How could a Puppy-like Boy Ever Have Any Bad Intentions? - Chapter 12

The large room was filled with soft light. On a wide white wall hung an oil painting of a man.

The man in the painting was straddling a chair, wearing a black blindfold that covered half of his exquisite face. His hands were restrained by a stethoscope, and a half-off white lab coat hung from the crook of his elbows, revealing a black shirt underneath. Perhaps due to discomfort, his slender, pale neck was tilted back slightly, like a white swan. The contrast between his cold, white skin and the black shirt offered a powerful visual impact.

This painting was enclosed in an elaborate frame, making the beautiful man look like a caged bird that had been kept in captivity.

On the adjacent half of the wall, the space was covered in photographs. There were shots of this man in a white coat as if during a consultation, side profiles of him picking out items while shopping, and scenes of him teaching in a classroom. The only thing that changed was the man himself—from the slightly green, repressed look of four years ago to his current gentle maturity. He was like a peach, growing sweeter and more fragrant with time.

This room, overflowing with voyeuristic desire, was like an enchanting net that was expanding inch by inch.

After admiring his masterpiece, Fu Xingran walked to another wall. This half of the wall contained a massive glass cabinet housing nearly a thousand bottles of perfume, almost all of them luxury brands. There were also many exquisite, vintage glass bottles; under the light, the liquids inside shimmered with a magnificent luster.

In front of each bottle was a label with a date. Most were special anniversaries—Valentine’s Day, the Traditional Qixi Festival, or 520. Of the remaining dates, one was December 13, another was September 22, and another was September 27.

September 22 was the day they first met. September 27 was the day they met for the second time. January 15 was Su Lixu’s birthday.

Currently, there were 29 bottles for January 15, representing the 29 birthday gifts he had prepared for Su Lixu. He had planned that if Su Lixu never returned, he would keep making them until the day he came back, then give all these perfumes to him. Fortunately, he hadn’t had to wait too long.

During the four years when he couldn’t find Su Lixu, he had created a perfume for every special occasion, including the anniversaries of their meeting and Su Lixu’s birthdays. He reasoned that since he hadn’t existed in Su Lixu’s world back then, these perfumes would serve as gifts for the time he missed.

Fu Xingran had only officially met the twenty-six-year-old Su Lixu when he was sixteen, but it should have been much earlier.

Gently opening the glass door, Fu Xingran took out one of the bottles. It was “August Night Osmanthus” from the Serge Lutens collection. He sprayed a bit on the side of his neck. The sweetness of honeyed osmanthus and the depth of woody agarwood felt like a warm autumn breeze embracing him.

This was the scent. In a moment of absolute despair, on the rooftop of the twentieth floor, this scent had saved him.

Don’t let go! That voice, screaming with all its might, those hands grasping him, and the scent of August Night Osmanthus had made him retract his desire to abandon the world. Furthermore, at age sixteen, after Su Lixu became his psychiatrist, the man had led him out of the years of hesitation, struggle, and panic. Since then, whenever he caught this scent, it brought tears to his eyes.

But more than that, it was an addiction.

No one knew the deeper meaning of this addiction—not even his father knew why he insisted on having Su Lixu as his doctor. Even Su Lixu didn’t know why Fu Xingran had loved him so much from the very first glance. In his bag, by his pillow, in his car—he kept this perfume everywhere.

It was as if exposing his adoration to the light of day made him feel an exciting, voyeuristic shyness. Carrying the scent of August Night Osmanthus was like shouting to everyone he passed: This is the scent of the person I love. This is Su Lixu’s scent. This is the scent that lets me live.

His father said he was truly blinded by this perfume. He didn’t deny it, because he was indeed blinded by Su Lixu. Now that Su Lixu had appeared, he would forgive him for the sudden disappearance. But if Su Lixu ever left him again without a word, he would be truly angry. As long as the man didn’t leave, Fu Xingran would give him the fullest love in the world, for in his eyes, there was only Su Lixu.

Fu Xingran gripped the perfume bottle and slowly turned toward the wall with Su Lixu’s portrait. He gazed at his beloved man, his eyes full of obsession. Finally, he could give this entire cabinet of perfume to the one he loved.

“Fu Xingran!”

A sharp, stern scolding suddenly erupted from the doorway. Fu Xingran didn’t respond. He placed the perfume back in the cabinet and picked up a bottle he had crafted himself. He had studied with a master for a long time to create this specific scent—one that captured the exact feeling Su Lixu gave him. He planned to find Su Lixu shortly and give it to him.

“Do you realize what you’re doing?” Mr. Fu stepped into the room, his face dark. He found it difficult to even look at this room; if he tried to get rid of these things, his son would go mad. This place was practically a forbidden zone. “Xingran, I’ve told you many times, this is illegal. If Doctor Su knew, what would he think of you? He’d be terrified. Have you forgotten what you did to him four years ago? Do you still not understand why he left!”

The stern reprimand echoed through the room like a fuse being lit. Fu Xingran turned to face his father, his eyes full of wariness and hostility. He was like a porcupine, unable to accept this man’s presence.

