Lu Zhe fell to the ground with a thud.
Su Ci hurried over, her eyes immediately noticing the torn fabric at the knee of Lu Zhe's pants and the scraped skin beneath. Her eyes welled up, and even the tip of her nose tingled with emotion. She reached out to help him up, "Your leg is injured. Are you hurt anywhere else? Let me take you to the hospital."
Lu Zhe had fallen before, but never this badly. When he fell, his knee had hit the edge of the stairs, and as he landed on the ground, the skin had been scraped off. His left leg felt numb and weak.
"It's fine, no need to go to the hospital," Lu Zhe said, refusing Su Ci's help as he slowly stood up on his own.
"But you're bleeding," Su Ci bit her lip hard, her eyes reddening as tears pooled in them. "I'm sorry, Lu Zhe. I can't save you."
Lu Zhe was taken aback by the girl's teary eyes. He felt a pang of discomfort, unsure of how to respond. "It's not your fault. I fell on my own. It's just a scrape. I'm really fine."
Su Ci shook her head. She wasn't talking about his fall. "I can't save you from ALS," she said, her eyes growing even redder.
She couldn't contact Fu Gui, and she couldn't see anyone's life value anymore. This meant she couldn't save Lu Zhe.
Hearing her words, Lu Zhe forced a faint smile, finding her a bit naive. "No one can save me."
"That's not true. I could have..."
Lu Zhe had no experience comforting people, and seeing Su Ci's red eyes made his chest tighten uncomfortably. He cut her off, "My leg hurts a little. Can you help me?"
Hearing that Lu Zhe was in pain, Su Ci quickly wiped her tears and moved closer to him, slipping under his arm and letting him lean on her. "Can you walk? I'll support you."
"Mm," Lu Zhe replied, though he barely put any weight on her. Su Ci was too slender to support him properly.
This time, Lu Zhe decided to take a taxi instead of making Su Ci squeeze onto a bus.
Back at their place, Su Ci rushed to grab the first aid kit, urging Lu Zhe, "Sit down and roll up your pant leg."
"I can do it myself," Lu Zhe said, reaching for the kit, but Su Ci ignored him.
She pulled him over to the sofa and made him sit, gesturing for him not to dawdle.
Lu Zhe pursed his lips and finally rolled up his pant leg, revealing the wound on his knee. It was a large scrape, with a bruise forming beside it.
Su Ci's heart ached as she looked at it. She sniffled, trying to hold back her emotions.
She knelt beside Lu Zhe's leg, picking up a cotton swab and dipping it in antiseptic before gently applying it to his wound.
Seeing Lu Zhe flinch, she quickly asked, "Does it hurt?"
"No, just sit properly," Lu Zhe said, feeling slightly awkward with Su Ci kneeling at his feet.
Su Ci glanced up at him, then continued cleaning the wound. Worried that the antiseptic might sting, she blew softly on the wound as she applied it.
Watching her focused expression, Lu Zhe clenched his hand at his side, a strange feeling rising in his chest that he couldn't quite place.
Once Su Ci finished treating his wound, she tossed the cotton swab into the trash and turned to look at Lu Zhe, who was sitting calmly. "Does it still hurt?"
Lu Zhe reached out and pulled Su Ci up. "Don't kneel. Sit here."
Su Ci let herself be pulled up and sat obediently beside him. "You still haven't answered me. Does it hurt?"
Lu Zhe met her gaze. Her eyes were still slightly red, their dark pupils clear and watery, reflecting his image. "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Su Ci instinctively wanted to lean into Lu Zhe's arms, but remembering how distant he had been lately, she sat up straight instead.
Suddenly, Lu Zhe asked, "In your next life, do I still have ALS?"
Su Ci nodded.
Lu Zhe's eyes darkened. If he still had ALS in the next life, why would she stay with him?
"I'm sorry," Su Ci said, her voice muffled. "In the next life, your ALS is cured. But right now, I can't save you."
Lu Zhe was shocked. "Cured?"
Su Ci nodded. "I don't know how to explain it, but in the next life, your illness is gone, and you find your birth parents."
Earlier, at the internet café, she had searched for information about the Lu and Su families. To her surprise, she discovered that in this life, there was no Su family, only the Lu family.
She wondered if this meant she had been transported into the book from another place, and the system had given her this identity.
In the previous life, she hadn't existed, so the Su family didn't exist either.
