Chapter 10: The Tenth Dimension 1/2

In the afternoon, Shi Zhang was originally helping students with their papers. After learning about Song Fuzhi’s illness, he put down his work. Although it was just a headache and not an urgent illness, Shi Zhang couldn’t help but feel his heart race. After ordering medicine online, he immediately drove to Song Fuzhi’s community.

Song Fuzhi only told him the name of the community; he didn’t mention the building or floor.

Adults naturally preserve some privacy, and Shi Zhang completely understood.

So when Shi Zhang parked his car across from Song Fuzhi’s community, he felt he was too impulsive.

Shi Zhang couldn’t explain what he wanted. Teacher Song was at home resting, and he had no right or position to take care of him.

Maybe he just wanted to be closer to him.

Shi Zhang looked in the direction of the community gate; he didn’t see Song Fuzhi, but he saw a young man.

He had to admit he looked good—handsome features, young, and stylish—enough to make a lasting impression after only one meeting.

Especially when he saw him publicly giving roses to Song Fuzhi.

The two men locked eyes across the narrow street, understanding each other’s identities in an instant.

The gazes from both sides were not friendly.

The young man stared at Shi Zhang without avoiding it, suddenly raised his eyebrows, smirked arrogantly, and seemed very provocative, with an air of certainty.

Shi Zhang nodded slightly as a greeting.

A silent confrontation.

In the end, the younger one couldn’t hold back, walked over with long strides, tapped on Shi Zhang’s car window, and looked sharp and challenging. “Sir, what are you doing here? Didn’t Brother Fuzhi tell you his door number?”

Shi Zhang didn’t answer; he just glanced at him lightly, asking, “He didn’t accept the medicine you sent?”

Qiao Xuyang instinctively hid the bag of medicine behind his back, feeling he was being too obvious.

Shi Zhang lightly uttered an “Oh” and turned his head back, looking calm and composed.

The more composed he appeared, the more uncertain Qiao Xuyang felt.

“Brother, don’t be too confident.” Qiao Xuyang quickly steadied himself and regained the pride of a young man. “Let’s wait and see.”

Leaving these words, Qiao Xuyang walked away.

Sitting in the car, Shi Zhang exhaled silently, slowly releasing the fist he had been clenching, his palms sweating lightly.

He appeared calm on the surface, but his blood vessels were pulsating rapidly, restraining himself.

Shi Zhang tensely flexed his muscles to prevent himself from rushing out of the car, using force to keep the young man away from Song Fuzhi.

With one hand on the steering wheel, he squinted his eyes, feeling speechless.

“Getting old and still behaving like a child, when someone tries to take something from him, he is ready to fight with others. Too impulsive, too abnormal.

Moreover, Song Fuzhi does not belong to him, and anyone has the right to pursue him. Song Fuzhi also has the freedom to choose anyone.

After a while, Zhang received a message from Song Fuzhi, a short voice message lasting only two seconds.

“I got the medicine; thank you, Professor Shi.”

An unadorned adult male voice, faint but like countless fine threads, gradually entangled Shi Zhang’s heart.

Shi Zhang brought the phone close to his ear and listened to it repeatedly.

He thought that, in fact, this “thank you” was already a luxury reward outside of his life.

Shi Zhang replied to Song Fuzhi in a gentle tone: “No need to thank me; go to sleep early; rest well.”

Song Fuzhi heard Shi Zhang telling him to “sleep early,” so he took the medicine, took a quick shower, and went to bed at nine o’clock in the evening.

The pain reliever was very effective, and the pain had become very faint before falling asleep.

Song Fuzhi slept soundly that night, woke up refreshed, and was in good spirits.

He and Shi Zhang confirmed a new meeting time, and the location was still at that Spanish restaurant.

The time was changed to the weekend, and Song Fuzhi was in a good mood, with no headaches and no work, so he had plenty of time.

So this time, Song Fuzhi used perfume, lightly spraying it on his neck twice, immediately creating a stylish Oriental ebony fragrance.

Just as he was about to leave, he received a call from Shi Zhang.

“Professor Song, sorry, I might be a little late.”

Song Fuzhi didn’t mind the fifteen minutes and said, “Okay, I just left; take your time.”

He didn’t ask why Shi Zhang was late, but Shi Zhang took the initiative to explain, “I’m accompanying an elderly person for dental care. The doctor said it would take a long time for this tooth, and I was afraid I might not make it on time, so I’m letting you know.”

“Okay, no hurry,” Song Fuzhi said, and after considering for a while whether it was appropriate, he asked, “Is it your father or mother?”

After a few seconds of silence, Shi Zhang answered, “Neither. It’s an old university professor from before, whose children are abroad. I’m helping to take care of the elderly.”

“Ah, the professor’s former professor.”

Originally, Shi Zhang thought he was taking his parents to see a doctor, but unexpectedly, it was an old teacher from before.

Song Fuzhi smiled and just told him to take his time and not rush.

Although he reserved fifteen minutes, Shi Zhang was still five minutes late.

It was clear that he came in a hurry, with moisture from the evening still on him and his hair slightly disheveled.

Shi Zhang touched his hair and said, “Sorry for the wait, Professor Song.”

Song Fuzhi said it was okay and casually asked, “Did the dental work go smoothly?”

“Smoothly, but there were too many people at the hospital. They waited for a long time. The professor kept saying it’s okay, unwilling to go, and said a lot.” Shi Zhang seemed a bit helpless. “The time was tight, so I sent him home after the dental work and came here a few minutes late.”

Professor Shi was very strict about time, and even being a few minutes late bothered him for quite a while.

Song Fuzhi smiled slightly, and with the first half of what he said, he also resonated deeply: “My mom doesn’t like going to the hospital either. Whenever she feels unwell, she wants my dad to check first. My dad urges her, and only then will she go see a doctor.”

“Same here,” Shi Zhang chuckled.

Song Fuzhi thought for a moment, still asking him, “How about your family? Are they all okay?”

Shi Zhang lowered his eyes slightly, making it hard to see his gaze, but his voice sounded shallow. “They’re relatively okay recently.”

It always felt like his voice carried a sense of distance, as if he didn’t want to talk much about family matters.

Song Fuzhi keenly sensed this and poured a half glass of red wine for Shi Zhang, saying softly, “I hope the elderly are all healthy.”

Shi Zhang thanked him softly and didn’t say anything else.

Once you pass the age of thirty, you bear many responsibilities that you didn’t realize when you were young. You start to care about the health of your elders, and when you can’t reach your parents, you feel anxious. When you receive an urgent call, you fear it’s about your parents.

After a long absence from home, seeing the white hair at the temples and new wrinkles on your parents’ faces makes you realize the cruel reality—they are visibly aging.

People in their twenties still act like children, needing reminders from their parents to eat and sleep. Most of them don’t have this awareness.