THE REAL PROTEGE-Chapter 485: MUSHUS IS HELPLESS

The Next Morning – Seeking Advice

The following morning, Mushu walked with heavy steps to Ling Li's study. The air was crisp, sunlight streaming through the tall windows. He knocked once, then entered.

Ling Li sat at her desk, reviewing documents. Shi Min was beside her, scrolling through files on his tablet. Both looked up as Mushu entered.

"Madam," Mushu said, bowing respectfully. "I… need advice."

Ling Li raised a brow, setting her pen down.

"Advice? From you? That's rare."

Shi Min smirked.

"If the stoic Brother Mushu is asking for advice, it must be serious."

Mushu's jaw clenched. He hesitated, then spoke.

"It's about Sisu. He's… different. Every night, he looks flushed, restless. He avoids me, trembles when I touch him. I thought he was grieving Father, but… it feels like something else. I don't understand him. And I cannot solve what I cannot understand."

Ling Li and Shi Min's Subtle Hints

Ling Li exchanged a glance with Shi Min. Both already knew the truth — that Sisu was gay, and his secret feelings for Mushu were the source of his torment.

Ling Li leaned back, her voice calm but layered with meaning.

"Mushu, sometimes what you see on the surface is not the whole truth. Not all restlessness comes from grief. Some hearts tremble for reasons they cannot say aloud."

Shi Min added, his tone teasing but sharp.

"Brother Mushu, you're strong in battle but blind in matters of the heart. Haven't you noticed how Sisu looks at you? His eyes don't shine with grief — they shine with something else."

Mushu's brows furrowed, his stoic mask cracking further.

"Something else?"

Ling Li's gaze softened.

"Yes. Some people carry feelings they cannot confess. Feelings that make them flushed, restless, and even desperate to hide. You must consider that possibility."

Shi Min leaned forward, smirking.

"Brother Mushu, Sisu isn't sick. He isn't grieving. He's… different. And maybe, just maybe, his heart beats fast because of you."

Mushu's Helplessness

Mushu froze, his mind blank. His stoic composure faltered. He clenched his fists, his voice low.

"????"

"Because of me?… That cannot be. I… I don't understand."

Ling Li sighed, her eyes filled with compassion.

"You don't need to understand right away. Just be gentle. Give him space to find his own way."

Shi Min chuckled, shaking his head.

"For once, Brother, you look lost. Truly lost."

Mushu stood in silence, his heart heavy. He had faced countless battles, but this — his brother's hidden love — was a battlefield he had no weapons for.

'I can crush armies. I can survive pain. But how do I face this?'

Mushu's Resolve

That night, Mushu returned to his room. Ling Li's words echoed: "Some hearts tremble for reasons they cannot say aloud." Shi Min's teasing smirk lingered; her voice taunted him: "His eyes don't shine with grief — they shine with something else."

Mushu's hand trembles as he closes the door.

For the first time in years, Mushu felt uncertain. He had faced assassins, rival clans, and deadly missions—all with calm. But now, with his younger brother, he felt lost.

"What am I supposed to do? I cannot fight feelings with fists. I cannot cut emotions with blades. I don't even know what he truly feels, or what I should do if I do find out."

"...."

Gentle Attempts

Determined, Mushu softened his approach.

At dinner, he pulled out Sisu's chair before sitting down.

"Eat more. You've lost weight," Mushu said, his tone gentler than usual.

Sisu's chopsticks froze mid-air, his cheeks flushing. He nodded quickly and whispered, "Thank you, Big Brother."

During training, Mushu slowed his pace. He corrected Sisu's stance with light touches instead of firm grips.

"Relax your shoulders. Breathe with your core."

Each brush of his hand sent Sisu's heart racing. He bit his lip, pulse pounding as he struggled to steady his breath, hiding the heat rising in his face.

At night, Mushu kept his distance, lying stiffly on one side to give Sisu space.

"You can rest easy. I won't disturb you."

Sisu turned his back, clutching his pillow tighter, knuckles whitening. His breath hitched as he whispered, voice trembling, "It's not distance I fear — it's closeness I crave."

Sisu's Silent Battle

Sisu's restraint strained with every moment; he barely recognized his own tear-prickling eyes.

He lingered in the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. He whispered to himself, reminding his reflection, "Don't let him see. Don't betray yourself."

He avoided Mushu's gaze at meals, staring at his plate, afraid his eyes would reveal too much.

At night, Sisu wrapped himself tightly in blankets, trembling so violently his teeth chattered, his chest aching with a longing he dared not confess.

Every gentle act from Mushu — every kindness, every softened word — only deepened his torment. Yet he could not escape it.

'Why is he being so kind now? Does he know how I feel? No… he can't know. If he ever found out, he'd despise me. Why did Father send me back here, knowing I'd suffer? How much longer can I keep up this act?'

Mushu's Helplessness

Mushu watched, jaw clenched, tension settling into his shoulders. With every gesture, Sisu seemed even more unsettled, and guilt gnawed at Mushu's resolve.

One night, as Sisu fled to the bathroom, Mushu sat on the bed, rubbing his temple.

'I tried to be softer. I tried to ease him. But the more I do, the more he trembles. Ling Li and Shi Min hinted at something. But what is it really?'

His stoic mask cracked; his hands trembled, breath hitching as his eyes clouded with helplessness. For the first time, Mushu — the man who had mastered war — felt utterly defeated.

Mushu's Silent Observation

The next morning, Mushu woke up with a new resolve as he recalled Ling Li's words, which echoed in his mind: "Some hearts tremble for reasons they cannot say aloud." Shi Min's teasing smirk haunted him: "His eyes don't shine with grief — they shine with something else."

For the first time, Mushu decided not to dismiss their hints. Instead, he would watch carefully.

Sisu sat on the bed, pretending to scroll through his phone. His posture was stiff, his cheeks faintly flushed. Mushu noticed his brother's trembling fingers and his avoidance of direct eye contact.

Mushu's confusion deepened, emotion swirling in his chest. "He's not grieving. This is something else. But what?" Mushu thought, his chest tightening as he tried to name the feeling.