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Qi Yuan, Chu Yi, and Cheng Yingzhi all grew up in the same compound. Qi Yuan was the youngest, always following his two older brothers around.

Cheng Yingzhi was a few years older than them. Although he was not as mature and composed as Cheng Yanqing, he naturally took on the responsibility of taking care of his two younger brothers.

Unlike Chu Yi, who possessed a maturity beyond his years, Qi Yuan was born with the life of a young master. He was always smiling, laughing without a care in the world.

In Qi Yuan's memory, although Cheng Yingzhi was Chu Yi's cousin, he actually took care of him most of the time.

He would help him clean up the mess after he got into trouble, he would scare away the bullies with a cold face when Qi Yuan was bullied by older students, and when Qi Yuan failed his exam and was afraid to go home, he would take him to his room, scold him for not studying hard, and then take out his textbook and highlight the important points for him.

At that time, Cheng Yingzhi saw Qi Yuan as an immature, somewhat mischievous but not inherently bad younger brother.

Qi Yuan was seven parts dependent on Cheng Yingzhi and three parts in awe of him. Occasionally, he would complain that his older brother was too nosy and nagging like an old man.

The change happened quietly, perhaps in the year Qi Yuan was admitted to university.

A lot happened that year, and Chu Yi went abroad without a word. Qi Yuan, who had grown up in a privileged environment, lacked such courage; he seemed to feel that he had always lived under protection.

After Chu Yi left, Qi Yuan was depressed for a while, but he still enjoyed his university life.

Having bid farewell to the naivety of high school, Qi Yuan, like a willow branch sprouting new leaves, quickly matured, his features shedding their childishness to reveal a handsome profile. He remained lively and playful, but at certain moments, he exuded a unique charm that lay between adolescence and youth.

After graduating from university, Cheng Yingzhi had already taken over the family business. He was more composed and reserved than when he was young, and his aura was becoming increasingly imposing. Once, he came to Qiyuan's university city on a business trip and stopped by to visit him.

That day, Qi Yuan had just finished playing basketball. Wearing a soaking wet jersey and with sweat dripping from his hair, he ran out of the court clutching his basketball. When he saw him in the setting sun, his eyes lit up, and he waved and shouted with a smile, "Brother Ying!"

At that moment, the sunlight outlined Qi Yuan's vigorous figure and radiant smile. Cheng Yingzhi watched him run towards him, and his heart felt as if it had been lightly but firmly struck by something. A strange emotion, beyond brotherly care, quietly began to grow within him.

For the first time, he didn't habitually rub Qi Yuan's sweaty hair or complain about his smelly body as he used to.

He simply stood there, watching the young man, radiating youthful energy, run up to him, then subtly looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly.

From then on, Cheng Yingzhi found himself unable to purely regard Qi Yuan as a younger brother. Those inappropriate thoughts troubled and even ashamed him.

He began to deliberately keep his distance, reducing the number of times he visited him at school, and their contact became less frequent. He tried to use time and space to cool down this inappropriate feeling.

Amidst this subtle estrangement, the Cheng family's business expanded overseas, requiring him to be stationed abroad for several years. He didn't specifically tell Qi Yuan this news, only mentioning it casually at a family gathering.

Qi Yuan heard about it from his parents. He was stunned, and a feeling of inexplicable grievance and disappointment welled up inside him.

First, Chu Yi left quietly, and then Ying Zhi Ge; no one told him personally.

At that moment, he felt that his status in their hearts had been devastated. The young master who had been held in high esteem since childhood experienced a sense of defeat and helplessness he had never felt before.

He felt an unprecedented urge and went straight to Cheng Yingzhi, questioning him about why he hadn't told him.

Cheng Yingzhi was working on documents in his study at the time. Without looking up, he spoke in a calm tone, as if he were discussing the weather: "It's nothing serious, no need to mention it."

Looking at his calm profile, Qi Yuan felt even more ignored.

"In your eyes, will I always be an immature child, so you never have to tell me anything?"

Cheng Yingzhi tightened his grip on the pen, finally looking up at him with a complex and unreadable expression. In the end, he could only sigh: "Qi Yuan, you've grown up and have your own life. I also have my own path to walk."

To Qi Yuan, these words meant drawing a clear line.

He bit his lip, said nothing more, and turned to leave. In truth, he understood that Cheng Yingzhi thought he wasn't mature enough and that he was a burden.

On the day Cheng Yingzhi left the country, Qi Yuan, in a fit of pique, didn't go to see him off at the airport. Instead, he went to the basketball court where he, Cheng Yingzhi, and Chu Yi used to go when they were kids, and played basketball all afternoon until he was completely exhausted.

