ALCSRB Chapter 76

Half an hour earlier.

Qin Hao pulled the car over and turned to look at the boy who had been silent the entire ride.

“Young Master Pei, we’ve arrived at the café.”

Pei Shiqing was still lost in thought. It wasn’t until Qin Hao called his name a few times that he finally snapped out of it.

“Oh, okay.” His hand rested on the door handle, and he said a little shyly, “Um, thank you. I’ll take a taxi home later.”

After getting out of the car, Pei Shiqing didn’t immediately enter the café. Instead, he turned to look at the black car in front of him, a soft smile on his delicate face.

He raised a hand and waved, “Drive safe, Mr. Qin.”

Qin Hao didn’t say anything more and drove off.

Once the car disappeared into the distance, Pei Shiqing’s forced smile collapsed instantly. Even his straight posture slumped noticeably.

Loose, deflated—one glance and anyone could see his listlessness.

At this hour, the streetlights had just turned on, casting a soft glow on him, adding to the sense of loneliness.

He didn’t want to go home. It would just be him, alone again. But he didn’t dare go to the office to find his brother.

His brother had work to deal with, and if he interrupted for no reason, he might just end up annoying him.

Especially since he had come back from the hot spring resort without a word—like he didn’t care about his brother’s instructions. Like an act of defiance.

“Whatever. I’ll just sit at the café for a while, and go home when it’s late enough.”

Pei Shiqing walked toward the nearby café. There were many pedestrians on the road, cheerful conversations drifting through the summer air.

Suddenly, someone called his name.

“Pei Shiqing!”

The voice was tinged with surprise and joy.

Pei Shiqing turned around to see a group of young guys walking toward him.

“What’s up? You don’t recognize us anymore?” The tall guy in front smiled at him.

Pei Shiqing furrowed his brows and tried to search his memory. “Ah… it’s you guys.”

The boys in front of him were his high school classmates. He hadn’t interacted with them much back then. Although they were in the same class, he usually just hung out with Jiang Mingyi.

“Looks like you remember us.” The guy glanced around. “What’re you doing out alone so late?”

Pei Shiqing didn’t bother to explain much. “Just out wandering.”

He noticed the bags they were carrying. “What’s all that?”

“It’s summer break—a rare chance to get everyone together, so we figured we’d relax a little.”

Pei Shiqing then realized they had booked a private karaoke room. The KTV belonged to someone they knew, and they were allowed to bring their own food and drinks.

“Wanna come along? Honestly, we haven’t seen you much since graduation. Just remember you and Jiang Mingyi being super close—we never really clicked with you back then.”

Pei Shiqing hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

---

Qin Hao’s call came at just the right time—like a lifeline tossed to Jiang Mingyi, who was basically being grilled like a pancake on a hot skillet.

He saw Shen Xingyan pick up the phone with an obviously annoyed look, and Jiang Mingyi stifled a couple of chuckles.

Ah, Assistant Qin—always reliable. When it matters most, you can always count on Assistant Qin.

While Shen Xingyan was distracted, Jiang Mingyi quickly started putting on his clothes, piece by piece. When his hand brushed his neck, he felt a slight sting.

That bastard had bitten his neck again—utterly hopeless.

Jiang Mingyi glared at Shen Xingyan’s back in irritation. His sharp eyes caught sight of a faint scratch on the back of Shen’s neck. It wasn’t very obvious, but clearly, the culprit was him.

Feeling a little guilty, he quickly averted his gaze.

He went into the bathroom to wash his face, and when he came out, Shen Xingyan was frowning even harder than before.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Mingyi paused, then walked over. “Just a phone call and you’re already this pissed?”

He suddenly got curious—just what exactly had Qin Hao said on the phone? Shen Xingyan’s frown was deep enough to crush mosquitoes.

Jiang Mingyi was still distracted by his thoughts when Shen Xingyan suddenly spoke up:

“Qin Hao dropped him off at a café. Pei Mingyue went there but couldn’t find him—he’s freaking out.”

