APLTWFMV 3
by starlightxel“I heard you can guess the quality of the jade flesh1In jade carving and stone gambling, the rough outer crust of the rock is called the “skin” or “shell” (皮壳), and the actual jadeite stone hidden inside is affectionately referred to as the “meat” or “flesh” (肉). inside from the surface of the stone shell—is it true or false?”
After seeing Shu Baiqiu’s face, Fu Ming developed a curiosity towards him.
“Can you feel it out just by directly touching it with your hands?”
Due to the formation characteristics of jadeite, the surface of its rough stones is covered by a layer of weathered skin shell.
Before being cut, people often cannot distinguish the good or bad of the jade flesh inside the stone material, nor can they accurately determine its price. From this, the term “stone gambling” was born.
The appearance of jade stones changes in thousands of ways, and the risk of stone gambling is naturally also extremely high; even the most experienced insider veterans will similarly make mistakes and misjudge.
Although Fu Ming hadn’t had much contact with this industry before, he had also heard quite a few rumors of losing one’s entire family fortune with a single cut.
Therefore, it showed exactly how rare and precious this ability to pre-see through the rough stone was.
“The family happens to have a piece of rough stone—shall I bring it for you to touch?”
Fu Ming was quite interested, changing his previous attitude of being anxious to go out, and actually got up to look for that piece of raw material.
By contrast, Shu Baiqiu sitting in the corner of the sofa was much more silent.
Hearing the request to touch the stone material, his fingers moved slightly. The slender fingertips that couldn’t hide in the cuffs curled up a bit.
However, besides this, the young man had no additional reaction.
It was as if he had long expected this brand-new nightmare that was about to begin.
On the other side of the living room, the Fu couple was still discussing.
Fu Si’an’s attitude was beyond their expectations. Originally, as soon as his mother’s inheritance was mentioned, Fu Si’an obediently agreed to return to the country, his temperament having always been very easy to manipulate.
They didn’t expect that arranging the marriage matter was not as smooth as anticipated.
The last sentence “understood” left behind by Fu Si’an also made people unable to hear his attitude, not knowing if it was an agreement or a refusal.
However, when calling back again, the other side already wouldn’t answer, provoking Fu Shanying to throw another huge fit of temper.
“Alright husband, it’s already this time. Calm your anger, and let’s eat something first?”
Xu Yunyi finally managed to persuade the person to calm down a bit with great difficulty; seeing her husband nod, she then prepared to let the family auntie go cook first.
However, exactly at this time, the villa’s doorbell was rung.
The video communication was turned on, and the screen displayed the image outside the main gate.
They only saw a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes currently standing under the surveillance camera. Beside him stood a tall, fierce and tough man, his gaze burning bright, the sense of oppression fully obvious.
“Who are you people?”
Fu Shanying asked vigilantly.
It was no wonder he was on guard. These two people’s faces were entirely unfamiliar, and moreover, that tall man looked even more ferocious and fiendish, with a light-colored long scar covering his right eye. At a glance, he was not someone easy to deal with.
The middle-aged man opening his mouth was actually very polite, his voice coming through the video phone.
“Hello sir, I am the manager of Yuerong Zhuang, entrusted by a guest. I have specially come to your residence.”
Fu Shanying was stunned, immediately showing an unexpected look of joyful surprise. “Yuerong Zhuang?”
Yuerong Zhuang is a globally chained luxury resort brand—its resort hotel in Mingcheng, is exactly Mingcheng’s most famous top-tier five-star hotel.
Recently, Fu Shanying was preparing for the jade stone business. He had inquired and heard that several industry bigwigs particularly favored this resort club. Therefore, he prepared during the next public auction conference to book a spot at Yuerong Zhuang, so as to smoothly expand some connections.
However, as a top luxury resort hotel, Yuerong Zhuang’s rooms were already not many in number to begin with, and were in a fully packed state all year round. Even in the off-season, the scheduling for reservations took months.
Wanting to book an empty spot here during the overcrowded jade raw material public auction trading conference was even more like an Arabian Nights fantasy.2This refers to the book “One Thousand and One Nights.” In modern Chinese conversation, saying something is “Tianfang Yetan” means it is a sheer fantasy, an impossible pipe dream, or a completely fabricated tall tale.
