Slag Shou Cultivating Manual - Chapter 32

Jiang Jingda had no intention of leaving again after coming back this time. Due to various reasons, he had completed his studies early and returned to take on the responsibilities of the Jiang family. He Lang was aware that his father’s high regard for Jiang Jingda’s excellence and effort made this outcome not surprising.

As long as Jiang Jingda followed this path diligently, achieving success and fame would be just a matter of time. There was no need for He Lang to exert as much effort as he did in guiding Zhen Puyang. What he needed to do was to protect his own initial aspirations and ensure that the Jiang family’s power did not fall into the hands of outsiders.

Outsiders included He Lang himself. After all, it was the family’s business, and Jiang father always wanted to leave it to his own son. This made He Lang cautious, avoiding any involvement in company matters. He was devoted to his antiques, spending money freely, and showed no signs of business acumen, making it impossible for Jiang father to persuade him otherwise.

Because of this, Jiang father always thought his son was not presentable. Although he indulged him out of reluctance, he was still embarrassed to introduce him to friends.

Jiang Jingda, in contrast, believed that those in business were worldly people, striving daily for money. Although they seemed ambitious and glamorous, they could never compare to someone like Lang Lang, who possessed grace, depth, and a free spirit.

He often saw news of Lang Lang’s awards on television or in newspapers while he was away. Whenever this happened, he would stop everything he was doing and quietly read the reports and accompanying texts, relaxing his whole body.

He thought, “My precious one has become so impressive. All these awards seem like mere trinkets to him. He can achieve so many honors without a trace of arrogance. It all seems insignificant to him. He remains calm and pure, unaffected by any criticism or accusations of being extravagant or reckless.”

This kind of temperament made him difficult to approach but very attractive. Perhaps that’s why many people admired him from afar but dared not disturb him. Jiang Jingda’s gaze deepened as he hugged the unaware young man from behind and gently kissed his neck, softly calling him “baby,” like in their childhood, with affection and endless nostalgia.

He Lang frowned, pushed back against the heavy person behind him, but remained unmoved. “Brother, don’t call me that. I’m grown up now.”

Jiang Jingda was unfazed by his rebuttal, not even blinking as he affirmed, “No matter how old you are, you will always be my baby.”

He Lang never made such rude gestures as rolling his eyes, but he really wanted to at this moment.

“Is this the attitude of a calligrapher?” Jiang Jingda rarely showed a smile, like ice meeting spring, cracking open to reveal a flow of warm, gentle spring water. He pinched He Lang’s cheek in a teasing manner, as if playing with a child.

He Lang felt embarrassed by the comment and quickly replied, “You’re the one who will be the most successful entrepreneur. I’m waiting for you to become a business giant.”

Although he said this in a joking tone, he was not joking. His curved, smiling eyes quickly became serious.

The unspoken hope weighed on Jiang Jingda’s heart. He felt his brother’s expectations and drew a steady stream of strength from his trust-filled gaze. Rather than feeling burdened, he felt quietly hopeful.

As his brother said, if that day really came, he would have enough qualifications to replace his adoptive parents and take his brother fully under his wing.

By then, his brother would belong entirely to him, and how could he not look forward to that?

During university, their time together had greatly decreased. Since Jiang Jingda’s return, he had become increasingly strict with He Lang. Although he was reluctant to restrict his freedom, he absolutely would not tolerate any slip-ups.

Whenever Jiang Jingda was free, he would accompany He Lang anywhere, and when he wasn’t available, he would send people to follow him.

As a result, whenever He Lang went out, he was followed by a group of bodyguards and caretakers. Moreover, even when Jiang Jingda was busy at work, He Lang frequently received text messages. If he didn’t reply quickly, another message would follow, asking if he was busy, even though Jiang Jingda himself should have been the busy one.

He Lang was puzzled, wondering if Jiang Jingda sent a message every time he finished a task or signed something. Could this really help him concentrate on work?

He felt slightly repulsed by this constant surveillance. Although he had clung to Jiang Jingda in his childhood, it had been purposeful, with him taking the initiative, so it hadn’t bothered him.

Jiang Jingda’s insistence on being inseparable made He Lang acutely aware of his changed attitude. Even though Jiang Jingda’s face often showed calmness, his eyes still revealed deep affection for him and some feelings that crossed boundaries.

He Lang had some understanding of this, but he thought that while having the object of affection could provide more control or ways to direct things, recalling his past world, he felt a sense of shadow and instinctively resisted such emotions.

His feelings for the task object were like a double-edged sword—both beneficial and detrimental. To be safe, he chose not to engage.

A sudden change might raise Jiang Jingda’s suspicions, so He Lang decided to start with small details. Usually prompt in replying to messages, he decided to ignore them today.

Seeing that He Lang had not replied for a long time, Jiang Jingda’s messages became even more frequent. When the phone rang, He Lang simply turned it to silent mode and went to the exhibition.

As soon as he returned home, He Lang saw Jiang Jingda sitting quietly on the sofa, reading the newspaper, seemingly waiting for him.

