Chapter 2: Be Good, Call Me Brother

Emily was bewildered, her expression a jumble of emotions.

No. It could not be such a coincidence, could it?

Or maybe it was just a coincidence of names.

The man's slender fingers removed his sunglasses, revealing a strikingly handsome face. Thick eyebrows, a high nose, deep red lips, well-defined bone structure, and a sharp, flowing jawline. His handsomeness was almost aggressive.

Same name, but they could not possibly have the same face.

To continue deceiving herself would be utterly foolish.

After five years, suddenly reuniting with her ex-boyfriend, the one she had been with, left Emily completely flustered.

The erratic heartbeat she had felt in the airport lobby was now explained.

Her heartbeat recognized him before she did.

Emily clutched her white dress tightly, her long, thick eyelashes drooping, her gaze darting away.

Ryan, however, stared at her intently, his gaze distant and unwavering.

Embarrassment, nervousness, fluttering heart, guilt, a desire to escape. A whirlwind of emotions surged through Emily's mind.

Years ago, she had broken up with him at the height of their passion.

James glanced at Ryan, then at Emily, sensing something was off between them, but he could not quite put his finger on it.

"Did you two know each other before?"

How should she answer?

When she was eighteen, she and Ryan were head over heels in love, spending countless nights together, oblivious to the passage of time.

For two whole months before starting university, they did not leave the house. Everywhere in the room, the French windows, the mirror, the table, the bathtub, the kitchen, all bore the marks of their love.

Her body went limp in his arms, her legs like noodles, unable to even walk.

Those were incredibly wild and exciting days.

Now, Emily lowered her head and replied, "I do not know him."

A large hand reached out to her, its knuckles well-proportioned, beautiful, yet not at all weak, exuding a masculine strength.

"Let me introduce myself. Ryan Bennett, 27 years old, 190cm tall, Cambridge University graduate, CEO of a listed company, annual salary over 100 million, owns houses and cars. All villas, all limited editions. His advantage is that he is rich, his disadvantage is that he is too rich, single, and lacks a girlfriend."

Emily: "..."

James: "Your self-introduction sounds like a blind date."

Ryan: "Because she is your sister, I am being honest."

James patted Ryan's shoulder and said with a smile, "You really give me face. You truly are my best brother."

Everyone says that Ryan, the prince of New York's elite circles, is arrogant, cold, and aloof, but during their time in England, Ryan took the initiative to approach him, showing concern and care.

As everyone knows, Britain is also known as a place where certain lifestyles are as common as the stars in the sky. If you threw a brick on the street, nine out of ten men it hit would be something other than what you expected.

Back in New York, James did not even know the difference between certain terms. After moving to Britain, influenced by the environment, he once suspected that Ryan approached him because he was attracted to his body.

After subtly expressing that he was completely straight, Ryan smiled dismissively and replied, "Bro, you are overthinking it."

Since it was not because of him, then it must be because of something else.

James: My exceptional personal charm.

Seeing Emily remain silent, James asked her gently, "Little Seven, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

A slender, bony index finger reached out and lifted Emily's chin, the heat of the fingertip burning her skin.

A handsome, imposing face magnified in her pupils, an overwhelming sense of pressure washing over her. He bent down, leaning closer to her, meeting her gaze, his tongue licking his back teeth.

"Be good, call me brother."

Every cell in Emily's body felt like it was on fire.

James frowned slightly. "Ryan, you scared my sister."

Ryan withdrew his hand, put his hands in his pockets, and stood ramrod straight. "I am not some kind of ghost coming to claim your life. What are you afraid of?"

Emily called softly, "Brother Ryan."

Ryan's lips curled into a smile. He put one hand behind his ear, looking both roguish and mischievous. "What did you say? Speak louder, I cannot hear you."

"..." Emily raised her voice and called again, "Brother Ryan."

Ryan enunciated lazily, "That sounds nice."

Whether she was overthinking it or not, Emily felt that his words had another meaning.

She turned away to hide her flushed cheeks. "Brother, let us go. I made a reservation at a really nice restaurant. It is lunchtime. You must be hungry."

Ryan: "I am hungry too."

James: "Then let us eat together."

Ryan's lazy gaze swept over Emily's tightly clenched lip, his voice tinged with innocence. "It is just that my sister does not seem to like me very much. If I eat with you guys, will she not be unhappy?"

