392: Brotherhood has soured

Yang Xiaoyin ran up to Su Liuyuan, held up the flowers in her hand, and said directly, "Su Liuyuan, I like you. Will you be my boyfriend?"

Su Liuyuan subconsciously shook his head in refusal, unable to understand, "We've only known each other for less than half a month. What do you like about me?"

"You're handsome, and you fit my aesthetic," Yang Xiaoyin replied candidly.

"If you're refusing me because things are moving too fast, I can wait for you to get to know me better."

"I'm sorry, Xiaoyin, I don't feel anything for you," Su Liuyuan said truthfully.

Hearing this, Yang Xiaoyin was only disappointed for a moment, then quickly smiled again, confident and poised.

"No need to apologize. Matters of the heart are always mutual. If you don't like me, I won't pester you. We can still be colleagues."

"Congratulations, you got third place."

Yang Xiaoyin gave the flowers to Su Liuyuan and left.

Her confession was decisive, and her giving up was just as swift.

So much so that Su Liuyuan was still in a daze.

After Yang Xiaoyin left, Jiang Fei, Lu Yu, and Xu Qianyao came over from the audience area.

Xu Qianyao teased, "Liu Yuan, you're quite something."

"You just joined the Military Industry Department and you've already won a girl's affection."

"But that girl's personality is really good. She can pick up and let go, without any hesitation."

Xiao Chuxia also teased Su Liuyuan, "Who was it yesterday who said Yang Xiaoyin didn't like him?"

"It's only been one night, and you've already been proven wrong, haven't you?"

Su Liuyuan was helpless, "I didn't expect her to like me either."

"After all, she's nice to everyone."

Ling Zhaorui, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

"Then you usually pay a lot of attention to her."

Hearing Ling Zhaorui's seemingly sarcastic remark, everyone looked at him in confusion.

Realizing what he had just said, Ling Zhaorui uncomfortably lowered his head:

"I'll go move the rice to the car."

With that, Ling Zhaorui hoisted the bag of rice given to him by the staff and left.

Xiao Chuxia blinked, "Why do I feel like Zhao Rui is a bit strange?"

"He never used to speak in that tone."

"Perhaps it's because no girls are chasing him, and he's envious of my good looks, his brother."

Su Liuyuan said smugly, drawing eye-rolls from the others.

After the shrimp fishing competition, Xu Qianyao drove Jiang Fei and the other five home.

"Chu Xia, Liu Yuan, Zhao Rui, to celebrate your placings, we're having grilled fish for lunch today."

Jiang Fei stopped Xu Qianyao, "Tell Grandma Xu not to cook lunch."

"When I'm done cooking, I'll call you all to eat at 102."

"Okay." Xu Qianyao went to park behind the building.

"Sister Jiang, my stomach isn't feeling well. I'll go home and cook some porridge. I won't be eating with you all."

"I woke up too early today, and I'm too tired to keep my eyes open."

Ling Zhaorui feigned a yawn and went upstairs.

Lu Yu thought for a moment, then whispered to Jiang Fei, "I'll go talk to Zhao Rui for a bit and ask him what's wrong."

"You all go ahead and eat when the food's ready."

Jiang Fei hummed in acknowledgment and took Xiao Chuxia and Su Liuyuan back to 102.

While the two played with Da Huang, Xiao Hei, and Xiao Hui, she went to the kitchen and took out a grouper from the Supermarket.

Grouper has fewer bones and its flesh is tender and firm, making it very suitable for grilling.

After cleaning the grouper, Jiang Fei cut it in half with a cleaver.

Xiao Hua Lao and Grandma Xu couldn't eat spicy food, so she would make a savory, non-spicy sauce for them, and the other half would be spicy.

Jiang Fei was busy downstairs.

Upstairs, in 202.

Lu Yu sat on the sofa.

Ling Zhaorui sat opposite him, holding a half-finished beer.

"Brother Lu, to be honest, I don't understand what's been wrong with me these past two days."

"Ever since Yang Xiaoyin appeared yesterday evening, I've felt uncomfortable all over, as if she's here to break up me and my brother."