He Lang sighed softly, handed his coat to the servant, took a sip of water, and headed upstairs, trying to avoid the situation.

“Come here,” Jiang Jingda’s deep voice called He Lang back, putting down the newspaper and dismissing the servants from the living room.

He Lang was not afraid of Jiang Jingda but, due to his powerful aura, he still braced himself.

Jiang Jingda grabbed his hand, pulled him onto his lap like holding a child, and gently asked, “Where did you have lunch today?”

He Lang’s arms were held tightly, unable to move, so he had to turn his head and reply, “A bento delivered by Aunt Hui.”

Jiang Jingda was reassured about the food at home, nodded in satisfaction, and then asked the most important question, “Why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

“I had to turn off my phone to visit the exhibition,” He Lang answered, sounding justified. It was a very reasonable excuse.

“You didn’t go to class? You went to the exhibition instead?”

He Lang looked at the ceiling, saying nothing.

Jiang Jingda rubbed his neck with a gentle tone, “I’m not upset that you skipped class, but you didn’t reply for six hours.”

“Do you know how worried I was about you?”

“Thinking about whether you didn’t eat well or got cold, or if you were unhappy, I couldn’t focus on work either.”

Jiang Jingda usually preferred silence, so it was rare to hear him speak at length. This time, his words were heartfelt and his tone serious enough to make He Lang feel ashamed. It seemed as though simply not replying to the message had been a grave mistake, affecting his older brother’s work.

Ultimately unwilling to scold his younger brother, Jiang Jingda shook his head and said heavily, “Let it be the last time.”

This statement made He Lang’s eyes widen slightly. He couldn’t just comply, so he quickly bargained, “I’m busy writing. From now on, I’ll only reply once a day. I’ll take care of myself.”

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Jiang Jingda was silent for a long time, his gaze losing warmth. After a while, he looked at He Lang and said with a sigh, “Langlang has grown up.”

He rubbed the back of He Lang’s head thoughtfully, then, with a hint of reluctance and melancholy, embraced him.

He Lang’s face was pressed against his warm chest, and their proximity was almost negligible. Realizing the sense of crisis, He Lang immediately pretended to be hot and pushed him away.

When they were young, both had been delicate and cute, and it wasn’t strange to be close. But now that they were grown, hugging two men like this had no good effects on either of them.

After Jiang Jingda had retreated a step, He Lang continued to push him further back.

At dinner, after the table was set, Jiang Jingda skillfully peeled shrimp shells, picked fish bones, and put the tenderest vegetables into He Lang’s bowl. He Lang, holding his own bowl, turned it around and picked up the food himself, refusing, “I’ve grown up. I’m not a child anymore. I can eat by myself.”

Jiang Jingda’s hand paused in mid-air, showing disappointment, and then he awkwardly withdrew it.

Song Qinglian smiled and said, “Langlang has grown up and doesn’t need his brother anymore.”

At these words, Jiang Jingda’s eating slowed down significantly, his gaze intermittently on He Lang, silently waiting to hear his response.

He Lang keenly sensed Jiang Jingda’s subtle emotional fluctuations. He knew Jiang Jingda might be waiting, but he ignored it. With a hint of declaration, he confidently lifted his head towards Song Qinglian and said, “Yes, I can take care of myself.”

Jiang Jingda lowered his head, silently eating a few more bites before using work as an excuse to go upstairs early.

He Lang glanced at his retreating figure, then turned back to his meal and chatted casually with Song Qinglian.

He did not intend to hurt Jiang Jingda; he only wanted to maintain a proper distance between them.

He knew that Jiang Jingda genuinely cared for him and would not harm him, so he had no concerns and began trying to adjust their relationship to reach the ideal state.

However, he did not know how much the other person was suffering. Even after returning to his room, he couldn’t focus on any documents and could only choose to rest early. Yet, he still tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

The darkness was as chaotic as his mind, endlessly repeating Song Qinglian’s words: His Langlang said he no longer needed his brother?

Jiang Jingda had devoted all his thoughts to this young man, pouring all his love into nurturing and caring for him, watching him grow. Yet now, he said he no longer needed him?

It felt as though his heart had been struck heavily. Though it didn’t knock him down directly, a dull pain spread from his chest, leaving him feeling powerless and helpless. The young man’s growth was unstoppable, and he didn’t know how to keep his increasingly dazzling younger brother with him.

Jiang Jingda was not good with words but had a thousand things to say to the young man. He wanted to tell Langlang how much he loved him and that he didn’t need him to do anything, just to be willing to be pampered by him.

The storm outside was far from beautiful, but those growing up were still fearless, like birds breaking free from their cages, eager to fly, full of vitality.

Langlang’s growth was carefree, but what about him? How could he let go?

Author’s Note: Congratulations to myself for achieving a month of daily updates!!! I’m overjoyed and in tears. Long-time readers know this is very rare for me… Seeking rewards, hugs, and kisses (づ￣3￣)づ╭.

At the back, I recommend my friend’s work, “Heavenly Favor [Quick Wear],” which is said to be full of handsome and cruel characters, with melodrama and sweetness flying together~