Love Notebook of a Reclusive Beautiful Boy - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As soon as Du Yu got out of the car, Fang Ma hurried forward with two Filipino maids. Her face was etched with anxiety as she spoke to Jiang Sheng, “I heard everything from the Master. A-Yu was bullied, wasn’t he? Is he hurt anywhere?”

Jiang Sheng gave a brief “Mhm” in response. “Bring the first-aid kit over to treat his hands.”

“His hands are injured?” Fang Ma quickly took hold of Du Yu’s hand and said, “Quick, let me see.”

Du Yu was actually quite obedient toward her, and he submissively reached out his hand.

Fang Ma took one look at his blood-stained hand, and her heart nearly died of ache.

When people get older, especially women, they tend to become sentimental.

As she looked, her eyes grew red.

Fang Ma had watched Du Yu grow up. He was such a lovely child when he was little, yet not only had he become like this now, but he even had to be bullied just by going to school.

If he were at home, such a thing would never happen.

She treated Du Yu like her own child. Seeing him suffer, she began to nag involuntarily, momentarily forgetting her own status as a servant.

“When the Master told me before that A-Yu was going to school, I was worried. Now look—he went there just to suffer. Our A-Yu really has a bitter life.”

By the end, she couldn’t control her tears.

Jiang Sheng said, “It was I who failed to protect him.”

Fang Ma wiped her tears and said, “Mr. Jiang, you’re being too serious. How can this be blamed on you?”

She pulled Du Yu along. “Let’s go inside first.”

After saying that, she turned her head to a Black maid beside her and said, “Tell Kelly to bring the first-aid kit over.”

Du Yanyu was not at home. In the living room, there was only Yao Xiaohui, who was wearing full makeup and draped in a new-style gauze shawl, sitting on the sofa drinking coffee.

A Filipino maid stood beside her, peeling an apple for her.

When Yao Xiaohui saw Du Yu and the others enter, and saw Maria handing the first-aid kit to Fang Ma, she gave a cold snort and asked, “What kind of show is being put on this time?”

Fang Ma said respectfully, “The Young Master was bullied at school, and his hand is injured.”

Yao Xiaohui gave a mocking laugh. She lowered her head to take a sip of coffee and said slowly in a sarcastic, eccentric tone, “I already said he wasn’t suited for schooling. Nowadays, in this new era, the government says everyone must learn knowledge but little do they know, the path of education isn’t one that everyone can walk. He stayed there for a day, learned nothing, and instead came back with injuries. What’s the point?”

Fang Ma gave a dry laugh and said, “The Madam is right.”

Having said that, she pulled Du Yu down to sit with a bitter smile.

She opened the first-aid kit, took out the tweezers, and reflexively handed the rubbing alcohol to Maria. Jiang Sheng reached out his hand and said, “Let me do it.”

Fang Ma smiled. “Then I’ll have to trouble Mr. Jiang.”

Yao Xiaohui walked over slowly and glanced at Du Yu’s hand. “It’s such a small matter. Is this what Yanyu talked to you about on the phone?”

Fang Ma replied, “Yes, the Master told me to prepare quickly.”

Yao Xiaohui snorted coldly. “Making a mountain out of a molehill!”

After saying that, she looked at Du Yu. She detested that innocent and harmless face of his more than anything.

Usually, when Du Yanyu was around, she could still put on an act. Now that he wasn’t there, she didn’t even bother to pretend. After a “humpf,” she went upstairs.

Fang Ma sighed and couldn’t help but shake her head. “It’s a blessing that A-Yu doesn’t understand these things. If he understood everything, what would become of this family!”

Fang Ma had worked as a nurse for a few years when she was young, so she was quite familiar with nursing tasks.

She lowered her head and held Du Yu’s hand, carefully picking out the shards. Her heart ached once again; this blood-streaked palm could only be cleaned bit by bit.

The small shards were embedded deeply. Fang Ma had no choice but to push the tweezers in a bit further. Du Yu suddenly yanked his hand back and tucked it into his chest.

“What is it, A-Yu?”

Du Yu blinked his eyes and said softly, “It hurts.”

Fang Ma coaxed him, “A-Yu must be good. Once it’s cleaned out, it won’t hurt anymore.”

Du Yu shook his head, his face showing a vulnerability after the pain. He muttered to himself, “It hurts.”

Fang Ma was anxious to coax him. “A-Yu, be good. You must be obedient. Come here quickly, it’ll be over in a second.”

Du Yu stopped talking; he was refusing, which made Fang Ma very worried.

“This child! If we don’t clean it thoroughly, what if it gets infected later!”

Jiang Sheng leaned down to be at eye level with him.

He tried to persuade him, his tone becoming very gentle. After all, when speaking to a child, one must always see things from their perspective.

