Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"008"

Xiao Lancui didn't head straight to Sen Mountain Psychiatric Hospital. He returned to the Xiao residence.

On the way, he took Xiao Jingli off his blacklist. Just as he reached the front door, Xiao Jingli called him. "Son, you're not coming back for dinner?"

"I'm at the door."

Of course he was coming back for dinner. If he ate well, someone else would go hungry.

Xiao Lancui carried his purchases straight to the dining room. Dinner was set for six-thirty, and it was exactly six-thirty.

Everyone else was already seated. Xiao Mian snorted coldly. "Cutting it close, aren't you? Making the whole family wait for you!"

Xiao Lancui smiled slightly. "Sorry, shopping took a little longer than expected." He casually handed the shopping bags to a servant.

Xiao Jingli glanced at the bags of herbs and said with a smile, "Don't listen to his nonsense. You arrived just in time." He told the servant, "Serve the dishes."

Then he started his doting father act again. "Come, sit next to your dad today."

The seating arrangement was also fixed. Xiao Jingli sat at the head, with Xie Jingfang and Xiao Liqin on either side, followed by Xiao Anfeng and Xiao Lancui, then Xiao Mian, in that order.

Xiao Liqin, not caring either way, stood up and gave up his seat.

Xie Jingfang kept a blank face, only glancing quickly at Xiao Lancui. Xiao Anfeng, worried Xiao Jingli might be displeased, gave Xiao Lancui a perfunctory nod. "You're back."

Only Xiao Mian, with his hot temper, spoke up. "Dad, even at dinner you're playing favorites—"

A cool hand suddenly landed on his head. His seat was on the same side as Xiao Liqin and Xiao Lancui. Xiao Liqin was now sitting next to him, so the hand on his head was...

Xiao Mian's fists clenched suddenly, his spine stiffening as he tensed up.

Xiao Lancui's light, clear voice poured down from above him. "Does my little brother want to sit next to Dad? Then I'll take your seat."

Xiao Mian's blood boiled. Calling him little brother again! Was Xiao Lancui treating his warning like it was nothing? And who wanted that lousy seat anyway? He wasn't some daddy's boy!

Xiao Mian snorted but didn't move his head. "Who wants to sit there? Take your hand off me! Did you even wash it?"

Xiao Lancui said, "No."

Xiao Mian was about to blow up—he'd just gotten his hair styled this afternoon! The next moment, a hand appeared in front of him, carrying a faint, familiar scent of ink. Xiao Mian froze, hearing Xiao Lancui chuckle softly. "But it's clean."

Xiao Mian stared at those long, slender fingers. Setting aside the bastard thing, he had to admit Xiao Lancui's hands really were suited for calligraphy. Though he had no idea whether Xiao Lancui practiced it, that ink smell must have come from writing!

Within two seconds, the weight lifted from his head, and the ink scent drifted away. A moment later, Xiao Lancui settled into the seat one chair over.

Xiao Lancui sat down, and Xiao Jingli asked with a smile, "What did you buy today? Why are there herbs?"

Xiao Lancui had deliberately placed the herbs in a transparent bag. The smell was strong—fine at the hospital, but obvious back at the Xiao residence. Mentioning it first was more natural.

He said, "A tonic the doctor prescribed, to go with the Western medicine." He'd already picked out the herbs on the way and told the servant how to brew them. "Boil them all and portion into twenty bottles."

"Yes." The servant took the herbs to the kitchen.

Xiao Lancui added, "I also bought a few books and a laptop."

Xiao Mian interrupted impatiently, "Aren't you better already? Why are you still taking medicine?"

Xiao Lancui said calmly, "I still need to recuperate for a while."

Xiao Jingli didn't want the others to know how severe Xiao Lancui's lung infection was. He wasn't about to waste time playing the devoted father who stayed by his seriously ill son's side every day, so he naturally changed the subject. "Why not buy some new clothes? Your old ones were all thrown away because they were considered unlucky. Tomorrow Dad will take you shopping."

"I already bought some." Xiao Lancui said. "I ordered a few tailored suits; they'll be delivered in a couple of days." He suddenly smiled, his eyes curving into a smile. "I used the card Dad gave me. Spent quite a bit."

Xiao Jingli was a little surprised. In the past, to show his favoritism toward Xiao Lancui, he'd given him a card with no limit in middle school, but Xiao Lancui had never used it. This time, after Xiao Lancui woke up with amnesia, Xiao Jingli had issued him a new unlimited card as he always did—he hadn't expected it to be used so soon.

