Always by your side

Ch 10. Tears

Past

Wei Ying POV

"I really can't remember much about yesterday's party," I said to Qiren apologetically, thinking about the ways I would get punished and wondering if the Jiang siblings would ever be able to forgive me.

"Some people started to comment that the bride wasn't as rich as the groom. So she must be after his money". Qiren said, "You said to them that Jin Zixuan wasn't good enough for her and that he must be grateful for just staying in her presence. They snorted, and you grabbed the oldest by the collar. He pushed you. You attacked again, and Jin Zixuan tried to intervene. You lost balance and fell in the pool, pulling Jin Zixuan with you. Lan Zhan jumped to help you and take the two of you out".

Lan Qiren was furious. The pencil in his hand broke under his pressure. Then, he looked at Lan Zhan and said.

"At least he was drunk. On the other hand, you have no excuse to punch the security guards. Why did you do that?"

Lan Zhan just raised his shoulders, defeated. He looked at the floor. "they wanted to hurt Wei Ying, and I also drank some alcohol. It is just that I am not as light-headed as Wei Ying".

"You are both grounded".

You can't say that Lan Qiren wasn't creative regarding punishment. We are enrolled in cooking duties in the orphanage sponsored by the Jin family for the next two months. It is harsh, but we are learning a valuable skill. I see that Lan Zhan is crying while chopping onions, and I mumbled to myself- Maybe, it would have been better for you if they had just thrown me here when I lost my parents.

"Don't you ever say that again," said Lan Zhan without looking at me- My life without you would be awful- and then he kept chopping his onions.

I looked at him while adding the spices to the dishes. I wonder if you have some memories of our past. Since I promised you that I would never forget what you did to me, I have recovered them, but do I have the right to tell you about it? Does my husband still exist inside you? Or how am I just your brother?

"Hey, stop adding pepper to the stew," said the cook "you are ruining the food!"

"But everything is better with pepper.!!" I said

"Help your brother with the vegetables, and let me handle the spices!"

I shrug. It takes some time, but within a few weeks, we are getting better, and the chef let us do more and more things.

In the third week, madam Yu comes to visit the place with her friends of the charity. I try to apologize. She says that I was shameless that my mother would be disappointed to see such a misbehaved youth and that I genuinely can't be her son.

I blink. "I didn't know you were friends."

"We were, but she married, and our social circles changed a lot. So my husband and I thought it would be nice to raise my junior's son, but maybe it was for the best that you got more discipline.

She continued -My daughter told me you like the flute. There is a great master. She taught your mother. She is pretty reclusive but accepts students from time to time. I will try to get you an appointment if you want to".

"Thank you, madam Yu".

While going home, Lan Zhan falls asleep on my shoulder. He looks so peaceful now. I play with his hair and chin, and I grin a little. I haven't slept in the same bed as him since I got my memories back. I am afraid that my hands will do something that he doesn't want to.

I have to be sure first. Then, maybe, playing the flute might help him remember me.