"You all know that Liu Yuan and I have practically lived together, eaten together, and slept together for the past few years, unless there were special circumstances."

"Even during the several months he was injured in the capital, we even showered together."

"Today, when Yang Xiaoyin confessed to Liu Yuan, I felt as if a stone was lodged in my heart, making it hard to breathe, and that's why I blurted out that remark."

Lu Yu's brows gradually furrowed.

Zhao Rui's current feelings... why did they resemble his own feelings when he overheard Mu Qingzhou confessing to Fei Fei?

Thinking of a certain possibility, Lu Yu's breath hitched.

After a moment, he asked tactfully.

"In your heart, do you see Liu Yuan as a brother, or as someone you could spend your life with?"

Ling Zhaorui froze.

He belatedly understood Lu Yu's meaning, and his cheeks flushed crimson.

He wanted to argue, but images of him and Liu Yuan holding hands, and even... more intimate scenes, involuntarily flashed in his mind.

Clatter—!

The beer can fell to the ground, and Ling Zhaorui slid from the chair to the floor, his eyes vacant.

"It's over, Brother Lu... my brotherhood with Liu Yuan has changed..."

When did this change happen?!!!

Unable to accept that he was actually gay, Ling Zhaorui was on the verge of collapse.

Lu Yu tactfully stood up and patted his shoulder:

"Calm down."

"Don't worry, I won't tell Liu Yuan about this, but I will tell Fei Fei, so she doesn't worry about you."

"Thank you, Brother Lu..."

—

Lu Yu opened the door to 102 and was met with the aroma of grilled fish.

Jiang Fei had just finished making the grilled fish and was serving rice to Xu Qianyao and the others.

"How is Zhao Rui?"

"He just has an upset stomach, and he's asleep now."

Out of consideration for the others present, Lu Yu didn't tell the truth and sat down to eat first.

Nearing midnight.

Everyone helped Jiang Fei clear the dining table and went home to rest. Only then did Lu Yu tell Jiang Fei about his conversation with Ling Zhaorui.

Jiang Fei was uncharacteristically stunned for a moment.

She truly hadn't expected this to be the reason for Ling Zhaorui's awkwardness.

"I remember... Liu Yuan likes the opposite sex and has even had girlfriends?"

Seeing Lu Yu nod, Jiang Fei rubbed her temples:

"Let's just pretend we don't know. We'll take it one step at a time. How things develop is up to them."

Both sides were friends, and not to mention Su Liuyuan was straight, so she couldn't interfere in this matter.

Lu Yu had the same thought.

It wasn't good to help either, so it was best to help neither and let Su Liuyuan and Ling Zhaorui follow their natural course.

—

Despite the official fishing competition and the distribution of comprehensive nutritional medicine, the residents of the base remained listless.

Every day, pulling back the curtains revealed only darkness, and they always felt as if life had lost hope.

As a result, everyone had a sullen face, devoid of any vitality.

Jiang Fei had a Supermarket desk lamp and was not affected by the eternal night.

Taking advantage of Lu Yu having completed his mission and being able to rest at home, she learned how to draw navigation routes from him.

Xiao Chuxia, Su Liuyuan, and Ling Zhaorui, as usual, came to 102 for dinner every evening after work.

Ling Zhaorui acted normally, interacting naturally with Su Liuyuan, and Jiang Fei and Lu Yu also pretended not to know anything.

This evening.

Lu Yu finalized the route to the North Pole and looked at Jiang Fei:

"I've made a route map and a nautical chart. We can go either by boat or by plane."

"Have you decided which day to leave?"

Jiang Fei: "In a few days."

"After all, this trip will be very long. We might not be back for two or three months..."

Thump thump thump!

A sudden dull thud interrupted Jiang Fei.

At the same time, Xiao Hei's fierce growl came from the living room.

Jiang Fei and Lu Yu immediately walked out of the bedroom.

The tightly closed window in the living room had been opened by someone.

Da Huang, Xiao Hui, and Xiao Hei were nowhere to be seen.