Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Haste Makes Waste….

Chapter 59. Good things take time.…

Chi Chen's face remained impassive. As usual, he calmly stated, "The Talisman for Recovery from All Illnesses."

Lu Zhishi froze, noodles half-chewed in his mouth, only snapping back to reality when Lu Zhiyu patted his head.

He heard Lu Zhiyu say, "Brother Xiao Chen is so good to you. From now on, you must treat him like your own brother, understand?"

Chi Chen: "..."

He cast a fleeting glance at Lu Zhiyu, his eyes subtly flickering, but ultimately lowered his head, saying nothing.

Lu Zhishi scratched his cheek, spooned a mouthful of chicken noodle soup into his mouth, mumbling a response while casting a furtive, slightly guilty glance at his annoying brother.

Chi Chen had to leave for work before Lu Zhishi finished his chicken noodle soup, promising only to return that evening.

Lu Zhiyu followed him downstairs, packing two portions of sushi for him to take to the office.

"You came over without lunch, didn't you?"

"I ate," Chi Chen replied, accepting the package.

"You had two cups of coffee, right? I know you—always so engrossed in work you forget to eat, starving yourself all day."

Chi Chen chuckled. "It's not that exaggerated."

Lu Zhiyu patted his shoulder. "Remember to eat when you get back to the office. Going hungry isn't good."

"Understood." Chi Chen picked up the food container and headed out. "No need to see me off; you can go back."

"Alright."

Lu Zhiyu saw him to the door, waited until the car was out of sight, closed the door, and went upstairs.

He checked on Lu Zhishi, saw him looking energetic, then closed the door again and went to his study to work.

Lu Zhishi had slept soundly both morning and noon, so he was full of energy, sitting cross-legged on the thick, soft carpet, doing his homework.

At three in the afternoon, the family doctor arrived to give Lu Zhishi a nebulizer treatment. An IV nutrient drip was scheduled for the evening.

The weather outside was gloomy—overcast, neither raining nor snowing, with a biting cold wind whistling.

That evening, Song Qinian cooked, specially preparing a light, nutritious meal for Lu Zhishi. After eating, his stomach was full, but his taste buds felt dull.

After dinner and a bath, Chi Chen came to check on him and stayed for a while during his IV drip.

"It's going to get colder tomorrow; remember to wear more layers."

"Brother Xiao Chen, you too—stay warm," Lu Zhishi nodded.

As the New Year approached, Chi Chen had many commitments. He visited Lu Zhishi, stayed for a while, then had to return to work.

By the time Lu Zhishi finished his nutrient drip, it was already nine. With class the next day, he washed up and went to bed early.

Perhaps it was the Talisman for Recovery from All Illnesses Chi Chen gave him, or maybe the nutrient drip was effective, but Lu Zhishi felt fine all the way until the New Year break.

He had a few more nebulizer treatments during that time, and his cough wasn’t as severe as before, gradually improving.

High school seniors essentially have no holidays. Lu Zhishi only got two days off before New Year’s Eve and had to return to school on the fifth day of the lunar New Year for extra classes.

This winter break, he didn’t go anywhere. Apart from two trips out for New Year visits to relatives and to see the sick Zhao Xiaoxing, he stayed home studying.

Zhao Xiaoxing had gone out to watch the fireworks show on New Year’s Eve and promptly caught a cold the next day. After a few days of hospital injections, he was now curled up sickly in bed, video-calling Lu Zhishi.

"School starts tomorrow—let’s go eat wontons. I really want some."

Zhao Xiaoxing couldn’t help but swallow, picked up some hot water nearby, and took a few sips to curb his craving.

Without looking up, Lu Zhishi said, "Still thinking about wontons? Believe me, the moment you step out of school, Brother Xiaoyun will drag you to the hospital for an IV drip."

"And tomorrow night, we have extra classes until nine." Lu Zhishi flipped a page of his test paper, sent the answers to Zhao Xiaoxing, Lan Lan, and Xi Yue, and said while looking at the video:

"But you might not have to go to extra classes."

