Chapter 26: A-26

Yun Qian avoiding him was, in fact, a good thing for Yun Xiu.

He didn't want a nominal older brother watching him while he was trying to win over Yun He, even if this brother wasn't truly his.

Winning over Yun He was difficult because Yun Xiu had never undertaken such a task. He sat on the bed, deep in thought, but after a long while, he still couldn't figure out how to proceed. In the end, he had no choice but to turn to the omniscient netizens for help.

He went onto a forum and started a post titled "How to Win Over a Rich Tycoon Brother."

When the post was first published, it didn't attract much attention. Many people thought he had posted in the wrong section, and a few kind-hearted users clicked in to advise him not to post this topic in the lifestyle section—it should go in the off-topic section instead.

But after reading the original post, their typing fingers couldn't help but type something else entirely.

"As the title says. You’ve transmigrated into a novel about true and false young masters in a wealthy family. To stay in the wealthy household, you need to win over your older brother and become his partner. Question: What should you do to make your older brother fall in love with you?"

1st floor: Author testing out a plot idea?

2nd floor (OP): Older brother has eight-pack abs, is rich and handsome, has good morals, and treats family well.

3rd floor: Well, I don’t know how to win over your brother, but if he were to chase after me… *blushes*

4L: I'll cover for you /s

24L: Make way, everyone! Let me, a 'player' (a playboy with eight romantic partners), show you the right way! First, maintain an air of mystery—don't just spill your life story right away. Once you're familiar, stick to them like glue and make some seemingly accidental but actually intentional physical contact. When you feel the relationship isn't progressing, suddenly distance yourself. They'll sense the shift and ask why you've been so quiet lately. Just chat normally, continue giving them the cold shoulder, and then find an opportunity for either you or them to address the tension!

25L: That's how I got all eight of my partners—guaranteed to work, trust me!

32L (OP): Player friend, can we add each other? I have some things I'd like to consult about, and I'm willing to pay.

Most people browsing the forum probably aren't too busy. Yun Xiu added the person, and the other side quickly accepted. Since this friend claimed to be a player with eight partners, he nicknamed them "Eight-Fish King."

Yun Xiu: [Red Envelope] (a digital money gift common in Chinese messaging)

Yun Xiu: Teacher, I want to pursue my brother. Can you teach me?

Eight-Fish King didn't accept the red envelope and exclaimed in shock: Whoa, you're actually sending one? No need to be so polite. I happen to be free lately, so I'll just consider this an emotional consultation for you.

Yun Xiu: Thank you so much, teacher /big laugh

Eight-Fish King: Tell me about your situation, and I'll help you assess it.

Yun Xiu: It's just like what I said in the post 🙂 My brother and parents treat me quite well; they don't dislike me because my second brother came back. But my biological parents like to gamble and said that since I'm an adult, they won't give me a single cent. So, I want to stay.

The fact that Zhao Limei and her husband liked to gamble was something he had guessed last time when he overheard her on the phone with his second brother on the staircase, talking about paying off debts.

Eight-Fish King: ...You're serious? How rich is your family that you're so desperate to stay?

[Eight-Fish King withdrew a message]

Yun Xiu saw it and felt he should clarify the situation to avoid misunderstandings, so he replied seriously: Rich enough to buy multiple Disneylands, probably. Actually, I think we're already legally married, but I want to win his heart.

Eight-Fish King: !!!

Eight-Fish King: You should definitely stay. Let me think about this—such families need to be handled carefully.

Yun Xiu waited for a while but didn't get a response from the other side.

Hearing Mother Yun calling him outside, he simply put his phone aside, opened the door, and asked what was going on.

Mother Yun was holding a tray with three glasses of milk and said with a gentle smile, "Little one, have a glass of milk before bed."

Yun Xiu took the tray, took one glass of milk for himself, and asked, "Are the other two for my brothers?"

Mother Yun nodded, "Yes, one for each of you."

People are always biased, to varying degrees. Mother Yun might favor the more likable Yun Xiu a bit more, but she isn't the type to favor the adopted son she raised from childhood while cold-shouldering her biological son.

Whether it's division of assets or emotional warmth, she tries her best to be fair.

Yun Xiu understood that his mother wanted to show care for his second brother, so he didn't compete with her for the task of delivering milk. He only took one glass and said, "Mom, let me deliver this to big brother. You chat with second brother a bit longer; he seems upset."

