Brotherly Disrespect

Chapter 18

The conversation with Damien that afternoon played back in Xie Wenyu’s mind from time to time.

He felt that Xie Wenkai is actually a very mysterious person. Sometimes he couldn’t see through his brother at all, for example, why would he look at his photo in a daze? Why lie to Damien?

Xie Wenyu’s understanding of his brother is not as deep as his brother’s understanding of him. And Xie Wenkai is a man of few words, he hardly takes the initiative to chat with Xie Wenyu, so Xie Wenyu thought angrily, he should never pester his brother like he did when he was a child, and just maintain a roommate relationship with his brother—that living in the same house¹, but his shadows couldn’t even be seen.

Anyway, people always grow up.

Eventually have their own lives.

From winter to spring, the snow on the side of the road melted, and green shoots appeared on the branches.

The weather was getting warmer. In the bedroom, Xie Wenyu put the cotton wool trousers under the bed, turned out the thin clothes to be worn in spring and summer, and hung them neatly in the closet. One of the jerseys and sweatpants was stuffed into his schoolbag by him.

As a member of the school’s basketball team, Xie Wenyu is going to represent the school in a summer basketball game for North American college students. There will be a preliminary match this afternoon. After packing up his clothes, Xie Wenyu sent a message to his brother.

Originally, Xie Wenyu wanted to ask his brother to watch his game. After thinking about it for a while, the content of Xie Wenyu’s message in the end was just: I went out to play and won’t be home tonight.

After a few minutes, Xie Wenkai replied: Got it.

Xie Wenyu: What time would you go home tonight, should I bring the keys?

Xie Wenkai: Bring it. I don’t finish class until nine o’clock.

Xie Wenyu had already walked to the entrance with his bag on his back. When he saw the message, he curled his lips and turned back to his room to get the keys.

Accidents often occur on the basketball court.

When Xie Wenyu was playing today, he was accidentally injured. The situation happened unexpectedly. He accidentally poked his finger while grabbing a rebound. In a moment of distraction, the basketball hit his face impartially, leaving a scratch mark on the bridge of his nose.

The injury on his face was not serious, but the bruises on his fingers were more severe.

As the saying goes, the nerves of the fingertips are linked with the heart², Xie Wenyu turned pale and felt a sharp pain.

He definitely can’t hit the ball. The coach replaced another player on the court, then took a bandage, fixed Xie Wenyu’s injured index finger and middle finger together, and asked him if he could go to the doctor alone.

Xie Wenyu nodded, went to the nearest hospital by himself, and went to the emergency department. The nurse at the front desk checked his wound and thought that it was not an emergency injury, so Xie Wenyu was asked to go for a basic physical examination first.

Seeing a doctor alone is the most likely time to feel lonely, especially when you are in a foreign country. What you see and hear are all unfamiliar languages. Xie Wenyu was holding the physical examination report with almost no familiar medical terminology and suddenly felt aggrieved.

In this foreign country, he is not without relatives.

Xie Wenyu sat on the bench and threw the report card aside. He took a photo of his injured finger with his phone and took a selfie of his bruised nose.

He sent these two photos to Xie Wenkai.

Graduate students are different from undergraduate students. Xie Wenkai is very busy every day. In addition to attending classes and internships, he also has teaching assistant tasks to substitute for tutors.

Xie Wenyu didn’t expect his brother to reply immediately. He put his phone back in his trouser pocket, leaned back on the chair, closed his eyes, and waited quietly for the radio to call his name.

Don’t know how long it has passed, but his phone rang suddenly.

Xie Wenyu pressed the connect button.

As soon as the phone was connected, Xie Wenkai’s voice came over: “How did it hurt?”

Xie Wenyu: “I accidentally hurt myself while playing.”

After not drinking water for several hours, Xie Wenyu’s throat was dry. He lowered his eyes, looked at his red, swollen fingers, and said: “It hurts so much.”

He didn’t even realize that these two words were said pitifully, with a hint of coquettishness.

There seemed to be wind blowing from Xie Wenkai’s side: “Send me the address of the hospital.”

Xie Wenyu: “You want to come?”

If he remembers correctly, Xie Wenkai should be in class at this time.

Xie Wenkai: “En, coming right now.”

The wind stopped, and it’s unknown where Xie Wenkai went. Xie Wenyu guessed that it was a subway station because he vaguely heard the announcement sound on the radio.

Xie Wenyu: “Don’t you have classes?”

Xie Wenkai: “I have already asked the teacher for leave.”

At this moment, Xie Wenyu suddenly remembered that when his brother was fifteen years old, he gave up going abroad to study in high school because he made a scene.

Xie Wenyu was no longer an ignorant child. He scratched his head and said, “Hey, I’m fine by myself. You can go back to class.”

Xie Wenkai’s tone became serious: “Stop talking nonsense, send it quickly.”

Why so fierce? Xie Wenyu slandered and honestly sent the location of the hospital.

Half an hour later, Xie Wenkai arrived at the emergency department of the hospital. The moment he saw Xie Wenyu, he strode over, his eyes fixed on Xie Wenyu’s hand.

“What did the doctor say?” Xie Wenkai went straight to the point.

Xie Wenyu: “Take an x-ray later to see if there is any fracture.”

Xie Wenyu’s injured finger was already swollen, like a chubby radish. Not long ago, the nurse gave him an ice pack to reduce the swelling, but it still looked a little serious.

Sitting next to him, Xie Wenkai naturally took the ice pack from his hand and pressed it on his injured finger.

Xie Wenyu showed two gleaming tiger teeth: “Ge, you are so kind.”

Xie Wenkai raised his eyes and glanced at him: “Be more careful when playing in the future.”

Xie Wenyu nodded.

Xie Wenkai shifted his gaze to his nose: “What’s the matter with this injury?”

Xie Wenyu: “It’s not serious, it’s just a scratch.”

The temperature of the ice pack was too low, and his hand was a little stiff after holding it for a long time. Xie Wenkai switched to the other hand. Taking a look at Xie Wenyu’s broken nose again, the corners of his mouth bent abruptly.

Xie Wenyu: “Hey, do I look funny now?”

Xie Wenkai’s expression already explained the answer. He admired Xie Wenyu’s depressed expression for a while, as if deliberately teasing: “It won’t leave scars in the future.”

Having said that, Xie Wenyu became nervous: “Damn it, probably not.”

The corners of Xie Wenkai’s mouth has been raised all the time: “It’s just right to have a scar, so you don’t have to go out and mess with flowers.”

Xie Wenyu was puzzled: “What?”

Xie Wenkai switched the hand holding the ice pack again, without explaining.

Xie Wenyu: “Don’t always speak in riddles. I’m not as smart as you, so I can’t understand it.”

Xie Wenkai: “It’s better not to understand it.”

Xie Wenyu asked: “What do you mean? Where did I mess with flowers?”

The smile in Xie Wenkai’s eyes became more obvious: “Fool.”

Xie Wenyu: “If my hand wasn’t injured, I really want to beat you up!”