Su Ci pushed aside her tangled thoughts and told Lu Zhe, "Your father is Lu Chen, the chairman of Lu Corporation. Your mother is Wen Ya. They've been looking for you and will love you dearly."
"Lu Zhe, do you want to meet them?"
The amount of information in Su Ci's words was overwhelming, and Lu Zhe fell silent.
After a long moment, he finally spoke. "No, it's fine."
Su Ci couldn't help but glare at him. "I knew it. In the next life, you were reluctant to meet them at first too."
"But your condition is getting worse. If I suddenly disappear..." Su Ci's nose tingled again. "What will you do alone?"
Lu Zhe's ability to walk was gradually deteriorating. If his condition continued to worsen, he would inevitably need someone to take care of him.
Meeting Su Ci's worried gaze, Lu Zhe said, "I'll go to the hospital."
Su Ci knew that Lu Zhe didn't want to meet his parents because he didn't want them to lose him again after finally finding him.
Su Ci fell silent.
......
After Lu Zhe's fall, Su Ci became a gentle angel, dutifully helping him apply medicine every day.
One day, Su Ci saw Lu Zhe returning home with a bag of peaches in his hand. Behind him, workers were carrying in an air conditioner. "Are you installing an air conditioner?"
"Mm," Lu Zhe replied. When he lived alone, he didn't care much about the heat, content with just a fan at night. But Su Ci couldn't handle it.
Su Ci was sensitive to heat and had woken up several times because of it. That morning, Lu Zhe had gone out specifically to buy an air conditioner for her.
Su Ci's eyes curved into a smile. She knew Lu Zhe had bought the air conditioner just for her.
Her gaze fell on the bag of peaches in his hand, and her smile grew even brighter. She had mentioned wanting peaches yesterday, and he had remembered.
No matter which life it was, Lu Zhe was always so good to her.
Lu Zhe directed the workers to install the air conditioner in the room while Su Ci took the peaches to wash them.
Just then, a girl appeared at the still-open door, peering into the room.
Lu Zhe looked over, the warmth in his eyes fading.
"Lu Zhe, didn't you say you were broke? How can you afford an air conditioner now?" Zhao Youyou exclaimed, watching the workers carry the air conditioner inside.
The last time she had asked Lu Zhe for money, he had refused, claiming he had none.
Lu Zhe limped over. "What do you want?"
Now that they had graduated, Zhao Youyou had dyed her hair a reddish-brown and styled it in loose curls. Combined with her makeup and outfit, she looked much more mature.
Zhao Youyou lifted her chin. "I'm staying here tonight. Last time, you refused to let my friend stay over. But now it's me, so you can't say no."
She had gotten into a fight with her family and had no money for a hotel, so she had come to Lu Zhe.
Just then, a sweet voice came from inside. "I refuse."
Zhao Youyou looked up in surprise to see a stunningly beautiful girl emerge from behind Lu Zhe, holding a plate of peaches.
The peaches had been washed, their pink skin glistening with water. But the girl holding them was even more captivating.
With her porcelain skin and dark hair, she wore a light, translucent green dress that made it impossible to look away.
Zhao Youyou was stunned. How could there be a girl at Lu Zhe's place, and one so breathtakingly beautiful?
Su Ci stood beside Lu Zhe and handed him the plate of peaches.
She looked Zhao Youyou up and down. If it weren't for recognizing her voice, she might not have known it was her.
She gave Zhao Youyou's outfit a disdainful glance. "I refuse to let you stay here."
"Who are you? What right do you have to refuse me?" Zhao Youyou retorted, finding the girl extremely irritating.
As the other girl approached, Su Ci could see that she wore no makeup, her skin naturally fair and smooth, unlike Su Ci's own pale complexion, which was the result of foundation. Without a trace of cosmetics, the girl's face was fresh and radiant.
Su Ci immediately hooked her arm through Lu Zhe's and declared, "I'm his girlfriend. Everything about him belongs to me. Do you have a problem with me saying you can't stay here?"
After speaking, she turned to Lu Zhe and asked, "Right?"
Lu Zhe's arm was entwined with the girl's, and she shot him a look, as if threatening to pounce on him if he didn't play along. This was the first time he had seen her act so coquettishly.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Lu Zhe's lips as he indulged her, replying, "Right."
Zhao Youyou was even more shocked now. Though she didn't want to admit it, the girl before her was undeniably stunning. And she was Lu Zhe's girlfriend?
