Chapter 47: Second Brother’s Gone Mad

Zhao Chun was still dazed when he was woken up by someone choking him, only to be fully awakened by a loud slap from his younger brother.

Zhao Mao seemed to be unleashing a lifetime’s worth of frustration, resentment, and anger. He straddled his older brother and slapped him repeatedly. “You bastard! I told you not to trust them, but you just had to! A few sweet words and you were ready to slaughter a whole city. Damn it, you deserved to die!”

“You think you’re so noble, so high and mighty as a general. But who scraped together the money for your rations? Who bought your armor? Even your socks were bought with my money!”

“You spend like there’s no tomorrow, but when it comes to asking for money, you just open your mouth. Then you blame me for being stingy? Today I’m beating you to death so I can finally have some peace!”

Zhao Chun was never one to just take a beating. He struggled hard, but to his surprise, the younger brother he could usually toss aside with ease now had the strength of ten men, pinning him down and slapping him over and over.

“Say you know you were wrong! Say it now!” Zhao Mao held him down.

Zhao Chun wasn’t the type to admit fault just because he got hit. He was about to argue back when a hot tear splashed onto his face.

In the darkness, the older boy saw his younger brother’s bloodshot eyes, filled with despair.

He froze completely. A sour ache welled up in his chest, like someone had reached in and twisted his heart.

Finally, his lips trembled. “I… I know I was wrong.”

“Second Brother, are you still mad? If you are, hit me a couple more times. I really know I was wrong. From now on, I’ll listen to you, okay?”

Tears kept streaming down Zhao Mao’s face as he let out a cold laugh. “I don’t believe you.”

“I’m serious! I swear I’ll do whatever you say from now on. How about this? I won’t take a single Wen anymore. All my money is yours, alright?” Zhao Chun couldn’t stand seeing his brother cry. He felt awful.

Second Brother was such a good kid. At home, whenever there was good food or fun things, he always let him have them first. How could he have bullied him into crying like that over ten Wen?

When morning came, he’d have to talk to their little sister. Hair flowers were pretty, but they weren’t more important than the bond between siblings.

Zhao Chun felt he was being completely sincere. But to his surprise, Zhao Mao gave a cold snort and slapped him again.

“You’re saying the same thing again. Why can’t you just learn?”

Zhao Chun held his face, finally starting to feel wronged after all those slaps. “What did I do? I didn’t even do anything!”

Zhao Mao opened his mouth, but there was too much bottled up inside—too many things he wanted to say, too much helplessness and frustration.

Even someone as thick-skinned as Zhao Chun could tell something was off from that look in his brother’s eyes. He cautiously covered his face and probed, “Second Brother, are you still mad?”

Zhao Mao gave him a long look, then turned over and lay down, closing his eyes as if he’d fallen asleep just like that.

“Second Brother? Second Brother?” Zhao Chun whispered, afraid to wake him, but even more afraid he wouldn’t respond.

“We agreed, after you hit me, you’re not allowed to stay mad.”

Zhao Mao didn’t move. His breathing was steady, as if he’d fallen into a deep sleep right after the beating.

Zhao Chun couldn’t wake him. He rubbed his aching cheek, feeling incredibly wronged. In the end, he sniffled and stayed quiet, lying there with his head tilted, watching his brother sleep.

After a while, Zhao Chun naturally wrapped his arms around his brother’s arm and rested his head on his shoulder, falling into a deeper sleep.

When he woke up, Zhao Mao was peeling his brother’s limbs off him in disgust. This was what annoyed him most about his older brother—he did this every day, sometimes even using Zhao Mao’s belly as a pillow.

But when he turned his head and saw Zhao Chun’s face, Zhao Mao was so startled he rolled right off the bed. “Dad, come quick!”

Zhao Mengcheng had been debating whether to have fried eggs or sweet soup for breakfast when he heard his son yelling.

He rushed into the room and was instantly dumbfounded. The twins were still in their underclothes, Zhao Mao was sitting on the floor, and Zhao Chun was still wrapped in the blanket, blinking groggily.

Zhao Chun’s chubby face, which he’d worked so hard to fatten up, was now bruised and swollen like a pig’s head—twice its original size.

Even Zhao Mengcheng, who’d seen his share of chaos, was startled. He rushed over. “Chun, what happened to your face?”

Zhao Chun instinctively covered his face and sneaked a glance at his brother on the floor. His eyes darted. “I… I got up last night to pee and accidentally bumped into something.”

