"Little Wu?! What are you talking about? Is this how you speak to dad and mom?!" Shen's Father was shaken all over by Shen Wu's words, protecting his already tearful wife with one hand while reprimanding Shen Wu with the other.
Shen Wu was naturally unaffected by this scene, nor was he afraid. With his capabilities, he could have left this family long ago; it was only because he was considering Fourth Brother and Shen Yue that he continued staying at home.
"It would be best if you don't provoke me at a time like this, or else I don't know what I might do. You still remember that dog, right?" In response to Shen's Father's interrogation, Shen Wu not only wasn't afraid, but pressed forward even more aggressively. The craziness that enveloped him was no different from what Shen Yue had first seen in Shen Wu two years ago.
Shen's Father, who had been so aggressive just a moment ago, also quieted down in the face of this Shen Wu.
It was only then that Shen Yue spoke up. "I'm fine now. Let's go together to Third Brother's place, isn't Eldest Brother there too?"
Shen Yue's words strangely calmed Shen Wu down, and the irritation in his heart gradually dispersed, reminding him of the efforts he had made over the past two years to become a "normal person."
Shen Wu turned his back and apologized insincerely, "Sorry, I went a little overboard just now with my words."
Although he was apologizing, Shen Wu was actually speaking to Shen Jize instead of the parents standing at the door.
Thus, he also didn't see the grief that flashed through Shen's Father's eyes.
Only Shen Yue saw it.
Shen Jize was originally timid, but for some reason, whether it was from being around Shen Wu for too long, he not only didn't cry in this situation, but even reached out to touch Shen Wu's head calmly, "Don't mind it, Little Wu."
Just as Shen Wu was about to nod, Shen Yue had already slipped off the bed. She walked to Shen Wu's side, and the instant Shen Wu's guard was lowered from Shen Jize, she softly said, "Fifth Brother, I want to hold your hand."
Shen Wu didn't even know what he was thinking in that moment. In fact, his brain at that time simply couldn't turn at all. But the warmth that welled up from his palm into the depths of his heart at that instant was genuinely there.
And it was this warmth that made Shen Wu lose himself briefly.
By the time he regained awareness, he had already followed Shen Yue out of the room.
Shen Yue was even asking up ahead, "Fifth Brother, do you know which ward Third Brother is in?"
Shen Wu still hadn't fully processed things when he was shaken again by being called Fifth Brother.
"He's in the ICU on the 4th floor. We can't go in yet." As Shen Wu answered, he wondered why Shen Yue had only brought him out.
Shen Yue walked ahead without turning back or looking at any of Shen Wu's expressions. Yet, it was as if she knew what Shen Wu was thinking when she gently said, "Fifth Brother, if you had stayed back there longer, it would have made things more awkward. I'm not their real daughter, so seeing me would make them uncomfortable too. It's best if we leave together."
Strangely, although Shen Yue's tone right now was extremely calm, even gentle, Shen Wu felt a stabbing pain in his heart as if it had been sliced by a knife.
It was very light. He didn't even feel anything when the cut happened, only realizing afterward how dangerous and painful that fleeting moment had been once the wound split open.
Shen Wu opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
He usually couldn't understand other people's pain, yet right now, in this moment, he peculiarly felt Shen Yue's sorrow...probably.
Shen Wu wasn't too sure.
Shen Yue's ward was on the 24th floor. To find Shen Yichen, she had to take the elevator downstairs. While waiting for the elevator, she suddenly heard Shen Wu speak up beside her, "When I heard you say those words just now, I suddenly felt very distressed in my heart. Why is that?"
Shen Yue's eyes were fixed on the bright red digital display of the elevator floors as she slowly said, "People feel pain for others out of empathy. Congratulations Fifth Brother, you're starting to become normal now."
Shen Wu, who had been in grief just a moment ago, suddenly didn't feel sorrowful upon hearing Shen Yue's words. He promptly seized on the key point. "You said I'm not normal."
"I didn't. I was just recalling how you've always been trying to learn from me about how to become a normal person...The elevator is here. Shall we go in, Fifth Brother?"
Shen Wu swore if this had happened in the past and Shen Yue had spoken to him like this, he would have debated with her for a few sentences.
Yet for some unknown reason now, he would let himself be easily pacified by Shen Yue calling him Fifth Brother.
Oh well, let it be.
He was just making allowances for her current fragile state.
The current Shen Wu hadn't yet realized that in just this brief exchange, he had subconsciously placed Shen Yue in a position needing of protection.
In his mind, the only change was Shen Yue evolving from a younger sister who didn't discriminate against him and could communicate as an equal, into a currently fragile younger sister that he had to indulge.
But for Shen Yue, it was very painful.
When she stood in the elevator and became aware of what she had just inadvertently done to Shen Wu, as well as noticed that Shen Wu's attitude towards her had already started changing to one of obedience, a tearing pain arose in her heart.
She didn't like this.
She didn't like who she had become.
