Angry as he was, Rong Zhouzhong ultimately didn’t force Shi Jin to abandon Fei Yujing, who was still a patient.

Shi Jin took a seat beside the hospital bed, looked Fei Yujing over, and asked, “How are your injuries?”

“Minor injuries. A small surgery cleared the fluid in my lungs, and my recovery is going well,” Fei Yujing replied simply. Setting aside his files, he looked Shi Jin over in return. Seeing his pale complexion, he asked, “Did you rush here overnight? How did your final exams go?”

Shi Jin hadn’t expected him to still have the energy to care about that. Feeling a wave of helplessness, he replied, “I did alright… What did the doctor say? Will your condition leave any lasting side effects?”

Fei Yujing replied, “No. The lung injury was minor; once the fluid was cleared, the wound would heal naturally. As long as I take care of my ribs, there won’t be any issues.”

“That’s good.” Relieved, Shi Jin leaned back against his chair. After a moment of silence, he said guiltily, “I’m sorry. It was my fault you got dragged into this.”

“If you feel guilty, answer one question for me.” As if he had known Shi Jin would say that, Fei Yujing seized the opportunity to make his request.

Shi Jin paused, glanced at him, and nodded. “Alright, ask.”

Fei Yujing turned toward Rong Zhouzhong, who was quietly perking up his ears nearby, and said, “Old Third, Xiao Jin traveled overnight and probably hasn’t eaten yet. Go buy him a meal.”

Rong Zhouzhong turned his head in disbelief, his voice rising: “You really treat me like your nurse, don’t you?”

“I want to send you away,” Fei Yujing stated with brutal honesty. “This is a private conversation between Xiao Jin and me. It’s not suitable for a third person to hear. Come back in fifteen minutes.”

Tormented over the past few days, Rong Zhouzhong’s face contorted with rage at his honesty, wishing he could march over and finish him off with his own hands. But after glancing at Shi Jin, he ultimately stood up, frowning, and snapped, “Just fifteen minutes, not a second more.” With that, he turned and strode out.

Finally, only Shi Jin and Fei Yujing were left in the room.

Shi Jin looked at Fei Yujing and waited for his question. In fact, he had already guessed roughly what Fei Yujing was going to ask.

Fei Yujing brought his gaze back to him and asked directly, “The day I left the island, you said you weren’t angry about me taking advantage of you in the past. Ever since I returned, I haven’t been able to figure it out. Xiao Jin, I want to know what you’re truly angry about.”

As expected, it was this.

Shi Jin countered, “Why do you suddenly want to know this? Given your personality, you shouldn’t be obsessed with something like this.”

“This isn’t an obsession for me; it’s a mental block disturbing my thoughts,” Fei Yujing explained, terrifyingly frank as always. “Since coming back, this question pops into my mind from time to time, yet I can never reach a conclusion. The more baffled I get, the more I dwell on it, until it gradually turns into an affliction that even affects my work efficiency. I want the answer not because of you, but because I want to free myself from this troublesome situation that keeps disrupting my train of thought.”

That such a question could become a mental block, plus that emphasized line about ‘not because of you’… Shi Jin felt a dull ache in his chest and said expressionlessly, “That really is a selfish answer.”

Fei Yujing accepted his evaluation calmly: “I thought you knew my true nature long ago.”

But knowing it was one thing; when it came down to taking what should have been an emotional matter and dissecting it logically like official business, Shi Jin still found it hard to accept. The turbulent emotions on his side were merely a troublesome distraction on Fei Yujing’s. This emotional imbalance was the real reason the two could never grow close.

“Second Brother, that’s exactly what I’m angry about,” Shi Jin answered, remaining emotionless as he tried to appear as rational and cold as Fei Yujing was right now. “What I seek is an emotional response, while what you offer is material and practical compensation. I can’t get what I want, so I am angry.”

Fei Yujing paused, a rare moment of surprise crossing his face. “Emotional?”

“Yes,” Shi Jin nodded.

Fei Yujing looked at him and suddenly smiled. “But Xiao Jin, what you want… I have clearly already given to you.”

