Chapter 9 Not Charity
"Lin Che," Lu Yu's voice slowed down, almost soothingly calm. He took a small step forward, shortening the already short distance between them. The scent of cedar trees enveloped him even more clearly. "Look at me."
Lin Che's eyelashes trembled violently, but he finally raised his eyes and forced himself to meet Lu Yu's deep gaze.
There was no pity or charity in that look as he had expected, only a quiet, penetrating understanding.
"I know what you're thinking." Lu Yu's voice was soft, but every word was clear. "You think accepting my help means bowing your head, admitting defeat, and making you appear weaker in this agreement, right?"
Lin Che's breath suddenly stopped and his pupils shrank slightly.
Lu Yu's words accurately hit the most hidden fear and persistence in his heart.
He pursed his lips and said nothing, but his tense jawline and clenched fists betrayed his answer.
Lu Yu looked at him and sighed softly. There was no impatience in that sigh, only a kind of tolerance after insight.
"Lin Che, this agreement binds the two of us. It's not just a shackle for you, it's also my responsibility."
His gaze swept across the glaring mold in the corner of the wall, then returned to Lin Che's face. His eyes were firm and frank. "As your legal partner, ensuring you live in a safe and healthy environment is my most basic responsibility and obligation. This has nothing to do with whether you respect me or whether I respect you."
He paused, his tone more earnest, more like a negotiation than a command: "This apartment has obvious health hazards. Mold, water seepage, poor security... These are objective facts, and they won't disappear just because you don't pay attention. They will affect your health and your work performance. As a doctor, if you are in an unhealthy environment yourself, how can you take care of patients?"
Lu Yu did not force him with a tough attitude, but tried to break down the barriers in Lin Che's heart with calm analysis, the logic of the agreement such as "responsibilities and obligations", and respect for his profession.
"Moving out is not charity."
Lu Yu's gaze fell on Lin Che's fingers, which were tightly clutching his coat. His voice was low and powerful, "It's about solving an objective problem. You can think of it as a way to better fulfill the agreement, so that you can focus more on your work, and to... reduce unnecessary trouble."
Lin Che's fingertips loosened slightly, and the fabric of the expensive coat slipped through his pale fingers, wrinkling slightly.
Every word Lu Yu said accurately peeled off the shell of self-esteem he used to arm himself, revealing the reality-based considerations inside.
He couldn't deny that every word Lu Yu said was right. As a doctor, he knew the harm of mold better than anyone else.
He was just... used to enduring, used to using this endurance to prove something.
At this moment, that proof seems so pale and ridiculous in the face of reality.
Lu Yu did not urge him, but just waited quietly.
Under the dim light, the silent atmosphere of the two spread, and the air was filled with the smell of old books, medicine and the fresh cedar scent on Lu Yu's body.
Lin Che's gaze shifted away from Lu Yu's face and he slowly scanned the small space where he had lived for three years.
This place has carried too much of his fatigue, loneliness and silent struggle, but as Lu Yu said, it is no longer a place suitable for "living a good life".
For the agreement, for work, and for... those little health risks pointed out by the other party that cannot be ignored.
He finally, very slowly, nodded.
The movement was light, but it seemed as if all the strength was used.
He didn't look at Lu Yu, but squeezed out two words in a low, hoarse voice, with a sense of tiredness and a subtle compromise:
"……good."
"I'll give you this jacket after I dry-clean it." Lin Che said, raising the jacket in his hand.
"No need, just give it to me." Lu Yu took the coat, still keeping a serious expression on his face, "When do you want to move? Or... now?"
Lin Che looked up suddenly, his eyes full of surprise. He could see that Lu Yu was serious.
"Give me two days. I have a lot of stuff to sort out, and... I still need to talk to the landlord about moving out."
"Give me your phone." Lu Yu stretched out his hand towards Lin Che.
"Cell phone?" Lin Che untied the phone and placed it in Lu Yu's palm in confusion.
"This is my WeChat. If you have any questions, send me a message. You can also call me, the number remains the same." When the phone was returned to his palm, Lin Che felt the residual heat still ironing him.
"good."
After seeing Lu Yu off, the door closed gently, and the small apartment instantly fell into a deeper silence.
Lin Che didn't turn on the headlights, leaving only the dim ceiling light in the entrance hallway.
He leaned his back against the cold door and slowly slid down to the ground.
He curled up in the shadow behind the door, his forehead resting on his cold knees, and Lu Yu's last words - "It is to solve an objectively existing problem" - still echoed clearly in his ears.
Someone saw his predicament and instead of laughing at him, offered a helping hand.
Lu Yu used irrefutable reasons such as "responsibility", "obligation", "health" and "work" to break down his last bit of stubborn persistence.
He raised his head and his empty eyes swept across this familiar yet unfamiliar shabby room.
And now, he promised Lu Yu to move away.
A huge, cold feeling of panic instantly gripped Lin Che's heart, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
What does moving there mean?
It means that he is about to truly step into Lu Yu's world.
What’s even more terrifying is the “then”.
The agreement is only for three years.
Three years is neither long nor short. What will happen after three years?
Lin Che thought pessimistically, what would happen if the contract expired, or if this marriage that started out of profit came to an end.
Would he become... more dependent? On the false security that the agreement brought? And then fall even harder when the agreement ended?
"one person……"
He thought he had long been accustomed to loneliness and accustomed to licking his wounds in a cramped space.
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