Chapter 18: Chapter 18 - Begging to visit

The next morning, Ying Mao woke up with a sense of dread sitting heavy in his chest.

He could barely focus on the routine of getting ready for school.

Normally, this was a time he'd rush to his brother's room, bouncing with excitement, eager to pester Ying Di into dropping him off at school.

It had always been part of their morning routine—

Ying Mao would cling to his brother's leg, acting cute, and Ying Di would give in, rolling his eyes but smiling indulgently.

But today felt different. Darker.

Ying Mao dressed slowly, pulling on his school uniform with heavy hands.

His mind replayed the dinner from the night before, every word, every glance from his brother and stepmother etched into his brain like a scar.

Steeling himself, he left his room and padded down the hallway to Ying Di's door, his heart hammering in his chest. He peeked in to see his brother fixing his hair, looking as calm and collected as ever. But Ying Mao knew better now. That calmness was just a mask.

Without hesitating, he ran to his brother and hugged his leg, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes, the same trick he'd used so many times before. "Come drop me off, please…" he pouted, adding a touch of cuteness to his voice. His small arms tightened around Ying Di's leg, just like when they were younger.

Ying Di looked down, his usual charming smile tugging at his lips as he ruffled Ying Mao's hair. "Sorry, Mao. I can't today. I'm going to see Jua. I'll drop you off tomorrow, okay?"

For a moment, Ying Mao stiffened. Jua… why? His mind raced with questions, fear bubbling beneath the surface. What does he want with Jua?

His heart sped up as he quickly changed tactics, looking up at his brother with watery eyes. "C-Can I come too… please?" he asked, his voice small, almost trembling. He made sure his tears shimmered in his eyes just enough to tug at his brother's heartstrings.

Ying Di knelt down, leveling himself with Ying Mao's height, and gave him that same smile—so charming, so practiced. But this time, Ying Mao didn't see warmth. He saw the cold calculation lurking behind his brother's eyes, the sharp edge to his smile.

"I thought you didn't like Jua," Ying Di said softly. "You always asked me to break up with him, remember?" His tone was casual, but the words were a dagger aimed at Ying Mao's chest. He could feel the malice in them, the subtle reminder that Ying Di had the upper hand. He's testing me.

Ying Mao swallowed the fear threatening to choke him and shrugged, forcing his face into a look of innocence. "He saved my life… I just want to make sure he's okay." His voice wavered slightly, enough to sound convincing, but inside, he was shaking. His mind was racing, trying to think of the right words to say, the right way to manipulate his brother into letting him come along.

Ying Di raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his sudden change of heart. "Oh, but you know Dad won't agree with you skipping class. He'll be furious if he finds out."

"Please… please, please…" Ying Mao begged, his small hands grabbing onto Ying Di's shirt as he wiggled around, pouting and pleading in the way he knew his brother couldn't resist. He made himself look as pitiful as possible, desperation dripping from every word. "I just want to see him…"

Ying Di's smile faltered for a second, as if he were genuinely considering it. Ying Mao knew this game well enough by now. His brother enjoyed being the one in control, the one who got to make the decisions. The more Ying Mao begged, the more powerful Ying Di felt.

Finally, with a sigh, Ying Di relented. "Alright, alright," he said, chuckling softly. "You can come. But don't cause any trouble, okay? And you're going to have to come up with a good excuse for Dad later."

Ying Mao's heart raced with a mix of relief and fear. He agreed. But what would happen once they reached Jua? What was Ying Di really planning?

"I promise, I'll be good," Ying Mao said quickly, flashing a bright, innocent smile. Inside, though, he was preparing for whatever was to come.

As Ying Di stood and led the way out, Ying Mao followed closely, his small hands clenched into fists at his sides. His heart pounded with each step toward the car.

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