When the car stopped at the computer store, Su Ci woke up.
She saw Lu Zhe carefully lifting Little Kuaile from beside her and getting out of the car.
He carried Little Kuaile with one arm while using his other hand to take out a folding wheelchair from the trunk and walk into the computer store.
Su Ci rested her chin on her palm, leaning against the car window to watch him.
The young man had already developed a man's strength.
Boss Fang was waiting in the computer store. When he saw Lu Zhe carrying his son in, he quickly stood up and came forward, "Thank you for your trouble. You must be tired from taking him out today."
"Not at all, Uncle Fang. Little Kuaile had a great time today," Lu Zhe said as he handed Little Kuaile over to Boss Fang.
Boss Fang took his sleeping son with a touch of emotion.
Previously, when his son couldn't walk, he tried to avoid taking him to parks or playgrounds. Those places were children's paradise, but for his son, they weren't necessarily places of joy.
Now that he was slowly learning to walk, he hoped his son could live a normal child's life and experience more happiness.
"Xiao Zhe, thank you," Boss Fang asked Lu Zhe, "Where's Su Ci?"
"She's in the car."
"Wasn't she back with the Su family? Why is she here again?" Boss Fang was genuinely surprised to learn of Su Ci's return. After learning about her identity, he had always felt that Su Ci belonged to a different world than their ordinary lives.
Lu Zhe replied, "She has some business here."
Boss Fang didn't want to pry further. "By the way, that new product you gave me last month - a buyer has contacted me. If the deal goes through, it'll be worth at least six figures."
In fact, if they were a company rather than individual developers, the other party wouldn't have pushed the price so low. In his opinion, Lu Zhe's product was worth seven figures at least.
"Thank you, Uncle Fang."
"No need for thanks, you've helped me plenty." Boss Fang paused before continuing, "However, Xiao Zhe, I've been thinking - why don't we start a company together?"
Even though Lu Zhe was still in school, he had never underestimated him.
They say poverty makes children grow up fast, and Lu Zhe had shown his capability by earning money early to treat his illness. If someone else had Lu Zhe's background and terminal illness, they would have broken down long ago.
Since Lu Zhe had the ability, it seemed a waste for him to just work at his small store. Starting his own business would be better.
"However, to start a company, we're still short on capital. If you agree to partner with me, I'll gather the funds whether I have to sell the store or borrow money." Boss Fang wanted to give his son a better life, and he wanted to take this chance.
"What do you think, Xiao Zhe?"
Lu Zhe replied, "I need to think about it."
"You should think it through. There's no rush - your college entrance exam is the most important thing right now." Boss Fang had this idea, but starting a company wasn't like shopping at the market - they needed a plan, and it couldn't be rushed.
"Alright."
When Lu Zhe came out of the computer store, he saw the girl leaning against the lowered car window.
"Why did you take so long?" Su Ci had her chin resting on her arms, looking up at him lazily.
Lu Zhe walked over with long strides. Perhaps because his condition had improved somewhat, he could now walk quickly without limping like before, and he hadn't fallen recently.
Lu Zhe got in the car. "I was chatting with Uncle Fang." He helped Su Ci close the window. "Still sleepy?"
Su Ci shook her head, her body naturally leaning towards Lu Zhe, feeling lazy.
The car continued driving towards their destination.
Su Ci leaned against Lu Zhe, idly playing with his hand out of boredom.
"Lu Zhe, your hand is so big." Su Ci stretched out her palm, comparing it to Lu Zhe's large hand, which made hers look tiny in comparison.
Lu Zhe didn't respond. He looked down at the girl leaning on his shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of awkwardness, "When you were asleep earlier, I answered a phone call for you."
"Hmm?" Su Ci responded indifferently.
"It was from that boy you mentioned last night. He asked if you could attend a gathering the day after tomorrow." Lu Zhe said coldly.
Su Ci finally showed interest, sitting up to look at Lu Zhe, "What did you say?"
Lu Zhe said, "I told him I'd pass the message to you."
Su Ci studied Lu Zhe's expression, but his face remained neutral, showing no particular emotion. "That's all?" Receiving a call from another boy for her, and he wasn't even a little jealous?
