Chapter 4

I was very good at saying the right thing. Even though those words sounded completely low-standard and even unsophisticated, they still managed to make Yan Yang so shy that he hid behind my dad.

My dad said, "Every day, your brother looks forward to seeing you. Ever since he heard of the situation, he would ask multiple times each day when you would be moving here."

Fake.

When saying that, did he not feel a prick at his conscience?

If he really wanted me here, then why hadn't he expressed it all these years? Not only had he not expressed it, he never even checked on me. Saying all this now was really a bit too fake of him.

I was thirteen, not three. Those who lived in comfort could never imagine how much could be hidden in a thirteen-year-old child's heart.

Ever since I was young, my neighbours and teachers would praise me, saying I was intelligent and clever.

Actually, these were things that had arisen out of necessity. I had to wrack my brain daily to ensure that I could live well. But my concept of 'living well' now suddenly became a bit laughable in front of Yan Yang. Compared to him, could what I had been doing even be called living?

I bent over to one side to look at Yan Yang who was hiding behind my dad, smiling as I said, "Di, thank you."

Yan Yang appeared scared out of his wits, waving his hands frantically before running back into his bedroom.

My dad laughed, "Your brother gets shy easily."

I looked in the direction of the bedroom. He was quite interesting, the textbook definition of a pushover. The kind that I could easily manipulate as I wished.

"I'll go help Auntie with the dishes." I got up from the sofa, but my dad ended up stopping me, "You can go spend time with your brother instead. There's no need for you to worry about household matters."

I said, "Dad, it's okay, I'm used to it."

My dad frowned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yan Yang popping his head out of the bedroom to peek at us.

"Just go; he's even waiting for you."

Since it was like this, I didn't continue to pretend to want to help out anymore and obediently went to the bedroom.

Before I even reached the bedroom, Yan Yang had already gone to hide. When I entered, I discovered he actually went to hide himself behind the curtains like an idiot.

Internally, I laughed at him for being so stupid, but on the outside I pretended to be a good Gege, playing hide-and-seek with him.

Yan Yang really did quite like me. To him, I was not a person who had stolen half of his life, but rather a new friend to play with.

Fools would be fools.

He was a fool, but his parents weren't.

I was at the door of the bedroom, intending to go to the toilet, but I ended up hearing the two of them discussing the issue of my schooling in the living room.

Yan Yang's mother wanted me to transfer to a better middle school as she felt that the resources and reputation of my current school were poor and would negatively affect me. 

But my dad said, "He's already used to that kind of place. If we suddenly transfer him to a good school and he can't adapt to it, that would also be troublesome."

They each had their own principles and considerations, but not a single one of them bothered to ask for my opinion.

As I was thinking, I heard Yan Yang ask me softly, "Ge, which school do you want to go to?"

"I don’t care."

That was probably the first time I dropped my facade in front of Yan Yang. Even though looking back now, that wasn't really a big deal, in that moment I suddenly felt a little out of control of my emotions.

I ran into the toilet. When I came out, Yan Yang and his parents were all in the living room. My dad said, "Come here, let's talk about your residential registration and school enrollment."

Yan Yang sat on a small cushion next to the coffee table. He looked at me and said, "Ge, I want to be in the same school as you."

At first, I was confused. He was only in primary school; what kind of nonsense about being in the same school as me was he spouting?

It was only later on did I learn that because he was a rich kid, he could afford to attend a combined primary and middle school. Just choosing that school already cost a few ten thousand yuan.

I purposefully sat down next to Yan Yang, lowering my head and appearing like I was timid with no opinions of my own as I added, "I'm fine with anything. Up to you."

Yan Yang's mother kindly discussed the matter with me, intending for me to transfer to a better school.

I really was fine with anything. After all, this was better.

The next day, the three of them brought me to the market to buy new clothes and shoes. Yan Yang fussed about wanting to buy a new school bag, so just like that, we owned our first pair of matching items.

In the afternoon, my dad brought me to settle some troublesome paperwork. Once again, I changed my name.

When I stared at my old name recorded in the household registration booklet, my dad probably finally realised how idiotic he had been. He explained, "Yang Yang doesn't know that your name used to be this. I've never mentioned it to him before."

I understood. Not only did he not tell his precious little son my old name, he had probably also only confessed to him of my existence when he had had no other choice.

"Mn," I said, "I won't tell him."

I was his obedient son, the one who was most sensible and mature.

My dad gratefully ruffled my newly-cut hair and promised to give me a reward.

But I didn't need his little reward because what I wanted wasn't anything he could give me.

I could keep the fact that I used to be called Yan Yang from his son; after all, I didn't like it either. Whoever wanted it could take it. It didn't matter. However, every winner would eventually meet their conqueror. Back then, when my dad took the name Yan Yang from me and gave it to my Didi, he surely never imagined that there would come a day when I would find another way to own 'Yan Yang.'