Fu Si Heng wanted to advise himself to calm down, not to get too tense or care too much.
Tao Zhi taking care of Fu Zheng was something he had done often before.
The two had been roommates living together day and night, and Tao Zhi had shouldered most of Fu Zheng’s daily life tasks—acting as his lackey, washing his clothes, cleaning his shoes, fetching takeout, and caring for him wholeheartedly while earning money from his pocket.
This had been Tao Zhi’s routine ever since Fu Zheng moved into the new dorm.
Fu Si Heng had known about it all along.
He had known early on, he clearly knew.
Yet under Tao Zhi’s current earnest and grateful gaze, a faint sense of unease and irritation rose in Fu Si Heng’s heart.
He didn’t want Tao Zhi to take care of Fu Zheng.
Before, there had been no choice—Tao Zhi needed the money, and due to the need for secrecy, he couldn’t give it to him directly, so he had no option but to let him care for Fu Zheng.
But now, there was no need.
Why still let him take care of Fu Zheng?
Even if he was used to it, that wouldn’t do.
Fu Si Heng felt deeply displeased and fell silent without speaking.
Tao Zhi thought he was pondering and didn’t urge him, instead waiting patiently.
During this time, Tao Zhi couldn’t help but turn back again, looking through the window into the ward once more.
Compared to earlier, the ward now appeared a bit quieter.
Fu Zheng was no longer being held down by several people; he simply sat on the bed, yelling something at the doctor.
Tao Zhi couldn’t hear, but he saw the doctor covering his ears, his face full of helplessness.
Tao Zhi: “…”
Fu Zheng really resembled an energetic husky, the kind that ten people couldn’t tie down.
Among the dogs Tao Zhi had been walking lately, there happened to be a husky—hundreds of times harder to handle than the others, extremely troublesome.
Tao Zhi felt that taking care of him would be quite challenging.
Because Fu Zheng was hard to deal with too.
He wasn’t inexperienced with it.
But right now, he was overflowing with emotion.
So even though Fu Zheng was difficult, Tao Zhi didn’t mind; he felt he could manage.
“Fu Ge.” Tao Zhi turned back, figuring Fu Si Heng had thought it over enough, and prompted him.
“I’ll take care of him just fine.” Fu Si Heng still wasn’t willing and couldn’t convince himself otherwise.
His sister-in-law staying up all night to care for his younger brother—what kind of nonsense was that?
Fu Si Heng refused: “This minor injury is nothing to Fu Zheng. He’s a VIP regular here at the hospital; he’s used to it long ago.”
Tao Zhi: “?”
Huh? Did hospitals even have a thing called VIP regulars?
Fu Si Heng’s words left Tao Zhi dumbfounded.
“I’ll take you back.” Taking advantage of Tao Zhi’s stunned moment before he could react, Fu Si Heng tried to lead him away by taking his hand.
But Tao Zhi’s determination was unusually strong today.
“No, no, no.” He snapped back to attention immediately, hiding his own hands behind his back to prevent Fu Si Heng from holding them.
Fu Si Heng: “…”
The unease and irritation in Fu Si Heng grew even more pronounced.
“At worst, I’ll stay and take care of him.” He was truly out of options. Fu Si Heng would rather care for Fu Zheng himself than let Tao Zhi do it.
But Tao Zhi wasn’t willing.
“Fu Ge, I’m a bit skeptical of you.” Tao Zhi’s expression twisted in conflict.
He was the type to judge matters on their own merits.
Though Fu Si Heng could be malicious and ill-intentioned at times, for the most part, he was a steady, reliable mature man to Tao Zhi. In other matters, Tao Zhi trusted him completely, believing that anything Fu Si Heng promised, he could definitely accomplish—he could trust him unconditionally and feel at ease.
As soon as he appeared, things felt secure, like what happened at the KTV tonight.
But some things…
He just wouldn’t believe them.
No reason needed; no matter what Fu Si Heng said, he wouldn’t buy it.
Like right now.
Tao Zhi said: “I feel like you won’t take proper care of Fu Zheng.”
Fu Si Heng: “?”
“Me? Not taking proper care of Fu Zheng?” Fu Si Heng told him: “I’ve been raising Fu Zheng since he was fifteen.”
Though it was mostly free-range with little oversight—just cleaning up his messes and dishing out beatings with a stick.
But he had raised him, after all.
Fu Si Heng spoke with complete confidence.
“Huh?” Tao Zhi was surprised: “Really?”
“Of course.” Fu Si Heng lied through his teeth with a straight face: “I often take care of him. Leave it to me; I’ll take you back to school.”
“…”
Hmm.
Why still didn’t he believe it?
Tao Zhi scratched his nose tip, his expression still hesitant and troubled.
Fu Si Heng could tell and wanted to say something to dispel Tao Zhi’s distrust.
