Rehabilitation

Shen Zeyu went on the offensive. "How could you slander me like that? I was only trying to help wipe you down."

"Oh, really? I wonder who just told me I felt nice to touch." Lu Cizhou still wore that faint, teasing smile.

"You misheard me." Shen Zeyu forced himself to stay calm.

Say it! Say you misheard me!!!

Hearing that, Lu Cizhou raised an eyebrow and said unhurriedly, "Then I must have misheard you."

"Yes, yes, yes." Shen Zeyu nodded like a chick pecking at grain.

"Ahem, my work here is done, so I'll head out. Bye. Good night." Shen Zeyu backed away as he spoke.

With that, he slammed the door shut and fled to his own room.

Lu Cizhou showed little reaction as he watched Shen Zeyu leave. He merely thought that his theory about Shen Zeyu having a split personality must have been wrong. Shen Zeyu hadn't spoken those words just now, yet he had heard them.

Back in his room, Shen Zeyu was still drowning in embarrassment. It took him a while to slowly calm down.

Only then did it sink in that Lu Cizhou had woken up, and he hurried back out to knock on Doctor Li's door.

"Doctor Li, Lu Cizhou is awake."

At that, Doctor Li hurried toward Lu Cizhou's room.

Lu Cizhou looked a little surprised to see Shen Zeyu return after leaving. He had thought the man would be too embarrassed to come back out at all.

"Mr. Lu, are you experiencing any discomfort?"

"Not at the moment."

Doctor Li examined him again and said, "You're in good physical condition, Mr. Lu, but after more than a month in a coma, your physical functions will have declined somewhat. For now, you can try walking around your room and doing some exercises to improve your mobility."

After observing him for a while longer and finding no other symptoms, Doctor Li went back to rest.

Seeing that he was fine, Shen Zeyu also intended to return to his room, but Lu Cizhou stopped him.

"Is there something else?" Hadn't he said he would tell Aunt Lu himself? That meant Shen Zeyu had nothing left to do.

"Please don't tell Xiao Yu I'm awake just yet."

"Why? Yu Yu has been waiting for you to wake up for so long." Shen Zeyu was baffled.

"I don't want him to see me going through rehabilitation. He might cry, so I hope you can help me out over the next few days," Lu Cizhou said with a straight face.

"Sure. I understand."

Got it. He wants to save face in front of his son.

His guess was pretty accurate.

"There's one more thing I need to trouble you with."

"Go ahead." Shen Zeyu smiled.

There's more!!!

Lu Cizhou ignored that and continued, "Doctor Li recommended that I walk more, but since I've only just woken up, my coordination might be poor. I'd like you to stay beside me while I do my rehabilitation exercises."

That way, someone could catch him if he stumbled. Compared to anyone else, he would rather fall in front of Shen Zeyu. After all, they weren't that close yet.

"No problem." Shen Zeyu agreed readily.

So he's afraid of pain, too. I always thought big shots didn't care about pain.

Lu Cizhou was amused by that thought. Big shots were ordinary people, too. What ordinary person wasn't afraid of pain?

Shen Zeyu waited a little longer, then returned to his room to sleep once he was sure Lu Cizhou had nothing else to say.

At ten the next morning.

It was Monday, and Lu Yu had already left for kindergarten.

After washing up, Shen Zeyu went to Lu Cizhou's room. The moment he entered, Lu Cizhou gave him a resentful look.

"You're finally here."

"What's wrong? This is a reasonable time for rehabilitation, isn't it?"

"The timing is reasonable, but did you forget that I need breakfast?" Lu Cizhou asked plaintively.

"Sorry, but you didn't say yesterday that I had to keep you company at mealtimes, did you?" Shen Zeyu said, perfectly assured of his own reasoning.

"All right, I didn't."

"Exactly, exactly. So, have you eaten?" Shen Zeyu asked, feeling a little guilty now.

"I have. I called Steward Zhang," Lu Cizhou replied.

"That's good."

He absolutely cannot find out that I spent an hour on my phone before getting out of bed.

Hearing that, Lu Cizhou asked, "Why did you only get up now?"

"I went to bed late last night, so I slept a little longer today."

I usually sleep until this time anyway, but I can hardly tell him that.

Lu Cizhou regarded him with a teasing half smile. Just as Shen Zeyu was about to ask why he was looking at him like that,

Lu Cizhou spoke first. "Let's start the rehabilitation exercises."

"Oh, okay." With that, he slowly helped Lu Cizhou out of bed.

With Shen Zeyu supporting him, Lu Cizhou slowly rose and began walking around the room, one careful step at a time.

After nearly an hour, Shen Zeyu suddenly noticed that Lu Cizhou's brows were drawn tight.

"What's wrong? Do you want to take a break?"

"Yes. Let's take a break."

A little while later, Shen Zeyu noticed Lu Cizhou's lips parting as though he wanted to speak, only to close again.

"Is there something you want to say?" Shen Zeyu suddenly asked.

After a moment, Lu Cizhou finally said slowly, "I need to use the bathroom."

"Then go." Only after the instinctive reply left his mouth did he remember that Lu Cizhou still couldn't walk properly.

"It's just a bathroom trip. What are you agonizing over? We're all the same." With that, he helped Lu Cizhou up and toward the bathroom.

We're both men. It's no big deal if I see anything.

"Do you need help?" Shen Zeyu asked without the slightest embarrassment.

"Thank you, but no. I can handle this myself." Lu Cizhou's face flushed slightly.

Before they knew it, the entire morning had passed.

