Dreams wove around him, both real and illusory.
Familiar classroom buildings, the rooftop storage room balcony—Li Jichuan had just received a phone call.
The voice on the other end was calm, matter-of-fact:
“Xiaochuan, the house wasn’t secured. There’s nothing I can do.”
Li Jichuan’s heart skipped a beat, then flared with anger.
“But you promised me! As long as I chose the major you wanted me to study, you would reserve the house…”
“Xiaochuan, don’t act on impulse. It’s just a thing. In the future, you’ll have far more than this.”
He trembled violently, barely clenching his fists. “But the memories inside… they’re gone.”
“Child, you must look forward.”
At that time, Li Peirong’s business was at its peak. His voice was even firmer than it is now—unyielding.
“You still have exams this weekend. Attend night classes; don’t slack off—”
Suddenly, Li Peirong’s tone softened, as if he had stepped into another, noisier space.
“In any case, you’re at a critical stage. So many people want to see just how capable the Li family’s grandson is. Don’t let them down!”
On the other end of the line, Li Jichuan’s gaze had already flown out the window, fixed on the playground.
From his perspective, the people on the field became tiny laughing dots, constantly crossing paths and separating, like programmed sequences.
Li Jichuan smiled wryly.
Wasn’t he too just a product of a preordained program?
Perhaps he could also choose to escape—
Leap into the air, and finally cast off the chains that bound him…
As the thought deepened, his eyes blurred, and he felt his body as light as a feather, able to be pierced through by the wind.
That would be true freedom, wouldn’t it?
Bang—
The door suddenly swung open from the outside. A boy in a school uniform scrambled to shut it and clumsily rushed inside.
His movements were chaotic yet connected, sending dust from the discarded desks and chairs fluttering into the air.
Li Jichuan was momentarily dazed, watching the specks of dust dance in the sunlight.
It was a kind of freedom too.
The boy didn’t seem to realize anyone else was in the classroom until he neared the windowsill. The curtain lifted with the breeze, and he saw Li Jichuan standing there.
A flicker of fear instantly filled the boy’s clear, deer-like eyes.
He opened his mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
Was he frightened, Li Jichuan wondered?
Yet, it was the boy who had barged into his solitude.
Bang, bang—
“Locked from the inside? Damn, they can really run!”
“Wang Jian, Liu Jiahao, stop looking around—the guy’s here!”
“This idiot locked the door! Help me, let’s kick it down together.”
Outside, voices twisted the door handle with triumphant glee.
Li Jichuan watched the boy’s face go pale as he cowered under a dusty desk.
So clumsy, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand at the sight of danger, fooling itself.
Being found was only a matter of minutes.
Outside, the boys gathered, shouting and kicking the door.
The loud thuds echoed across the floor, making Li Jichuan’s heart race.
Fortunately, everyone knew the rooftop had been abandoned. The school board was planning renovations, so few ever came up…
Inside, the boy curled up, clutching his head in obvious fear.
Bang—the door splintered under a kick.
Three or four boys in uniforms rushed in, taunting in sickening voices.
“Little prey, come out nicely—we already see you.”
“Let’s be nice to you, come out now…”
Li Jichuan hid behind the white curtain, locking eyes with the boy under the desk.
The boy’s gaze was full of urgency and despair, making Li Jichuan’s chest ache.
Then, in the next moment, the rowdy boys suddenly held wooden sticks, grinning viciously as they advanced toward Li Jichuan.
“Gotcha!”
Li Jichuan realized—their “prey” was him.
Thud, thud—
The sticks struck his knees without warning, blacking out his vision. He instinctively dropped to his knees…
…
Li Jichuan snapped awake.
Familiar ceiling above, the comforting scent of wood lingering in the air, mingled faintly with lemon.
As his awareness returned, he slowly realized the dream had taken place during his senior year of high school, back when he was still whole.
Now, his legs were disabled from a car accident.
And not long ago, he had welcomed a little mute as his wife.
That faint lemon scent belonged to this new “family member.”
Thankfully, his biological clock was reasonably accurate. Even a nightmare had woken him ten minutes before his alarm.
Li Jichuan struggled to sit up, and at the first movement, the little warmth beside him rustled.
Su Pu had already been awake for a while, hiding under the covers to avoid waking him.
Hearing the movement, he sprang up without hesitation, sitting at the head of the bed, hands resting gently on Li Jichuan’s shoulders.
“Awake?”
Li Jichuan’s throat was slightly hoarse, but with Su Pu’s support under his arms, getting up this morning was effortless.
The little mute nodded, smiling warmly.
How could someone be this cute right after waking up? Li Jichuan ruffled his hair, half-expecting this to be another dream.
But it wasn’t.
Su Pu rolled out of bed, went over, and helped him into the wheelchair.
The master bedroom had two sinks. Li Jichuan used the one with the handrail; Su Pu naturally used the other.
Together, they grabbed toothbrushes, squeezed toothpaste, and started brushing.
So in sync, it felt like they had been living together for years.
Li Jichuan, still unaccustomed, looked away.
“You don’t have to wake up early just for me…”
Su Pu shook his head, spitting out the foam from his mouth, mock-growling that he couldn’t sleep either, so he had no choice but to get up.
Li Jichuan’s eyes fell, and he smiled, nodding in approval.
“That’s true. You slept so early yesterday—I got back at ten, and you were already snoring.”
He snored?
Su Pu’s wide eyes blinked in disbelief…
Did he snore because he was disturbed by Mr. Li, making his sleep restless?