Therefore, upon hearing it was the manager of Yuerong Zhuang coming, Fu Shanying immediately swept away his previous displeasure, hastily greeting.
“Please come in, please hurry!”
Pressing the open door button, Fu Shanying excitedly rubbed his hands together.
“The matter of booking the room this time finally has a settlement!”
By comparison, Xu Yunyi on the side instead faintly felt something was wrong.
The rooms at Yuerong Zhuang, Fu Shanying had indeed been asking people to inquire about recently, yet had never been able to harvest any results.
How come the other party would actually personally visit the door today?
Is this really for them?
Not waiting for her to think in detail, the manager of Yuerong Zhuang had already brought that tall, fierce-faced man walking to the front of the villa door.
The manager smiled with a face full of amiability. When Fu Shanying went up to greet him, preparing to shake hands, what the manager spoke to ask with a smile was instead a sentence.
“Excuse me, is Mr. Shu Baiqiu here?”
“Who?” Fu Shanying was stunned for a moment.
“Mr. Shu.” The manager patiently explained, “I am entrusted by the booking guest to pick up this distinguished guest to go stay at Yuerong Zhuang.”
Xu Yunyi was also shocked, subconsciously asking a follow-up question, “Who booked the room?”
The manager first said a foreign word, neither of the two understood, nor had they ever heard of this name at all. For a moment, they even thought that little fool got an extra backer they had never heard of before.
However, after the manager considerately spoke out the Chinese name, the Fu couple were shocked to an even more unbelievable extent.
Because what the other party said was——
“Mr. Fu Si’an.”
Who?!
The two almost both thought they had misheard, but the manager was already introducing the tall man beside him.
“This is Mr. Fu’s driver, coming with me to pick Mr. Shu up and bring him over.”
That man’s temples were shaved extremely short. The scar on his right eye cut through his long brow, adding a point of ruthlessness that made people not dare to look directly at his already fierce and tough appearance.
Moreover, the man’s figure was strong and lean; at a glance, his skills were extraordinary.
Compared to a driver, he actually looked more like a bodyguard, or a thug.
The sweeping gaze of the man was so fiercely cold it made people panic. Fu Shanying was obviously startled by this person.
Moreover, Xu Yunyi, who was originally holding his arm, couldn’t help but hide towards her husband’s back a bit, not daring to look directly at this fierce god.
However, her heart was already overturning rivers and seas3An idiom used to describe an overwhelming, churning, and tumultuous feeling inside someone’s heart or stomach (usually extreme shock, anxiety, or nausea)., shocked and uncertain.
When did Fu Si’an have this kind of driver?
Moreover, why was he able to book a room at Yuerong Zhuang?
“Who wants to take the little fool away?”
Before the two opened their mouths, Fu Ming’s voice came from behind.
Fu Ming had just finished retrieving the rough stone and returned, not seeing the figures of the guests, only hearing the second half of what the manager said. He immediately walked over, displeasedly pointing at the newcomers and saying.
“He has already been sold to our family—no one should even think of snatching him away… Sss! Ah!!”
Fu Ming’s words couldn’t even be finished. The hand stretched out to point at the person was twisted by a massive force, hurting so much he couldn’t help but cry out.
That Mr. Driver expressionlessly twisted Fu Ming; his hand strength was so great—it was actually like iron pincers, terrifying to the point of making Fu Ming’s face twist in pain.
“Hey, what is this doing? Hurry and let go!”
Xu Yunyi hurriedly wanted to persuade, and the scene immediately turned into a mess.
In the end, it was the manager who came out to smooth things over, and only then did the man let go of Fu Ming, whose half body was twitching.
“We merely want to pick up the guest to stay temporarily, and have no intention to offend.”
The manager gently reiterated his intention for coming once over. Facing Fu Shanying who was so angry his face flushed red, he added.
“This gentleman looks familiar. Did you come to book our rooms before?”
As soon as the reservation was mentioned, Fu Shanying immediately was not so aggressive.
He indeed had to ask a favor of others.
Seeing this, the manager immediately knew how to handle it. He smiled and said, “Did you also want to book during the conference period before?”
Taking advantage of the situation, the manager then started chatting with Fu Shanying, and also stepped sideways to make way, inviting Mr. Driver on the side to go in first and pick up the person.
