Save That Miserable Protagonist - Chapter 10

The next morning, the presidential suite was filled with an indescribable atmosphere.

The air felt as though it still held the lingering humidity of the previous night, a mixture of receding stickiness and the warmth of skin. A thin, damp morning mist seemed to hang between the two men, shrouding the memories of last night’s heated entanglement and making them feel blurred and surreal. To touch this mist was to invite a subtle chill and a wave of awkwardness.

It was like a tart, green plum; it was difficult to touch at first, and its acidity made one wince, yet it left a strange, lingering sweetness in the aftertaste.

Lu Xun woke up early, or rather, he had hardly slept at all.

Looking at Pei Tingsong, who was still fast asleep beside him, Lu Xun’s emotions were a complex tangle. The system had vanished since that kiss last night and had yet to reappear. It had not delivered any electric shocks for him taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, which allowed Lu Xun to feel a slight sense of relief. However, that relief was quickly replaced by a different kind of inner unease.

Pei Tingsong slept deeply, with faint dark circles under his eyelashes. He had truly been put through the wringer last night. Now, he lay curled up with his soft bangs resting against his brow bone. Stripped of his daytime thorns and icy exterior, he looked exceptionally well-behaved and even somewhat fragile.

Looking at him, Lu Xun felt as though something had gently scratched the surface of his heart.

An unfamiliar, almost soft emotion quietly spread through him. Lu Xun instinctively softened his movements. Before he even realized it, he reached out to tuck the blanket around Pei Tingsong. Watching the other man unconsciously nuzzle the pillow, the young master’s typical temper vanished. He was suddenly overcome by a sense of satisfaction rooted in a strong desire for possession, the feeling that this person was already his property.

It was like finally obtaining a long-awaited toy, one whose exquisite quality far exceeded his expectations. Although the process of acquiring the toy had deviated from the plan, it did not diminish his current satiety or his desire to cherish it. At this moment, Lu Xun felt that Pei Tingsong was like a wild kitten finally exposing its soft belly in his palm. Even if the kitten still bared its claws occasionally, it was remarkably cute.

He felt he ought to indulge his little cat.

Therefore, when Pei Tingsong woke up, he was faced with a Lu Xun who made him feel utterly at a loss. There was no mockery or further demands as Pei Tingsong had anticipated. Lu Xun simply asked if he was hungry in a very ordinary tone and called for room service.

The meal arrived quickly. It was incredibly lavish and clearly catered to his tastes. Several dishes were even light porridges and side dishes from Pei Tingsong’s hometown. Looking at the familiar home-cooked food on the table, Pei Tingsong was momentarily stunned. He did not know how Lu Xun had found out.

Then again, someone like Lu Xun had likely investigated his entire background down to the last detail. It would have been more surprising if he did not know.

During the meal, Lu Xun did not mention a single word about the previous night. His behavior remained elegant and appropriate, but the condescending air of charity had faded significantly. It was replaced by a more natural form of care, as if this was simply how things were meant to be. This effortless consideration made Pei Tingsong more flustered than any deliberate humiliation or flattery ever could. He could not gauge Lu Xun’s intentions, so he could only keep his head down and eat his porridge in silence.

Unfortunately, when he looked down, Pei Tingsong caught sight of a suspicious red mark on Lu Xun’s neck. It was particularly conspicuous against Lu Xun’s skin, which was so white it looked as though it had never seen the sun. Pei Tingsong could not even pretend not to see it.

Pei Tingsong thought to himself, “I should not have looked.”

The moment he realized how that mark had gotten there, the tips of his ears began to burn uncontrollably. He buried his head even deeper, looking as though he might fall into his bowl.

Lu Xun found this amusing. He picked up his chopsticks and gently tapped the rim of his bowl. The crisp sound was followed by his laughing voice. “Am I that hideous? Am I so hideous that you have to bury yourself in your bowl?”

The more natural the other man acted, the more awkward Pei Tingsong felt. However, he did not want to appear more inexperienced than Lu Xun, as it felt like losing the upper hand. To alleviate the awkwardness and maintain a front of strength, and to naturally avoid eye contact, Pei Tingsong took out his phone to check his messages.

