Chapter 29: Brother Yin

When Qi Mu woke up, it was already 11:30. He had slept contentedly and woke up feeling refreshed.

Daytime is great, daytime is wonderful; all the monsters and ghosts turn to dust!

Qi Mu jumped out of bed and found that the spot next to him was already empty. It seemed Yin Xiuzhu had woken up early.

He went to wash up barefoot and felt a wave of warmth as soon as he entered the bathroom, remnants of the hot shower.

He mumbled, “Yin Xiuzhu really loves being clean. Took a shower last night, and another one this morning?” He had no idea that Yin Xiuzhu had showered more than once last night. If he hadn’t been so exhausted, he might have spent the entire night standing under the shower.

Qi Mu squeezed some toothpaste and, still half-asleep, grabbed a cup and started rinsing his mouth. It was only after he finished that he realized he had probably used the wrong one.

Wasn’t this Yin Xiuzhu’s cup? The one next to it, still dry, was his. Oh well, it’s already done!

He quickly washed his face and then started making the bed. As he worked, usually careless Qi Mu suddenly noticed—why did Yin Xiuzhu’s blanket look different?

He remembered it was light gray last night; how had it become off-white? Qi Mu rubbed his eyes, puzzled. “Did I remember wrong?” It couldn’t be. Last night, he had been so scared he wrapped the quilt around himself tightly, thinking of it as an amulet against evil spirits.

With such close contact, how could he have mistaken it? This off-white quilt was definitely not the one he shared last night!

So… did Yin Xiuzhu change the quilt after he fell asleep? Why? Qi Mu pondered for a while and came to a realization: Was it because he didn’t like that the quilt had been used?

So Yin Xiuzhu has a cleanliness obsession?

Thinking back, there were some signs: Yin Xiuzhu had always been very particular about cleanliness, keeping a distance from others. As a child, his handkerchiefs were impeccably clean, and he couldn’t stand Qi Mu’s dirty handkerchiefs, always washing them until they were spotless. In elementary school, he was the most organized student in the class, his books never bent, and his homework was always the most beautiful. The teachers praised him constantly. Qi Mu had seen his backpack—it was neatly categorized and arranged. Yin Xiuzhu had even helped Qi Mu tidy his own backpack, but Tyrant Qi, who loved freedom and was so careless, ended up turning it into a mess overnight…

Recalling these trivial details, Qi Mu couldn’t help but smile, finding Yin Xiuzhu’s cleanliness obsession quite amusing.

Then he thought about his own ridiculous behavior and felt a bit guilty.

Yin Xiuzhu wasn’t good with words and only kept his unhappiness to himself. Did he ever inadvertently upset him?

Thinking about Yin Xiuzhu’s aggrieved yet silent demeanor, Qi Mu felt a pang of regret for his own insensitivity.

He shuffled downstairs in his slippers, hearing activity in the kitchen. Not paying attention to what Yin Xiuzhu was doing, he went straight to apologize, “I was groggy when I woke up and used your toothbrush cup. Please don’t be angry.”

Yin Xiuzhu was cracking eggs when he heard Qi Mu’s apology and, startled, dropped the bowl.

Seeing this, Qi Mu felt even more anxious: Oh no, does his cleanliness obsession run this deep? Just using a toothbrush cup could make him so agitated that he couldn’t hold onto the bowl.

Fortunately, the bowl was sturdy and didn’t break, but the egg liquid spilled everywhere, leaving a mess on the otherwise pristine floor.

Yin Xiuzhu snapped back to his senses and quickly bent down to clean up.

Qi Mu was quicker and said, “I’ll take care of it, you go change your shoes.” His slippers were covered in egg liquid, and Yin Xiuzhu’s obsession with cleanliness, it must be bothering him.

Yin Xiuzhu wouldn’t let him handle the mess and grabbed his hand, saying, “You go outside, I’ll do it.”

“I can manage,” Qi Mu insisted, “Don’t be polite to me. If there’s anything that bothers you, just tell me. I don’t think things through well, so if I’ve annoyed you…”

Yin Xiuzhu looked puzzled, “Why would you say that?” How could he possibly be annoyed with him?

Qi Mu felt embarrassed and said, “You’re particular about cleanliness, and I’m always so messy…”

“You’re not messy,” Yin Xiuzhu said, surprising himself with his own reaction. He couldn’t stand to hear anyone speak poorly of Qi Mu, even if it was Qi Mu himself. “You’re great.”

With that, he swiftly grabbed the cloth from Qi Mu’s hand and cleaned the floor with quick, efficient movements.

Qi Mu leaned against the counter and said, “If you don’t mind me, why did you drop the eggs just because you heard the toothbrush cup was used…”

Yin Xiuzhu was silent, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of indirect kisses.

