FIO CH7

Chapter 7: Respect for the Elderly and Care for the Young

“Really?” the alpha tilted his head and asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement, and the little dog tail that had been drooping behind him suddenly perked up and began to wag rapidly.

Lu Fangchi was taken aback by Zhou Zheng’s quick change of expression, but he nodded in affirmation.

The corners of Zhou Zheng’s mouth couldn’t contain his smile, and his joy was evident in every feature, yet he still sought confirmation: “Give me a definite answer.”

Lu Fangchi, always willing to humor him, obliged with a response: “Yes, really, we’ll go once you’re better.”

“I’ll remember that,” Zhou Zheng said, tapping his chest with his finger for emphasis, and then insisted on making a pinky promise, playfully threatening that if he broke it, he’d be a little dog.

Lu Fangchi, though exasperated, cooperated by freeing a hand and hooking his pinky with Zhou Zheng’s.

Zhou Zheng’s mood shifted from cloudy to bright, and he turned his head to the window, whistling a cheerful and lively tune. After a while, the sound gradually softened and eventually fell silent.

His emotions came and went quickly, perhaps due to the sudden surge of excitement that drained his energy. By the time they reached the hospital parking lot, Zhou Zheng’s eyes were closed, and he had already fallen asleep.

Lu Fangchi reached out and gently patted Zhou Zheng’s shoulder: “We’re here.”

Zhou Zheng didn’t respond, his eyes remaining shut.

“Wake up, we’re at the hospital,” Lu Fangchi increased the pressure of his hand.

Zhou Zheng still didn’t open his eyes, showing almost no movement at all.

Lu Fangchi furrowed his brows slightly, reached out and shook the alpha’s arm vigorously, and then lightly slapped his face: “Zhou Zheng, wake up.”

Zhou Zheng’s thick eyebrows knitted together, and he let out a grunt, the hot breath from his nose feeling scorching.

His handsome face visibly flushed even more, and the heat from his body remained intense. It seemed he had become delirious from the fever.

With no other choice, Lu Fangchi got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. He lifted Zhou Zheng’s arm with his right hand and supported his sturdy waist with his left, half-carrying him out of the car and kicking the door shut with his foot.

This commotion finally roused Zhou Zheng. He opened his eyes halfway, his eyes rimmed red, and he groaned weakly, “Uncomfortable.” His voice was barely audible.

“Yep, we’re at the hospital. You’ll feel better after seeing the doctor,” Lu Fangchi comforted while urging him, “If you’re awake, try to support yourself a bit. You’re too heavy.”

Although Lu Fangchi was an alpha, dealing with another alpha of the same attribute, who was also physically robust and a few centimeters taller, was still quite strenuous.

“Okay,” Zhou Zheng nodded slightly.

He tried his best to walk on his own, but he couldn’t withstand the dizziness and vertigo, which seemed worse than when they had left home. It felt as if the ground beneath his feet wasn’t solid but rather a soft, unstable cotton ball that could give way at any moment, causing him to fall. In the end, he leaned heavily on Lu Fangchi, who half-carried him into the outpatient department.

The hospital was large and bustling, with a diverse crowd of people waiting in line. The chairs beside them were all occupied by patients, leaving no space to put Zhou Zheng down.

Lu Fangchi had no choice but to continue supporting him as he went through the registration and payment process, running back and forth. Despite it being winter, large beads of sweat slid from his temples to his chin.

The most uncomfortable part was Zhou Zheng leaning against his neck, the hot breath from his nose tickling the exposed skin, causing an itchy sensation that made Lu Fangchi’s scalp tingle.

Lu Fangchi pursed his lips, slightly annoyed as he waited to pay the bill, enduring the itch while feeling the temperature of Zhou Zheng’s body rise even higher.

He had already had a fever of 40°C at home; if it continued to rise, his brain might be affected. Lu Fangchi’s brow furrowed slightly as he pinched Zhou Zheng’s hot earlobe, “Stay awake, you can’t sleep now.”

Zhou Zheng didn’t respond, but his breathing became more rapid.

“Zhou Zheng, say something,” Lu Fangchi pinched his face again.

“Mm,” Zhou Zheng made a nasal sound, pressing his face even closer to Lu Fangchi’s neck, trying to avoid the young man’s hand.

“Don’t sleep, just bear with it a little longer, we’re almost there,” Lu Fangchi coaxed, which was also the truth; they were just one more in line.