After all, he is her biological son. A longer chat might let second brother's dislike of him rub off on Mother Yun, so that when the time comes to be exiled to Africa, like some corporate banishment, the Yun parents won't interfere.

Mother Yun thought he wanted to bond with Yun He and tapped his forehead, scolding playfully, "You little heartless thing! Don't let your second brother hear you treating them differently—he'll be upset!"

Yun Xiu thought to himself that it wouldn't matter; second brother hates him too much already. He pursed his lips and smiled shyly, "My feelings for big brother are different from those for second brother!"

Eight-Fish King hadn't given him any advice on winning over Yun He yet, so when Yun Xiu delivered the milk, it was genuinely just about delivering milk—without any ulterior motives to take advantage. This left Yun He, who had been on high alert, slightly puzzled.

On the second day of the National Day holiday, Eight-Fish King finally sent a message, speaking with great confidence as if he had done his homework overnight.

Bayu Wang: You and your elder brother grew up together, so maintaining a sense of mystery might be tough. Instead, focus on fostering a sense of independence. Make him feel that even if you're just a dodder plant, you're one that blooms in the wind—independent and full of personality!

Yun Xiu felt that the comparison to a dodder plant wasn’t quite right, but then it occurred to him—since he hadn’t graduated yet and still relied on the family for food and shelter, maybe it wasn’t entirely inaccurate?

Not sure, he’d think on it further.

Bayu Wang: The methods I’ve shared on the forum are effective and classic. Start by sticking close to him, occasionally acting a little spoiled or willful—but not too much, or he might think you’re being unreasonable. Once he gets used to having you around, come back to me for the next steps.

Yun Xiu: Okay, Teacher Ba. I’ll report back if anything new comes up.

Bayu Wang was clearly very busy; even being called “Teacher Ba” didn’t leave him time to question why Yun Xiu had given him that nickname. The fact that he could spare a moment to reply at all was a testament to his time management skills.

Yun Xiu looked over the chat log, pondered for a moment, and burned the eight-character phrase—“be dependent and clingy, occasionally act spoiled”—deep into his memory.

He might not know how to strategize a conquest, but he certainly knew how to be clingy!

After noon, Yun Xiu carried his easel and sought out Yun He. It wasn’t that he had nothing better to do—he actually had holiday homework to complete, which was why he’d brought his easel along.

Acting clingy for no reason would definitely raise suspicions, but doing so under the pretense of studying wouldn’t.

Just as he expected, Yun He asked why he was there. Yun Xiu explained that he had a figure drawing assignment and promised not to disturb Yun He’s work. After that, Yun He agreed.

Heh, there was no way a drawing assignment could be finished in just one day, right?

As a third-rate artist, taking one, two, three, four, or even five days to complete it seemed perfectly reasonable.

If he was drawing during the day, he couldn’t very well be drawing at night too. So Yun Xiu called in reinforcements—he asked Mother Yun to step in and persuade Yun He to take breaks, reminding him that he didn’t need to work so hard. Since they were in North City, she suggested, frequent hot spring soaks would be good for his health.

Although Yun He wasn’t the type to change his plans based on others’ suggestions, the project he was working on was nearing completion, and he really didn’t need to be so busy lately. He also didn’t want his family to worry, so he decided to follow Mother Yun’s advice. Every night at exactly 9 p.m., without fail, he would soak in the hot springs with Yun Xiu.

To pull off a conquest, it had to look convincing. While Yun He was bathing, Yun Xiu bustled around—handing him towels, fetching him drinks—but never overstepping any boundaries.

After two shared dips, Yun He had grown comfortable enough to ruffle his brother’s fluffy hair after bathing and even wrap an arm around him as they walked, as if they weren’t married but just close brothers in an ordinary family.

Of course, if Yun Xiu hadn’t tested boundaries with his behavior before, Yun He usually wouldn’t even remember they were married.

Yun Xiu leaned against the edge of the pool, picking up one drink after another to check the ingredients, seeing if there was anything he could actually drink.

Watching him, red all over from the hot water, with tiny beads of sweat glistening on the tip of his nose—looking both well-behaved and adorable—Yun He’s troubled heart suddenly calmed, and he let out a slow, relieved sigh.

If nothing unexpected happened, that flutter he felt that night was just a hormonal illusion that had tricked his senses. His feelings for Yun Xiu were still those of an older brother toward a younger brother, so he didn’t have to endure the moral turmoil of familial love transforming into something else.

