“I’ve had a bit of a run-in with my youngest uncle.”

“Youngest uncle? You mean Uncle Xinlu?”

Fei seemed intrigued, her eyes sparkling as she giggled and asked again, as if she had stumbled upon something interesting. Xiaojun was about to speak but suddenly stopped. It seemed she felt it was troublesome to explain.

“That’s how it is. Anyway, people will talk about it later, so it’s not too late to hear about it then, right?”

Fei grew even more curious as her younger sister waved her hand, ending the topic. He kept stuffing food into his mouth while looking around.

“Oh, he’s over there. Ah, he’s seen me.”

Fei, with his mouth full of food, grinned and waved toward his uncle. Ling Xinlu, who was looking in their direction, slightly furrowed his brows but then nodded perfunctorily, almost ignoring them before turning away.

Fei lowered his waving hand and shrugged without a hint of embarrassment.

“He doesn’t seem happy. How strange. Someone like him wouldn’t usually care about Qingmin.”

“He had an argument with Qingmin, and now he’s acting so unhappy?” – Fei tilted his head repeatedly, looking surprised. As he ran out of food, he quickly dashed back to the table to grab another handful.

Meanwhile, Yuri also glanced over and accidentally locked eyes with Ling Xinlu. The two of them simply stared silently without any reaction, causing Ling Xinlu to coldly turn away and continue talking to the person beside him as if nothing had happened.

“Uncle Yuri, how are you? Still doing alright?”

Fei asked while munching on a cookie. Yuri turned his head and nodded: “Yeah.”

“And what about you? I heard you’ve started your apprenticeship. Is it going well?”

As soon as Yuri finished asking, Fei’s face scrunched up into a frown, his hand holding the cookie drooping, looking utterly dejected.

“Uncle, I’m about to die. Can you talk to my dad for me? People take ten years to learn, but my dad expects me to cram everything into one month. I have to study this, I have to know that, it’s exhausting me. If this keeps up, I’m going to die.”

Fei muttered as he stuffed the cookie into his mouth, complaining that he hadn’t even had time to eat properly today because he was being pushed so hard.

Yuri smiled faintly, thinking that Ling Tangyun was indeed overworking his only son.

“At your age, even if you work yourself to death, you won’t die. It’s people like me who should start worrying.”

“Even if I don’t die from working too hard, back when I was in school, there was this kid who studied so hard he went crazy……”

“Do you know how much weight I’ve lost this month?” Fei whined, making a crying gesture, then suddenly hugged Yuri and Xiaojun.

“OH NO! MY WHITE SHIRT! WHERE DID YOUR GREASY HANDS TOUCH?!”

Xiaojun immediately straightened her face, punched Fei’s cheek, and broke free from his embrace. She ran off anxiously, muttering: “Mirror, where’s the mirror?” Fei, who had initially hoped for some comfort, was now left dumbfounded after being punched by his sister. He blinked at Yuri with a pitiful expression.

“Uncle……”

“Want to wipe your hands on my suit?”

Yuri took a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped Fei’s hands. As he wiped, Fei mumbled: “Thank you, Uncle, but I feel a little guilty.” Yuri smiled softly and said: “No need to wash it, just return it to me.” Yuri’s mood also lightened a bit.

Reuniting with the two siblings whom Yuri had treated as his own nieces and nephews since childhood made him feel happy. No matter how much time passed, they remained as youthful and adorable as he remembered. It was something Yuri had long admired about Lin Tang Yun.

……However, that lighthearted mood couldn’t last forever. The scorching gaze from Ling Xinlu’s direction made Yuri increasingly uncomfortable. It seemed Ling Xinlu was truly angry. The glances that had occasionally drifted his way while Ling Xinlu chatted with others around him now became blatant and persistent, as if piercing straight into his face. Every time Yuri turned his head in that direction, there was an eighty to ninety percent chance he’d meet Ling Xinlu’s gaze.

And the more he thought about it, the more irritated Yuri felt, and Ling Xinlu’s gaze seemed to grow sharper.

“But, I don’t know if it’s just my imagination……”

Fei wasn’t a fool either; he had also noticed that gaze. He subtly turned his body to shield Yuri from Ling Xinlu’s line of sight, then smiled bitterly.

“Uncle Xinlu is glaring at me. I wonder if I did something wrong, or if there’s something going on between him and Uncle Yuri?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong, so it must be because of me.”