Qi Mu felt a bit uncomfortable for several reasons: one was realizing that for so many years, Yin Xiuzhu might have been enduring his messiness; another was being frustrated with himself for not noticing it all this time; and lastly, being distressed that Yin Xiuzhu had suffered silently without ever speaking up.

Qi Mu quietly added, “I saw you even changed the quilt. Is it because you didn’t like that I used it before?”

Yin Xiuzhu found it even harder to explain. Last night, he had been so close to Qi Mu, his vision filled with him, his nose almost touching his, every part of him within reach… Even in his dreams, he was everywhere.

How could he admit to those dreams? Could he confess the dirty desires he had?

The courage he had mustered in the dead of night had long been turned to ashes under the morning sun, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

“It’s not that,” Yin Xiuzhu said with a sigh, “The quilt from last night was a bit too warm for me, so I just changed it.”

Qi Mu was skeptical, “It’s almost winter; how could that quilt be too thick?”

Yin Xiuzhu avoided eye contact and said, “You were hugging me tightly all night.”

Qi Mu froze.

Yin Xiuzhu unconsciously licked his dry lips and said, “You must have had a nightmare. You kept hugging me tightly all night. The quilt was just right on its own, but with you holding me…”

He didn’t need to finish; Qi Mu understood and forced a laugh, “Ha, haha, it’s just my sleeping posture isn’t great.” How embarrassing!

Yin Xiuzhu added, “And it wasn’t just because you used my toothbrush cup that I dropped the bowl.”

Qi Mu scratched his head and asked, “Then what was it?”

Yin Xiuzhu lowered his gaze and said softly, “I’m usually alone at home, so I’m used to the quiet. Hearing a sudden noise was a bit jarring for me.”

Hearing this, Qi Mu’s heart softened. It made sense… usually, it was just him alone, without anyone to talk to, and he was quite loud. It was perfectly normal for Yin Xiuzhu to be startled by such a sudden noise.

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Qi Mu quickly said, “From now on, if I’m free on weekends, I’ll come to keep you company!”

Yin Xiuzhu was momentarily stunned, feeling a mix of emotions: if things continued like last night, he…

Fortunately, Qi Mu quickly added, “Don’t worry. As long as we don’t watch horror movies, I won’t squeeze you. You’ll be able to sleep well on your own.”

Yin Xiuzhu felt a bit dejected upon hearing this.

Feeling comfortable was out of the question, and it wouldn’t be possible for a long time. It would only make him more restless.

But he still wanted Qi Mu to come over. Yin Xiuzhu mustered up his spirits and said, “It’s a promise.”

Qi Mu bumped fists with him, “It’s a promise!”

At that moment, the sleepy little black kitten wandered over, sweetly rubbing against Qi Mu’s legs and meowing.

Qi Mu picked it up and patted its head, “Hungry again?”

The kitten nuzzled his palm, showing off its charm.

Qi Mu smiled, “Just wait, I’ll have Brother Yin cook some chicken breast for you.”

The kitten responded with a cooperative “Meow~.”

Qi Mu tucked the little black kitten under his arm, holding its tiny paw and mimicking its tone, he called out, “Brother Yin.”

Yin Xiuzhu felt a jolt of electricity shoot from his toes to the top of his head. He nearly lost his composure at the sound of “brother.”

To bridge the gap between the person and the cat, Qi Mu put on an enthusiastic performance: “Brother Yin, I want to eat meat~”

Yin Xiuzhu was at a loss for words.

“Eh?” Qi Mu looked surprised, “Where are you going?”

Yin Xiuzhu didn’t look back as he said, “To the bathroom.”

Qi Mu was puzzled and looked down at the kitten. “It seems like your brother doesn’t really like you.”

The kitten nuzzled against him and meowed, “Meow~”

Qi Mu poked its forehead and said, “Don’t always use me for cuddles. Give some to Yin Xiuzhu too. I’m counting on you to keep him company.”

The kitten didn’t seem to understand much, only responding with a “Meow~.”

Qi Mu chuckled, “Little dummy.”

Yin Xiuzhu took a bit longer in the bathroom and came back with a hint of moisture on him.

However, Qi Mu was too engrossed in playing with the kitten, rolling around on the sofa with it, to notice.

Yin Xiuzhu breathed a sigh of relief and continued preparing the “disastrous” lunch.

For Qi Mu, staying at Yin Xiuzhu’s place was a mix of sweetness and discomfort, but he was more than willing. He just wished time would slow down, and if he could stretch this weekend into a lifetime, he would be overjoyed.

As the kitten enjoyed its chicken breast, Qi Mu sat down at the dining table.

“Impressive!” Qi Mu couldn’t hide his surprise, “You’ve done a great job! Even my Da Qiao can’t do better than this!”

