RAGING FATE (Hiatus)

CHAPTER 3

STEEL AND THE ROSE

Wei, who had fully straightened and adjusted himself while sitting on his elder brother's bed, smiled calmly and said.

"Well, who do you think mom will call to wake you up? Our servant? No one can come near you when you're this grumpy all the time, brother,"

Jiang Cheng's brows contorted with disagreement as a result of his younger brother's words, but they quickly returned to their normal shape as he sighed heavily and rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, I'd rather be alone than surrounded by blood sucking and crab creatures," he says, returning his gaze to his blanket as he pushes it away from him with his hands, staring at it as if it were some kind of germ, and angrily shoved it away from his feet.

"Hahaha, you never fail to impress me with your words, brother," Wei smiled, pleased by his elder brother's sarcastic remarks.

"Anyway, mother said you needed to prepare because the Cloud clan and the other clan are going to arrive any minute now."

Hearing his words, Jiang Cheng suddenly remembered something, causing him to look directly at his younger brother, his eyes now filled with deep sentiment and grief, feeling unfair to him.

Today is coronation day, when the king and queen fully present their son to the opposing clan. A type of celebration in which Wei would never be able to participate or experience in this life.

'I almost forgot about it,' Jiang Cheng reflected, his gaze fixed on his younger brother the entire time.

"...Wei," he called, unconsciously biting his lower lip, feeling deep unease on the inside, and deeply regretting giving his younger a hard teasing just a few moments before.

Wei, who had been smiling the entire time, had somehow read his elder brother's mood, but he only chuckled, as if it didn't affect him or he had predicted this kind of reaction towards his elder brother a long time ago.

"Aiyo, come now. Why wear such expression? I'll be fine. Wei, will be fine, and besides, I have my servant to play with while you're at the debut ceremony, okay?" he said, firmly pretending to keep his cool, but his heart was already aching with jealousy and injustice, which he concealed with a convincing smile.

It's all right.

You must endure it.

I must endure it, without thinking or feeling about it.

It's okay, you'll be fine.

It's all right; everything will be fine soon.

For years, he had to conceal and fake all of his expressions; he can handle this. He must stop burdening his parents and their clan; they have already suffered as a result of him.

He had to understand and swallow all of his emotions; that was the only way he could at least lessen the burden that those around him were carrying; that was the only way he could help them.

To remain obedient and low, while ignoring all thoughts of unattainable things that he craves no matter what.

Wei felt his heart clench in heaviness, but he ignored it by releasing a silent sigh to calm himself down before returning his full attention to his elder brother, who was still staring at him with deep concern.

Having felt and experienced such maturity at such a young age, his elder brother's expression no longer affects him; instead, he finds it amusing. But he knows that his brother's expression came from deep within his heart.

But he's fine now; he's already immune to being hurt and feeling this way. Sure, his emotions would bubble up from time to time, but they would not last as long as they do now.