Even though Lu Tao had lost his memory, he could still accurately judge someone, so he was able to analyze based on the expression that Cheng Jin had shown. He knew that the other party was lying, but still deliberately asked, “Why aren’t you in a hurry?”
Cheng Jin watched him with alarm, until gradually, a layer of crimson emerged on his face. He arbitrarily changed the subject. “A-Are you hungry? I’ll go get you some food.”
Lu Tao no longer pushed the topic and instead nodded his head.
Cheng Jin left the ward in a flustered mood. When he arrived at the hallway, his strength felt like it had been sapped away; he used the wall as a support to stabilize his body.
He’d never talked so much with Lu Tao in such a peaceful atmosphere. From the time the man had become aware of his backhanded thoughts, his attitude towards him turned estranged, and all of Cheng Jin’s initial pursuits were rejected through and through. In addition, he’d very politely rejected him. “I’m sorry, getting married isn’t a part of my plan yet.”
As human beings had gradually increased over the years, when their era arrived, men had accounted for 60%, women for 30% and men who could conceive were only a mere 10%.
Before the decree of artificial conception of new birth was passed, the birth rate of human beings had been gradually decreasing, women suddenly heightened their standards and wanted to marry good men, rendering those average, incapable men face difficulties to seek a spouse.
As a “new female“, Cheng Jin had an excellent family background at that time. His father and brother were famous tycoons.
He looked good-looking, beautiful and heroic, moreover, his skin was snow-white and delicate. When he laughed, two shallow pear dimples would show on his cheeks. He’d met countless suitors since he was 15. It had been the first time he chased someone, and he was firmly rejected.
The spoiled young master tasted what rejection was for the first time. He cried all night and began to look for suspicious rival candidates the next day.
He had “underlings” around him, all of whom came up to cling to the Cheng family’s financial power. Naturally, what he said was absolute. Whoever he pointed at would be unlucky. For this reason he drove away several people who seemed to “have something going on” with Lu Tao, either through coercion or bribery, sometimes just upright bullying.
The young master thought he’d get a response from Lu Tao once he removed all the obstacles, but who knew that the other party’s attitude towards him would turn even colder, and when he looked at him, his eyes simply looked like they contained frost. He said, “I’m not going to marry you. All the things you did disgusts me.” He also said, “Are you going to keep bullying the weak by relying on your family?”
The young master was simply furious, so angry that his eyes flashed red, and finally couldn’t resist telling his father and older brother about the incident.
Cheng Jin was his mother’s accidental baby. When he was born, his father was already over 40 years old. He was considered as his “late-born son”, and he was treated as a bright pearl, the apple of his eye. His older brother single-handedly brought him up, and attached more importance to him, almost giving whatever Cheng Jin wanted, never willing to let him suffer a little bit of injustice.
He went back and cried, which angered his father and brother. They thought that this Lu Tao character was really blind. How could he reject their little sweetheart!
Lu Tao’s origin was thoroughly uncovered in the span of one day. When he saw the balance of his family’s assets, his father and older brother disliked him and felt that he wasn’t worthy of their family’s treasure, however, the young master just cried and cried, wanting to marry him, so the two men reluctantly accepted it.
Thinking about the stupid things he’d done in the past, Cheng Jin now remembered and his heart had nothing but embarrasment beyond belief.
But at that time he treated Lu Tao as an obsession, a toy that he’d wanted before, and
that no matter what method he used, as long as he gets it, it’s his. But what he didn’t know was that the most difficult to control were the people’s will, whether with money or power. He despised himself. No matter what, what he did was in every way disgusting, and what he basically insisted didn’t come.
He sucked in deep lungfuls of air, then he walked outside and went to the cafeteria and took two nutritious meals.
When the plate was placed on the hospital bed, Lu Tao looked at the questionable thick white stuff and showed an uncertain expression. “What is this?”
He’s currently suffering from memory loss and could easily forget a lot of things. The doctor said it was normal and that he was very fortunate he didn’t lose his language skills.
Cheng Jin hastened to say, “A nutritional soup, it’s most suitable for patients like you. Although the portion doesn’t seem a lot, it could maintain your bodily functions the entire day, and it’s also full of vitamins and protein so you’ll feel stuffed.” He chucked the spoon on the other’s palm. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to personally prepare it. I’ll make you real soup tomorrow.”
Lu Tao took a sip of the soup, and noticed that the taste seemed familiar. His taste buds seemed to be used to this savor. “I seem to drink it often.”
Cheng Jin said, “It’s true that when you were in battle, it’s practically always this same staple.” As a matter of fact, except for the Imperial Planet and certain agricultural planets, most human foods were like this, although its nutritional composition wasn’t so great.
A lot of places only had potatoes as their raw material for their own soup. This was because although the population on the Imperial Planet wasn’t high, other planets, however, had a dense relationship with its populace, and now a lot of antagonistic groups were formed. A large scale of people were thrown into war and defense against invaders, so the crops weren’t cultivated enough.