Shi Jin froze, his eyebrows knitting tightly together. “What?”

“I care about you, I help you, I yield to all your requests, protect you as best as I can, and even entrust my life to you. In this world, the only people I’ve devoted myself to like this are my mother first, and you second. Xiao Jin, you look at me through prejudice, yet you blame me for not tearing through your bias to enter your sight— isn’t that unfair to me? Of course, I am not accusing you; you have the right to view me this way. But I hope you can face your own true thoughts, otherwise you will forever guard against me in this self-contradictory state.”

Guarding? Facing his true thoughts? What kind of nonsense was all this? It was completely incomprehensible.

Shi Jin’s brow furrowed even deeper, feeling that Fei Yujing was distorting logic and blurring concepts. “No, you clearly—clearly… clearly…” His voice suddenly faltered.

“Clearly what?” Fei Yujing pressed.

Looking into those eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything, Shi Jin’s furrowed brow slowly smoothed out, and he gradually lost his voice. Clearly… clearly Fei Yujing had been treating him exactly as he said.

Caring? Yes, Fei Yujing truly cared about him. Those routine greetings, thoughtfully chosen birthday gifts, and making time for invitations whenever possible— what were those if not care? And help— setting up the foundation, helping Lian Jun settle the energy deal, and various subsequent collaborations— if not for Shi Jin’s sake, how could someone as shrewd as Fei Yujing ever involve himself with Lian Jun, whose background was so troublesome? The same went for requests: during last year’s reunion dinner, when Shi Jin mentioned wanting his brothers to cook a meal by hand, they actually did. For a man like Fei Yujing to specially take time out to learn cooking— who would believe it if told? As for protection and entrusting his life, back at the April conference, Fei Yujing could easily have stayed out of those muddy waters altogether.

Take this car accident right in front of him: judging by Fei Yujing’s usual style with the outside world, just causing him to get into a crash would be enough for Fei Yujing to skin the culprit alive or torture them into wishing they were dead. Yet right now, Fei Yujing had no intention of using this incident to blame him as the root of the trouble, and even turned around to comfort him instead.

Incident after incident, Fei Yujing’s current words and actions were entirely like those of a real older brother. The care and protection behind his actions were, without a doubt, genuine emotional responses. Ever since the day Fei Yujing extended an olive branch to him, whether in terms of interest or emotion, he had tried his best in every way.

But… why couldn’t he feel any emotional response from Fei Yujing at all? Why?

He suddenly felt a surge of confusion.

Flick.

His forehead was flicked suddenly. Coming back to his senses, he looked toward Fei Yujing, who had just launched the surprise attack.

“Xiao Jin, what are you truly angry about?” Fei Yujing suddenly steered the topic back, his tone unusually gentle. “I know you didn’t tell the truth just now. Tell me the answer to this question. I want to know.”

Shi Jin looked at him, his mind still stuck on the previous topic. Thoughts swirling in a mess, he hesitated before ultimately choosing to follow his heart, answering: “What I’m angry about… is how cleanly and decisively you abandoned me after Father died. Why could you be so ruthless? To you, was I really someone you couldn’t wait to cut ties with? Why was pulling away so effortless for you?”

Hazy memories and emotions surged from deep within his heart. The bewilderment and grievance he had felt in his dreams reclaimed his mind once more. He felt as though he were standing on a street, blocked by strangers, while Fei Yujing stood just a few meters away— so close, yet utterly unreachable.

Reason had a chance to pull his consciousness back, but emotion slowly surrendered to the unwillingness that had been suppressed inside his heart for so long. He suddenly had an intuition— that Fei Yujing inexplicably brought up this topic today precisely to induce him into losing control of his emotions like this.

“Why?” Looking into Fei Yujing’s eyes, Shi Jin gave in entirely, gradually unable to tell which ‘Shi Jin’ he was anymore. “Why? Over the past dozen years or so, did you truly never invest a single shred of genuine affection?”

Fei Yujing looked back at him and replied truthfully, “Yes.”

