Chapter 40: Chapter 40 “Your Hair Is Gone.”…

Chapter 40

"Your hair is gone..."

Song Qinian: "..."

He didn't know how to comfort his son, who was upset about being too short.

Lu Zhishi was indeed a bit short. When he claimed to be five foot three, he was actually rounding up. He wasn't even five foot three—his fluffy little curls alone added two centimeters. Lu Zhishi became even more upset.

"Don't worry, you'll grow taller in the future," Song Qinian patted his head and comforted him gently.

Lu Zhishi started pacing the living room again, his voice full of grievance. "But everyone says I'm short..."

Why did they have to say that? They had to poke at his sore spot. Lu Zhishi felt hurt.

Poor little one. Song Qinian felt both heartache and amusement.

He loved his child dearly, but he couldn't force him to grow—using artificial methods to increase height wasn't good.

Song Qinian: "I'll make you some nourishing soup. Drink more, and you'll grow taller in six months to a year."

Lu Tingan chimed in: "Combining nutrition and exercise will help you grow faster. Next time your brother goes to the gym, you should go too. Don't slack off."

This little rascal was always lazy. He never liked exercising since he was young, so it was no wonder he was a bit short.

Lu Zhiyu, on the other hand, was always running around. Even when he was studying overseas, he was everywhere—climbing mountains and diving into seas, all on his own two feet.

At home, he often went out to play ball with friends, jumping around and stretching his muscles.

In his free time, he also exercised upstairs. Now, not only was he 180 cm tall, but he also had a few defined abs.

As for Lu Zhishi, he only had a big belly, and when you touched it, it was all soft to the touch.

Thinking about this, Lu Tingan could only sigh.

That night, back in their room, Lu Tingan told Song Qinian:

"He doesn't like drinking milk, and he's picky with food. He eats meat but not vegetables, and sometimes he doesn't even eat meat—he just eats snacks."

Lu Tingan could go on and on about this little rascal's bad habits.

Song Qinian rubbed his shoulders and said softly in his ear: "He's just a child. He hasn't grown up yet, so he's a bit picky. He'll be fine when he's older."

Lu Tingan frowned: "You're spoiling him..."

Song Qinian chuckled and deliberately leaned in closer to his ear: "It's my fault. I'll be stricter with him from now on."

Lu Tingan frowned more deeply and pursed his lips.

"You don't have to be that strict."

Song Qinian smiled right away, wrapping his arms around Lu Tingan's waist and leaning his forehead on his shoulder as he laughed: "As you wish."

In the next room, Lu Zhishi finished his second bowl of nourishing soup, went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face, and then measured himself again.

This time, he flattened his hair to get a more accurate measurement.

Two minutes later, Lu Zhishi left the measuring tape expressionlessly.

"Darn it, I'm even shorter. This tape measure is so inaccurate..."

Half a month passed before he knew it.

After drinking the nourishing soup for so long, Lu Zhishi found that not only had his height not increased, but it seemed like he'd gotten shorter.

"..."

Lu Zhishi suspected his little curly hair was causing trouble.

His height hadn't increased, but his last baby tooth had finally come out.

With a gap in his teeth, Lu Zhishi didn't want to talk much. He kept his mouth shut, appearing distant and cold. Those who didn't know might have thought he had changed his whole vibe.

"I lost a tooth, Brother," Lu Zhishi said. "People keep looking at me, so I don't want to talk."

His missing tooth was pretty obvious, and anyone paying attention would notice it.

When his classmates talked to him, they couldn't help looking at his mouth, which made Lu Zhishi feel really embarrassed.

Chi Chen pinched his cheek and asked him to open his mouth to check.

"Let me see."

Lu Zhishi hesitated for a moment before tilting his head back and opening his mouth. He lowered his eyelids, then raised them again, his eyes locked on Chi Chen's long eyelashes.

His eyelashes were really long and straight, and his eyes were so beautiful, with such a lovely shape...