“Is that so? Ah, lucky——no, living together with such tension is even worse. Although our youngest uncle isn’t a bad person at heart, he can be a bit hard to handle when he’s in a bad mood. Uncle Yuri, are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

After all, Yuri had already lived through a time when Ling Xinlu was much colder and harsher than he was now. So, no matter how upset or moody Ling Xinlu was at the moment, it was nothing compared to back then. That’s why Yuri felt fine.

Yuri shook his head gently, indicating that he was still okay.

It seemed Fei had imagined something, as his gaze toward Yuri now carried a hint of pity. His expression clearly revealed his inner thoughts, looking at Yuri with concern before letting out a long sigh. Then, he wiped his hands clean with the handkerchief and placed it on Yuri’s head.

“Hang in there, Uncle. Even though I like Uncle Xinlu, you know, I’ll always stand on your side, Uncle Yuri.”

Fei spoke seriously while rubbing Yuri’s head with his hand, though it was unclear whether he was messing it up or comforting him. Upon hearing this, Yuri couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Xiaojun and you really are siblings.”

Yuri laughed for a while.

“Xiaojun? What about Xiaojun?” – Fei asked blankly, but his hand continued to gently pat Yuri’s head. The older brother of the sibling pair, who had been looking at Yuri with tenderness, blinked a few times in surprise. Finding it utterly endearing, Yuri also reached up to stroke the hand that was resting on his head.

Just then.

“Let’s go home. I’m tired.”

A cold voice rang out from behind Fei.

Fei jolted, quickly dropping his hand and turning around. The previously obstructed view was now clear. Standing right there was Ling Xinlu, looming and staring in their direction, though no one knew how long he had been there.

“Ah, Uncle Xinlu. Are you heading back already? Oh, but I just got here.”

Fei greeted him cheerfully, but Ling Xinlu’s icy gaze only flicked toward him.

“It seems Xiaojun is here too. You two can entertain yourselves.”

“Oh my, how could that compare to spending time with you, Uncle, whom I only get to see occasionally?”

Though he said that, Fei had no intention of keeping someone who was clearly tired, so he quickly folded the oil-stained handkerchief and handed it back to Yuri. Yuri nodded slightly and tucked the handkerchief into his pocket. Ling Xinlu cast a cold glance at Yuri, then suddenly tilted his chin toward the two of them and remarked:

“Even if you only meet occasionally, it seems you’re closer than those who see each other every day.”

“Huh?” – Fei replied blankly, then followed the direction of Ling Xinlu’s chin to look at Yuri, blinking a few times. After a moment, he let out a bright “Aha” and laughed.

“Ah, well, back then I spent the whole summer at Uncle Yuri’s place when I went to Europe. We saw each other every day, so even though we only meet occasionally now, it still feels as familiar as if we see each other daily.”

Ling Xinlu, who had shown no emotion until now, let out a faint snort, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

“Traveling without your lover, staying with an uncle instead—must have been lonely, huh?”

“Hahaha, not at all. Uncle Yuri treated me really well. Even better than a lover, actually.”

Fei waved his hand enthusiastically as he praised Yuri, but Ling Xinlu’s expression remained tight, showing no agreement with the statement: “He’s such a good person.” On the contrary, it seemed Xinlu grew even more irritated, his jaw tightening, his face devoid of any expression.

A moment later, Ling Xinlu asked again: “Is that so?” Then, slowly, his expression returned. He narrowed his eyes and smiled.

“Good for you, but for me, it’s nothing but anger.”

Ling Xinlu smiled as if he were scolding someone, glancing at Yuri, but his eyes held no trace of a smile. Those pitch-black eyes were simmering with suppressed frustration and resentment. Yuri looked at him with a somewhat uneasy mood, guessing the reason behind Ling Xinlu’s anger. After all, from the very beginning, Ling Xinlu had not yet let go of the hurt he felt when he turned away.

Fei glanced at Yuri, who remained silent and offered no explanation, then scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.

“Um…… did Uncle Xinlu do something wrong? Uncle Yuri rarely gets angry. When I stayed at his place, I did a lot of unspeakable things too, but I never saw him lose his temper.”

Before Yuri could feel grateful for Fei defending him, Ling Xinlu was already looking at Fei with a smile that wasn’t really a smile at all. But after a brief pause, even that smile gradually faded, and in the end, his face was completely devoid of expression.

“It seems the two of you really understand each other. But hey, Fei, have you recently become Mr. Yuri Gable’s spokesperson without me knowing?”