Fu Shanying cared more about the reservation matter, and Xu Yunyi on the side naturally didn’t dare to stop that fierce god either.
She was still helping Fu Ming rub his hand, continuously feeling distressed for her son, her heart also tightening.
Why would Fu Si’an suddenly have this kind of capability… Could it be that the old man really had other plans?
In her heart, Xu Yunyi was already secretly regretting.
Had she known earlier, she shouldn’t have let Xiao Ming act willfully, and should have urged him more to go to the hospital to visit Grandpa…
Exactly at this time, Xu Yunyi’s phone rang.
As soon as she connected, Xu Fei’s voice, like ghosts crying and wolves howling4A colorful idiom used to describe loud, terrible, wailing, or hysterical crying/shouting., came from the phone.
“Jie, where are you and brother-in-law? Hurry and come save me, I’ve been detained by someone!”
At this crucial juncture, Xu Yunyi’s younger brother actually caused trouble again.
The situation instantly turned into a complete mess.
Because of Xu Fei, the Fu couple had no choice but to go out urgently, and could no longer attend to the matters here.
They could only give up stopping them, and agreed to let the manager take Shu Baiqiu away first.
The manager changed into shoe covers and walked into the living room. Regarding this guest’s special condition, he had learned of it in advance, and deliberately kept his attitude very gentle, not wanting to startle the other party.
However, before the manager could go over, someone had already taken a step ahead.
That fierce god with previously terrifying hostility walked to the front of the sofa where the guest was; under the fearful and astonished gazes of the three Fu family members, he actually went down on one knee, lowering his body and squatting down.
Facing Shu Baiqiu who was shrinking in the corner of the sofa, the man opened his mouth in a deep voice, his voice line low and cold yet respectful.
“Mr. Xiao Shu, please.”
This degree of politeness and courtesy contrasted too greatly with the man’s appearance and his previous attitude. For a moment, it actually made everyone shocked and stunned.
Even the manager showed a surprised expression.
Only Shu Baiqiu had an ignorant expression, with no extra reaction.
After listening to the man’s words, he slowly stood up by himself.
The young man had no suspicion nor did he open his mouth to ask. He obediently and quietly prepared to follow the person and leave.
Towards all kinds of sudden demands, Shu Baiqiu seemed to have already become accustomed to them.
He was just like a student after school, obediently waiting for the vehicle to pick him up.
Even if he completely didn’t know which direction he would be heading towards.
By contrast, Fu Ming on the side was not able to accept it so easily—he still wanted to keep Shu Baiqiu behind.
However, the residual severe pain on his arm made Fu Ming truly have no courage to provoke that fierce god again. He could only turn his head to secretly instigate his parents, that they couldn’t let go of the little fool they had just bought.
However, Xu Yunyi was currently worried about her brother’s matter, and Fu Shanying had also accepted the Yuerong Zhuang manager’s business card. Naturally, they would not violently obstruct this matter anymore.
Seeing that they had already tacitly consented, Fu Ming immediately became even more choked with anger.
At this time, the fiercely cold man had already taken Shu Baiqiu and left.
***
The journey was a bit long. Yuerong Zhuang’s scenery was extremely good, so it naturally would not be located inside the urban area.
After arriving at the destination, the sky was already somewhat dark.
The shuttle car did not stop at the main gate; in fact, Yuerong Zhuang also didn’t have a main gate in the traditional sense.
This was a cluster of lakeside villas situated at the foot of a mountain. In the night, the scattered yet orderly various mansions had all lit up pale yellow ancient lamps, with exquisite charm and full of interesting appeal.
The car drove all the way to the entrance of the reserved standalone house, and the manager only left first after seeing the two guests into the lakeside villa.
Shu Baiqiu followed behind the person and walked into the open and warm double-height living room5A common architectural and real-estate term for a room where the ceiling is open to the floor above, creating a very tall, spacious, “double-height” ceiling.; his only luggage backpack had also been brought out from the Fu family. It was currently being carried single-handedly over the shoulder by the man in front of him, not letting him carry it himself.
Because the man’s figure was too tall and big, that regular backpack resting on his shoulder was as compact as a baby backpack.
Shu Baiqiu was the same in front of the other party, being contrasted to look even more frail and slender.