His pupils were also beautiful—dark and clear, making you want to keep looking...

His skin was so fair and smooth, never gets tan, and he didn't even need moisturizer...

After getting a clear look at the new tooth, Chi Chen let go of his hand and looked up into those dazed, spaced-out eyes.

Their shape was round and full, the pupils clear and distinct, occasionally blinking, with long, slightly upturned lashes sweeping down and up.

Unconsciously, Chi Chen was momentarily stunned, unable to look away.

After a long moment, he turned his head away, reached out to cover Lu Zhishi's eyes, felt the lashes brush against his palm, then stood up to pour a glass of water and took a sip.

"Your new tooth is still growing. You need to avoid certain foods during this time."

"Okay, Brother Xiao Chen."

Chi Chen took a sip of warm water, then belatedly remembered and poured another glass for Lu Zhishi: "Have you finished your homework?"

"Yep, I'm free now."

Lu Zhishi had purposely finished his homework early and brought a small pot of cactus, having heard that cacti protect against blue light.

Chi Chen: "Then go practice the violin."

Lu Zhishi: "..."

Holding the violin and practicing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," Lu Zhishi looked confused and couldn't help but wonder:

How'd this happen? He had come here to play. Chi Chen hadn't done his homework either. He sat on the sofa, quietly listening to Lu Zhishi play the violin.

The violin Lu Zhishi played as a child was one Chi Chen had won in a competition—small and perfect for a kid to practice with.

Now that he’s grown, the violin in his hands has been replaced by a larger one, custom-made for him specifically by Song Qinian.

It’s a fine instrument, but the player’s skill isn’t quite up to par, making the sound a bit harsh.

Still, it’s tolerable, and he's improved somewhat compared to before.

After finishing his playing, Lu Zhishi looked expectantly at Chi Chen, hoping to hear some praise from him.

Chi Chen: "Not bad."

Lu Zhishi opened his mouth, hesitated, and stayed silent.

He couldn’t help asking, "Is that all?"

Chi Chen lowered his gaze, thought for a moment, and said, "Your technique's unique."

Lu Zhishi didn’t want to talk anymore.

Seeing him upset about his violin skills, Chi Chen got out the calligraphy set, saying, "Your brother mentioned your calligraphy is quite good."

Lu Zhishi’s face beamed, his confidence instantly restored. He set down the violin and hurried over.

"Don’t worry, my calligraphy is really good."

As a child, Lu Zhishi had practiced calligraphy often with Lu Zhiyu, and after years of practice, his calligraphy was still quite impressive.

He prepared the ink, dipped the brush, and began writing on the paper:

—"Wishing you peace and joy."

Below it, he signed his name, "Lu Zhishi," and even drew a plump Fat Cheese next to it.

Even after years of practice, his writing was neat but still carried a touch of youthful awkwardness, far from the elegance of an adult’s calligraphy.

Chi Chen lowered his eyes, his gaze lingering on the characters. After the ink dried, he carefully put it away, planning to frame it and hang it on the wall in a few days.

"Thank you, I like it very much."

But knowing that Chi Chen liked it was enough to make Lu Zhishi happy.

"As long as Brother Xiao Chen likes it," Lu Zhishi said, sidling up close again.

As he drew near, Chi Chen checked how tall he was and found little change.

"Have you grown taller?"

After drinking nutritional soup for over half a month, he should have grown a bit—it couldn’t be that he hadn’t grown at all.

Lu Zhishi thought about how he’d actually shrunk a little and his spirits drooped completely.

"...I didn’t grow taller, I even got a bit shorter. It’s really strange!"

Chi Chen smiled faintly, lowered his gaze, and mussed his hair. "It’s only been half a month."

Lu Zhishi sighed. This topic was too depressing, so he quickly changed the subject.

"Brother, do you like the cactus I gave you?"