That amount of money was a drop in the bucket for Xiao Jingli. He didn't mind at all and said with a laugh, "That's nothing. Spend however you like. Dad makes money just to spend it on you."

Xiao Anfeng suddenly stood up, eyes lowered. "Mom, Dad, big brother, I have something to take care of. I won't eat. Enjoy your meal."

Xiao Jingli's smile vanished instantly. He stared at Xiao Anfeng's handsome features, his heart burning with frustration, and deliberately said in a low voice, "No. Your brother just came home for a family dinner. What do you mean by not eating?"

Xie Jingfang couldn't resist a sarcastic remark. "Your son needs to eat, so everyone else can't have their own business? Everyone has to sit around him just for him to eat?"

She stood up immediately. "I have things to do too! I'm leaving! Come on, Anfeng. Let's see who can force us mother and son to sit through this meal."

Xiao Anfeng glanced at Xiao Jingli, then went over to help Xie Jingfang as they left.

Xiao Jingli had genuinely wanted to have a peaceful meal with Xiao Anfeng today. Last night's visit from Lu Siye had made the food taste like wax, and he'd tossed and turned all night, worried that Xiao Anfeng might really be taken from him.

Now Xie Jingfang had butted in, and his temper flared. He barely suppressed it, saying to Xiao Lancui, "Your body is still recovering. Eat well." He threw his hands up and left too.

The dining room was suddenly down to only Xiao Lancui, Xiao Liqin, and Xiao Mian. Xiao Mian turned to glare at Xiao Lancui, face dark. "This is all your fault!"

Xiao Liqin remained silent, not once looking at Xiao Lancui. He said to Xiao Mian, "Finish eating and get back to school early. Don't skip class."

Xiao Liqin left.

With the middleman gone, Xiao Mian's butt had already left his chair when he caught a glimpse of Xiao Lancui's sharp profile. He sat back down, feeling utterly annoyed. Xiao Lancui was such a nuisance!

But why did he feel that leaving Xiao Lancui alone would make him so pitiful?

What the hell was wrong with him!

Xiao Mian said gruffly, "So what now!"

Xiao Lancui turned his face to Xiao Mian and smiled. "Eat."

The servants had brought the dishes over already, but with the dining room so tense, they'd stopped and didn't dare approach.

Xiao Lancui said calmly, "Bring them over."

The servants exchanged glances and quickly served the meal.

Ten dishes and two soups. Among them, two were dishes the original owner of this body had loved. Xiao Lancui had been paying attention to Xie Jingfang earlier—when Xiao Jingli suggested switching seats, she'd shown no reaction, meaning the rice placed at his original seat was safe, hadn't been poisoned.

Xiao Lancui picked up his bowl of fragrant rice and began eating quietly.

Xiao Mian watched Xiao Lancui for a long while before picking up his own bowl. He barely ate, stealing glances at Xiao Lancui from the corner of his eye every now and then.

The more he looked, the angrier he got. He slammed down his chopsticks with a crack. "And you're eating so happily!"

Xiao Lancui remained unfazed, calmly chewing a bite of fresh vegetables. He swallowed and said, "I have a lot of ailments." His tone was unhurried. "I need the nutrition."

Xiao Mian froze. Xiao Lancui's complexion was indeed a bit better now, and he'd put on some weight, no longer so frail-looking. But he still seemed sickly, his face as pale as snow.

He couldn't help but think again of Xiao Lancui's words: "I'll die soon."

What does "will die" even mean?

He felt the urge to ask, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back reluctantly.

Who gives a damn! Why the hell ask!

"I'm not eating anymore!" Xiao Mian slammed down his chopsticks and was about to leave when he suddenly heard Xiao Lancui ask, "What's your phone number?"

Xiao Mian initially thought Xiao Lancui was talking to someone else. When he realized the question was directed at him, his heart suddenly started pounding. He let out an "Ah?"

Xiao Lancui drawled, "I'm pretty sure we didn't get along before I lost my memory—I don't have your number saved."

Xiao Mian swallowed the numbers that were on the tip of his tongue and snorted, "Good to know you're aware. Call me 'little brother' again—"

"Little brother." Xiao Lancui glanced sideways at him with a smile. "Can you hurry it up? I'm busy taking my medicine."

Xiao Mian almost choked on his spit. He grudgingly rattled off a string of numbers. "I'm only saying it once! If you don't catch it, tough luck!"

