Chapter 14: There Is No Future for a Pig and a Cabbage

In the small living room, two sofas were crammed together. Mu Yu had one arm wrapped around the slender, pale neck of the young boy, his face twisted in a threatening glare.

“Kid, you’ve got guts! Flirting with girls in your first year of high school! Do you believe I won’t break your legs right here and now?”

Mu Qing, sitting on the other sofa, rolled her eyes helplessly and tugged at Mu Yu’s sleeve.

“Enough, bro. I’m the only one at home today. He was just worried I’d be scared, so he came to keep me company.”

Mu Yu’s grip tightened even more, the fury in his eyes nearly blazing. Red crept across the boy’s cheeks from the heat.

“Well, aren’t you quick to seize the moment! It’s obvious you’re a player. Qingqing, don’t let him fool you!”

The boy wasn’t sure if he was a “player,” but he was certain he was about to suffocate.

He kept slapping Mu Yu’s muscular arm, flailing desperately.

With a snort, Mu Yu loosened his hold just a little—after all, the kid might be making moves on his precious sister, but his intentions seemed good, and he couldn’t really abuse him.

Still… he was so mad!

How could the world change so much after he’d been unconscious for just one day? The retired uncles and aunties had taken over the square for dancing, his little sister had turned rebellious, and now he was about to join a national organization.

Recalling the day’s events, Mu Yu felt it had been more exciting than his entire life up to now.

“Forget it. Tell me exactly what happened,” Mu Yu said wearily, waving his hand as exhaustion weighed him down.

“What do you mean, what happened?” Mu Qing blinked her clear, bright eyes, trying to dodge the question with a show of innocence.

“Oh please. With your personality, you’d be scared? Hm? And bringing a boy home? Not even closing the front door?”

Mu Yu wasn’t falling for it. As he spoke, he patted the boy still trapped under his arm, who dared not utter a word.

“…Hmph. I’m a girl, I can’t even lift a chicken—I could easily be scared, couldn’t I?” Mu Qing was a little embarrassed to be called out in front of her classmate, and tried to salvage her image. Yet under Mu Yu’s icy glare, she quickly gave in.

“Big brother, you don’t know, do you? The hospital you were taken to—there was a murder by a mental patient there. The police sealed off a huge area. I really was scared to be home alone.”

As she spoke, Mu Qing glanced furtively at her cousin, finding him oddly unfamiliar.

Had he… become more authoritative?

Impossible! Remembering Mu Yu’s earlier melodramatic collapse, she figured she was imagining things.

“Even so, why leave the door open? Even if there are two of you, you shouldn’t leave it unlocked,” Mu Yu frowned, but soon understood—this must be the excuse Liu Hui used to cover the truth. There had been some panic, but things had settled down.

“I was worried about you! I called the hospital as soon as I got home. They said you’d already been discharged. I was afraid you’d come back too late and couldn’t get in…”

Mu Qing’s voice trailed off, realizing she might have acted a bit out of line.

Mu Yu let out a heavy sigh. Watching Mu Qing hang her head like a scolded quail, he felt a headache coming on.

You could say she was wrong, but she was just afraid he’d be locked out. Say she was right, and his fists itched.

Was he mute? Didn’t she know how to knock and call out?

But seeing his little sister looking so pitiful, Mu Yu decided to spare her dignity.

“All right, don’t be foolish again. No need to worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”

“Okay, big brother, I understand, big brother.”

Mu Qing instantly brightened. That earlier look of tears—of course it was an act! If she admitted her mistake sweetly, her brother could never stay mad at his beloved sister.

She knew exactly how to handle Mu Yu.

“Fine, since I’m back, I’ll walk your classmate home,” Mu Yu said, grabbing the silent boy with one hand, his tone so grim it sounded less like an offer and more like a threat.

The boy didn’t react, quietly standing up, but Mu Qing panicked and rushed to stop him.

“Hey, hey, hey! Brother! He came all this way just to keep me company! How could you—no way!”

Seeing Mu Yu’s face darken further, Mu Qing realized she’d only added fuel to the fire. She scrambled for an excuse.

“And besides, it’s late—it’s not safe on the roads, right? Let him stay over tonight.”

Mu Yu looked down at the boy, who barely reached his waist, and rubbed his brow.

He knew full well Mu Qing’s real reason wasn’t safety, but the point still stood. The boy had good intentions—or not! Probably had ulterior motives! Still, it would be rude to throw him out, and it was important for Mu Qing to get along with her classmates.

…Tsk.

“All right,” Mu Yu grumbled, so quietly Mu Qing almost thought she imagined it.

“Yes!” The joy had barely appeared on Mu Qing’s face before dread followed.

Mu Yu, like hauling cargo, dragged the boy straight to the bedroom.

“It’s late. Go to bed. Your classmate will be sleeping with me tonight!”

Before he finished speaking, the sound of the door latch clicking echoed.

“No, brother! He’s not—”

Mu Qing collapsed onto the floor, eyes dull, the world spinning.

