Chapter 101: Brother Zeming, Please Don't Leave

Summer Luo stood quietly in the corner, threading barbecue ingredients onto skewers. From time to time, she glanced around, but nowhere did she see the person she wished to see.

At that moment, Chengyi Song was sitting in his own corner, watching everyone bustle about from a distance. His gaze lingered on a certain small figure, her head bowed. It had been several days now—several days in which Chengyi had not spoken to her, and likewise, Summer had not sought him out.

He, Chengyi Song, never knew that Summer Luo could be so proud, so stubborn. Very well, he thought, this was acceptable.

As dusk settled, the powerful floodlights flickered on, and the barbecue began to sizzle on the grill. Everyone gathered together, and after a month of shared activities, the two classes had grown close. Yet on this occasion, Summer did not get a chance to sit with Chengyi; he was far away, and even catching a glimpse of him proved difficult.

The students agreed to buy flowers for Zeming Song. It was his first time at the school as an instructor, and the month they’d spent together had left lasting memories. The atmosphere was tinged with reluctance and melancholy.

Summer had little appetite and barely touched her food. Later, Yan Yan Gan and Ya Lin dragged her off to drink.

"Why aren’t you eating? Barbecue with beer—what could be better?" Lin spoke boisterously.

At first, Summer was pressured by everyone and reluctantly drank a couple sips. Maybe it was the growing ache in her heart, but she ended up drinking more and more.

She was no match for alcohol, and after two large mugs of beer she was feeling woozy, leaning against Yan Yan and giggling foolishly.

"This girl always laughs like an idiot when she drinks," Lin sighed helplessly, eyeing her with disdain.

Everyone found her behavior annoying, but Summer was merely dizzy; her mind remained clear.

"I want another drink," Summer said, opening another bottle.

"Tonight’s a surprise—usually you refuse, now you’re fighting for it," Lin teased.

Yan Yan watched her with concern, questions in her eyes.

"I just suddenly think it tastes good," Summer replied, smiling as she took another gulp.

Eventually, it was Yan Yan and the others who stopped her from drinking further, but by then she was already quite drunk. Unlike those whose drunkenness brought trouble, Summer simply laid her head on the table and fell asleep. No one disturbed her.

All of this unfolded under Chengyi Song's watchful eye, his brows knit in worry. How had she ended up drinking so much?

At the farewell banquet, everyone participated enthusiastically, except for Summer Luo, who slept through the entire event.

When she slowly woke, the party was winding down. Everyone had had a bit to drink; emotions ran high, and no one wanted Zeming Song to leave.

He had always treated them well, and now he was about to depart.

The farewell banquet was drawing to its close. One by one, classmates bid Zeming Song goodbye. He held a bouquet and small gifts from the students. Among the girls, the sound of quiet sobbing started to rise.

Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere, Summer suddenly burst into loud, inconsolable tears, drawing everyone's attention. Even Yan Yan, beside her, stared in shock.

Unable to bear it, someone tried to comfort her, "We can always ask Instructor Song out again, so don’t cry so hard."

But the more they comforted her, the harder Summer cried.

Yan Yan felt mortified, explaining to those around, "She’s drunk, please don’t mind her." She prepared to pull Summer away.

"I’m not drunk..." Summer pushed her hand aside, her sobs growing louder. She stretched out her arms, ran straight to Zeming Song, and embraced him, crying.

"Don’t leave… please…"

Zeming Song was awkward, so many eyes on him, but surely she was too drunk.

"Brother Zeming… you just came back… and now you’re leaving again…"

Hearing Summer call Instructor Song "Brother Zeming," everyone from the two classes was stunned. What was going on?

Yan Yan blinked, hurried over, and coaxed her, "Summer, you’re drunk. Let me take you home to sleep."

"No… please…" Summer clung tighter to Zeming Song.

He could only pat her back and try to soothe her.

"Brother Zeming… if you leave… he’ll bully me again…" From nearby, Chengyi Song’s face darkened; she was revealing everything herself.

Yan Yan was at her wit’s end—how could Summer be so thoroughly drunk?

Zeming Song gently patted her, comforting her, "I’m not leaving forever, just going home. He won’t bully you… be good… don’t cry."

"He does bully me…" Summer insisted stubbornly, crying even harder.

Yan Yan knew she had to stop her, or Summer would surely regret this tomorrow.