Lu Zhe: "Mm."
Su Ci glared at him in frustration, not wanting to talk to him anymore.
The next day, after breakfast, Su Ci went out with Lu Zhe to help watch the store.
When Boss Fang saw Su Ci sticking close to Lu Zhe, he smiled, but worried for Lu Zhe in his heart.
Since Su Ci's return from City B, she had been following Lu Zhe everywhere. At this point, he wouldn't believe anyone who said Su Ci didn't have feelings for Lu Zhe.
But the Su family was wealthy and powerful. As the Su family's daughter, whether or not she needed to enter an arranged marriage, the Su family would never allow her to be with Lu Zhe.
It wasn't just about Lu Zhe's background - his illness alone would be enough reason for the Su family to prevent Su Ci from being with him.
This was the reality of the situation.
If he had a daughter, he wouldn't want her to be with someone who had a terminal illness either.
Rationally, this was how he thought, but emotionally, he definitely sided with Lu Zhe and hoped he could have some beautiful memories during his youth.
Boss Fang found himself caught in this worry for Lu Zhe, and in the end, could only give Lu Zhe a regretful look.
"Yesterday, Little Kuaile's grandmother brought some plum wine. Let's try it during lunch - young girls usually like this kind of drink," Boss Fang said to Lu Zhe and Su Ci, pushing aside his various thoughts.
Su Ci's first reaction was to remind Lu Zhe, "I can drink, but you can't have alcohol - you get drunk just from a taste." She had been there the first time Lu Zhe drank; he got drunk after just two cups and bothered her all night.
Boss Fang laughed, "Plum wine has very low alcohol content, but it's true that Xiao Zhe can't handle his alcohol. He'll need to practice more in the future."
"Mm." Lu Zhe's lips curved into a smile.
At this moment, Little Kuaile slowly came downstairs, holding a small notebook and a pen. Once summer vacation was over, he would be starting kindergarten.
The little fellow had been overjoyed when he learned he could go to school, and had started practicing drawing and writing.
Boss Fang went out to buy groceries.
Lu Zhe watched the store while Su Ci sat bored at the small round table, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Little Kuaile scribbling on paper.
"What are these two?" Su Ci asked him.
Little Kuaile's big black eyes moved around, looking a bit shy as his chubby little hand gripped the pen, "It's Sister Ci and Brother Lu Zhe!"
Su Ci looked at the drawing that only showed two round heads, "Is this how ugly I look in your eyes?"
"Sister is pretty," Little Kuaile quickly said.
Su Ci raised an eyebrow and took Little Kuaile's notebook and pen, "Let me borrow these."
She walked to the counter and moved close to Lu Zhe, looking at him with bright eyes, "Can you draw?"
Su Ci directly pushed the notebook into Lu Zhe's hands.
Lu Zhe looked up, "Draw what?"
"Me, of course." Su Ci pulled up a small stool and sat beside Lu Zhe, her eyes showing a hint of pride. "I'll be your model, so draw well." A beautiful model like her was rare to find, after all.
Lu Zhe gave her a look, then picked up the pen and began sketching in the notebook.
Su Ci sat up straight, trying to maintain her most beautiful pose so Lu Zhe could draw her more beautifully.
However, in less than two minutes, Lu Zhe put down the pen. "It's done." He closed the notebook and handed it back to Su Ci.
"Done already?" Su Ci was surprised. "Did you not draw anything? Are you tricking me?"
Lu Zhe smiled.
Little Kuaile was very curious about Brother Lu Zhe's drawing of Sister Ci, so the little fellow came over and peered at the notebook as Su Ci opened it.
The next second, Little Kuaile's mouth fell open in surprise, "Ah, it's a little bunny!"
It was a chubby, adorable little rabbit.
"Sister Ci is a fat bunny!" Little Kuaile laughed, his plump little belly shaking.
The smile disappeared from Su Ci's lips as she looked at Lu Zhe reproachfully, "In your eyes, I'm just a rabbit?"
And a round, chubby rabbit at that?
Lu Zhe's dark eyes held laughter, "Rabbits are cute." Just like you.
When Boss Fang returned with the groceries, his expression wasn't very good.