Zhao Youyou's earlier sense of inferiority vanished in an instant, replaced by a smug sense of superiority. She couldn't help but sneer, "Do you even know that Lu Zhe has ALS? He doesn't have long to live. What good is being pretty? All you have is a pretty face, but no brains or foresight. Why would you choose Lu Zhe as your boyfriend? Are you after his poverty? Or his short life?"
Su Ci's gaze turned icy in an instant. "Shut up."
Zhao Youyou flinched under Su Ci's sharp glare but quickly tried to mask her fear, not wanting to appear weak. She pursed her lips and muttered, "I'm just stating facts."
Su Ci coldly stared her down. "What happens to Lu Zhe is none of your business. Get out, or I won't be polite."
The girl's tone was both haughty and dismissive, as if she were looking at trash.
Zhao Youyou wanted to fire back with equal arrogance, but for some reason, she couldn't muster the courage. Whether it was the girl's commanding presence or her air of nobility, Zhao Youyou felt intimidated.
She wasn't stupid. She could tell that the girl came from a wealthy background, with her proud demeanor and confident speech.
"Fine, I won't stay. What's so great about this dump anyway?" After her muttered complaint, Zhao Youyou didn't dare to look at Su Ci again. She turned her head away disdainfully and left.
Su Ci narrowed her eyes. This version of Zhao Youyou from this lifetime was utterly detestable.
"I don't like Zhao Youyou. If she comes looking for you in the future, just send her away," Su Ci bluntly expressed her dislike for Zhao Youyou to Lu Zhe.
Lu Zhe lowered his gaze, his eyes resting on the girl's hand, which was naturally looped through his arm. He softly replied, "Mm."
That night, Su Ci finished her bath early and lay down on the bed. The room was equipped with an air conditioner, dispelling the usual summer heat and making it comfortably cool. She rolled over contentedly.
Just then, Lu Zhe walked in. He had just finished showering, his body still damp, and his hair wet. Water droplets trailed down the sharp lines of his face, disappearing into the collar of his shirt.
Su Ci sat up and volunteered, "Lu Zhe, let me dry your hair for you."
"No need," Lu Zhe replied as he walked over to the desk, picked up the hairdryer, and began drying his hair himself.
Su Ci let out a soft huff and lay back down on the bed, propping her chin up with one hand as she watched him.
Standing by the desk, the young man had his back to her. He wore a black T-shirt, his tall frame exuding a cool aloofness.
The sound of the hairdryer was noisy, but Su Ci watched intently. No matter what Lu Zhe was doing, she adored him. As long as it was him, she loved him.
When Lu Zhe turned off the hairdryer and turned around, he immediately saw Su Ci lying on the bed, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.
Su Ci was wearing a white, low-cut nightgown, and the way she was lying caused the neckline to dip even lower, revealing a generous expanse of her fair skin and a tantalizing glimpse of what lay beneath.
Lu Zhe instinctively averted his eyes. "Sit properly. What kind of posture is that?"
Su Ci glared at him, annoyed. No matter what version of Lu Zhe it was, he always scolded her for her lounging positions.
Lu Zhe walked over to the door and turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness.
The surroundings grew quiet, and even the smallest sounds seemed amplified.
Su Ci wasn't sleepy yet.
She lay on the bed, shifting closer to the folding bed beside her. "Lu Zhe, I can't sleep. Keep me company and chat with me."
After a while, the young man finally spoke. "Mm."
Thinking of Zhao Youyou from earlier, Su Ci also recalled the events from the book. "From now on, don't get involved with Zhao Youyou's affairs."
Previously, she had wondered if Lu Zhe's willingness to sacrifice himself for Zhao Youyou in the book meant he had some feelings for her. But after seeing Zhao Youyou's behavior in this lifetime, Su Ci was convinced that Lu Zhe would have to be blind to like her.
Lu Zhe didn't respond.
"If Zhao Youyou were really in danger, would you save her?" Su Ci wanted to know what he thought.
Lu Zhe hesitated for a moment. "It depends."
Su Ci's eyes widened. So, there was a possibility.
In the book, he had saved Zhao Youyou.
Su Ci was both irritated and dissatisfied. "Why?"
The young man's voice, clear and magnetic, was soothing in the quiet night. "If anyone is in mortal danger in front of me, and I have the ability to help, I will."
Lu Zhe's voice softened. "My life isn't long. If I can exchange it for someone else's, it's a fair trade."