"Instructor Song… sorry, she’s drunk… I’ll take her away…" Yan Yan called over Lin and the others, who helped drag Summer off.

All the way, Summer cried and whimpered, repeating "Brother Zeming, don’t go."

Yan Yan clearly knew something, but Lin and the others had no idea, assuming it was just drunkenness.

Once Summer was dragged away, the commotion finally ended. Still, everyone now saw Summer Luo in a new light; most assumed she liked Zeming Song, hence the affectionate address.

When it was time to leave, Chengyi Song rode home with Zeming Song in his car.

The two brothers were silent the whole way.

Chengyi felt a headache coming on, thinking of Summer’s wild, wailing scene. He resolved never to let her drink again; every time she got drunk, she caused such trouble.

Last time, too—when he’d just brought her home, she’d slept quietly, but after he finished his shower, Summer had gone "completely mad." Crying, causing a scene, tugging at his clothes. After much coaxing, he got her to bed, but she kept falling off, sobbing about the pain each time.

Then, she began to vomit, covering Chengyi in it.

She kept him up until the middle of the night, finally falling asleep. But then she stripped herself naked, insisting one couldn’t sleep with clothes on, and tried to pull Chengyi’s off as well.

He’d been embarrassed, only managing to wrap her tightly in a blanket.

He hadn’t expected, since he was wearing only a bathrobe loosely tied at the waist, that next morning he’d wake to find both the robe undone and Summer naked.

It was no wonder Wenjing Yu and Yun Zhou misunderstood, and even Summer herself believed something had happened.

Chengyi Song was never that kind of person; no matter how much he liked someone, he wouldn’t take advantage. With his self-control, nothing could have happened, though at the time he admitted to it.

Did Chengyi regret it? He didn’t—if anything, he was a bit relieved.

These days, she had been by his side, noisy and troublesome as ever, but he never tired of her. He hadn’t expected she would cause him such grief.

Once at the apartment, Chengyi hurried into the bathroom. He couldn’t stand the greasy smoke from the barbecue.

When Zeming Song arrived, he walked straight to the bedroom to get clothes.

As soon as he touched the wardrobe drawer, Chengyi rushed in, flustered.

Before Chengyi could speak, Zeming had already opened the wardrobe. Both brothers froze.

Zeming coughed awkwardly, quickly shut the drawer, and said to Chengyi, "Find me some clothes," then left the room.

Chengyi realized Zeming must have gone to the wardrobe for clothes, but… since Summer Luo had stayed here before, her clothes—including underwear—might be inside.

He quickly handed Zeming a set of clothes.

Zeming didn’t realize both had lived here. He saw the pair of toiletries in the bathroom, quietly opened the cabinet for spares.

He was caught off guard by this display of domesticity.

Zeming ended up with a spare pillow and a blanket, sleeping on the sofa.

Chengyi knew what he was avoiding.

Strangely, tonight Zeming hadn’t asked about anything.

Chengyi lay with his arm under his head, restless and unable to sleep.

Turning to the side, he almost imagined the small bundle beside him.

The thought only made him more agitated.

He threw off the covers and stepped out.

The living room lights were off.

"Are you asleep?" Chengyi asked awkwardly.

"No," Zeming answered, eyes opening in the darkness.

He hadn’t slept either.

"Let’s talk," Chengyi said.

They sat on the sofa, staring at each other.

"What do you want to talk about?" Zeming waited, realizing Chengyi had no intention of speaking.

"Um… don’t you want to ask me anything?"

Zeming laughed suddenly. "No. What do you mean?"

"She… cried tonight…" Chengyi finally said, after a pause.

"So? Isn’t that your problem? Why should I get involved?" Zeming countered.

"I…" Chengyi was caught off guard, left speechless.

"Your affairs are yours, I have no say. No one does. These are things you must solve yourselves," Zeming said, suddenly serious.

Chengyi bowed his head, lost in thought.

"You’re the man—give her a little leeway. Just look at how she cried tonight; she says she doesn’t want me to leave, but inside she’s blaming you," Zeming couldn’t help but complain.

Suddenly, Chengyi stood up. "I’m going to bed."

"Did you understand what I said?" Zeming asked as Chengyi turned to leave.

Chengyi paused, looked back at Zeming. "I’m thinking, you’ve never even had a girlfriend—what do you know?"

Then he murmured, "Good night," leaving Zeming on the sofa, gnashing his teeth.

So much for his good intentions.