40: Chapter 40: The real and fake young masters, arms around each other, brotherly and respectful! We are a family!

"You must be Xiaofan, right?"

"Nice to meet you, my name is Chen Jingci."

"The child who was swapped with you back then is me."

"…"

The Fake Young Master smiled and nodded, politely extending his right hand with an impeccable posture.

"You can also call me Big Brother Jing Ci."

"I'm so sorry! I should have come back to see you yesterday!"

"But my body was really uncooperative, and I suddenly came down with a high fever and lay in the hospital for a day, which is why I couldn't welcome you home the very first moment."

"Please don't take offense."

"…"

The Fake Young Master's eyes were sincere, his tone was unhurried, and his pronunciation was standard and clear.

There was a natural persuasiveness in his voice. Matched with that refined and clean face, he looked like a gentle spring breeze, making people unconsciously want to get close to him.

Chen Fan sighed inwardly.

He truly was a Young Master who exuded good upbringing from his very bones.

This aura, this eloquence, this composure!

Absolutely amazing! ( ๑ • ̀ ㅂ • ́ ) و ✧

Compared to him, he felt like a radish just pulled out of the mud, reeking of earthy mud all over.

As expected, short dramas about fake and true Young Masters are all deceptive.

Look, isn't he being very friendly to him right now?

It seems there is no need to worry about scheming against the Fake Young Master in the future.

What a relief!

Otherwise, scheming back and forth every day would be so exhausting to live!

Chen Fan was just feeling glad about the Fake Young Master's sincerity and friendliness.

The immortal venerable voice pack in his mind arrived on schedule, letting out a sneer that chilled him to the bone.

[Heh.]

[This bastard is truly as hypocritical as in the previous life!]

[Yesterday, he clearly tossed himself into the hospital just to give this Immortal Venerable a show of force.]

[Playing this trick on this Immortal Venerable's very first day home, isn't it just meant to tell this Immortal Venerable?!]

[Look, so what if you came back? I fall sick casually, and the whole family revolves around me! You, a true Young Master, are you as important as the Fake Young Master?]

[What a pity, what a pity, your wishful thinking has fallen through in this lifetime.]

[Are you furious to death? This Immortal Venerable didn't take up your meticulously designed trap at all.]

[Did you think this Immortal Venerable's personality would be as impulsive and hot-tempered as in the previous life, and beat and curse you just because of a few words of your provocation?]

[So that that family of blind and mindless fools would believe how vulgar and unbearable the so-called true Young Master is?]

[This Immortal Venerable refuses to grant your wish!!!]

[In this lifetime, this Immortal Venerable will deliberately put up a hypocritical facade and act as sworn brothers with you.]

[Aren't you most concerned about everything in the Chen family? Aren't you most afraid of this Immortal Venerable taking it away?]

[Then this Immortal Venerable will take it slow, step by step snatching away what you care about most.]

[Tsk, this is even more exciting to this Immortal Venerable than slapping you to death directly!]

[Hehheheheheh—]

The muscles on Chen Fan's face began to twitch again.

Brother Hao!

I beg you to act like a human!

Your imagination is getting more and more outrageous!!!

The Fake Young Master going to the hospital with a high fever yesterday was clearly because he has a weak constitution!

In your mouth, how did it become a bitter trick of deliberately making himself sick?!

Who would torture themselves to thirty-nine point eight degrees just to fight for favor?!

Do you want your life or not?!

The Fake Young Master is clearly very friendly to me!

How is he as sinister as you say?!

Also!

I am sincerely and genuinely wanting to be good brothers with Jing Ci giegie!

Stop randomly adding drama for me with your hehheheh!

Making it look like I really am that kind of sinister villain who says one thing to your face and another behind your back!

Am I that kind of person?!

After frantically complaining in his mind, Chen Fan couldn't be bothered to respond to the voice pack anymore.

He wiped the sweat from his palms on his trousers, and rather apprehensively extended his hand to shake hands with Chen Jingci.

His tone could not be more sincere:

"Hello Jing Ci giegie, my name is Chen Fan! You can just call me Xiaofan."

