The Perfect Relationship

Chapter 92 Poor Acting

The conversation in the living room continued for a while longer until the other person suddenly said he had to leave. Yin Chang made some noise in the hallway, put his shoes on again, and pretended that he had just arrived home. 

Shao Junling heard the commotion and came over. He saw Yin Chang changing his shoes and asked, "Brother?" 

Yin Chang replied and looked towards the guy who followed Shao Junling. "Your friend?" 

The guy was about the same height as Shao Junling, slightly thin, and had a clean and upright appearance. 

Shao Junling introduced him as his classmate from De International, He Hongjun. "He... just happened to pass by, so I asked him to come up and sit for a while." 

"Hello," Yin Chang nodded at He Hongjun. "It's rare for Junling to invite a classmate to come over, welcome." 

He Hongjun stared at Yin Chang dumbfoundedly for a long time, until Shao Junling patted his arm to signal him to move his gaze away. He stammered and said, "Hi, big... big brother." 

Yin Chang laughed at the title, "Staying for dinner?" 

Shao Junling took their jackets and refused, "No, he has to leave now." He pushed the dazed He Hongjun into the elevator, "I'll go down and send him off." 

Yin Chang: "..."

He Hongjun had been silent since they got into the elevator, until they reached the ground floor. He looked at Shao Junling with a complex expression and said, "Hey, Shao Junling, are you...?" He hesitated before finally blurting out the last two words, "in love with your brother?" 

Shao Junling: "..."

"I mean, your brother is really good-looking... no, he's too good-looking... I just saw him and I was a little stunned, it's kind of embarrassing. If there was such a beautiful person who asked me to 'stay with them' or 'not leave them,' even I would find it hard to refuse... so, I think I understand what you said earlier..." 

Shao Junling: "..."

A black car slowly stopped at the entrance of the community. Shao Junling opened the passenger door and said to the driver, "Uncle Fang, please send my friend to where he wants to go later." 

"But to be honest, Shao Junling," He Hongjun looked at him sympathetically, "understanding doesn't mean agreeing. I admit, anyone can be attracted by beautiful things, but a real man should have his own goals. I think someone like you shouldn't be swayed by beauty..." 

Shao Junling gave him a dangerous look and a contemptuous middle finger, "Shut up and get out." 

He Hongjun: "..."

Back at home, Shao Junling walked into the living room and saw that Yin Chang had changed out of his complicated outfit. He was wearing only a loose silk shirt and pants, and was sitting cross-legged on the sofa trimming his toenails. This action would appear vulgar and crude in nine out of ten people, but Yin Chang still looked elegant while doing it... even a bit sexy because he exposed a large area of the nape of his neck while looking down. 

"Did your friend leave?" Yin Chang looked up and continued his actions. He wanted to appear as relaxed as possible and not let Shao Junling see anything suspicious. 

"Yeah." Shao Junling felt that the heating was turned up a notch again and felt hot even after taking off his down jacket. 

"Are you close with him?" Apart from Xue Ziwen, this was the first time Yin Chang saw any of Shao Junling's friends come to their house. However, since Shao Junling skipped so many grades, his contact with Xue Ziwen had also decreased significantly. The young master from the Xue family was studying hard and had only just started middle school this year. 

"We're pretty close," Shao Junling replied. If they weren't close, he wouldn't have let him come to his house. "I mentioned before about the FRC competition. We did the core programming for the robot together." 

"If you're that close, why didn't you have him stay longer?" Yin Chang teased him, pretending to not know their previous conversation. "You invite people over and then kick them out as soon as I arrive. Why, I can't be seen by others?" 

Shao Junling glanced at Yin Chang and thought to himself that he really couldn't be seen by others. He was even told that "beauty can be dangerous." 

But Shao Junling couldn't say that out loud, "He had something to do later. When you came he was already planning to leave." 

Yin Chang nodded and didn't ask any further. 

After he finished clipping his toenails, Yin Chang grabbed a few wet wipes from the coffee table and wiped his toes and cleaned up the nail clippers. Then he stood up and washed his hands before coming out again. When he saw that Shao Junling was still sitting on the sofa browsing his phone, Yin Chang recalled something, "Oh, does your friend plan to study abroad?" 

Shao Junling was startled and looked at Yin Chang sharply, "Did you hear what we said earlier?" 

"What?" Yin Chang pretended to be clueless, but his heart was beating rapidly. This child was too sharp now, and he couldn't fool him so easily. 

"...Nothing," Shao Junling lowered his head. "My classmate also talked to me about going abroad today." 

Yin Chang didn't expect him to be so frank and straightforward. He poured himself a glass of water and sat down, "So what did you say?" 

"I said I'm not going," Shao Junling repeated. 

"Why not?" Yin Chang was puzzled. "Your teacher and your friend are both telling you that going abroad to study is a better choice for your major. Your English is also good. Why are you afraid of going abroad?" 

Shao Junling looked at Yin Chang, "It's not that." 

