Chapter 18 He’s My Brother

Just as I was about to say "It's fine, I'll head upstairs," Ye Jingzhan interrupted me impatiently.

He suddenly sat down beside me and grabbed my hand without warning.

It felt like there was a spring under me—I jumped up from the sofa instantly, desperately trying to shake him off.

The moment I stood up, pain shot through my injured foot.

Everything suddenly flashed back to that night in Los Angeles. I could still vividly remember his alcohol-soaked hands, rough and impatient, trying to undo my clothes.

Though I didn't look at Shen Jibai, I could clearly feel a sharp, icy gaze directed at us.

Ye Jingzhan flinched, realizing his inappropriate behavior. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Jiang Li. I forgot you don't like being touched…"

But then, his gaze shifted to Shen Jibai."Mr. Shen, the reason I broke up with Jiang Li back then was because of pressure from my family. My father insisted I return to take part in the company's management. But our relationship was never the issue. I truly regret it now. Please, be a witness for us. This time, I promise to start over with her, to be there for her and help her slowly overcome her psychological barriers."

Ha. He really thought Shen Jibai was my actual brother.

How do you know I'd even agree? Just because I stayed silent after you cheated on me?

Because I chose to maintain my dignity and didn't make a scene, you assumed I'd always be available whenever you wanted to come back?

Ye Jingzhan, you're trash. You ran faster than a rabbit when you found someone new, and now you're crawling back just to cozy up to the Shen family.

But no matter how well you calculated, you never expected that I had fallen for Shen Jibai.

At this moment, Shen Jibai was sitting there, sipping his tea with a detached indifference, as if he were an outsider.

Suppressing my disgust, I looked at Ye Jingzhan. "Does your girlfriend know you're here saying all this to me?"

Ye Jingzhan immediately straightened up, as if about to swear an oath. "Jiang Li, I've already broken up with her. We're completely done, and there will never be any ties between us again! Trust me, I'm not someone who plays around. I truly like you, just like before."

I couldn't help but laugh—not mockingly, but out of genuine relief and clarity.

I looked at him seriously, my smile fading."Listen carefully. Back then, I liked you. I really did. There wasn't a trace of deceit or impurity in my feelings. Though I felt guilty for my physical aversion to you, I never made excuses for myself. Maybe my body just didn't like you, and I endured a lot of torment because of it.

But now, I truly don't like you anymore. And just like before, there isn't a trace of deceit or impurity in my feelings. So please, be honest with me, just as I was with you. Stop using the fake tactics you learned from your father to manipulate me, especially in front of Shen Jibai."

Ye Jingzhan froze for a second, but quickly recovered. Just as he opened his mouth to retort, I cut him off again.

"Ye Jingzhan, if you want a partnership with the Shen family, fight for it in the business world; if you like a woman, pursue her openly. Don't humiliate yourself like this by coming to me with ulterior motives. It only makes me look down on you."

With that, I called for a servant to help me upstairs. Whatever he wanted to say next was of no importance to me.

I didn't know what else he and Shen Jibai talked about in the living room afterward. By dinner time, Ye Jingzhan was already gone.

The only thing left was a table full of bland dishes—because of my injury, I had dietary restrictions.

I wasn't hungry to begin with, and after the mess with Ye Jingzhan, I had even less of an appetite. I poked at the rice in my bowl for ages without taking a single bite.

Shen Jibai frowned."What's wrong? Does your wound hurt?"

"No, it doesn't. I'm just on a diet," I replied listlessly.

He looked at me, clearly seeing through my nonsense, his expression exasperated but still serious."You and Ji Xunran—how long have you known each other?"

Huh? How does he know his name?!

"We met after I returned to the country. Why?" I shot back, unwilling to be outdone.

"Nothing, just curious. After all…" He paused, his tone calm and detached. "I'm your brother. Your father entrusted you to me, so I need to know what kind of people are around you."

The words I had said to Ye Jingzhan earlier came back to haunt me.

Did he overhear our conversation while changing clothes?

