Blazing fire is hard to extinguish chapter 68
Extra If Line: Personal Nurturing 8
Lin Chi squinted his eyes as he looked ahead.
Although he was someone who avenged wrongs on the spot, never wasting words, and would never hide in some corner to grieve pitifully.
But what those two said had indeed struck a sore spot deep inside him.
He had come to Li Tingyan’s side when he was fifteen, just a poor kid from the mountains, only wanting to make money from Li Tingyan to give his mother and himself a better life.
But three years had passed. He had already graduated from high school, and after soaking in the Li family’s huge melting pot for so long, he had learned a thing or two about human relationships.
He realized that his relationship with Li Tingyan was indeed rather delicate.
Li Tingyan truly treated him like a little young master of the family, taking care of him in every aspect, from life and education to cultivating his interests. He was given the best of everything.
In addition to his high “salary,” Li Tingyan never forgot to bring him gifts, whether it was a small handmade glass bottle from a roadside vendor or the diamond brooch he had bought at Christie’s auction a few months ago as a graduation gift.
Even if Lin Chi scrutinized everything with a magnifying glass, he couldn’t find a single fault in Li Tingyan.
Thinking about it, it was no wonder people were gossiping behind their backs.
But what exactly was the relationship between him and Li Tingyan?
It was just a life-saving favor from a few years ago.
But with everything Li Tingyan had done for him, surely that debt should have been repaid by now.
Lin Chi recalled Xi Zhiwen’s suggestion from earlier, and doubt began to creep into his heart.
If he had any sense, if he understood gratitude, he shouldn’t continue to comfortably enjoy Li Tingyan’s kindness and care.
He couldn’t truly see himself as half a young master of the Li family, shamelessly staying by Li Tingyan’s side.
He was already eighteen, about to go to college, and fully capable of starting his own independent life.
He really should move out of Li Tingyan’s house.
He would always be grateful to Li Tingyan, treating him as family even without the blood ties. The older brother with whom he would occasionally keep in touch with, sometimes eating meals together and chatting.
But he shouldn’t treat Li Tingyan the way he used to, as if whatever Li Tingyan did for him was only natural.
This was the relationship that was more fitting between him and Li Tingyan.
Thinking of this, Lin Chi felt a twinge of bitterness. He gripped the ice cream wrapper, his handsome face partially obscured by the shadows of the trees, as if clouded by a layer of gloom.
But before he could stay lost in thought for long, Xi Zhiwen slapped his arm with reluctance and said, “Your guardian is here.”
Lin Chi was stunned for a moment before looking up.
He saw, outside the playground, Li Tingyan walking along the tree-lined path toward him.
Through the pale green fence, Li Tingyan smiled at him.
The path was filled with parents attending the ceremony, but at only twenty-something years old, Li Tingyan stood out. He was dressed casually, yet still carried an elegant, reserved air. Even under the blazing sun, he seemed like a refreshing mountain spring, making people feel at ease.
Lin Chi unknowingly stood up.
It only took a few steps for Li Tingyan to walk over.
Having been outside for a while, even in the shade, Lin Chi’s face was a bit flushed.
Li Tingyan instinctively raised his hand to touch Lin Chi’s face and asked, “Is it too hot? Do you want to go inside and rest for a while?”
“No need.”
Lin Chi dodged Li Tingyan’s hand but felt a bit happy inside.
“I thought you’d be a little late,” he said.
“I rushed over as soon as I got off the plane,” Li Tingyan said softly. “If I missed your graduation ceremony, you’d be mad at me for a year.”
Pure slander, Lin Chi thought.
But he didn’t argue with Li Tingyan. Happily, he pulled him into the shade and chatted aimlessly with him.
“I’m going to give a speech later,” he boasted to Li Tingyan. “There are twenty outstanding graduates this year, and I’m one of them. Though I suspect it’s because I’m popular.”
He showed off his shirt and trousers. “How do I look? A lot of classmates have complimented me today, saying I look particularly handsome.”
Lin Chi raised an eyebrow at Li Tingyan proudly.
The graduation outfit was custom-made, with Li Tingyan helping him choose it. It had arrived just in time for the ceremony.
Over three years of high school, he had completely outgrown his former thin and sharp appearance. Like a tree nurtured by rain and dew, he was full of vitality, and every leaf shone like jade.