Where there is a queue, there are bound to be people who try to cut in line. Near the payment window, there was a small gap in the railing, and it was this tiny space that tempted people to take advantage. An elderly woman, walking with difficulty, slowly shuffled in and assertively inserted herself in front of Lu Fangchi.

Lu Fangchi was about to say something, but upon seeing the woman’s stooped back, which could only look at the ground, and her white hair, he held back.

Naturally, with her limited mobility, the payment process was slow, even with the help of a volunteer. The elderly woman still took several times longer than a normal person. She had poor hearing and repeatedly confirmed with the volunteer and the cashier, responding slowly and fumbling with her wallet to find the money, accidentally dropping a coin that rolled on the ground with a “ding-dong” sound.

The delay of this line caused those behind, unaware of the situation, to question: “Why isn’t the line moving?”

“I don’t know, other lines have moved several times already.”

“Can’t it be faster?”

Complaints rose and fell.

Although Lu Fangchi didn’t voice his impatience, he too hoped the elderly woman could be a bit quicker. His patience and strength were both on the verge of being exhausted.

After more than ten minutes, the elderly woman finally succeeded in paying and slowly moved away.

Where there is one line-cutter, there is likely another. A middle-aged woman, who had been waiting behind the elderly woman and was holding two chubby children, clearly leaned in, taking advantage of any small gap to squeeze in.

The two chubby boys, estimated to be six or seven years old, were very mischievous. In the crowded line, they pushed and shoved each other, occasionally colliding with other people in line. The woman was busy flipping through the medical records and didn’t reprimand them.

Under normal circumstances, Lu Fangchi might have let it go. He wasn’t good at arguing and didn’t like wasting words. In the time it took to argue, he might have already finished his errands.

But the previous elderly woman had already wasted too much time, and this middle-aged woman seemed to be another unknown variable. There were also others eyeing opportunities to cut in line behind them.

He didn’t want to give in this time, and Zhou Zheng’s condition was urgent.

“Ma’am, you’re cutting in line,” Lu Fangchi said, tapping her shoulder to remind her.

The woman, caught off guard by such a straightforward accusation, turned a little red in the face. She tried to negotiate in a gentle tone: “Young man, you see, I’m here with two kids. It’s not easy, and I’m getting on in years. The line is just too long. Can’t you let an old lady like me go ahead?”

“My friend is burning up and about to faint,” Lu Fangchi replied firmly, showing no sign of giving in.

The woman’s expression changed abruptly when she was refused. She began to shout, “Everyone, look at this! These two big, strong alphas are bullying an omega with kids!” As she spoke, she waved her arms, trying to draw attention to the situation.

Her voice was shrill and penetrating, and even in the noisy hospital hall, it had some impact. The two chubby boys suddenly started to sit on the ground, kicking and screaming that they didn’t want to wait in line. The crowd further back, unaware of the full story, began to mediate: “Young man, the elderly lady is here with two kids. Can’t you just let her go ahead?”

Lu Fangchi explained, “My friend has a severe fever and can’t wait.”

“What’s there to wait for? I don’t see anything wrong with your friend. He’s an adult alpha. Isn’t he stronger than a child?” someone retorted.

“Exactly, alphas can be so sensitive these days. Don’t they know how to respect the elderly and care for the young?” another chimed in.

It was incredible that everyone was being so unreasonable. The situation escalated: “Just let her go ahead. We’re all willing to wait!”

“Come on, if he doesn’t want to, let the old lady go after him. We don’t mind waiting. What’s the rush? Is he in such a hurry to be reincarnated?” the crowd continued to pressure.

The weight of public opinion can be overwhelming, but Lu Fangchi, a strong-willed alpha, chose to ignore the moral coercion. He paid no heed to the crowd’s disapproval and went ahead to the window to make the payment.

His actions drew sighs and murmurs from the crowd. Some whispered behind their hands, while others voiced their criticism openly: “Tsk, some people really lack empathy. Everyone gets old someday. Just wait until they’re treated the same way!”

“These young people these days, they can’t take a bit of inconvenience.”

“He looks presentable enough, but he has no conscience at all.”

“What kind of upbringing is that? Doesn’t he know how to respect the elderly and care for the young? He’s probably another one of those who had a mother but no real parenting!”

