ALCSRB Chapter 22

Shen Xingyan’s heart was shaken by those three simple sentences. He could feel dampness seeping through his shirt, wetting his back.

A few seconds later, he turned around and wrapped the boy’s soft body in his arms.

Xie Zhuoyan walked over and saw the boy being held, head hanging low with an unnatural blush on his cheeks. “What’s wrong? Xiao Yi’s really drunk.”

He was clearly surprised by Jiang Mingyi’s tolerance, but considering the kid had just come of age, it was understandable.

Shen Xingyan tightened his embrace slightly. His fingertips brushed against the boy’s eyes by accident—damp.

“We’re heading back.”

“Alright.” Xie Zhuoyan nodded, though a bit reluctant. “Xiao Qing’s a bit tipsy too. Mingyue already took him home.”

Kids were just kids—greedy for drinks, yet unable to hold their liquor.

While thinking he should train their alcohol tolerance more in the future, he saw Shen Xingyan struggling to pull out his phone with one arm still supporting Jiang Mingyi.

“I’ll help you hold Xiao Yi.”

He reached out, but Jiang Mingyi, as if sensing something, tightened his grip around Shen Xingyan’s waist and refused to let go.

Shen Xingyan sighed. “Just call Qin Hao and ask him to bring the car around.”

Helpless, Xie Zhuoyan made the call instead.

After finishing, he looked at the two practically glued together and sighed. “Xiao Yi’s still really clingy with you.”

Shen Xingyan lifted his hand and gently touched the head resting on him, his fingers brushing across the boy’s smooth forehead. He swept away a strand of messy hair, revealing a pair of delicate brows.

“Being clingy…” meant that their bond was still strong.

Qin Hao pulled the car up outside the shop. Shen Xingyan helped Jiang Mingyi out by himself, with Xie Zhuoyan trailing behind, hands in his pockets.

Some nearby customers glanced over curiously, but it wasn’t unusual to see someone drunk on a summer night. After a glance, they looked away.

Xie Zhuoyan took the initiative to open the car door, smiling as he gestured courteously.

Qin Hao, who had come around to open the door: “…”

Qin Hao stepped forward. “Boss, let me help you.”

“No need.” Shen Xingyan declined, using a bit of strength to lift the person in his arms into the back seat.

They were driving an SUV that day, and the back seat was spacious.

Seeing that the teenager had his eyes closed, seemingly asleep, Shen Xingyan gently laid him down on the seat and adjusted his position to make him more comfortable. He was about to get up—

But his clothes were tugged.

Jiang Mingyi sensed the familiar presence moving away. He blearily opened his eyes, and sure enough, saw that Shen Xingyan was halfway out of the car.

His lips immediately quivered, and tears began to stream down his face.

Earlier, Shen Xingyan had only felt that he was crying—he hadn’t seen it. But now, witnessing the sorrowful tears for himself made his heart twist in pain.

Especially those beautiful, peach blossom eyes now shimmering with tears, silently accusing: You’re leaving again.

Shen Xingyan had no choice but to grasp the hand clutching his hem and gently closed his fingers around it.

“Be good, I’m not leaving.”

“You’re lying.” Jiang Mingyi blinked, and the tears slid down the corners of his eyes, leaving faint trails. “You said you wouldn’t leave before, but you still abandoned me.”

And he left so far, for so long—so long that even when he wanted to find him, he couldn’t.

The grievance swelling in Jiang Mingyi’s heart overwhelmed him. The tears came harder, soon soaking into his hair at the temples.

He lay on the seat and reached out his other hand, wanting to hold on to Shen Xingyan, but it was weak and limp, unable to touch him no matter how hard he tried. This only made him cry even more desperately.

Shen Xingyan could only reach out and let him hold onto his hand.

Warmth passed through their palms, and Jiang Mingyi, somewhat content, gripped it tightly.

He asked softly, “If I hold you like this, will you not leave?”

The boy’s voice was low and tender, and Shen Xingyan could hear a trace of pleading in it.

In that moment, he seemed to see the little boy from years ago, crying heartbreakingly and tugging on him, begging him not to go right before he left the country.

Outside the car, Xie Zhuoyan and Qin Hao noticed Shen Xingyan sitting in an awkward position, not getting up. They exchanged a puzzled glance.

Then they saw Shen Xingyan slowly retract his foot and sit down inside, closing the car door.

Qin Hao: “…”

Qin Hao walked toward the driver’s seat and had just pulled open the door when he heard Shen Xingyan’s calm, deep voice: “Wait before getting in.”

His hand on the door handle paused, and he closed it again.

Xie Zhuoyan looked at him in confusion. “Why aren’t we leaving?”

Qin Hao shrugged, his gaze falling on the car, clearly indicating—they couldn’t leave just yet.

The privacy glass blocked the curious gazes of the two outside, and the closed car door shut out all the surrounding noise.

The overhead light in the car gradually dimmed after a few seconds, and the interior suddenly turned gloomy, with only a faint and scattered glow filtering in from the streetlights outside.

Jiang Mingyi shifted uneasily, clutching tightly onto Shen Xingyan. A moment later, the overhead light was switched on by a large hand.

The cabin was once again illuminated.

The upward angle of his gaze made Jiang Mingyi uncomfortable. He tried to prop up his soft and unsteady body, but his limbs clearly weren’t cooperating.

Seeing that he was about to fall, Shen Xingyan reached out with a long arm and directly pulled him into his embrace.

