Chapter 161: It's Lonely at the Top

Jin Liangjin nodded in silent consent, and Ling Wu quickly pushed Jin Shaoyu out of the living room; Yu Shixue only turned to Jin Liangjin after he left and said: "Uncle, I have something to say to you alone."

Inside the room.

Ling Wu pushed the wheelchair in, then turned to close the door, and when he walked back to the bedside, Jin Shaoyu suddenly stood up and fiercely hugged him; the teenager's arms were hard and strong, like a pair of iron clamps: "Brother, you can only have me as your brother—you are not allowed to like Yu Tingyun!"

Ling Wu placed his hand on his waist, afraid he might fall: "Okay."

Jin Shaoyu spoke in a very domineering and unreasonable tone: "I hate him, and you have to hate him too!"

Ling Wu understood Jin Shaoyu's mindset well—he had been like this since childhood, greatly admiring and liking his older brother, with an extraordinarily strong possessiveness; at school, he did not allow Ling Wu to lend his stationery to other children, nor to play alone with others, and even the seating chart required them to sit together.

Jin Shaoyu was a very well-behaved child when young.

But precisely because of this well-behaved child, when he saw Ling Wu secretly giving pomelo candy to another classmate, he became furious, snatched the candy back, and even scratched the other's face with a nail clipper.

This matter escalated to the point of requiring parental involvement; Jin Shaoyu was educated by Ling Wu to apologize to that classmate, and in the end, Jin Liangjin personally came, took him away, and confined him for two days.

Ling Wu had no choice—he could not defy his father's decision, so he practiced spear during the day and secretly slipped candy to Jin Shaoyu at night, but from then on, Ling Wu never again gave the special affection meant for Jin Shaoyu to anyone else.

This was an unspoken understanding between the two.

Originally, Ling Wu should have been one grade above Jin Shaoyu, but Jin Shaoyu refused, crying and fussing, saying he could start school a year early.

Ling Tingwan and Liangjin had no choice; Jin Shaoyu made such a fuss that the whole household could not rest, and only after his continuous protests did the two end up attending the same school, the same grade, and the same class.

Because they had been separated for too long and were overly intimate in childhood, Jin Shaoyu did not know how to interact with Ling Wu—he was cautious and overly accommodating, only able to follow memory, awkwardly imitating the child who would fight over pomelo candy.

In fact, both were in their early twenties, young and full of vigor.

Ling Wu was a little worried about his leg, so even when embraced, he dared not struggle; he patted Jin Shaoyu's back without responding.

But Jin Shaoyu mistakenly thought he was unwilling, and threatened fiercely: "Ling Wu, if you dare to bring another brother back to me, I will have someone kill him."

Jin Shaoyu really dared.

When they were young, Ling Tingwan loved him, and Ling Wu loved him, so Jin Liangjin's paternal love seemed dispensable—but suddenly one day, the fairy-tale world collapsed, Ling Tingwan departed this world, he had no friends, and only Ling Wu remained, this unconditionally partial brother.

But this only one was also taken away by fate, his world instantly plunged into darkness; Jin Shaoyu missed the deceased, hated the living who abandoned him.

Emotions became subtle and twisted.

During Ling Wu's ten-year absence, he hated heaven and earth, hated to the point that only sorrow remained for the beautiful times that could never return.......

He missed the pursuit.

Without recourse.

"Shao Yu, this is not childhood anymore." Ling Wu's voice was very calm: "But the things that belong to you—money and love—I have not given them to anyone else."

You don't need to worry so much.

Jin Shaoyu hates Yu Tingyun for another reason: Yu Tingyun's family is happy and prosperous, wealthy and powerful, with Yu Shixue as a doting older brother.

He and Yu Tingyun both share the identity of younger brother, but their circumstances are worlds apart; whenever Jin Shaoyu sees him, it feels like looking in a mirror, reminding him how pitiful he is.

Ling Wu's words resolved those awkwardness and loneliness.

Jin Shaoyu felt reassured; in this impoverished world, he only wanted to grasp the sole remaining thing.

Ling Wu soothed his emotions: "When can your leg stand again? I haven't heard you say."