Lu Fangchi kept his gaze forward, his face expressionless, as if the gossiping words had nothing to do with him. But Zhou Zheng, leaning on him, couldn’t bear to hear it. He suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes, straightened his body, and stood in front of Lu Fangchi, his tall frame towering over the crowd.

“I may have had a mother but no real parenting, but I grew up on my own and I know that having manners is important. Cutting in line is the most shameful thing,” Zhou Zheng’s voice was strong and resounding, like a boulder dropping and silencing everyone. The crowd fell quiet for a moment.

A crack appeared in the cold mask on the young man’s face. He glanced up at the broad shoulders of the alpha in front of him, a flicker of indescribable emotion passing through his eyes.

Before the crowd could react, Lu Fangchi pulled Zhou Zheng away from the contentious spot.

Even after they had walked a good distance, Zhou Zheng was still fuming, his brows furrowed, eyes blazing as if he wanted to spit fire. This was finally the look of the unyielding man he had been before losing his memory.

They happened to pass by a vending machine. Lu Fangchi bought a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Zhou Zheng: “Drink some water to moisten your throat.”

Zhou Zheng took the bottle and tried to twist the cap off, but failed. This was an affront to an alpha’s pride!

He wanted to pretend nothing had happened, but he caught Lu Fangchi smirking out of the corner of his eye.

Being laughed at was embarrassing, but Lu Fangchi’s smile was just too captivating.

Lu Fangchi usually had a very neutral expression. It turned out that when he truly smiled, his usually cold face lit up like a crescent moon, and even a simple smile seemed to melt the ice, like a rainbow after the rain, incredibly soothing.

So…

Being laughed at was fine.

Zhou Zheng gave in completely, “I can’t open it. I don’t have the strength.” He handed the bottle of mineral water back, looking dejected.

Lu Fangchi’s smile was fleeting. His usual aloof demeanor returned as he twisted the cap off and handed it back: “Did you remember something?”

“Huh?” Zhou Zheng was taken aback for a moment before he realized what was being referred to: “Having a mother but no real parenting?”

Lu Fangchi’s eyes cooled slightly, but he quickly returned to normal and gave a brief “Mm.”

“No, I didn’t remember. Xiao Liu told me,” Zhou Zheng replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of water.

“Let the noise be noisy and let me be me. Don’t get angry over unimportant people, and never show your weaknesses casually,” Lu Fangchi’s expression suddenly became serious, even a bit intimidating.

It was quite intimidating. Zhou Zheng instinctively straightened up, rubbed his nose bridge with his finger, and defended himself in a low voice: “But it’s the truth, and I don’t care anyway…”

“I’m glad you don’t care, but there’s no need to expose your own wounds and let others hurt you,” Lu Fangchi’s tone grew even more stern.

Zhou Zheng didn’t quite understand Lu Fangchi’s lecturing attitude and felt a little wronged in his heart. Wasn’t he just trying to defend him? Was it necessary to be so fierce?

Zhou Zheng felt indignant inside, but he didn’t dare to retort and meekly replied with a “Mm.”

Seeing Zhou Zheng’s pursed lips, Lu Fangchi realized he had unconsciously spoken too harshly. After a brief pause, he changed the subject: “Thanks just now.”

Lu Fangchi’s softened tone made Zhou Zheng feel like a deflated balloon. The feeling of dizziness and lightheadedness washed over him again. He took a step forward and leaned his head on Lu Fangchi’s shoulder, muttering, “I feel dizzy.”

Lu Fangchi glanced at the call number screen; it was almost Zhou Zheng’s turn. “Bear with it, it’s almost your turn,” he said.

From beside him came Zhou Zheng’s muffled voice: “Do you think I embarrassed you just now?”

Why would he think that? Lu Fangchi was puzzled: “Why would you think that?”

“You didn’t say anything, and I made a scene,” Zhou Zheng left his words half-said. Compared to your calm and composed demeanor just now, I, with my eyes wide open in anger and arguing with others, did look ugly.

Lu Fangchi didn’t respond. Zhou Zheng continued on his own: “I’ll know better next time and won’t argue.”

Lu Fangchi blinked, thought for a moment, and then understood. He patted Zhou Zheng’s shoulder, “Don’t overthink it. I just don’t like you putting yourself down.”

The words weren’t very clear, but Zhou Zheng probably understood. He rubbed his face against Lu Fangchi’s shoulder again and again, wanting to bite the other to express his inner joy, but he restrained himself and whispered, “I’ll know better next time.”