Chapter 9 My Brother

In Jiayou City, there was only one large ice rink open during the summer, and teenagers loved to hang out there for the air conditioning. On weekends, it got even more crowded. Lu Heyang used the excuse of doing homework and dawdled until three in the afternoon before heading out to the ice rink.

For him, this outing was filled with uncertainty. He was secretly excited and nervous, but this feeling was like facing a particularly beloved colorful bubble—afraid that if he got too close and touched it, it might burst.

By this time, Lu Xun had already been skating for two hours. He was leaning against the rink's railing with Cheng Dongxu, sipping Beibingyang soda.

Cheng Dongxu, who had been suspicious that Lu Xun was dating someone, saw him constantly glancing toward the entrance and punched him in the chest. "Did you invite your girlfriend here or what?"

Lu Xun nearly spat out the soda in his mouth from the punch. He finally managed to swallow it and glared at Cheng Dongxu. "Is your mind always on women?"

"What else should it be on?" Cheng Dongxu looked at Lu Xun like he was an idiot. "Should I be thinking about men?"

Lu Xun gritted his back teeth.

After a brief silence, Cheng Dongxu suddenly burst into a fit of earth-shaking laughter.

"Damn, don't tell me you've got a thing for me?"

He laughed so hard he nearly fell on his butt on the ice.

"Get lost!"

If he weren't wearing skates, Lu Xun would have kicked the screaming Cheng Dongxu right there.

The windscreen at the entrance was suddenly lifted, revealing Lu Heyang's flushed face, red from the heat. Lu Xun hesitated for a moment before pushing off and gliding over.

Finally, it was the weekend, and the students who had been cooped up at school loved to dress up in stylish and unique outfits. But Lu Heyang, clean and neat, still wore his school uniform, standing out among the crowd.

"What size shoes do you wear?"

"39."

Even his feet were delicate. Lu Xun clicked his tongue and tapped the counter. "Another pair in size 39."

Before long, he came back with the shoes. "Do you know how to wear them?"

Lu Heyang pressed his lips together, silently took the shoes, and sat down to put them on.

Lu Xun set the soda bottle on the ground and crouched down to lace up Lu Heyang's skates. Lu Heyang instinctively tried to pull his foot back, but Lu Xun held his ankle firmly.

Because of his seated position, Lu Heyang's school pants were pulled up, leaving Lu Xun's hand directly against his skin. The coolness from the glass bottle quickly turned into a burning sensation, eventually leading to a slight sweat.

But whether it was his sweat or Lu Xun's, he couldn't tell.

"Don't move," Lu Xun commanded.

Lu Heyang stiffened, lowering his gaze to the top of Lu Xun's head. A tuft of hair at the back was stubbornly sticking up, likely from sleeping.

"That's…" Cheng Dongxu also came over to the edge of the rink, dragging out his words in an exaggerated tone, wide-eyed.

"My brother," Lu Xun rolled his eyes, "go play by yourself."

Cheng Dongxu clicked his tongue. These two brothers were like a couple. When they were at odds, Lu Xun would talk about how much he disliked Lu Heyang, and he would join in the complaints. But in the end

, the brothers would reconcile, leaving Cheng Dongxu feeling like the fool.

"You're something else," Cheng Dongxu said, giving a thumbs up before skating away. As he glided, he thought to himself, "This guy snatched away the drumstick, the parents' attention, and even the bedroom, and in the future, he'll have to split the inheritance too. Yet here Lu Xun is, eagerly tying his shoelaces. He's got the resilience to do great things."

Lu Xun couldn't be bothered with him and simply said to Lu Heyang, "Try standing up."

Lu Heyang braced himself and stood up with little difficulty.

"Not bad. Let's get on the ice. Just hold onto the railing," Lu Xun said with a smile.

Then, he naturally took Lu Heyang's hand, enveloping him in the warmth of a summer day.

Everyone knew that Lu Xun hated him.

Yet within two days, Lu Heyang had heard the word "brother" from him twice. He even invited him to skate and tied his shoelaces. It was uncharacteristically odd.

He stared at Lu Xun's hand, hesitating before curling his fingers, as if trying to gauge the authenticity and kindness of the gesture. Finally, he tightened his grip, holding Lu Xun's hand in return.

Skating was a sport full of unpredictability, something that felt both unfamiliar and intriguing to Lu Heyang.

"Don't push off with both legs at once. Start by pushing with one leg, then the other. Keep your body upright and find your balance," Lu Xun instructed seriously, his arms loosely encircling Lu Heyang's waist, ready to catch him if he wobbled.

