11 Care and Concern

After Song Jianli filled out the information, he handed the record book back.

The school doctor took the book and then gave Song Jianli a glance that was hard to read. Song Jianli responded with a gentle smile and tilted his head, asking, “Is something wrong?”

She adjusted her glasses and quickly skimmed the identity details. Song Jianli’s handwriting matched his demeanor—unassuming yet elegant and strong, clearly practiced in calligraphy. “Nothing,” she said.

She then placed the record book on the bed and skillfully removed the needle from Lu Yu’s hand. Holding Lu Yu’s thin, protruding wrist bone, the school doctor frowned and said, “Lu Yu, right? I just checked your details. You’re seventeen years old, and you’re already 1.75 meters tall. How come you weigh so little? You should pay more attention to your diet and try to gain some weight.”

Her advice was sincere.

Before Lu Yu could respond, Song Jianli quickly asked, “I want to know why he can’t seem to gain weight. Would taking some traditional Chinese medicine help?”

The school doctor shook her head. “It’s hard to say. There are many reasons. Some people don’t gain weight because of hormonal issues—medication could help with that. Others might have psychological problems, and for those, I’d recommend seeing a psychologist first before adjusting the diet.”

“Are you his friend?” After saying so much, the doctor suddenly asked, showing rare initiative in inquiring about their relationship.

Song Jianli nodded.

Lu Yu added, “He’s my best friend.”

At once, the school doctor noticed a faint smile playing at the corners of Song Jianli’s lips.

“Alright, we’ll conduct some tests back at the hospital. Thank you,” Song Jianli said with a polite and humble tone that made the doctor feel comfortable.

The doctor waved her hand. “No need to thank me. I’ll go help with other things now. Someone will come to clean up here shortly. You can just leave. The medicine by the bedside is for him—take it with you.”

Having finished her instructions, she left.

Song Jianli crouched down and placed Lu Yu’s shoes neatly by the bed.

Lu Yu pulled back the blanket and put his feet down beside the bed. Just as he was about to bend down to put on his shoes, Song Jianli’s warm, large hand suddenly grasped his ankle, while the other hand picked up a shoe and began slipping it onto Lu Yu’s foot with the practiced ease of someone who had done this for years.

Lu Yu was caught off guard. When he thought to pull his foot away, Song Jianli had already put one shoe on for him.

“Jian-ge, I can do it myself,” Lu Yu hastily said as Song Jianli reached for the other shoe. He stretched out his hands to cup Song Jianli’s face.

Song Jianli’s skin was smooth, and Lu Yu’s palms felt slick against his cheeks.

His face was somewhat cool, but Lu Yu’s palms burned with heat, almost too hot to hold.

Song Jianli lifted his head and met Lu Yu’s gaze. The light in the infirmary was harsh and white, but his eyes held an unmistakable tenderness. He knelt before Lu Yu, almost reverent.

Whether intentional or not, he slightly tilted his head and brushed one cheek against Lu Yu’s hand.

Lu Yu’s heart fluttered in panic, his pulse quickening, and his hands immediately withdrew.

His heartbeat felt abnormal—how strange. Jian-ge.

“I’ll do it; it’ll be fine,” Song Jianli said, noticing the panic in Lu Yu’s eyes. A faint smile crossed his lips as he lowered his voice, gentle yet with a subtle depth, as if placing himself beneath Lu Yu.

His words slipped into Lu Yu’s ear, plucking an unnamed string.

As he spoke, Song Jianli bent down and finished putting the other shoe on.

Song Jianli’s figure was graceful—not muscular but certainly not frail. His blue and white school uniform carried an air of bespoke elegance; the uniform could not conceal his innate charisma.

Lu Yu quietly watched the halo above Song Jianli’s head, inexplicably feeling a pang of sadness.

This sadness came without reason, something he couldn’t explain.

Uncle Xu had been waiting at the school gate for a long time. Worried that Lu Yu hadn’t fully recovered, Song Jianli took Lu Yu’s hand and led him out, carrying Lu Yu’s medicine in the other hand.

The weather was scorching, and Lu Yu noticed a thin sheen of sweat clinging to Song Jianli’s neck.

Even between their linked hands, a layer of sweat separated them, but Song Jianli seemed oblivious.

“Jian-ge, it’s a bit hot,” Lu Yu murmured, tugging at Song Jianli’s sleeve with his free hand.

Only then did Song Jianli seem to realize, hesitating briefly before holding on tighter.

“It is a bit hot. I’ll ask Uncle Xu to turn down the air conditioning later,” Song Jianli said softly.

Lu Yu felt Song Jianli’s hand grip his even more firmly and tilted his head, letting out a puzzled breath, “Hey?”

Song Jianli lowered his head slightly to look at him and smiled, eyebrows arching. “What’s wrong?”

Alright.

Lu Yu decided it was just that Song Jianli was overly concerned about him.

“Nothing,” he shook his head.

As they spoke, they reached a luxury car parked outside the school gate. Uncle Xu stepped out of the driver’s seat and quickly took the items from Song Jianli’s hands. After seeing that they were medicines, he instinctively asked with concern, “Medicine? Young Master, are you hurt? Or is it Young Master Lu?”

Uncle Xu had worked for the Song family for over ten years and had seen Song Jianli and Lu Yu grow up together.

His concern was for both of them.

Song Jianli replied, “Not me. It’s Sang Sang.”

“Young Master Lu! Come, come, get in the car. Let’s go to the hospital for a check-up,” Uncle Xu urged, opening the rear door.

