The Sound of Strings - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lu Chen was already in middle school, but he still didn’t dare sleep alone.

His mother had once locked him in a pitch-black room for two days straight.

It left him traumatized.

My father’s dead true love had never been a kind woman to begin with.

I knew I should take him to a psychologist for professional treatment.

But I didn’t.

I indulged him.

“If you’re scared, come find your brother anytime.”

Sure enough, Lu Chen came.

I pulled him into my arms.

His small body curled up against me.

“Be good. I’ll hold you while you sleep.”

I patted his back.

My movements were gentle, but my face was expressionless.

I had spent countless nights terrified of the dark all on my own.

So scared I lined up Ultraman figures around my room.

And still couldn’t fall asleep.

I had gone to my father and acted spoiled, only to receive a cold look and the word coward.

But Lu Chen-when he was afraid, he had a warm embrace waiting for him.

His brother’s warm embrace.

Lu Chen, why is it that you always get so much love?

His breathing gradually evened out, and he fell asleep nestled in my arms.

By the moonlight, I studied his face.

When he was asleep, he looked harmless, looking more and more like my father’s dead true love.

More beautiful by the day.

I tightened my arms around him and closed my eyes.

Be a little more willful.

Rely on me a little more.

Let your brother love you.

It would be best if you couldn’t live without me.

I gave him love without a bottom line, no matter how outrageous Lu Chen’s demands became.

And he grew increasingly willful and spoiled.

I began teaching Lu Chen how to fight.

“If anyone bullies you, hit them back. Whatever happens, your brother will handle it.”

Lu Chen buried his face against my chest and said okay, his voice muffled.

Very soon, he beat someone up.

This time, they called in a parent.

Father didn’t go.

He didn’t even ask what had happened. His furious voice simply came through the phone.

“Lu Chen, you’ve disappointed me so much.”

Lu Chen lowered his head and said nothing.

I stood in the shadows off to the side and nearly laughed out loud.

That was exactly the kind of man my father was.

His love for his children was shallow at best.

The moment you did anything that embarrassed him, he would toss you aside like garbage.

When Lu Chen was at his saddest, I comforted him.

My shirt was soaked.

Lu Chen was crying.

“I didn’t want to hit him. I could have endured it, but he talked about you.”

He lifted his head from my arms, sobbing in hiccups, but his eyes were firm.

“I won’t allow anyone to talk about my brother.”

It was as if some string in my heart had been plucked.

I froze for a moment.

Only after a long while did I raise my hand and stroke his head.

“Mm. You did the right thing. You’re my favorite.”

With doting affection, I pressed Lu Chen, rotten to the bone, back down into the abyss.

No matter what he did, I would always clean up his mess.

Everyone knew I was his good older brother.

I performed this act of brotherly affection and respect for ten years.

The way Lu Chen looked at me grew more and more dependent.

After Father brought him home, he showed concern for the first few years.

For the rest of the time, there was only indifference.

Because outside, he had found himself a new lover.

I no longer tried to gain Father’s approval.

On the contrary, true to the name my father had given me, I loathed that man. I hated him for being so cold and heartless.

During New Year’s, Lu Chen and I curled up on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala.

In that enormous house, only the two of us remained.

Lu Chen nestled in my arms. “Brother, I’m cold.”

He was already eighteen, yet he was still this clingy.

Like an overgrown baby.

I held Lu Chen tighter.

Our two bodies pressed close together, without the slightest gap.

There wasn’t a single person close to him.

Except me.

And I was the same.

Over ten years, I had used love and warmth to soften his defenses little by little.

It was just that Lu Chen didn’t know-the thorns softened by love would one day be returned to him.

And when they pierced his soft, unguarded heart, they would hurt all the more.

“The young master skipped class again.”

The housekeeper called and told me Lu Chen had failed too many university courses, and his counselor wanted to speak with his parent.

“All right. I’ll go find him.”

I calmly hung up.

Actually, there was no need to look. Lu Chen would only be at home.

“What tantrum are you throwing now?”

“Brother, you’re here.”

When Lu Chen saw me return, he threw himself into my arms.

He was already a head taller than me, yet he still liked burying his face against my chest and acting spoiled.

“Why won’t you take me with you if you’re going on a business trip for a week?”

There was a trace of grievance in his voice.

I stroked his head.

“You need to attend your classes properly. You’re already this old, and you’re still so clingy.”

The hair beneath my palm was soft, just like the way he was in front of me.

I hadn’t expected Lu Chen to get into university.

I thought he would rot away under all that indulgence.

But at every crucial point in his life, he would suddenly work unbelievably hard.

He said, “I don’t want you to be ashamed of me.”

I stroked his head.

“I would never be ashamed. No matter what, I love you.”

And yet Lu Chen still got into university.

No matter how much I indulged him, Lu Chen was just like his name.

Like a star, he gave off a faint light.

Impossible to crush. Impossible to extinguish.

Even though after entering university, he still skipped class and got into fights.

Trying to monopolize my attention in that way.

Utterly childish.

Just like now.

Lu Chen stepped up onto the ledge.

“If you go on that business trip without taking me, I’ll jump from here.”