The third time Lu Heyang fell into Lu Xun's arms, the force was too great for Lu Xun to hold him up, and they both ended up sitting on the ice, sliding together like a pair of wild ducks with slippery feet until they stopped at the edge of the rink. Rubbing his sore backside, Lu Xun looked up to see Lu Heyang laughing.

Come to think of it, he had rarely seen this person laugh.

Lu Heyang mostly maintained a quiet demeanor; even when he did smile, it was a small, restrained smile, as if he was holding back. But now, he was laughing fully, almost breathlessly, his eyes squinting to the point where the whites were barely visible, leaving only a bright, lively gleam. His cheeks had become fuller, glowing with radiance.

Lu Xun couldn't help but laugh along with him.

As soon as Lu Xun started laughing, Lu Heyang abruptly stopped.

He quickly wiped the smile from his face, pursed his lips, and struggled to stand up using the railing for support.

"It's okay, you'll get the hang of it after a few falls," Lu Xun said.

But Lu Heyang responded, "I'm tired."

"Want some soda? They sell it over there."

Lu Heyang didn't actually want any soda; he was simply afraid of being laughed at by Lu Xun. But he nodded anyway. The two of them held hands as they skated toward the edge of the rink. Just before they reached the railing, a young man sped past Lu Heyang, brushing against his shoulder. Startled, he lost his balance.

Since they were close to the edge, Lu Xun had already let go of his hand. In his panic, Lu Heyang instinctively grabbed the nearest person, and they both ended up falling to the ground together.

There was chaos behind them, with sharp laughter and teasing whistles echoing around. When Lu Xun turned around, he saw that at some point, Lu Heyang had taken a fall and ended up tangled with a girl in a short uniform skirt. His hand was awkwardly resting on her waist.

Lu Xun frowned, quickly skating back to help him up, first pulling up Lu Heyang and then giving the girl a hand. Lu Heyang stumbled as he stood, bending his knee slightly.

"Are you hurt?" Lu Xun asked.

"Yeah," Lu Heyang replied.

He had probably bruised himself.

"Didn't I tell you to stay with me? How did you manage to fall on someone else?" Lu Xun said irritably, his tone harsh. "You're such a troublemaker."

Lu Heyang suddenly looked up, meeting Lu Xun's eyes to gauge his emotions.

"Damn it, Lu Xun?!" A figure suddenly skated up to them, stopping with flair right in front of them. "Did you bully my girl?"

"Gou Erdan, watch your mouth," Lu Xun stepped forward.

The shadow from Lu Xun's tall frame loomed over Lu Heyang, making him realize that even though Lu Xun was a year younger, he had already grown so tall.

"Pfft, everyone come and see! It's a student from Jiayou City First High, hitting people and still acting all high and mighty!"

Gou Erdan, whose real name was Gou Canrui, was a well-known troublemaker at Third High. He was always causing trouble and looked down on the top students at First High for their arrogance. He often clashed with them, and the students at First High gave him the nickname "Gou Erdan" as a result. So, the hostility between them ran deep and was well-known.

Cheng Dongxu pushed his way through the crowd, spitting on the ground. "Shut your filthy mouth."

Gou Erdan squinted and sneered, "Lu Xun, look who's got the dirty mouth."

He pretended to adjust the girl's uniform skirt, pulling her pink knee pads straight, and hooked his arm around her neck, speaking with a mocking tone. "If this pretty boy from First High is so rude, we'll just have to suck it up and take it. We've got no choice."

The murmuring voices from the onlookers filled Lu Heyang's ears—some indifferent, some watching the drama unfold, some smirking like buzzing flies, persistent and annoying.

The embarrassing image of his fall replayed in his mind over and over. His mouth was dry, his cheeks felt like they were on fire, and even the emblem on his school uniform felt like burning coal against his chest.

He clenched his fists, struggling to wet his lips before finally saying, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Lu Xun yanked him back roughly. "Are you out of your mind?"

Lu Heyang staggered but finally steadied himself, still saying, "It was my fault. I apologize."

"Damn it," Lu Xun pointed a finger right at Lu Heyang's nose. "You're taking the blame yourself?"

After a moment of silence, Lu Heyang looked up calmly and met Lu Xun's gaze. "I'll handle my own matters."

"Fine, very well," Lu Xun sneered, his jawline tight. "Did you know? The way you skate makes you look like a quail."