He only had less than two years left to live.
Su Ci was stunned. She remembered how Lu Zhe had saved her parents from a fire, even though he hadn't known they were her parents at the time. She also recalled how he had suffered a severe hand injury while rescuing her brother.
The young man's cold exterior hid a heart that was warm and pure.
Su Ci's eyes welled up with tears. She couldn't bear to hear Lu Zhe talk like this.
In the next moment, she got out of bed and squeezed onto Lu Zhe's folding bed.
Her soft body pressed against him, and Lu Zhe immediately sat up in alarm. "Su Ci!"
Su Ci wrapped her arms around him. "Your life is precious too. You can't undervalue it."
She was biased. She only cared about Lu Zhe.
Su Ci didn't want Lu Zhe risking his life to save others. "No matter who it is, you can't sacrifice yourself to save them."
Just thinking about how Lu Zhe would die saving Zhao Youyou in the book made her both angry and jealous. "Especially Zhao Youyou. If she's in danger, you can't save her. Otherwise, I'll be jealous, heartbroken, and furious."
Suddenly being hugged by the girl, Lu Zhe stiffened. Especially when she squirmed in his arms, her movements causing his body to tense painfully.
"Promise me," Su Ci urged.
"Let go first," Lu Zhe tried to push her away, but her nightgown was made of thin fabric. When his hand touched her waist, he felt nothing but softness beneath his palm.
He awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Su Ci clung to him like a little rascal, stubborn and relentless. "Promise me first, then I'll let go."
The faint fragrance of the girl filled his senses, and Lu Zhe's jaw tightened. "Mm."
His voice deepened. "Let go."
Su Ci was never one to keep her word, and her shamelessness knew no bounds. "Call me by my nickname first, then I'll let go."
"Su Ci."
Su Ci wasn't satisfied. "No, that's not how you usually call me."
Lu Zhe pressed his lips together.
Su Ci pestered him. "Say it!"
In the darkness, the young man's ears turned red, and he struggled to get the words out. After a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Tuantuan."
Su Ci's eyes curved into a smile, and this time she obediently released him. Then, she lay down on the folding bed.
Lu Zhe was stunned. "Go back to your bed."
Su Ci grabbed Lu Zhe's hand and pulled him down onto the folding bed with her. She turned to look at him, her eyes brimming with laughter. "We've slept on this bed together before."
"That wasn't me."
"It was you, it was definitely you." Seeing that Lu Zhe was about to argue, Su Ci covered his mouth with her hand. "I'm so sleepy. Let's just sleep."
With that, she rested her head against Lu Zhe's chest and closed her eyes, determined to be stubborn.
The room fell silent.
Lu Zhe could hear the loud thumping of his own heartbeat.
...
The next day, Lu Zhe didn't have to go out for his part-time job. Su Ci walked over with a bowl of freshly washed peaches.
Without her having to say anything, Lu Zhe picked up a small knife and began peeling the peaches. He then cut them into even slices and arranged them on a plate.
"Here," he said, pushing the plate toward her.
After noticing Su Ci's fondness for peaches, Lu Zhe had made sure to keep a steady supply in the fridge.
Su Ci didn't reach for the plate.
Instead, she looked at Lu Zhe with pleading eyes, the small beauty mark beneath her eye adding to her charm. "My hands are tired from washing the peaches. Feed me."
Lu Zhe's expression remained impassive. "Eat them yourself."
Su Ci leaned closer to him, teasing him on purpose. "Feed me. It’ll taste sweeter if you do it. And if you don’t, I might just disappear all of a sudden. Then you..."
Before she could finish, a piece of peach touched her lips.
Su Ci laughed, her body trembling as she fell onto Lu Zhe. "Are you really afraid I’ll disappear?"
His thin lips pressed together, the tips of his ears turning slightly red. His dark eyes were filled with nothing but indulgence.
But the next second, the girl in his arms suddenly turned transparent and vanished.
The warmth in his arms faded, and the peach in his hand fell to the ground.
Lu Zhe froze, his entire body stiffening as he stood there in shock.
His gaze darkened.
After a long while, the young man murmured softly to the empty air, "Yes."
Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.
Lu Zhe jerked to his feet, limping as he rushed to the door and flung it open.
Outside stood a man and a woman.
The woman’s eyes widened in shock, instantly brimming with tears. "My baby," she choked out.