"Then what is it? You can't get in?" 

Shao Junling didn't answer and continued to stare at him. Yin Chang felt nervous under his gaze, and he suddenly laughed, "Is it because you don't want to leave me?" He looked at Shao Junling with sparkling eyes and a teasing tone, making it hard for anyone to take him seriously. 

Headstrong Shao Junling looked away and refused to admit it, "You're so narcissistic." 

"Alright" Yin Chang shook his head helplessly. "Going abroad to study for a few years doesn't mean you can't come back. Mr. He has already advised you, your classmate has advised you, and now I advise you. I don't know why you're so obsessed with this matter." 

"You're advising me?" Shao Junling looked at Yin Chang. His gaze showed surprised. "You want me to leave?" 

"Going abroad is a better choice for you at this stage," Yin Chang replied. 

"What about you?" Shao Junling asked.

"Me?" Yin Chang knew that Shao Junling cared about his thoughts, so he deliberately said, "Of course, I hope you can go abroad to experience new things. And when you leave, I can also relax and enjoy myself for two years."

"...Relax and enjoy?" Shao Junling stared at him in disbelief.

"Isn't it?" Yin Chang gestured. "You know, I was only eighteen when I brought you home to start taking care of you, protecting you, and educating you. Every day, I had to worry about you. I've put so much effort and thought into you these past six years. I didn't even have time nor energy to go on dates. I was almost like a monk. Now that you're grown up, it's time for you to learn to be independent."

Shao Junling: "..."

Shao Junling had a complicated expression on his face. He had said "not going abroad" several times in front of Yin Chang, not to put pressure on him, but to see his joyful reaction after seeing he had decided to stay, just like last year...

If his brother could just honestly say, "That's great," he'd be ecstatic.

After all, being with him has always made Yin Chang very happy.

But Yin Chang's words just now revealed another sentiment – that he thought he was a bother and wanted him to leave.

Shao Junling's anger and annoyance boiled up in his heart. For the first time, he wondered whether he had been delusional.

No, it shouldn't be like this...

Shao Junling calmed down his chaotic mind.

During these two thousand days and nights together, Shao Junling had seen Yin Chang in countless different states, proud and unrestrained, happy and laughing, sad and lost, sensitive and fragile... Every moment he spent with Yin Chang, he had observed him. After six years, Shao Junling was too familiar with this person. He could even feel whether his brother was happy even with his eyes closed.

In these two years, although Yin Chang's acting skills had improved a lot because of filming, in Shao Junling's eyes, those disguises he thought were mature were still awkward. Although he may be unaware, Shao Junling was too lazy to expose him. He had been "letting him have his way" since five years ago and had indulged Yin Chang all the time.

Although the meaning of Yin Chang's words just now was to drive him away, every word was full of "reluctance" and "unease" due to the insincerity of his words.

Once you've seen what's real, you can clearly distinguish what's fake.

There was a big difference between being truly relaxed and pretending to be relaxed. Even if Yin Chang was cutting his toenails in front of Shao Junling, he couldn't hide anything.

He was lying to him, and Shao Junling was very sure of that.

However, Shao Junling also had emotions. When he heard Yin Chang say those words, he would also feel sad, wronged, and even angry.

He looked at Yin Chang, restrained himself, and finally just frowned and said, "I'll...consider it."

Yin Chang felt relieved that his goal was halfway achieved.

Half a month later, Yin Chang asked Shao Junling whether he had made a decision.

Shao Junling glanced at him, "Do you really want me to go?"

Yin Chang: "..." Did he want that?

Just as he was about to argue, Yin Chang realized that he had almost fallen into Shao Junling's trap. When Shao Junling asked it like this, it seemed that if he really left, it was because he pushed him away.

But, he wasn't completely wrong.

Yin Chang said, "I just got a new role."

Shao Junling: "Hmm?"

Yin Chang: "It's a long historical TV series. It starts in September next year and will last for eight months."

He didn't want his existence to become a burden for Shao Junling, so he had to find a way to cut off Shao Junling's childish clinginess.

Shao Junling widened his eyes. As far as he knew, his brother had never picked up this kind of drama before, and he rarely lived with the crew for such a long time... Could it be because of him?

- That was right, once Yin Chang started filming, he and Shao Junling wouldn’t be able to see each other. So, there was no difference between him going abroad and staying in the country.

Shao Junling felt helpless. Actually, he had made a decision in his heart, but he had been hesitating. However, Yin Chang's actions had forced his decision to surface earlier.

"What character are you playing?" Shao Junling didn't want to just let Yin Chang's words go, so he talked about the current topic.

"Cao Pi," Yin Chang said.

Shao Junling asked calmly, "He was a very politically savvy figure. Are you sure you can play it well with your silly personality, brother?"

Yin Chang: "You hurry up and go abroad!"

Shao Junling: "...Okay, I'll go." 

Shao Junling thinking: Just wait and see. I'll make you realize you can't bear to leave me behind!