Fang Siyu sat with a stack of documents resting on his lap, clearly having waited outside for some time.

He gently smoothed out a crease on the page and said, “Nothing much. The last time we met was at the family dinner. It’s rare to see you at the company, so I thought I’d come say hi. Besides, I have business with Dad too.” He looked up, his slender eyes observing his younger brother through silver-rimmed glasses with a calm that felt like spring rain, his short black hair casting a faint shadow on his brow.

“So, why are you in such a rush? Is it because of a relationship?”

Despite taking after their mother in looks and intelligence—like a noble black bamboo—Fang Jingcheng felt his brother Siyu’s personality actually resembled their father and grandmother more. Outwardly warm and composed, but inwardly dark as night, making anyone who had to deal with him feel uncomfortable.

Even Dad knew he’d been dumped by Li Yuetong. How could Fang Siyu not know?

Catching the hint of sarcasm hidden in his words, Fang Jingcheng couldn’t help but shoot a sideways glance at his seated brother.

If it weren’t for his own missteps—and his father’s stern command from the office next door to “behave”—he’d definitely spar a little more with his dear brother right now.

Take a step back and let things be. Cool down and think of this month’s allowance.

Suppressing his irritation, Fang Jingcheng forced a smile and replied, “I’ve just been busy with college studies. I still have classes this afternoon. I’ve said my hellos, so can I head back to campus now?” He clearly intended to end the conversation.

If Fang Siyu were that easy to brush off, they wouldn’t be in this antagonistic standoff to begin with.

“I’m glad you’re so studious,” his brother replied serenely, hand resting on his knee as he calmly turned the page, adopting the perfect posture of a caring elder.

“Mom has an important overseas conference these days, and she’s traveling a lot. She might not be able to keep an eye on things here.”

“If you need anything, feel free to let me know.”

The suggestion was so ridiculous that Fang Jingcheng almost laughed.

Keep an eye on me?

Whether it was dyeing his hair to make himself look different from their father or deliberately meddling in his brother’s relationships, his mother never truly cared about him.

If Fang Siyu hadn’t mentioned it, he wouldn’t even have known his mom was out of the country.

So, rather than a genuine concern for his daily life, it felt more like a flex of his brother’s position in both family and company. Fang Jingcheng raised an eyebrow, finally losing his patience.

“No need for your concern. I’ll take care of myself.”

He was done standing obediently in front of his brother, like a subordinate listening to orders. Leaning one hand on the back of the couch, he slouched onto the armrest next to Fang Siyu, leaned in, and chuckled.

“But what about you, Brother? I heard you walked out of another meeting recently. How’s your health holding up? It’s not good to work yourself too hard—sometimes, you just need to relax.”

Usually meticulous in appearance, Fang Siyu despised his unruly demeanor. Sure enough, the typically composed man furrowed his brows, subtly shifting his body to create distance.

“It’s true. Dealing with Manager Huang’s misuse of the private equity fund took a lot out of me. But now that’s handled, I can spare some time to relax. I always have time to care for my little brother.”

“When Secretary Zhang was buying a laptop, I offered a few suggestions. I wonder if it meets your approval?”

Laptop? Secretary Zhang?

No wonder the list included a computer as plain as a cement brick, with that infuriating minimalist design. He’d kicked it off his list immediately, baffled that a programmer wouldn’t want customizable RGB lighting but would settle for that ugly thing. Turns out, it was Fang Siyu’s idea.

Fang Jingcheng’s eye twitched, and before he could mock his brother’s outdated taste, he was hit with another bombshell.

“Though I can only help so much. I’ll be a judge in this year’s Modeling Competition. To keep things fair, maybe it’s best we maintain a little distance.”

“Judge? Isn’t that… not really your style? Don’t you hate public events and all the noise?”

Questions spilled out of him as he unconsciously clenched the couch upholstery.

Finally, he started to take a closer look at his older brother. The document resting on Fang Siyu’s lap was indeed the competition proposal, and his brother had already signed it as the person in charge.

“What’s so wrong with it? I’m a national competition champion, an outstanding alumnus of F University, and Director of the Group’s Venture Capital Division. It’s perfectly reasonable for me to be a judge…”

His long fingers traced the paper with a hint of playfulness, like a cat tangled with its beloved ball of yarn. The pale, sickly white of his fingertips starkly contrasted the crimson university emblem.

“Like you said, I should relax a little from work. This is the perfect chance to revisit my alma mater and see the vibrant faces of the younger students, don’t you think?”

Fang Jingcheng could already picture the man standing in the spotlight, surrounded by admiration. Such scenes had played out countless times, seared into his memory since childhood.

Elegant looks, flawless résumé—this excellent brother was like the maestro of a grand symphony, and his warm, soft tongue the baton, directing every admiring gaze like a melodic masterpiece.

No way. That stage was supposed to be for him and Xia Fu. They had a “duet” of their own to perform. There was no way he’d let Fang Siyu steal the show.

Just the thought of Xia Fu watching his brother and listening intently to the judge’s questions made Fang Jingcheng’s stomach churn.

Pretending to be amicable brothers was futile, and the peaceful atmosphere finally dissipated as he narrowed his eyes, letting out a cold laugh. “I don’t need your favoritism.”

“Did I make you nervous?”

Fang Siyu didn’t back down from his brother’s challenge, his thin lips curving into a faint smile.

“Don’t worry; I won’t say anything about a poor performance. Take things slowly. After all, I didn’t start winning awards as a freshman either.”

“It’s just a shame about the girl you’re partnering with. I wonder how much progress she’s lost by now.”

Though they had contrasting styles, when they smiled, the brothers revealed an uncanny resemblance—they both shared an air of pure innocence and mischief.

The youth’s dark eyes were like a deep, bottomless pool, reflecting his younger brother’s shocked expression.

So that’s why he brought up “relationships” out of nowhere. Was he setting him up?

At the family dinner, he hadn’t even looked directly at Li Yuetong, and during their relationship, he’d been content to watch on the sidelines. What on earth was he doing now? Had he gone mad?

The sudden realization made Fang Jingcheng’s ice-blue eyes shrink.

But before he could dig any deeper, Fang Siyu rose, calmly closed his folder, checked his watch, and nodded at Fang Jingcheng on the couch.

“This was a pleasant chat. I have to go report on our progress now. We’ll meet again.”

“Looking forward to seeing what you’re capable of.”

The heavy office door closed in front of Fang Jingcheng with a slow “click.”