Zhao Mengcheng had already noticed the little handprint. There was no way Zhao Chun had slapped himself. Only one suspect remained.

“It really was me! I was half-asleep and tripped at the door. Face-planted right into the ground,” Zhao Chun insisted loudly, afraid he wouldn’t be believed.

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow but didn’t expose the lie. “Does it still hurt?”

“Nope, not at all,” Zhao Chun said, but his mouth twitched in pain.

Zhao Mengcheng sighed. “If it’s nothing, then get up. Mao, keep an eye on your brother. Don’t let him fall again.”

Once their father left, Zhao Mao got up to get dressed and even brought over his brother’s clothes.

Zhao Chun lit up when he saw the help. “Mao, you’re not mad anymore?”

Zhao Mao glanced at him but said nothing.

Zhao Chun pointed at his face. “I let you beat me like this and didn’t even complain. Can’t you just let it go?”

That made Zhao Mao frown. “When did I ever hit you? Don’t go around making stuff up.”

Zhao Chun was stunned. “Last night! You were so fierce, pinning me down and slapping me while crying. If you hadn’t looked so pitiful, I would’ve hit you back.”

Zhao Mao figured his brother must have hit his head too. “You must’ve dreamed that. Why would I hit you in the middle of the night? And even if I did, why would I cry?”

“How can you deny it after hitting me? So I got beat up for nothing?” Zhao Chun was getting anxious.

He pointed at his face. “The evidence is right here! Look how swollen I am!”

“You said yourself you tripped while going to pee. How’s that my fault?” Zhao Mao’s brow furrowed into a knot.

Zhao Chun looked like he’d swallowed bitter herbs. “I only said that to keep Dad from scolding you. You’re the one who hit me.”

“I didn’t hit you. I’d know if I did.”

“It was you! Who else could it be?”

“You said it was a fall. Now you’re blaming me?”

Zhao Mao snorted and walked out after getting dressed. “Not wasting time on you. I’m going to help Dad.”

He had felt a little guilty seeing his brother’s swollen face earlier, but now that Zhao Chun was accusing him, Zhao Mao didn’t feel bad at all.

Zhao Chun hurried to get dressed, feeling utterly wronged. He’d tried to cover for his brother, and now the guy wouldn’t even admit to hitting him.

As he stepped outside with a miserable face, he ran straight into Zhao Xin.

The little girl was happily showing off her new hair flower, about to ask how it looked, when she caught sight of her brother’s bruised and swollen face. Her mouth fell open.

“Shhh!” Zhao Chun pulled her aside and whispered, “Your second brother did this. Got up in the middle of the night and beat me, then wouldn’t admit it.”

Zhao Xin was frightened. “Why would Second Brother hit you? He’s not like you. He doesn’t like hitting people.”

“How should I know? We must’ve pissed him off yesterday.” Zhao Chun touched his cheek, feeling pitiful.

Zhao Xin got goosebumps. Her hair, adorned with the flower, nearly stood on end. “Will he hit me too?”

“Could happen. Sleep lightly tonight. If he starts hitting you, yell for Dad,” Zhao Chun advised.

Zhao Xin looked like she was about to cry. Seeing her brother’s piggy face, she couldn’t imagine how awful she’d look if she got beaten like that.

Zhao Chun tried to comfort her. “Don’t worry. Second Brother knows what he’s doing. He won’t beat you to death.”

That only made Zhao Xin more scared.

Zhao Mao came out carrying breakfast with Zhao Mengcheng, giving the two siblings at the door a casual glance.

Zhao Chun immediately covered his face.

Zhao Xin stood up straight. As soon as he passed, she ran back inside and returned with two hair flowers.

“Second Brother, these are for you.” Zhao Xin looked heartbroken.

Zhao Mao was stunned. “Why are you giving me the hair flowers you bought?”

Zhao Xin sniffled. “I won’t buy hair flowers anymore. I’m sorry, Second Brother. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that yesterday. I shouldn’t have argued with you.”

After a night’s sleep, Zhao Mao wasn’t as angry anymore.

He thought about it and realized he had been a bit stingy. That money was from their dad for all three siblings. His older brother and younger sister hadn’t spent much. He shouldn’t have made everyone upset.

Seeing his sister apologize, Zhao Mao said, “It’s just ten Wen. Not a big deal. I said it was yours to use, and I shouldn’t have kept nagging you.”

“Keep them. You look nice with them on.” Zhao Mao even helped her put the hair flowers back in.

Zhao Xin’s eyes went wide. She glanced at her older brother and whispered, “So we’re clear, you hit Big Brother, so you can’t hit me.”