“Has A-Yu forgotten? Didn’t we agree to go fly the butterfly kite? Didn’t you promise me you would be very good and obedient?”

Du Yu was a good child.

Although he had never cared about the people or things of the outside world, he always remembered very clearly what Jiang Sheng had just told him about the butterfly kite.

This involved Du Li.

In this regard, he was always very attentive.

Du Yu looked at Jiang Sheng’s face, hesitated for a few seconds, and reached out his hand.

Fang Ma breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Mr. Jiang really has a way. Our A-Yu is sometimes just too stubborn; he won’t listen no matter what is said.”

Jiang Sheng smiled but didn’t reply.

Fang Ma was even more careful than before. She quickly finished cleaning Du Yu’s hand and even wrapped a light layer of gauze around it.

Du Yu blew on his palm. After a while, he slowly turned his gaze toward Jiang Sheng and said in a soft, “glutinous” tone, “A-Yu is being obedient.”

His clear eyes held a bit of earnestness, as if he were telling Jiang Sheng that he really was listening and being good, so Jiang Sheng must fulfill his promise.

Jiang Sheng understood his meaning, yet he felt like laughing at the way the boy looked.

“Does it still hurt, A-Yu?”

Du Yu blew on his palm a few more times. In truth, as long as it wasn’t touched, there was nothing besides a faint burning sensation.

He said with a well-behaved look, “It doesn’t hurt.”

“That’s good.”

Jiang Sheng looked up and placed the alcohol on the table.

“Blood…”

Du Yu suddenly spoke softly.

He had seen Jiang Sheng’s hand.

Earlier, when he was pushed down by Du Yu, Jiang Sheng hadn’t really treated it because he was in a hurry to find him. Now, the bloodstains on his palm had long since dried.

His injury was more serious than Du Yu’s. He had been pressed hard onto the shards, and almost his entire palm was covered in blood.

“Pain…”

The childish voice softly uttered another word.

He saw his hand; it was the same as his own; it was all red.

Du Yu didn’t know what Jiang Sheng was doing; it was simply because Jiang Sheng’s hand was exactly like his own, and since his own hand had hurt, he knew it must hurt like this.

Jiang Sheng was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected Du Yu to notice him. He looked down at Du Yu, who was looking up at him, and smiled. “I’m not in pain.”

“Oh!” Only then did Fang Ma notice his hand. “How did Mr. Jiang get injured as well?”

Jiang Sheng said, “I was careless myself. It’s no matter.”

Fang Ma said, “This… your hand is covered in blood. Mr. Jiang, you should sit down quickly.”

She took a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Jiang Sheng took it from her and replied, “I’ll do it myself.”

He wiped it casually.

He had suffered much more serious injuries than this in the past; this was really nothing.

He put the used cotton swab into the tray and happened to see Du Yu staring at him. He asked, “What is A-Yu looking at?”

Du Yu glanced out the door at the open green grass, then turned to look at Jiang Sheng, his tone soft and light. “Butterfly…”

Jiang Sheng was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Du Yu to be so persistent, still fixated on this matter.

He looked at the plane tree not far from the door; the branches and leaves didn’t even quiver. Clearly, there was no wind outside.

To make a kite fly, wind is the most essential factor.

He didn’t plan on explaining the reasons behind this to Du Yu because he wouldn’t understand even if he said it. So, he simply found an excuse and said, “It’s almost time for dinner. Shall we play tomorrow instead?”

Fang Ma was right; regarding some things, Du Yu was incredibly persistent.

He ignored Jiang Sheng’s words and just stared at him, silently uttering two words again: “Butterfly…”

Jiang Sheng was helpless. How could they fly a kite without wind?

Just as he was thinking of a reason, he suddenly spotted Du Yu’s gauze-wrapped hand. He said, “A-Yu’s hand hasn’t healed yet. If we play a bit, your hand will hurt. Isn’t A-Yu most afraid of pain?”

Du Yu froze for a moment, and the light in his eyes dimmed.

Yes, he was very afraid of pain.

But thinking of his brother and that butterfly kite, he lifted his head. His voice was low, carrying his characteristic, slightly youthful tone. “Not afraid.”

After saying that, he added another sentence: “Must go…”

Now Jiang Sheng didn’t know how to coax him either.

Fortunately, Du Yanyu returned at that moment.

He wasn’t supposed to be back so early, but because he was worried about Du Yu’s condition, he had pushed back two meetings to rush back ahead of schedule.

As for the incident at the school, Jiang Sheng had already called him earlier to explain the sequence of events.

As soon as he entered, he walked toward Du Yu.

“How is your hand?”

Jiang Sheng said, “Fang Ma has already cleaned it.”

