A Fiancé and Unexpected Brothers

Stepping out from the passenger side of the car was none other than their good roommate, Jian Ye.

The two stood together, seemingly exchanging intimate words, before heading towards the dormitory entrance.

They were coming into the dormitory building?

Li Xiangchi and the other two, who had poked their heads out to watch, suddenly grew excited and nervous.

“W-wait a minute, Ah Ye isn’t bringing that man to our dorm, is he?” Li Xiangchi stammered slightly.

“Judging by the way they’re headed, it certainly looks that way,” Liu Mingchang affirmed with a nod.

Zheng Yan, still stroking his chin, speculated, “Perhaps he’s even going to introduce us. This must be someone important to Jian Ye; otherwise, he wouldn’t bring him back to the dorm.”

Indeed, this comrade was just a step away from the truth.

Li Xiangchi, ever so innocent, continued to argue, “Let’s not jump to any romantic conclusions. Maybe he’s Ah Ye’s older brother? A cousin? Anything’s possible!”

Just as his words fell, the sound of a key turning in the lock echoed from outside the door.

The moment the door swung open, the three swiftly retreated to their spots, pretending to be engrossed in their own activities.

Li Xiangchi held his book upside down, Liu Mingchang sipped from an empty cup, and Zheng Yan meticulously wiped his already spotless glasses.

Jian Ye’s mind was not on his roommates, and he entered without noticing their peculiar behavior.

“This is my dorm…” he was still explaining to the man behind him.

Catching sight of his roommates subtly peering over, he smiled and greeted them, “You’re all here? I… brought someone to the dorm. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Not at all, not at all, please make yourselves at home!” Li Xiangchi exclaimed.

“Yes, yes, feel free to look around!” Liu Mingchang added.

“It’s fine, please,” Zheng Yan said.

“Mr. Yi, our dorm is quite cramped. Perhaps you’d prefer to wait for me downstairs?” To be honest, being gawked at by a crowd on the way up had made even the thick-skinned Jian Ye feel awkward.

However, it was Jian Ye himself who had agreed to bring Yi Siyu up to meet his roommates. Regret, it seemed, was too late now.

The other man, as expected, declined. “No need. I’ll just sit here for a bit. Didn’t your roommates just say they don’t mind?”

The man’s lips curved slightly, then he quickly composed his expression.

He then asked, with a serious demeanor, “Our relationship will change tomorrow. Are you sure you still want to call me Mr. Yi and use honorifics?”

The roommates’ ears perked up, antennae-like, eager for gossip.

What? What did he mean their relationship would change tomorrow? Could he elaborate!

Jian Ye bit his lower lip, a moment of shyness passing before he looked up, his face flushed, and said, “Siyu-gege.”

In the next instant, the entire dorm fell silent.

Even the man who had just managed to maintain his composure froze.

When the young man uttered those four words, his eyes shimmering with emotion, his voice carried a siren’s magic, utterly captivating.

Soft and sweet, yet with the crisp tone of a young boy, it was surprisingly not unpleasant to hear.

“Does calling you that… disgust you? How about Siyu-ge? I-I’m sorry, I really don’t know how to address you in front of others, I…” Jian Ye fiddled with his fingers, feigning distress.

The man cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Whatever you like, as long as it’s not an honorific, it’s fine.”

Jian Ye exhaled in relief. “Alright then, I’ll call you Siyu-ge from now on. It’s our first time meeting today, so using an honorific was just habit. I’ll slowly get used to the new address.”

The three roommates were utterly stunned by the amount of information they had just absorbed.

First time meeting? And he brought him back to the dorm? And called him ‘gege’? What the hell! Seriously!

Li Xiangchi’s preserved plum, which he had just popped into his mouth, rolled out, flesh and pit together, landing directly on the floor and bouncing slightly.

He had indeed said this person might be Jian Ye’s brother, but he hadn’t imagined it would be… that kind of brother.

Hadn’t Jian Ye supposedly had a boyfriend? So this man’s ambiguous relationship with Jian Ye now was…? A love triangle, perhaps?

The gossip was getting intense. This was a damn love triangle!

Yi Siyu hadn’t intended to stay long. Initially, he just wanted to safely bring Jian Ye back. He had indulged in a bit of teasing, only to be playfully provoked by the younger man.

Now, his ears were tingling.

Finding an opportune moment, he addressed Jian Ye’s roommates. “I have some matters to attend to today, so I won’t stay long. Yeye’s foot is a bit injured, so he’s not moving around easily. Please take good care of him. I’ll treat you all to a meal another day. Many thanks.”

Jian Ye nearly choked on his saliva. Cough… What did he call him?

System 748, annoyingly, emphasized it for him.

[System 748: He called you Yeye, oh!~]

[Jian Ye: Get lost!]

His roommates, meanwhile, were collectively bewildered for a good while. Zheng Yan was the quickest to react, responding, “You’re too kind, it’s only right for roommates to look out for each other.”

“Alright, alright, no problem!” Li Xiangchi boomed. “We’ll definitely take good care of Ah Ye, making sure he’s well-fed and plump, guaranteeing he won’t suffer any secondary injuries!”

Only after speaking did he feel his choice of words was a bit odd. Why did it feel like a bride’s family entrusting their daughter-in-law to the groom’s side? And guaranteeing he’d be plump, ready to have two children in three years?

Liu Mingchang promptly covered Li Xiangchi’s runaway mouth, merely smiling and nodding politely. “Please go about your business. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. Jian Ye can give a proper introduction then.”

Right, Jian Ye?

The meaningful gazes from his three roommates made him feel a shiver run down his spine.