Zhao Chun jumped in frustration. “Xin, how could you say that?”

Zhao Mao’s face darkened. “I already said I didn’t hit him. Why would I beat him up for no reason?”

Zhao Xin believed him. She patted her chest and let out a breath. “I knew it. Second Brother never likes to hit people. No way he’d do that. Big Brother always talks nonsense. Hmph, I’m never believing you again.”

Zhao Chun was both angry and anxious. His red, swollen face puffed up even more. He looked truly pitiful.

“Ahem, Chun, come here,” Zhao Mengcheng interrupted the sibling squabble.

Zhao Chun walked over with his head down, eyes brimming with aggrieved tears. He wasn’t afraid of being hit, but it had clearly been his second brother who attacked him in the middle of the night. Now he wouldn’t admit it and even claimed Zhao Chun had damaged his brain.

His younger sister was just as bad. He had just been helping her come up with ideas, and now she’d made up with Second Brother, and the two of them had ganged up to scold him.

It was so unfair, so unjust. Zhao Chun felt like a wild weed in the field, trampled underfoot.

Zhao Mengcheng looked at his son and couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him, though the sight was almost funny in its misery.

He cracked a boiled egg and began peeling it. Holding the egg, he gently rolled it across Zhao Chun’s swollen face. “Looks bad, but it’s all surface bruises. Seems like you were still careful with how you tumbled last night.”

Zhao Chun gave a little grunt and sneaked a glance at his younger brother.

Zhao Mao didn’t remember anything from the night before. He thought his big brother was being ridiculous. Now that he’d made up with their sister, he was helping her peel eggs and serve porridge.

Zhao Xin tried to curry favor with her brother. “Second Brother, you should eat too. I’ll peel one for you.”

“I’ll do it myself.” Zhao Mao didn’t trust her skills. Every time she peeled an egg, it ended up full of gouges and pits – a total waste.

As Zhao Mengcheng rolled the egg across Zhao Chun’s face, his Mental Power gently followed, soothing the bruises.

Once the boiled egg had cooled, Zhao Mengcheng popped it straight into his son’s mouth, then cracked open another one and began rolling it too.

The egg was warm and tender, and Zhao Mengcheng’s movements were especially gentle. At first, Zhao Chun didn’t think much of it, but soon he was enjoying it, eyes squinting in contentment.

After finishing one egg, the boy grew a little embarrassed. “Dad, I can do it myself.”

“Don’t move.” Zhao Mengcheng held his face steady.

Soon, the second egg had cooled. Zhao Mengcheng pushed it into Zhao Chun’s mouth just the same.

Zhao Chun took a bite and suddenly realized, “Dad, this one was yours.”

“Eat it. You’re hurt, so you can have an extra one to help you recover.” Besides, the egg had already been rolled across his face. Zhao Mengcheng had no desire to eat it himself.

Zhao Chun didn’t pick up on his father’s distaste. He happily devoured it, even casting a smug glance at his younger siblings.

Zhao Xin was clearly envious but touched her own face and decided it wasn’t worth getting ugly for an egg.

Zhao Mao frowned and placed the egg he’d peeled into his father’s bowl. “Dad, you can have mine.”

Zhao Mengcheng laughed and headed into the kitchen. When he returned, he had a bowl with a poached egg in it. “I’ll eat my own. You eat yours.”

As a father, he never shortchanged himself.

After eating, the three children cleaned the table and washed the dishes together. Zhao Chun was still holding a grudge and refused to look at his brother, though he kept sneaking side glances at him.

Zhao Mao couldn’t take it anymore. “I didn’t hit you. If I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t lie about it.”

“You did hit me!” Zhao Chun jumped up, furious. “Not only did you hit me, you cried too!”

“I would never cry.”

“You did cry. You were bawling, just like when Mom died.” Zhao Chun blurted out without thinking.

That one sentence silenced all three children.

Zhao Xin pressed her lips together and took both brothers by the hand. “Alright, alright, let’s not fight anymore. If Mom knew, she’d be sad too.”

“It’s all my fault. I won’t ask for another hair flower, okay?”

Zhao Xin earnestly reflected. “I already had one and still wanted a second. Other girls in the village don’t even have one. I spent all my money and even used Big Brother’s money to buy more. No wonder Second Brother got mad.”

Zhao Mao patted her head. “Xin’er is pretty, and hair flowers look nice on you. I thought about it last night. You two were right – I was being a little stingy. No wonder you got upset. How about this? From now on, we’ll agree on how much we can spend each month. As long as it’s within that amount, I won’t say a word.”