Su Ci asked curiously, "Did something happen?"
"Oh my, I almost got hit by a car at the market entrance earlier. I nearly lost my life," Boss Fang said with lingering fear. If anything happened to him, his son was still so young, and there would be no one to take care of him.
Su Ci glanced at Boss Fang's life force and told him, "Don't worry, Boss Fang. Your facial features indicate longevity. You'll overcome any future dangers and turn misfortune into fortune."
If anyone else had said this, Boss Fang wouldn't have believed them. But Su Ci was different - she had saved his son before, carried an air of nobility about her, and seemed almost fairy-like. Somehow, her words were inherently convincing.
Boss Fang's brow relaxed, and he smiled, "I'll go cook some dishes for you all."
With that, he carried the vegetables upstairs.
Su Ci glanced at Lu Zhe, who was sitting at the computer. She moved closer and saw the screen filled with code she couldn't understand. She said to him, "Lu Zhe, I can see you also have features indicating longevity. You'll overcome any life-threatening dangers in the future too."
With her around, he would definitely live a long life.
Oh, she was such a precious treasure!
Lu Zhe's hands didn't pause from typing on the keyboard. He responded with a mild "Mm," showing little interest in the girl's comforting words.
Before long, Boss Fang had prepared lunch.
He took out the plum wine that Little Kuaile's grandmother had sent from the refrigerator. On such a hot day, something cold and sweet-and-sour would be perfect.
Su Ci had a small glass and found the plum wine quite tasty.
Before transmigrating into this story, her body couldn't handle alcohol, but now things were different. Apart from needing to maintain human form and being somewhat delicate, this body was perfectly healthy.
She didn't need to be as careful as before.
"The plum wine's good, isn't it?" Boss Fang noticed Su Ci pouring herself another glass. "Little Kuaile's grandmother made it herself. Kuaile's mother used to love drinking it too."
Beside them, Little Kuaile blinked and quietly ate his meal.
"Though you shouldn't drink too much. This wine has quite a kick to it," Boss Fang said with a smile.
Su Ci wasn't worried about getting drunk - after all, Lu Zhe was there.
However, when she finished her third glass, Fugui couldn't help but jump out.
Fugui anxiously warned: [Master, you can't drink anymore. If you do, your rabbit ears will pop out!]
Su Ci's hand froze on the wine glass. "What?"
Fugui quickly explained: [Drinking harms the body and depletes your vital energy. If your vital energy drops even a little, your rabbit ears will appear - it's just like being sick.]
Su Ci was dumbfounded. "Why didn't you tell me earlier!"
Fugui trembled slightly: [Master, I forgot.]
Su Ci was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth. Worried that her rabbit ears might actually pop out in front of Boss Fang and Little Kuaile, she quickly put down her glass and didn't dare touch it again.
However, she had already drunk three glasses of plum wine, and feeling the tingling sensation on top of her head, Su Ci realized it was too late.
Under the table, a small hand reached out and tugged at Lu Zhe's clothes.
He looked down at Su Ci beside him, seeing the girl gazing at him pitifully, trying to figure out what to say.
At that moment, Boss Fang got up to get more rice from the kitchen. Su Ci quickly leaned closer to Lu Zhe, "Lu Zhe, we need to leave right now."
Lu Zhe was confused. "Hm?"
Su Ci's face turned red with embarrassment. "My rabbit ears are about to pop out!"
Lu Zhe instinctively looked at the top of her head, his brows furrowing. "What's going on?"
"I just remembered I can't drink alcohol." Su Ci tugged at his clothes. "Quick, take me home."
"Xiaozhe, there's still plenty of rice in the kitchen, eat more," Boss Fang said as he came back with the rice.
Lu Zhe stood up. "We're full, Uncle Fang. I'll take the afternoon off."
Boss Fang was surprised. "What's wrong?"
"I... I'm drunk, Lu Zhe needs to take me home," Su Ci's body went soft, and she leaned directly against Lu Zhe.
Boss Fang guessed that perhaps this batch of plum wine was stronger than usual, taking effect so quickly. He regretted letting the young lady drink so much. "Then, Xiaozhe, take little Ci home. I'll watch the shop."