Zhao Xiaoxing got out of bed, pulled the test papers from his backpack, and started checking the answers. With a heavy nasal voice, he asked, "Why?"

"Listen to your nasal tone—Brother Xiaoyun will definitely ask for leave for you tomorrow afternoon and take you to the hospital for an IV drip."

"Not necessarily. I’m not that sick."

Lu Zhishi laughed. "Wanna bet? A taro bubble tea."

Zhao Xiaoxing gave him a look. "No bet. Still thinking about bubble tea? I’ll message your brother right now."

Someone who coughs all day still wants bubble tea?

Lu Zhishi quickly waved his hands. "No, no, I won’t drink it. Don’t tell my brother—if he finds out, I’ll get scolded."

"When your cough is better, I’ll treat you to ten cups," Zhao Xiaoxing said hoarsely.

"When your cold is better, I’ll treat you to hot pot."

"Deal."

The video call started veering off-topic; it was originally meant for studying.

Lu Zhishi pulled his focus back to the test questions and, over the internet, explained two sets of past exam papers to Zhao Xiaoxing. He also spent time reviewing key points for each subject, except foreign language.

Foreign language was Zhao Xiaoxing’s strong suit; Lu Zhishi still needed Zhao Xiaoxing to explain the key points to him.

The review lasted until evening. While Lu Zhishi was still buried in making mind maps, Zhao Qiyun’s voice came from the other end of the phone.

"On the phone with Fat Cheese?"

"Yeah, he’s helping me review key points."

"When you go to school tomorrow, bring him the fritillary bulb and loquat leaf candy from home." Rustling sounds occasionally came through, and Lu Zhishi heard him say, "Brother Xiao Yu bought it—drink it while it’s hot."

"What is this?"

"Chicken soup."

Hearing this, Lu Zhishi looked up at the screen. He could only see Zhao Xiaoxing’s enlarged face up close, his long, thick eyelashes blinking, his eyes clear and transparent—a beautiful amber color.

"Fat Cheese?"

Lu Zhiyu walked over to him, touched his forehead, and said, "What are you doing? I’ve been knocking for a while, and you didn’t answer."

Lu Zhishi jumped when he suddenly appeared beside him. After hearing what he said, he scratched his cheek sheepishly.

"No, I was just thinking about something and didn't notice."

Lu Zhishi couldn't possibly say he was counting Pang Xiaoxing's eyelashes, could he? That would be way too awkward.

"Here's some chicken soup, drink it while it's hot."

Lu Zhiyu set down the thermos he was carrying, pulled out a wet wipe to clean his hands, and glanced at the phone placed in front of Lu Zhishi.

"On a call with Pang Xiaoxing?"

A pale, fine-featured face filled the phone screen, with thick eyelashes like two little fans—long and lush. His irises were a beautiful amber color, similar to his brother's, though his eyes were rounder than Zhao Qiyun's, adding a touch of innocence.

As if hearing the noise from their side, those amber almond-shaped eyes glanced over and met Lu Zhiyu's gaze.

Lu Zhiyu curved his lips, giving him a faint smile.

The person on the other end clearly got flustered a bit—the camera shook suddenly and then went dark.

Lu Zhiyu was taken aback for a moment, then the smile on his lips deepened. Not wanting to disturb their studying, he shut the door and left.

Lu Zhishi watched him leave, then picked up a bowl of steaming chicken soup and took a small sip.

That little scaredy-cat—he'd just hung up the call. So Lu Zhishi called back.

The phone rang for half a minute before Zhao Xiaoxing finally answered, his cheeks slightly flushed—though it wasn’t obvious unless you looked closely.

"What are you afraid of? My brother didn’t even say anything."

"You don’t get it." Zhao Xiaoxing patted his flushed cheeks and sipped the chicken soup slowly.

"What do you mean I don’t get it? I do." Lu Zhishi retorted, "I’m just thicker-skinned. I seize every opportunity right away—the type who doesn’t hide even when shy."

That last part was a bit of an exaggeration, but what Lu Zhishi said before was true—he really was quite thick-skinned.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to cling to Chi Chen so much, following him around every day, stuck to him like glue.