He went to get the cactus from the bedside table and brought it over for Chi Chen to see, poking the tiny spines on it.

"I picked it out specially—it’s the roundest cactus in the shop."

Chi Chen glanced down at it and nodded. "Yeah."

It was indeed very round, nestled in its small pot, chubby.

"The shop assistant said it’s very healthy and easy to care for," Lu Zhishi emphasized.

Chi Chen took another look. The green, spherical plant with its sturdy little spines did seem quite healthy.

Chi Chen, the plant killer: "Yeah, that’s good."

Lu Zhishi gave the cactus a bit of plant nutrient solution. "People online say it’s great for blocking blue light and radiation, and it’s easy to care for—perfect for someone who’s not good with plants."

Lu Zhishi, the green thumb: "If there’s anything you don’t know how to do, Brother, just ask me."

"...Mm." Chi Chen looked at the green sphere, frowning as if facing a difficult problem.

The weather was overcast that day, with wind blowing outside and dark skies. Lu Zhishi headed home before it started raining.

After seeing him off, Chi Chen returned to his room.

When he came out, he was holding a palm-sized cactus and headed to the study.

That evening, when Chi Yuehang brought his son some bone broth to nourish him, he noticed that, unusually, Chi Chen wasn’t studying or reviewing—instead, he was reading a book.

It was only when he got closer that he saw the title: *The Complete Guide to Cactus Care*.

Chi Yuehang: "?"

Back in his own room, he said to Bai Yansheng, "Why is he, a plant killer, trying to grow a cactus?"

"Probably a gift from Fat Cheese," Bai Yansheng said without looking up, focused on reviewing medical case files.

Chi Yuehang stroked his chin. "That explains it."

Usually, Chi Chen refused to grow flowers or vegetables, but whenever Fat Cheese asked, he was willing.

That boy...

The weather in City A was changeable—either it didn’t rain for ages, or it rained for days on end.

Dark clouds gathered, and a light drizzle fell incessantly. The wind carried the dampness indoors, filling the air with the scent of rain.

Lu Zhishi breathed in.

The rain’s fragrance reminded him of his childhood in the small village, sitting on a little stool under the eaves, watching the raindrops fall from the corners, the air smelling just like this.

It was fresh, the scent of nature—soothing, and Lu Zhishi loved it.

But when the rain grew heavier, the mist would soak his clothes.

Those moments were always cold, his clothes old and thin, wrapping around the young insecurity. Lu Zhishi had mixed feelings about rainy days.

"What are you just spacing out about? Come inside quickly, don’t get your clothes wet."

Song Qinian, who was passing by, tapped his head. The little guy was just gazing outside—except for the rainy scene, there was nothing special.

Lu Zhishi came back to his senses and followed behind him like a sticky little shadow.

Song Qinian chuckled, "Aren't you a bit old for that, still so clingy?"

"No matter how old I get, I'll always be your Fat Cheese," Lu Zhishi said sweetly, snuggling closer as they washed fruits together.

"Such a sticky one."

"Dad, you're so good to me. It's really great being your son." Lu Zhishi meant it—being the child of Song Qinian and Lu Tingan was truly wonderful.

He had no idea what good deeds he'd done in his past life that brought him to the Lu family. The hardships of the past made the present all the sweeter.

Song Qinian replied, "Fat Cheese, we're pretty lucky to be your dads too."

Hearing this, Lu Zhishi nearly teared up. He mumbled softly without saying anything, just working even harder.

After clinging to his big dad, he went to cling to his little dad, and finally to his brother.

Lu Tingan asked Song Qinian beside him, "Has Fat Cheese been having nightmares lately?"

Song Qinian thought for a moment. "Not really. He hasn’t mentioned anything."

If he really had a nightmare, he would’ve definitely come whining to them—the little one couldn’t keep anything to himself.

Lu Tingan nodded, agreeing. That kid wore his heart on his sleeve, innocent and direct.

