Ling Hang had made a good impression. Ye Yunlin and Wang Shuying both liked him, so naturally they didn’t give him a hard time on purpose.
And Ye Jiawu had already accepted this brother-in-law long ago. Ever since that time they watched the moon together, he often brought up Ling Hang, going on about how amazing his “Brother Ling Hang” was.
And aside from Yue Mingyuan, he also looked up to Ling Hang as a role model to strive toward in the future.
After dinner, Ye Jiawu pulled Ye Zhiqiu off to the side and said to her in a low voice, “Sis, when you get a chance, go see Xiao Xiang.”
“What’s wrong with Xiao Xiang?”
Ye Zhiqiu had been busy ever since she got back. She hadn’t kept in touch with Ye Jiawu much, so she had no idea what had happened with He Bin.
“He dropped out of school.”
Speaking of this, Ye Jiawu got really angry. “How could he do that? Just dropping out like that!”
“Dropped out?!”
Ye Zhiqiu was very surprised. “Why would Xiao Xiang drop out? What exactly happened?”
“I don’t know why either. He’s dead set on dropping out — even Uncle He can’t talk him out of it.”
Ye Jiawu took a deep breath and softened his tone a bit. “Sis, he listens to you the most. Go ask him what’s going on. If he drops out, does that mean he won’t join the army with me anymore? He’s a traitor!”
“Xiao Wu, don’t get worked up yet. I’ll head over in a bit.”
Ye Zhiqiu pulled Ye Jiawu along. “Come with me to see Xiao Xiang. Haven’t you two been avoiding each other for a while now over some spat?”
“I’m not going!”
Ye Jiawu turned his head away. “If he doesn’t want to see me, fine. We won’t see each other anymore anyway. What’s there to see? He doesn’t keep his word. Back then he said he’d treat me as his big brother and listen to me from then on. He’s just a liar!”
Clearly, Ye Jiawu was furious. In just a few sentences, he kept blaming He Bin.
“Xiao Wu, don’t let your emotions get the best of you. You’re both still young. There’s a long road ahead, and it’s only natural that people’s ideas change.”
“If Xiao Xiang really wants to drop out, you should learn to respect that.”
“People’s dreams change. When you’re young, you don’t know what you want to do yet, so you have all kinds of ideas. Maybe one day, you suddenly find a path you’re determined to walk.”
Ye Zhiqiu ruffled Ye Jiawu’s hair. “Xiao Wu, you and Xiao Xiang are good friends. That might change, or you might be friends for life. Friendship is like love — it also depends on fate.”
“If you can still be friends, that’s a rare blessing. But if you can’t be friends anymore, you’d still want to know why Xiao Xiang is dropping out, wouldn’t you?”
“Let’s go.”
Ye Jiawu, reluctant and unwilling, was dragged by Ye Zhiqiu to the He family’s house.
He Bin was just coming out to dump the stove ashes when he ran into Ye Zhiqiu and Ye Jiawu.
“Xiao Xiang, Happy New Year.”
Ye Zhiqiu waved at He Bin. “Come here, let me have a look at you.”
He Bin was naturally very happy to see Ye Zhiqiu. He put down the dustpan, brushed the ash off himself, and only then ran up to Ye Zhiqiu, his eyes full of smiles.
“Sis, when did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve gone to pick you up.”
“Your brother-in-law went to pick me up.”
“So what if brother-in-law went? Even if he went, I could’ve gone too.”
He Bin cupped his hands and bowed to Ye Zhiqiu. “Sis, Happy New Year.”
“Here, a red envelope!”
Ye Zhiqiu took a red envelope out of her bag and put it in He Bin’s hand. He Bin was a bit shocked. “Sis, why is it so thick?”
Back when he was at the Shen family’s place, he’d received plenty of red envelopes, but none were even half this thick.
“You’re a big kid now. You’ll have plenty of places to spend money.”
“Still, this is a bit too much.”
Seeing He Bin about to give the money back, Ye Zhiqiu pretended to be upset. “No way. Who ever returns a New Year’s red envelope?”
“If I give it to you, take it.”
Ye Zhiqiu patted He Bin’s hand and stamped her feet. “It’s really cold today.”
“Sis, look at me — I was so happy to see you I forgot to invite you inside.”
He Bin called into the house. “Dad, my sister’s here.”
Ye Zhiqiu walked in first, and only then did He Bin turn his attention to Ye Jiawu. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
Ye Jiawu glared at He Bin. He hated that look on his face.
He was the only one angry and anxious, while He Bin looked like nothing was wrong.
After going inside and exchanging a few pleasantries with He Weijun, He Weijun said he was going to find a neighbor to play chess, and then found an excuse to call Ye Zhiqiu out to the yard.
He Weijun rubbed his hands back and forth, very embarrassed. “Zhiqiu, I know it’s the New Year and I shouldn’t be bringing this up, but Uncle He has no other way. Can you help me talk to Xiao Xiang?”
“Uncle He, is this about Xiao Xiang dropping out?”
He Weijun was a bit surprised. “You already know?”
“Xiao Wu told me. He’s worried sick too, so he came with me right away to ask what’s going on with Xiao Xiang.”
“Yes, yes.”
He Weijun nodded repeatedly. “This kid — I don’t know what happened. He came back that day and out of nowhere told me he didn’t want to keep learning martial arts and wanted to drop out.”
“I asked around. Nothing happened at the martial arts school. The coach and his fellow students all get along with him really well.”
“I asked him why, but he won’t tell me. He just says he doesn’t want to learn anymore, that it’s too tiring and too hard.”
“Xiao Xiang hasn’t been back long, but I know him. He’s not a kid who can’t handle hardship.”
“Besides, if he thought it was too tiring or too hard, he should’ve said so after a few days. How could he only feel that way after studying for so long?”
“Uncle He, don’t worry. I’ll go ask him.”
He Weijun left, and Ye Zhiqiu went inside. She saw He Bin sitting there reading a book.
Ye Jiawu sat to the side, fuming, his fists clenched tight. If it weren’t the New Year, he probably would’ve rushed over and punched He Bin.
“Xiao Xiang.”
Ye Zhiqiu sat down and looked at He Bin. She asked directly, “Why don’t you want to learn martial arts anymore?”
He Bin opened his mouth, and Ye Zhiqiu could tell from the shape of his lips what he was about to say. She raised her hand to stop him. “Xiao Xiang, I don’t believe the ‘too tiring, too hard’ excuse.”
“Sis, there’s no other reason.” He Bin lowered his head to avoid Ye Zhiqiu’s gaze.
Ye Zhiqiu thought for a moment and tried a different question. “Xiao Xiang, if you don’t want to practice martial arts anymore, what do you want to do?”
“I…”
He Bin shut his mouth, swallowed the words that almost came out, and changed his answer. “I haven’t figured it out yet, sis. When I do, I’ll tell you.”
“Xiao Xiang, you’ve always had your own ideas since you were little. I’m not home much, but I’d like to think I know you. I know you’ve already figured it out.”
He Bin looked very conflicted. “Sis, can you please stop asking?”
“This is too big for me not to ask. Do you know your dad and Xiao Wu are both really worried?”
Ye Jiawu said sarcastically, “Sis, I’m not worried. If he doesn’t treat me like a brother, why should I care like some fool?”