As his dad said, how could you ever win someone over without a little thick skin?

Zhao Xiaoxing held the chicken soup, lost in thought.

The next day was the first day of school. Lu Zhishi got up early, made and ate breakfast, dressed warmly, and wrapped a beige scarf around half his face.

It was still early, so Lu Zhiyu drove him and Zhao Xiaoxing to school, dropping them off at the entrance.

"It’s cold out—don’t run around outside. Remember to eat your meals while they’re hot at lunch and in the afternoon."

After a few simple reminders, Lu Zhiyu turned the car around and headed to work. The black Maybach gradually drove out of sight.

Lu Zhishi withdrew his gaze, adjusted his mask, and headed to the classroom with Zhao Xiaoxing for morning self-study.

It was just the start of the semester, so the study atmosphere hadn’t yet returned to its serious, quiet state. Many students were still gathered together chatting and sharing fun stories from the New Year.

After greeting the classmates around them with "Happy New Year," Lu Zhishi sat down and was about to pull out wet wipes to clean his and Zhao Xiaoxing’s desks when Xi Yue from the desk behind said, "Lan Lan already cleaned them for you."

Lu Zhishi turned around, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "Thanks, Lan Lan."

Lan Lan smiled faintly. "You’re welcome."

Lu Zhishi pulled out a large box of chocolates from his backpack and gave half to them, saying, "Happy New Year."

"Lu Zhishi, share with everyone who’s here!" Lin Ke, sitting in the second group next to them, turned and smiled at him, her tone light and familiar.

"Of course, I brought plenty." Lu Zhishi pulled out another box of chocolates. "These are strawberry flavor—come and take some."

Nearby classmates happily came over and took a few pieces each.

Zhao Xiaoxing had brought milk cakes, which were great for staving off hunger when needed. He’d brought two large boxes and shared them with everyone.

As high school seniors, studying was the top priority. Throughout the morning break, classmates came over to ask questions, and Lu Zhishi handed out a few chocolates to each one.

Zhao Xiaoxing did the same—whoever came to ask a question got a few milk cakes. When they said "Happy New Year," he’d smile and reply, "Happy New Year."

They also gave some to their teachers, just like the other students did privately—all just snacks, not considered gifts.

A few teachers had young children still in kindergarten, so Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing gave them extra milk biscuits and snacks suitable for kids.

It was an old tradition at their school: on the first day of the semester, they’d start with a comprehensive review of last semester’s material.

Exams were scheduled for the next two days—practice tests created by the school—so students were expected to prepare and review on their own.

Lu Zhishi felt overwhelmed. By the end of the day, his energy was completely drained, and he was listless.

Zhao Xiaoxing left early after school ended in the afternoon—Zhao Qiyun picked him up for a follow-up hospital visit. Lu Zhishi went alone to eat at the off-campus villa before returning to the classroom for evening self-study.

The vast campus, combining both middle and high school sections, now had only the senior year building lit up from morning till night.

Evening self-study was still about reviewing and taking lessons. Lu Zhishi took notes for two people, writing swiftly. His already sharp handwriting became even more flamboyant, with strokes trailing off the page—just a glance made you worry the words might cut your hand.

The Chinese teacher walked down from the podium, passed his desk, glanced at his writing, and tapped his desk to gently remind him, "Don’t write so sharply during exams—the scanner won’t pick it up."

Lu Zhishi’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he nodded.

The teacher was referring to something that happened last semester, near final exam time. The school had issued a practice test.

Lu Zhishi spent too much time on the earlier questions, which made him rush through the essay. Writing quickly made his characters sharp.

During grading, the scanner almost couldn’t read it. Fortunately, it was a school-made test, so the teacher manually graded it separately.

The same thing happened with the foreign language essay later—neat and tidy at the beginning, but by the end, the writing became messy, sharp, and connected. The foreign language teacher’s eyes strained reading it, and after grading, she glanced at the name and couldn’t help but laugh in frustration.