“I am Luo Rong, currently Mr. Fu’s bodyguard.”
The man settled the backpack onto the indoor luggage rack. Opening his mouth to talk to Shu Baiqiu, his voice still as deep and cold as when in the Fu family.
However, when in the Fu family, Luo Rong did not have a single extra word of conversation with others.
At this time, this man who looked fully fierce, cold, and reticent just from his exterior, instead began to give a detailed self-introduction to Shu Baiqiu.
“The ‘Rong’ of ‘Rongmao’6(fluff/down), not the ‘Rong’ of ‘Rongma’7(war horse).”
The young man, however, seemed to not have realized this differential treatment.
Hearing the other party speaking to him, Shu Baiqiu also just raised his head following the sound, his line of sight casting upwards from below.
He responded to the sound, lightly nodding his head.
Polite and obedient.
Luo Rong was just about to say something, but his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Shu Baiqiu’s hands.
Shu Baiqiu’s allergic symptoms from yesterday had basically subsided, making those scratched red welts on the pale white hand bones increasingly obvious.
Moreover, at the Fu family today, Shu Baiqiu took a bath by himself. The wounds on his hands were soaked in water, and the red marks all blurred out, thus appearing even more terrifying.
“Your hands——”
Luo Rong frowned. He just wanted to look closely, but he saw the young man in front of him tremble as if frightened, and his hands also quickly hid behind his back.
Shu Baiqiu was obviously afraid.
Luo Rong paused.
He immediately realized his own appearance, plus the frown just now, would probably only be even more fiercely terrifying.
Luo Rong made no further movements. He lowered his voice and said with a voice line as hard as metal and stone.
“Later, I will contact a doctor to come over and help you bandage them.”
He retreated half a step, and asked again, “What would Mr. Xiao Shu like to eat?”
Shu Baiqiu kept his hands hidden behind his back, yet was asked this question to the point of being somewhat helpless and dazed.
He didn’t know why the other party would suddenly ask this, but the tension from just now had not yet faded, his chest and hand bones both throbbing in pain; Shu Baiqiu didn’t dare to refuse to answer.
He opened his mouth after a long while of finally thinking of something, and very softly enunciating a cautious answer.
“…Steamed buns.”
The other party did not make things difficult. However, he instead continued asking, “What flavor do you like?”
Shu Baiqiu was even more dazed, hesitantly thinking for a longer time.
Seeing this, Luo Rong changed his question. “Any dietary restrictions8A standard term asking if someone has any food allergies, religious dietary restrictions, or foods they just can’t eat.?”
Shu Baiqiu shook his head in a small amplitude, and the other party turned around and left.
Not long after, Luo Rong returned, followed behind by a waiter pushing a dining cart.
The waiter arranged the plates on the table. After taking off the covers, it was exactly a steamer of crystal-clear, misty-hot soup dumplings9Specifically refers to Xiaolongbao or similar steamed buns that are slightly translucent and often contain hot broth inside, distinguishing them from the thick, doughy buns (包子) he was eating earlier in the story.. Next to the steamer was also placed a bowl of thin porridge, and a shallow dish of emerald-green side dishes.
The night color gradually deepened, and the wind was cold outside. The enticing aroma wafting through the warm and comfortable living room, further tempted one’s appetite to stir greatly.
Shu Baiqiu was brought to the dining table by Luo Rong. The young man had just been standing on one side of the living room the whole time, not having changed his position since Luo Rong left, let alone actively finding a place to sit down.
After looking at the exquisite and formal meal arrangement, Shu Baiqiu also did not sit on the chair directly facing it, but instead went to stand by the side of the dining table.
Facing Luo Rong who was looking back, Shu Baiqiu stood up straight and proper. He held up the creamy white jade chopsticks on the table with both hands, presented them forward, slightly lowered his head, and said a sentence respectfully and mechanically.
“Respectfully inviting you to dine.”
The young man’s vocal tone was clear and soft. Although it was slightly hoarse and astringent, it still did not diminish how pleasant it sounded to the ear.
However, his actions and the content of his speech only made people feel startled and shocked.
Moreover, on Shu Baiqiu’s hands, at this time, brightly colored red welts were still visible.
The waiter was stunned for a moment. The gaze looking at Luo Rong suddenly was a bit strange, but then it was quickly restrained back.
