Though he had said he would wait for his husband, the moment he sank into bed, sleep washed over him like a tidal wave.
Before he could struggle, he was pulled into a dark nightmare.
Someone grabbed his hair and clamped his entire jaw with two fingers, forcing him to open his mouth.
“Speak! Speak! Why are you so useless, can’t even say a word…”
“Hasn’t your mother told you so many times? Call your father, tell him you miss him, tell him you heard your mother crying every night because she misses him. Are you a waste? You have a mouth, so why can’t you speak?”
His mother had tried to pull out his tongue and burn it with bubbling hot water, claiming it would stimulate the root of his tongue and teach him to talk.
He had been so small, so thin, a real little mouse, cowering and struggling in terror.
His mother’s wrist jerked, the kettle crashed to the floor with a bang, hot water splashing everywhere, steam shooting toward the ceiling.
He dodged quickly, barely scalded, and when he looked back, his mother’s legs were red.
She began screaming heart-wrenchingly, smashing everything within reach.
“Ah—ah—do you want to kill me?”
“Do you want me dead? Are you trying to run off to your real dad? Don’t you all hate me?”
Little Su Pu shook his head frantically. How he wished, just like in TV dramas, that in such a panic he could suddenly speak.
But no matter how anxious, how wronged, how desperate he was, he still couldn’t speak.
With his mother injured, he couldn’t even call emergency services. The operator, after a few beeps, lost patience and coldly warned him that if he called again to harass, the police would be contacted.
Su Pu hung up and ran outside, not even having time to put on his coat.
That day, heavy snow was falling. He ran barefoot through it, feeling none of the cold—only the rising panic.
His mother was burned, mentally collapsing, delirious. He had to find someone—anyone—to save her.
Someone, please…
Someone, please come help them.
Please save his mother…
Help…
In the warm blankets, Su Pu’s feet twitched. Something strange brushed across his cheek—a sensation hard to describe.
It felt like a beam of heat, or like a feather brushing lightly and intermittently against his skin.
It was both itchy and painful, unbearably so.
His heart tightened. He slowly opened his eyes. His vision focused little by little—
and froze on Li Jichuan’s face.
Su Pu: !!!
No wonder he felt uncomfortable—Li Jichuan had been staring at him this whole time.
How long had he been watching?
Su Pu shot upright like a startled animal, hair a mess, two tufts sticking up like little antennae.
The mute boy opened his mouth, but only a thin puff of air escaped.
Then he hopped off the bed with a soft thud, head lowered like a quail, as if he had committed an unforgivable crime.
Li Jichuan looked at the small “quail” in front of him.
Was he really that terrifying? Enough to scare someone like this?
What he cared about was simply that Su Pu had slept on his usual side of the bed. He was afraid he wouldn’t sleep all night, so he had been debating whether to wake him and tell him to switch sides.
Beep beep beep—tap tap tap…
Su Pu’s fingers flew over his phone as he typed furiously, then held it up for Li Jichuan.
【Mr. Li, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You must be tired from work—do you want some water? Or milk? If you’re hungry, I can cook something for you. What would you like? Or if you want to sleep, can I sleep on the bed? If it’s not convenient, I can sleep on the floor, somewhere you won’t see me. Whatever you want to do, you can tell me.】
As Li Jichuan read, his frown only deepened.
Watching from the side, Su Pu’s hands began to tremble.
Did Mr. Li dislike all of that?
Then what did he like?
He didn’t know how to do much, but he considered himself diligent, and not too stupid. He could learn anything—if Mr. Li asked.
Finally, Li Jichuan looked away and leaned back into his wheelchair.
“Do you really think I married you so you could serve me?”
Su Pu stared at him blankly, panic building.
Wasn’t… wasn’t that the reason?
But Li Jichuan didn’t seem to lack anything.
Then what did he want?
Li Jichuan exhaled, long and weary.
“If I needed someone to serve me, I could hire another caregiver. There’s no need to sacrifice my marriage and share my private space with someone I don’t know…”
Su Pu froze, replaying the words ‘share my private space.’