“Really? Can I spend it all on hair flowers?” Zhao Xin asked.

Zhao Mao nodded. “If it makes you happy, go ahead.”

Zhao Xin immediately brightened and forgot all about yesterday’s unpleasantness.

Zhao Mao looked at his big brother, then glanced at the stove. He was afraid that if he saw that swollen pig-face again, he’d burst out laughing.

“Big Brother, let’s make up.”

Zhao Chun grunted twice. “I was never mad at you. You were the one who got mad.”

Zhao Mao laughed. “That’s just like you, Big Brother. You’ve always been the magnanimous one. You’ve taken care of me and Xin’er all these years.”

As he spoke, Zhao Mao felt a pang of guilt.

He’d always been sickly, constantly falling ill, and it had always been Big Brother running around taking care of him.

Even though they were twins, born just minutes apart, Big Brother had always acted like a little adult, looking after both him and their sister.

Zhao Mao felt he owed Big Brother far too much. He could never repay it all. To think he’d thrown a tantrum over ten Wen and even talked about splitting the family – it was outrageous.

Zhao Chun, flattered by the praise, instantly let go of last night’s grudge and grinned. “I’m the eldest. As the saying goes, the eldest is like a father. That makes me half your dad, so of course I should take care of you.”

Zhao Mao pulled a face. “You’ve got some nerve, comparing yourself to Dad.”

Zhao Xin shook her head and chimed in, “Big Brother, I can’t back you up this time. Dad is the best. No one can compare.”

Zhao Chun got anxious. “That’s why I said half a dad! And anyway, my face is only this big because you hit me.”

Zhao Mao frowned. “You fell on your own. Don’t blame me.”

“You did hit me!” Zhao Chun snapped.

Zhao Xin looked from one brother to the other and sighed. “Here we go again.”

The twins locked eyes, neither willing to back down. They both snorted and fell silent.

Zhao Chun was still feeling wronged. As he washed the dishes, tears started falling again. He pouted, on the verge of crying.

Zhao Mao noticed and frowned deeply. He thought to himself, You said I hit you and cried, but maybe you just hurt yourself and cried under the covers.

“Fine. Don’t admit it then. I wasn’t planning to hit you back anyway. I’m your big brother, after all,” Zhao Chun muttered, sniffling.

Zhao Mao really wanted to say, I didn’t hit you in the first place, you’re just blaming me.

But seeing Zhao Chun’s red eyes, red nose, and snot nearly dripping into his mouth, he felt a little guilty.

“Alright. I’m sorry.” Zhao Mao figured maybe his brother had a nightmare and hurt himself, then took the dream as real.

But if it was a nightmare and he’d hit him in it, then maybe it was still kind of his fault.

Zhao Chun, seeing him apologize, immediately wiped his face and lifted his chin. “You’re forgiven.”

Zhao Mao’s mouth twitched. He thought, And you dare compare yourself to Dad? You messed up your own face in a dream and still need me to comfort you.

When Zhao Mengcheng came in, the three little ones had already made peace and were chatting cheerfully.

“All made up?” Zhao Mengcheng asked with a smile.

Zhao Chun grinned. “Dad, you knew we were fighting?”

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled. “All three of your faces were black as the bottom of a pot. I’m not blind, you know.”

The kids all laughed sheepishly at that.

Zhao Mengcheng continued, “This is how it should be. You’re siblings, bound by blood. Talk things through. If you keep things bottled up, even living under the same roof, you’ll end up with misunderstandings.”

Zhao Chun immediately said, “Second Brother’s the one who bottles things up. I always speak my mind.”

Zhao Mao muttered, “You just talk too much. You say everything, whether it makes sense or not.”

Zhao Xin, acting like a little grown-up, waved her hands. “Big Brother, Second Brother, stop arguing. Dad said we should get along. We have to listen to him.”

The two boys glared at their little sister, who was clearly trying to score points.

Zhao Chun’s eyes lit up as he suddenly asked, “Dad, then who was in the wrong this time?”

Zhao Mengcheng raised an eyebrow. “No one was wrong, and everyone was wrong.”

“Dad, you’re just muddling things!” Zhao Chun protested.

Zhao Mengcheng tapped his forehead. “Isn’t that the truth? You’re the eldest, but you flip-flop between listening to your brother and your sister. You’re too easily swayed.”