Luo Rong’s movements also obviously paused for a moment.
It was as if he completely couldn’t imagine—
What exactly had he experienced? For Shu Baiqiu to have been taught like this.
Shu Baiqiu had his line of sight lowered, unable to see his surroundings. When he heard the sound of someone approaching, he subconsciously shrank his shoulders and neck.
However, no heavy pain fell down, and only a very low muffled thud.
—That solid wood dining chair originally placed at the head of the table, was placed behind Shu Baiqiu.
Luo Rong, who had lifted and carried the heavy seat with a single hand, only said one sentence.
“This is your dinner.”
The meal and plates were also moved back in front of Shu Baiqiu; Luo Rong said something to the waiter, and the waiter then introduced them to Shu Baiqiu, saying.
“After you finish eating, you can press the button here, and I will come to take away the tableware.”
“If you have any questions, you can also press this communication button on the side at any time—someone will be responsible for answering.”
Luo Rong repeated again.
“This is your dinner, please enjoy.”
After he finished saying this, Luo Rong then left together with the waiter.
Only Shu Baiqiu by the table was left in the living room.
Shu Baiqiu looked at the meal on the table a beat too slow, then raised his head to look at the closed door, a bit of doubt floating up on his face.
He somewhat didn’t quite understand what happened.
However, being able to withdraw his hands still made Shu Baiqiu obviously breathe a sigh of relief.
He immediately put down the creamy white jade chopsticks in his hands. As if they were burning hot, he curled up his fingertips and never went to touch them again.
The meal on the table still emitted an enticing aroma, and Shu Baiqiu’s stomach was once again hooked into making an empty grumbling sound.
Shu Baiqiu turned his head to look at the doorway again—there was no movement over there. His hand slowly reached towards the steamer, and no one suddenly barged in to loudly berate and scold him either.
That sentence “this is your dinner,” seemed to temporarily not be a lie.
Shu Baiqiu indeed finally got to eat dinner; he pulled his sleeves over half his palms, his thin white knuckles curled into the cuffs. Using the edge of his clothing to pad his fingers, he picked up the soup spoon, slowly scooping up the thin-skinned, crystal-clear soup dumplings.
The young man was also very quiet when eating. The jade-textured, ice-smooth soup spoon and the dining plate did not make any clinking sounds of collision.
After a long time, the button by the table was rung. The waiter came over to collect the tableware, and Luo Rong also followed in together.
The steamer, soup bowl, and round side dish plate were all already empty.
Because Shu Baiqiu’s flavor preferences were unknown, every single soup dumpling was a different filling, but he did not leave a single one behind.
The table was completely clean, without a bit of leftover food nor a single drop of soup stain. Even the bowls, plates, and soup spoon had all been placed back to their original positions.
Unlike the rumor of an intellect-lost, idiotic fool, Shu Baiqiu himself was not only easier to look after than anticipated, but also seemed to possess a good upbringing visible at a glance.
Luo Rong asked, “Is Mr. Xiao Shu full?”
Shu Baiqiu raised his head and looked at the other party, seeming to observe Luo Rong’s expression, and only then did he lightly nod his head.
Afterwards, Shu Baiqiu hesitated a bit, as if very careful, and softly asked.
“May I go to the washroom?”
“This way.”
Luo Rong pointed the way for him, and the waiter also packed up the tableware and left.
After Shu Baiqiu went in, the sound of water kept coming out from inside the washroom, faint and indistinct, not very clear.
After a while passed, he finally walked out.
The young man’s face and lip color were both somewhat pale, his face still bearing a bit of wet water vapor.
After coming out, he saw Luo Rong still standing there. Seeming surprised, his body stiffening slightly for a moment.
“The doctor is stuck on the road, and it will be a little time before he arrives.”
Luo Rong seemed to notice, turning his scarred half-face to the side, then said concisely and briefly.
“If there are no other matters, you can go rest for a while first.”
However, after turning his line of sight aside, he instead heard a moist and slightly hoarse low voice.
“Thank you…”
Luo Rong paused slightly, and heard an even lighter sound.
“Thank you, Mr. Luo.”
Completely not expecting the young man to thank the person who scared him, Luo Rong had just paused when he suddenly heard an unusual noise that failed to be suppressed.