Xiao Lancui repeated it back flatly, and Xiao Mian's eyes went wide in shock. He'd never seen Xiao Lancui this smart before!

He got into college through the back door...

At that thought, Xiao Mian looked down on Xiao Lancui even more. His second brother scored in the top 20 in the city on the college entrance exam and got into City University, the top-ranked school in the country. And Xiao Lancui? He could barely even make the second-tier cutoff. It was only because his dad donated a new swimming pool and pulled strings to get Xiao Lancui into City University, in the same major as his second brother.

Remembering a phone number—that's just a cheap trick!

Xiao Mian stormed off.

After finishing his meal, Xiao Lancui drank two pouches of herbal medicine—one daily dose of detox soup and 600ml of lung-soothing herbal medicine to be consumed within the day. Both were bitter and hard to swallow, but luckily Xiao Lancui was used to herbal medicine. He downed both doses without batting an eye.

Back in his room, his books and computer were already set out on the desk. He rested briefly, then opened his English textbook and started memorizing vocabulary. At exactly midnight, he showered and went to bed.

That night he slept terribly, having a few fragmented, chaotic dreams. When he woke up, he was soaked in sweat, his face deathly pale. He spat up dark red bloody froth into a tissue.

Xiao Lancui came downstairs a little late. Three people were already in the dining room—Xiao Jingli, Xiao Liqin, and Xiao Anfeng.

Today, when the servant saw him, she asked on her own, "Third Young Master, will you also have soup dumplings and rice porridge today?"

Xiao Lancui gave a slight nod, and the servant hurried off to fetch his breakfast.

Xiao Jingli had already finished eating. He wiped his mouth and asked Xiao Lancui with a smile, "Why are you up so early? Why not sleep a bit longer?"

Xiao Lancui said, "School."

Xiao Jingli was taken aback. "Going back to class so soon? You just got out of the hospital. Taking more time off to rest wouldn't hurt."

"No need." Xiao Lancui said. "Lying around too long is stifling."

Xiao Jingli nodded. "It's good to walk around more at school." He glanced at Xiao Anfeng and suddenly said, "You're close with Siye. Hanging out with him at school is more fun than being stuck at home."

Xiao Anfeng didn't pay much attention to that remark. What crossed his mind was that Xiao Lancui was going back to school, and that annoyed him a little.

Whether he liked it or not, he'd have to commute to and from school with Xiao Lancui again.

Sure enough, Xiao Jingli immediately turned to him and said, "Your brother hasn't fully recovered. Look after him at school, and contact me if anything comes up."

Xiao Anfeng sneered to himself—Xiao Lancui had that crew of bullies to rely on; did he really need Xiao Anfeng to look after him? Still, he agreed aloud, "Got it."

Xiao Jingli left, and Xiao Liqin was about to leave for work too, so he used the spare moment to chat casually with Xiao Anfeng, both of them ignoring Xiao Lancui as if he weren't there. When it was finally almost time, Xiao Liqin left.

Xiao Lancui kept sipping his congee, taking his sweet time. Xiao Anfeng kept checking his watch, and after waiting a while longer, he finally spoke up, "Still not done eating? We're going to be late."

Xiao Lancui said, "You go ahead first."

Xiao Anfeng frowned. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"

Xiao Lancui stirred the oil spots on his congee with his spoon. "You didn't ask me earlier either."

Xiao Anfeng was silent for a moment. "I'll leave you the car." He strode off quickly.

Xiao Lancui finished his congee, drank the detox soup, and couldn't stomach the other pouch of medicine for now. He had the servant heat it up and pour it into a straw cup, then packed it in his bag and headed out.

He didn't ask the driver to take him. After leaving the neighborhood, he didn't call a cab either—he followed the signs to the subway station.

One reason was to experience the modern convenience of public transit; the other was that the subway made it easier to keep a low profile.

An hour later, he walked out of Senshan Subway Station.

At the same time, a call came in on his phone.

An unsaved local number.

This number had appeared earlier in the story—it belonged to one of Lu Siye's close friends, one of the guys who had blown off Xiao Anfeng's lower half.

Xiao Lancui hung up immediately and used GPS to navigate to Senshan Psychiatric Hospital, strolling slowly along the sidewalk.

Within two seconds, the number he'd just rejected sent him a text.

"Did you block me? Not coming to class today? The bell already rang. Lu Siye."