“Huh? He’s not at the café?”
Jiang Mingyi was stunned.

Earlier, Pei Shiqing had texted him, saying he wanted to sit alone at a café for a while to pass the time. Jiang thought giving him some space was a good idea and even sent him a few comforting words.

But now, hearing this, he was completely at a loss.

“Then call him!”
Jiang Mingyi quickly reached for his phone.

Shen Xingyan said, “Already did. He’s not answering.”

Normally, it wouldn’t be such a big deal if they couldn’t reach him, but Pei Shiqing’s mood had clearly been off today. And now, he was missing. It was hard not to worry that something bad might have happened.

With that thought, Jiang Mingyi couldn’t sit still. “Should we head back too and help look for him?”

But it would take two hours to drive back from the hot spring resort. By the time they arrived, it would be the middle of the night.

“It’s too far,” Shen Xingyan stopped him and pulled the boy—his eyes already red with worry—into his arms. “I’ve already asked Qin Hao to arrange people to search for him. Even if you’re panicking now, there’s nothing you can do from here.”

Jiang Mingyi’s eyes were red, and his voice choked with emotion. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let him go back alone…”

---

Pei Shiqing had no idea that a whole group of people was out there anxiously searching for him.

He was inside the KTV with his high school classmates, letting loose and having fun.

The music was blasting so loudly that his phone’s ringtone was completely drowned out. Eventually, the battery died and the phone shut off on its own.

A drink was passed to him, and one of the guys sat down beside him.

“Everyone’s having fun. Don’t just sit there watching—have a drink with me.”

Pei Shiqing took the glass and took a sip.

Seeing that his eyes were still on the group playing a drinking game, the guy asked, “Wanna play rock-paper-scissors with me?”

“I don’t know how,” Pei Shiqing replied, shaking his head. “I just think it’s fun to watch them play.”

“It’s more fun when you actually take part. If you don’t know how, I’ll teach you,” the guy said with a grin. “They drink a whole glass when they lose. You’re a newbie, so just take a sip—just for fun.”

“You’re being so generous with me?” Pei Shiqing set down his glass with a smile. “I may be new, but I’m a quick learner.”

After watching for a while, he’d picked up on some of the patterns.

“This isn’t generosity—this is called taking care of a classmate.”

The two of them quickly started playing rock-paper-scissors.

Maybe it was the lively, high-energy environment, but Pei Shiqing let go of his internal knots and threw himself fully into the fun. By the time he came back to his senses, he had already had quite a bit to drink.

“I can’t drink anymore… my head’s spinning.”

After losing another round, Pei Shiqing gave up.

“You did great! Look, I’ve had a lot too.”

“You don’t look like it—no flushed face, no shortness of breath. Your alcohol tolerance is way better than mine,” Pei Shiqing said, wobbling as he stood up. “It’s getting late. I should head home.”

The guy stood up with him. “Want me to walk you out?”

“No need, I’ll just call a car.”

Pei Shiqing picked up his phone—only to realize it was dead.

A phone was handed to him. “Use mine.”

The colorful club lights overhead cast a soft glow on Pei Shiqing’s delicate side profile.

The guy stared at him in a bit of a daze, then snapped out of it and awkwardly said, “It’s hard to catch a cab this late. Better to call a DiDi.”

They walked out of the KTV, and the night breeze hit Pei Shiqing like a wave. He instantly felt nauseous.

He staggered, and someone caught him.

“Guess your tolerance really isn’t that great,” the guy said, with a gentle smile.

Pei Shiqing looked embarrassed. “Thanks… I’m just a little dizzy.”

He held back the urge to vomit and gently pulled his arm from the other boy’s grasp. “You should head back and keep playing with the others. My ride will be here soon.”

Even near midnight, the streets were still bustling with people.

The two of them stood under a streetlamp, and the bright light clearly lit up the soft flush on Pei Shiqing’s cheeks.