When he saw the latest project requirements and materials sent by his mentor, Pei Tingsong’s brow furrowed involuntarily. He unconsciously bit his chopsticks and let out a sigh.

The moment Lu Xun heard that sigh, his gaze landed on Pei Tingsong. His tone carried a hint of concern that even he did not notice. “What is wrong?”

Pei Tingsong instinctively wanted to hide it. But then he remembered last night. The other man had already seen his most disheveled and private self. A strange sense of total honesty born of having nothing left to lose made Pei Tingsong speak. “It is nothing. The new project is just a bit troublesome.”

Because of the excessive use of his voice the night before, Pei Tingsong’s voice was still somewhat hoarse and thick. To Lu Xun, it sounded like a kitten acting spoiled.

Lu Xun wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin and asked naturally, “Is this a medical student’s project? What is it about?”

Since the question was asked naturally, Pei Tingsong answered just as naturally. “It is about the current status of diagnosis and treatment, as well as an investigation and analysis of regional rare diseases.”

He paused and poked at the white porridge in his bowl with his chopsticks. He complained with some helplessness, “It requires a large amount of clinical data support and interviews. The interview subjects are very difficult to schedule.”

This was Pei Tingsong’s greatest current predicament. Without resources or connections, it was as difficult as climbing to heaven for a mere student to gain in-depth access to well-protected rare cases and top experts.

Hearing this, Lu Xun tapped his fingertips twice on the tabletop. His amber-green eyes glanced at Pei Tingsong, and then he spoke with a hint of small pride. “After we finish eating, I will take you somewhere.”

“Where?”

“To a place that can help you solve your trouble.”

An hour later, Pei Tingsong stood at the entrance of Minglai Hospital, the top private hospital in Jiangcheng. This hospital was famous for its high medical standards, expensive fees, and strong privacy protection. Its primary clients were dignitaries and socialites. It was a place a poor student like Pei Tingsong would never normally visit.

Lu Xun, however, led him directly through the VIP passage with practiced ease. As he led the way, he introduced the place to Pei Tingsong. “An uncle of mine opened this hospital. He owns sixty percent of the shares and has absolute authority here. So, it does not matter what you want to see later; there will be no problem.”

It was exactly as Lu Xun had said. No one blocked their path. The first reaction of every medical staff member they encountered was to nod respectfully and greet him as Young Master Lu.

Pei Tingsong followed behind him, looking at the luxurious yet tasteful environment and the names of experts he had only seen in textbooks and top journals. He once again felt the massive chasm between the two of them. Without Lu Xun, Pei Tingsong would have had to beg for guidance one by one, and he might not even have met these experts. Instead, Lu Xun took him directly to knock on the dean’s office door.

This uncle Lu Xun spoke of was very warm toward him. As soon as he saw Lu Xun, he waved with a smile. “Oh, a rare guest! You never visit unless you need something. Why does Xiao Xun have time to see me today?”

Lu Xun’s mouth curved into a slightly roguish arc. “Second Uncle, look at what you are saying. Can I not just miss you?”

As soon as he said this, Lu Xun stepped aside and gently led Pei Tingsong forward a step. His tone became a bit more serious. “But I really do have to trouble you today. This is Pei Tingsong, a good friend of mine. He is a top student at our school and has recently become interested in the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Second Uncle, please make some arrangements. Take him around the relevant departments, let him speak with a few directors, and open up the access permissions for the data, alright?”

After Lu Xun finished speaking, Pei Tingsong saw the uncle point at Lu Xun with a smile. His tone was the same. There was not a hint of impatience, but rather it was full of amusement. “Alright, alright. I knew you only came to see me because you had business. Fine, I will make the arrangements and let your good friend look around Minglai.”

With just those few short sentences, a barrier that Pei Tingsong would have had to rack his brain to break through was solved effortlessly.

Pei Tingsong could not describe how he felt at that moment. In the past, he would have looked down on this kind of privileged class with utter disdain. But now, because of a single sentence from Lu Xun, he had become a beneficiary of that privilege. As he stepped fully into it, Pei Tingsong realized even more profoundly that the class divide between him and Lu Xun was a vast expanse he could neither imagine nor cross.