"Alright," Lu Zhe supported Su Ci as they went downstairs.
Once outside the shop, Su Ci smiled, her eyes curving. "Lu Zhe, aren't I clever? I know how to pretend to be drunk."
Lu Zhe raised an eyebrow. "You forgot something as important as your rabbit ears appearing when you drink - are you sure you're clever?"
Su Ci's breath caught, unable to defend herself. She could only take the blame for Fugui.
"Stand here for a moment." Lu Zhe had the girl stand still while he ran into a nearby boutique.
Soon after, he returned with a hat and helped Su Ci put it on.
Su Ci's anxious heart immediately settled. She looked at the young man before her with sparkling eyes. "Lu Zhe, you're so good to me. When we get back, I'll let you rub my ears."
Lu Zhe gave her a deep look but didn't respond.
Sitting in the car, Su Ci felt her rabbit ears actually emerging, and she quickly held the hat in place.
When they got home, she took off the hat and ran to her room. Looking at herself in the mirror with a pair of rabbit ears, she asked Fugui, "When will my rabbit ears go back this time?"
Fugui: [They'll retract once the effects of the alcohol wear off, Master.]
Hearing this, Su Ci's dark eyes brightened. Sobering up wouldn't take long, so she didn't have to worry about being confined indoors for days like when she was sick.
Thinking this, Su Ci's mood improved, and she couldn't help but examine herself in the mirror.
Not to be narcissistic, but she was naturally beautiful. Now, with the alcohol's effects, her eyes seemed to shimmer with moisture, bright and lively, and her fair face was tinged with a light pink - she looked unbelievably beautiful.
Now with these incredibly soft and adorable rabbit ears, if Lu Zhe could still ignore her later, he truly wasn't a man!
Su Ci left her room and found Lu Zhe in the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" The young man was wearing an apron, busy at the counter.
"Making sobering soup." He had looked up the recipe online; it wasn't difficult.
Su Ci had other plans in mind. She had no desire to drink any sobering soup - if she did, the alcohol's effects would disappear immediately, and her rabbit ears would retract right away.
She went over and grabbed Lu Zhe's hand. "I don't want to drink that. You don't need to make it - I'm not even drunk."
Lu Zhe looked down at her. The girl's dark eyes were particularly bright, glistening with moisture, clearly contradicting her words.
Su Ci pulled him out of the kitchen. "Lu Zhe, take this chance to feel my ears."
She was being deliberately mischievous, trying to tempt Lu Zhe to kiss her.
Yesterday in the movie theater, they had only kissed three times - far from enough. With over a month until the college entrance exam, such a long time without seeing Lu Zhe, she needed more kisses to maintain her human form.
The pink and white, fluffy rabbit ears were right in front of him, and the girl was openly inviting him to touch them.
Lu Zhe didn't move.
Su Ci urged, "Hurry up!" Could it be that her rabbit ears had lost their appeal to Lu Zhe?
That couldn't be possible.
Her rabbit ears - even she found them irresistibly cute and wanted to touch them. There was no way Lu Zhe wouldn't like them.
"Are you sure?" Lu Zhe's lips tightened slightly.
He remembered how extremely sensitive her rabbit ears were - even the slightest touch would make her weak all over. Last time, when he pinched the tips of her ears, she could barely stand.
When Lu Zhe asked this, Su Ci began to hesitate, remembering how incredibly sensitive her ears were. She still remembered the helpless feeling of weakness from last time.
After thinking for a moment, worried she might not be able to stand steady later, she pulled Lu Zhe to sit on the sofa. "Okay, I'm sitting down so I won't fall. Now hurry up and touch them."
It was a fair exchange - after touching her ears, she would kiss him.
Lu Zhe found it amusing. "Mm." As long as she didn't regret it.
Hearing the young man's response, Su Ci moved her head closer to him to make it easier for him to touch her ears. "Be gentle."
Lu Zhe's large hands were cool to the touch as he reached for the girl's pink-white ears. Perhaps due to their sensitivity, her ears twitched at his touch.
They were soft and fluffy, feeling wonderful to touch.
As soon as his large hands touched her ears, Su Ci's body instantly went soft. She rested her head against Lu Zhe's chest, her voice low and fine as she reminded him, "Lu Zhe, just... just one touch."
