Chapter 2

When he woke up, he seemed to still feel the aftermath of last night’s headache. He swallowed the painkiller brought by room service and hastily finished breakfast. Before checking in at the hotel last night, he went home and packed some simple luggage, including his laptop and documents, and then drove directly to the company.

During the traffic jam, he found time to send a WeChat message to Chi Cong.

[I broke up with your brother.] He didn’t bother to say more, letting Chi Cong ask Chi Yan himself.

He originally thought that this busy person would take a few hours to reply, but the message came back immediately, with three question marks expressing surprise:

[? ? ?]

Then came a phone call. Ji Heyi was holding the steering wheel with both hands, without headphones, and casually swiped to hang up the call.

But WeChat started ringing crazily:

[Are you joking?]

[Joking?]

[You son of a…!]

[Ji Heyi, you dumped Chi Yan!??]

[Where are you! What happened? Answer the phone?!]

Another red light, Ji Heyi replied to his message.

[It was your brother who dumped me.]

He also sent an emoji, which was a GIF of the movie emperor Chi himself, being played by fans: Surprised or not, unexpected or not.gif.

[??? Impossible!]

Chi Cong roared one last time. Ji Heyi drove all the way to the company without seeing any more messages from him. He probably went to call Chi Yan.

He felt that Chi Cong’s shock was somewhat unnecessary. He also wanted to ask himself yesterday, why he found it unbelievable to be dumped at the beginning, when both he and Chi Cong should know Chi Yan better than anyone else.

Back when Chi Yan was attracted to Ji Heyi and had been courting him for more than a year, it was also Chi Cong who repeatedly warned Ji Heyi, emphasizing that Chi Yan was all about flirting and not marrying, and told him not to care.

He really wanted him to praise his brother, who was spoiled by the whole family. Chi Cong probably held back for a long time, searched all over his dandy body for all the advantages, and could only blurt out “He is smart, good-looking, broad shoulders, long legs, and tall.” Then Chi Cong, the narcissist, might even add: “Not as good-looking as me, not as tall as me.”

It wasn’t until after work that he received another message from Chi Cong.

He guessed that he had already figured out the situation, but he just sent a string of ellipses expressing complex emotions: “……….”

He didn’t forget to express his stance of helping reason and not helping relatives: “I’m cutting off my brotherly relationship with that little beast, from now on, I only have you as my real brother [obedient.jpg]”

He even used his own, actor Chi’s emoji.

Ji Heyi laughed.

It’s impossible to cut off the relationship. He thought that Chi Cong is probably cursing and helping Chi Yan pack his luggage or furnish his apartment. This is in line with his wishes. With Chi Cong’s urging, Chi Yan could at least leave his house a few days faster. He doesn’t like living in hotels.

But he didn’t expect that Chi Cong doesn’t seem to be in the mood to deal with Chi Yan’s affairs now.

[Hey, let me tell you something, to prove that we are real brothers.]

[The kind of brothers who share hardships.]

This time, even through the screen, one could feel the heaviness in his words: [What a coincidence, I was dumped too.]

[Fellow sufferers of lost love, let’s have a drink.]

The attached picture is of an empty seat in a bar.

The bar where Chi Cong drowns his sorrows has good privacy protection, and public figures visit from time to time. Ji Heyi doesn’t have to worry about being photographed and making headlines the next day with this screen worker.

When he found Chi Cong, there was already an empty bottle in front of him. Ji Heyi glanced at it, vodka, the kind with the highest alcohol content.

The matter is quite significant.

Chi Cong and his girlfriend had been in a secret relationship for three years, with few opportunities to go out. Ji Heyi originally didn’t remember his girlfriend’s name very well, but thanks to yesterday’s incident, with Chi Yan and Nian Zhenyan showing their faces in front, not only the name, but even the woman’s appearance left a vague impression: Nian Jinyan, a small actress whose fame hasn’t caught up with her beauty.

He took the wine that Chi Cong poured for him: “When did this happen?”

“Three days ago.”

Chi Cong was lying on the table, his eyes red, not knowing whether it was from drinking or lack of sleep, “I originally wanted to have a drink with you that day, but I really didn’t have the face. I didn’t listen to your advice at the beginning, I didn’t know people clearly, and I had a few months of awkwardness with you……..”

He raised his hand and pressed his face.

“Forget it, it’s not like I was sincerely advising you, I even forgot when I asked you about your love life.” As he said this, he remembered that the woman who was flirting with Chi Cong at the time had also given him an ambiguous hint.

Now he pondered Chi Cong’s situation and guessed: “Cheating?”

Chi Cong’s expression was hard to describe: “Even worse, I caught them in bed.”