Glancing at the soup simmering in the kitchen, Song Qinian called upstairs.

"Stinky Cheese! Come down for some soup!"

The sound of hurried footsteps approached, followed by Lu Zhishi’s displeased voice, tinged with a hint of complaint.

"Stinky Dad, why are you calling me Stinky Cheese again? Just this noon, you said I was Sweet Cheese."

"I called you Sticky Cheese at noon. You heard wrong."

"Then why call me Stinky Cheese? I’ve been behaving so well lately, I haven’t done anything."

Lu Zhishi held a bowl of steaming bone broth, blowing on it before taking a small sip.

"I even helped with chores."

Song Qinian couldn’t help but retort, "What help? More like more trouble than help."

He’d asked him to help the robotic vacuum mop the floor, but instead, the kid ended up playing with it, leaving the floor half wet and half dry.

Song Qinian was tempted to grab a feather duster and teach him a lesson.

Lu Zhishi grew sheepish, lowering his eyes to drink his soup without another word.

"Drink up. After this, bring a bowl to your brother."

Song Qinian turned and saw him moving slowly. "Hurry up and drink it while it’s hot. It loses its effect once it cools."

For the sake of reaching 180 cm (about 5'11") someday, Lu Zhishi had no choice but to blow on it and take small, quick sips. By the time he finished, his tongue was warm, but his body felt warm and cozy.

In weather like this, a bowl of hot soup was just the thing to warm you up.

After washing the bowl, Lu Zhishi carried another bowl of hot soup upstairs to Lu Zhiyu’s room.

"Brother, have some soup."

"Just leave it there. I’ll drink it later."

Lu Zhishi shook his head. "No, Dad said to drink it while it’s hot."

Lu Zhiyu had no choice. He put down his pen, took the bowl, blew on it, and drank it in small sips.

Hot and perfect for warming up.

He patted the spot beside him for Lu Zhishi to sit. "Are the dads still downstairs?"

"Yeah, they’re having soup too."

When making soup, they always prepared several portions, each tailored to their different needs.

Lu Zhiyu, with his heavy academic load, got a specially prepared bone broth—rich, flavorful, and nutritious.

Lu Tingan, who had neglected his health during his younger years focused on acting, now received nourishing soups to replenish his body. Song Qinian had been using food therapy to restore his health for a while.

As for Lu Zhishi, he got a height-boosting herbal soup—nutritious but not excessive, with its main purpose being to help him grow taller.

When Song Qinian offered him some bone broth, he refused, worried it might interfere with the herbal soup’s effects. It annoyed Song Qinian so much he felt like giving the kid a spanking.

Under his younger brother’s watchful eye, Lu Zhiyu finished the soup while it was still hot, set the bowl aside to take down later, and said, "Rest early. Don’t let yourself get cold at night, and close the window properly."

"Got it. You should rest early too. Don’t stay up too late."

Lu Zhishi took the bowl downstairs, said goodnight to his dads, then returned to Lu Zhiyu’s room to nag him a bit more.

"...Make sure to sleep early and take care of your health."

"Got it, you little worrywart." Lu Zhiyu ruffled his hair and watched him head back to his room. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, brother."

After washing up, Lu Zhishi got into bed, checked his phone for a while, and replied to some messages.

The wind blowing on him felt chilly, and he finally remembered to close the window. The air outside was fresh, and Lu Zhishi was a bit reluctant to shut it.

But afraid of catching a cold and facing Song Qinian’s wrath, Lu Zhishi took a moment by the window to enjoy the rain-scented air before finally closing it.

The hot soup worked wonders. Before bed, Lu Zhishi still felt warm and cozy, though later he started feeling a bit cold.

In the middle of the night, half-asleep, Lu Zhishi opened his eyes drowsily, his eyelids heavy.

When he woke up in the morning, Lu Zhishi knew he was done for.