"Is your health better? When I heard you were sick yesterday, I was a bit worried."

"You must take good care of your health!"

"…"

Chen Jingci slightly raised an eyebrow.

Behind the gold-rimmed glasses, those gentle eyes flashed with a trace of imperceptible surprise.

This kid...

His reaction was much friendlier than he had expected.

Wasn't it said that the true Young Master despised him?

Wasn't it said that his heart was filled with resentment, ready to give him attitude at any moment?

Why did he come up and greet him about his health instead?

And call him "Jing Ci giegie" so naturally???

He had originally prepared for this kid to immediately pull a long face, point at his nose and curse, or even give him a punch.

As long as Chen Fan dared to strike, he could immediately stage a classic scene of "tears welling up, grievances endured with forbearance" in front of Chen Jianguo and his wife.

To ruthlessly win a wave of sympathy points first.

Who would have thought that this kid actually didn't follow the script?

Coming up, he immediately put on a posture of letting bygones be bygones and wanting to be sworn brothers with him!

It seems...

He wasn't as emotional as he had thought!

He really knew how to act.

Clearly hating him to death in his heart, yet putting on such a friendly appearance on the surface.

Fine.

You can act.

Let's see how long you can keep up the act.

Chen Jingci's smile remained unchanged as he suppressed that trace of surprise deep within his eyes.

His tone remained as warm as a spring breeze as he said pointedly:

"I'm much better, thanks for asking."

"Right! Were you used to staying in the room I previously stayed in last night? Is the mattress too soft?"

"I slept on that bed for eighteen years, and sometimes I even felt it was too soft."

"I heard that people who are used to sleeping on hard beds easily get lower back pain when suddenly switching to a soft bed."

"If you aren't used to it, I'll have someone change it."

"…"

As soon as his voice fell.

The voice pack sneered and spoke up.

[Heh.]

[Here it comes, here it comes.]

[Classic Yin and Yang.]

[What does "I lived with this bed for eighteen years" mean?]

[What does "people who are used to sleeping on hard beds easily get lower back pain when suddenly switching to a soft bed" mean?]

[He is reminding this Immortal Venerable!]

[When this Immortal Venerable was wandering outside eating instant noodles and living in a basement! He was lying on a Simmons mattress, enjoying the blessings that should have belonged to this Immortal Venerable!!!]

[He is showing off! Showing off that he occupied this Immortal Venerable's nest, enjoyed this Immortal Venerable's blessings, and acted as a wealthy Young Master for eighteen years!]

[And this Immortal Venerable, the rightful master, doesn't even deserve to sleep on a soft bed!!!]

[He wants to infuriate this Immortal Venerable! Wants to make this Immortal Venerable flip out on the spot!]

[Making this Immortal Venerable lose temper at him in front of everyone, so as to substantiate the image that this Immortal Venerable is jealous of him and cannot tolerate him!!!]

[Heh, ridiculous! This tiny bit of skill doesn't even count as a petty trick before this Immortal Venerable.]

[When this Immortal Venerable was fighting against that group of old foxes in the Nine Heavens back then, his eighteen generations of ancestors hadn't even been born yet.]

[Mere vulgar provocative tactics, how dare he show them off before this Immortal Venerable? Overestimating his own capabilities.]

[An ant like this who isn't even worthy of carrying shoes for this Immortal Venerable!]

[The best place he has ever lived in is merely a mortal villa!]

[Whereas this Immortal Venerable ruled over the Nine Heavens Immortal Domain in past years, with tens of thousands of grand palaces, drifting clouds as curtains, and the river of stars as lamps! That is what you call a true jade palace!]

[The meditation mat this Immortal Venerable sat on was woven from the lotus petals of the Ninth-Grade Golden Lotus, and a single leaf could extend his life by a hundred years.]

[This Immortal Venerable has drunk nectar brewed from ten-thousand-year-old stalactites, eaten immortal peaches from the flat peach orchard that ripen once every three thousand years, and the bowls and chopsticks used were Innate Spirit Treasures.]