"Just a few days ago." Jin Shaoyu was helped back onto the wheelchair by him, and he said: "I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you; the doctor said it will be fully healed in half a month."

Ling Wu knew his temperament: "If you obediently follow the doctor's advice, you'll recover faster."

"Okay." Jin Shaoyu: "I understand."

In the glass display case of the room, the little sheep doll still sat quietly, no longer so lonely, for beside it now sat a brand-new little sheep doll, a gift Ling Wu brought back from the amusement park last time for Jin Shaoyu.

Even with the new sheep doll, Jin Shaoyu did not throw away the old one; by now, the doll's importance had faded, but the memory remained precious.

Jin Shaoyu: "Brother, how did you end up with them?"

He was a little suspicious.

"I......" Ling Wu sat on the bedside, wanting to tell many lies to Jin Shaoyu, so he blurred the edges of his words: "I'm handling some affairs, Shaoyu, don't interfere."

Jin Shaoyu: "What affairs?"

He didn't understand; Ling Wu had never told him before.

Ling Wu decided to soothe him first: "Just rest and recover your leg; when it's healed, I'll tell you, okay?"

"Okay."

Jin Shaoyu: "Brother, don't lie to me."

But both knew deep down that this matter would come to nothing in the end—Jin Shaoyu could never again resort to forcing Ling Wu with drugs, he could only wait, wait for his leg to heal, then investigate; the data from Central Hospital had already cracked the mystery.

Just follow this direction deeper, and the truth will eventually come to light.

Jin Shaoyu eagerly awaited that day.

Evening.

Yu Shixue and Yu Tingyun had left the Jin Family; Ling Wu casually watered a few beautiful flowers, the glass greenhouse had a suitable temperature, he sat on the rocking chair quietly admiring the flowers; Ling Wu often suffered insomnia at night, but now, as the rocking chair swayed slowly, he actually felt drowsy......

His heavy eyelids closed.

When Jin Liangjin passed by the glass greenhouse, he saw Ling Wu quietly asleep on the recliner, his profile tranquil, lacking the usual aloof chill when awake, his eyelashes thick and long, very like his mother.

The evening courtyard was serene, the moon cold and clear.

As the recliner swayed slightly, Jin Liangjin felt a momentary daze, actually feeling that the arc of that sway resembled Ling Wu lying in a cradle the year he was born.

The carved jade infant had just entered the world, full of curiosity, his black-and-white eyes reflecting his father's face; even the unfeeling Jin Liangjin unconsciously held him in his arms to soothe him.

But Jin Liangjin had forgotten—he had once anticipated Ling Wu's birth, once held him aloft with his arms, placed him on his shoulders, compared to power and status...... he seemed not to need these much.

So remembering or not remembering no longer mattered.

Did Jin Liangjin ever like this son?

Perhaps he did.

But it was immeasurably small.

Steward He followed Jin Liangjin to a stop; he was an Elder of the Jin Family, having witnessed Jin Liangjin's patricide, fratricide, usurpation, and survival, and he stood respectfully behind the family head, his eyes seeing the Eldest Young Master in the glass greenhouse.

Looking toward Jin Liangjin again, his gaze was somewhat startled.

Father and son, separated by the cold glass of the greenhouse.

Butler He reflected this scene in his turbid, yellowed, weathered eyes, unaware that he had witnessed the master Jin Liangjin transform from youthful vigor to composed restraint, never feeling that his shoulders were crushed by power and influence, even his waist slightly bent.

The world bustles, all coming for profit.

People come and go around Jin Liangjin, all flattering and fawning for gain; he also plays the role of a climber in the realm of fame and fortune.

So, has the master, radiant for half his life, ever had regrets?

But this is not something a servant like him should ponder.

In the end, Butler He merely called out softly: "Master?"

Jin Liangjin's upright back twitched slightly; the light inside the glass greenhouse was warm, but he disliked such deceptive things, and he instructed Butler He: "Go cover him with a blanket."

Butler He bowed his head: "Yes."

On the road of chasing fame and profit, where is there room for regret?

Jin Liangjin understands the truth that it is lonely at the top.