The messages started right around when he’d gotten off the train, asking if he’d arrived, then every half hour after. The latest one said to reply before eleven, or he’d come looking.
Tao Zhi: 【O~O】
Tao Zhi: 【I’m here. Went to the hospital, had dinner, just saw this now.】
After replying, he finally checked Fu Zheng’s messages.
There were tons from Fu Zheng.
All sorts of random stuff. Tao Zhi read them all carefully but didn’t reply.
Because Fu Si Heng had told him that if he didn’t like Fu Zheng, he should keep interactions minimal.
Tao Zhi saw Fu Zheng as a friend, but Fu Zheng didn’t see him that way.
To Fu Zheng, he was first and foremost the person he liked, and only secondarily a friend.
Tao Zhi thought Fu Si Heng made a good point and had been obediently following it lately.
He’d read Fu Zheng’s messages but never replied.
Just as he finished, his phone buzzed in his palm.
Fu Si Heng: 【Good. Rest well tonight.】
Fu Si Heng hadn’t called Tao Zhi tonight.
He’d been about to dial, finger even on the video call button, but then he thought better of it.
Forget it—he’d been on that high-speed rail for so long today.
Fu Si Heng: 【Get to bed early.】
Fu Si Heng said it again.
Tao Zhi: 【Mm-hmm ^-^】
After replying and seeing no call coming, Tao Zhi grabbed his clothes and went to shower.
The next morning bright and early, Tao Zhi headed to the hospital.
He bought breakfast and arrived at eight, just in time for rounds. He spoke with the doctor to get an update on Mother Tao’s condition.
It was an old ailment she’d had for years.
In her youth, she’d done heavy farm work without regard for her body and eaten irregularly. During Tao Zhi’s middle school years, she’d collapsed from exhaustion, suffering a massive bleed from a peptic ulcer and underwent surgery.
Her health had never fully recovered since, plus some joint issues and her naturally weak constitution—she’d been in and out of the hospital multiple times.
This time, surgery was needed due to recurrence; they’d removed the affected part.
Fortunately, it went well, recovery was smooth, and she’d be discharged in another four or five days—right when Tao Zhi was due back in S City.
Tao Zhi thanked the doctor and persuaded Father Tao to go home and rest. He stayed to care for and keep watch over his mother.
Little Peach arrived at nine.
Around noon, Tao Hui came by too.
Aside from dropping off food and chatting with Mother Tao for a bit, she was actually there specifically to talk to Tao Zhi about tutoring her son Shang Xuan.
Tao Zhi was fetching hot water when he heard this.
“Little Zhi, I know you’re busy too, but I have no choice. Little Xuan’s grades are awful—bottom of his year. It’s killing me.”
“I’ve tried cram schools, but I hear they don’t work great. Sigh, you know how it is—too many kids, teachers can’t keep up with everyone. It all depends on the student’s self-motivation. If Little Xuan had that, he’d do fine at school. No way he’d bomb the monthly exams like that.”
“I heard one-on-one tutoring is the most effective—constant supervision to really drill it in. Your uncle and I aren’t educated ourselves…”
As Tao Hui spoke, she watched Tao Zhi’s expression.
“Just help your aunt out this once, okay? Just a few days, go over the key points with him or whatever. The hospital’s covered with Little Peach and your dad—I’ll help too. You’re the big brother; you gotta help your little brother, right?”
Big brother.
Tao Zhi paused at the word.
For some reason, Fu Si Heng’s old comment about him being a kid flashed through his mind.
“Little Zhi?”
“Huh? Oh, sure.” Tao Zhi finished filling the water and turned off the tap.
Truth be told, when they’d talked tutoring yesterday, he’d had a feeling this was coming. It wasn’t a surprise.
He owed them this much at least.
With Mom hospitalized, Aunt had helped cook, taken turns keeping watch with Dad and Little Peach, even given them a room.
Tutoring Shang Xuan for a few days was only fair.
But…
“Days won’t work.” Tao Zhi had come back for May Day mainly to ease the caregiving burden on Father Tao and Little Peach, aside from checking on Mother Tao. He couldn’t neglect that.
“Evenings okay?” Tao Zhi suggested. “He does homework on his own during the day. I’ll check and tutor from six to nine.”
Three hours should suffice.
“Sure, sure.” Tao Hui beamed and agreed. Her son slept at midnight anyway.
Nine was great.
They settled it, and Tao Zhi didn’t tell the others.
At five-thirty that evening, Tao Hui brought dinner. Tao Zhi went back with her. After eating, he first checked Shang Xuan’s homework.
Barely any done. Tao Zhi reviewed his test papers and simply organized all the key high school first-year points for him, working until past ten when Little Peach returned.
After showering, Tao Zhi lay on the sofa to rest and started checking WeChat messages.
Around eight, Fu Si Heng had sent a photo of the husky.
Tao Zhi: 【So cute OvO, looks super lively.】
Fu Si Heng: 【.】
Fu Si Heng: 【Lively? Almost couldn’t hold him back.】
Tao Zhi: 【^o^】
Fu Si Heng: 【Why are you only replying now?】
They’d been chatting sporadically on WeChat during the day.
Tao Zhi had said at five-thirty he was heading back for dinner. Fu Si Heng figured that meant rest time next, maybe even a call tonight. But after that, Tao Zhi went quiet.
Fu Si Heng didn’t want to seem clingy. Even so, when Tao Zhi didn’t reply, he kept wondering what he was up to.
He was wondering now too.
Very curious.
He soon found out.
Tao Zhi: 【Tutoring my cousin.】
Fu Si Heng: 【?】
Tao Zhi: 【0.0】
Fu Si Heng: 【So you spent the day at the hospital with your mom, then went home to tutor your cousin, and now you’re resting?】
Tao Zhi: 【Yeah.】
Fu Si Heng: “…”
Yeah what?
Fu Si Heng: 【Free to take a call?】
Tao Zhi: 【Sure.】
Tao Zhi couldn’t sleep anyway. Exhausted, but like over-tired—eyes wouldn’t close.
He typed: 【Wait a sec.】
With that, Tao Zhi threw off the blanket, got up from the sofa, and sneaked out of his aunt’s place.
Aunt’s family did hardware sales. Storefront downstairs, residences up.
Small place, poor soundproofing. Tao Zhi went downstairs to call Fu Si Heng.
The county town streets were quiet past ten at night, few pedestrians, just the convenience store across the street still lit.
Tao Zhi initiated the voice call with Fu Si Heng. Soon, Fu Si Heng’s low voice came through the earpiece.
“Tao Zhi?”
![The Coveted Pretty Wife [Quick Transmigration]](https://i0.wp.com/dobynovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/w.jpg?resize=151,215 "The Coveted Pretty Wife [Quick Transmigration]")