[Just this bit of family property of the Chen family! In this Immortal Venerable's eyes, there is no difference from a beggar's broken bowl on the street!]

[Ridiculously, this fake goods still treats it like a treasure and shows it off in front of this Immortal Venerable.]

[Little did he know, he is merely a frog at the bottom of a well! Just a clown!]

Chen Fan's mouth twitched fiercely.

Here it comes, here it comes again.

Would this voice pack die if it doesn't brag?!

Still Nine Heavens Immortal Palace?

Still ten-thousand-year warm jade?

Still Ninth-Grade Golden Lotus?

Why don't you say you also bought a house on the moon and kept a mistress on Mars?!!

Jing Ci giegie was just kindly reminding me that a bed that's too soft will cause lower back pain! He just wanted to help me change the mattress!

How considerate!!!

How attentive!!!

In your mouth, it became showing off? Yin and Yang?

Who on earth harmed you!!! ∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ How severe is your persecutory delusion?

In his heart, Chen Fan gave the voice pack a thorough verbal bashing.

Then he waved his hand at Chen Jingci and said with a grin:

"No need, no need! This bed being too soft is just right, I like soft ones!"

"The mattress in my previous rental room was as hard as a plank of wood, and turning over hurt my bones."

"This bed is simply the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on!"

"Oh right! I also have to thank you, Brother Jing Ci, for giving up the room to me."

"This room is great, I slept exceptionally well last night."

"…"

He spoke sincerely.

His tone carried a rustic, unadorned gratitude.

Chen Jingci was stunned for a full two and a half seconds, a flash of astonishment crossing his eyes.

He had deliberately brought up the room earlier, wanting to show off a wave in front of Chen Fan to stimulate his sensitive and inferior psychology.

As long as Chen Fan was provoked by him and arrogantly said something like "This room will be mine from now on, get lost", or directly came up and beat him up...

He could put on a fake wronged look and wipe his tears, so that Chen Jianguo and his wife behind him could see...

How overbearing and unreasonable their biological son was.

Yet unexpectedly, Chen Fan actually thanked him.

And thanked him so sincerely.

Without a single flaw.

Chen Jingci pushed his gold-rimmed glasses.

The reflection of the lenses covered the fleeting confusion deep in his eyes.

For a fraction of a second, he even muttered inwardly—

Could this kid be lacking a few screws?

Can't he tell good words from bad ones???

Could he really think he was kindly reminding him? Wanting to help him change the mattress???

"Heh... As long as you like it."

"…"

Chen Jingci quickly adjusted his expression, his tone turning gentle again, even with a hint of just-right guilt:

"This room originally belonged to you, it can't be considered giving it up."

"You suffered so many years outside, now that you're back you should live in the best."

"Speaking of which, it's all my fault, it was I who robbed you of eighteen years of a wealthy life."

"However you want me to compensate, it's fine."

"As long as you bring it up, I'm willing to do it."

"…"

Chen Jingci spoke with deep affection, his eye sockets turning slightly red.

His posture was lowered to the extreme.

His expression was impeccably sincere.

Yet deep within his eyes, there hid a trace of calculation that was extremely difficult to detect.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Chen Fan to say the line "Then get the hell out of this family".

As long as Chen Fan dared to say it, or put forward any excessive demands, or directly curse and hit him...

He would win.

He would immediately lower his head miserably and mournfully in front of the Chen family members, without making any rebuttal, letting the whole family see with silence and forbearance!

How relentless and how harsh and ungrateful this true Young Master was!!!

However.

Chen Fan froze for a moment.

Then he scratched his head and smiled.

That smile was faint, very genuine, carrying a hint of embarrassed shyness.

"Brother Jing Ci, please don't say that."

"What robbing or not robbing, you were also just a newborn infant at that time, and the swap incident wasn't your fault."

"We are both victims! If anyone is to be blamed, it's fate's fault, it has nothing to do with you."

"You mustn't have any psychological burden! Let bygones be bygones!"

"From now on, you are my real brother, the kind who shares life and death for a lifetime!"

