Translated by Eve

Edited by Kara

Two pieces of shocking news shook the upper social circles of the Capital, and both of them had to do with the Song Group. All of a sudden, the Song Family, whose influence had been declining in the last few years, was pushed straight into the limelight.

The first piece of news came out shortly after the news that the Xiao Family had found their long-lost eldest son had come out. It was said that this eldest son was dating the second son of the Song Family, Song Xuanhe. The two of them were very much in love and had only reluctantly decided to be apart, because Xiao Yuanmu had to go establish his company abroad. Therefore, when Xiao Yuanmu had said that he was dating Song Xuanhe during the first interview he had ever accepted as the eldest son of the Xiao Family, everyone in the upper circles of the Capital began to re-evaluate the Song Family's status. This was especially because Xiao Yuanmu, who didn't usually speak much, had expressed his appreciation and admiration for his boyfriend many times. It felt like he had been purposely shoving PDA down their throats.

The second piece of news was deeply connected to the first piece. However, it had a heavier effect on the Song Family than the first had. The Xiao Family had already formally announced the time and date of Xiao Yuanmu's welcome back banquet. They had also sent invitations to the most influential families in the world and families with whom they had close ties to. Only three families in China's Capital received an invite: one was the Guan Family—with whom they were connected to by family; one was the usually lowkey Zhang Family, and one was the Song Family, who outwardly seemed to have no place amongst the eight major financial groups.

People in the circles had all been shocked upon hearing that the Song Family had been invited. Although Xiao Yuanmu had revealed his relations.h.i.+p with Song Xuanhe during that formal interview, it still didn't have much to do with the rest of the Xiao Family. Even though no one knew much about the eight major financial groups, there was one thing they knew well—the Xiao Family head had never been gay.

The fact that the Xiao Family had sent an invitation to the Song Family was indeed something to mull over.

This was a public declaration that they approved of their long-lost son's boyfriend. They were also discreetly saying that there was no hope for Xiao Yuanmu to succeed the Xiao Family.

Everyone had their own thoughts and conjectures. As the centre of this storm, many waves also billowed within the Song Family.

When the Song Family had heard about Xiao Yuanmu being the long-lost son of the Xiao Family, the Song Family had mostly felt shocked and at a loss. After all, Song Xuanhe had called Xiao Yuanmu in front of their faces in the past. The two of them had been cold to each other and hadn't acted like a couple at all. Since they had already broken up, even if they wanted to use this relations.h.i.+p for their own benefit, they couldn't.

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Therefore, except for Song Guochao, whose expression got worse with each coming day, only Song Jiabao, who became increasingly more afraid as the days pa.s.sed, cared about the sudden change in Xiao Yuanmu's ident.i.ty. Everyone else had already been shocked by Xiao Yuanmu's company. As such, they weren't as surprised to hear this new piece of information.

It wasn't until the magazine that featured Xiao Yuanmu's interview went on sale within the country that things started picking back up within the Song Family.

After all, the Xiao Family's eldest son being Song Xuanhe's ex-boyfriend was completely different from the Xiao Family's eldest son being his current boyfriend. With the latter, there were far more opportunities waiting to be exploited. This made it difficult for even Song Yansong to sit still. He couldn't help but drag Song Xuanhe home to question him.

However, Song Xuanhe didn't change his story. He still insisted that he and Xiao Yuanmu had already broken up, that they no longer had anything to do with each other.

At this point, it was no longer just Song Guochao who didn't believe him. Even Song Yansong and Li Nianan doubted whether he was telling the truth or not. After all, they all knew about what had happened between him and Xiao Yuanmu at the beginning of their relations.h.i.+p. If it wasn't because they truly liked each other and were still together, why would Xiao Yuanmu publicly announce that they were dating in such a prolific magazine interview at such a crucial moment in time?

But, what could they do if Song Xuanhe refused to acknowledge it? Even Li Nianan and Song Xuanlin had separately pulled Song Xuanhe aside into one-on-one conversations to confirm. Li Nianan had asked him if he was worried that the family would be against their relations.h.i.+p. She had also asked if Song Guochao's words had made him reluctant to speak and be honest to the family about his boyfriend. She had comforted him, saying that if this was the case, he didn't need to worry. Song Guochao would never be against him and Xiao Yuanmu being together under such circ.u.mstances.

Song Xuanlin was different. Today, he asked Song Xuanhe whether he wasn't willing to let others know about his relations.h.i.+p with Xiao Yuanmu, because he felt self-inferior and was afraid of losing the other. Or, he was refusing to acknowledge their relations.h.i.+p, because he was worried that the company would exploit it. He said that if it were the former, Song Xuanhe had nothing to worry about. He then praised Song Xuanhe a few times. In the end, he told Song Xuanhe with an earnest expression that, although he was lacking in many areas, he was worthy of being with anyone he wanted to be with.

At this moment, Song Xuanhe just felt strange and completely baffled. However, he didn't perceive any malice. All he could do was thank the other man, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Song Xuanlin looked obviously unused to being thanked by Song Xuanhe.

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He was silent for a long time. After some time, he sighed softly and said, “I know that I'm not a good older brother.”

Song Xuanhe turned his head, astonished. Song Xuanlin's face was slightly raised as he took in the moonlight above them. The silvery-white light illuminated his profile. For once, there was a trace of frustration and dejection, commonly seen on young people, on his usually inflexible and steady face.

