I Fell In Love With My Friend's Younger Brother Who Has A Low Sense Of Presence. - Chapter 5:

Chapter 5: I Want to Go Home and Sleep

Su Shixiao knew from his brother’s attitude that refusal was not an option, so he stepped forward and held onto Nan Yanzhou. “Brother Yanzhou, let’s go.”

Nan Yanzhou rubbed his temples. He had drunk too much and was a bit dizzy now. He leaned heavily on Su Shixiao. “I don’t want to go back [to the party].”

Nan Yanzhou’s warm body temperature enveloped him, and the sudden weight made Su Shixiao’s body stiffen. He didn’t know where to put his hands.

“Then where do you want to go?”

Nan Yanzhou: “I want to go home and sleep.”

“Wait a moment, I’ll tell my brother.” Su Shixiao helped him lean against the wall to stand steady, took out his phone from his pocket, and sent a voice message to his brother, “Brother, Brother Yanzhou said he wants to go home now. I’m taking him back first.”

Then, without waiting for his brother’s agreement, he led Nan Yanzhou out of the bar.

“Brother Yanzhou, where is your home?” Su Shixiao looked at the man whose face was slightly flushed from being drunk. Seeing his cold and handsome face, his ear tips turned red, and he turned his head away.

Nan Yanzhou: “XX Community.”

Su Shixiao helped him stand steady and took out his phone to call a taxi.

“The taxi is booked. It will be here soon.”

“Mmm, thank you.”

When the car arrived, he helped Nan Yanzhou into the car and confirmed the phone number with the driver.

Once in the car, Nan Yanzhou closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat. Su Shixiao sat down and couldn’t help but glance at him a few times.

Upon reaching the destination, he walked Nan Yanzhou to his front door. Seeing that Nan Yanzhou was quite a bit more sober, he said, “Brother Yanzhou, I’ll be leaving now.”

Nan Yanzhou rubbed his forehead. “Okay, thank you for bringing me back. I’ll treat you to a meal next time.”

Su Shixiao laughed, “No need to be polite, Mr. Nan. Just give me a raise.”

Nan Yanzhou was stunned for a second, not expecting him to joke, then he laughed, “Alright, that’s easy.”

Su Shixiao smiled faintly, “Thank you, Mr. Nan. I’m going back.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Nan Yanzhou watched him leave, then used his face scan to open the door and walked inside.

This Su Shixiao is truly indifferent. This was the first time anyone had treated him with such an attitude. Everyone else he encountered would eagerly approach him with smiles and enthusiasm.

When Su Shixiao got home, it was already 10:30 PM. He opened the front door and saw his younger brother sitting on the sofa. His mother was handing him a bowl of noodles.

“Xiao Bei, Mom has made the noodles. See if they taste good.”

In Su Shixiao’s memory, his mother hadn’t cooked for him for a very long time, maybe only a couple of times when he was very young.

Su Shibei smiled brightly, “Mom’s noodles always taste good. Thank you, Mom.”

Yan Jiaxin gently stroked his hair and said dotingly, “Oh, you.”

She then looked up and saw Su Shixiao standing in the dimness by the door. His sudden appearance startled her, and she spoke a little louder, “Xiao Xiao, what are you doing standing by the door? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Su Shixiao was momentarily at a loss for words, then blurted out, “Mom, I’m hungry too.”

Su Shibei saw his brother and smiled, “Brother, eat with me. Mom just cooked noodles for me; it’d be too much trouble to ask her to cook again.”

“How can that be? Xiao Bei, you didn’t eat dinner, so you and your second brother definitely won’t be full this way.” Yan Jiaxin said, walking towards the kitchen. “Mom doesn’t mind the trouble. I’ll go cook another portion for your brother. Xiao Xiao, sit down and wait.”

Yan Jiaxin didn’t ask why he came home so late, and he felt an unexplainable sense of irritation watching her back.

“Brother, come sit for a bit. Mom will be done soon.” Su Shibei patted the empty spot beside him.

Su Shixiao took a few steps to the sofa and sat down next to his brother, asking, “Aren’t you filming? Why are you back?”

“I don’t have scenes for the next few days, and I missed home, so I came back,” Su Shibei replied after sipping the soup from his noodles.

“Oh.” His peripheral vision caught the latest iPad model on the table. His hand felt itchy; he wanted to try the drawing feel. “Xiao Bei, can I borrow this iPad for a few days?”

Su Shibei handed the iPad to him. “Sure! Mom just bought this for me.”

“Okay, thank you.” Su Shixiao turned the iPad over and over, immediately downloading a drawing app. Although he hadn’t started drawing yet, he liked the screen’s feel.

He felt a faint pang of bitterness in his heart. Mom knew I used an iPad for drawing, but she didn’t think to buy a new one for me too.

It’s okay, I can buy one myself. I’ll test it out tomorrow and order one online if it’s good.

Su Shibei saw how much his brother liked the iPad and immediately said, “Brother, if you like this iPad, just keep it. I don’t really use it much anyway. I just complained to Mom a few days ago that it would be nice to have an iPad to watch shows, so Mom bought it for me.”

Su Shixiao: “No need. I’ll buy one myself later.”

A few minutes later, Yan Jiaxin’s voice came from the kitchen, “Xiao Xiao, the noodles are almost ready. Come get them from the kitchen. Mom needs to wash the pot.”

Su Shixiao was a little lost in thought. He had only experienced this scene twice when he was small: once when he was in the first grade and said he was hungry, and his mother made him a late-night snack; and another time when he was sick in the sixth grade.

Yan Jiaxin called him twice before he finally reacted. “Oh, coming now.”

He went into the kitchen, brought the noodles out to the living room, and sat down opposite Su Shibei, quietly eating his noodles.

Su Shibei was busy sharing fun anecdotes from his time on the set. Su Shixiao would occasionally reply, but once Yan Jiaxin finished washing the pot and returned, Su Shibei started sharing anecdotes with her, making her very happy.

After the late-night snack, Su Shixiao took the iPad and returned to his room. After showering and brushing his teeth, he climbed into bed. While the scene was still fresh in his mind, he took the iPad and quickly started drawing it. He drew until past two in the morning.

He looked at the drawing on the iPad. It was a scene in a bar restroom, of a very tall man burying his face in the shoulder of another man.

He carefully saved the finished drawing into a password-protected album.

“Ring, ring, ring…”

Su Shixiao was woken up by the phone ringing. He groggily opened his eyes, fumbled for his phone, and saw it was a call from He Junsui. He rubbed his forehead. “What is it?”

“I’m inviting you out to hang out! It’s finally the weekend, don’t always stay at home. Come out and have fun with me.”

“No thanks.” Su Shixiao pulled the quilt over his head.

“Don’t be like that! I’m at the racetrack with He Hui and the others now. I told them you’d come too, and we’re just waiting for you. What are we going to do if you don’t come? Please, I’m begging you.”

“I’ve never raced a car.” In short: I don’t know how to race. Why would I go?

“Are you really not coming?” He Junsui then added, “I also saw your brother and your younger brother, and a few other handsome guys, coming to race. Are you absolutely sure you’re not coming?”

“I’m coming.”

He Junsui was momentarily stunned to hear this. He was about to ask something, but the phone was hung up.