Chapter 2437: Another Me 06

On the table, the cup of milk Jin Chen had brewed this morning was just the right temperature, warm and gentle.

Lai Chi walked over, picked up the cup, and sat in front of the old mirror.

He drank the milk; the mirror reflected his face, a faint blush rising on his pale cheeks.

Lai Chi suddenly set down the cup, lightly opening his mouth at his own eyes in the mirror.

"Brother..."

As if trying to catch a trace of another soul's existence from those deep black pupils.

"Mm, I'm here."

Jin Chen's voice, laced with a smile, immediately replied to him.

Lai Chi looked at himself in the mirror, the corner of his mouth slowly curving into a tiny arc.

It turned out... speaking wasn't that difficult either.

Although I could only say it to my brother, but... this was already enough.

Jin Chen's voice sounded again, seriously asking, "Xiao Chi, do you want to... try contacting Mother?"

In the mirror, Lai Chi's smile stiffened somewhat.

He felt as if something had pricked him; the glint in his eyes quickly dimmed, he stared blankly at the mirror as his bangs fell forward, covering his eyes that had instantly turned moist.

After a while, he slowly shook his head.

"I've given up hope, brother."

Jin Chen fell silent for a moment.

He could clearly sense Lai Chi's complex and desperate feelings toward his mother.

"Alright. Then we'll handle it ourselves." Jin Chen said, "I'm here, don't be afraid."

The night was thick; from the entryway came Lai Fengdou's drunken speech, followed closely by Qiu Juan's sharp complaints.

The door opened, and light from the Living Room poured out, illuminating Lai Qiang's face, still shaken from terror.

Lai Qiang felt as if he'd seen a ghost; though he'd been badly injured in the afternoon, by evening all the swelling had gone down—yet it still hurt! It was utterly uncanny!

Lai Qiang still had a mind to tattle; seeing his parents and brother return, he immediately stood up.

But the next second, his gaze met Lai Chi stepping out of the shadows.

Lai Chi stood at the entrance from the Living Room to the hallway, holding a cup of water, silently watching Lai Qiang.

Lai Qiang broke out in gooseflesh, abruptly lowered his head, and dared not glance at Lai Chi.

Lai Fengdou and Qiu Juan's attention was wholly on Lai Donglai, completely failing to notice their younger son's abnormality.

Lai Fengdou patted Lai Donglai's shoulder, "Good son! You'll definitely do well this exam! A top university is secured! Bring honor to Dad!"

Qiu Juan also beamed, agreeing, "Exactly! Our Donglai has always been studious material!"

Lai Donglai, under his parents' praise, wore a restrained yet proud smile.

Lai Chi slowly topped up his cup with warm water, feeling the heat through the rim as he chatted with Jin Chen.

"Brother, Lai Donglai's grades won't be good."

"He's never taken an exam on his own."

Jin Chen immediately replied, like a warm current soothing him, "Of course. My Xiao Chi is the best."

Lai Chi's lips twitched upward, his heart softening.

Lai Chi picked up that extracurricular tutoring book and casually placed it on the coffee table.

Then he glanced at Lai Qiang again.

Lai Qiang felt his scalp tingle from that glance, "Mom... Mom! You... you check my homework! Just... just this book!"

Qiu Juan was basking in pride over her eldest son when the younger son's nonsensical demand interrupted her; she frowned impatiently, "What homework to check? It's late at night, I wasn't even talking to your dad!"

Lai Qiang was near tears, not daring to look at Lai Chi, he urged with a choked voice, "Just... just check it quickly! Flip... flip through it!"

Qiu Juan was annoyed by the noise, and seeing Lai Qiang's ghost‑pale, frightened face, she also felt uneasy.

She muttered irritably, "So annoying," snatched the brand‑new tutoring book, and flipped it open.

Two reports slipped out of the pages and landed on Qiu Juan's lap.

Lai Chi heard Jin Chen say, "Xiao Chi, sit farther back and watch the show."

Lai Chi was obedient and nodded.

"What is this...?" The color drained from Qiu Juan's face in an instant, her hand gripping the report shaking violently.

She snapped her head up, glaring at Lai Fengdou as if she wanted to devour him.

Lai Fengdou jumped at her gaze, stepped closer to look, and his own complexion changed.

He instinctively reached to grab it, "What is this? Who put it in here! Give it to me!"

"Lai Fengdou!" Qiu Juan seized the report and slammed it into his face, "What is this?! What do you mean, what is this?!"

"You've been fooling around outside, you even have an illegitimate child? How can you face me, how can you face this family?!"

Lai Donglai was also stunned, staring at his parents in shock, then turning to Lai Qiang, "Qiangzi, where did you get this?!"

Lai Qiang shrank into a ball, terrified, "I don't know... I... was in the Study, I just happened to flip through it..."

He didn't dare speak the truth; the fear from the kitchen sink this afternoon was still etched deep in his bones.

"Bullshit!" Lai Fengdou, being scratched by Qiu Juan, backhanded her with a hard slap.

"Yellow‑faced hag! I bust my ass outside earning money, what's wrong with me finding a woman? It's none of your business—take a look at yourself in the mirror!"

Qiu Juan was knocked onto the Sofa, covering her face, letting out a heart‑rending wail.

【Villain Blackening Value detected -5, total now 81!】

Lai Chi moved to the farthest corner of the Living Room, his back to the chaos.

He expressionlessly pulled out his earphones from his pocket and slipped them into his ears.

Soft music flowed in, blocking out most of the noise.

He lowered his eyelids slightly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the earphone cord.

"Brother." His voice echoed in his mind, like sharing a secret, "Do you like this song?"

Jin Chen replied lazily, indulgent and permissive, "Whatever Xiao Chi likes, I like."

Li Chi's lips relaxed a little, the tips of his ears seeming to flush faintly red again.

At that moment, the part-time kitchen worker aunt poked her head out, worried and at a loss, looking at the chaotic scene in the living room.

Li Chi's gaze swept over the clock on the wall, then glanced at the bowl of nourishing soup on the table that exuded the aroma of precious medicinal ingredients.

He removed one earpiece, walked to the table, and picked up the bowl of soup.

Li Fendou needs to drink the soup on time.

Li Chi's dim eyes flickered; he carried the soup over to the panting Li Fendou, set it on the table, raised his hand, and gestured in sign language.

"Uncle, don't be angry, your soup."

Li Fendou was fuming; seeing this bowl of nourishing soup he usually treasured like a jewel, and thinking of that damned report card, he became even more furious.

He irritably waved his hand, "Leave it, I'm not in the mood!"

Li Chi did as told, gently placing the soup bowl back on the table.

Then he raised his hand again.

"Uncle, tomorrow is the day Mother sends money; I want to go out and buy a few books."

Only at this time is Li Fendou willing to talk.

Brother said, tomorrow he will go out to "do something big," even though Li Chi still doesn't know what to do.