After the teacher moved on, Lu Zhishi went back to scribbling notes rapidly. He figured Zhao Xiaoxing would understand—after all, he’d been reading his writing since they were kids.

The last class was math. As the class representative, Lu Zhishi went up to the podium to share and explain the mind map he’d made.

He didn’t have time to finish the notes for that class, so Lu Zhishi stayed late after school, finally leaving the classroom at 9:30 PM.

When he left, some students were still bent over their desks solving problems, the entire senior year building brightly lit.

Just as he reached the school gate, his phone rang—Lu Zhiyu was calling. "Still at school?"

"Just left. I’m at the school gate now."

"Alright. Brother Xiao Chen and I are at the usual parking spot."

Lu Zhishi jogged ahead a short distance and saw two tall, slender figures standing by the car. When they noticed him, they both looked up toward him.

Lu Zhiyu, wearing a beige-brown overcoat, stepped forward, took his backpack, and adjusted his scarf. "Did the teacher hold you back?"

"No, I just had some notes to finish up and wanted to get them done before heading home."

Lu Zhishi walked with Chi Chen toward the car. Chi Chen, in a dark gray coat, watched calmly as Lu Zhishi approached, opened the rear door for him to get in, and handed him the insulated container he was carrying.

"What is it?"

"Rock Sugar Snow Pear Soup." Chi Chen got into the passenger seat, fastened his seatbelt, and glanced up at the rearview mirror.

Lu Zhishi was already lowering his head to open the container, scooping a spoonful into his mouth. His face noticeably lit up.

Chi Chen’s lips curved almost imperceptibly before he looked away, focusing ahead.

"Brother Xiao Chen went to buy it. We'd thought you’d be out by nine."

Lu Zhiyu held the steering wheel, slowly turning the car toward home. He checked the rearview mirror. "Is it still warm?"

"Warm, just right. And very sweet."

"Eat it while it’s hot. It won’t be as effective once it cools." Lu Zhiyu looked away, eyes fixed ahead as he maintained a steady speed.

The snow pear soup wasn’t a large portion. By the time the Maybach pulled through the gates of the gated community, Lu Zhishi had just finished it.

"Brother, let’s stop by Aunt Zhao's place first. I need to give Pang Xiaoxing my notes."

With exams starting tomorrow, Zhao Xiaoxing would have to review the notes tonight.

"Got it." Lu Zhiyu turned the steering wheel toward the Zhao residence and parked at the villa’s entrance.

"Give them to me. I’ll bring them in." Lu Zhiyu stepped out, took the notes from him, and carried a thermos inside.

He returned shortly after, minus one thermos but plus one insulated container.

"Aunt Zhao gave us some chicken soup. Perfect—Dad also made bone soup tonight. You can have both." Lu Zhiyu set the container down, started the car again, and drove home.

It was almost ten by the time they arrived.

Chi Chen got out in the Lu family’s front yard. Lu Zhishi tugged him inside to have a bowl of bone soup before he went home through the small wooden gate between their yards.

Lu Tingan was in the living room working on documents. Song Qinian brought out some midnight snacks, urging him and Lu Zhiyu to eat while hot.

"What about me? This is too kind." Lu Zhiyu sat beside Lu Zhishi, took a bowl to ladle himself some soup, and ate a bowl of lean pork porridge.

"Stop joking around. Eat quickly, then wash up and go to bed. Don’t work too late."

Song Qinian filled a bowl with bone soup and brought it to the living room, persuading Lu Tingan to finish it.

Low voices drifted from the living room, but it was impossible to make out what they were saying. Lu Zhishi listened for a moment before ignoring it and focusing on his meal.

After finishing the porridge, Lu Zhiyu set down his chopsticks, stood up, cleared his bowl and utensils to the kitchen, washed them, and placed them in the dish sterilizer.

"I’m going upstairs to work. Once you finish, clean up your dishes and go back to your room to shower and sleep."

Lu Zhishi nodded. "Got it, Brother."

He ladled a bowl of bone soup and set it on the table, then continued eating. When Song Qinian returned with an empty bowl, he pointed to the soup. "Dad, this is for you."

