After the Little Fool Was Targeted by the Paranoid Villain 13

Chapter 13

Lu Mian blinked, his eyebrows furrowing.

What did “now” mean? Now what?

He remained silent, and the hand on his waist tightened again, almost as if trying to meld him into his bones. Lu Mian whimpered, his eyes instantly welling up. “Hurts.”

The hand gripping him immediately loosened.

“Hey,” Chu Bai Xu, rubbing his neck, stepped forward. “Don’t do that to him. Mian Mian just wants someone to take him flying.” Although he was flying for fun, I was flying for my life.

Lu Lin didn’t speak. As soon as his hand loosened, Lu Mian slipped away from him. His arms felt suddenly empty, as if a piece was missing.

Lu Mian slowly moved to the side, rubbing his waist. Once the tears in his eyes subsided, he looked at Lu Lin again.

Lu Lin wasn’t looking at him, his eyes downcast, his gaze fixed on his empty palm, which was wrapped in a fresh layer of gauze, now seeping blood.

Following his gaze, Lu Mian also saw the blood. Bleeding again…

Lu Lin was the least self-preserving person he had ever met. Due to his childhood experiences, Lu Mian had always been alone, relying on himself for care. And because he was extra sensitive to pain, he was always careful not to injure himself, even slightly, as the pain would linger.

“It’s about time,” Chu Bai Xu continued. “Shall we go and have dinner with Old Madam?”

Lu Mian had woken up late and missed breakfast, so he naturally had to join Old Madam for dinner. He glanced at Lu Lin. “Lu…xiong too.”

Lu Lin nodded.

The three walked towards the main courtyard together. Along the way, Chu Bai Xu kept rubbing his arms and legs, trying to attract Lu Mian’s attention, hoping to show him how tired he was after carrying him around all afternoon.

However, Lu Mian’s gaze never shifted towards him, instead occasionally glancing at Lu Lin’s blood-soaked hand.

Lu Lin had long noticed Lu Mian’s concerned glances, his small face creased with worry, as if he were the one injured.

It had been the same last night when he applied the ointment, wincing as if he were the one in pain. He had made quite a bit of noise; even a dead person would have woken up. But this little fool hadn’t noticed, carefully applying the ointment, covering him with the tablecloth, and quietly returning to his own bed.

He was clearly silly and clumsy, always doing foolish things, yet he would show his vulnerable side to him, completely unguarded.

Little by little, he showed him a side so different from the previous Lu Mian, making him want to know more…

Lu Lin narrowed his eyes, noticing Lu Mian’s increasingly frequent glances at his hand, and discreetly hid it behind his back.

Lu Mian had been looking at Lu Lin’s injury, wondering why he hadn’t treated it yet. Was he going to wait until after dinner? That would be too late.

He didn’t know what kind of crazy fit Lu Lin had thrown, but his palm had been a bloody mess last night under the candlelight, a frightening sight. Even now, Lu Mian felt a phantom pain in his own hand.

But as he was watching, Lu Lin hid his hand behind his back. Having lost his target, Lu Mian looked up and glared at him.

Lu Lin glanced at him.

Their eyes met. Lu Mian thought for a moment, then sighed. “Treat your wound, for my sake.” It looked so painful.

Just as Lu Mian finished speaking, Chu Bai Xu said, “Ah, there’s no need for that. I’m just a little tired.”

Lu Mian stared blankly, questioning again who the real fool was. Why did he feel that everyone around him was more foolish than the last, making him look like a genius in comparison?

In the end, no one treated the wound. They arrived at the main hall together, where Old Madam and Madam Chu were waiting. Seeing them, Madam Chu smiled. “See? I said there’s no need to send someone to call them.”

Old Madam smiled and instructed the steward to serve the meal, then beckoned Lu Mian. “My sweet child, come here and let Grandmother see you. Are you tired after playing all day?”

Old Madam had been heartbroken ever since she learned of her grandson’s injury. She had wanted to bring him over to the General’s residence earlier, and now, seeing him like this, she felt even more pity, constantly calling him “sweet child” and “darling.”

Lu Mian didn’t move until she beckoned him three times, then slowly walked over with a silly smile, letting Old Madam pinch his cheeks, his lips pouting.

Is cheek-pinching a tradition in the General’s residence? Why does everyone like to pinch his cheeks?

But Lu Mian could clearly sense the old lady’s love for him, so he obediently let her pinch him, which made Old Madam even happier. When the food was served, she had him sit next to her.

Lu Mian naturally sat beside her; he had sat in the same spot yesterday, and after dinner, Old Madam had chatted with him for a while. It was mainly her talking, and him listening, and today was the same.

Perhaps because they shared a room, Lu Lin didn’t leave either.

Seeing him, Lu Mian couldn’t help but think of his untreated hand. Every time Old Madam finished speaking, he would glance at Lu Lin.

Lu Mian thought he was being discreet, but everyone present noticed his actions. Old Madam and Madam Chu exchanged glances. Chu Bai Xu felt a pang of jealousy; he was Lu Mian’s blood-related older brother, and although he had been quite annoyed with him earlier, he now started to compare himself to Lu Lin.

Lu Lin sat there quietly throughout the meal, just like the silent and reserved Eldest Young Master Lu he was rumored to be, his presence so faint that it was almost as if he wasn’t there.

