Fang Zichen paused for a moment, then raised the corner of his mouth. "Oh! You're actually shy!"
Xiao Feng's breathing became irregular. He didn't speak.
"I've rubbed you down who knows how many times before. What's there to be shy about now?" Fang Zichen went to pull the quilt but found it wouldn't budge.
From under the quilt, Xiao Feng said, "No... don't wash."
"If you don't wash, you'll grow bugs," Fang Zichen said. "You reek of liquor. I've been smelling it for two days now. Haven't you gotten a headache from it yet?"
Xiao Feng's face flushed bright red.
Liu Gouzi loved to drink, but fine liquor was expensive, so he bought the cheap kind. While the taste wasn't great, the alcohol scent was very strong, carrying a charred smell mixed with the aroma.
Whenever he got drunk, he loved to take his anger out on Xiao Feng. Xiao Feng would often endure beatings amidst the pervasive, foul stench of alcohol in the room. Day after day, over time, Xiao Feng developed a deep-seated fear of that smell. Almost as soon as he smelled alcohol, he couldn't help but remember the violence that had landed on his body. His body would ache with a physiological pain, and his stomach would churn and cramp violently.
He wanted to ask Zhao Ger to help wipe him down, but thinking he was already causing enough trouble, he couldn't bring himself to ask.
He covered himself up to his chin with the quilt, leaving only his eyes exposed. "Want... want Uncle Zhao to wash." After saying this, he completely covered himself again.
The bed shifted slightly, dipping down on one side.
"Wishful thinking," Fang Zichen said nonchalantly as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "This Third Young Master Fang personally taking the field to wipe someone down—this is something many people beg for but can't get. Right now, you're incredibly fortunate. You must have helped an old lady cross the road in your past life. Don't act all coy after getting such a good deal. Hurry up. Once I'm done wiping you down, this young master still needs to rush off to eat!"
This wasn't entirely false. In this lifetime, very few people ever received this kind of service from him.
Before he crossed over, in order to avoid military training, he had once coaxed his grandmother by fetching her a basin of foot-washing water—just once. It had delighted the old lady so much that she hugged him tightly, calling him her darling over and over. When his grandfather brought people to drag him back, the old lady outright refused.
His grandfather said he shouldn't be spoiled too much. With a mind like his, if not properly educated, he would surely become a societal parasite; even prison wouldn't be enough to hold him.
His grandmother refused to listen to any of that nonsense. She pulled him protectively behind her, insisting he was a filial boy—lively and cheerful since he was little, always sensible and dutiful. How could he possibly turn out like that? If anyone wanted to take her grandson away, they'd have to step over her first.
His grandfather was at a loss. He only thought of waiting until she was asleep at night to secretly tie Fang Zichen up and take him back. But right after dinner that evening, Fang Zichen brought over a box of medicinal patches.
As his grandfather aged, he developed a chronic chill in his legs that flared up whenever the weather shifted. Noticing a change in the air, Fang Zichen went to his grandfather after the meal, massaging his legs before carefully applying a medicinal plaster.
"Where did you get this ointment?" Grandfather asked him.
Fang Zichen replied, "I bought it."
"Was it expensive?" Grandfather inquired.
"Not expensive," Fang Zichen said. "Just a little over four hundred coins for one patch."
Because of his second brother's incident, he and his eldest brother had suffered unjustly—their bank cards were all frozen, and they only received about two thousand each month. The old man knew about this.
"Then where did you get the money to buy it?"
He hung his head, his voice very low. "I saved up."
Hearing this, his grandfather was instantly moved.
There were over a dozen patches in the box, which would easily cost several thousand. This amount of money wasn't significant to him, but to save up for it, the child must have scrimped on food.
What a filial child indeed!
Forget it. The military discipline was strict, the training arduous. If he didn't want to go, then he didn't have to.
Fang Zichen massaged his legs and, seeing he seemed to be softening, timely added, "Grandfather's legs hurt, and it makes me sad. I just wanted Grandfather to feel more comfortable. I don't know if these patches are any good, though."
"You have a good heart." His grandfather patted his head and, seeing no one else around, secretly slipped him a card. "Take it. There's over three hundred thousand in there. It's a small amount, take it and spend it as you like. You're at the age for growing taller; you need to eat more. Since you don't want to go to the army, I'll have someone sign you up for a class. The coach there used to be from my old unit. Go learn when you have time. A man should know some moves. Otherwise, like last time, a few thugs managed to grab you. Where would Grandfather go to find you then?"
Fang Zichen was satisfied. That very night, he went straight to TaoBao and left a positive review.
A positive review with a cashback offer: spent three hundred, got two back as rebate. Profit!
Not even his grandparents had received such top-tier service from him, nor had Zhao Ger. Only Guaizai and Xiao Feng had.
When I gave Guaizai a bath, Guaizai was overjoyed. Yet this little rascal here actually refuses? He really doesn't know how lucky he is.
Xiao Feng clutched the corner of the quilt. "No... don't want. Want... want Uncle Zhao."
"What Uncle Zhao? Doesn't Uncle Fang care for you? You're a little man now. Having a ger wipe your bottom, looking at your little birdie—aren't you embarrassed? Don't you feel ashamed?" Fang Zichen leaned over, not wasting words on him, and pulled the quilt open from the side. "Don't move. Be good. Uncle will check your body."
Xiao Feng couldn't resist, afraid of pulling on his wound and not daring to make any large movements. Seeing the quilt being pulled off, he tried to grab it, but Fang Zichen simply rolled it up into a bundle and pushed it to the foot of the bed.
There was a brazier in the room, so it wasn't too cold.
The day before yesterday, Zhao Ger had bought Xiao Feng a set of inner clothing, quite loose-fitting. Xiao Feng clutched it tightly, eyes brimming with tears, like a virtuous woman being forced by a ruffian.
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