Qi Cheng didn't see his face because he had his face buried in his arms. When he finally saw his face, he was momentarily surprised. He didn't think that he would meet him so soon. He didn't know what to say to him after all, only he knew him.
Their father was very abusive toward them, he had always tried his best to protect his younger brother but he still couldn't save him from being slapped or pushed around when he wasn't there. Just the day before, his younger brother was slapped for asking for food and being hungry. He ran away in tears feeling wronged and Qi Cheng followed him worriedly.
They were very poor so they lived in an old community. The only one they had as their guardian was their father whom they couldn't go against. It was peaceful there in the old community as usual and no one was around when Qi Yi ran out of the house. Suddenly, a car honked and Qi Yi stood on the way petrified. Qi Cheng was quite far away from him so he knew he couldn't make it in time. He felt difficulty in breathing and he was instantly filled with fear and despair.
Qi Yi thought that he would die but before the car could hit him he was pulled away in time. Qi Yi looked up with blurry eyes that were filled with tears and his body relaxed in the stranger's embrace. Qi Cheng released a sigh of relief and patted his chest to overcome the feeling of suffocation.
Qi Cheng looked at their savior in astonishment. He was wearing a black suit, his hair falling messily in front of his eyes and he was exceptionally handsome. He looked around the same age as him. He didn't know how such a person was in their community nor did he know what he was doing there. He just felt endless gratification toward the youth who suddenly appeared and saved his brother.
"Little Brother, Why are you crying?" Han Zhuoli crouched before the little kid and tilted his head.
Qi Yi broke out in hiccups and wiped his tears that were flowing down his baby cheeks. Han Zhuoli didn't mind the kid not answering him but he frowned when he noticed that his arms were bruised that were hidden in the sleeves and a mark of a handprint in his cheek. Han Zhuoli carried the kid who was still shivering in his arms and walked toward his car which was parked nearby the alley.
Qi Cheng followed them quietly trying to erase his presence. He remained out of their sight but near enough to listen the conversation. He stood behind them quietly watching them interact. He didn't want to go forward as he was quite worried that his brother would break down if he were to show up. It was better to let the stranger handle the situation.
"Shhh...Don't cry. Brother will take away your pain, Okay." Han Zhuoli gently rubbed his top of his head.
Qi Yi stared at Han Zhuoli with wide eyes after nodding slowly when he noticed that the nice brother was rubbing his head. He never felt someone rubbing his head except his own elder brother, he remarkably felt warmth and suddenly felt like crying again.
Han Zhuoli chuckled lowly finding him very cute.
Han Zhuoli couldn't call Xu Feiqun as he was in the company so he called his second-best option.
"Come here to XXX in ten minutes with your company's doctor." He hung up not bothering to hear the other side's opinion knowing that he would be here in the shortest time possible. Han Zhuoli sat in the hood of his car with the kid in his lap. He took out an ointment that was specially prepared for him by his frightful father.
His phone rang when he was in the middle of providing relief to the throbbing cheek. He put it in a loudspeaker before continuing his task.
"Li, Where are you?" A male voice inquired from the other side.
"On the way"
"You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago." The other side complained with an annoyance clear in the voice.
"I got lost on the way" Han Zhuoli nonchalantly answered "and I'm going to be lost for another half an hour."
Qi Cheng almost laughed out loud when he heard the youth saying that he was going to be lost again in a bland tone. He thought that the man on the phone must have vomited blood in anger.
"what about the contract?"
"What about it?" Han Zhuoli finished applying the ointment and threw it inside the car through the open window.
For a while, there was a silence on the phone before bursting out in a strong complaint. "Brother Li, I can't handle them anymore, they keep saying that they want to see you and I wasn't needed there."
"Then what did I hire you for?" Han Zhuoli opened his blazer and threw it on top of Qi Yi when he saw him shivering as a wind blew by. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows and unbuttoned the top of his two buttons before settling down comfortably.
Han Zhuoli again left the man on the phone speechless.
"Brother Li, please give me a solution. If this keeps going on I'll die young."
A car stopped beside him and Xu Lei got out of it with a man following behind him. Xu Lei ran out of the company in a worry hurriedly fearing that his little boss was injured but he was stunned to see his little boss sitting on the car's hood with a little kid.
