Red Line Resurrection Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Responsibility.

Two cars were parked at the Cemetery entrance. Liang Ji’an did not get into the same car as him. Shen Lingjun watched the receding taillights, feeling both strange and uneasy, and asked He Wen, “Is he not coming back with us?”

He was still anxious about the conversation they had left unresolved moments ago, worried that Liang Ji’an disliked him and therefore didn’t even want to sit with him. Of course, he knew he couldn’t expect someone he wasn’t familiar with to immediately be close to him, but this was his only relative in name, and the foundation of his future good life. Shen Lingjun had to pay extra attention to Liang Ji’an’s every move.

He Wen opened the car door and smiled kindly, “Sir is going to the company now. There is a Morning Meeting at nine o’clock, so going directly now will save him some rest time. Young Master, please get in.”

Shen Lingjun nodded, comforting himself that Liang Ji’an probably didn’t dislike him that much. He then felt a sudden wave of relief, thinking it was actually quite good not to have to sit with such an imposing person.

He sat in the back seat, feeling drowsy and half-asleep. The private Cemetery was in the suburbs, and the drive back to the city would take forty minutes. When they arrived home, Shen Lingjun peered out the car window. He had assumed that given Liang Ji’an’s demeanor, his residence would be extremely extravagant, perhaps a mansion-like villa. But clearly, the city center did not permit such oversized structures. The building before him was a three-story Western-style house.

Whether it was a grand villa or a small house, it was already far beyond Shen Lingjun’s comprehension. He tried his best not to look like a bumpkin, but his constantly scanning eyes betrayed his true inner thoughts. He Wen took the bag from his hand and said with a benevolent smile, “Young Master, welcome home.”

As a professional Butler, He Wen’s attitude toward Shen Lingjun was entirely dependent on Liang Ji’an’s attitude, but privately, he didn’t find the child before him annoying.

Shen Lingjun was still unaccustomed to the title. Blushing, he said, “Uncle, you can just call me by my name.”

He Wen silently refused his request with a smile and led him up to the third floor. “The second room on the left side of the stairs is your bedroom. Sir’s room is next door to yours. My room is on the second floor. There is a Call Bell in the room; you can find me anytime if you need anything.”

“Would you like something to eat now?”

“No need,” Shen Lingjun said. “I’m a little tired and want to sleep first.” He twisted the doorknob of the bedroom, paused for a moment, and then walked in. His steps felt unsteady, and he looked down to realize the floor was covered in a thick cashmere rug.

A strong sense of unreality washed over him again, as if the eighteen years of his bleak life had been completely blown away by a sudden gust of wind. The scene before him was bright and dazzling, something he wouldn’t even dream of.

Shen Lingjun wasn’t necessarily stupid, but he was certainly carefree. Such a huge change in circumstances would take anyone else at least two or three days to process, yet he had already toured the entire room in less than ten minutes, touching this and that. All that remained in his heart was ecstasy. Let whoever loved those rotten days of not having enough food and being extorted pass them by; he was now a rich person with a bright and promising future.

Liang Ji’an didn’t leave himself time to rest when he went to the company in the morning. Instead, he finished his work early and returned home.

After all, he had just brought his younger brother home.

“Younger brother…” He repeated the term playfully. This title shouldn’t be unfamiliar to him. After all, the Liang family had been established for three generations, with a large family and many people. He couldn’t count the number of children in his generation on two hands. However, the family began to gradually split up by his father’s generation, and since he grew up outside the country, family ties were weak. His interactions with these relatives were limited to ceremonial exchanges. Now, after Liang Jinwei’s death, many members of the Liang family probably hated the sight of him more than they hated enemies.

Now that a close relative was suddenly living in his home, Liang Ji’an’s sense of responsibility, which he thought he had lost in some forgotten corner, was miraculously retrieved. After all, even if it were just a kitten or a puppy, one would worry about it for the first few days after bringing it home, let alone a person.

The maid prepared dinner and inquired with her eyes whether she should call the newly arrived Young Master down to eat. Liang Ji’an asked, “Is he still asleep?”

He Wen replied, “Yes, he must have been exhausted by the journey. He has been sleeping since he returned.”

Liang Ji’an took off his suit jacket and casually said, “I’ll go up and check on him.”

The door was symbolically knocked three times. No sound came from inside. Liang Ji’an assumed this meant he was allowed to enter. He approached the bed and saw that Shen Lingjun was sleeping soundly, with deep and shallow red marks pressed onto half of his cheek.

He watched quietly for a long time, so long that He Wen, who was following him, felt a bit strange. Then, Liang Ji’an said softly, “He must look very much like his mother.”

He Wen didn’t know how to respond. Fortunately, Liang Ji’an quickly added, “Did you get the results of the investigation I asked you to do?”

He Wen’s intuition told him this was not an easy question to answer.

Afraid of waking Shen Lingjun, he also lowered his voice. “It has been thoroughly investigated.”

“The person who was walking with the Young Master last night is named Ji Yuxuan. He is a Delinquent who doesn’t attend school. He just turned eighteen this year and dropped out after junior high. His family runs a small convenience store.”

Liang Ji’an frowned slightly. “Uncle He, when did you learn to evade the important points?”

He Wen sighed, looking helplessly at the deeply sleeping Shen Lingjun who knew nothing of this. He wondered if they really had to discuss this right by the boy’s bed. What if Liang Ji’an heard something he didn’t like and immediately dragged the boy up and scolded him like last night?

“He and the Young Master seem to be engaging in Puppy Love,” He Wen used a more tactful phrase. “We asked a few of the Young Master’s classmates, and they all said they didn’t know exactly when they got together. It might just be childish impulse, just messing around for fun.”

Liang Ji’an scoffed. “Puppy Love?”

He had sat in the car last night and clearly seen in the rearview mirror how that Delinquent’s eyes were glued to Shen Lingjun’s face, his vulgar intentions completely unconcealed.

And Shen Lingjun seemed completely unaware.

Recalling that Shen Lingjun had said he was so stupid he had to Repeat Grade, Liang Ji’an stared at his face for a long time, feeling a throbbing pain in his temple.

If this younger brother had been left unattended and continued to grow up in that remote small town, what would he have become?

After a long while, he closed the door and instructed He Wen, “Do not allow that Ji Yuxuan to have any further contact with him.”

“He needs dedicated transport to and from school. Try to minimize his exposure to undesirable people.”

He Wen agreed to everything, but he felt very puzzled. He had been with the Liang family for twenty years, practically watching Liang Ji’an grow up, and he never thought this Young Master was a person with much sympathy or responsibility.

He had even assumed Liang Ji’an wouldn’t take Liang Jinwei’s Dying Wish seriously, yet he not only brought Shen Lingjun back but was also inquiring about his daily affairs.

It was as if he genuinely intended to take on the responsibility of being an older brother.

“Have the kitchen save him some late-night snacks,” Liang Ji’an added. “Lest he wakes up hungry in the middle of the night.”

[The Author Has Something To Say]

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