It wasn’t until Yi Siyu had completely disappeared from the dorm that the three cornered the subject of their gossip, interrogating him one by one.

“You were on a date with this man… this gentleman at the ‘Night of Rain’ coffee shop today?” Liu Mingchang pressed.

“What exactly is your relationship with him? Is it… that kind of relationship?” Li Xiangchi questioned.

Zheng Yan’s focus was more astute, yet no less accurate. “Did you break up with your boyfriend? Is this your current partner?”

It had to be said, his roommates’ judgments were quite keen, though they still lacked a deeper level of analysis.

Jian Ye didn’t care how they knew he was at the ‘Night of Rain’ coffee shop today or about his ex-boyfriend.

Without beating around the bush, he straightforwardly announced the answer. “The person I just brought, Yi Siyu, is my fiancé. We’re getting our marriage certificate tomorrow.”

The three: “…Holy crap!”

How utterly explosive!

Li Xiangchi, being in the same class as Jian Ye and genuinely caring for him, said worriedly, “You’ve only known each other for a day and you’re already flash-marrying? Ah Ye, don’t be deceived by men who appear so refined on the outside!”

Liu Mingchang chimed in, “Those sophisticated people out there have a taste for pure male college students. Have you even inquired if this person is married? Be careful not to become a third party without even realizing it!”

Zheng Yan, however, didn’t think Yi Siyu was a fraud. Their senses were always sharp, and he asked a sincere question: “Jian Ye, do you like him?”

Jian Ye had never intended to keep this from his roommates. He would be living with these three companions for the next few years, and they would eventually learn about his family situation.

“Yi… Siyu-ge and I are in a political marriage,” Jian Ye said with a slight smile, his eyes impossibly pure. “I haven’t even considered whether I like him or not.”

Jian Ye recounted the circumstances of the two families, allowing his roommates to fully understand that Jian Ye’s parents were no longer alive.

This caused Li Xiangchi and the others a pang of intense sympathy.

[System 748: Host, while you were telling your story, your Green Tea Value increased by another 68. You’re truly amazing.]

[Jian Ye: If you’re going to praise me, do it properly. Don’t be so sarcastic.]

[System 748: Sob, I wasn’t being sarcastic~]

Jian Ye rolled his eyes mentally. He still held a grudge over System 748’s ‘Yeye’ comment just now.

That man was definitely doing it on purpose!

The nerve of him, acting all smug just because Jian Ye called him ‘gege’.

If Jian Ye hadn’t already known about Yi Siyu’s White Moonlight, he might have truly been swayed by that gentle tone.

The Protagonist Gong was indeed unfathomable. This man was truly terrifying, capable of enduring such a charade for family interests and his beloved, without leaving a trace of his true feelings.

Third Young Master Yi truly deserved to be called ‘amazing’.

Jian Ye decided he absolutely couldn’t get entangled with a mere paper character. If he fell into the other party’s gentle trap, he could easily end up losing even his life.

After calming his emotions, Jian Ye remained that pitiful little white flower, feigning obedience and misery.

Aside from Green Tea Value, he loved no one.

Sigh, there was no other way; it was all for survival…

Seeing Jian Ye lower his head and remain silent, Li Xiangchi assumed he was sad from bringing up painful memories again. He quickly comforted him, “Ah Ye, we’re really grateful you trust us enough to tell us all this. We brothers won’t betray your trust. If you don’t mind, you can treat us like your own brothers from now on.”

“From today onwards, if I, Liu Mingchang, have a mouthful of meat, my brother will never lack a bowl of soup!” Liu Mingchang declared with a resolute expression.

However, Li Xiangchi slapped him on the back of the head. “Wrong! Both the meat and the soup must be left for our brother!”

“Ah, yes, yes, yes, with your Chinese language skills, you’re trying to nitpick my words!”

The two bickered, dissolving into a playful argument.

Zheng Yan, speaking through a gap in their squabble, said to Jian Ye, “Since your political marriage is an unchangeable fact, I won’t say any empty words. Just remember, if you truly suffer any grievances in the Yi family, you must tell us first.”

Jian Ye paused, slightly taken aback.

Zheng Yan smiled faintly. “The strength of friends may be meager, but solving problems and easing worries is precisely why it exists.”

The former Jian Ye had no interaction with his roommates, nor any true friends by his side. Thus, when encountering life’s vexing issues, he had no one to confide in, making him more prone to breaking down and collapsing.

Listening to his roommates’ words, Jian Ye felt a surge of warmth in his heart. This time, it was genuine emotion, and he nodded heavily at them.

Things were already changing in the direction he hoped. He wished for the fate of ‘Cannon Fodder Jian Ye’ to completely end with him, shedding the label of ‘universally disliked’.

[System 748: Wuwuwu, such touching brotherhood. This System wants to take a picture of this moment for remembrance.]

The touching scene was always interrupted by something strange.

[Jian Ye: If you have that much time, why don’t you apply to headquarters to lower the prices in the System Mall? I’m working myself to death earning Green Tea Value, and I still can’t afford a few good items in there.]

[System 748: Hmm… I can’t decide that, but there are discounts on holidays. Host, why don’t you go for your desired items during 618?]

[Jian Ye: Ha! What kind of holiday is 618? Do you systems even copy Earthlings’ dates for promotional events?]

[System 748: Hehe ^_^, I learned it from Host. Last time I reported your learning ability to my superiors, and it made all the systems start ‘involution’. My ‘Host Learning Notes’ have already been advertised at a high price in my ‘friends circle’. When I make money, I can occasionally cover the price difference for items you can’t afford.]

[Jian Ye: …]

He was often amazed by how this non-living entity so skillfully adopted Earth’s internet slang.