“But Ah Chun, as the elder brother, you take care of your siblings and never hold grudges. That’s a good thing.”

Zhao Mao looked at his father cautiously. “What about me?”

“Ah Mao, you’re methodical and principled. You think further ahead than your brother and sister. That’s a good trait.”

Zhao Mengcheng pinched his cheek. “But Ah Mao, you’re still a kid. You don’t always have to carry the weight. If your brother and sister want to do something, let them. Right or wrong, they have to figure it out themselves. Even among siblings, it’s not your job to shoulder everything.”

Maybe it was because he’d been sickly since childhood, or maybe it was that other soul inside him, but Zhao Mao never quite seemed like a child.

Zhao Mengcheng actually enjoyed seeing him argue with his siblings. After crying it out this time, the gloom in his heart had lifted.

Zhao Mao nodded firmly.

Zhao Xin ran over, tugged on Zhao Mengcheng’s sleeve, and stood on tiptoe. “What about me? What about me?”

“You?”

Zhao Mengcheng scooped her up with a smile. “My Xin’er loves to look pretty and wants hair flowers – nothing wrong with that. Being willing to spend money isn’t wrong either. But using up your own money and then asking your big brother for more, and throwing a tantrum with your second brother – that’s something you need to reflect on.”

Zhao Xin puffed up her cheeks like a steamed bun. “I already know I was wrong.”

“And what exactly was the mistake?” Zhao Mengcheng asked with a smile.

Zhao Xin tilted her head. “I made Second Brother angry. I shouldn’t have bought the second flower.”

Zhao Mengcheng chuckled. “Not quite. Xin’er, your mistake was in taking your big brothers’ kindness for granted. You’re the youngest daughter in the family. Your eldest brother dotes on you, so he’s willing to give you his pocket money. Your second brother cares about you too. Even though he’s always keeping an eye on you, whenever there’s something tasty or fun at home, you’re the first person he thinks of.”

“But Xin’er, the way your big brothers treat you has never been something you’re entitled to. They’re still kids themselves. You can’t be happy only when they give you what you want, and throw a tantrum when they don’t.”

The tragedy of the Zhao siblings in the novel stemmed from the fact that they walked the same path together, yet still managed to let each other down.

Zhao Xin had suffered too much as a child, to the point where her two brothers tried to give her everything she wanted without question. That led her to develop a habit of always taking, forgetting that her brothers had their own choices to make.

The deep bond between the siblings would one day drag them all into the mire, unable to escape.

Right now, Zhao Xin was still young. She nodded obediently, taking her father’s words to heart.

After speaking, Zhao Mengcheng laughed. “Daddy made mistakes too.”

All three children chimed in at once, “Daddy’s the best! How could Daddy ever be wrong?”

“Everyone makes mistakes,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a shake of his head and a smile.

“Daddy hasn’t managed the household enough. Chun had to learn to take care of his younger siblings at such a young age. Because money was tight, Mao had to be careful with every coin. And no one ever really explained these things to Xin’er.”

Zhao Xin leaned against him, a bit clingy, and said, “Daddy’s already amazing. You’re the best daddy in the world.”

“Xin’er is amazing too. You’re the best Xin’er in the world,” Zhao Mengcheng said with a smile.

“Chun is also the best Chun in the world, and Mao is the best Mao in the world.”

Zhao Chun burst out laughing. “So that means we’re all the best, right, Dad?”

“That’s right. Very clever,” Zhao Mengcheng praised with a smile.

The three children were all overjoyed, grinning so wide they couldn’t stop smiling all day.

That night, Zhao Chun cautiously glanced at his younger brother and whispered, “We’ve already made up, so you better not hit me again tonight.”

Zhao Mao sighed inwardly, rolled his eyes, and lay down. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

Zhao Chun took that as a promise and lay down without a care, soon snoring peacefully.

Zhao Mao scooted a little farther away in disgust, muttering to himself, “Why would I bother hitting you for no reason?”

As night deepened and the house fell silent, the twins were fast asleep.

Zhao Mengcheng finished regulating his breathing, but his powers were a bit too active, tendrils twitching restlessly, refusing to settle.

He got up and headed out, planning to check on the room next door. The beating Zhao Chun took last night didn’t seem like any ordinary bump.

He stepped into the twins’ room. Under the brand-new cotton-padded quilt, the two children looked sound asleep. But Zhao Mao’s sleep was restless, his brow tightly furrowed.

Zhao Mengcheng reached out, wanting to smooth it out for him.

Suddenly, Zhao Mao’s eyes snapped open.