"You didn’t have to save me any."

Since his son had already saved it, Song Qinian came over, drank it up, and took the empty bowl away.

After quickly finishing his midnight snack, Lu Zhishi cleared the dishes, washed them, placed them in the dish sterilizer, turned off the lights on the first floor, and followed his two dads upstairs to his room.

After showering and drying his hair, Lu Zhishi sat at his desk, picked up his charging phone, and saw a message from Zhao Xiaoxing.

Pang Xiaoxing: "I’m shocked. Your brother brought me a ginger-scallion sweet drink. I struggled to swallow it."

Pang Xiaoxing: "(Falls to the ground crying emoji)"

Lu Zhishi chuckled gleefully. "Medicine that works tastes bitter. Drink it quickly."

Zhao Xiaoxing sent a voice message in reply: "I drank half. My mouth is full of ginger and scallion flavor."

Lu Zhishi comforted him, "Medicine that works tastes bitter. Sweat it out, and your cold will get better."

After listening, Zhao Xiaoxing thought it made sense and gulped down the remaining half.

With exams the next day, Zhao Xiaoxing made the most of the time to review the notes, while Lu Zhishi also pulled extra hours reviewing key points, spending more time on foreign language.

Past midnight, Lu Zhiyu came to urge him to sleep, and Chi Chen also messaged asking why he was still awake.

His mind was already exhausted. Lu Zhishi put down his pen, turned off the light, and lay dizzily in bed. Sleepiness washed over him instantly, pulling him into a deep sleep.

After two days of mock exams, it was back to racing against the clock for test reviews, with teachers speeding up their pace.

Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing balanced reviewing all subjects while making time for contest prep classes, busy and overwhelmed every day.

Winter gave way to spring, temperatures gradually rising. Lu Zhishi swapped his puffer coat for sweaters and hoodies, joining Zhao Xiaoxing, Lan Lan, Xi Yue, and other competition class students for exams.

When the results came out, Lu Zhishi was still in foreign language class, while Zhao Xiaoxing secretly worked on math problems nearby.

Their homeroom teacher, barely containing her excitement and impatience, called the competition participants to the office as soon as class ended to check the results.

With so many people checking, the internet was slow. The loading icon spun for a long time before the page finally loaded.

As expected, Lu Zhishi, Zhao Xiaoxing, Lan Lan, and Xi Yue were on the list—first place.

Other students also received first place, while some got second or third. Mixed emotions of joy and disappointment mingled in the office that day.

Returning to their villa for dinner after school, Lu Zhishi called his two dads, wiping his eyes as he held back tears. "Dad, I made it. First place."

Song Qinian’s voice was steady and gentle. "Dad already knew. We always believed our Fat Cheese would get first place."

Lu Zhishi tugged at his sleeve, wiping his eyes again, his voice scratchy. "I also want to study at A University’s Department of Management."

"Sure, you can choose any major you like," Song Qinian said softly. "Don’t cry, Fat Cheese."

Lu Tingan added, "We’ll wait for you at home. Dad will make you something delicious. Don’t cry, dear Lu Zhishi."

After the competition results were out, Song Qinian took over Lu Zhishi’s college admission process, helping him submit the application materials.

Lu Zhishi could finally relax, no longer constantly tense, not even sleeping soundly.

Like other students on the early admission track, he went back to regular classes, but they no longer needed extra lessons.

Spring slipped away quietly, and the hot early summer arrived before they knew it. Lu Zhishi changed into a short-sleeved shirt, sitting in the air-conditioned classroom, helping classmates with questions.

In his spare time, he turned to look out the window. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering dappled patterns of light on the ground like a painting of summer highlights.

The windows were thin, and the faint buzzing of cicadas could be heard—the soundtrack of summer.

Five years ago today, was Chi Chen sitting here, also staring blankly at the leaves outside the window, too? Did he get distracted by the cicadas' chirping?

He kept talking about dating after graduation, but in reality, the closer graduation got, the more timid he became.

Lu Zhishi might seem thick-skinned, but in front of the person he likes, he’s also a coward.