During the years Cheng Yingzhi spent abroad, they did not completely lose contact.

He would occasionally email Qi Yuan to inquire about his recent situation, his tone returning to the brotherly concern he used to have, but the distance between them—the screen and the time difference—made it seem somewhat unreal.

Qi Yuan's replies were usually very brief, and carried a hint of spite.

Without the control of Cheng Yingzhi, this "mountain," Qi Yuan did feel much freer.

He squandered his youth, dating, trying out all sorts of unreliable entrepreneurial projects, living a life that was both exciting and somewhat aimless.

He thought he had gotten rid of Cheng Yingzhi's influence, but whenever he encountered real difficulties, or when the night was quiet, he would always unconsciously think of "Brother Yingzhi," who always had a cold face but would silently help him solve all his troubles.

Cheng Ying's return to China was quiet and unnoticed. His years of overseas experience had made him more mature and composed, with an even stronger presence. He took over the core business of the family business and quickly established himself in the business world.

His reunion with Qi Yuan took place at a business reception, the one where Qi Yuan was seeking investment for his health tea project.

When Qi Yuan saw Cheng Yingzhi chatting happily with the "big shot" he wanted to meet, his first reaction was shock, followed by inexplicable anger—he felt that Cheng Yingzhi had deliberately appeared there to laugh at him.

____

Qi Yuan and Chu Yi drank quite a bit at the bar that night. The people and things in front of him were blurry, and the deafening music and indistinct noise filled his ears.

He felt as if his head was filled with lead, and he almost fell over, with all his strength leaning on Chu Yi.

In a daze, he seemed to see Cheng Yingzhi.

The person stood before him, the light outlining a familiar yet unfamiliar profile. He was more upright and mature than he had been a few years ago, and the sharpness in his eyes seemed to have been smoothed out by time, but his innate aloofness remained unchanged.

He even felt a slightly cool hand reach out and naturally straighten the baseball cap that was tilted to the back of his head.

The touch was very light, yet it felt like it carried an electric current, instantly clearing Qi Yuan's muddled mind.

Since the last party ended badly, Qi Yuan still felt aggrieved and inexplicably annoyed by being "looked down upon," but alcohol seemed to have the ability to soften any hard shell.

The moment he realized that the person in front of him was indeed Cheng Yingzhi, all the sullenness and awkwardness seemed to evaporate with the alcohol, leaving only an almost instinctive dependence and...longing.

As if possessed, just like countless times in his childhood, he grinned, a slightly silly smile tinged with drunkenness. He reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly from the alcohol, and gently grasped Cheng Yingzhi's neatly ironed suit cuff. His voice was slurred, yet carried an unconscious intimacy and aggrieved tone as he murmured:

"Brother Ying..."

This call seemed to travel through time, returning them to their most intimate and youthful days.

There was no questioning, no alienation, only complete trust and reliance.

Cheng Yingzhi's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

He looked down at Qi Yuan. The man before him was drunk, his eyes blurry, his cheeks flushed, and his fingers gripped Qi Yuan's sleeve tightly, his knuckles turning white, as if he had grasped at some lifeline.

Those eyes, which always held a smile, were now misty with tears as they looked at him. There was confusion, vulnerability, and a trace of deep-seated emotion that he couldn't understand.

The Qi Yuan who had bared his teeth at him like an enraged little leopard at the last party was gone, replaced by this soft-spoken drunkard who made his heart clench.

Cheng Yingzhi's heart felt as if it had been clenched by something. The dam he had deliberately built to maintain distance quietly cracked open in response to that dependent call and that vulnerable gaze.

The drunkard opened his arms to hug him, but Cheng Yingzhi stretched out an index finger and pressed it against Qi Yuan's forehead, keeping him out of reach.

Seeing Qi Yuan's instantly dejected expression, Cheng Yingzhi softened and turned to have Chu Yi help Qi Yuan into the private room.

As Cheng Yingzhi watched Zhou Ai and Chu Yi interact, he swirled his wine glass at Qi Yuan, who was sitting on the sofa, completely drunk. He felt a mix of emotions.

In the end, he only gave Chu Yi some hangover soup and then sat down to the side, watching Chu Yi take care of the drunkard in an orderly manner. When the two left, he stood there holding the cup, his body halfway up, wanting to chase after them, but in the end, he slumped back down.

In fact, every time he mocked Zhou Ai, he was also secretly mocking himself for perhaps not having even half of Zhou Ai's courage.

On this track of both competition and love, he lost to Zhou Ai and suffered a crushing defeat.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Later, when Cheng Yingzhi took over the project, he learned about the variety show "Heartstrings in the Distant Mountains". Given Chu Yi's personality, he would never do something like "showing his face".