In truth, he really liked Yun Xiu as a younger brother—from his appearance to his personality, everything fit his idea of what a “little brother” should be. But since both parents in the family spoiled their children, he had to take on the role of the strict older brother to prevent the kids from being spoiled rotten.

Somewhere along the way, he lost touch with the feeling of being able to cheer up his little brother with a smile, like he did when they were younger.

And that time in the office when he said those things to Yun Xiu—it wasn’t entirely for the sake of family harmony, nor did he actually want to kick Yun Xiu out. But during that period, Yun Xiu was being particularly restless, and Yun He feared things might escalate beyond repair. He felt he had no choice but to issue a harsh warning, which ended up making Yun Xiu angry. It took quite a while to win him over afterward.

Yun He believed that Yun Xiu might be lacking a sense of security. As long as he could meet Yun Xiu’s demands to the greatest extent and give him enough love, they could return to their previous brotherly relationship.

If Yun Xiu knew about these jumbled thoughts of his elder brother, he would definitely look at Yun He as if he were an idiot.

He thought he himself was slow when it came to emotions, but Yun He was in a league of his own. “Still just brothers”? Since when did Liu Bei have that kind of reaction to Zhang Fei?

If worse came to worst, he could just ask Yun Qian to give him a massage and recreate what happened that night—then the true nature of his feelings would become clear, wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately, Yun Xiu was unaware of all this. He picked up a blue canned drink, persistently checking the ingredient list again. Were all the drinks in this house alcoholic? It wasn’t like they were a family of heavy drinkers!

Yun He couldn’t bear to watch any longer. “None of those you’re holding are for you to drink. There’s a whole section in the fridge dedicated to juice—didn’t you see it?”

Yun Xiu asked in surprise, "There is?"

Their refrigerator was a double-door type, with one entire fridge dedicated to drinks—a vast array of colorful beverages. The other fridge held snacks like jelly and yogurt. Since Yun Xiu didn’t want to eat anything, worried that food crumbs might fall into the hot spring, he hadn’t even glanced in that direction.

Yun He didn’t answer with words but instead proved it with actions, getting out of the hot spring to fetch three bottles of juice.

"Thank you, brother!"

Yun Xiu smiled, thanked him, popped in a straw, and started drinking without ever suspecting Yun He might mean him harm.

Yun He hesitated, finally realizing why Yun Xiu had an allergic reaction the previous night.

Yun Qian had brought foreign alcoholic drinks, not in English. Apart from the numbers, the only thing legible on the bottle was the numbers. Combined with the relaxing atmosphere of the hot spring and the dim lighting, it was easy to miss unless examined closely.

Yun He frowned. "Why didn’t you check before drinking? What if someone intentionally gave you food you’re allergic to? What if you had a reaction?"

"But brother, you’re not a stranger." Yun Xiu didn’t understand why he was being scolded over a drink and was a little annoyed. Then, a thought struck him, and he exclaimed in shock, "Are you saying you’d actually harm me?!"

He was genuinely astonished, his cat-like eyes wide open, like a startled kitten.

Yun He paused, his tense expression softening. "Of course not. I just wanted to remind you—it’s fine at home, but outside, you shouldn’t be so careless. Especially with food from strangers; even if the packaging looks intact, you shouldn’t eat it."

"Okay."

Yun Xiu took a sip of juice to calm himself, thinking he wasn’t so hard up that he’d take food from strangers.

Besides, even a three-year-old knows that!

……

Yun He had grown accustomed to having a little shadow wherever he went.

On the fifth day of the National Day holiday, he took the initiative to invite both his younger brothers to join him in the hot spring.

However, Yun Qian accepted the gesture but didn’t plan to share the same pool. "You’re going to the indoor hot spring, right? Then I’ll head to the outdoor one."

Yun He glanced at his downcast second brother. "You don’t need to hold onto that for so long. The little one doesn’t stay angry long; he’s easy to win over."

After all, he had experience coaxing him. If Yun Qian asked how, he wouldn’t mind sharing how he’d done it before—what lessons Yun Qian could draw from it would be up to him.

Yun Qian shook his head. "Let’s talk another time."

He had tried reaching out to Yun Xiu these past few days to mend their relationship, but every time he went looking, Yun Xiu was either in their eldest brother’s room or soaking in the hot spring with him. Such obvious avoidance meant that persisting would only be pushy.

Yun He didn’t comment, not quite understanding the hesitation, but he wasn’t overly concerned about the conflict between his two younger brothers. As long as he stood on the side of reason rather than favoritism, treating both equally was enough.

