CHAPTER 32: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN BROTHERS

Rong Xingyu could feel the warmth of Dr. Ding’s breath brushing against his face. Their noses were nearly touching.

And even through the haze of panic, some small, rational part of Rong Xingyu’s brain reminded him that there were still two girls sitting just outside this desk and only a thin panel separating them.

They had no idea another person was hiding underneath.

Rong Xingyu shut his eyes tightly.

Huff... huff...

He didn’t even notice how his breathing and his heartbeat had completely lost their rhythm.

He couldn’t remember when the two girls had left, nor how he’d managed to crawl out from under that desk afterward.

When he finally stumbled out of the infirmary, he leaned against the wall in the hallway, lifted his hand, and smacked himself hard on the forehead.

The pen lay right there at his feet. Why didn’t I just hand it to him?!

His face turned scarlet as he rubbed at the red mark now forming on his forehead. In his heart, Rong Xingyu made a firm decision: He was never coming back to see Dr. Ding again. Ever.

What a humiliating disaster!

The whole infirmary incident was so embarrassing that even days later, Rong Xingyu would still blush every time he remembered it.

He hadn’t spoken to Dr. Ding since then.

Thankfully, other things soon took his attention.

"I understand now. Thank you, Rong Xingyu!" said a girl while closing her notebook. Her eyes sparkled with admiration.

Rong Xingyu smiled gently. "You’re welcome. This question is actually a variation of the after class exercise. Try comparing it with the original one and you’ll understand it better."

The girl thanked him again feeling delighted, while Qian Zhijun who is sitting nearby couldn’t help puffing up with pride.

Hmph, now you all finally know how amazing Xingyu is!

After the last monthly exam, a few classmates had brought him problems they couldn’t solve.

And to their surprise, Rong Xingyu never got impatient with anyone.

Rong Xingyu was truly remarkable.

It seemed like no question was too hard for him.

In just a few simple explanations, he could make even the most complicated problems clear and easy to understand, helping others suddenly see the solution as if a light had turned on in their minds.

Before long, more and more classmates began coming to him with their questions.

His patience and clarity even inspired others to study harder and the overall learning atmosphere in the class became much stronger.

The teachers were delighted. They looked at Rong Xingyu as though he were a precious treasure.

Naturally, his popularity in class grew as well.

"...He really said that?"

The assistant adjusted his glasses and nodded toward Rong Zhenqiao. "Yes, sir."

"..."

Rong Zhenqiao stayed silent for a long moment before suddenly asking, "I remember... you have a younger brother too, don’t you? How’s your relationship with him?"

The assistant gave a small helpless smile, his tone tinged with mild annoyance. "It’s okay, I guess. Mostly depends on me buying him gifts to keep the brotherly bond alive."

Rong Zhenqiao fell quiet again.

He suddenly realized he rarely gave his younger brother anything at all. In fact, he didn’t even know what Rong Xingyu liked.

His expression turned dark, filled with frustration and regret.

The assistant wanted to say something more, but when he saw his boss’s complicated look, he wisely decided to stay quiet.

He understood well enough, President Rong was always busy. The fate of the entire company and all its employees rested on his shoulders. With such a heavy responsibility, it was natural that he couldn’t give his family the same attention.

Still... the assistant couldn’t help but recall the disappointment on the young master’s face at school when he found out his big brother wouldn’t be coming.

With a quiet sigh, he gently closed the office door behind him and left the CEO’s office.

Once outside, the assistant took out his phone and called his own younger brother.

"Hey, remember those limited edition sneakers you’ve been wanting forever? I bought them for you."

There was a long silence on the other end before his brother spoke hesitantly, "Bro... did you get diagnosed with something serious? Don’t give up on treatment, okay?"

The assistant: "..."

The assistant: "Get lost!"

He hung up and couldn’t help thinking bitterly how come he couldn’t have a younger brother as sweet and well behaved as Young Master Rong Xingyu?

After the assistant left, Rong Zhenqiao sat in silence for a long time. Then he reached out and picked up a square photo frame from his desk.

It had always been placed in the most visible spot. Inside the frame was an old family photo.

The picture was clearly several years old. In the center sat a tiny boy on the lap of a young and elegant woman happily chewing on his own fingers.

He was smiling so brightly that even the adults around him in the photo couldn’t help smiling too.

Rong Zhenqiao’s thumb brushed lightly over the chubby cheeks of the little boy in the picture.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, exhaustion and regret washing over him.

Eight years ago, when Rong Zhenqiao had been studying abroad a tragedy suddenly struck, his parents and little brother were in a car accident during a family trip.

Their parents died at the scene.

By some miracle, his little brother had survived and the reason he survived is because their parents had shielded him with their bodies and protecting him until the very end.

When Rong Zhenqiao was still not yet twenty years old, he rushed back to the country after receiving the terrible news.

He never got to see his parents for the last time, only their cold lifeless bodies in the morgue and his youngest brother, Rong Xingyu lying unconscious in the intensive care unit.

He leaned against the wall and his whole body breaking into a cold sweat, he feels like the world spinning around him.