His face showed no smile, completely cold and emotionless, yet his voice was surprisingly gentle. Ling Xinlu whispered softly to Fei. Fei sensed the sarcasm in those words, and the smile on his face vanished in an instant. Seemingly unsure whether to respond or not, Fei glanced at Yuri, worried that if he answered, it might cause trouble for Yuri.

Yuri remained silent, simply staring intently at Ling Xinlu without saying a word. Ling Xinlu, having shifted his gaze from Fei and now staring directly at Yuri, continued to look at him with a challenging expression for a few seconds.

Yuri, still calm, looked at Ling Xinlu without smiling or showing anger, only letting out a soft sigh. At this moment, Xinlu’s sharpened expression clearly revealed his irritation. He opened his mouth as if to say something but stopped midway, continuing to glare at Yuri with a threatening gaze before finally closing his mouth and letting out a bitter sigh. His fingers pressed hard against his temples, rubbing them with visible exhaustion.

“Let’s go. I’m really tired.”

Ling Xinlu’s voice was filled with weariness and annoyance. Yuri nodded in agreement immediately. He set his glass down on the stone ledge beside him, then turned to look at Fei, who was still standing there.

“I have to go now. Have a good time, and remember to send my regards to Xiaojun.”

“Ah…… yes. It’s getting dark, so please be careful on your way back.”

Fei glanced back and forth between Ling Xinlu and Yuri but didn’t say anything more, only offering a regretful smile and a wave. He called out: “See you later, Uncle Xinlu”, but Ling Xinlu didn’t respond, instead striding straight toward the parking lot. Yuri followed behind, nodding slightly in place of a verbal farewell.

Ling Xinlu walked briskly past the people around him, exchanging only fleeting glances, and quickly left the hallway. He didn’t look back even once, marching forward as if fueled by anger. Yuri followed a couple of steps behind, also saying nothing.

Finally, when they reached the parking lot, Yuri took the driver’s seat and Ling Xinlu sat in the passenger seat, yet they still didn’t exchange a single word or even glance at each other. In truth, Yuri had been looking at him while walking behind, but Ling Xinlu never looked back. As Yuri started the car and gripped the steering wheel, Ling Xinlu remained seated quietly in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead. Yuri turned to look at him and said softly:

“Put on your seatbelt.”

Yet Ling Xinlu didn’t react, his eyes still fixed straight ahead. Yuri watched him for a moment, then leaned over and fastened the seatbelt for him himself. After that, Yuri silently drove off.

For the entire journey back, the car was filled with a heavy silence.

Even when they arrived at the apartment and parked the car, Ling Xinlu continued to stare out the window, unmoving. Yuri also drove in silence, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror but neither looking at nor speaking to Ling Xinlu.

Yuri thought that he must be extremely angry. But at the same time, he also reflected that compared to the past, when Ling Xinlu couldn’t control himself and would often fly into such rages that his face turned pale, perhaps this was a slight improvement…… Still, even if that were the case, Yuri didn’t feel any more at ease than during those times when Ling Xinlu would vent his anger so fiercely that he’d shout. Even though Yuri wasn’t particularly bothered by this kind of silence, his mood wasn’t exactly light either.

This was the first time Yuri had seen Ling Xinlu this angry, so he couldn’t predict how long the situation would last.

Yuri hoped it wouldn’t last long. When he parked the car in the apartment’s lot and turned off the engine, Yuri glanced at Ling Xinlu through the rearview mirror. He still hadn’t moved, just staring out the window, seemingly lost in thought.

“……We’re here.”

Yuri thought that perhaps Ling Xinlu was so deep in thought that he hadn’t realized they had arrived, so he spoke up gently.

Ling Xinlu tilted his head slightly, indicating that he had heard Yuri, but still didn’t move. Yuri watched him for a moment, then reached over to unbuckle his seatbelt and continued to wait in silence. Yuri could wait as long as needed. He leaned his head back against the seat, waiting for Ling Xinlu’s mood to calm down—or perhaps for Xinlu to sort out his thoughts.

But the wait didn’t last long.

Yuri felt Ling Xinlu’s gaze flicker toward him while he was still staring out the dark window.

“Are you mad at me?”

The unexpected question caught Yuri off guard. If it had been a statement claiming that Yuri was angry, he could have understood it just from Ling Xinlu’s cold and resentful tone. But with that same irritated tone, Ling Xinlu was asking Yuri if he was mad at him.

Yuri, who had been leaning back in his seat, sat up straight and turned to look at Ling Xinlu. Ling Xinlu stared directly at Yuri with a challenging gaze.

“With that girl earlier, I really was just talking. If she hadn’t been so easy to follow, I wouldn’t have clung to her like that.”