“It’s over…”

Hmph, you little punk, trying to win my sister’s favor? Dream on! I’ve locked the door—tonight, it’s just us two men having a little talk!

The boy, still dazed and bewildered, was tossed onto the bed by Mu Yu.

“Kid, what’s your name?”

Mu Yu sat boldly at the computer desk beside the bed, half his face shrouded in darkness, the moonlight barely illuminating his cold features.

Lights? Of course there were lights, but the mood was just right!

Though his methods were rough and he felt a little ridiculous, Mu Yu was determined.

If this boy wanted to get close to his sister, Mu Yu would scare him off thoroughly.

It seemed to be working—the delicate boy had curled up in the corner, trembling, radiating fear.

Rather cute, actually.

“Gu… Gu Zi.”

Satisfied, Mu Yu pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and let it dangle from his lips, the glow adding to his intimidating presence.

At this moment, he felt like the Godfather himself.

“Gu Zi, is it… Do you have any intentions toward my sister?”

He exhaled a smoke ring as he spoke, tapping his foot, his gaze cold and commanding.

“Cough… no… cough, cough…”

The voice was almost androgynous, as if he hadn’t hit puberty yet.

In the cramped room, Gu Zi nearly choked on the smoke, coughing helplessly, feeling wronged. But confronted with Mu Yu’s icy demeanor, he could only lower his head and answer softly.

Mu Yu froze for a moment. Under Gu Zi’s startled gaze, he stubbed out the cigarette and opened the window.

Damn, weren’t high schoolers these days all supposed to smoke and drink, wild and rebellious? This kid was making things difficult.

Mu Yu sat back, eyeing Gu Zi suspiciously. Was this soft, delicate persona how he attracted girls?

“Good. You’d better not have any ideas. Don’t even think about it!”

Mu Yu was the type to respond to force with force. If Gu Zi had tried to argue about true love, Mu Yu would have taught him the meaning of truth with his fists.

But seeing Gu Zi’s pitiful look now, Mu Yu just gave him a perfunctory warning.

Forget it. He’d just keep an eye on the kid. If he saw him getting too close to his sister—hmph.

“All right, drop that look. You make it seem like I’m bullying you. Go to sleep.”

Mu Yu yawned. Seeing Gu Zi unmoving in the corner, he grunted.

Then, in seconds, he stripped down to just his underwear and flopped onto the bed.

“Y-you, put your clothes back on.”

Mu Yu raised his head in annoyance, staring directly at Gu Zi—but in the dim room, he didn’t see any blush on the boy’s face.

“We’re both men—what’s the big deal? Come on, get in bed.”

Still dissatisfied, Mu Yu scooted over, patting the spot beside him.

“No, I can’t…”

“So troublesome.”

Just when Gu Zi thought Mu Yu would ignore him, he saw Mu Yu quickly pull on a pair of pants, looking thoroughly impatient.

“There, that’s better. But don’t push your luck.”

Gu Zi crouched in the corner in silence for a while, then slowly inched toward the bed.

A journey of a few meters took him ages.

By the time Mu Yu was nearly asleep, he finally felt a small body lie down beside him.

“What’s wrong with you?” Mu Yu muttered, glancing at the figure curled up with his back turned, fully clothed. Mu Yu shifted away, making more space, inwardly scoffing.

Sleeping in all your clothes—who are you trying to annoy?

Already exhausted, Mu Yu soon fell into a deep sleep, snoring softly.

Gu Zi curled into a ball, terrified of touching Mu Yu, face red and close to tears.

How did things end up like this? If only he’d ignored Qingqing’s protests and just come out with it.

Regret churned within him.

Of course, it wasn’t only because of Mu Qing; he was genuinely frightened.

Today, Mu Yu had killed two humanoid creatures with his own hands. After scraping through death, he didn’t notice it himself, but a faint aura of menace clung to him.

When the door burst open, Gu Zi—who’d been horsing around with Mu Qing—had looked back, locking eyes with Mu Yu.

Even now, recalling that gaze made him shiver.

Such a commanding presence, brimming with fury, as if nothing could stand in his way.

Listening to the calm breathing behind him, Gu Zi carefully turned, seeing Mu Yu’s powerful frame squeezed to one side of the bed, looking awkward and uncomfortable, muttering nonsense in his sleep.

“Hmph, like a pig,” Gu Zi grumbled, poking the air in front of Mu Yu’s face as if venting his frustration.

“Mmm…” Startled, Gu Zi quickly pulled his hand back and squeezed his eyes shut.

After a moment, he peeked through a slit, only to see Mu Yu had merely rolled over.

But Gu Zi didn’t dare try again, only shaking his tiny fist in silent protest.

Mu Yu’s snoring had a hypnotic effect; soon, Gu Zi felt his eyelids droop and yawned.

He drifted off.

In the next room, a girl sat on her bed, full of existential doubt, staring at the empty doorway, unable to sleep.