Wu Chunhe was startled. He hadn’t expected a message from the man. 

The study… The young man couldn’t help but think of the half-finished book he’d seen on his first day here. He bit his lip, unable to resist the temptation, and replied: [I’ve eaten, thank you for your concern, Mr. Lu. I’ll go take a look now ^ ^] 

After sending it, he unconsciously added a small bear giving a heart emoji. 

Then, the other side replied with a simple “Mm.” 

Lu Guihong put away his phone. 

Xu Zilin, the assistant reporting next to him, slowed his speech. Lu Guihong looked up and saw Xu Zilin adjusting his glasses with his right hand, a knowing smile on his face. 

“Mr. Lu, was that Young Master Wu?” 

Xu Zilin had been with Lu Guihong since the beginning of his business, and although their relationship was that of superior and subordinate, they were also friends privately. 

Lu Guihong glanced at him coldly without saying anything. 

Xu Zilin wisely stopped, not daring to tease him further, and continued his report. 

… 

In the villa district, a black car drove into the courtyard. 

Lu Guihong didn’t return late this time; he drove himself back and gave Xu Zilin the night off. 

He sat in the driver’s seat, turned off the engine and lights, but didn’t get out immediately. Lu Guihong’s suit was worn casually, his collar open, revealing a gold watch on his wrist as he leaned lazily against the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the direction of the study in the villa. 

It was usually dark there, but now it was bathed in warm light. One could almost make out a slender figure, shadowy in the light. 

A touch of warmth seemed to have infused the cold, luxurious villa. 

Lu Guihong’s weary, indifferent eyebrows softened. 

He got out of the car and went inside, raising his hand to stop Cui Yi from greeting him, and went upstairs alone. 

Cui Yi watched the man go towards the study on the second floor, a smile unconsciously appearing on her face. She was happy. Mr. Lu was usually alone, busy with his career all these years, his personality becoming increasingly cold and autocratic. Now, if he had someone he cared for, it would warm his heart. And the young man from the arranged marriage seemed to get along well with Mr. Lu and was kinder to him. 

Lu Guihong was completely unaware of Cui Yi’s thoughts. He arrived at the study door; it wasn’t fully closed, and the warm light, incongruous with the rest of the house, spilled out slightly. 

Unlike his previous casualness, with only the marriage contract on his mind, this time, Lu Guihong’s mind was filled with the image of the young man’s face, which looked exceptionally pitiful whenever he lowered his head. 

Lu Guihong gently pushed open the door, almost silently. He glanced around and saw the young man by the window. 

Wu Chunhe was sitting in a rattan chair by the window, his back to the door, wearing a loose black robe. This seemed to be the first time the young man had worn black. His long hair was neatly combed to his chest, and the exposed section of his neck was as white as snow. 

Lu Guihong frowned subconsciously at the young man’s slender figure and thin clothing. 

Lu Guihong walked over; the study was carpeted for quiet, making his footsteps almost inaudible. 

As he approached, a large shadow suddenly fell over the book Wu Chunhe was reading. The young man, engrossed in his reading, was startled by the shadow and instinctively looked up. Seeing the man, he exclaimed in surprise, “Mr. Lu? How did you walk without making a sound…” 

Confusion appeared on Wu Chunhe’s face. Lu Guihong, his face stern, took the book from his hand. “You were too engrossed in your reading.” 

Wu Chunhe’s book was easily taken away. He looked up at the man in confusion. Lu Guihong looked down at the young man’s clear eyes and said, “Read after dinner.” 

Then, noticing the young man’s thin robe, he frowned again. “And don’t sit by the window dressed so lightly.” 

Wu Chunhe blinked, his long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, incredibly beautiful. 

Seeing the serious expression on Mr. Lu’s usually cold face, he thought, So Mr. Lu can be so considerate. Wu Chunhe obediently stood up. 

But possibly because he had been sitting for too long, his legs were stiff. He took a step and almost fell. 

In that split second, a gust of cold air surrounded the young man. When Wu Chunhe reacted, half his body was already in the man’s arms, which felt rather hard. 

Wu Chunhe looked up. The man was very tall, half a head taller than him. He could only see the man’s tense jawline and the Adam’s apple moving with his deep breaths. 

The young man reacted slowly and felt uncomfortable, trying to push him away. 

“Hiss…!” 

Wu Chunhe used the man’s strong arm to push himself away, but the man subconsciously tightened his grip around the young man’s waist before realizing it and letting go. 

Although he released his grip, the force was transmitted through the thin fabric to the young man’s skin. 

The pained gasp was unusually clear in the quiet study. 

Lu Guihong snapped out of the moment of soft touch, his eyes narrowed as he looked at the young man whose face was contorted in pain. 

His gaze fell on the hand covering the young man’s waist, and Wu Chunhe had a bad feeling about the man’s expression. 

The next second, the robe was lifted. 

Bruises met the man’s eyes.  

In the villa’s guest room. 

The luxurious chandelier emitted a soft light, illuminating everything in the room. The exquisite furniture and gold-inlaid decorations reflected dazzling colors, but the atmosphere was tense and cold. 