Li Jichuan’s brow relaxed, and he smiled triumphantly.
“See? You were scared. You slept, but didn’t snore…”
Su Pu finally relaxed, then pouted slightly, looking playfully aggrieved at being teased.
The household staff hadn’t been exaggerating—Mr. Li really did love to joke around!
And he had the energy to start right after waking up—how was that even possible?
Su Pu finished brushing his teeth, washed his face in a huff, and splashed water that landed on a small patch of Li Jichuan’s sleeve.
Li Jichuan choked back an annoyed laugh.
The little mute… was quite grudgy!
…
After finishing their morning routine, Su Pu followed Li Jichuan to the rehabilitation room.
Two therapists were already waiting there.
They had been specially hired from a care center, and it was their first time seeing Su Pu. Their gazes kept darting toward him, filled with curiosity.
The infamously imperious Li Jichuan—what kind of partner would he choose?
Looking at him now, he seemed… nothing special.
Good-looking, yes, but not breathtakingly so. There was something about him that gave off a sense of… timidity.
Yes, timidity.
Even though he was the fiancée Li Jichuan had brought home, he clung nervously to the equipment.
More than a partner, he resembled a loyal little dog.
Only occasionally, when Li Jichuan was too exhausted, drenched in sweat, would Su Pu scurry over to wipe it off with a tissue.
And without asking, he’d shove the straw into Li Jichuan’s mouth, whether he wanted a drink or not…
Li Jichuan was always the most impatient during rehab.
Once a man of swift strides and commanding presence, after the car accident, even standing straight required the support of handrails.
The drastic fall from that height of ability to this reliance on rehab was mentally crushing, and every step of recovery was grueling.
International news played in English over the speakers. Li Jichuan gripped the side rails, moving painstakingly from one end to the other.
After just a few steps, sweat beaded on his forehead.
His arm muscles swelled and trembled.
Li Jichuan groaned; his breathing grew heavy.
To recover quickly, he had to do this fifty times every morning—not to mention other rehab exercises.
Su Pu watched beside him, heart aching.
Even a healthy person would be exhausted by this morning routine, yet Li Jichuan gritted his teeth and persisted.
Because he couldn’t feel his calf muscles, the therapists had to massage him daily, stimulating the deep muscles.
The scraping of the fascia knife left his skin raw and abused.
Li Jichuan’s lips went pale from the pain, yet he never asked them to stop.
Su Pu’s eyes burned, and he leaned closer to wipe the sweat off Li Jichuan.
He also held one of his hands.
Su Pu’s palm was warm and moist—the sensation Li Jichuan hated most.
Yet this time, he found he couldn’t pull away.
Perhaps… he didn’t want to.
…
Another week passed in the blink of an eye, and Saturday arrived.
The Li Corporation had decent employee benefits, including guaranteed weekends off.
The busiest person, of course, was the president, who still had to work on days off.
After breakfast, Li Jichuan dressed and remotely steered his wheelchair toward the door.
Su Pu was already there, wearing a small backpack.
Seeing Li Jichuan, his eyes widened in surprise, misty as if asking: “You don’t rest even on weekends?”
How could that bring out a hint of schadenfreude in him?
Li Jichuan reached the door, deliberately ignoring Su Pu’s curious gaze.
“Uncle Wang, is the car here?”
“Yes, downstairs waiting for you,” came the reply.
Li Jichuan hummed, hesitating over whether to give Su Pu a ride.
By courtesy, since their marriage was confirmed, even if Su Pu had somewhere to go, as a husband, he should escort him.
But logically, this kid’s motives were not pure, and he had a knack for overstepping.
Let Su Pu move into his apartment, and he’d promise to support him at business events; let him share a bed, and Su Pu would insist on joining his rehab…
If he gave in and offered a ride, would Su Pu become even more shamelessly familiar?
No, no…
Li Jichuan waged an internal battle, while Su Pu, wearing shoes and a bright orange wide-brimmed hat, waved at Uncle Wang.
“Bye, little monkey, take it easy on the road!” Uncle Wang called.
Su Pu nodded, looking neat and obedient, like a school kid going on a field trip.
He walked a couple of steps to Li Jichuan’s wheelchair and stayed close.
Li Jichuan’s lips curved slightly—how could someone look so goofy even when being servile or fawning?
Squinting, he was about to graciously agree to give him a ride, when Su Pu waved goodbye without hesitation.
Then he pushed the front door open and left.
…Left?
Li Jichuan froze. Left? After lingering at the door for so long, wasn’t he waiting for him?
And now… he just left?
Uncle Wang chuckled as he explained, “Xiao Pu said today he’s opening the shop, so he needs to set off early.”
Li Jichuan held back, and then couldn’t resist anymore.
“He’s leaving? Did you arrange a car for him?”
Uncle Wang shook his head. “No, he said he’ll take the bus—it goes straight there.”
“If I arranged a car for him, he wouldn’t agree anyway.”
With Uncle Wang accompanying him, Li Jichuan made his way to the underground garage and got into his own car.
Leaning against the headrest, his thoughts drifted to yesterday.
He had woken up groggy, one of his hands held by Su Pu’s small, soft hand, massaging gently, rhythmically.
Thanks to that massage, he hadn’t suffered from insomnia last night. Even though he’d had a nightmare, he’d slept through it soundly—rare for him.
Most strangely, when the little mute had fallen asleep lying on top of him, he’d only felt warmth, a gentle comfort.
The rest of life was long; spending every night like this didn’t seem so bad.