"Let's take a walk in the garden this afternoon and get some fresh air. I've got a wheelchair ready."

"Can you carry me?" Although he had lost quite a bit of weight during his coma, he was still a grown man.

Looking at Shen Zeyu's skinny arms and legs, Lu Cizhou had serious doubts.

Shen Zeyu couldn't tolerate that skeptical look. "Don't underestimate me."

With that, he scooped Lu Cizhou up in a bridal carry and set him in the wheelchair.

"See? Don't look down on me," he said smugly.

"My mistake. But could you carry me differently next time?"

"This is the best way. What other way would be better?"

Lu Cizhou thought about it and realized there really wasn't a better way.

Seeing that Lu Cizhou had nothing else to say, Shen Zeyu began pushing the wheelchair toward the door. Just then, Lu Cizhou asked, "Is there anyone in the garden?"

"Maybe. Someone comes to water the flowers now and then."

"Then please ask the steward to let everyone know not to come into the garden for the time being."

Shen Zeyu looked at him. "Can't you call him yourself? Didn't you call for breakfast this morning?"

Lu Cizhou stared straight at him without a word. Shen Zeyu surrendered and went out to find the steward.

Fine. His pride strikes again.

It seemed he would have to save the steward's number sometime.

Watching him head out to find the steward while grumbling inwardly, Lu Cizhou chuckled softly. He thought teasing this man was rather fun.

After they finished an afternoon of rehabilitation exercises, Shen Zeyu left to pick up Lu Yu.

Once they were home, Lu Yu asked, "Daddy, can we go see Dad after dinner?"

"Ahem, Yu Yu, the doctor checked on your dad today and said he needs to rest properly for the next few days. We shouldn't disturb him."

"If we don't disturb Dad, will he wake up soon?"

"Yes."

Although Lu Yu was a little sad, he still obediently agreed.

"Okay. Then I won't go see Dad for the next few days."

"What a good boy." Shen Zeyu kissed him.

After dinner, Shen Zeyu played with Lu Yu for a while, then sang him to sleep. Only then did he quietly leave the room.

Lu Cizhou was a little puzzled that Shen Zeyu had come to his room again. "Do you need something?"

"I'm here to wipe you down. I've been doing it every day, so of course I have to do it today, too," Shen Zeyu said solemnly.

Soon he won't need me anymore. I have to treasure every chance to touch him. I'm going to get my fill today.

As Shen Zeyu's thoughts wandered, he failed to notice the change in his own expression.

Seeing the delight Shen Zeyu couldn't hide, Lu Cizhou asked, "Are you happy?"

Shen Zeyu immediately schooled his expression. "You must be seeing things. What would I have to be happy about?" He blinked, looking utterly innocent.

I'd have to be a fool to believe you, Lu Cizhou thought.

"I thought you were happy because you could touch my abs again."

Shen Zeyu flew into a rage. "Nonsense! As if you're the only one who has them. And what do you mean, 'again'? Stop making things up."

Lu Cizhou looked Shen Zeyu's body up and down. Although he said nothing, the doubt in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Watching Shen Zeyu fume without being able to come up with a retort improved Lu Cizhou's mood. Even the prospect of Shen Zeyu wiping him down became a little easier to accept.

"Go ahead." With that, he lay back down on the bed.

Shen Zeyu, meanwhile, angrily undid the buttons on the man beneath him.

Lu Cizhou kept staring at him, making him too embarrassed to try anything extra.

Shen Zeyu's face slowly reddened. It wasn't his fault. Anyone would react to being stared at like that.

"Could you stop staring at me?" Shen Zeyu asked, looking up.

You're not giving me a chance to make a move.

Hearing Shen Zeyu's thoughts, Lu Cizhou silently thought, That's exactly the point.

"If you weren't paying attention to me, how would you know I was staring at you?" Lu Cizhou countered.

Shen Zeyu forced a smile. "I wasn't paying attention to you, but I still have senses. I can feel someone looking at me."

"You're imagining it. I wasn't looking at you." Lu Cizhou stubbornly refused to admit it.

He could tolerate Shen Zeyu taking liberties when he couldn't see it happening, but not when he could.

Shen Zeyu laughed in exasperation.

So you won't admit it, huh?

Why did he suddenly have a bad feeling?

"All right. I suddenly feel like wiping down your lower half first." With that, Shen Zeyu reached toward Lu Cizhou's pants.

Lu Cizhou hurriedly said, "There's no need to do my lower half today."

"No. I always finish what I start. Otherwise, it bothers me." Ignoring his protest, Shen Zeyu continued moving closer.

As Shen Zeyu drew nearer and nearer, Lu Cizhou said helplessly, "Fine. I was staring at you."

Only then did Shen Zeyu stop.

Wouldn't it have been easier to say that from the start?

Lu Cizhou smiled. "Keep wiping my upper body. Don't worry about my lower half today. I'll close my eyes."

"Okay. Whatever you say."

Where else would you find someone as obedient as me? Shen Zeyu marveled to himself.

Lu Cizhou: ...

He conceded that Shen Zeyu had won.

For the rest of the time, Shen Zeyu finally began taking liberties openly.

Just as Lu Cizhou was about to reach the end of his patience, he finally heard Shen Zeyu say he was done.

After tidying up a little, Shen Zeyu said good night and left.

Lu Cizhou: Good night...

After a week of this, Lu Cizhou could more or less walk normally. Once he regained some strength, he refused to let Shen Zeyu wipe him down anymore.

Shen Zeyu regretted it for several days, thinking he would never get another chance. He never expected the next opportunity to come so soon.