Chapter 125: Onset of Illness

Chapter 125: Onset of Illness

Just as Lu Wanshan couldn't understand why Lu Bing would suddenly run out, Duan Jiyang was equally clueless about his emotional outburst. He chased after him and grabbed Lu Bing's wrist, frowning as he asked, "What's wrong with you?!"

Lu Bing was so angry that even his fingertips were trembling. He shook off Duan Jiyang's grip and, panting heavily, asked, "What's wrong with me? You should rather ask yourself what's wrong with you. Didn't you say you didn't like Lu Yan? Didn't you say it wouldn't matter once you broke off the engagement? Why did you still sit together for dinner today?!"

On the surface, these were just trivial matters. What truly stung Lu Bing was the way Duan Jiyang kept looking at Lu Yan during the meal, with a subtle interest, an unnoticeable concern, perhaps something Duan Jiyang himself hadn't even realized.

Duan Jiyang nearly laughed in frustration. "Just because of this?"

Lu Bing looked at him coldly. "What else could it be?"

For the first dozen years of his life, Lu Bing had ignored Yang Qin and her son. But only now did he realize that this indifference was actually a deeper form of disgust. He hated how Yang Qin had taken his father away, and he also hated how Lu Yan wanted to share the little fatherly love he had. And now, even Duan Jiyang's attention was being shared.

He felt like an outsider, without a place to stand anywhere.

Duan Jiyang tried to suppress his anger. "Lu Bing, can you stop being unreasonable? I came here today to discuss our marriage. Your father just happened to invite me to stay for dinner. What are you really upset about?!"

When Lu Bing heard him mention the word 'marriage', his face paled for a moment. He turned his head away in panic. "I've already said it. I have no plans to get married now. There's no need for you to discuss it with them."

If Lu Bing was the one feeling cold earlier, now it was Duan Jiyang's turn. He looked at Lu Bing in disbelief, feeling a sense of absurdity that he had been played. "Not getting married? So you never intended to reconcile then?"

If there was no intention of reconciliation, then why had Lu Bing attended various events under the guise of being Duan Jiyang's boyfriend? Why had he used his connections and money to open a design studio and participate in fashion weeks?

Duan Jiyang's expression darkened instantly. "Lu Bing, have you been playing me all along?!"

Lu Bing stiffly defended himself, but his words sounded weak. "No."

"No?"

Duan Jiyang let out a self-mocking laugh. "Then why don't you want to marry me?"

Lu Bing couldn't find the words. He didn't want Duan Jiyang to know about his kidney failure; that was why he had gone abroad to avoid him for so many years. His lips trembled. "I... I have my reasons..."

Why couldn't Duan Jiyang understand him?

Duan Jiyang, at the peak of his anger, suddenly became calm. "What are your reasons? Tell me."

Lu Bing pursed his lips and turned his head. "Anyway, I haven't thought about marriage."

Upon hearing this, Duan Jiyang nodded expressionlessly, repeating the word 'good' several times. Whether out of spite or for some other reason, he took two steps back and slowly said, "Alright, since that's the case, there's no point in us talking anymore. Let's break up."

He turned around and started to leave. Seeing this, Lu Bing panicked and grabbed his wrist. "Jiyang, listen to me! I really have my reasons that I can't tell you. I... I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, perhaps due to his intense emotions, his face turned pale, and he collapsed, fainting. Duan Jiyang's expression changed, and he quickly lifted him from the ground. "Lu Bing?! Lu Bing?! What's wrong with you?!"

Lu Yan, crouching behind a tree, raised an eyebrow when he saw this. He wondered if Lu Bing was having a medical episode. Silently, he took out his phone and called an ambulance, feeling a strange unease about his own kidneys.

After Lu Bing fainted, he was rushed to the hospital. Lu Yan didn't follow; instead, he went straight home. It was a joke – what if they found out about his kidney failure on the spot? What if Lu Wanshan and Duan Jiyang forced him to undergo compatibility testing?!

Lu Yan felt that if he lost a brother who despised him, it wouldn't greatly affect his life. But if he lost a kidney, that would be another story. Every organ in the human body has its purpose, and the aftermath of such a loss is something only those who have donated would understand.

For the next week, Lu Yan was basically incommunicado with his family, not answering any calls. With nothing to do, he found a nicely decorated apartment near Tang Rufeng's university, bought some furniture, paid six months' rent upfront, and planned to have the other party move in.

"This is your new place?"

Tang Rufeng was unaware of Lu Yan's true intentions. When Lu Yan suddenly messaged him to go out for dinner today, Tang Rufeng didn't think much of it. But Lu Yan drove him directly to a residential area not far from the school, where the room was already fully furnished. The closet was filled with clothes with their tags still on, leading him to naturally assume that Lu Yan had moved into a new home.

Lu Yan sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, casually tossing the keys onto the table. With his eyes lazily closed, his handsome features were bathed in a soft glow under the light, making him appear dreamy and captivating. "It's not for me to move in, it's for you. Stay in this apartment for now; it'll be convenient for your studies. I've paid the rent for half a year. After you graduate, we can find a better place."