The young man sat on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket. His robe was lifted, revealing a large expanse of skin on his back. The skin, bathed in the light, was white as jade, but dotted with bruises, shocking to the eye. 

A private doctor was examining the bruises. 

Wu Chunhe buried most of his face in the blanket, curled up into a ball. The intimidating gaze from behind made him stare at the blanket, not daring to speak, his trembling eyelashes showing his nervousness and apprehension. 

Lu Guihong stood by the bed, staring at the young man’s back without saying a word. 

Dr. Bai took off his glasses and turned to the man who stood like a statue, saying helplessly, “Lao Lu, if you don’t let me touch him, how am I supposed to know how serious it is?” 

Bai Yuanzhong had known Lu Guihong for five years. Because of his outgoing personality, he ignored the man’s cold face and forcefully inserted himself into the circle of Lu’s friends. 

Lu Guihong glanced at him, then at the pale, delicate young man. He walked over, pulled the young man’s clothes down to cover him, his expression impassive, his voice low and meaningful. “Just touching him makes him wince for five minutes. If you go poking around, I don’t think he’ll be able to sleep.” 

Wu Chunhe stiffened, hugging the blanket tighter, his long hair cascading down as he lowered his head further, his face hidden. 

Bai Yuanzhong looked at the young man, then at the man with his arms crossed, and couldn’t help but facepalm. “Don’t say that, don’t scare him.” 

Bai Yuanzhong got up, took out paper and pen from his medical kit, started writing a prescription, then looked at Lu Guihong and instructed, “Just use the ointment he’s been using for the bruises, twice a day. If it hurts, buy some painkillers. Then I’ll prescribe some tonics for him to drink; he’s too weak.” 

As he spoke, Bai Yuanzhong digressed, “And Lao Lu, since he’s staying at your house, you should show some concern. You’re fine sleeping on a hard bed, but the young master is suffering…” 

Bai Yuanzhong launched into a long, earnest lecture. Perhaps it was a common trait of doctors. 

Wu Chunhe listened with pricked ears, becoming more and more apprehensive. He bit his lip, slowly turning to face them, and said softly, “No…” 

His voice was very soft, but it made Bai Yuanzhong stop talking. 

Both of them looked over. Wu Chunhe hugged the blanket, his pale face looking at Bai Yuanzhong, his voice thin, explaining, “I’m too delicate; it has nothing to do with the bed.” 

And nothing to do with Mr. Lu. 

Wu Chunhe nervously glanced at Lu Guihong, who was standing beside them with a cold face. Is he still angry? 

Wu Chunhe hadn’t expected his bruises to be discovered in such a situation. 

He still remembered the man’s instant darkening expression. 

He had caused trouble for the man, causing trouble since arriving at Lu’s house. 

The young man lowered his head again, revealing his slender, white neck, like a fragile little lamb. 

The young man was indeed fragile, so fragile that just one night on a slightly hard bed caused bruises to appear on his skin. 

This made Lu Guihong realize for the first time just how delicate the pampered young master of the Wu family was, as he had heard before the marriage. 

Lu Guihong looked at the young man, his dark eyes deep. He closed his eyes, then looked at Bai Yuanzhong and said, “Are you done with the prescription? You can leave once you’re finished.” 

Bai Yuanzhong couldn’t afford to offend him. After finishing the prescription and leaving it behind, he said goodbye to the young man and slipped away under the man’s gaze. 

The room fell silent again, the air thick with a heavy, ambiguous atmosphere. 

Until Cui Yi came upstairs and broke the strange atmosphere. Cui Yi knocked on the door, her muffled voice coming from outside, “Mr. Lu, Young Master Wu, come downstairs and eat something. I’ve reheated dinner.” 

Wu Chunhe looked up at the man. Lu Guihong had already taken off his suit; his shirt sleeves were casually rolled up, his forearm muscles clearly defined and powerful. He was looking at the prescription, his expression unreadable in the light. 

It had been two hours since they had left the study, and they hadn’t eaten dinner yet. 

Probably hearing no response, Cui Yi said again, “Mr. Lu, Young Master Wu can’t skip dinner. He needs to drink medicine to adjust his body…” 

This sounded like Bai Yuanzhong’s concern; before leaving, he had given the prescription and medicinal herbs to Cui Yi. 

Lu Guihong looked at the young man, and the young man, caught sneaking a peek, hurriedly looked away. 

Cui Yi frowned worriedly outside the door. Just as she was about to say something else, the door opened. 

Lu Guihong came out with a stern face, followed by the young man, who was walking cautiously behind him. 

Wu Chunhe gave a reassuring smile to Cui Yi, who was stunned beside the door. 

Cui Yi watched the young man and the man go downstairs and sighed, then went to prepare the medicine. 

Cui Yi prepared a new pot of lean meat and vegetable porridge for the young man, along with some light dishes. It was late, so porridge was easier to digest. Wu Chunhe quietly drank it, lowering his head and not speaking. 

She heard the man put down his chopsticks after eating barely a few mouthfuls and start a phone call. His voice was cold and sharp, instructing someone to deliver a new mattress overnight.