Jiang Mingyi’s face hit the hard chest with a muffled grunt. He clung to Shen Xingyan’s neck, practically hanging himself on him.

He rested his head in the crook of Shen Xingyan’s neck and nuzzled softly, “Gege, if I lie on you like this, you won’t be able to leave.”

Hearing the giggling laughter coming from the boy in his arms, Shen Xingyan paused, halting his motion to push him away.

“Xiao Yi, you’re drunk. Let’s go home, okay?” His gentle tone tried to coax the boy, but the boy remained lost in his own thoughts.

“You’re talking nonsense. I’m still a kid—how could I possibly drink?” Jiang Mingyi’s fluffy head bumped hard against Shen Xingyan, knocking him back against the seat.

Shen Xingyan clearly hadn’t expected him to act like this while drunk. Just moments ago, he had been crying sadly, but now he seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, laughing heartily.

Left with no choice, Shen Xingyan wrapped both arms around the boy to prevent him from slipping off.

Well, he didn’t slide off—he even scooted upward, ending up sitting directly on Shen Xingyan’s thigh, near the base.

Jiang Mingyi clung tightly to him, so close it was almost too intimate.

Shen Xingyan’s body stiffened slightly. He could feel warm breath brushing against his ear, carrying a faint scent of alcohol.

It was subtle, but impossible to ignore.

He rarely shared such close physical contact with anyone. Even if this person was his own younger brother, it still made him feel a bit uneasy.

“Xiao Yi, it’s uncomfortable sitting like this. Let me help you adjust your posture.” He softened his voice, patiently trying to coax him back to the other seat.

Jiang Mingyi’s fuzzy head swayed slowly, his face warm with intoxication. The heat he left from rubbing against Shen Xingyan’s shoulder lingered.

“No, I want to stay with gege.” he said stubbornly, hugging Shen Xingyan even tighter, as if guarding his possession.

Shen Xingyan couldn’t pull him off, nor could he push him away. He furrowed his brow.

In the quiet car, only two uneven breaths could be heard.

Then, a head slowly lifted from his shoulder, and something soft seemed to brush against his cheek, before it pressed against warm skin.

Shen Xingyan turned his head—and sure enough, the boy had treated him like a pillow and was now resting his cheek on him.

He gently called out, but Jiang Mingyi didn’t respond, as if he had once again drifted into a drunken sleep.

After waiting a while, Shen Xingyan carefully peeled him off—and just as he let out a breath of relief, his arms were suddenly filled again.

Shen Xingyan: “…”

Not only was he filled up again, but the boy who lunged into his arms even hit his chin, the pain making him straighten up immediately.

“Uuuuu…”

A low sob pulled Shen Xingyan’s attention away from his own pain. He quickly scooped the boy back into his arms and began rubbing his forehead.

“You say you’re drunk, fine, but how can you still have so much energy?”

Jiang Mingyi’s drunken mind cleared slightly from the pain, and he let out a low whimper, “Hurts—”

Shen Xingyan softened his movements but didn’t stop rubbing.

However, the rubbing didn’t ease Jiang Mingyi’s pain. Instead, it seemed to worsen.

“It hurts—”

This time, the voice was noticeably weaker.

Shen Xingyan paused, looking at the boy’s curled-up body, his face darkening.

His eyes lingered on the reddened forehead for a few seconds, then shifted to the boy’s tightly clutched abdomen.

“It’s not your head? Your stomach hurts?” he asked uncertainly.

He slowly placed his hand over the boy’s stomach. The warm palm, through the thin shirt, rose and fell with Jiang Mingyi’s breathing.

His delicate brows were knotted tightly, and the flush from drinking had faded into a sickly pale.

His body began to tremble from the pain, and his voice was broken and weak.

“Ge… touch it… my stomach hurts…”

Hearing him clearly, Shen Xingyan’s expression changed instantly.

————-

The distance from South Street to the city hospital wasn’t short, but fortunately, the roads were clear past midnight.

Qin Hao drove straight to the ER entrance, where a team of doctors was already waiting.

Shen Xingyan carefully carried Jiang Mingyi out of the car and gently placed him on a hospital bed. The doctors and nurses immediately began examining him.

He glanced at the time — it was nearly 1 a.m.

There were many people coming in and out of the emergency room. Shen Xingyan waited on the side, not at ease until the doctor finally informed him of Jiang Mingyi’s diagnosis. The crease between his brows deepened further.

After being transferred to a regular room, the nurse administered an IV and left.

The room fell into silence. Shen Xingyan stared at the clear liquid slowly flowing through the tube into the boy’s body. Only when the medicine started to take effect did he finally relax a little.

Early the next morning, Su Wanxin rushed into the hospital in a panic.

“What happened? How did Xiao Yi end up hospitalized like this?”

Su Wanxin’s face was pale from worry. The moment she saw Shen Xingyan, she grabbed him and demanded an explanation.

Shen Xingyan had only slept two or three hours leaning against a chair, but there was no sign of fatigue on his face.

At her question, he simply said, “Let’s talk outside, so we don’t wake him.”

Su Wanxin nodded, glanced at her youngest son still asleep, and followed Shen Xingyan out of the room.

The door closed softly behind them, and on the bed, the person slowly opened his eyes.

Outside the room, Shen Xingyan wore a serious expression as he looked at Su Wanxin and asked in a low voice.

“Mom, why does Xiao Yi have such a serious stomach illness?”