"That's not my problem" Han Zhuoli got down gently supporting the thin kid in his arms. It was time to do a check-up for the kid. He rarely went out of his way to help someone and he would be damned if he didn't do it thoroughly.
"Then whose problem is it? This is your company dammit." The male cursed loudly.
"Aw, how can you sit on its hood. Little Boss" Xu Lei caressed the fiery red car with pity. Xu lei almost rebuked him when he saw that his little boss was sitting on its hood without a care in the world but he managed to stop himself in time knowing that his head would fall if the big boss knew about it.
"It's my car." It meant that it was his car, he could do whatever he wanted to the car he owned. Han Zhuoli gently pushed the kid toward the doctor. Qi Yi timidly looked at the doctor before glancing at him, he only moved forward after getting an encouraging nod from Han Zhuoli.
"Dad, tell him not to overload me with his work. Your son is going to die young because of high blood pressure if this keeps going on." Xu Feiqun complained after hearing his dad's voice from the other side.
"Son, Work hard. Don't worry your dad will give you a proper burial after you die." Xu Lei joked laughingly and gave a thumbs up to Han Zhuoli who was leaning against the car uninterestedly.
"Tell them if they want to meet me then they can wait if not then tell them to roll." Han Zhuoli hung up before Xu Feiqun could answer not wanting to listen to any more nonsense. Xu Lei choked when he heard his little boss answering so domineeringly. He swore that there was only his little boss who would decide the matters regarding billions of money so carelessly, telling them to roll...
The doctor gave them a complicated look and told them hesitantly. "He has a severe case of malnutrition and there are many bruises on his body, I suspect that someone is abusing him."
Han Zhuoli frowned not liking his answer, he had already suspected it when he saw large bruise on his arms but he was hoping that it wasn't the case. He rubbed his lips in thoughts and looked at Qi Yi who was staring at the ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
"Brother" Qi Yi called out and ran toward Han Zhuoli when he saw that he looked liked usual but he was stopped by Xu Lei.
"Ai, such a cute little bun. Where did you get him, little boss ?"
Han Zhuoli pulled the kid behind him before Xu Lie could touch him. "You pedophile, Stay away from him."
Xu Lei didn't know whether to laugh or cry knowing that he was not joking. "I'm straight and I don't have any weird fetishes toward kids."
Han Zhuoli didn't relax even after he clarified it. He still looked at him suspiciously. Xu Lei almost cursed out loud when he saw the little boss questioning his morals and gender.
"I'm going back to the company. I came here without informing the boss. Let the doctor accompany you in my stead." Xu lei slipped away when he saw that the little boss had no conscience for the poor him who ran out of the company in hurry without informing his boss for him.
"What's your name ?" Han Zhuoli crouched before him and the doctor stood by his side awkwardly.
"Q-Qi Yi" Qi Yi stuttered in a small voice. Han Zhuoli hummed and looked at him seriously. "My name is Han Zhuoli, Wanna be friends ?"
Qi Yi looked up at the handsome brother with wide eyes not believing what he heard. He never had friends till now, he was always alone. He felt very happy and relieved hearing that he could have a friend too. He bobbed his head up and down cutely.
"Here little friend, this is a gift from your new friend." Han Zhuoli placed a stack of money on his small hands and rubbed his head softly.
"Are you a second rich generation? My brother told me that only a second rich generation have this much money and they spend it very willfully." Qi Yi tilted his head and asked innocently. Qi Cheng blushed and lowered his head when he heard his little brother saying such things straight to Han Zhuoli's face.
"Pfft...Hahaha, Your brother is a little wrong. I'm bit rich than that." Han Zhuoli never thought of those things but when he gave it some time to think about it, it would be right to say that he was indeed rich than the second rich generations.
"And here. Call me when someone touches you or hits you, alright. Give the money and the phone to your brother, he will keep them for you. Little friend, I'm quite busy, or else I would have taken you out by myself." Han Zhuoli gave him one of his phones only keeping his contact number in the list.
Qi Yi nodded his head with a big smile. He was feeling very cheerful after making a new friend. Han Zhuoli ordered the doctor to send him home before returning to the company.
"I'll come and visit you another time. Off you go now."
Qi Yi waved his hands frantically before walking away with the doctor with a slight bounce to his steps. Han Zhuoli had a little smile on his face looking at the small figure before going away when he saw that the kid was out of his sight.
Qi Cheng came out of the alley and stared at the car that was disappearing from his view.