For five seconds, time stood still.
For Fu Yu, those five seconds were merely the blink of an eye it took to make a decision.
For Ruan Luo, they were long enough to breed self-doubt.
Ruan Luo’s eyelashes trembled as he lowered his gaze. He was already regretting making such an unreasonable request, the second time he’d done so. What is wrong with my head? Is it filled with nothing but sheer nonsense?
Who doesn’t know how to wipe their own mouth? Even if you can’t see it, can’t you feel it? Everyone’s mouth is under their nose; it’s not like anyone needs a mirror to find their mouth when they eat.
But the moment he lowered his head, a soft, silk handkerchief was brought to his lower lip. Fu Yu’s low voice came from above him: “Don’t move.”
Ruan Luo’s eyes widened instantly, his pupils constricting and trembling secretly. He fought the urge to flee, nailing his feet to the ground as he struggled to regulate his breathing, allowing Fu Yu to gently and deliberately dab his lower lip.
The moment the handkerchief touched his lip, a tingling itch spread through his entire body, making his hair stand on end. The hands he held at his sides clenched the fabric of his pants tightly.
Only when Fu Yu withdrew the handkerchief did Ruan Luo’s clenched hands slowly relax, though his fingers still trembled faintly. He hid his hands behind his back and murmured a thank you to Fu Yu, his gesture a clumsy attempt to conceal his agitation.
His voice was barely a whisper, far softer than when he had made his request.
It was so faint that it felt like a needle pricking Fu Yu’s heart. Fu Yu studied Ruan Luo, not missing a single flicker of emotion on his face. “Did you get ready before coming out?” he asked, his tone gentle.
“Yes.” Ruan Luo stared at his toes.
“I’m taking you downstairs to eat. Come.”
The meal was already prepared in the first-floor kitchen, waiting for them.
Fu Yu led Ruan Luo downstairs. With his long legs, Fu Yu deliberately slowed his pace to accommodate the small, tentative figure following closely behind him.
The maids’ expressions softened with a hint of relief as they saw the two come down together, and witnessed the Head of the Household’s attentive care for Mr. Ruan. Only the Butler’s expression remained perfectly composed, not a single muscle twitching.
At the dining table, Ruan Luo still sat perfectly upright, rarely meeting Fu Yu’s gaze.
Fu Yu, however, kept glancing at him, noting which dishes he ate more of.
As he observed Ruan Luo, Fu Yu pondered the young man’s habits. Ruan Luo had clearly come from a family that ignored and neglected him, and had even endured three years of abuse at the hands of an impostor. Yet, the innate elegance he possessed hadn’t been diminished in the slightest. It was clear that his upbringing was ingrained in his very bones—a testament to his grandfather’s influence.
Ruan Luo already ate very little on normal days. Today, he ate even less.
Fu Yu felt anxious. He tried to serve Ruan Luo food using the serving chopsticks, but at first, Ruan Luo barely touched it.
Afraid of pressuring him, Fu Yu stopped serving him.
To his surprise, once Fu Yu withdrew his hand, Ruan Luo started eating. He ate whatever Fu Yu served him, without even picking through the dishes. His lowered eyelashes seemed slightly damp.
Fu Yu took it all in but kept his expression neutral.
After a while, he asked Ruan Luo in a casual tone, “Why did you get caught in the rain yesterday?”
Ruan Luo looked up at him. “I was looking at the scenery.”
Fu Yu offered a tentative smile. When Ruan Luo didn’t react, he widened it slightly, gently coaxing the younger man into conversation. “Looking at the scenery in the rain, and you even got your ankles wet. Next time you want to go out in the rain, ask Auntie to help you put on a raincoat. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Can you tell me what you saw?” Fu Yu asked as he chatted, using the serving chopsticks to debone a fish for Ruan Luo.
Ruan Luo chose his words carefully. “I saw the banana grove.”
The banana grove lined the roadside of the main courtyard, and that road was the only path leading out of the villa to the outside world.
Back then, in the drizzling rain, Ruan Luo had looked up at the grove, his expression a mix of sorrow and fascination.
Was he truly looking at the banana grove, or at the road? Fu Yu had his own conclusion.
Fu Yu drizzled some light sauce over the deboned fish and pushed the plate in front of Ruan Luo. “Is the banana grove beautiful?”
Ruan Luo picked up a piece of fish from the plate Fu Yu had pushed toward him. Without looking up, he replied, “It’s beautiful.”
Fu Yu fell silent for a long moment. After about two or three minutes, he said, “Ruan Luo, there are many sights outside the villa more beautiful than the banana grove. I’ll take you out to see them, alright?”
Ruan Luo was drinking milk when Fu Yu said this, and he froze, slowly setting the glass down.
After a long pause, he finally looked up. He glanced at Fu Yu, only to find Fu Yu wasn’t looking at him.
He stole several more glances at Fu Yu before asking, “…When?”
“Today,” Fu Yu replied.
Ruan Luo’s eyelashes were damp, but he smiled.
It was another day that would make Fu Yu’s heart skip a beat the moment he woke up.
Fu Yu’s decision to take Ruan Luo out wasn’t a sudden whim that struck him during their meal.
He had been planning this ever since he first started reading and re-reading Ruan Luo’s files.
Before marrying into the Fu Residence, Ruan Luo had actually been a bright, sunny young man. He hated staying cooped up in one place. He loved nature, and when he wasn’t playing the piano indoors, his favorite thing to do was wander through the nearby countryside, basking in the sun and feeling the breeze.
He would even carry a small backpack, tucked with a ukulele, as he ventured into the nearby hills and fields to find inspiration.
No matter where he went, he always packed a few cat treats and even a tube of first-aid ointment for cats and dogs. He would feed every stray cat he met and tend to every wounded little creature he found.
Yet, such a gentle, harmless soul, so at peace with the world, had been unable to care for his own wounded spirit.
They set off in the afternoon. A light drizzle was still falling, though not enough to soak their clothes. Still, Fu Yu held an umbrella over Ruan Luo, refusing to let a single drop of rain touch him.
Ruan Luo had thought this trip was a last-minute decision, only to find that Fu Yu had already packed everything they would need.
As Ruan Luo looked at the large backpack, its material soft yet sturdy, a gentle breeze seemed to stir within the gloom of his inner world, bringing a faint, fluttering sense of excitement.
He couldn’t explain why, but a subconscious intuition told him he would be deeply interested in whatever was inside that bag.
As Fu Yu carried the backpack and helped Ruan Luo into the car, Ruan Luo kept glancing back at it.
Fu Yu settled Ruan Luo into the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt before turning to toss the large backpack into the back. Then, he climbed into the driver’s seat.
He preferred to drive himself, unwilling to have a chauffeur in the way.
When the Maybach started, the first question Ruan Luo asked wasn’t “Where are we going?”
Even before the car had fully pulled away, he turned his head again to look at the backpack in the rear seat. After a moment’s hesitation, he couldn’t hold back any longer and asked Fu Yu earnestly, “Fu Yu, what’s in that backpack?”