However, whether he was Chu Yi's older brother or an observer between Zhou Ai and Chu Yi, he knew very well that Chu Yi's feelings for Zhou Ai were definitely different.

Every time Zhou Ai approached, Chu Yi, though outwardly cold, responded to Zhou Ai's every action.

So, he took it upon himself to do something cunning and directly put Chu Yi into the variety show.

On one hand, he wanted Chu Yi to open up and reveal her true feelings.

On the other hand, it was a test. Even if, hypothetically, he misjudged the relationship between Chu Yi and Zhou Ai, a single, stern "no" from Chu Yi would have stopped the "game" altogether.

However, Chu Yi didn't, and Zhou Ai successfully won over this sincere heart.

Cheng Yingzhi always thought that he would remain in the stage of envy forever.

He calmly observed how Zhou Ai, like a reckless ray of sunlight, forcefully shone into Chu Yi's orderly world.

Watching Zhou Ai test and approach him again and again, Chu Yi went from initially being distant and evasive to later helplessly indulging him, until finally completely opening her heart.

Throughout that process, Chu Yi never said a word, but all her defenses crumbled under Zhou Ai's fervent sincerity.

Cheng Yingzhi was the driving force behind all of this, and also the only bystander.

He admired Zhou Ai's almost reckless courage; she would openly pursue what she wanted, unafraid of getting hurt or failing.

Cheng Yingzhi himself was used to weighing the pros and cons, used to forbearance and restraint, and suppressed his inappropriate thoughts under the identity of "elder brother", thinking that he could hide them for a lifetime.

He thought he would always be content to stand at a safe distance and play the role of a rational bystander.

It wasn't until he saw Qi Yuan sitting in a coffee shop, smiling without a trace of malice at a strange girl that he realized what was happening.

At that moment, all rationality, all consideration, all restraint crumbled instantly.

-

Since Chu Yi went to participate in a variety show, Qi Yuan has been unable to go and "hang out" with him anymore.

While he was frantically working on his still stagnant new project, he also had to deal with a series of blind dates arranged by his family.

When Qi Yuan first met Lin Wei, he was indeed pleasantly surprised. Unlike the dull and boring girls he had met before, this girl was at least willing to chat with him for a while.

The young woman was sweet-looking with two dimples when she smiled. She was cheerful and talkative, completely unlike the stereotypical and distant men she had met on blind dates before. They met at a relaxed coffee shop, chatted about music, movies, and interesting things that happened at work, and had a very pleasant conversation filled with laughter.

Qi Yuan felt a sense of relaxation and joy that he hadn't experienced in a long time, and felt that his sister had finally been reliable this time.

However, this feeling of ease and pleasure did not last long.

Just as Lin Wei asked Qi Yuan with a smile, "What are your hobbies?", Qi Yuan caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking in from the entrance of the coffee shop.

Cheng Yingzhi.

He was dressed in a well-tailored dark gray suit, clearly having just finished a formal meeting, and was accompanied by two people who appeared to be assistants. His gaze casually swept across the restaurant, then precisely settled on Qi Yuan's table.

Qi Yuan's smile froze instantly.

Cheng Yingzhi had obviously seen him as well, and Lin Wei, who was smiling brightly opposite him. He paused for a moment, then whispered a few words to his assistant before walking towards them alone.

Qi Yuan felt his heart skip a beat for no reason, and his fingers gripping the coffee cup tightened involuntarily.

"Qi Yuan?" Lin Wei noticed his strange expression and turned around following his gaze, where she also saw Cheng Yingzhi walking over.

She blinked curiously and asked softly, "Who is this...? Your friend?"

Qi Yuan opened his mouth, but his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

Brother? But Cheng Yingzhi is clearly Chu Yi's brother.

Friends? It's laughable to describe their relationship as "friends."

Which pair of friends are like them, always either making sarcastic remarks or deliberately distancing themselves when they meet?

Qi Yuan found himself unable to find a suitable word to define Cheng Yingzhi's place in his life.

This realization made him feel inexplicably irritated and... guilty.

Just as Qi Yuan was stuck, his expression shifting, Cheng Yingzhi had already walked to the table. His gaze first swept lightly over Lin Wei, and finally landed on Qi Yuan's slightly embarrassed face.

Cheng Yingzhi's lips twitched almost imperceptibly downwards, but he quickly regained his composure, even curving his lips into a gentle smile as he introduced Lin Wei in a natural and generous tone:

"Hello, I am Qi Yuan's older brother, Cheng Yingzhi."