“……”

Ji Heyi silently clinked his glass.

“I’ve fallen for this the third time, women are really hurtful.” He drank a glass for his bumpy love road, and belched, “The day before yesterday, I was still asking Chi Yan for advice, or else I should do the same as you guys, find a man to make do with, at least I don’t have to think about proposing all the time, if the other party really does something unscrupulous, just beat them up and be done with it, but now, look at my unlucky little brother………”

“…..”

Ji Heyi had to remind him: “When we find a man to make do with, we are also responsible.”

“It’s different from your unlucky little brother.”

Chi Cong choked: “……..What exactly happened? That jerk didn’t explain to me in detail, he hung up my call after a few words.”

Ji Heyi briefly told Chi Cong about what happened yesterday, and also mentioned the younger brother of his ex-girlfriend, whose name he remembered very clearly: Nian Zhenyan.

“Huh?” Chi Cong widened his eyes, “They hooked up? That can’t be, they didn’t just meet, Nian Jinyan has brought her brother to meet us many times before, we’ve known that boy for two years, if they wanted to hook up, they wouldn’t wait until now——uh.”

Under Ji Heyi’s gaze, Chi Cong stopped talking, obviously realizing that this was not a favorable testimony for Chi Yan.

Ji Heyi laughed a little: “Maybe the situation occurred earlier than we knew, your brother has been wronged these two years.”

“That’s not possible.” Chi Cong recalled the three years of their relationship, “The movie emperor is me, not him.”

Even though he said that, he was still unsure in his heart. After all, just half a day ago, he was still adamantly disbelieving that Chi Yan would dump someone, and now he has been slapped in the face. After a moment of silence, he carefully poured Ji Heyi a drink: “…….Did you beat him up?”

“Not necessary.”

“Then I’ll definitely beat him up when I get the chance.”

Chi Cong was rubbing his temples, his eyebrows furrowed tightly, “He shouldn’t have provoked you in the first place, you two are not the same kind of people. It’s been three years, and I’ve seen how he seems to be so fond of you that just one more glance at you could make him eat two more bowls of rice. I thought he had changed, but that jerk! This terrible playfulness is inherently from his mother’s womb, it will never get better in this lifetime. He bent someone without considering the consequences, messed around for three years and then ran away – no, a beating is not enough, this time I really have to drag him in front of my parents and let him get a good beating.”

“There’s no need, auntie has high blood pressure.” Ji Heyi swayed the wine glass in his hand, but didn’t drink it. He looked at Chi Cong’s appearance and thought he would have to drive later, “Besides, what he did is not too outrageous, at least before he confirmed the relationship with that boy, he honestly proposed to break up with me.”

• He didn’t even let me catch him in bed.

There’s no need to say this and jab at Chi Cong. Ji Heyi took a sip of the water next to him to moisten his throat. Although he was indeed caught off guard by the breakup, the other party gave enough reasons, and the breakup was decisive and neat, saving both parties from wasting energy on emotional problems that had already appeared before the breakup. He really doesn’t have any anger or resentment towards Chi Yan, in the future, he will just be a friend’s younger brother, a respected elder’s child, an acquaintance who can still greet when meeting.

Chi Cong sighed: “What about your parents then, you made so many preparations before, are you still going to tell them?”

“Not for now, but I’ve already told my mom about the dinner. When the time comes, you can go back with me as usual, just to have a normal meal.”

“Okay.”

As expected, Chi Cong really got drunk in the bar.

The place where he lived had complex access control, requiring the face of the homeowner himself. In Chi Cong’s current state, it was not very convenient to show his face in front of security. The hotel was also not an option. Chi Yan, the movie emperor, always cherished his feathers. Now, if he helped him in, it might be possible that the gossip tabloids could pluck his feathers the next day. The trouble with being a public figure is just like this.

So, he drove directly to Xiyuan.

Although bringing him back to his own home, he might run into Chi Yan and disturb the night life of a newly minted couple, but that was his own place. Ji Heyi wouldn’t need to avoid it. Presumably, with Chi Yan’s thick skin, he wouldn’t feel awkward.

The corridor light was dim. Ji Heyi, supporting Chi Cong, brought him to the door. In a moment, he had already fallen asleep, half of his face pressed against Ji Heyi’s shoulder, only revealing the upper half of his handsome and profound eyebrows and eyes.

The Chi brothers looked very similar, especially the upper half of their faces. The arc from the eyebrows to the bridge of the nose was like a line art work drawn and spread out.

At the familiar home entrance, at a glance, he had the illusion that he was supporting a drunk Chi Yan.