The family doctor came, administered an IV drip, and placed a fever-reducing patch on Lu Zhishi’s forehead, carefully explaining the precautions.

Song Qinian saw the doctor out and returned with a bowl of light vegetable porridge, standing by the bed and staring at him motionlessly.

Lu Tingan poked him in the side, and Song Qinian’s expression softened slightly, though his smile didn't reach his eyes.

It was kind of scary.

Feeling the pressure, Lu Zhishi shrank further under the covers, hiding his body and leaving only his head exposed for air.

Look at his pitiful state, cheeks burning red, looking worn out, eyes down, too timid to meet anyone’s gaze, with a pale blue fever-reducing patch stuck to his forehead.

Song Qinian said irritably, "Will you still go out in the wind and rain next time?"

"No, I won’t, I won’t." Lu Zhishi shook his head right away, but the motion made him even dizzier, and he sank even deeper into lethargy.

"Stinky Cheese, if it weren’t for your cold, I’d give you a beating..." Song Qinian held back his temper, turning up the thermostat a bit.

Lu Zhishi listlessly propped himself up and drank his breakfast meal with the hand that wasn’t with an IV, then lay back down to rest.

Lu Tingan touched his face, feeling its warmth, and Lu Zhishi instinctively nuzzled against it, rubbing his cheek against it.

"Be good and rest well." Lu Tingan bent down, tucking the blankets around him. "Don’t kick the blankets off, or you’ll need another IV."

Lu Zhishi murmured a drowsy "Mm," his eyes closed, breathing labored.

Gently closing the door, Song Qinian said, "He said he was only out for a little while yesterday, but I bet it was over an hour."

Lu Tingan said softly, "It might also be because he didn’t blow-dry his hair after showering last night, and the rainy weather made it cold."

Song Qinian pursed his lips, not saying a word. This kid was so annoying, always causing worry since he was little.

Lu Zhishi didn’t have any major illnesses as a child, just minor sicknesses. He’d be a tiny, fussing bundle in his swaddle, with teary eyelashes, closed eyes, and flushed cheeks.

Song Qinian would carry him, walking back and forth in the room, comforting him softly, staying up worried all night, but thankfully nothing serious ever happened.

Raised with careful attention, he grew up active and full of energy. While he did get sick occasionally, it wasn’t often.

As long as the little one stayed healthy and was cautious daily, there usually weren’t any problems.

Sometimes Song Qinian wondered if he’d coddled the child too much, making Lu Zhishi’s immune system so weak.

A little exposure to wind or rain would lead to a fever or cold; chilly weather would do the same. Song Qinian and Lu Tingan were always worrying.

"Calling him Lazy Cheese is spot-on," Song Qinian said irritably. "Little troublemaker—I’ve never seen a more rowdy kid."

"Now look, he’s got a high fever and won’t be better for at least a week." Song Qinian returned to the room, sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to Lu Tingan, seething. "He’d just started putting on a little weight, and now it’s gone."

"Alright, he’s still feverish, don’t be hard on him." Lu Tingan knew he was just overly worried, so he fetched clothes for him to change into.

"Hurry up and change, then head to work. You have a meeting at ten."

Lu Tingan had looked at his schedule—there was a lot going on at the company. One person staying home was enough.

Reluctantly, Song Qinian changed clothes, took a look at his unruly kid in his room, then drove to work in the rain, his tall, broad figure radiating resentment of having to work.

Lu Zhishi was oblivious to the outside noise; he was completely wrapped up in his misery.

Song Qinian blamed the wind for his cold, but upon reflection, Lu Zhishi thought that might not be it.

Around noon, he’d been running a slight fever, but not enough to be a high fever, and it had gone down by the afternoon.

Maybe it was because his hair wasn’t dry at night.

In his groggy state, Lu Zhishi thought it was his fault for having too much hair—drying it was such a chore.

At noon, Lu Zhiyu and Chi Chen came back specially to see their disobedient little brother, hurriedly ate, then returned to school.