On the elegantly set dining table, there were three dishes and a soup. Although they were simple home-cooked meals, they were made with great care, perfectly cooked, and visually appealing—just waiting to be tasted.

Yin Xiuzhu served Qi Mu a bowl of rice. The long-grain rice was cooked to perfection, each grain distinct, looking like little pearls piled up in the porcelain bowl, pleasing to the eye.

Qi Mu took the bowl and said, “You’re really amazing!”

Yin Xiuzhu, feeling satisfied and with a soft look in his eyes, replied, “Taste it.”

After a few bites, Qi Mu gave a thumbs up, “Delicious!”

Yin Xiuzhu, sitting opposite him, said, “As long as it tastes good.”

“Not just good!” Qi Mu was genuinely impressed. “I can’t even tell the difference between salt and sugar, and yet you’ve managed to make a whole table of dishes. I’m really in awe!”

Yin Xiuzhu said, “You don’t have to do these things.” He wouldn’t let Qi Mu handle the mess of cooking.

Qi Mu misunderstood and suggested, “Actually, you could also hire someone to help.”

Yin Xiuzhu smiled and explained, “I don’t like having outsiders around. It’s quieter this way.”

Qi Mu knew that Yin Xiuzhu had been mistreated by a nanny when he was young. Not wanting to touch on a painful subject, he shifted the topic, “This is really delicious!”

Yin Xiuzhu moved the dishes around and said, “If you like it, eat more.”

Qi Mu finished his meal contentedly and set down his chopsticks. He said, “With your cooking skills, whoever marries you is going to hit the jackpot.”

Yin Xiuzhu, who had just finished his meal as well, was taken aback and frowned, “I won’t be getting married.”

Qi Mu asked, “Why not?”

Yin Xiuzhu hesitated, unable to articulate his true feelings—he only wanted to be with Qi Mu.

Not pressing further, Qi Mu sighed and said, “I don’t want to get married either.”

Yin Xiuzhu looked up suddenly, “Why?”

Qi Mu glanced at him and smiled, “When I was younger, I thought you were a girl and even imagined marrying you when we grew up.”

Yin Xiuzhu’s heart skipped a beat. He asked, “What if I were a girl…”

Qi Mu waved his hand, “Just kidding! You’re you, Yin Xiuzhu is a guy, not a girl!” He was always self-conscious about how his eyes might seem feminine, so he understood how mistaken gender identity could hurt one’s pride. He quickly wanted to change the subject.

Yin Xiuzhu pursed his lips and said nothing.

Qi Mu changed his tone, “Actually, the reason I don’t want to get married is that my mom is just too wonderful. But there’s only one Qiao in the world, and she’s already been taken by Dashan. Where am I going to find another one? So, I’m not getting married!”

Yin Xiuzhu agreed, “Aunt Qiao is great.” If his own mother were a demon, Qiao Jin would be an angel, bringing light and warmth to the children.

Qi Mu was always insensitive when he should be sensitive, and overly sensitive when it wasn’t necessary, which was endearing.

He understood why Yin Xiuzhu didn’t want to get married. If the first female role that boys long for is their mother, then the female role in Yin Xiuzhu’s life only brings him nightmares.

With a mother like that and some terrible nannies, it’s no wonder he couldn’t yearn for marriage.

“Well,” Qi Mu said, “you’ll definitely meet someone even better than Qiao in the future.”

Yin Xiuzhu looked up at him and whispered, “You’re the best person I’ve ever met.”

Qi Mu responded with a laugh, “But I’m a guy.” He continued jokingly, “If my mom had made me a girl, I could have been your Qiao!”

His casual words made Yin Xiuzhu’s heart race like a frenzied generator, sending electric currents through his entire being.

“Qi Mu…”

Qi Mu laughed heartily again, “That’s not right either. My surname is Qi, not Qiao.”

Yin Xiuzhu really wanted to hold his hand, embrace him, and whisper in his ear that he wanted him for life, no matter what he was like.

But he couldn’t say it.

Qi Mu felt the topic had passed and stood up, saying, “I’ll clean up the dishes.”

Yin Xiuzhu said, “Go check if the kitten has finished eating. If it has, bring its bowl along.”

Qi Mu, happy to be given a task, went off to check on the kitten. By the time he returned, Yin Xiuzhu had already put the dishes in the dishwasher and tidied up.

Holding the kitten, Qi Mu asked, “Shall we go to the supermarket? We need to buy some cat food and other supplies.” To properly care for the little guy, it couldn’t just eat chicken breast.

Yin Xiuzhu asked softly, “When will you go home?”

Qi Mu replied, “In the evening. I’ll wait for my dad to come back from work and give me a ride.”

Yin Xiuzhu asked again, “So will you still have dinner here tonight?”

“Sure.” Qi Mu thought about how eating alone could be quite lonely and added, “If Dashan comes early, let him try your cooking too.”