However, if this were Chi Yan, he wouldn’t be so obedient. Even if he was drunk to the point of unconsciousness, he could, with his canine-like instinct, smell a familiar scent and cling to people like a dog bone. Without going through some struggle, there would be no room for Ji Heyi to free his hands to open the door.

After observing his own memories for a moment, he aimed the key at the keyhole.

As soon as he opened the door, before Ji Heyi could reach the light switch, there was a click, and someone had already turned on the wall light first.

Ji Heyi turned his head and, unsurprisingly, saw Chi Yan coming out of the bedroom. He was still wearing yesterday’s shirt, the collar had a bit of wine stain, his hair was messy, and he was all wrinkled, as if he had slept from last night until now.

Ji Heyi looked at the wide-open bedroom door and frowned.

Chi Yan was sleeping in the master bedroom.

A day ago, they were still living together here, and now they are exes standing across a whole living room. Without too bright a light, they could imagine each other’s familiar expressions from a turn of the head.

“There’s no helping it, I’m used to this bed.” Chi Yan spread his hands innocently, “If you had told me thirty minutes in advance that you were coming back, I would have had time to restore the bedroom to its original state and come out from the guest room.”

He went to pour himself some water, and glanced at the drunk Chi Cong: “Drunk like this, the heartbreak is deeper than imagined.”

Ji Heyi didn’t argue with him about sleeping in the master bedroom. Changing a set of bedding is not a big deal, and he didn’t have the energy to explain that part of Chi Cong’s sorrow drowned in alcohol was due to his annoying little brother.

He propped up Chi Cong’s drooping head and said: “He can’t stay in a hotel.”

The master bedroom was empty, he didn’t know if Nian Zhenyan had already left, or if he was sleeping in the only guest room. If he was sleeping in the guest room, he couldn’t let Chi Cong sleep on the living room sofa.

“Isn’t your home his hotel, he can come and go anytime.” Chi Yan walked back to the bedroom and casually opened the door to the guest room, “And there’s perfect room service.”

The room was empty, there was no one. Chi Yan held the cup, took a sip of water leisurely, and watched him half-carrying Chi Cong towards the guest room: “Need help?”

He asked with his mouth, but leaned against the wall without any intention of lending a hand.

“No need.”

Ji Heyi brought Chi Cong into the room and closed the door behind him.

The guest room had just been cleaned last month, and the quilt needed to be spread again.

Considering that Chi Cong had just gone through a lot of ups and downs and was in a really miserable state, Ji Heyi didn’t directly put him on the stiff mattress, but took some effort to make the bed.

He also took off his shoes and went to get a quilt from the closet.

Suddenly, there were two knocks on the door.

Ji Heyi brought out the quilt, and before he could spread it over Chi Cong, the light knocking sound suddenly turned into a loud bang on the door.

Chi Cong, who was in a deep sleep, turned uneasily.

Ji Heyi opened the door.

Chi Yan, who was just stepping back from the door, took a gasping breath.

“The door wasn’t locked.” Ji Heyi frowned, “What are you doing?”

If he hadn’t smelled the smell of alcohol in the house when he entered, he would have thought that the person in front of him had drunk too much and was going crazy.

The man with an even more disheveled shirt looked around his face, looked into the room and said “Ah” and slowly pulled the corners of his mouth: “I didn’t pay attention, didn’t you remember that you have the habit of locking the door with your backhand when you enter a kitchen.” After saying that, he turned around to get a glass of water, as if the person who just left a dent in the wooden door wasn’t him.

“I pour a glass of water for my brother, to show filial piety.” He went into the room on his own, lifted the quilt of the sleeping person with a swoosh, and reached towards his shoulder as if to lift him up.

“He’s sound asleep, put the cup on the bedside, he will drink it himself when he wakes up in the middle of the night.”

So, Chi Yan put down Chi Cong and placed the water cup on the bedside table.

Ji Heyi glanced at Chi Cong’s awkward sleeping position and decided to leave the matter to Chi Yan. After all, this younger brother seemed to be quite energetic: “He can’t sleep well like this all night, help him take off his clothes.”

Chi Yan chuckled: “Okay, undress, the room service is thorough.” He flipped Chi Cong over like flipping a pancake, letting him face up, and asked, “Are you going back to the hotel?”

Asking the host to stay in a hotel while standing in the host’s house, he didn’t have the slightest awareness of being an intruder.

Ji Heyi nodded slightly, and intended to urge him to move out.

Just after entering the door, he took a quick glance, and it didn’t look like there were any traces of packing in the room. But on second thought, when Chi Cong wakes up tomorrow, he will naturally urge him, so he didn’t say much, “I’m leaving.” He closed the door as he left.