Crack. The memories and surging emotions shattered instantly. The question that had burned in his heart for years finally received an answer. Shi Jin snapped back to reality, his eyes widening slightly as he stared at Fei Yujing, his mind and expression going blank for a moment.

It seemed he had just heard the one answer he least wanted to hear.

Fei Yujing raised his hand and touched his eye gently, saying, “So that’s what you were angry about… Shi Jin, the truth is always harsh, but I don’t want to lie to you. Ever since I was young, I knew my position and what I truly wanted. In the past, you were merely a symbol in my eyes— Shi Xingrui’s most beloved son, a channel to efficiently gain benefits. I knew full well what I was doing to you, understanding that our final outcome could only be strangers, or deadly enemies. Under such circumstances, I was incapable of investing real familial affection in you.”

Shi Jin stared at him without blinking. Although his ears took in every single word, his brain resisted comprehending the meaning behind the sentences they formed.

“I didn’t abandon you. I merely tidied up my optimal nutrient intake network— like severing a supply tube that could no longer provide nourishment and might even turn diseased. Everything I did had nothing to do with who you were as a person; it was entirely for myself. Back then, I didn’t consider your feelings or your position— I only considered myself. I am very sorry for having treated you like that in the past.”

“What is this supposed to be?” Shi Jin’s fingers tightened inch by inch as he turned his head away to avoid his touch. “Did you really have to put it so harshly?”

How laughable. In the past, he had thought— no, the original host had thought— that the reason Fei Yujing ignored him and completely abandoned him was out of disgust or dislike, that at least there was some kind of emotional weight attached to him, even if negative. But turned out it was all a misunderstanding? This bastard Fei Yujing had simply never cared about him as a younger brother at all. In Fei Yujing’s eyes, this younger brother wasn’t even considered a human being— just a piece of trash to be thrown away after use.

As expected, he shouldn’t have asked those stupid questions. Hadn’t he known long ago what kind of answer he would receive?

Facing such a lucid bastard, it would be a miracle if he could feel any emotional response. Who knew if those responses were just another game to him? Who would dare let down their guard to trust them?

So it wasn’t that he couldn’t, but that he didn’t dare. His subconscious had long since chosen the best stance for dealing with Fei Yujing: ignore him, disregard him, and don’t care about him, because he was a devil who could hurt people with a smile.

“Are you angry?” Fei Yujing pulled his hand back and asked.

Shi Jin stood up with a frown and said, “There’s nothing to be angry about. I’ve known what kind of person you are for a long time… Get some rest. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”

“Xiao Jin.” Fei Yujing caught him by the arm and said, “I told you once before, and I will tell you again: in my life, I rarely regret anything I’ve done, but treating you like that in the past— I regret it. I’m sorry.”

Shi Jin broke free from his grip and forced out a faint smile. “I get it, I understand your apology. But in the future, save those apologies that you only say to make yourself feel better without caring about how the other person responds. Hearing them doesn’t make me happy. After all, no matter what my attitude is, you only ever do what you want to do anyway, right?” With that, he turned around and walked away quickly.

This time Fei Yujing didn’t stop him, but just as he reached the door, he spoke up: “Xiao Jin, what you want from me isn’t just an emotional response, but an emotional need. I will give it to you. You changed my view on family, showing me many things I previously overlooked. So as long as it’s something you want, I will give it to you.”

Shi Jin paused briefly, took a deep breath, pulled open the ward door, and walked out without looking back.

Watching the door close, Fei Yujing’s calm expression slowly dissolved. He lowered his eyes, rubbed his forehead, and let a trace of frustration and weariness show on his face, muttering to himself, “Was I too impatient…”

Outside the ward, Rong Zhouzhong happened to walk back carrying the food he had bought. Seeing Shi Jin burst out with a dark expression, he froze for a moment before his brow furrowed. Stepping forward, he asked, “What happened? Did Second Brother bully you?” As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, looking ready to pick a fight with Fei Yujing.

Suppressing his emotions, Shi Jin shook his head, grabbed his arm, and said, “Third Brother, I’m tired. Where are you staying? Take me there.”