“That’s good.” Du Yanyu looked at Du Yu. Because of the gauze wrapping, he couldn’t see Du Yu’s palm; he only knew it had been cut by glass shards.

He patted Du Yu’s head, feeling heartache, distress, and guilt in his heart. He asked softly, “Does A-Yu’s hand still hurt?”

Du Yu shook his head, then nodded.

Du Yanyu understood his meaning.

He was telling Du Yanyu that sometimes it hurt, and sometimes it didn’t.

Du Yanyu followed up by asking, “Does A-Yu hurt anywhere else on his body?”

Du Yu shook his head.

Du Yanyu sighed. “As long as it doesn’t.”

Jiang Sheng said from the side, “It was Jiang Sheng who failed to protect Young Master Du.”

If it were the Du Yanyu of ten years ago, he would have scolded Jiang Sheng until his head was spinning and likely given him a few slaps. But now, his temperament had long been suppressed into nonexistence by the years and by this heartless fate.

He gave a sigh. “This matter cannot be blamed on you. You don’t need to blame yourself.”

Du Yanyu had not told St. Paul’s about Du Yu’s condition. This was a secret of the Du family; no one knew except for the few old servants in the house and Jiang Sheng.

He turned his head and continued, “Starting tomorrow, you will also go to classes with Du Yu. I will arrange things with the school. You must protect him well, but there is one more thing you must remember: I don’t truly need him to study. It doesn’t matter whether he studies or not. I only want him to be willing to speak and willing to smile. Do you understand?”

Jiang Sheng replied, “Jiang Sheng understands.”

Just after finishing his conversation with Du Yanyu, Jiang Sheng turned back to look for Du Yu. He was looking at a photograph and didn’t mention flying the kite again.

Jiang Sheng saw him wiping the photo repeatedly, so he leaned in and asked, “What is A-Yu doing?”

Du Yu did not acknowledge him.

Jiang Sheng lowered his head and saw that a corner of the old photo was stained with blood. It must have been a few hours, as the bloodstain had already dried.

Presumably, Du Yu hadn’t noticed when he cut his palm and had gotten it in the photo.

“Does A-Yu want to wipe away the blood?” Jiang Sheng asked.

Du Yu stopped and slowly raised his head to look at him, murmuring, “Brother… got dirty… A-Yu…”

Jiang Sheng saw him wiping it with his sleeve. Setting aside whether it could even be wiped off, if he were allowed to wipe it for a bit longer, the face of the person in the photo would probably be blurred by him.

When that happened, it probably wouldn’t be as simple as hiding in a cupboard.

He dampened a cotton swab slightly with water, squeezed it dry, and then said to Du Yu, “Let me do it.”

Du Yu looked up, his gaze somewhat vacant. He didn’t speak for a long time.

Jiang Sheng thought he hadn’t heard, so he called him again, “A-Yu?”

Du Yu looked at him with an innocent, confused face. “Who are you?”

Jiang Sheng froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected the boy to ask for his name again.

Had he forgotten what his name was?

But Jiang Sheng still replied with a smile, “I am Jiang Sheng.”

However, just after he finished, Jiang Sheng suddenly changed his wording. “I am A-Sheng. A-Sheng.”

This seemed easier to remember.

The person who flies the kite, Brother A-Sheng.

Du Yu’s world was very simple; it contained only two things.

Brother and everything related to Brother.

Now, one more thing had emerged: a name that had never appeared in his world before.

It wasn’t that he had forgotten his name; it was just that he had never recorded it.

If it was never recorded, how could one talk about forgetting?

He looked up with a bewildered gaze. “Who is A-Sheng?”

Jiang Sheng replied, “It’s me. I am A-Sheng.”

“You are A-Sheng?”

It was clearly a question, yet he spoke it as a statement.

“Yes, I am A-Sheng.”

Du Yu shook his head. With his pair of clean eyes looking at Jiang Sheng, he said to himself, “A-Yu doesn’t know A-Sheng.”

Of course, Jiang Sheng didn’t expect Du Yu to remember him all at once.

He just thought about how he would have to be asked this same question repeatedly in the future. He felt a bit helpless and had to try saying to him, “I am A-Sheng. A-Yu, you must remember me.”

His face was reflected in Du Yu’s clear eyes, like a light willow catkin on a crystal-clear lake surface, floating shallowly on top, unable to sink in, yet unable to be blown away.

After that incident, he had closed himself off.

In his barren world, besides his brother, he never paid attention to anyone else.

Even Du Yanyu was nothing more than a person outside that attic door.

Is it hard to remember a person?

There was no answer in Du Yu’s heart.

With a pair of clean and innocent eyes, he gazed at Jiang Sheng.

After a long while…

“A-Sheng,” he whispered softly.