Tang Rufeng didn't expect the apartment to be for him. He glanced at the set of keys on the table and then at the floor-to-ceiling window behind the sofa, unsure of what he was thinking.

As evening approached and the sky grew darker, the clouds meeting the horizon were dyed a pinkish purple by the sunset's afterglow. Tall buildings surrounded them, neon lights flickering on one by one. Standing here, one could overlook the city's central night view, a constellation of lights, a myriad of prosperity.

The residential building where Tang Rufeng used to live had only a small, dilapidated window, perpetually in the shade, damp and musty. Throughout the year, the sun rarely shone through, and the windows were seldom opened. Outside, the scenery consisted of a crumbling wall and a dark alley filled with garbage bins, breeding insects and emitting a foul smell – a reflection of the dust-like lives of most people at the bottom of society.

Tang Rufeng snapped back to reality and stared at Lu Yan, asking, "Are you keeping me as a kept boy?"

His eyes, with more black than white, always gave the impression of piercing through one's thoughts when stared at, making it hard to lie without feeling uneasy.

Lu Yan raised his eyebrows slightly. "I've said it before, I don't keep lovers."

Tang Rufeng leaned closer to Lu Yan, their warm breaths mingling. Looking straight into the man's eyes, his eyelashes cast a shadow, stubbornly seeking an answer. "Then why are you giving me all this?"

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Yan provided an answer that wasn't quite an answer. "Supporting the future flower of the nation?"

College students, after all, would contribute to society after graduation. He was simply doing his part.

"Hmph."

Tang Rufeng curled the corner of his mouth, seemingly laughing, but it appeared more mocking than anything. He coolly retorted, "There are too many future flowers of the nation. Does Young Master Lu intend to support them all?"

He disliked the vague attitude of the man, even feeling a bit of inexplicable irritation. His emotions, which had been stagnant like a dead pool, finally stirred, but he didn't know whether it was for good or bad.

Lu Yan spoke lazily, his smile annoying. "Not necessarily. They have to be pleasing to my eye."

Tang Rufeng disliked the bland term 'pleasing to the eye.' It could apply to a cat on the street or a dog on the road, so common and impersonal. He spat out coldly, "But I don't want to live here."

When Lu Yan messaged Tang Rufeng last night to have dinner today, he had pulled an all-nighter to finish all his experimental data. He hadn't expected it to be about this.

After saying this, Tang Rufeng bent down to pick up his backpack on the sofa, preparing to return to school. However, his wrist tightened unexpectedly as Lu Yan pulled him back onto the sofa. The man leaned over him, pinning him in the corner, his voice low and seemingly confused. "Do you really want me to keep you as a kept boy?"

It was just a title. Regardless of whether it existed or not, he would still help Tang Rufeng. Why did the other party care so much, especially since the title wasn't particularly flattering.

Hearing this, Tang Rufeng frowned and muttered two words. "No, I don't!"

He pushed Lu Yan away and stood up from the sofa, a layer of frost covering his side profile. In a hurried tone, he said, "I didn't beg you to keep me. I will pay back the five hundred thousand!"

Seeing him about to leave, Lu Yan pulled him back again. This time, however, there was a slight deviation in direction, and Tang Rufeng accidentally fell into his arms.

The two of them were momentarily stunned, the air not only filled with silence but also the subtle ebb and flow of desire. Their thin clothes did little to shield their scorching body heat from each other.

Lu Qian regained his composure and smiled. He whispered close to Tang Rufeng's ear, half-serious, half-teasing, his voice seductive enough to make one's ears tingle: "A dog bites Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a good person..."

He had kindly rented an apartment for the other party, and this was how Tang Rufeng repaid him?

Tang Rufeng retorted, "Are you a good person?"

Lu Qian raised an eyebrow in amusement, "Where do I look like a bad person?"

Tang Rufeng didn't say anything. Suddenly, he reached out and cupped Lu Qian's face, as if seeking retribution, he bit down hard on his lips, the metallic taste of blood filling their mouths.

Lu Qian didn't dodge like he did last time; instead, he tightened his hold around Tang Rufeng's supple waist and returned the kiss with practiced ease. Their kisses always carried a strong sense of possessiveness, a desire that could hurt both when it surged, much like the swollen wounds on their lips.

Tang Rufeng's clumsy attempts at seduction made Lu Qian's throat tighten. He pushed him back onto the sofa, his voice hoarse as he asked, "You're really bold. Do you believe I won't have my way with you here?"

Tang Rufeng's originally pale lips now sported a vivid shade of red, an inexplicably alluring sight. He grabbed onto Lu Qian's collar, finding his fussiness annoying, his eyes narrowing coldly, "Only you are the coward."

Damn...

If Lu Qian held back any longer, he wouldn't be much of a man. Without bothering to enter the bedroom, he pulled Tang Rufeng's pants down to his knees, determined to teach him a lesson. Fortunately, the sofa was sturdy enough; otherwise, it might have collapsed under their fervor.

