Chapter 40

Li Junfeng came back home around sunset. He had followed after his mother to the company and found out his father's intention to do an investigation on his brother.

Li Junfeng felt so disgusted by the way his parents had acted when they discussed Li Shaoze like he wasn't worth their eyes.

He felt so scornful but helpless at the same time, making him feel all the more miserable. He had sworn to himself that he wouldn't be soft hearted to his parents and grandmother anymore. But it was still hard to become completely cold hearted like a robot without feelings.

At the very least, Li Junfeng felt he should let Li Shaoze know about his father's plan. In this way, he wouldn't feel uncomfortable and guilty.

Li Junfeng went to look for Li Shaoze in the living room but he wasn't there. Then he flew over to the bedroom but still couldn't find him. Suddenly, the door to the study creaked open and Li Shaoze appeared. His face was a little pale but he looked fine overall.

"Brother!" Li Junfeng saw him walking out of the study and he glanced at the unsuspecting soul.

"Where did you go?" his voice was cold.

"Ah? Just... out for a stroll," Li Junfeng felt prickly behind his back all of a sudden.

"You went out for a stroll from lunchtime until the sun sets?"

"That..." Li Junfeng fidgeted suddenly. He could see Li Shaoze was totally angry.

"I told you not to disappear on me for too long. You don't remember?" Li Shaoze's tone was mild but the iciness on his voice was prominent.

"I forgot..." this was the only excuse he could cook for the meantime so Li Junfeng kept his quiet after that. He looked like a kid who was caught climbing over the school walls to skip classes.

Unfortunately, Li Shaoze became more enraged. He was so worried that he had no choice but to bury himself in work just to wait for Li Junfeng to come back. He was so worried that something had happened or Li Junfeng had vanished. His overthinking tendency caused him to become pessimistic and it was hard to focus on the documents he had to process.

But Li Junfeng's arbitrary attitude made him feel like he was just punching cotton. With his personality, Li Shaoze didn't have the motivation to share his feelings anymore. He sighed and made a gesture to just forget it.

"I followed mother just now!" Li Junfeng had a feeling that his brother wasn't continuing the topic not because he thought it was insignificant, but rather to hide his feelings. So he readily blurted out his answer.

"I found out that father is trying to investigate your whereabouts and activity," he explained with a few animated moves of his hands.

Li Shaoze who was just about to walk away, halted. He was still in a bad mood and all he said was, "I got it,"

Then he disappeared into the bedroom.

Li Junfeng stood there like a tree for a couple of minutes. He didn't know why his disappearance could shake Li Shaoze so much. He had no idea why Li Shaoze was so angry. He wasn't a kid anymore. He was 27 before he died! Why must he report everything to him?

Li Junfeng felt a bit disgruntled and he decided to check up on Pei Qian. He knew Pei Qian's personality well. She must be feeling bad for his brother due to the happenings in the afternoon. Without thinking much, he flew over the window.

But he stopped just when he was about to jump out. He swooshed into the bedroom and shouted at Li Shaoze who was about to take a shower, "I'm going to the Pei residence for a while!"

When he didn't hear a response, he pouted. But he felt like he had accomplished his little task of telling his guardian of his whereabouts. Thus, Li Junfeng disappeared.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Li Shaoze was facing the mirror across the sink with a pale face. His hand was clutching onto his face.

Several drops of blood were seen on the cold surface of the sink.

His nose was bleeding profusely.

***

Pei Qian and the rest of her family had just finished dinner. So she excused herself and went to do some work. The were some emails she had to check and she went to sit on the balcony of her room.

Pei Qian sat leisurely on the soft cushion. The stars were obscured by the thick clouds and there was not much moonlight seeping through. It made people become despondent. Her beautiful white face showed a trace of thinking too much and her lips were pursed tightly, causing them to become slightly swollen.

There were snacks on the coffee table near her but she wasn't interested. Despite her effort to focus, Pei Qian's mind drifted back to the afternoon again. The face Li Shaoze made kept coming out in her head. She couldn't forget it. The sense of helplessness she felt, and the feeling of anger. Along with the realization that she wasn't of much help.

He had turned around and left her alone.

And she couldn't say anything against that.

Once again, Pei Qian was convinced to believe that Li Shaoze and Li Junfeng were two very different people. Despite being brothers, their background, personality, and experience truly contrasted each other.

Like strangers who wouldn't have an inkling of relationship, the only thing that could link them together was the surname Li.

Li Junfeng was treated like a prince by the Li family, a valuable pearl worthy of attention. His personality was bubbly and he was easy to get along with. However, Li Shaoze was dark and cold. He didn't practice the normal means of social etiquette. He was an awkward individual. It should be due to the different treatment he received.

Unlike Li Junfeng, he was treated harshly, without love and care. Like a diamond in the rough, he had to look after himself. He had to disappear right after he became an adult. If not for Li Junfeng's death, Pei Qian had a feeling that Li Shaoze wouldn't ever step foot in this country again.

He would just vanish from people's lives and became insignificant in their minds. And soon forgotten.

Somehow, this thought caused Pei Qian to feel a prickly sensation inside her heart. She became confused. Why did she care so much?

Was it because he was related to Li Junfeng?

Or was it because of plain curiosity?

Pei Qian had never been so engrossed in thinking about another man apart from Li Junfeng. She was faithful to her love, she knew that.

'But why...'

She couldn't seem to forget about him.