Shu Baiqiu, who had just been speaking thanks in a low voice, suddenly bent down his waist. His thin paper-like shoulders and back abruptly trembled, no longer able to hold back the strong feeling of nausea that suddenly surged up.
“Cough—cough wu, cough…!”
Even though the young man had tried his best to cover his mouth and nose, clear liquid still continuously overflowed from between his slender fingers.
Shu Baiqiu began to vomit uncontrollably, choking and throwing up nothing but transparent clear water.
“…?!”
Shocked by this sudden accident, the lean-strong, fiercely cold man was rarely somewhat at a loss.
Moreover, this was obviously not Shu Baiqiu’s first time vomiting after the meal; there was not a bit of food residue in the clear liquid he threw up.
Thinking about it, the young man probably had already thrown up his guts10Literally “overturned intestines and poured out stomach.” It means to vomit violently to the point of completely emptying everything inside. once just now in the washroom.
Luo Rong on the side reached out his hand, wanting to steady Shu Baiqiu, but the young man’s shivering body was still cowering and trembling.
Shu Baiqiu’s state was already terribly weak and awful, but in the interval of barely pausing his vomiting, the sentence he choked and coughed out was still—
“So-sorry… Cough, I will clean it up right away…”
Even his thin, hoarse voice line carried a panicked vibrato.
Furthermore, as Shu Baiqiu spoke, he actually really wanted to lower his body to clean the soiled floor. Without waiting for Luo Rong to stop him, a deep, magnetic low voice suddenly came from not far away.
“What is going on?”
The next second, Shu Baiqiu, who was trembling so much he almost planted his face11To tip forward and fall down headfirst., was embraced by a pair of arms stretching out from mid-air. His frail and slender body was firmly supported and held into a chest carrying a slight night chill.
Shu Baiqiu’s field of vision had long been blurred by the tears coughed out from choking. He failed to clearly see the person holding him, but his bitterly sour breaths were quietly dyed with a touch of piercingly cold, faint aura.
“Mr. Xiao Shu finished dinner eleven minutes ago, and just developed vomiting symptoms.”
“This should be his second round of vomiting, throwing up only clear water.”
Luo Rong’s deep, hard voice came faintly from above his head, clearly reporting back to the newcomer’s inquiry.
Another male voice sounded; the person holding Shu Baiqiu was asking.
“Have you emptied your stomach?”
That voice lowered slightly, falling close to his ear, asking Shu Baiqiu.
“Has the swollen feeling in your throat lessened?”
Shu Baiqiu couldn’t speak. He was still trembling, and he only nodded in a very small amplitude after coughing twice, trying his best to show that he wouldn’t dirty this place again.
He didn’t dare lean too close to the other party’s clothes. His slender white fingers tightly gripped a few tissues handed by Luo Rong, still constantly thinking about cleaning up the floor as soon as possible.
Must not… Provoke their anger…
However, before Shu Baiqiu could move, a bony and powerful palm reached over and pressed onto his abdomen.
Shu Baiqiu’s body was trembling severely, but the man’s movements were not the slightest bit sluggish.
The heel of the palm resting on Shu Baiqiu’s abdomen applied force and pressed down, more distinctly compressing against the fragile, warm softness.
At the same time his breathing was shallowly choked off, a low, magnetic voice sounded again.
“Where does it hurt now? Here?”
Shu Baiqiu shivered, unable to answer.
His trembling seemed to become even more severe following the palm the other party extended.
The person holding him did not ask again either, only that warm, powerful large palm shifted its position.
Until the heel of the palm touched and pressed onto a certain spot—the intense soreness provoked Shu Baiqiu into an uncontrollable physiological tremor of pain.
“Urgh, wu…”
Only then did that force finally disappear.
It seemed the man retracted his hand.
Following that was also a steady deduction.
“Gastric spasm12Also known as stomach cramps, this is a painful contraction of the stomach muscles. It matches the intense soreness and physiological tremor described when the abdomen was pressed..”
The other party’s demeanor did not look like terrifying, malicious bullying.
However, it was rather rigorous and skilled, more like a doctor’s examination.
The man’s voice was no longer that close, as if raising his head to ask Luo Rong.
“Were there any irritating foods for dinner?”
