When he was three years old, Su Pu met Su Fengxian for the first time.
It was a snowy day. His whole body burned with fever, his throat so dry it hurt.
His mother, however, stubbornly held him in her arms and sat beneath the eaves at the gate of the Su residence, refusing to leave. They stayed there until Su Fengxian had no choice but to come out and give them some money.
Zhao Qing took the cash, held Su Pu up for Su Fengxian to see, weighed him slightly in her arms, and said,
“Good treasure, call him Daddy.”
Su Pu could not make a sound.
Su Fengxian turned and went back inside. When the door closed, the gust of wind it stirred made both mother and son’s eyes sting.
That was Su Pu’s earliest memory of Su Fengxian.
The next time they met was when Zhao Qing was terminally ill. Su Pu had run out of options and could only steel himself and go to Su Fengxian to borrow money.
That day, too, was a snowy one. Su Fengxian opened the door wearing casual clothes.
When he learned why Su Pu had come, his reaction was unexpectedly one of relief.
He gave Su Pu a bank card and said that he would transfer a sum of money into it every month—and he did exactly that.
With that card, Zhao Qing’s life was extended by another six months.
On her deathbed, her only wish was still to see Su Fengxian one last time.
The man she had loved her entire life.
Su Pu swallowed his pride and brought him over. He never imagined that his mother would take her last breath in that man’s arms.
Even the heirloom bracelet she wanted to pass on had to go through that man’s hands first…
After his mother passed away, Su Pu tried his best not to cause trouble for this man, and this man also seemed unwilling to acknowledge the blood relationship between them.
Yet for some reason, the news that he was an illegitimate child of the Su family spread like wildfire.
Su Fengxian had no choice but to occasionally bring him back to the family home, putting on a show of “a loving father and dutiful son” for outsiders to see.
And Su Pu, unbelievably, began to cherish this brief and false warmth.
He was too lonely.
Too desperate to have some kind of tie to this world.
And Su Fengxian and Su Hui were the only outlet for that desire.
Su Pu began to give them whatever they asked for, tolerating Su Hui’s bossy commands and enduring Su Fengxian’s favoritism and neglect.
After all, weren’t they “family”?
Family was the foundation that bound Su Pu to this world.
Su Pu grew used to keeping his mouth shut, grew used to accepting whatever came his way.
He even came to believe that this was simply what family was supposed to be like.
After all, the world was always maintaining some kind of balance—light and shadow, gain and loss… if someone benefited, someone else had to be sacrificed.
Su Pu had long since grown accustomed to it: being taken from, being ordered around, being used up.
It was not until today, when Li Jichuan stood in front of him and openly demanded answers from his “family,” that Su Pu sensed something was wrong.
Something was off. This was not right.
Looking back on all these years, why was it always him obeying, always him accommodating, always him feeling wronged?
Why was Su Hui always the one who benefited? Wasn’t he also Su Fengxian’s son?
Sure enough, Su Fengxian stood there at a loss, coughing a few times, still unable to say anything.
In the end, it was Su Hui who stepped in to smooth things over.
“My brother’s mother was very thin too. It was probably a genetic thing…”
Su Hui smiled, and that smile was painfully glaring.
“We’ve treated Su Pu really well. If you don’t believe me, just ask him!”
All eyes turned to him at once. Su Pu froze, his thoughts instantly thrown into chaos.
His “father” and his “younger brother” were both staring at him with an oppressive intensity.
Su Pu felt as though his throat had been clamped shut, unable to escape.
He cooperated. He nodded once.
“See? My brother admitted it himself. We’ve never mistreated him…”
Su Hui smiled in triumph.
Within that sinister laughter, Su Pu’s body had already begun to tremble.
Every time Su Hui laughed like that, there was always some unbearable memory lurking behind it.
A lifetime of hardship had given Su Pu a new skill—forgetting.
He would deliberately erase certain pains he could not come to terms with, hypnotizing himself into believing they had only appeared in nightmares and had never happened in real life…
That way, he did not have to bear the fear and suffering they caused.
This method of self-hypnosis had worked well—until Li Jichuan appeared.
Li Jichuan dragged him out into the sunlight.
Li Jichuan even questioned the sun itself, asking why it alone refused to shine on Su Pu.
Why should it not shine on Su Pu?
You must let Su Pu feel warmth, feel dazzling light!
You must!
…
That night, Li Jichuan and Su Pu did not stay at the Su residence for dinner.
On the way back, the driver pulled over twice, and Su Pu rushed to the roadside to vomit.
The narrow road could not accommodate Li Jichuan’s wheelchair, so he could only stay in the car, worrying in silence.
When they got home, Su Pu looked listless. He went to bed without eating dinner.
Late at night, after Li Jichuan finished his work and took a shower, he lifted the covers.
Su Pu suddenly opened his eyes wide, his gaze burning.
Li Jichuan chuckled softly.
“Still awake?”
Su Pu shook his head.
“Can’t sleep?”
Su Pu nodded.
“Then… do you want me to hold you?” Li Jichuan asked.
After hesitating for two seconds, Su Pu nodded.
What reason did he have to refuse?