The guy instinctively leaned a little closer and opened his mouth. “Pei Shiqing, do you… do you like—”

“Pei Shiqing. Do you know I’ve been looking for you all night?”

A hoarse voice suddenly cut in, interrupting him.

Pei Shiqing turned blankly toward the voice—and saw Pei Mingyue striding toward him, face full of fury.

Pei Mingyue had been searching for him on the streets for two hours and still hadn’t found a trace.

The worry gnawing at his chest had completely stripped him of his usual cold and stoic demeanor. His tie, at some point, had been yanked loose and now hung messily around his neck, eventually shoved impatiently into his pocket.

He had no idea where Pei Shiqing could’ve gone if not the café, and had searched nearly every nearby business he could think of.

Just when he felt like he was about to lose all hope, he saw a familiar figure not far away—like a lantern suddenly lit in the darkness of a summer night, finally giving him direction.

He had just taken a step toward him when he saw a stranger grab Pei Shiqing’s hand.

They were standing very close. Talking.

Pei Mingyue noticed the red flush on Pei Shiqing’s cheeks—an expression that looked almost shy—and in that instant, his heart lurched chaotically.

“Ge? What are you doing here?” Pei Shiqing looked up at him in surprise, his face full of astonishment.

Pei Mingyue cast a cold glance at the other guy and asked, voice flat and sharp, “What, am I interrupting something?”

The guy instinctively took a step back under his gaze.

Pei Shiqing was a bit confused, but genuinely happy to see him. “Ge, did you finish things at the company?”

His innocent smile made all the words Pei Mingyue had been ready to unleash catch in his throat.

After a moment of silence, Pei Mingyue took his hand and said calmly, “Come home with me.”

Pei Shiqing reacted a beat too slow, then waved at the other guy. “Could you cancel that DiDi for me? Thanks again for today. I’m heading home now.”

Seeing that he still had the presence of mind to wave goodbye to someone, Pei Mingyue’s grip on his hand tightened.

Pei Shiqing looked down at their clasped hands in confusion, about to speak—when suddenly, what was just a casual hold turned into tightly interlocked fingers.

Was he drunk or hallucinating?

Why would his older brother be…?

Pei Shiqing questioned his own sanity. He got momentarily distracted and accidentally kicked a small stone underfoot, which sent him stumbling forward.

In the next second, he fell into a warm embrace.

Pei Shiqing looked up in a daze, his soft, narrow eyes misty with moisture. His long lashes cast a delicate shadow over his flushed cheeks.

When his gaze met Pei Mingyue’s cold and striking face, a sudden wave of vulnerability hit him.

“You can’t even walk on flat ground without tripping,” Pei Mingyue sighed helplessly as he held him steady. “How am I supposed to stop worrying about you?”

Pei Shiqing felt utterly wronged by that first part of the sentence and explained quietly, “I’m not usually like this. I just had a little to drink tonight.”

As the words left his mouth, Pei Mingyue’s fingers gently brushed against his cheek.

“How much did you drink? Your face is so red.”

Not the blush of shyness—but the flush of intoxication.

“Two bottles of red wine… I think?”

His voice was a little uncertain. Pei Shiqing didn’t really remember how much he drank, but his head was spinning, so clearly it wasn’t a small amount.

Another sigh.

“Forget it. I’ll carry you.”

Pei Mingyue lowered his tall frame, crouched down with his back to him.

“Get on.”

Pei Shiqing was silent for a moment. It wasn’t until they’d walked quite a distance that he finally reacted.

Ever since he’d grown up, his brother hadn’t carried him like this again.

His face slowly leaned against Pei Mingyue’s back, and in a whisper barely louder than a breath, he murmured:

“Ge… If we weren’t real brothers… that would be so nice.”

By the time Pei Mingyue carried him back to the car, Pei Shiqing had already fallen asleep.

He stared at his sleeping face, and the emotions in his eyes were no longer restrained. Intense feelings wrapped around the peacefully sleeping boy.

After a long while, a soft murmur escaped his lips:

“I really wish if we weren’t brothers.”