This completely stunned Su Pu.
Speak? Him? When… when could he possibly speak? Li Jichuan… is he sick too?
Seeing the little mute’s face frozen in disbelief, Li Jichuan pressed his lips together, unable to hide his concern.
“Su Pu, what did the doctor say about why you can’t speak?”
“Is it a physiological defect, or psychological…? Sorry, I’m not trying to offend you with this question. I just feel I should understand you better, while also respecting your feelings.”
“If you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to.”
Su Pu had no hesitation in answering. Li Jichuan was someone he could trust completely.
He turned over, took his phone from the bedside table, and began to type.
【When I was little, my mother took me to see a doctor. They said my development was delayed…】
Li Jichuan pointed to his own throat, indicating the question: “Was it your vocal tract that developed slowly?”
Su Pu thought for a moment, then shook his head.
【It’s a brain issue. It could have been corrected, but my mother didn’t have the money. By the time my father gave us money for treatment, it was too late—the optimal period for learning to speak had passed. The doctor said it would be very difficult to cure.】
Before asking, Li Jichuan had already done some research on similar cases.
From infancy, children need guidance in speech and language training. Without this, delays in language development are likely.
If discovered in time, parents could use medical assistance to help their child develop speech skills as early as possible.
But in Su Pu’s case, during the crucial period when his parents should have been fostering his language, his mother was absent.
When she realized he could not vocalize like other children, she still did not take action, delaying the optimal treatment window.
And something must have happened during that time that made Su Pu too afraid even to make a sound. Over time, he became completely silent, giving up the right to express emotions.
At this moment, Li Jichuan sat in his bright, spotless office, reading shared experiences of others in similar situations.
Some children had abusive parents—crying would result in beatings.
Some had neglectful parents—crying earned no response at all.
At the very start of a child’s understanding of the world, some parents chose to silence them, forcibly blocking their mouths and tongues, violently depriving them of the chance to express themselves.
The child gradually realizes that even making a sound won’t get the attention they desire.
Then, it’s better to remain silent, lower your presence—it becomes self-protection.
Crying is a human instinct; we enter this world with a cry.
For these children, suppressing their voice also becomes instinct.
At least then, they won’t get hurt.
Li Jichuan had only guessed before—but now it was clear: Su Pu was among the most unfortunate of these children.
Did he know why he had lost his voice? Perhaps. But knowing doesn’t change anything.
He had given up his sense of self even before selfhood had formed.
Only to keep himself alive.
Thinking of this, Li Jichuan felt a heavy weight in his chest, letting out a helpless, faint smile.
“Or… maybe I misheard.”
He decided to take it slow.
After all, time is long; Su Pu’s wounds can gradually heal.
This, perhaps, is the real benefit this “fake marriage” can offer him.
On the other side, Su Pu, wearing a “I knew it” expression, jumped down from the bed and came to Li Jichuan’s side.
“Su Pu, the doctor I arranged for you will be back next week. Next Saturday, do you want to see him?” Li Jichuan asked.
Su Pu’s fingers paused mid-typing. He began deleting what he had written:
【Mr. Li, next Saturday… would you like to go to the fireworks festival with me?】
Deleted.
【Okay.】
Su Pu replied.
Had his nightmares been disturbing Li Jichuan every night? Concerned, Su Pu decided he would wait until Li Jichuan was asleep before going to bed.
See? He was trying so hard to make Li Jichuan comfortable, yet still ended up causing trouble.
In his ears echoed his mother’s mocking laughter.
“Su Pu, you must be delusional. He likes someone else. Your presence is only a nuisance to him.”
“If he weren’t trying to reassure his family, would he have chosen you?”
“Do you really think he’ll remember you?”
“Ha, ha, hahahaha.”
The laughter grew increasingly chilling. Su Pu instinctively pressed a hand to his chest, struggling to breathe.
…
“Su Pu, Su Pu?” Li Jichuan’s voice pulled back part of Su Pu’s consciousness.
“What’s wrong? Still feeling unwell?”
In the next moment, warmth spread across Su Pu’s forehead, Li Jichuan testing gently.
“You’ve broken the fever already…”
Thinking for two seconds, Li Jichuan came to a conclusion: “Oh, hungry again?”
Otherwise, why clutch his stomach?
Su Pu didn’t want to burden Li Jichuan with any more of his troubles—he was already busy enough.
He nodded, smiling shyly.
“Let’s go to the kitchen and see what we can eat.”
Li Jichuan’s eyes brightened. He gently reminded him:
“Quietly, okay? If Uncle Wang and the others hear, they’ll make a big fuss cooking us a midnight snack. Grandpa will find out I didn’t eat properly and scold me again!”
The corners of Su Pu’s eyes curved in delight, secretly thrilled that another little secret belonging only to them was being born.
They gently opened the door. Only a few night lamps lit the hallway, barely illuminating the path.
Li Jichuan’s wheelchair became a little boat, Su Pu the seagull following behind, silently gliding past the expanse.
The kitchen light dared to be turned on only slightly, a warm orange glow slicing the large space into tiny corners.
Su Pu opened the fridge, taking out ingredients one by one, deciding what Li Jichuan might want.
Tomatoes, greens, hand-rolled beef meatballs, and two eggs…
Su Pu looked at the ingredients curiously. Li Jichuan leaned over and took out a pack of noodles from the cabinet.
“Let’s have noodles, okay?”
Half of him was in the light, half in shadow. His striking, chiseled features made him look like a sculpture from ancient Rome.
Every inch of him seemed meticulously crafted by the Creator.
“I only know how to make noodles…” said this overly handsome man, helplessly.
Su Pu’s cheeks flushed, and warmth spread all over his body.
Oh wow, forget the noodles. Even if he made a poison to trick him into eating it, Su Pu would gladly accept it.
How could someone be this handsome? Totally unfair!
Su Pu nodded dumbly.
Seeing him agree, Li Jichuan rolled up his pajama sleeves, fetched a cooking pot, and prepared to show off his skills.
After a moment, he paused, sitting awkwardly in his wheelchair, glancing at Su Pu.
“Uh… do you know how to cook noodles?”
“The kitchen was adjusted. Mantian said the previous counter height hurt her back after standing too long, so it was raised five centimeters last month…”
Those five centimeters put all the kitchen equipment out of reach for Li Jichuan while in the wheelchair.
After all, who would have thought this powerhouse, dominating the business world, would skip his army of servants to personally cook noodles at midnight?
But it didn’t matter—he was no longer alone.
Su Pu immediately rolled up his sleeves, confidently patting his chest.
“Little Pu’s on it! Watch and learn!”