“Actually, I had never really wanted a younger brother.” Song Xuanlin turned to glance at him before looking back at the sky. He continued in a flat voice. “You were also far from my ideal younger brother at birth. As you grew up, I felt more and more estranged from you. Therefore, I started to keep a certain distance from you. That's why I'd never thought about what I should have been doing as an older brother. All I knew was that I should succeed the company. Meanwhile, all you had needed to do was live your life the way you wanted.”

Song Xuanhe turned to look at him. Song Xuanlin's eyes seemed to be a bit out-of-focus as if he was looking at a road to the future, void of any and all signs.

“But, the person Grandpa wants to inherit the company isn't me. To tell the truth, I'd felt jealous of you. I'd even felt angry. Back then, I had wondered, how could I— someone who had given up on having fun with other kids my age for the sake of learning how to take over the company—lose to the affection Grandpa had developed towards you while raising you?”

“Song Xuanhe has never wanted to inherit the company.” Song Xuanhe met Song Xuanlin's eyes full-on. His voice was cool. “All he had ever wanted was a big brother.”

Song Xuanlin was immersed in his thoughts. He didn't notice Song Xuanhe's third-person appellation. When he had heard that last sentence, he was taken aback. He then quietly said, “I know. I only found this out recently.”

“So what? Do you still want to ask me whether I want to take over the company or not?” Song Xuanhe thought about their conversation last time that had been interrupted by Li Nianan. He also thought of all those times in the past where Song Xuanlin had looked like he wanted to say something, only to end up uttering something meaningless.

Song Xuanlin was silent for a while. Song Xuanhe tilted his head, gaze clear and limpid. “Why do you keep asking me if I want the company? If I said that I wanted the company, would you give it to me?”

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“That's not it.” Song Xuanlin shook his head. “I just wanted to confirm that you really don't want it.”

“And then?”

“And then…”

And then, I'd get rid of my desire to free myself of this heavy burden that is the inheritance of our family's company. I'd give up on finding my life's pa.s.sion and completely dedicate my everything to developing the company. I'd make sure that you would never have anything to fear, even when faced with Xiao Yuanmu, who had built up RE from scratch. I'd make up for all those years I had failed you as an older brother.

Song Xuanlin wanted to say all of this, but none of the words would leave his mouth. He and Song Xuanhe had opposite personalities. Song Xuanlin was guarded and had many misgivings. Regardless of whether it was his real emotions or not, he didn't really want to share them. He had hypnotized himself in an effort to get rid of any emotions that would affect his studying, work, or personal interactions. He had told himself that they weren't important. Who knew if it was because the hypnosis had been too effective or if it had just been too long—he really did think that they weren't important now.

All of a sudden, Song Xuanlin recalled a memory from a long time ago. Back then, Song Xuanhe had been seven or eight years old. He had always had a lovable appearance. Even when he had acted naughty, it had been hard to criticize him. At that time, aside from Song Guochao, who had rarely come home, no one could resist him—even the helper aunty couldn't help but give him some snacks when she saw his chubby cheeks.

In this particular memory, Song Xuanlin had been rus.h.i.+ng to leave the house in order to get to his teacher's place for a make-up cla.s.s. Because he had been afraid of getting stuck in traffic, he had been moving quickly. As soon as he had reached the door, he b.u.mped into Song Xuanhe, who had been wearing a sailor-style s.h.i.+rt and a pair of overalls, as he rounded the corner. The incomplete model plane in the other's hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Song Xuanlin had frozen back then, feeling helpless. He had thought that Song Xuanhe would cry. After all, in his mind at the time, his younger brother was willful and unbridled.

However, Song Xuanhe had only blinked his black eyes and sat down on the ground cross-legged. One hand gathered the pieces on the other ground while his other hand wrapped around his leg. He looked up and said, “

Ge

, my plane's broken. It was so hard for me to build it. You broke it, so I want you to help me build it back together now.”

Song Xuanlin didn't remember exactly what he had said. All he remembered was that he hadn't agreed. In the end, he had left in a hurry in order to make it to his teacher's cla.s.s on time.

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If this memory hadn't been stimulated by the outside world, it would have probably hidden itself in the depths of Song Xuanlin's mind, never to be unearthed again.

But recently, one morning, the servants had opened up Song Xuanhe's room to clean. Song Xuanlin had been pa.s.sing by at that time and had inadvertently caught a glimpse of the shattered model plane in the gla.s.s display case. There were also many familiar and unfamiliar objects inside the case.

It wasn't until the servants had asked Song Xuanlin if anything was wrong that he had suddenly remembered that everything in that case were presents he had given to Song Xuanhe before.

Even he had forgotten about these things. And yet, his younger brother still treasured them, carefully collecting them. At that moment, Song Xuanlin hadn't known what the feeling in his chest had been.

It was also at that moment that he had subconsciously begun to observe Song Xuanhe more. He even wanted to interact with the other more. Unfortunately, Song Xuanhe had begun to avoid him. He was never able to see that expression he wanted to see on Song Xuanhe's face during their conversations again.

Song Xuanlin said: “From now on, I'll learn how to be a big brother.”

Eve: Aw. Again, the og host did some awful things, but who knows if things would have changed if his childhood hadn't been so dogs.h.i.+t? Can't help but feel sad for him.

Happy Christmas Eve to those who celebrate Christmas and Happy Holidays (belated or early) to those who celebrate other holidays around this time!