I forced a casual smile, but inside, it felt like glass shattering.

Lin Xi's voice echoed in my mind again:"Women, if you push too hard, you'll scare the man away~"

Was he scared? Was this his way of subtly drawing a line between us?

I lowered my head and continued picking at my rice, grain by grain.

That kiss last night—was it all just my wishful thinking?

"Brother, I'll head upstairs first. Take your time eating," I said.

As I stood up, I accidentally knocked over my crutch. Too flustered to pick it up, I simply hopped on one leg toward the elevator.

I needed to escape this dinner table as quickly as possible. If I stayed a second longer, I might cry.

"Wait."

His voice sounded from behind me.

I turned around and bumped directly into his firm chest. Before I could take a step back, he bent down and effortlessly scooped me up, carrying me upstairs.

From last night to tonight, I had been in this strong, sturdy embrace far too many times. Unfortunately, it didn't hold the warmth I wanted.

Because he had said, he was my brother.

The walk to the bedroom felt endless. Every second in his arms was pure agony.

I looked up slightly at his face and spoke, "By the way, I think Ji Xunran is great—handsome and talented. You don't need to worry. I'm 20 now, and my dad said I can date."

Shen Jibai frowned slightly, his expression unreadable. He replied in a low voice, "Oh. Just be careful when interacting with Ji Xunran at school. The police investigation is complete—the person who put glass shards in your shoe was his ex-girlfriend."

"What?!" My face paled. I didn't even know who his ex-girlfriend was.

"Hmm. The school contacted me today. The legal procedures for pressing charges and seeking compensation are already underway. But as for you, don't go back to school for now. Take some time to rest."

So that's what he had been dealing with all afternoon…

"Why would his ex-girlfriend…"

"They're in the same program. After breaking up with Ji Xunran, she's been trying to win him back. If it weren't for you, she would've been the one dancing in the lead role."

I see… For a moment, I actually felt a bit guilty.

I vaguely remembered seeing a very skilled dancer during the auditions. Everyone had been talking about how she was a shoo-in…

And yet, I had been spending so much time with Ji Xunran recently, even using him as a tool to provoke Shen Jibai today…

She was probably there when Ji Xunran and I were pretending to be close.

No wonder she hated me. I'd hate me too!

Once we reached my room, he gently placed me on the sofa.

"Rest well."

With those four succinct words, he turned to leave. But I grabbed his sleeve before he could go.

I had intended to grab his hand but missed, catching only the fabric.

He stopped.

"Don't you… want to ask how far Ji Xunran and I have gone?"

"I already know."

His voice was calm and low, his gaze steady as he looked down at me. His sharp jawline was perfectly accentuated from this angle.

"You… know?" I asked, confused.

"Yes. I spoke with him while you were unconscious."

"You… talked?"

What he said next made my heart drop.

"He didn't tell me how far you two had gone. He just said that because your scumbag ex-boyfriend was in the audience, he was helping you put on a show…"

He spoke slowly, his tone measured. His gaze, though still calm, now carried a hint of teasing amusement.

This cunning man—getting the truth out of someone as inexperienced as Ji Xunran was child's play for him.

Embarrassed, I let go of his sleeve, my face full of resigned defeat.

After a long pause, I muttered, "Oh… Right. There was a guy in the audience… We used to… date."

He nodded, seemingly intrigued. "Hmm, is that so?" His voice was light, and his pale, cool face softened as he looked at me.

I wanted to disappear into the sofa.

Thankfully, the room was dimly lit. Otherwise, my flustered panic would have been even more obvious. "Aren't you leaving? I need to rest."

He seemed to smile faintly but didn't show it openly. Before closing the door, he gently reminded me, "Be careful when showering. Don't let your foot get wet."

And then he left me alone in the room, feeling lost for the rest of the night.

Over the following days, thanks to all the supplements I'd been given, my foot healed quickly.

Shen Jin, Lin Xi, and a group of friends came by to visit (or rather, gawk at) me. With their jokes and laughter, as long as I didn't think about the performance, my mood was bearable.