Right… Mr. Li didn’t lack caretakers.
What he needed was… a more personal service?
Trembling, eyes flickering anxiously, Su Pu raised his hands and, under Li Jichuan’s gaze, unfastened his pajama buttons one by one, revealing a pale patch of skin that rarely saw light.
“You—”
Realizing the boy’s intention, Li Jichuan’s face darkened instantly. He turned away.
“Put your clothes back on.”
Su Pu’s eyes trembled. First stunned, then confused, and finally swallowed by a wave of crushing disappointment.
He didn’t want that either…
So what use did he have?
He was useless.
“Switch to the other side,” Li Jichuan said, controlling the wheelchair and moving to the bed. He braced his hands on his thighs and heaved himself up, twisting onto the mattress. “I always sleep on that side. I’m used to everything being arranged that way. It’s difficult to change, and I don’t want to.”
Su Pu instinctively retreated, timid and hunched, not daring to raise his head.
So not only had he fallen asleep without waiting for Mr. Li, he’d even taken his usual spot—like an intruder claiming the nest.
“Su Pu, look at me.”
Leaning against the headboard, Li Jichuan removed his watch.
Obediently, Su Pu lifted his head, though his gaze wandered nervously.
“I married you to put my grandfather at ease. He’s terminally ill, doesn’t have many days left. I just want to do my duty… let him leave without worries.”
Huh?
So that was it?
Su Pu lifted his eyes, meeting Li Jichuan’s gaze.
The man’s expression was calm, though exhaustion clung to his features. His eyes were ringed with a faint blue shadow.
“There are eyes in the house reporting to him, so we have to sleep together. But you already know my condition—I’m disabled.”
He let out a small laugh and tapped his leg a few times.
“See? I can hit it this hard and feel nothing. So don’t worry—I’m not trying to touch you. I don’t have the ability anyway. There’s no need to be scared of me…”
Su Pu shook his head hard and typed quickly.
【Not scared.】
【You’re my husband…】
Li Jichuan snorted. “I said all that and you still don’t get it?”
Su Pu didn’t understand.
Even if it was just for his grandfather’s sake, they were still married.
Weren’t husbands and wives supposed to support and accommodate each other?
But he didn’t want to anger Mr. Li, so he wrote:
【I understand.】
“Good. Go to sleep,” Li Jichuan said. His heart wavered for a moment, avoiding those overly clear eyes as he slipped into the covers.
The blanket was warm—
that mute boy really was a little heater.
Suddenly, Li Jichuan’s eyes flew open.
Su Pu’s phone screen hovered above him—
he wasn’t done talking.
【But you are my husband.】
【I’m good to you not because I’m scared.】
【But if you end up disliking me, tell me. I’ll stay far away from you.】
Su Pu pulled the phone back, typing again—
but this time, he didn’t show the message right away.
Li Jichuan’s leg was injured, and once he lay down his view was blocked. All he could hear was the rustling of Su Pu at the edge of the bed, moving about quietly, though he couldn’t tell what he was doing.
Could it be… undressing again?
He’d already said it wasn’t necessary…
After a moment, Li Jichuan felt pressure on his hand. Startled, he tried to pull it away.
Su Pu, however, held his wrist gently with the other hand. There was a sharp sting across the back of his hand for an instant, then it was gone.
“This is…”
Li Jichuan raised his arm, noticing a translucent jade bracelet encircling his wrist.
【My mother bought this for you. It’s the most valuable thing I have. I don’t have anything else to give you, so I can only give you this.】
A warmth spread across Li Jichuan’s chest, and unidentifiable emotions bubbled up in his heart.
But none of them were unpleasant.
“You didn’t have to…”
He said it, but as he toyed with the bracelet on his wrist, there was no intention of returning it.
Su Pu seemed to notice his acceptance and finally relaxed, moving around half the bed to slip into the blankets on his own side.
Then, the tapping of keys started again.
Li Jichuan waited a moment as Su Pu held up his phone.
【Good night, husband.】
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