James said, "My sister is a bit slow to warm up. She was a little unfamiliar with you the first time we met. You two will get to know each other better, and she will become more enthusiastic towards you."

He patted Emily's head, coaxing her gently like a child. "Little Seven, quickly tell Brother Ryan that you do like him."

Brother's orders are hard to disobey.

Emily: "Brother Ryan, it is not that I do not like you."

Ryan's tone was lazy and irreverent, like he was flirting. "A double negative equals an affirmation. I am not good at Chinese. How do you say that in an affirmative sentence again, little sister? Teach me."

Emily pursed her lips.

James: "Alright, Ryan, you are more than just a ghost. You are almost as scary as the King of Hell. If you keep asking like that, you will scare my sister out of her wits."

Ryan's gaze swept over Emily, and he walked towards the roadside.

A limited-edition black sedan had been waiting for a long time. The driver, dressed in a suit, stood by. Seeing Ryan approach, he respectfully bowed and opened the back door.

Ryan: "No need, you can go back."

The driver looked at his young master in confusion, not understanding what he was doing.

Ryan looked at Emily. "Did we not say we would have dinner together? I will drive you there."

James smiled and got into the car. "Dude, you are so loyal."

The car drove away, but the driver remained standing there, stunned. The young master was capable, but also had a bad temper, a strong sense of pride, and an arrogant personality. He was always the one ordering others around. He had never been ordered around.

After dropping James and Emily off at the restaurant entrance, Ryan received a call from Old Master Bennett.

"Five years abroad, and you finally come back, but you will not even come to see me. Oh dear, getting old just makes you unpopular. I have gone from being loved by everyone to being ignored by everyone."

Ryan: "At twenty-seven, how much do you expect me to cling to you? Maybe I should just suck on a pacifier and lie in your arms all day, whimpering."

Grandpa Bennett: "Back when you were a little dumpling, all white and chubby, following me around calling 'Grandpa, Grandpa,' so cute."

Ryan: "Please do not bring up my childhood. You used to braid my hair and dress me in skirts every day. Is this how you raise a grandson?"

Grandpa Bennett had always wanted a chubby little granddaughter, dreaming about it constantly, almost to the point of madness. Unfortunately, his sons were disappointing, only having grandsons.

Then he set his sights on the fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked little Ryan, braiding his hair in adorable little braids and dressing him in pink princess dresses every day.

Ryan's drawer still holds a pile of embarrassing photos of him with braids and wearing skirts.

They are utterly disgusting and outrageous.

Grandpa Bennett: "As long as you know you are a man, your appearance does not matter."

Ryan: "If it does not matter, you should still braid your hair and wear skirts."

Grandpa Bennett clutches his chest, unleashing his trump card. "Help! My grandson has given me another heart attack! Call for help! If you are even a second late, I will be on my way to the afterlife!"

Old people are like children, more dependent on others, craving companionship and love.

From a medical perspective, as people age, the cerebellum atrophies, and the nervous system degenerates, leading to childlike behaviors in the elderly.

Ryan: "Please do not be so angry, okay? I brought you a toy from England, your favorite high-tech gadget, a Boston Dynamics robot dog."

Grandpa Bennett immediately stopped feeling pain in his back, legs, and chest, and he burst into laughter.

"I love robot dogs the most! Every time I go out with one strapped to my waist, I feel so cool."

"Your grandson is truly a treasure."

Ryan: "More than that! I did not prepare gifts for anyone else, only for you. I think of you constantly, Grandpa."

Grandpa Bennett: "The sky is blue, the sea is deep, you never say the truth."

Turning to the maid, "Quickly, prepare my grandson's favorite king crab, a big one."

Putting his phone back in his pocket, Ryan took a beautifully wrapped gift box from the car, walked to Emily, and handed it to her.

"A gift to mark our meeting."

The gift box was square and about half the size of a table, covered in blue velvet, with a delicate bow tied in the center.

It looked quite valuable.

Seeing that she did not reach for it, he said, "I brought gifts for everyone."

Continuing this stalemate would seem presumptuous, as if he still harbored feelings for her.

Emily took the gift and hugged it to her chest. "Thank you, Brother Ryan."

James asked, "What gift did you give my sister?"

Ryan's deep eyes lingered on her face. "You will know when you open it."