Forget confessing or pursuing someone—he didn’t dare reveal even a hint of his feelings, afraid that if he got rejected, he wouldn’t even be able to call him "Brother Xiao Chen" without feeling awkward.

He was gradually beginning to understand why, in TV dramas, some people would rather stay friends for a lifetime than dare to say "I like you."

Compared to becoming lovers, Lu Zhishi was more afraid of the coldness and distance after rejection.

"Six Cheese, what’s wrong? You’ve seemed down lately."

A cool summer breeze with a touch of warmth brushed through his hair. Zhao Xiaoxing, carrying his backpack, walked side by side with Lu Zhishi along the school path, inching along with the crowd toward the school gate.

Lu Zhishi shook his head. "It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about the future."

Though he didn’t know what exactly Lu Zhishi was referring to, Zhao Xiaoxing patted his shoulder and said, "Take it one step at a time. Just go with the flow. I believe in how things are meant to be."

Lu Zhishi chuckled. "What if the arrangements aren’t so good?"

"Do your best and leave the rest to fate. If it doesn’t work out, it just means it wasn’t meant to be." Zhao Xiaoxing looked up seriously at the clouds in the blue sky and let out a soft sigh. He was speaking to himself: "Life can’t always go the way you want."

Lu Zhishi slung an arm over his shoulder and laughed. "You’re a terrible psychologist. Listening to you just makes me feel more down."

Zhao Xiaoxing laughed too. "My bad. Let me treat you to bubble tea to cheer you up."

Maybe because he'd been dwelling on things, Lu Zhishi woke up from a dream in the middle of the night, tears soaking his pillow.

The next day was the weekend. He went out to plant his cabbages with two big dark circles under his eyes.

Chi Chen, passing by on his way to work, glanced over and noticed his really obvious dark circles, frowning. "Didn’t sleep well last night?"

He remembered Lu Zhishi’s light had gone out early the night before.

"I had a nightmare and didn’t sleep well." Lu Zhishi lowered his eyelashes, his face pale and his voice weak.

Chi Chen reached into his pocket, quickly walked over, and placed two marshmallows in his hand. "Go back to sleep after you finish planting the cabbages." He glanced at his wristwatch and said to Lu Zhishi, "I’ll buy some calming incense for you this afternoon. Burn it before you go to sleep. If you’re still scared, call me."

Lu Zhishi wanted to say that the nightmares he had wouldn't be helped by calming incense.

But Chi Chen’s gentle, steady voice unconsciously calmed his heart—better than any incense.

It felt as though all his worries would be chased away by Chi Chen, leaving only happiness and joy behind.

After watching Chi Chen leave and seeing off Song Qinian, Lu Tingan, and Lu Zhiyu as they headed to work, Lu Zhishi squatted in his small vegetable patch for a while, lost in thought, then stood up and continued planting cabbages.

After showering and changing into pajamas, Lu Zhishi caught up on sleep, not waking until the afternoon.

Having skipped lunch, Lu Zhishi sneakily slipped downstairs and quickly ate the lunch from the lunch warmer, looking guilty.

Chi Chen came back from work and brought him a set of aromatherapy incense, along with a chestnut cake.

"Have something sweet, it'll make you feel better."

Lu Zhishi took it, then ran back home to bring out the big watermelon from the kitchen and carried it over to Chi Chen: "Brother Xiao Chen, here, for you to eat."

Chi Chen took it, lowered his gaze to look into his eyes, and said softly, "Thank you."

Lu Zhishi blinked, his lowered hand brushing against the bracelet on his wrist, touching the dangling red jade bead charm.

—May your wishes come true.

His father had taught him that haste makes waste; only by taking things slowly can one achieve their wishes.

Watching Chi Chen return home, Lu Zhishi stood by the small wooden door spaced out for a moment, then walked to the small vegetable garden and picked a cabbage.

He felt like having cabbage and tofu soup today.

From indoors, Lu Zhiyu's voice could be heard.

"Dad, have you seen the watermelon I left in the kitchen?"