“Do you have the right to lecture me? You can go back to ignoring me like you did back then, leaving me in a mental hospital. You don’t care what happens to me anyway.”

There was no trace of the “good boy” he played in front of Su Lixu. His sarcastic words directly ignited the fuse, making an argument between father and son imminent.

Mr. Fu’s chest heaved as he fought to control his anger. However, because of his past actions, he lacked the moral ground to truly discipline his son. He now felt that asking Su Lixu for help might have been another mistake, worrying he was leading Su Lixu into another trap.

He remembered Su Lixu’s request not to tell Fu Xingran about the treatment, but if he didn’t speak up, this guy wouldn’t realize he had fallen into a state of extreme obsession. He couldn’t just let him be; Fu Xingran was too dangerous. The walls of paintings and photos, and the cabinet of perfume, were proof enough. It was shocking and horrifying to him as a father.

“It seems you still think it would have been better if I had died with Mom back then,” Fu Xingran said, noticing his father’s silence. He laughed. “Then it would be over, and you wouldn’t have to tell people you have a psychopath for a son.”

Mr. Fu’s brow furrowed tightly. He couldn’t help raising his voice. “What nonsense! When did I ever say you were a disgrace?” Realizing his tone was too heavy, he consciously softened it. “Xingran, Dad said I would stay with you. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. I mean what I say.”

“I want Su Lixu.” “Anything except Su Lixu.”

They spoke simultaneously, falling into a brief silence as they stared at each other.

“I only want Su Lixu,” Fu Xingran said. “I can give up everything else.”

Mr. Fu felt his headache worsening. “Fu Xingran, I’m telling you, love isn’t something you steal through improper means. Look at these walls, these photos. You’d rather hide these things than pursue him openly? This isn’t love. You just think Doctor Su is like your mother, don’t you?”

“I know the difference.”

Fu Xingran walked to the massive portrait and looked up as if gazing at his deity. His eyes shone as he fantasized about dragging that deity down from the altar to desecrate him.

“My mother gave me life. Su Lixu is the one who let me live. I’m very clear on that. Mom is gone; I can’t lose Su Lixu too.”

Fu Xingran’s hand gently touched the portrait. His fingertips brushed against Su Lixu’s hand in the painting. He curled his fingers as if grabbing the hand through the shifting light and shadow. Just like the hand Su Lixu had used to catch him when he was about to jump from the twentieth floor.

“I’m going to tell him. I can’t live without him. I would have been dead long ago if it wasn’t for him.”

Mr. Fu’s heart was a mess of emotions. “And if Doctor Su doesn’t like you? Are you going to be a fool?”

Fu Xingran turned to look at his father. “He will like me. I promise.” His words were absolute and determined.

The two remained in a standoff for a moment. Finally, Mr. Fu sighed and compromised. “Then promise me one thing. You can get close to him, but you must never hurt Doctor Su.”

Fu Xingran looked at the portrait again. How could he bear to hurt Su Lixu? He was his savior, his deity, the rose he wanted to nurture. He couldn’t even protect him enough. “How could I ever hurt him?”

With a helpless sigh, Mr. Fu walked over and handed him two keys and an access card. “Take these.”

Fu Xingran looked down and saw the name “Langmanli” on the access card.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to live in Langmanli? It’s close to your school. I bought it for you—the 1204 unit you wanted. It’s fully furnished and ready. The maid has already cleaned it. You can move in now.”

Fu Xingran took the keys and the card.

“If you ever feel unwell, talk to Doctor Su more. Don’t bottle things up, and don’t scare him. You have to be sincere when pursuing someone.” Mr. Fu had remembered the apartment his son had been mentioning and assumed it was just a simple preference. He had no idea why his son truly wanted it.

“Mm,” Fu Xingran replied flatly.

In the downward tilt of his head, a satisfied smile spread across his face. He grabbed his perfume and hurried out, his steps urgent as if he couldn’t wait another second.

Mr. Fu watched his son leave, then turned back to look at the room full of Su Lixu’s smiles and expressions—images that had been hidden in this room for four years. With a final sigh, he looked away and slowly closed the door.

“We only played a few rounds and you threw your back out. Su Lixu, you have to admit you’re getting old.”

Downstairs at the Langmanli apartments, two men could be seen supporting each other from a distance. Su Lixu hissed in pain, his back hurting intensely. He grabbed He Shi’s hand to stop him. “Hold on. I can’t even stand up straight.”

He Shi saw Su Lixu’s face go pale. He frowned. “We should go to the hospital for an X-ray.”

“I can’t even walk that far. Walking from the court to this building has used up all my energy. Just help me shuffle back.” Su Lixu felt he was having a run of bad luck; he had twisted his back while trying to catch one of He Shi’s shots.

He Shi remembered how Su Lixu had fallen. He looked down at the man’s ankle. “What about your ankle?”

Su Lixu shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

He Shi sighed. “I give up. Get on.” He turned and crouched down in front of Su Lixu.