“Do you want to go back?” Old Madam squeezed her grandson’s hand. “Then go back with your older brother.”

Her words seemed to carry a deeper meaning. Madam Chu suddenly covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled, glancing at Old Madam, then her teasing gaze swept across the room.

As expected, after Old Madam spoke, the two older brothers looked up at the same time. Chu Bai Xu immediately stood up and declared, “I’ll escort my younger brother back.”

Lu Lin’s gaze fell directly on Lu Mian.

Lu Mian, stared at by several pairs of eyes, felt a little dazed. There was no need to choose; he shared a room with Lu Lin, and they didn’t need anyone to escort them.

But Chu Bai Xu was his good mount, and he had played with him all day. Lu Mian hesitated; would it be rude not to choose him? But seeing Lu Lin’s intense gaze, as if he would be interrogated if he said the wrong thing, Lu Mian felt pressured.

“Who does Younger Brother choose?” Chu Bai Xu asked, seemingly oblivious.

Lu Mian pursed his lips, pretending not to see anything, and stood up abruptly, his eyes sparkling. “I choose C!” He then dashed towards the door, giggling as he ran.

That’s right! Why should he choose? He didn’t have to care about what others thought.

“Haha,” Madam Chu clapped her hands and laughed. “Mian Mian is so interesting. Brat, go after him and make sure he doesn’t fall.”

Chu Bai Xu froze. He hadn’t even stood up yet, but Lu Lin had already chased after Lu Mian.

Madam Chu laughed even louder. “Forget it, no need to go. Mian Mian’s older brother is already there.”

Chu Bai Xu: “…” This is my mother.

After a moment of silence, he still stood up and followed, trying to prove with his actions that he was the older brother.

Lu Mian hadn’t run far when the back of his collar was grabbed.

He turned around and met Lu Lin’s intense gaze. “What is C?” he asked.

Lu Mian was stunned by the unexpected question. How could he explain what “C” was? And how did Lu Lin remember it after hearing it only once?

“It’s AB’s younger brother,” Lu Mian said dryly.

Lu Lin stared at him intently.

Lu Mian, afraid he would ask “who is AB?” or something similar, was about to answer when he heard a shout from behind, “Younger Brother, Older Brother is here!”

In the distance, Chu Bai Xu arrived with a few light steps, his robes fluttering in the wind, looking dashing and carefree.

“Chang Wei! You said you couldn’t fly anymore!” Lu Mian shouted.

Chu Bai Xu almost slipped, his body swaying. He suddenly regretted coming.

He only heard the second half of the sentence, but Lu Lin caught the first half. “Chang Wei?”

Lu Mian looked up at the sky, feeling that Lu Lin was acting strangely today, ever since he saw Chu Bai Xu carrying him.

“What Chang Wei?” Chu Bai Xu finally reacted, asking with a hint of displeasure, “Who is this Chang Wei? Has he also flown you like this?” He had thought he was the only one.

“No wonder you said your mount was full,” Chu Bai Xu said, looking at Lu Mian accusingly.

Lu Mian was stunned by his train of thought. Seeing that the two of them seemed ready to interrogate him, he preemptively asked, “You don’t even have a mount. What’s wrong, don’t you want one?”

Chu Bai Xu, seeing him suddenly puff out his chest, thought he was about to say something important, and immediately retorted, “Who said I don’t have one!” He actually did have one.

He straightened his back proudly. “I have a steed bestowed by His Majesty! A Ferghana horse! There’s no better mount in the entire Dongning!”

“Okay,” Lu Mian said dejectedly.

Seeing his downcast expression, Chu Bai Xu was about to comfort him when he heard Lu Mian say softly, “My mount is not as good as yours.”

Chu Bai Xu’s words of comfort caught in his throat.

If he remembered correctly…

Lu Mian’s mounts included… him, right?

So he was inferior to his own mount?

Chu Bai Xu fell silent, a strange daze washing over him.

Lu Mian, feeling smug, patted his sleeves and walked towards his courtyard with a triumphant smile, not even paying attention to Lu Lin, who was following him.

I’m so smart, Lu Mian praised himself inwardly.

They quickly returned to the courtyard and entered the bedroom. The door clicked shut behind them, and Lu Mian snapped back to reality.

Lu Lin was standing beside him. Their eyes met again, and Lu Mian glared at him. “What are you looking at! I’ll eat you if you keep staring!”

He cringed inwardly after saying that, looking around, thinking of something else to say, when he heard Lu Lin ask softly, “Do you like flying?”

Lu Mian: OvO.

“Who doesn’t?” he retorted.

Lu Lin paused, his gaze fixed on his face. “I can learn,” he suddenly said.

Lu Mian looked confused.

Lu Lin’s voice deepened. “If you want someone to take you flying, I can learn.” That way, he wouldn’t need anyone else to carry him.

This thought came suddenly and intensely, and Lu Lin didn’t want to ignore it.

Perhaps he had already figured it out last night.

Lu Mian’s eyes widened.

Lu Lin’s eyes flickered, waiting for his answer.

Then he heard the boy’s uncertain voice. Lu Lin met his clear, bright eyes. Lu Mian’s expression was serious and cautious. “But then… won’t you fall and break into pieces?”

If not, he might just agree.

Lu Mian was tempted.