Yin Xiuzhu smiled, “Alright.”

They changed their clothes and went out together to the supermarket in the city center.

Although buying pet supplies from a pet store would have been better, neither of them had owned pets before and hadn’t thought of it. They only remembered that the supermarket had a pet section and decided to check it out and pick up a complete set of supplies.

The supermarket was located in a shopping mall, and it was quite crowded since it was the weekend.

Qi Mu found shopping tedious. Usually, when his mom dragged him out, he would just sit down once they entered a store, nodding at whatever Daqiao chose to put on, embodying the perfect example of a disinterested guy.

His mom Qiao would scold him, “It’s better to have a stick than you.”

Qi Mu, the “stick,” would try to please her, “Mom, you look so good that everything you wear looks great.”

Qiao would pinch his cheek, “Sweet-talking. Don’t use these lines to fool young girls.”

Qi Mu shared these anecdotes with Yin Xiuzhu, still feeling indignant, “Do I look like someone who would trick girls?”

Yin Xiuzhu replied seriously, “Not at all.”

Qi Mu recalled how Xu Xiaoming once complained about him using sweet talk to get help with homework and chuckled, “I only use it to get you to do my homework.”

Yin Xiuzhu was taken aback.

Qi Mu said, “I’m just trying to get you to do my homework.”

Yin Xiuzhu had originally resolved to help him break this bad habit, but now he was wavering—when he heard those words, he was completely lost.

They entered the supermarket and headed towards the pet section. As they passed the snack aisle, Qi Mu’s cravings resurfaced. “Chocolate…”

Yin Xiuzhu replied, “We still have some at home.”

Qi Mu, looking eager, responded, “Is there ever too much chocolate?”

Yin Xiuzhu remained silent.

Qi Mu, trying to be charming, added a piece of candy, “The ones you gave me, I want to save them up.”

Yin Xiuzhu’s initial thought might have been to buy all the chocolate in the supermarket for Qi Mu.

They went to the candy aisle. Although they didn’t manage to buy any chocolate, they ran into someone they knew.

Qi Mu’s sharp eyes spotted them immediately, “Isn’t that your class’s PE rep?”

Seeing Pang Liang, who he had a good relationship with, Qi Mu wanted to say hello. However, Yin Xiuzhu pulled him back.

Qi Mu then noticed that beside Pang Liang was a girl in a white sweater, who seemed quite delicate.

Qi Mu blinked and said curiously, “That person… isn’t she the publicity rep from your class, Jiang Manman?”

Though not in Class 2, his attention was fully there, and he had learned the names of all the students from that class. He leaned closer to Yin Xiuzhu and whispered, “Aren’t they dating?”

Yin Xiuzhu’s ears were tingling, and he could hardly make sense of what Qi Mu was saying.

Qi Mu chuckled, “Can’t tell, huh? Seems like Comrade Pang is quite capable!”

Pang Liang and Jiang Manman, oblivious to their acquaintances around the corner, were engrossed in their date. They had been discreet at school, so now, finally having a weekend out, they were completely absorbed in each other.

Pang Liang said something that made Jiang Manman blush deeply. To Qi Mu’s astonishment, Pang Liang leaned in and kissed Jiang Manman.

Qi Mu clutched Yin Xiuzhu’s arm tightly and gasped, “They just kissed!”

Yin Xiuzhu, who wasn’t paying attention to others, was more aware of Qi Mu pressing against him.

Qi Mu continued to mutter, “I’ve never kissed anyone before. What’s it like?”

Yin Xiuzhu’s throat felt parched as if there was a fire burning inside him, rendering him speechless.

Qi Mu, trying to sneak a peek without getting caught, looked like a little thief.

Coincidentally, someone did mistake him for a thief. The lady in charge of the candy section, who was always wary of these sneaky kids, shouted, “What are you sneaking around for!” Her voice was as loud and commanding as a tiger’s roar.

Startled by her yell, Qi Mu, who was already feeling guilty about his covert behavior, jumped in surprise.

He had been hiding behind a makeshift candy display, supported by two central shelves. While it was sufficient to hide a person, it wasn’t very stable.

Qi Mu was startled and leaned backward. The table couldn’t withstand his weight, collapsing like a domino, scattering candy all over the place.

The candies, one by one, were like small beads. Qi Mu instinctively wanted to run, but his feet slipped on them as if he were wearing ice skates. His body swayed, and in his panic, he grabbed onto Yin Xiuzhu.

Fearing that Qi Mu might fall, Yin Xiuzhu quickly held him tight. Neither of them could maintain their balance on the pile of candy.

As they fell, Yin Xiuzhu ended up beneath Qi Mu.

By sheer coincidence, Qi Mu ended up kissing Yin Xiuzhu on the lips.