Su Lixu froze. “I don’t need a piggyback. My foot is fine.”

“Who knows if that fall did more damage? We aren’t twenty-year-olds anymore. You’re thirty.”

“Thirty isn’t exactly ancient.”

“Stop stalling and get on. I’m thirty too; I can probably only carry you for a few steps. Cherish the moment, Su Lixu.”

Su Lixu couldn’t win the argument and leaned onto He Shi’s back. As he put weight on his legs, his brow furrowed. Could I have twisted my ankle and my back?

He Shi carried Su Lixu toward the apartment entrance, completely unaware of the bloodshot gaze fixed on them from a short distance away.

Fu Xingran gripped the black gift bag in his hand, his eyes reddening as he watched the two men in such close proximity. Who is that man? Why is he carrying Su Lixu? They were even holding hands just now. This looks like flirting.

Is my Doctor Su in a relationship? Is that man his lover? Where are they going now? Are they going to indulge in daytime lust?

No, it can’t be like that. How could he like someone else?

Limitless suspicion threw him into a state of anxiety. The suffocating feeling in his chest was like a needle pricking him over and over. Finally, he followed them. He had to ask.

Inside the apartment, Su Lixu’s voice rang out in pain.

“…He Shi, be gentler!”

“I barely touched it.” He Shi was crouching in front of Su Lixu, touching the slightly swollen area on his ankle. Because the skin was so pale, the bruising was exceptionally visible. “Lie down. Put your foot on the pillow while I get an ice pack to stop the swelling.”

Su Lixu lay back obediently. Now, his ankle hurt even more than his back.

He Shi walked toward the kitchen. He inadvertently caught a glimpse of the small west-facing balcony where the washer and dryer were. He saw a baseball jacket hanging there—a style that didn’t fit Su Lixu at all.

“When did you start liking baseball jackets?”

Su Lixu saw He Shi coming out of the kitchen with an ice pack. “When did I start liking what?”

“I saw a baseball jacket on the balcony. I thought it was yours.”

Su Lixu remembered Fu Xingran’s visit last week. Seeing He Shi’s teasing look, he suddenly didn’t want to explain. “…A student’s.”

He Shi raised an eyebrow. “So, it belongs to the ‘Brother’ guy who acted like he was catching a cheating spouse? He seems quite tall.”

Su Lixu missed the subtext and gave it serious thought. “I think he’s a bit taller than you.”

He Shi immediately pressed the ice pack onto the swollen ankle. “Do I really need to compare my height to a brat’s?”

“…Then why are you pressing so hard?” Su Lixu sat up in pain. He looked at He Shi’s hand on his ankle, wanting to push it away, but he didn’t move.

“Is it that patient you mentioned? If so, you’re getting too close. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He Shi caught the hesitation in Su Lixu’s eyes and realized the man was about to push him away. He let go of the ice pack and sat on the sofa.

“Even if he was your first patient and has some sentimental value, does that justify letting him into your home? You only have one bed. Since when does your germaphobia make exceptions for certain people?”

Su Lixu went silent. “…I don’t know.”

It was a strange mystery. When He Shi touched his ankle, he wanted to pull away but forced himself to endure it. Yet when Fu Xingran was around, he completely forgot the problem existed.

“Do you want me to rub your back?”

Su Lixu shook his head. “No, it’s not that bad. It’s an old injury. I’ll just use a medicated patch later.”

“You never told me when you hurt your back.”

The wall clock struck 12:00 PM. A woodpecker popped out of the little wooden house on the clock, its pecking sound echoing like a heartbeat. Su Lixu remained silent.

He Shi saw the sadness in Su Lixu’s posture and realized he might have touched a nerve. “Sorry. Should I not have asked?”

“The day Liyang died, after I left the hospital, I went straight to the sky restaurant on the twentieth floor of the Motian Group building. I thought there was no point in living in this world alone.”

He Shi looked at him in shock.

“The restaurant was empty. When I went in, I saw a thin, small boy climbing over the railing. Without thinking, I rushed over and pulled him back. I hurt my back while holding onto him.”

“Su Lixu, you…” He Shi was at a loss for words.

Su Lixu met He Shi’s worried gaze and laughed. “I’m fine now. Don’t worry. Honestly, I regretted it the moment I reached the twentieth floor. Besides, I saved a child, and that child saved me in return. It woke me up; I realized I was being foolish.”

As for why he had germaphobia, it started after his brother, Su Liyang, committed suicide by jumping in front of him. In his extreme agitation, several nurses had to hold him down. Those multiple sets of hands made him feel a sudden, deep physical and mental repulsion to touch.

It wasn’t a major issue; it just meant he didn’t like people touching his hands.

Except for Fu Xingran.

“You never told me this, Su Lixu.”

Hearing the light scolding, Su Lixu looked down at the ice pack on his ankle. “That’s why I hope everyone around me stays well and healthy. The past is in the past. As long as we’re alive, everything will be okay.”

Including Fu Xingran, he thought.

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