Xi Jinwei woke to the gentle rocking of the ship and the soft sound of Yang Zhilan's breathing beside him.
She was curled on her side, facing away from him, her dark hair spread across the pillow. In sleep, all the tension she sometimes carried had melted away. She looked peaceful.
Xi Jinwei allowed himself a brief moment to simply watch her then he carefully slid from the bed, trying not to wake her.
After a quick shower and change into workout clothes, he pressed a soft kiss to her temple and left the suite quietly.
---
The ship's gym was empty when he arrived, all gleaming machines and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of the river. Xi Jinwei claimed a treadmill and started at a walking pace, letting his body warm up gradually.
He was twenty minutes into a steady jog when the gym door opened.
Xi Jun entered, already dressed in workout clothes. He paused, clearly surprised to find the space occupied.
"Jinwei." His tone was carefully neutral.
"Jun." Xi Jinwei kept his pace steady, watching as his brother claimed the treadmill beside him.
They moved in awkward silence, the only sound their footsteps and breathing. Xi Jinwei increased his speed slightly, waiting to see if his brother would break the silence or if this would be another of their strained non-interactions.
"You do weights?" Xi Jun asked eventually, his breathing slightly labored.
"Occasionally," Xi Jinwei replied. "Mostly cardio."
Xi Jun nodded, and they fell back into silence.
Several minutes passed before Xi Jun spoke again, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. "Jinwei. Can I ask you something?"
"Ask."
Xi Jun's stride faltered slightly before he caught himself. "Do you feel guilty? About the engagement swap?"
There it was. The elephant in the room, finally being addressed.
Xi Jinwei considered lying, softening it. But his brother deserved honesty.
"No," he said flatly. "I don't."
Xi Jun's breathing hitched. "That's it? Just no?"
"Song Jieli was never mine to pass off," Xi Jinwei said matter-of-factly. "Grandfather made that arrangement without asking me. But I'm not interested in doing what's expected when it conflicts with what I want."
"And what you want is Yang Zhilan."
"What I want," Xi Jinwei's voice dropped lower, becoming something almost dangerous, "is Yang Zhilan. Nothing else matters. Not arrangements, not family politics, not Song Jieli's expectations. I'd burn everything down before I'd let anyone take her from me again."
The absolute certainty in his voice hung heavy between them.
Xi Jun stared straight ahead. "That's... intense."
"That's love," Xi Jinwei said simply. "Or obsession. I'm not sure there's a difference anymore."
They jogged in silence before Xi Jun spoke again, more vulnerable now. "I'm relieved, actually."
Xi Jinwei raised an eyebrow. "About the engagement?"
"About not being the heir." The admission rushed out like he'd been holding it for years. Xi Jun decreased his treadmill speed to a walk, breathing heavily. "Everyone expects me to resent you. The illegitimate son getting everything while the legitimate heir gets pushed aside. Maybe I should resent you."
YOU ARE READING
Batter My Heart,Mr Xi (Book 2)
Romans(Sequel to Ties and Fate.) Yang Zhilan's idyllic village life is shattered when her late adoptive father's past comes back to haunt her family as he had double-crossed a very powerful mercenary group. Adding to the turmoil, she doesn't remember t...