As Li Jichuan pulled Su Pu into his arms, the other man naturally reached out and took his hand.
Their fingers touched, and a warmth immediately spread between them.
“Were you surprised that I went over today?” Li Jichuan asked.
His chin rested on the top of Su Pu’s head. His voice resonated from both his mouth and chest, vibrating straight into Su Pu’s heart.
Su Pu nodded obediently.
“Su Pu, does your father and that younger brother of yours treat you well?” Li Jichuan asked.
Su Pu thought for a moment, then decided to follow his heart and gently squeezed Li Jichuan’s fingertips twice.
Not well.
“Oh, that’s good then.” Li Jichuan smiled in relief.
Su Pu lifted his head, curiously waiting for what came next.
“All those cooperation proposals your family sent me—I rejected them. There’s not much room to work with, and they don’t look very profitable…”
Li Jichuan smiled, guiding their clasped hands and lightly tracing Su Pu’s nose with his index finger.
Su Pu was startled.
Then why did you say today that cooperation was possible?
Li Jichuan seemed able to read his expression and explained on his own.
“What I said today was just polite talk. By Monday, your father will realize it doesn’t count at all…”
He continued, as if giving him a lesson. “Su Pu, you need to know this—anything a businessman says in a social setting doesn’t have to count.”
“Before a contract is formally signed, everything can be a joke.”
Deep in thought, Su Pu rolled over, grabbed his phone, and typed for him to see.
【My younger brother said he wants to replace me and become your partner.】
Li Jichuan stared at the line for two seconds.
“So that’s why you’ve been acting so strange these past few days?”
Su Pu had to admit it.
Li Jichuan chuckled softly.
“Then what about me?”
Su Pu was confused.
【?】
“Do my feelings and my choices not matter at all?”
Li Jichuan looked at Su Pu, his gaze firm.
“Am I just a container for marriage to you, someone who can be combined with anyone to satisfy the conditions and produce a marriage?”
Su Pu was stunned.
That was right. He had struggled on his own for so long, yet it seemed he had never once considered Li Jichuan’s thoughts, nor dared to ask.
Why did Li Jichuan choose him? Would Li Jichuan like Su Hui?
Su Pu had never thought about it. He had simply assumed he was destined to be abandoned.
“Honestly, you’re so silly. You agonized over this alone for so long, yet you couldn’t bear to ask me…”
After a moment of silence, Su Pu began typing.
【I’m sorry.】
【Then who would you choose…】
【Me, my younger brother, or someone else?】
Li Jichuan frowned as he read. “Someone else?”
Su Pu typed: 【Someone more suitable for you.】
Li Jichuan chuckled. “Then tell me—what kind of person is ‘more suitable for me’?”
After thinking for a long time, Su Pu replied: 【Someone from a similar background as you.】
Li Jichuan let out a soft “Oh.”
“Then that’s bad.”
【Bad?】
“All the people from similar backgrounds as me—I’ve already been set up with them. They all ran the moment they saw me… Su Pu, only you didn’t run.”
Li Jichuan emphasized it.
“Only you didn’t run. Even your younger brother wanted to run, but you still moved in… tell me, doesn’t that mean I only have you left?”
The logic was airtight, the reasoning meticulous, flawless in structure.
Su Pu was stunned for a long while—and somehow, he was convinced.
It seemed that in this world, he was the only one who had actively chosen Li Jichuan.
And Li Jichuan was the only one who had accepted him completely.
A quiet joy rose in Su Pu’s chest. His fingers unconsciously squeezed Li Jichuan’s fingertips.
Sensing the shift in his mood, Li Jichuan silently curved his lips.
“Su Pu, constantly having nightmares isn’t healthy. Do you want to talk to a professional doctor?” Li Jichuan asked.
No one knew how uneasy he felt inside.
He truly did not want the little mute to be haunted by nightmares anymore. If possible, he wanted to do everything he could to help Su Pu untie the knot in his heart.
After a long while, pressure gathered at his fingertips.
Su Pu squeezed his finger.
He agreed.
Because of Li Jichuan, Su Pu decided to try—to make an effort.
Feeling his consent, Li Jichuan tightened his arms, holding Su Pu even closer.
No one questioned whether this gesture was appropriate, or whether a marriage built on pretense required such closeness.
Li Jichuan did it simply so he could sleep better—deeper, sweeter.
So he would no longer be troubled by nightmares.
He believed Su Pu felt the same way. That was why the slender arms wrapped around his waist.
After Su Pu fell asleep, he would even climb fully on top of him, becoming a heavy quilt.
Li Jichuan had never told him that this “quilt” was the most natural sleep aid there was.
Since Su Pu moved in, Li Jichuan had gradually begun to enjoy long, uninterrupted sleep.
This little mute was far stronger than he imagined, and capable of bringing unexpected surprises—
Or perhaps accidents—
The next morning, Su Pu opened his eyes on his exclusive “mattress.” In his haze, he felt something pressing against the back of his thigh.
After a moment’s thought, his face flushed red.
And just then, the “mattress’s” steady breathing grew lighter…
Li Jichuan woke up.