Ji Xunran also came by to apologize. He told me the school had concluded its investigation and announced that the person who put the glass shards in my shoe was his ex-girlfriend, Liao Qianqian.

I waved my hand dismissively. "There's no need for you to apologize. You already said she's your ex. Her actions have nothing to do with you."

But Ji Xunran still seemed troubled. "The school has chosen a new female lead for the dance. We'll perform together at the arts festival. Honestly… I've really enjoyed working with you these past few weeks. If you're willing, I'll recommend you as my partner for next year's festival."

"Really? Promise you won't back out!" I exclaimed excitedly.

Many days later, the whole school knew about it: Liao Qianqian from the dance department had been taken away by the police for suspected intentional harm.

Ji Xunran never brought her up again.

As for Liao Qianqian, both of us had complicated feelings about her.

I guessed that, as the one who initiated the breakup, Ji Xunran probably felt guilty toward her, no matter the reason. Meanwhile, I occasionally felt remorse for the unintended harm I had caused.

Life keeps moving forward. It doesn't stop for anyone who's been hurt or wronged.

Shen Jibai was no exception. He wouldn't slow his stride just because he had stirred my heart.

That scorching afternoon, Lin Xi and I were sitting in a café near his company when I saw a familiar car park across the street.

That day, Shen Jibai was driving himself, without his chauffeur. I watched as he stepped out of the driver's seat, his long legs moving elegantly. He walked to the passenger side and opened the door.

Out stepped a girl—slim, with long, wavy hair cascading down her back.

The girl casually linked arms with Shen Jibai, and the two walked away together, chatting and laughing as if they'd known each other for years.

Lin Xi, sitting across from me, suddenly spoke."Song Yixin. She's from Macau. Shen Jibai's former fiancée."

A long-buried memory resurfaced. That summer years ago, in a noisy bar, Shen Jin's words rang clearly in my ears:"My brother's been going on blind dates lately. The girl's some wealthy heiress named Song Yixin."

Back then, I thought, What does that have to do with me?

Who would've thought that memory would pierce through the years like a knife, stabbing the me sitting in this café today?

"Aren't you going to text him and ask?" Lin Xi's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I forced a bitter smile. "Who am I to him? What right do I have to ask?"

Lin Xi sighed. "I told you, don't get involved in the murky waters of wealthy families' marriages."

The next morning, before I even got out of bed, Shen Jibai had already left for France on a business trip.

That was what Aunt Ji told me after I woke up.

He hadn't said goodbye before leaving, nor had he sent a single message afterward.

Over the phone, I kept ranting to Lin Xi about what a scumbag Shen Jibai was, but halfway through my complaints, I found myself laughing bitterly.

He had never made me any promises. I didn't even have the right to hate him openly.

About a week later, my bitter days finally brought some good news—I could walk normally again.

Having gone so long without a taste of alcohol, I decided to temporarily push aside the annoyance of Shen Jibai dating someone else. I called Lin Xi and arranged to meet at a bar that evening.

To ensure my grand reappearance would dazzle everyone, I invited a luxury brand sales associate to bring their latest collection to Shen Jibai's villa so I could pick an outfit.

The associate, well aware of my extravagant spending habits, showered me with endless compliments about my figure, skin, and overall aura. I swiped my card like crazy, helping her hit her seasonal sales target.

Life with a generous father who lets you spend freely is simply the best!

The bar's music was deafening, and I danced wildly with Shen Jin and a group of friends, fueled by alcohol.

After three straight days of partying, I finally felt like I'd returned to my old self.

On the fourth day, a well-known socialite in Beijing hosted a birthday party.

And it was on this day that the gears of fate quietly began to turn.

It was an ordinary, extravagant banquet. Having long grown accustomed to such scenes of indulgence, I stepped into the party venue with a sparkling clutch and a silk haute couture gown. My mind was already planning to hit the club with Shen Jin and the others after the party.

But within minutes, everything changed. The story I had been living came to an abrupt halt.