9 p.m.

Yun He unexpectedly sought out Yun Xiu first. When the door opened, he said, "Let’s go. I’ll take you to the outdoor hot spring."

Yun Xiu’s eyes lit up. The outdoor hot spring let you enjoy the snow—definitely more fun than the indoor one. Since his allergic reaction last time, Mother Yun had forbidden him from soaking alone, so Yun He had been accompanying him. Yun Xiu had been dreaming about the outdoor hot spring ever since.

Even if his eldest brother hadn’t suggested it, on their last night in Beicheng, he would have pestered Yun He until he agreed.

Yun He hadn’t let Yun Qian use the outdoor hot spring, thinking it would be too bleak for his brother to soak alone in the falling snow—adding insult to injury.

So he suggested they swap places.

Yun Qian remembered how much his younger brother loved the outdoor hot spring and agreed, which is why Yun Xiu got his chance to enjoy it tonight.

Upon arriving, Yun Xiu, wearing a bathrobe inside and his elder brother's coat over it, carried a basket and picked through the drinks in the fridge. However, his options were limited, and having tried most of them over the past few days, he ended up selecting only a cup of sour plum drink.

"Big brother, what would you like to drink?"

Yun Xiu called out loudly to the person showering in the bathroom.

Through the bathroom door, the man's voice came muffled: "...Wine."

Wine?

Yun Xiu looked left and right but couldn't find any wine. After he walked around the room a couple times, he discovered a small room he hadn't noticed before. Opening the door and turning on the light, he saw a wine cabinet filled with red wine.

Not being fond of alcohol, he had little knowledge of red wine, having only learned some basic, mostly useless knowledge from a previous mission world. He recognized a few of the more famous brands and casually picked a bottle with a familiar-looking label.

Yun He came out after his shower and, seeing him holding the wine, chuckled: "You shouldn't drink while soaking in the hot springs—it puts a lot of strain on the heart. I said I wouldn't drink."

Yun Xiu let out an "ah" and said, "I didn’t hear clearly and thought you wanted to drink. Should I put it back?"

"No need, a small amount is fine." Yun He took the bottle, turning it to examine it. "This is from our father’s collection. I'll enjoy this tonight."

Not drinking alcohol before soaking applies to those with weak constitutions or heart problems. He comes to North City every year to enjoy the hot springs while drinking, and it has never affected him.

Alcohol can cause trouble, so he usually avoids it when possible, but today he was in a good mood and wanted to relax with a little drink.

He hadn’t meant to worry Yun Xiu, but his words made Yun Xiu anxious, fearing his brother might drop dead right in front of him. After failing to persuade him to stop, Yun Xiu decided to keep an eye on him and call a doctor if anything seemed off.

Fortunately, Yun He was healthy and strong. The combination of alcohol and the hot springs only made his face slightly flushed, with no other adverse reactions.

As glass after glass of red wine went down, Yun He’s eyes grew faintly glazed and unfocused. Yun Xiu couldn’t help moving closer and asked softly, "Big brother, are you drunk?"

He shook the wine bottle—there was about one glass left, meaning Yun He had finished nearly a whole bottle of red wine by himself. No wonder he was drunk.

Yun He closed his eyes, leaning back against the smooth finished stones. With the spring water covering him, only the outline of his upper body was visible. Though his muscles weren’t tensed, his abs were still visible.

He didn’t deny it: "Yeah."

Yun Xiu glanced enviously at his brother’s well-built chest muscles, then looked at his own and hung his head in shame.

It’s all because of his cannon-fodder status—he wasn't as good as others, no matter how he compared!

Teacher Bayu had said that he now had the image of a sweet, appealing persona and couldn’t act like a little rogue, getting handsy with people. He had to restrain himself!

But surely it was okay to just take a closer look...

Yun Xiu placed his hand on the seat beside Yun He’s thigh, leaning his body forward until their faces were less than a foot apart.

Yun He lifted his eyelids slightly, gave him a faint glance, then closed his eyes again without interest. His magnetic, pleasant voice held a note of helplessness: "What are you doing? Be careful not to slip into the pool."

Even as he spoke, he lightly wrapped his arm around the youth’s waist without actually touching his skin.

At a glance, the two appeared intimately embraced, their bodies largely overlapping. Whether it was the smooth, damp back or the hand with prominent veins resting near the slender waist, everything exuded a flustering, heart-racing tension.

