At first, Ji Chenai felt that Zhou Yaoyun was being excessively kind to him—so kind that it almost felt unreal. However, as time passed, he became accustomed to Zhou Yaoyun’s behavior. Besides, if Zhou Yaoyun had any ill intentions, Xiao Qi would surely raise the alarm.

Reflecting on this, Ji Chenai realized he might have been overly sensitive, perhaps due to having endured too much mistreatment in the past. He found himself questioning the good intentions of others.

Zhou Yaoyun’s birthday was in early July, just three or four days before summer vacation. Because he had a competition to prepare for, Zhou Yaoyun would be returning home later than most of his peers.

He had also prepared a birthday gift for Zhou Yaoyun, and since he wasn’t short on money, he ordered a pair of sneakers online that cost over two thousand yuan. If Zhou Yaoyun asked where he got the money, Ji Chenai could proudly say he found it while picking up trash!

When Zhou Yaoyun received the gift, he was thrilled and hugged Ji Chenai tightly from behind, not letting go for a long time. However, he didn’t inquire about where the money for the sneakers came from.

Since Zhou Yaoyun didn’t ask, Ji Chenai was happy to keep it to himself. He watched as Zhou Yaoyun bustled around the kitchen in an apron, and unexpectedly, his mood brightened.

Around eleven in the morning, Zhou Yaoyun’s classmates started arriving one after another. Most of them were from the basketball team, with a few others who were good friends from his class.

Ji Chenai wasn’t fond of large gatherings, so he stayed in his bedroom, listening to the noisy chatter outside. He continued to earn energy points by typing and posting on his keyboard and mouse until it was almost time for dinner. That was when Zhou Yaoyun came in to call him to the table.

As Zhou Yaoyun wheeled Ji Chenai out, the room quieted for a moment, but it soon burst back into lively chatter. One girl jokingly asked Zhou Yaoyun why he was hiding such a cute brother away from everyone, suggesting he must want to keep him all to himself.

Zhou Yaoyun smiled gently and replied, “My brother is a bit shy, so please don’t tease him.”

Though the brothers had some resemblance, their temperaments were entirely different. Zhou Yaoyun was tall and handsome, the quintessential popular boy, while Zhou Yaoqin had a more refined look, with shallow dimples appearing whenever he smiled. One looked like their father, while the other resembled their mother. If not for Zhou Yaoqin’s leg issue, he would likely be quite the dashing young man.

Zhou Yaoyun’s cooking skills were well-known, and his classmates enjoyed the meal thoroughly. As the boys began drinking, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and even Ji Chenai found himself coaxed into having a few drinks.

Fortunately, Zhou Yaoyun kept an eye on Ji Chenai, helping him avoid too much alcohol. Everyone was considerate of Ji Chenai’s health, so they only drank moderately.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere among the young people grew increasingly harmonious. Zhou Yaoyun had also drunk quite a bit, but he still seemed a ways off from getting drunk.

Suddenly, a sharp female voice cut through the noise: “Oh no, my phone is missing!”

The lively chatter came to an abrupt halt, and the girl who had spoken appeared visibly flustered. “Can someone call my phone?” she urged.

A boy sitting next to her picked up his phone and dialed. After a moment, he reported, “It’s turned off.”

Zhou Yaoyun, who was in the middle of a conversation, turned to ask, “What’s wrong, Xiao Mu?”

The girl, referred to as Xiao Mu, widened her eyes in alarm. “Zhou Yaoyun, my phone is missing!”

The crowd exchanged confused glances, uncertain about what to do.

Xiao Mu continued, “I just bought it! I haven’t even warmed it up yet, and now it’s gone…”

The boy sitting next to Xiao Mu said, “Can you check again? Didn’t I just see you playing with it?”

Xiao Mu replied, sounding aggrieved, “I posted on Weibo and then went to the bathroom. When I came back, it was gone. Besides, if I had lost it, why would it be turned off?”

The atmosphere grew noticeably awkward. Since everyone invited by Zhou Yaoyun were acquaintances, if there was indeed a thief, it had to be someone in the room.

The girls beside Xiao Mu chimed in, “Don’t worry, we’ll help you look for it.”

Xiao Mu’s expression was one of deep distress, and she looked like she was about to cry.

Zhou Yaoyun furrowed his brows and hesitated for a moment before saying, “If we can’t find it, I’ll stay with you.”

Xiao Mu protested, “That’s not fair! You didn’t take my phone! But it wasn’t cheap…”

At that moment, a girl sitting next to Xiao Mu suddenly scoffed, “Lost it? How else could it be gone? Someone must have stolen it! We all know each other, so we can check our bags when we leave. I don’t believe someone could just sneak it out!”

The crowd’s expressions soured at her words.

Xiao Mu said, “That’s not really nice, Xiong Zi…”

The girl, referred to as Xiong Ziyao, looked at Xiao Mu with a hint of disdain and coldly replied, “What’s wrong with that? Everyone stay still. This way, the thief won’t be able to hide the stolen phone. The boys can let Yaoyun check their bags, and the girls can choose three people to check each other. Then we can check everyone’s bags. That way, we can be sure.”

^_^