Lu Zhe's lips curved into a smile, but he didn't respond.
His large hands continued to stroke and gently massage her rabbit ears, showing no signs of stopping.
Su Ci's dark eyes were glistening like pools of water, enchantingly beautiful. She leaned weakly against Lu Zhe, enduring waves of strange sensations coursing through her body. Feeling annoyed, she wanted to bite him. "You were only supposed to touch once!"
She had clearly said only one touch to her ears was allowed, but now she had lost count of how many times Lu Zhe had stroked her rabbit ears. "I've been cheated! Totally cheated!"
Lu Zhe's palm tingled from the soft white fur on her ears. Hearing the girl's words, he let out a low, magnetic laugh. "Weren't you the one who eagerly asked me to touch them earlier?"
When he hadn't touched them, she had been ready to get angry.
Don't ask - Su Ci was deeply regretting it now.
She felt completely powerless, like a plump rabbit on a chopping board, at Lu Zhe's mercy.
Lu Zhe laughed softly as he gently pinched the tip of her ear, asking in a low voice, "Will you still try to be naughty in the future?" Her initiative in letting him touch her ears made her intentions obvious to him - he could guess what little scheme she had planned.
Su Ci's body melted even further, nearly turning to liquid. She looked at Lu Zhe pitifully, "Mmm, no more touching."
Meeting her watery, bright black eyes, his cool voice carried a gentle coaxing tone, "Be good from now on."
"How am I not good?" Su Ci's fingers weakly clutched at the hem of his clothes, trying to distract herself from the strange sensations.
Lu Zhe's thin lips curved up, revealing his shallow dimples, "You're not good in every way." The girl often had mischievous ideas, wanting to tease him.
So very naughty!
Thinking this, he lowered his head and pressed his cool, thin lips against her soft ear.
In the next moment, Su Ci's eyes widened in disbelief, her sensitive ears trembling slightly, feeling both numb and tingly.
Her face flushed red, feeling like she might melt away completely.
......
The May Day holiday was only three days long, and on the last day, Su Ci had to return to City B.
She watched the young man helping her pack her luggage, feeling a bit unhappy. Yesterday, he had touched her ears so many times that she could only lie in bed all day, completely drained.
They had kissed, but she could only accept Lu Zhe's light butterfly kisses. They had previously exchanged deeper kisses, but now they were back to these fleeting touches - there was no intensity at all.
She looked down on Lu Zhe - he must have been a monk in his previous life.
Lu Zhe closed the suitcase and took out a card to hand to the girl sitting on the bed.
Su Ci was surprised and didn't reach out to take it. "Why are you suddenly giving me a card?"
"Your family gave this to me. I haven't used any of the money, so take it back." Earlier, her family had sent someone to give him the card as thanks for taking care of Su Ci for a while.
He could earn his own money and didn't need money from her family.
"Why won't you take it? You took care of me, so you deserve this money. The Su family has plenty of money anyway, you don't need to worry about me." At this point, she wished she could just support him completely.
"Take it back," Lu Zhe said coolly.
Su Ci wouldn't listen. Her dark eyes gazed at him earnestly, "Keep it. You might need it for emergencies. If you really mind, just consider it a loan from me - you can pay me back later."
The college entrance exam was approaching, and she didn't want him working part-time jobs in this scorching weather anymore.
Lu Zhe's reluctance to accept her money wasn't due to excessive pride, but rather because he saw no need for it. Now the girl was staring at him, looking ready to pounce and bite him if he didn't accept.
He sighed, "Alright, I'll consider it a loan."
Su Ci finally smiled. She nudged his calf with her toe and made her demands: "You have to contact me actively after I go back."
Lu Zhe: "Mm."
"You have to video chat with me often."
Lu Zhe: "Mm."
"You have to say goodnight to me every evening."
Lu Zhe: "Mm. Anything else?"
Su Ci tossed aside her phone and wrapped her arms around Lu Zhe's waist. "I don't want to leave anymore."
The girl was being clingy.
Lu Zhe's stern features softened slightly as he said quietly, "I'll apply to B University."
He would stay by her side as long as she needed him.