Song Jianli shielded Lu Yu’s head and helped him get inside first.

“Let’s go back to the villa and contact Doctor Wang to come over,” Song Jianli said calmly.

Uncle Xu paused, “Alright, Young Master.”

Though somewhat puzzled, Uncle Xu was just a servant without the right to question. Before Song Jianli, he had followed other wealthy young masters who never held such firm opinions, so he had no grounds to intervene.

Especially regarding anything about Young Master Lu, Song Jianli’s decisions were always deeply considered.

The two sat in the back seat. Lu Yu obediently fastened his seatbelt. Seeing both ready through the rearview mirror, Uncle Xu started the car and slowly backed out of the school.

“Hot?” Song Jianli asked, turning his head toward Lu Yu.

Lu Yu shook his head, his soft hair swaying, loose strands falling across his forehead. His bright eyes held a smile as he looked at Song Jianli. “Not hot.”

The air conditioner was on but not set too low, barely cooler than outside.

It wasn’t that Uncle Xu didn’t want to turn it down—after all, the city of Linqi was already scorching enough to dry up the riverbeds.

Years ago, Song Jianli had instructed that if Lu Yu was in the car with him, the air conditioning couldn’t be too cold.

Thinking this, Uncle Xu couldn’t help but glance at the two through the rearview mirror.

In his memory, Lu Yu had always been frail and skinny. The Lu family was respected in their circles. While not as wealthy as the Song family, they surely could afford to raise a child well.

He thought about Lu Linstar, the youngest son of the Lu family, who seemed well cared for, so why was Lu Yu so thin?

He had a daughter himself; if his child were this skinny, small, and frequently ill, he’d be heartbroken.

Though puzzled, Uncle Xu recognized it was a rich family’s private matter and had no reason to pry.

The car soon returned to the villa. Song Jianli got out, opened the door, and carefully helped Lu Yu down.

The housekeeper, Aunt Zhang, had apparently been waiting at the villa gate for a long time. Seeing the car arrive, she hurried over, concern evident before even assessing the situation. “Young Master, what happened to you?”

“Doctor Wang just arrived at the villa. You asked for him, right? Did you get hurt at school?” Aunt Zhang’s voice trembled, and her eyes anxiously scanned Song Jianli.

Song Jianli gave a reassuring smile and gently explained, “I’m fine. Sang Sang accidentally bumped his head today.”

“Is it Young Master Lu? How did he get hurt? Is it serious?” Aunt Zhang noticed Lu Yu standing behind Song Jianli.

Lu Yu was so small and thin that Song Jianli nearly shielded him completely.

“I’m okay now... Jian-ge thought it was best to have it checked again,” Lu Yu said shyly. “Sorry to trouble you.”

He was about to bow to Aunt Zhang, but Song Jianli took his hand. “There’s no trouble at all. Let’s go.”

They went inside first. Uncle Xu handed the medicine from the car to Aunt Zhang, who took it and stood next to him. Watching the two walk away, Aunt Zhang couldn’t help but say, “Young Master still hates it when Young Master Lu is polite to him.”

Uncle Xu scratched his head, puzzled. “How do you figure that?”

Song Jianli was a thoughtful person, rarely showing his emotions. If not for Aunt Zhang having raised him, she might not have noticed either.

Hearing Uncle Xu’s confusion, she shook her head helplessly and followed them into the villa.

Uncle Xu returned to the car and drove it into the garage.

—

Wang Yang had arrived shortly before them. He was the family doctor hired by the Song family for Song Jianli. Song Jianli rarely fell ill, so Wang Yang usually had a quiet schedule. But this afternoon, Uncle Xu had called him urgently.

He even declined a friendly mahjong game and took a taxi straight over.

Now, he was wiping sweat from his brow with a tissue.

When he saw people entering the villa, he sprang up from the sofa.

“Young Master Song, what’s going on?” He folded the tissue and put it in his shirt pocket.

Song Jianli took Lu Yu’s hand and brought him forward. “It’s not me, it’s Sang Sang. He accidentally bumped his head today. Can you take a look?”

“Young Master Lu, come, come sit down. Let me check,” Wang Yang said, inviting Lu Yu onto the sofa.

Lu Yu complied.

Wang Yang opened his medical kit and put on disposable gloves before asking, “How did you bump your head? Where exactly? Let me take a look first.”

Lu Yu described his symptoms honestly, concealing only what he couldn’t remember.

…

Half an hour later, Wang Yang removed his gloves and frowned at Song Jianli. “I’ve examined him. There’s no major issue. The bump is slightly swollen but no broken skin or hematoma. If you’re really worried, we can go to my clinic and do a more thorough examination with equipment. What do you think?”

Lu Yu on the sofa raised his head and looked intently at Song Jianli.

Song Jianli sighed. “No need. As long as you’re sure there’s nothing serious.”

“Prescribe him some medicine,” Song Jianli added.

Wang Yang nodded, “Alright.”

Only then did Lu Yu notice several people gathered around him; everyone in the villa wore the same expression—concern.

He was stunned and felt warmth he had never known before.

If only his own family could be like this.

Just as he was about to speak, his wristwatch suddenly vibrated slightly. He looked at his wrist, and his face went pale.

Song Jianli bent down and took hold of his hand, concern in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Lu Yu’s hand was icy cold. He met Song Jianli’s gaze, his eyebrows trembling as he hesitated, then said, “Mom’s back.”