Standing in front of Li Tingyan, he smiled proudly, full of youthful exuberance. His every movement was captivating, making it hard for anyone to look away.
Not to mention his face, which was at the perfect balance between youth and adulthood, sparkling like a diamond.
Li Tingyan even felt a bit dazzled.
“You do look good,” he complimented honestly.
Lin Chi became even more smug. “Of course.”
He leaned against Li Tingyan. The height difference between them had almost disappeared, and they looked like close brothers.
He assigned Li Tingyan a task: “When I give my speech later, you have to take lots of photos of me.”
Li Tingyan smiled and nodded. “Alright.”
Xi Zhiwen, sitting on the bench and gnawing on the second ice cream handed to him by a classmate, glared at Lin Chi and Li Tingyan with a displeased look.
Whether it was because the ice cream was too cold or something else, he shivered when he saw Li Tingyan touch Lin Chi’s hair.
Annoyed, he thought, ever since Li Tingyan appeared, it’s like I’ve become invisible to Lin Chi.
Lin Chi had completely forgotten about him, his so-called “best friend.”
The more Xi Zhiwen watched, the deeper his frown grew.
He wasn’t some clueless high schooler.
Just a few weeks ago, he had experienced his first kiss, cornering a man several years older than him against a wall and kissing him.
At that moment, the look in that man’s eyes was exactly the same as the way Lin Chi now looked at Li Tingyan.
.
Over half an hour later, the graduation ceremony began.
As expected, Lin Chi went on stage to give a speech.
Li Tingyan, sitting in the audience like any proud parent, held up his camera to take pictures of him.
But he wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination—when Lin Chi stepped on stage, there was a stir among the students in the crowd, and the noise level in the audience noticeably increased.
The teacher seemed used to it and smiled while speaking into the microphone, “Quiet down, you’ve all graduated now. Set a good example for your juniors.”
The audience laughed again but obediently quieted down.
Lin Chi stood in front of the microphone and smiled at the audience.
His speech wasn’t particularly novel—just the usual thanks to the school and teachers.
But near the end, he paused and looked in Li Tingyan’s direction.
“I also want to… thank someone.”
Holding the microphone, he was clearly far from Li Tingyan, yet he could distinctly feel that Li Tingyan was also looking at him.
“I want to thank this person for always video-calling me late at night to watch me do my homework, for never finding me troublesome, for always picking me up during winter to go on vacation, for clumsily making me a late-night snack despite having no experience taking care of others, for correcting my terrible English, and for making me a study plan.”
Lin Chi smiled slightly.
In fact, he probably shouldn’t be saying this. Not many people at the school knew about his background, and even fewer knew Li Tingyan.
He had spent these past few years happily, like any ordinary high school student.
He didn’t know how to introduce Li Tingyan to his classmates.
Brother?
Friend?
None of the titles seemed right.
So, he always stayed vague.
But now, standing on stage and looking at Li Tingyan, perhaps it was the blazing graduation sunlight making him dizzy—he suddenly had so many things he wanted to say to him.
He said, “Of course, I’ve gotten this far due to my own hard work. After all, the stack of papers in my desk drawer is all from nights I stayed up studying. Every time I came across a difficult problem, I didn’t want to continue, but the next day, I’d get up and push myself again. I believe everyone here has done the same.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
“But…”
Lin Chi paused, his gaze softening.
“But aside from my own efforts, if this person hadn’t been there to guide me, to push me, I might not have worked so hard. I might even… be living a completely different life.”
“So…”
He licked his lips.
The sunlight made him feel dizzy.
He looked toward Li Tingyan.
A name was on the tip of his tongue, a name he had said thousands of times, but at this moment, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
In the end, he gave up.
He smiled helplessly and softly said, “So, thank you, Ge. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
He picked up the award he had just been given and waved it in Li Tingyan’s direction.
He smiled brightly, without a trace of gloom.
This scene could have been the ending of any coming-of-age film.
Li Tingyan applauded from the audience.
The parents around him had noticed as well. The student on stage giving the speech was his brother, and they complimented him, saying he had a wonderful younger brother.
Li Tingyan smiled and politely responded, but for some reason, he felt a little irritated.
He wasn’t sure why.
It seemed… he didn’t quite like the way Lin Chi had just called him “Ge.”
There was an inexplicable sense of distance.