Tang Rufeng lay weakly on the sofa, able to see the orange sunset outside with just a turn of his head, as if the sky itself was about to ignite. He lazily narrowed his eyes, realizing that in the first twenty years of his life, he never had the time to stop and appreciate such scenery. His breathing quickened, his vision blurred, and he felt as if he were about to fall through the floor-to-ceiling windows, a mix of excitement and unease.

By the time they finished, the sky had turned completely dark, illuminated only by a few dim decorative lights in the living room.

Lu Qian carried Tang Rufeng, who was limp like mud, into the bathroom for a shower. The latter, like a beast that had sharpened its claws, no longer had the strength to struggle. Lazily, he buried his face in Lu Qian's neck, his body clinging tightly like a koala without a tail.

Lu Qian turned on the showerhead, letting the hot water pour over them. He steadied Tang Rufeng, who could barely stand, and looked at his lashes dampened by the steam, thinking with a hint of mockery: In theory, this was the first time for both him and Tang Rufeng, yet the first two times he was drunk. This time, he barely tasted the flavor of things. Such a young college student, with a great figure and handsome face, in full bloom of youth—if word got out, he wondered if he would be criticized for wasting a precious resource.

Clearing his hoarse throat, Lu Qian said, "Just stay here. I bought some clothes in your size for the wardrobe, feel free to wear them."

Tang Rufeng's temper came and went quickly. Hearing this, he responded indifferently, "I'll graduate soon, you don't need to renew the rent."

After graduation, he could earn his own money and wouldn't have to rely on Lu Qian all the time.

Lu Qian ruffled his wet hair, "We'll talk about it later."

In the mist, Tang Rufeng opened his eyes to look at him. Perhaps because he had been made to cry on the sofa earlier, his eyes were still red. "Will you stay tonight?"

Lu Qian smiled, "Do you want me to stay?"

Tang Rufeng, a man who could be melodramatic or not, depending on the situation, replied in a hoarse voice, "Stay."

Tang Rufeng pressed Lu Qian against the cool tile wall. Water droplets slid down from his jet-black hair, making his skin appear even more porcelain-like and delicate. Despite his aloof appearance, there was an indescribable allure to him at that moment. Lowering his voice, he said to Lu Qian, "On the first night in a new house, you have to warm the bed, haven't you heard?"

Lu Qian had indeed never heard of such a custom. He gently rubbed Tang Rufeng's swollen and broken lips, feeling as if he was kneading crushed petals. His tone was consistently playful, "We did it on the sofa earlier. According to you, does that mean we should do it again when we get back to the bed?"

Tang Rufeng simply replied, "It's up to you."

He seemed to have a high pain tolerance; most people would have cried and begged for mercy by now.

Lu Qian wasn't that beastly after all. After the shower, he and Tang Rufeng went to bed to sleep. This was truly their first time sharing a pillow, and their moods were somewhat peculiar.

Tang Rufeng was a good student. When going to bed, he didn't even play with his phone. Lying on the soft bed, he could see Lu Qian playing with his phone next to him. The night view from the floor-to-ceiling window seeped in, making everything feel dreamlike.

Lu Qian had just been chatting on WeChat. During this period, he deliberately avoided contacting anyone, registering a small account to exchange messages with Yang Qin. After Lu Bing fainted and was sent to the hospital, it was no surprise that she was diagnosed with kidney failure, and her condition wasn't looking good. Lu Wanshan immediately wanted Lu Qian to undergo compatibility testing. Thankfully, he had run away fast enough, or he would have been caught long ago.

How lucky.

Lu Qian pursed his lips, determined not to have any further contact with this foolish family, even telling Yang Qin to hide well and not show up.

Although Lu Qian had guessed the outcome from the beginning, hearing from Yang Qin that Lu Wanshan really intended to have him undergo compatibility testing chilled him for a moment. He couldn't possibly avoid the Lu family forever. With Duan Jiayang's power, finding him would be effortless. It was likely that this matter would eventually cause chaos, leaving everyone in a difficult position.

The night was tranquil, the neon lights outside lighting up one by one, dazzling yet empty and cold.

Lu Qian turned off his phone, grateful that he had someone by his side tonight. He lay down to sleep, but when he turned his head, he found Tang Rufeng staring at him, which amused him, "What are you looking at? Do I have flowers on my face?"

Tang Rufeng thought that although Lu Qian's face didn't have flowers, his expression looked pretty damn annoying, "You have something troubling you."

It was a statement, not a question.

Lu Qian didn't want to say too much; saying more would only upset him, "Everyone has troubles, nothing special. Let's sleep."

After speaking, he lay down, covered himself with the blanket, and slept alongside Tang Rufeng. In the middle of the night, Lu Qian was awakened by a sharp pain. Instinctively, he clutched his abdomen, thinking he might have eaten something bad. He fumbled to find a couple of painkillers from the bedside table, but the pain intensified, causing him to gasp for breath and break out in a cold sweat.

Tang Rufeng sensed something was wrong and instantly woke up from his slumber, frowning as he checked on him, "What's wrong?!"

Lu Qian, holding his stomach, his face pale, managed to utter a sentence, "Quick... call an ambulance..."