Because of Lu Xun’s word, Pei Tingsong saw the world’s most advanced testing equipment, heard top physicians explain cutting-edge therapies in simple terms, and even came into contact with several rare cases he had only read about in literature.

But what surprised Pei Tingsong even more was Lu Xun himself.

Throughout the entire tour, Lu Xun was not as idle or impatient as he had imagined. On the contrary, when the opposing doctor introduced a conflict regarding the cost and popularization of gene therapy, Lu Xun joined the discussion naturally. He leaned against the expensive medical equipment with his arms crossed, his posture extremely lazy, yet the words he spoke were remarkably clear and insightful.

“Once the technical barriers are broken, the next problem is always the tug-of-war between commercialization and universal benefit. There are only two paths to reducing costs. Either dilute the early research and development investment through large-scale application, which requires capital brave enough to invest in long-cycle, high-risk projects, or involve non-profit foundations to take on that social responsibility and push the technology downward. But as we all know, neither is easy.”

Lu Xun paused, his gaze sweeping over the precision instruments. His tone was incredibly calm. “Though I hate to admit it, in the face of disease, money is sometimes the line between life and death. But that line should not be an airtight, solid iron plate. Someone has to find a way to make it flexible, or build a bridge from somewhere else.”

The doctor across from him nodded repeatedly and even began to discuss the operation models of charitable foundations with Lu Xun.

Pei Tingsong stood to the side, dazed as he listened to these discussions. This was the first time he had seen this side of Lu Xun. Stripped of the flippancy of a playboy, he displayed the broad vision and profound understanding of asset operation inherent to his class. He was not just spouting the vague, ethereal concepts of a typical rich kid; he was offering feasible solutions that could actually move things forward.

Looking at Lu Xun like this, an indescribable emotion surged through Pei Tingsong’s heart like an electric current, feeling both numb and hot. Swallowing hard, Pei Tingsong hurriedly lowered his eyelashes, trying to suppress this untimely throbbing. He had to admit that this version of Lu Xun was charming. It was a deep, internal charm that went far beyond physical appearance.

So, he was not just an empty-headed rich kid who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun.

This thought flashed clearly through Pei Tingsong’s mind. He was so focused and lost in thought that, somehow, he spoke the words out loud without realizing it. The moment the words left his mouth, Pei Tingsong snapped back to reality. He realized the other man had kindly brought him here, yet he was still judging him in his head.

Pei Tingsong’s cheeks instantly flushed. He was so embarrassed he wanted to bite off his own tongue.

Lu Xun obviously heard him. After finishing his conversation with the doctor, he turned toward Pei Tingsong. He studied Pei Tingsong’s bright red cheeks with a half-smile and a look of great interest. Then, as if he had heard something extremely funny, he let out a soft, low laugh. That laugh was like a feather brushing against Pei Tingsong’s heart.

Lu Xun strode forward and stopped in front of Pei Tingsong’s frozen body. He naturally reached out, his cool fingertips gently pressing down a lock of black hair that had stood up on Pei Tingsong’s forehead during his busy morning.

“Let me correct you,” Lu Xun whispered, leaning down slightly. Clear laughter rippled in his amber-green pupils as he looked into Pei Tingsong’s eyes. He spoke each word jokingly. “I am not second-generation wealth; I am wealth for many, many generations.”

After saying this, Lu Xun gave Pei Tingsong a brilliant, slightly cocky smile.

But the moment Lu Xun leaned down, Pei Tingsong could no longer hear anything. The familiar, cold fragrance of Lu Xun’s scent swirled around his nose. Pei Tingsong could only stare blankly into Lu Xun’s laughing eyes. The sounds and colors of the world seemed to vanish in that instant. All that remained of his senses were those laughing, emerald-like eyes and the uncontrolled, drumming heartbeat in his chest.

In a daze, Pei Tingsong felt that the sour plum flavor that had surrounded them since early morning had finally dissolved. It seemed to have brewed into a hazy, intoxicating sweetness.