He hailed a taxi, following the address Anderson had given him.
The destination: a rehabilitation center.
Su Pu knew Li Jichuan had never given up on rehab.
Every morning, he accompanied Li Jichuan through a series of exercises, targeting muscles that hadn’t been engaged in recovery.
But now, recalling recent times, Li Jichuan had seemed… somewhat unusual.
During morning rehab, he typically wore sportswear, revealing his arms and calves.
At some point, bruises had begun appearing on his body, particularly around joints.
Su Pu had looked on worriedly, and Li Jichuan had calmly explained:
“Because I can’t feel these areas, bumping into things is normal. Recently, office renovations and rearrangements mean accidental collisions happen.”
Later, he switched to long sleeves and pants, saying it was getting cold.
Su Pu hadn’t thought further.
Now, he realized those injuries likely stemmed from this rehab center.
No wonder Li Jichuan had seemed unusually exhausted…
Heart racing, Su Pu stifled his anxiety and anticipation, enduring the short drive.
The rehab center had three floors. At the front desk, he stated his purpose. After a brief check, they replied:
“Mr. Li is currently in treatment. Please wait here; he will finish in half an hour.”
Su Pu nodded, sitting on a plastic chair in the waiting area.
From somewhere inside came pained cries, making his heart clench.
What treatment could be so painful? Why here? Couldn’t it be done at home?
The intermittent sobs made him uneasy—was Li Jichuan really enduring such pain?
But this man, always stoic, only became quieter the more pain he endured…
Unable to sit still, Su Pu sneaked past the front desk into the first-floor therapy area.
No elevator was installed, so for someone like Li Jichuan with limited mobility, his therapy was on this floor.
Su Pu clenched his fists, moving quietly inside.
All the therapy rooms he passed were closed, and he feared he would leave empty-handed.
Just as hope was fading, a narrow strip of light appeared ahead—one door was open.
Instinctively, Su Pu felt the person he longed for was just inside.
He quickened his pace and approached the door—
Inside, it was indeed Li Jichuan.
A Li Jichuan he had never seen before.
His arms braced on parallel bars, trembling as he stood.
Sweat poured, tears ran, utterly disheveled.
No trace of his usual elegance.
A therapist, clad in pale green, held a long rod, guiding Li Jichuan’s hands onto it.
Taking a deep breath, Li Jichuan slowly released the bars, gripping the rod, leaning his full weight forward.
“Ready…”
The therapist said, then unexpectedly let go and stepped aside.
Li Jichuan suddenly lost support, swayed, and fell forward, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.
Su Pu instinctively covered his mouth.
Li Jichuan groaned in pain, nose bleeding slightly.
The therapist repositioned the rod, instructing him to use it to lift himself, then guided him back to the center of the parallel bars.
Li Jichuan quietly cried, too overwhelmed to wipe his tears.
Tears mixed with sweat and snot dripped onto his clothes and the floor.
Once the pain eased, the therapist offered a straw cup. Li Jichuan waved it away.
“Continue.”
“Take it slowly,” the therapist wiped his face. “This method is aggressive. It challenges both your instincts and tests muscle and nerve recovery.
“If your body isn’t ready, pushing too hard only causes further damage.”
Li Jichuan shook his head, gritting his teeth, enduring another wave of pain.
“I can’t wait… If I can’t overcome even this difficulty, I have no confidence to make any promises.”
The therapist shook his head. “What promise are you trying to make…”
“Again.” Li Jichuan braced with one hand, handed the rod back to the therapist. “Try a few more times. I think I held the stand a little longer last round.”
“All right. Not only the standing time, but you also took a small step forward just now—shows your leg nerves are beginning to respond. That’s a good sign.”
Li Jichuan exhaled a long breath. “Good, I thought it was just my impatience playing tricks on me.”
“There aren’t that many illusions…” The therapist held the long rod.
Following his gaze, Li Jichuan saw the little mute standing at the door.
So… was this an illusion too?
…
After a shower and a change into clean clothes, Li Jichuan had himself neatly arranged. Pushing his wheelchair out of the dressing room, he immediately saw Su Pu waiting.
Su Pu’s eyes were red; it was clear he had cried—hard.
Li Jichuan’s heart sank. He couldn’t bear the thought of this person worrying about him.
He sighed, pointing behind him. “Out the back door is a small garden. Shall we talk?”
It was late autumn; the plants were muted in color, but the afternoon sun was gentle.
Li Jichuan found a spot for Su Pu to sit, and took his place in the wheelchair, explaining the therapy he was undergoing.
“In simple terms, it’s about forcing myself out of the wheelchair, using my body’s defensive instincts to stimulate core muscles and nerves.”
Su Pu, however, couldn’t see any “defense instinct.” All he saw was Li Jichuan repeatedly falling to the ground, and he couldn’t understand why Li Jichuan would push his body so hard.
Tears streamed down Su Pu’s face again.
Flustered, Li Jichuan wiped them away, wrapping his arms around Su Pu’s slender shoulders.
“Actually, more than the physical pain, the hardest part is overcoming psychological barriers… Walking used to be second nature. Standing upright, I’d subconsciously think that just stepping forward meant I could walk.”
“But when I fall, it feels bewildering, unsettling. That’s when I realized, learning to walk as a baby must feel like this: uncertain whether the next step will succeed or fail.”
Li Jichuan laughed at himself—probably the only one who found it funny.
Su Pu brushed his tears away with the back of his hand and typed, hiccupping:
【So… when you couldn’t reply, you were at therapy?】
Li Jichuan nodded, softly reassuring: “It’s okay.”
【Why the sudden urgency?】
Li Jichuan stared at him for a long moment. “You really want to know?”
It was obvious. Su Pu nodded.
Li Jichuan plucked a pale yellow rose from the flowerbed and handed it to him.
“I thought I’d wait until rehab showed some progress, then tell you properly what I want to say next.”
“But I realized… I can’t wait any longer.”
Li Jichuan smiled, brushing the tip of Su Pu’s nose. “Forgive my haste. If you want, I can say these words to you every day.”
Su Pu sniffled, suddenly realizing something, and stopped crying.
“Su Pu… my grandfather has passed. I should let you go… but I can’t. And I know, neither can you.”
“So don’t leave. Stay by my side, okay?”
“I’m working on becoming more mature, stronger. But for now, my ability is limited…”
As he spoke, Li Jichuan braced his hands on the wheelchair and rose to his feet.
“But I believe that if I can walk, my Xiao Pu can fly freely…”
“Fly, Xiao Pu… then land, land safely by my side.”
Su Pu’s heart melted completely.
In this vast world, whether soaring into the clouds or falling into the mud, there was someone willing to be with him, offering constant support and love.
And he… he had the same faith.
Su Pu rose and dove into the arms of his beloved.
The wheelchair’s limited support made them lose balance, tipping to one side.
Su Pu was momentarily dizzy. Somehow, he realized he was now fully cradled in Li Jichuan’s arms.
The scent of cedarwood mixed with fresh grass enveloped him, and a single rose was clenched in his hand.
A smile spread across Su Pu’s face—he had finally landed safely.