Lu Zhishi slept deeply, didn’t even notice when the IV came out. He only woke briefly to drink a few mouthfuls of porridge before falling back asleep.

The rain was heavy at noon, so Zhao Xiaoxing couldn’t come. He rushed over as soon as school ended in the afternoon, and upon seeing his good friend lying motionless in bed, almost broke down sobbing while holding Lu Zhishi.

Lu Zhishi was dizzy and annoyed, but warmth filled his heart.

In the evening, Bai Yansheng returned with his medical bag to check on his sick nephew and take his pulse.

Though he specialized in Western medicine, medical knowledge is interconnected, and he’d studied some traditional Chinese medicine as well.

"He hasn’t been sick much these past few years, right?"

Lu Tingan nodded. "Usually just minor issues that clear up with some cold medicine."

Bai Yansheng said, "That’s it then. Not getting sick often means this fever brought out all the accumulated minor ailments."

Some people seem healthy on the surface, with no major issues—just slight dizziness or low fevers that usually resolve on their own without medication.

But when people like this do get sick, it tends to be a serious illness that takes at least ten days to half a month to recover from.

"Once Fat Cheese is better, take him out for more exercise and walks."

Bai Yansheng reviewed the case notes and prescription from the family doctor at noon and provided some topical medication to help reduce the fever.

"I’ll have to talk to him later—he shouldn’t take his health for granted just because he’s young." With just a pulse check, Bai Yansheng could tell what shape the child was in.

Lu Tingan rubbed his temples and said coolly, "Once he’s recovered, his father can take him to shave his head."

Bai Yansheng chuckled, patting his friend’s shoulder, and left some medicine behind.

He asked Chi Chen, "Xiao Chen, do you want to come back with me?"

Chi Chen lowered his gaze, looking at the pale, weak face peeking out from under the blankets.

Pursing his lips, Chi Chen said softly, "I’ll stay here a bit longer."

Bai Yansheng didn’t press, used to it. "Alright."

"It’s raining outside—Xiao Chen, you can stay the night. Your clothes are still here." Lu Tingan invited him to stay over.

Chi Chen hesitated but, after a glance at the feverish, sleeping Lu Zhishi, nodded and stayed.

After his evening shower, Chi Chen carefully dried his hair and went to check on Lu Zhishi.

When he entered, Lu Zhishi was already awake but drowsy, his eyelids half-open.

Weak and aching from the high fever, Lu Zhishi couldn’t even sit up.

He was thirsty, but his voice was so hoarse that what came out was a raspy cry: "...Is anyone there?"

"Help..."

"Quack..."

When Chi Chen entered, he thought he’d misheard, frowning as he looked around, unsure where the duck-like sound was coming from.

Finally approaching the bedside, he saw Lu Zhishi’s mouth moving, producing strange noises.

Chi Chen: "..."

No idea what he was saying—couldn’t understand a word.

Leaning in to listen, Chi Chen heard he wanted water and quickly poured a cup of warm water and helped him drink it, also making sure he took his medicine.

"Brother?" After drinking the water, Lu Zhishi felt slightly better and opened his eyes to look at the person in front of him.

Chi Chen hummed in response, sitting by the bedside and reaching out to touch his forehead. He asked: "Anywhere else uncomfortable?"

"Dizzy..." Lu Zhishi frowned in discomfort.

"Make sure to dry your hair after washing it from now on."

"...I know I was wrong." Lu Zhishi looked dejected, immediately obediently admitting his mistake upon seeing Chi Chen's stern expression.

"If you keep this up, you'll lose your hair."

Lu Zhishi: "?"

Who's losing their hair? he wondered.

Chi Chen added, "You'll go bald."

Lu Zhishi: "..."

As if startled from his deathbed, he jolted upright, felt his fluffy hair, and wailed.

"Medicine! Medicine! Don't shave my head! I don't want to be bald Cheese!"