“Dinner was thin porridge and soup dumplings.”
Seeming very respectful towards this doctor, Luo Rong immediately explained the contents of the meal just now, detailed enough to cover the different fillings of the soup dumplings.
“They were mostly vegetarian fillings—logically speaking, they shouldn’t be too irritating. The portion size was also within a normal range.”
The man’s voice was thoughtful.
“When was the last time he ate?”
Luo Rong was not clear about this matter; that low, magnetic male voice approached Shu Baiqiu’s ear and asked once again.
Shu Baiqiu still coughed from time to time. After covering his lips and choking a few times, he finally managed a slurred, reluctant reply.
“The day before yesterday, afternoon…”
This answer made the surroundings quiet down for a moment.
That was already two days ago.
Shu Baiqiu’s vision was still blurry. He was still being held, and failed to clearly see the expressions of the two people above his head.
He was always strictly guarded by his adopters, and his meals were often delivered separately. Whether due to unintentional negligence or intentional punishment, missing a meal or two was a common occurrence.
Especially during the phase of being passed from one hand to another every time, the previous and next owners both had their own calculations, and this kind of omission would become even more frequent.
Shu Baiqiu did not know what the problem with this was, nor did he know how his answer would make normal people think.
He was only trying his best to cooperate with the questioning.
Hoping to avoid the other party’s anger.
The man holding him did not get angry; the voice sweeping past his ear instead lowered to become increasingly gloomy and heavy.
“Bring the medical kit, plus a cup of warm water and a hot water bag.”
The man was instructing Luo Rong, and Luo Rong responded and went to do it.
“Yes.”
The arm padding and protecting Shu Baiqiu’s back moved. The man then asked him.
“Can you stand up? Let’s go to the sofa first.”
Shu Baiqiu’s reaction was still a bit sluggish. Even though his body was weak and soft, his strength not yet recovered, he still subconsciously nodded his head.
However, before he could try, the other party caught sight of something.
The man’s peripheral vision swept over Shu Baiqiu’s leg.
Beneath the slightly loose, straight-leg jeans, the outlined leg contours were obviously excessively slender.
Moreover, that right calf with its narrow, thin curve was currently in an abnormal state of continuous tightness.
The arm circled around Shu Baiqiu’s back and did not let go. The man seemed to ponder for a moment.
The next second, the back of Shu Baiqiu’s knees was supported by a firm and steady force—his body sank.
And just like that, he was scooped up horizontally into a cradle carry.13Literally “to scoop up and carry across horizontally.” This is essentially the “princess carry,” where one arm is beneath the knees and the other is around the back/shoulders.
…?
Shu Baiqiu was slightly stunned.
He did not walk by himself, but was carried to the sofa on the side by someone.
His weak and powerless body also still leaned into the other party’s embrace.
However, immediately after, the pressure coming from his right leg made Shu Baiqiu tremble for a moment.
His leg was touched by the man’s hand. The movement was not considered heavy, but the calf that had been stiff for a long time still subconsciously dodged, instinctively hiding and protecting his ankle.
The force on his leg also paused for a moment, not continuing to move.
A slight noise came from the side; it was Luo Rong who had already walked back, placing the tray of prepared items on the coffee table.
The hot water bag was placed on his endlessly twitching stomach, reducing the pain somewhat. The man holding Shu Baiqiu also opened his mouth, saying.
“Take out the sterilizing cotton swabs on the second layer, and disinfect the hand wounds.”
Hand wounds… Disinfect.
Shu Baiqiu, who had been unconsciously shuddering since throwing up, recovered for a good while, as if only then finally and sluggishly realizing.
He might temporarily not get beaten for dirtying the floor.
Shu Baiqiu’s vision was still wet and dewy. He blinked his eyes slowly, only vaguely seeing a patch of cold-white outerwear in front of him.
Slurringly, the young man almost used up all his strength to clearly enunciate the words, very softly muttering a sentence.
“Thank you, Doctor…”
The person holding Shu Baiqiu lowered his eyes to look down at him. After looking at him, he suddenly said.
“Not a doctor.”
The man’s voice line was deep and magnetic. His continuous speaking had already vibrated a touch of extremely faint physiological redness into the thin, white ear conch of the person in his arms.
He said.
“I am Fu Si’an.”
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