Like a pair of intimate lovers in a passionate embrace.

Yun Xiu was about to respond when he suddenly heard a rustling sound behind him. Turning to look, he didn't see anything wrong, and the sound had vanished.

Must have been something falling.

Ignoring the noise, he turned back and went back to counting Yun He’s eyelashes. "Big brother, you have exactly 210 eyelashes in total. What about mine?"

He also noticed that the other person's ears were redder than the rest of their skin, but they had been soaking for so long that their skin was about to wrinkle.

Yun He didn't comment on his scientific spirit, simply telling him to get out of the water, get dressed, and prepare to go back to sleep.

Yun Xiu felt a bit regretful, but after returning, they would still have plenty of time together. There was no need to rush.

In the blink of an eye, it was time to return to City A.

Yun father and Yun mother had no plans to go back. They intended to stay there until winter arrived in City A, agreeing to meet at the banquet in November. The three brothers boarded the plane for their return journey.

Since it was an afternoon flight, Yun Xiu wasn't very tired. He sat next to Yun He, playing on his phone, while Yun Qian was seated several rows away, exuding gloom like a mushroom questioning its existence.

Yun Xiu stole a few glances in that direction. After all, the male lead’s dislike of him was the male lead's business, and his own schemes wouldn’t stop just because the other disliked him. The point of hesitation was whether he should try to ease the tension with Yun Qian a little, to make things easier at November's banquet.

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Yun Qian, who happened to meet his gaze, jerked back as if burned and quickly looked away.

Yun Xiu was taken aback by this reaction of avoiding him like the plague.

Okay, it seemed his second brother was still angry. Well, let him stay angry for now.

...

That night, Yun Xiu once again overheard Yun Qian on the phone with his adoptive mother.

He swore he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop—he was just thirsty, and there was no water in his room. Mainly, if he didn’t mention the lack of water, the servants wouldn’t casually enter his room to check.

Yun Xiu thought of Zhao Limei’s repetitive talk, assuming tonight’s conversation wouldn’t be any more substantial. Just as he quickened his pace to return to his room, his ears, still tuned to the outside world, caught some words that were terrifying to ponder.

The woman’s voice was shrill: "From the look of it, you’re not doing well in the Yun family. That means he’s stolen the love that should have been yours. Give me his contact information. I’ll pester him, and you can make him look bad in front of your parents. Sooner or later, you’ll be the only young master left in the Yun family!"

"Why won’t you listen? I’m not asking you for money—can’t I contact my own son? And now you’re protecting that little brat? If it weren’t for me, how would he have the wealthy life he has today?!"

Yun Xiu paused in his steps, suddenly recalling how Yun Qian’s biological parents had treated him when Yun Qian first returned to the Yun family.

Ignored, disliked... Even though he hadn’t grown up with that couple, their inexplicable hostility toward him felt unjustified.

It was as if he weren’t a living person but merely a tool for climbing the social ladder.

Suddenly, an absurd yet reasonable speculation began to form in Yun Xiu’s mind—

What if he had been deliberately born prematurely by Zhao Limei, switched at birth like a stand-in heir?

If Yun Qian weren’t the male lead, he wouldn’t think there was any basis for this speculation. But since Yun Qian was almost certainly this world’s male lead, it wasn’t impossible that fate had arranged for him, the impostor, to add drama to the male lead’s background.

Yun Xiu frowned, his expression darkening. If his guess turned out to be true, he wouldn’t mind helping the male lead—once he investigated thoroughly, he’d righteously cut ties with family. After all, helping the male lead meant advancing the main storyline.

As for who to entrust with the investigation, that required careful consideration.

He had neither money nor influence, and finding someone who knew the Yun family’s secrets but wouldn’t leak them was, frankly, quite difficult.

Asking Yun He was also out of the question. His status was special, and Yun Xiu still had a romance mission to complete. Acting righteously in front of Yun He would seem cold and unfeeling, which wouldn’t help his romantic pursuit.

Unable to think of a suitable candidate for the time being, Yun Xiu set the matter aside.

Ahem, these past few days he’d been too busy sticking close to Yun He and having fun, and he still hadn’t finished the homework assigned by his teacher. If he didn’t want to fail, he’d have to stay up late working on it—which was also why he was still awake at 2 a.m., wandering out to find water.

Seriously though, why do some schools' art majors only need to take public courses in their first year and can complete design assignments from home, while his school requires classes until the third year?