"We are a loving family, we are family ~ ~ ♦ ♦ ♦"

"Family members don't speak of two different families, what compensation or not, it's too estranged."

"…"

What the heck?!!

Chen Jingci was utterly dumbfounded (ｷ｀ﾟДﾟ´)!!!

The expression behind the gold-rimmed glasses went blank for a split second.

Ah... this?!!

Is this person serious?

He had envisioned countless kinds of Chen Fan's reactions.

The worst-case presupposition was that the other party would use this opportunity to make harsh demands, or directly tear off their face to humiliate and beat him.

The best-case presupposition was that the other party would be symbolically polite for a couple of sentences, but the hostility deep in their eyes couldn't be hidden, and they would definitely reveal flaws for him to notice.

But Chen Fan's reaction was completely beyond his presupposition...

There was no perfunctory politeness, no suppressed hostility, but an extreme kind of...

Sincerity.

Sincerity to the point that even someone like him who specialized in micro-expression psychology couldn't see any trace of acting.

Was this kid's cunning so deep that even he couldn't see through it?

Or rather, did he really not have a single bit of scheming in him?

Chen Jingci's gaze slowly swept across Chen Fan's face, capturing those eyes.

They were too clean, clean to the point of not looking like they had any scheming thoughts.

There was no flickering, no evasion, no deliberately disguised composure, only a kind of all-natural, uncarved, crystal-clear stupidity.

That was something innate.

It was something that even veteran actors couldn't act out.

It was something he couldn't imitate no matter how many years he bitterly practiced.

Chen Jingci reached a conclusion in his heart!

This kid is truly lacking a brain.

He isn't faking it, he's genuinely foolish.

Foolish to the point of not hearing his own probing.

Foolish to the point of treating his open and covert arrows all as goodwill.

Foolish to the point of sincerely calling "giegie" to a mortal enemy who robbed him of eighteen years of life.

Reaching such a level of crystal-clear stupidity made Chen Jingci even feel a bit embarrassed to make a move.

This feeling...

Was like he was bullying an elementary school student who hadn't yet been enlightened.

For the first time in his life, he produced a strange, almost unbearable sense of compassion!

What's the point of bullying someone who doesn't even know they're being bullied?

There is zero sense of achievement.

It was like punching a pile of cotton; before you even exerted force, the other party had already found an excuse for you, weeping with gratitude as they forgave you.

Based on this kid's tier, he wasn't worthy of becoming his opponent at all.

Even if left alone, he wouldn't pose any threat to his position in this family.

Thinking up to this point.

Chen Jingci's smile instead gained a few more traces of genuine softness.

He reached out and draped his arm around Chen Fan's shoulder, his posture becoming countless times closer than that previous formulaic handshake.

"Alright, Xiaofan."

"Since you say so, from now on we are biological brothers with different fathers and mothers."

"If you encounter any trouble you can't solve!"

"Just come find me, don't stand on ceremony with your brother!"

"…"

Being draped around the shoulders by him, Chen Fan felt flattered, and the smile on his face became even brighter.

"Then this younger brother won't be polite! Please take good care of me from now on, Jing Ci giegie!"

"Hahaha, well said, well said!"

"…"

Brother Hao, look!

Didn't I say Jing Ci giegie is a good person?!

What hypocrisy and sinister!

What conspiracies and plots!

It's all you talking nonsense!

Don't slander my Jing Ci giegie ever again ( ๑ • ̀ ㅂ • ́ ) و ✧ ~ ~ ~ ~

At this moment.

The Fake Young Master and the true Young Master had their arms around each other's shoulders, acting like friendly and respectful brothers, chatting and laughing as they walked towards the house.

The morning sunlight shone on the two of them, dragging their shadows very long and overlapping them together, looking as close as could be without any barrier.

...

1P:

Begging on my knees for gifts to boost the ranking! Love you guys ~ ~ ♦ ~ ~

2P:

Married for three years without children, got checked and found out my seed vitality is too poor, o(╥﹏╥)o Does any friend know which hospital treats this the best?

Preferably traditional Chinese medicine conditioning, the kind that replenishes kidney Qi...