Chapter 18 Summer Silence
Summer break.
Older Brother and I went home.
Neither of us mentioned it.
Old high school friends wanted to hang out.
I wasn’t in the mood.
Kept turning them down.
Older Brother noticed.
Dragged me to the rooftop. “What’s wrong with you? Looking half dead. Don’t tell me you actually like Jiang Huai. He forced you.”
“You’ve always liked pretty girls. You’re not gay.”
He kicked a trash can,
cursed Jiang Huai.
“I was blind. He treated you so well, I never thought that way.”
Piece of shit, seducing my brother.
When he cooled off,
he rubbed my head,
grinned secretively.
“It’s fine. Older Brother’s got something good for you.”
Slipped me another of his “treasures.”
I took it,
went to my room.
Watched it a few times.
Nothing.
I shut the laptop,
pulled the blanket over my head.
That night kept playing.
Jiang Huai whispering “A You” in my ear.
Heat rushed through me.
I sat up fast.
Shook my head.
Mom called from downstairs. “A Xu, A You, your friend’s here!”
I pulled on pants,
followed Older Brother down.
He saw Jiang Huai,
fists clenched. “What are you doing here?”
Mom frowned. “That’s how you talk to a friend? He let you stay at his place.”
Older Brother shut up.
Jiang Huai looked at me.
Older Brother stepped between us. “Mom wants you for dinner.”
Jiang Huai nodded,
handed Mom a pile of supplements.
She told him to sit.
I helped carry food.
She stopped me. “Did your brother and Xiao Jiang fight?”
I mumbled. “Maybe.”
She asked, “Did you keep an eye on them like Dad and I asked? Nothing going on between them, right?”
I got more nervous. “Older Brother doesn’t like guys…”
She relaxed. “Good. You know Old Li next door—their son’s gay. Nearly killed his parents.”
I went quiet.
Swallowed the words.