"Brother?" Lin Wei looked at Cheng Yingzhi with some surprise, then at Qi Yuan. She had obviously never heard Qi Yuan mention that he had such an outstanding older brother.

"Oh, it's Brother Qi Yuan! Hello!" Lin Wei greeted him politely immediately.

However, Cheng Yingzhi's seemingly helpful "brother" was like a thorn, piercing precisely into Qi Yuan's heart.

elder brother?

It's the older brother again!

What gives him the right to use this identity so naturally? After he left without saying goodbye and after he repeatedly distanced himself from me?

Qi Yuan's previously bright mood, which had been brightened by his pleasant conversation with Lin Wei, was instantly clouded over. He lowered his head, vigorously stirring the now-cold coffee in front of him with a spoon, his lips pressed tightly together, and his whole being exuded obvious displeasure.

Cheng Yingzhi took in his reaction, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

He didn't understand why his intervention to help him out of the predicament had only made him more unhappy.

This young master's thoughts are becoming increasingly difficult to fathom.

The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.

Cheng Yingzhi glanced at Qi Yuan's downcast profile, which was filled with displeasure, and sighed inwardly. However, he maintained his composure and nodded slightly to Lin Wei, saying, "I won't disturb you any longer." After saying that, he took another deep look at Qi Yuan, who seemed to want to bury his head in his coffee cup, before turning and leaving.

Only after Cheng Yingzhi's figure disappeared at the coffee shop entrance did Qi Yuan suddenly raise his head, feeling a nameless anger rising in his chest, yet with nowhere to vent it.

Lin Wei looked at him cautiously: "Qi Yuan... are you alright? You and your brother...?"

"It's alright!" Qi Yuan interrupted her, forcing a somewhat forced smile. "Let's... continue."

But after this ordeal, the relaxed and pleasant atmosphere from before was completely gone. Qi Yuan's mind was in turmoil, and he became absent-minded during the ensuing conversation.

He couldn't help but wonder, why was Cheng Yingzhi here? Was it a coincidence? What did he mean by calling him "brother"? Was it a reminder to be mindful of his status, or... something else?

As Cheng Yingzhi walked out of the coffee shop, he got into his car, rubbed his temples, and kept replaying in his mind the sweet smile of the girl opposite Qi Yuan, and the rare relaxed and carefree look on Qi Yuan's face when he was with him.

The inexplicable irritation and... a hint of bitterness that he himself did not want to delve into lingered for a long time.

A sharp, almost stabbing sensation gripped his heart, stronger and more undeniable than when he saw Qi Yuan running towards him in the sunset years ago.

It wasn't just discomfort; it was a clear, panic-driven, and frantic possessiveness screaming out—

Qi Yuan, who always followed behind him in his memory, would grab his sleeve and softly call him "Brother Ying," the Qi Yuan whom he would subconsciously take care of and protect, was now showing his most unguarded smile to others.

That position... should have been his.

The thought exploded in his mind like a thunderbolt, making it almost impossible for him to maintain his composure.

He watched as Cheng Yingzhi stepped forward, assuming the role of "older brother," to help Qi Yuan out of his predicament.

But the moment that title was uttered, he clearly saw a fleeting look of disappointment and even greater displeasure in Qi Yuan's eyes.

At that moment, Cheng Yingzhi suddenly understood.

Between him and Qi Yuan, there was never any difference in family background, age, or the opinions of others.

It was his own cowardice that caused it.

He was the one who stubbornly confined himself to his own little world, using the identity of "older brother" as an excuse to escape. He was the one who pushed Qi Yuan away time and time again, yet greedily enjoyed the lingering dependence Qi Yuan had on him.

Zhou Ai's courage was like a mirror, reflecting his cowardice and hesitation.

Now, the scene of Qi Yuan going on a blind date has become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

He can no longer just watch.

He could no longer be content to be a sober bystander, watching helplessly as Qi Yuan might end up with someone else.

Do you admire Zhou Ai's courage?

Why not be brave this time?

Through the car window, Cheng Yingzhi looked at Qi Yuan's somewhat absent-minded profile in the coffee shop. His gaze gradually hardened, even taking on a sharp, do-or-die quality.

He took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Could you check the basic information about the woman who was with Qi Yuan?"

"Also, cancel all my evening social engagements next week."

He hung up the phone and took a deep breath.

Zhou Ai managed to warm Chu Yi's cold heart through persistent pestering.

Then why can't Cheng Yingzhi try to grab that hand that keeps wanting to get closer but is always pushed away?

This "variety show test" that he orchestrated ultimately revealed a truth that even he himself dared not face.

Now, he no longer wants to run away.