But the humans living on the Imperial Planet were completely unaffected.
Human beings all had an innate desire for delicious food. Although nutritional soups could provide the needs of the human body, people on this planet still preferred traditionally cooked dishes most. For example, Cheng Jin had never drunk nutritional soup until he was 22.
Until now he still found it hard to drink it.
The first time he drank it, he had just stuck it in his mouth when he immediately spit it out, disliking it so much that he’d rather not eat than drink it. Actually, the taste wasn’t that bad, it’s just that he was used to gourmet food, so he couldn’t adapt to the coarse taste with a tang of sweetness. However, after two days of starvation and finding no other food, he still drank the remaining bowl of nutritional soup to pad his tummy.
After experiencing what hunger tasted like, he no longer dared to be picky about food.
For instance, the only food he could easily buy with his money was this soup.
Lu Tao said, “No wonder. I must have drunk it many times, it just tastes a bit bland.”
“R-really?” Cheng Jin was a little surprised, it turned out that when it came to food, Lu Tao would also have preferences, something he had never noticed before.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to know, it’s just that the time they had spent together was too little. Lu Tao sharing a meal with him was a rare occasion.
Lu Tao looked at him. “You don’t like it either, do you?”
Cheng Jin nimbly answered, “It’s so-so.”
He added, “I’ll bring you food tomorrowーno, that won’t do, I’ll have to ask the doctor first to see if you can eat other food.” The answer Cheng Jin got after asking the doctor was yes, but he’d have to avoid oily, fishy spices. There were also some special foods that he couldn’t eat. While listening, Cheng Jin recorded it with the gadget on his wrist, then asked some other questions, and finally asked the highlight question. “When can he be discharged?”
Dr. Gerson smiled and said, “Normally, the observation would take another half a month, but we’ll try our best to shorten the time, after all, Dr. Tian said that it would be better for him if he recuperated in a familiar environment to recover his memory. At that time, I’ll have to trouble Mr. Cheng to take care of him.”
Cheng Jin said, “As I should.” He thanked him again, and only then did he walk out of the doctor’s office.
On the way back to the ward, Cheng Jin once again checked his account balance. The figure that had long been since already below the critical point worried him. He sighed softly when he thought of the expenses he would need in the future.
His eyes fell on the schedule displayed on the screen. He had yet internally to budget the time he needed for the work; he accelerated his pace.
Lu Tao was lying on the hospital bed, as quiet as a puppet. Only when he heard the sound of the door opening did he turn his head. When he saw Cheng Jin, his eyes evidently lit up, and his tone actually leapt up very happily. “You’re back.”
Cheng Jin had yet to be accustomed to Lu Tao’s attitude towards him. His heart missed a beat, and then he showed a shallow smile. “Yes, I just went to ask the doctor and he said you can bring your own food. I’ll prepare it and bring it to you tomorrow.”
Lu Tao looked at him, and his expression suddenly turned a little dubious. Cheng Jin asked, “What’s the matter?”
His husband showed a hesitant-to-speak expression, and after a while, he finally said, “I guess it's convenient.”
When he understood what he actually meant, Cheng Jin’s face instantly reddened and his hands and feet moved at the same time, somewhat at a loss. He stammered, “T-Then, I-I’ll help you to the toilet…” He spotted the chamber pot under the bed and asked, “Or do you think it’s more convenient to use this?”
Lu Tao responded resolutely, “Help me to the toilet.”
When he rose from the bed and handed Cheng Jin a paper towel, his movements were fluid, but now he looked like he had trouble with his arms and legs. Cheng Jin had to wrap his arm around his waist and place one of Lu Tao’s arms on his shoulders before helping him out of bed.
Lu Tao is very tall, almost a head taller than him. He had a well-built, sturdy figure. Although it didn’t look strong, it’s actually packed with tough muscles, which was a stature the women at present liked best. When he leaned most of his weight on Cheng Jin, Cheng Jin’s body staggered a bit. He grit his teeth and stood firm, then helped his husband towards the bathroom.
Because of the heavy weight, it dispersed the panic that rested at the bottom of Cheng Jin’s heart. Only when he stood before the smart toilet did Cheng Jin’s embarrassment crawl up his cheek anew. He raised his head lightly and met gazes with the man who didn’t have the slightest intention of unzipping his own pants. He paused before he asked in a feigned calm manner, “Do you need my help?”
Witnessing his blushed ears, although Lu Tao didn’t know how he used to get along with his young wife prior to the incident, he now had the urge to tease him more, so he said, “I certainly need one.”
The flush gradually crept on his pale cheeks, even his lips turned much rosy. Lu Tao’s chest throbbed when he saw this, he pondered why he hadn’t had a child with this lawful partner of his before. Couldn’t he have one?
What the old lady said echoed in his mind, although the word “pretentious” was directly dismissed by him.
He still had his sharp-wittedness and he’d be certain that his young wife before him was indeed truly timid and wasn’t pretending.