Ling Xinlu turned fully toward Yuri. His words poured out like a torrent, filled with frustration and resentment.

Yuri remained silent, not responding. Ling Xinlu stared at him intently, then suddenly closed his mouth. The corners of his lips began to twist and distort.

“——That’s right. Because her smile was a little like…… like Taei-hyung’s.”

A low and suppressed sigh, as if rising from the depths of his heart, filled with resentment.

“So, whether she had a boyfriend or not, even though I knew she ultimately wasn’t like Taei-hyung, I still struck up a conversation. I deliberately whispered things that would sway her, then flashed that smile. ——But from the very beginning, even before I made a move, she was already glancing at me. She looked at me with eyes eager for me to approach her. Every time our eyes met, she smiled brightly, and as soon as I spoke, she eagerly followed me, even though she knew nothing about me.”

The words spilled out in a torrent of anger, like a feeble excuse, a self-justification. And he was aware of it himself. That’s why, the more he spoke, the more twisted his expression became.

That gnawing at his warped self-esteem was the harshest punishment he had brought upon himself. Even though no one was punishing him – perhaps no one could – he gritted his teeth and endured the pain, using his own words to torment himself.

“You’re the same.”

Then, suddenly, Ling Xinlu muttered after clenching his jaw.

“You don’t understand anything about me either, yet you still like me. What is it about me that you even like?”

“You don’t even know yourself.” – The tone, filled with pent-up resentment, was now directed entirely at Yuri. Yuri silently observed Ling Xinlu—the person clutching his pain as if on the verge of collapse. Then, Yuri slowly spoke:

“What part of you do you want me to like?”

Yuri gently asked in return.

For a moment, Ling Xinlu stiffened, only able to stare blankly at Yuri, falling silent as if he had lost his voice.

Yuri continued after a moment of silently observing him:

“I like Ling Xinlu, including those parts of you…… But that’s not what we need to discuss right now. I don’t like the idea of hurting others just because of a careless whim. I also don’t think that’s something acceptable.”

As Yuri spoke calmly, Ling Xinlu remained silent. His eyes didn’t blink even once, just quietly fixed on Yuri.

“Even though I like you, I can’t turn wrong into right.”

Yuri finished speaking and closed his mouth.

He wouldn’t condemn Ling Xinlu’s mistakes, but he also wouldn’t defend or cover for him.

A long while passed, and Ling Xinlu still said nothing. He stared intently at Yuri, then suddenly his face twisted as if something was boiling inside him. But after the look that seemed ready to vent his anger on Yuri, he ultimately fell silent again.

Then……

“Don’t be angry anymore.”

A faint, almost extinguished voice whispered.

“Don’t be angry anymore. I was wrong.”

The once-bright black eyes now only held a quiet darkness. The voice, heavy like shadows, pleaded: “I was wrong, so please don’t be angry anymore.”

Yuri stared intently at him. Ling Xinlu lowered his head, glanced at Yuri, and then muttered again: “Don’t be angry anymore.”

“I was wrong. I really just…… wanted to talk a little. I knew it would cause a rift between those two, but I didn’t mean to make things like that.”

The voice grew weaker, almost dissolving into nothingness.

Yuri remained silent, observing him, his heart filled with confusion. How could he soothe this person drowning in darkness?

‘No, I’m not angry. I’m not angry anymore. It’s okay.’

Those words flickered and vanished on the tip of his tongue. None of them seemed quite right.

So, Yuri gently reached out toward Ling Xinlu, who still sat motionless with his head bowed. Yuri’s hand landed softly on Xinlu’s hair.

“Don’t tell anyone, especially Xiaojun, or else all 6 billion people in the world will know about it.” – Yuri recalled Fei’s earnest warning, but thinking about the two months he’d spent struggling to recover data because of a virus, he felt no remorse at all.

‘Anyway, it’s not Xiaojun.’  – Yuri thought to himself. Ling Xinlu glanced at him with a puzzled expression, as if troubled by something.  

“Is that swimsuit still usable?”  

“……? Yeah, it’s still in good condition.”  

Swimsuits are made with better quality now, and besides, it hasn’t been that long. Yuri reassured him that the swimsuit wasn’t damaged, but Ling Xinlu still looked at him with an uncomfortable gaze, as if he wanted to say something.  

However, faced with Yuri’s utterly innocent expression, Ling Xinlu ultimately said nothing. He stepped out of the elevator that had just opened its doors, muttering irritably:  

“I suddenly feel so tired. ……Let’s just go inside and rest.”