My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 72 Part 3

"Physician Huang, aren’t you going to talk to them?"  

Huang Qi wrung his hands and went to ask Huang Yinsheng.  

"Let them be. They’re married, their life is their own to live. Don’t let their squabbles stir up a fuss for everyone else too."  

Huang Yinsheng said calmly: "If it really gets bad, then we’ll step in."  

Though worried, Huang Qi didn’t interfere further since the elder had spoken.  

Ji Taoyu sat in the room, flipping through a medical book but unable to focus, growing more agitated by the minute.  

Just as he was about to close the book, a thunderclap boomed—another storm was coming.  

He walked to the window, and in moments, raindrops began slanting down.  

Watching the ripples spread across the water-filled vat from last night’s rain, he muttered under his breath: "Let’s see if you still won’t come in."  

Yet the reality was that after quite a while, there was still no sound of footsteps entering. As the rain grew heavier, Ji Taoyu could no longer sit still and grabbed an umbrella to rush outside.  

"Are you stupid? It's raining, don’t you know to come inside?!"  

Ji Taoyu went out through the back door and indeed saw the tall figure standing motionless by the wall next to it.  

Huo Shu stared straight ahead, lost in thought, indifferent to the rain falling on his head and shoulders. Passersby, confused by the sight, hurried past in alarm.  

Seeing this, Ji Taoyu grew angry, his voice rising higher than usual. He frowned and glared at the man.  

Huo Shu’s gaze landed on the person before him, but after a brief moment, he averted his eyes again:  

"I didn’t know if you wanted me to come in."  

Ji Taoyu noticed Huo Shu’s pitiful expression and pursed his lips, realizing his tone might have been too harsh.  

He raised the umbrella higher to shield Huo Shu. "What else would you do in the rain if not come inside?"  

Huo Shu pushed off the wall as if to follow him in, but then hesitated, as if remembering something. "Never mind, I won’t go in."  

He added, "Since you’re fine, I’ll head back."  

Watching him actually turn to leave, Ji Taoyu was stunned:  

"Go back where?"  

Huo Shu kept his back to Ji Taoyu. "Anywhere. It doesn’t matter… since you don’t want me anymore."  

Ji Taoyu stared at the man in the rain—his tall, straight figure contrasted sharply with the dejected words, making him resemble nothing so much as a forlorn, oversized dog.  

He reached out to grab Huo Shu’s sleeve but missed. Seeing the man stride toward the alley’s exit with his long legs, Ji Taoyu hurriedly called out, "A-Shu!"  

Panicked, Ji Taoyu stepped onto the thoroughly soaked stone pavement and rushed forward, catching Huo Shu’s hand.  

"I never said anything like that!"  

Huo Shu stopped. "But didn’t you want me to leave?"  

Hearing this, Ji Taoyu let go of the umbrella and instead wrapped his arms around Huo Shu’s waist, as if trying to hold him back.  

"I don’t want you to go."  

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ji Taoyu began crying—uncontrollably, his shoulders shaking with pitiful sobs.  

"If you don’t want to come inside, I’ll go home with you."  

"In such heavy rain, if you don’t take me back, how am I supposed to get home alone later?"  

Huo Shu felt warmth against his chest—Ji Taoyu’s tears were heavier than the rain. He circled an arm around Ji Taoyu, his expression shifting. He hadn’t meant to make him cry.  

Picking up the fallen umbrella, Huo Shu held it over Ji Taoyu’s head.  

"Don’t cry."  

He gently patted Ji Taoyu’s back, soothing the man in his arms. "I came to take you home."  

Ji Taoyu didn’t answer, clinging tightly to his clothes.  

Afraid Ji Taoyu would catch a chill from the rain, Huo Shu bent slightly and carried him inside.  

Back in the house, Ji Taoyu’s tears still wouldn’t stop.  

Huo Shu removed his wet outer robe and fetched a cloth to dry Ji Taoyu’s hair and face. Then he pulled him back into his embrace. Seeing Ji Taoyu’s reddened nose and eyes, even his thick lashes wet and clumped together, Huo Shu regretted his earlier words.  

"Don’t cry. When you’re like this, I don’t know what to do."  

Huo Shu lowered his head, pressing his lips to Ji Taoyu’s eyelids. His cheeks were cold, but his eyes burned hot, his tears salty.  

"I’ve never not wanted to have a child with you. I was just worried about your health."  

Huo Shu spoke slowly. "Do you remember that night in the Northern Territory when you weren’t feeling well?"  

Ji Taoyu blinked, then straightened slightly on Huo Shu’s lap, gripping his shoulders.  

"The physician said it was just internal heat from the dry climate. Was there more to it?"  

"That time, it really was just internal heat."  

"But when I saw the physician out, he told me your constitution is frail and that bearing children would be difficult."  

Huo Shu’s brow furrowed. "I should have told you sooner, but we were traveling then. I didn’t want to burden you needlessly."  

Ji Taoyu froze. He had always known his health was poor—since childhood, his grandfather had warned him of things to avoid, and he’d taken care. But he’d never mentioned this particular issue.  

After a moment, though, he understood. Back then, he hadn’t yet married, so there was no need to consider it.  

Still, hearing this now was hard to digest.  

He gripped Huo Shu’s arm. "What exactly did the physician say? That I can’t have children, or…?"  

"Only that childbirth would be difficult."  

Huo Shu explained fully, withholding nothing this time.  

But Ji Taoyu’s frown remained.  

"I’ll ask Grandfather to check my pulse."  

Huo Shu, however, didn’t release him. "You barely slept last night. There’s no rush."  

Ji Taoyu pressed his lips together, uneasy but willing to listen for now. He leaned against Huo Shu’s chest.  

"Why didn’t you tell me last night?"  

"You were already upset. If I’d brought this up, could you have handled it?"  

Ji Taoyu lowered his head, silent for a moment before murmuring weakly, "I’m sorry."  

"I shouldn’t have said those things to you yesterday. I was scared you’d leave. If you walked away, I’d never find you again."  

Huo Shu smoothed Ji Taoyu’s hair. "I won’t."  

"I won’t leave."  

"I won’t lose my temper with you again."  

"And I won’t run away from home again."