Grandma, who said you'd gone out somewhere nearby, so I came looking for you..."

He shot Lu Ao a big glare, then looked at Xiao Lancui with a hurt expression. He'd searched all over in the cold for Xiao Lancui, worried something might happen, only to find him stroking the face of some stranger calling him "brother"!

Even he, his actual brother, never got that treatment!

Xiao Lancui thought about it. Xiao Mian wasn't smart enough to follow him. He nodded and gave a brief introduction: "My brother, Xiao Mian."

This was for Lu Ao.

"Lu Ao."

This was for Xiao Mian.

The name sounded familiar to Xiao Mian, and then his eyes widened as he stared at Lu Ao, "You're Lu Sha—Si Ye's brother?"

Lu Ao glanced at Xiao Mian. Of course he knew who Xiao Mian was.

A mediocre idiot.

He also picked up on Xiao Lancui's attitude toward Xiao Mian. He knew Xiao Lancui too well. If Xiao Mian annoyed him, he wouldn't have introduced them.

And of course, he wouldn't like Xiao Mian either—Xiao Lancui despised stupidity.

He completely ignored Xiao Mian and only looked at Xiao Lancui. "Brother, I'll head back first."

He called him "brother" again—still "brother"—and Xiao Mian exploded. "Hey, if you're going to call someone brother, go home and do it. You've got your own brother, so don't—"

Lu Ao shot him a glare, and Xiao Mian froze, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xiao Lancui, and jealousy took over again. He sneered, "I didn't say anything wrong. I'm my brother's blood brother!"

He was so angry he spoke without thinking, yanking Xiao Lancui to pull him to his side. But Xiao Lancui didn't budge—Lu Ao was holding him firmly. So he shamelessly squeezed between the two and taunted proudly, "Know what 'real' means? Me and my brother—same father, same mother. Calling him 'brother' a few times doesn't make him your brother. You've got no blood relation, got it?"

He was unconsciously being polite to Lu Ao.

Anyone else, and he'd have already cursed them out.

Meanwhile, if Xiao Lancui weren't there, Lu Ao would have kicked Xiao Mian's stupid head off long ago.

He yanked Xiao Mian out with one hand and tossed him aside, then with smiling eyes said to Xiao Lancui, "Goodnight, brother. I'm off."

He controlled his strength so Xiao Mian wouldn't fall and play the victim. Xiao Mian stumbled a few steps before stopping, looking disheveled and furious, glaring at Lu Ao. "You—"

"Don't go back."

The snow was falling harder, and it was getting colder. Xiao Lancui glanced at Lu Ao's face, blue from the cold, and, with the hand Lu Ao was still holding, he gripped Lu Ao's hand back.

"Stay with me tonight."

Xie Jingfang's room had a down sofa set, which was quite spacious; Lu Ao could make do for a night.

But Xiao Mian misunderstood, and his anger turned to panic.

He would never let Lu Ao and Xiao Lancui share a bed!

He blurted out, "My bed's bigger! I'll share half with him!"