I
Lu Shiyan thought he might really be sick.
Not insomnia, not anxiety, but something even more terrifying—he was starting to look forward to the morning calisthenics.
This realization made him deeply uncomfortable.
The head of Lu Corporation, looking forward to a bunch of mental patients' morning exercises? If this got out, the stock price would plummet.
But facts were facts. At six in the morning, without waiting for Uncle Wang to knock, he woke up on his own. Got dressed, washed up, went downstairs, walked to the courtyard.
The movements were fluid, as if he'd been doing this for years.
In the courtyard, Su Tang was setting up the morning exercise equipment. She wore a pale pink athletic suit, her hair tied in a bun, revealing her slender neck and a glimpse of fair ear.
The morning light fell on her like a thin layer of gold.
Lu Shiyan stood at a distance, looked for two seconds, then looked away.
"Mr. Lu, good morning!" Su Tang turned and saw him, greeting him with a smile.
"Morning."
"You're earlier today than yesterday."
"Couldn't sleep." Lu Shiyan said without changing expression.
Su Tang smiled and didn't call him out.
In the past few days, she'd figured out this man's temperament—tough mouth, soft heart. He was clearly used to life here, but refused to admit it.
"Perfect timing. I'm teaching everyone a new routine today." Su Tang clapped her hands, gathering the patients and staff. "Today we're learning 'Happy Little Pony'!"
"'Happy Little Pony'?" Uncle Wang asked curiously. "What kind of exercise is that?"
"It mimics a pony running." Su Tang demonstrated—fists in front of her chest, marching in place, knees high, making a "clip-clop" sound with her mouth.
The courtyard went silent for a second.
Then Uncle Wang was the first to join in: "Clip-clop! I'm a happy little pony!"
"The Alien Prince" wasn't about to be left behind: "Clip-clop! I'm an alien little pony! I want to run back to my home planet!"
Other patients followed suit. Soon the courtyard was filled with "clip-clop" sounds from all directions, the scene spectacular as a herd of real ponies frolicking.
Lu Shiyan stood at the back, watching all this with an expressionless face, while his inner self was in fierce turmoil.
To do it, or not?
If he didn't, Su Tang would laugh at him. If he did, he'd laugh at himself.
In the end, he moved his legs.
Not because he wanted to, but because… he didn't want to disappoint Su Tang.
That reason was even more terrifying.
He put his fists in front of his chest and started marching in place. His movements were stiff as a robot, his knees not high enough, and he couldn't make the clip-clop sound.
Su Tang noticed, came over, and stood beside him.
"Mr. Lu, lift your knees a little higher."
Lu Shiyan lifted them a bit higher.
"A little higher."
He lifted them a bit more.
"Good. Now say it with me: 'Clip-clop.'"
Lu Shiyan opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
"Come on, it only works if you say it." Su Tang encouraged him.
"Clip." Lu Shiyan said the first syllable in the smallest voice possible.
"Clip-clop! That's two syllables!"
"Clip-clop." Louder this time, but still sounded like reciting a textbook.
Su Tang held back a laugh. "Alright, I won't push you. Just practice the movements today. We'll work on the sound later."
Lu Shiyan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and continued marching in place.
He marched seriously, each step as precise as a military parade. Su Tang watched from the side, the corners of her mouth curving upward.
This man could have refused, but chose to go along.
He could have half-assed it, but did it earnestly.
He could have remained cold, but was slowly… warming up.
II
After exercises, breakfast.
Today's breakfast was Dr. Zhang's specialty—scallion oil noodles.
He'd made the noodles by hand, chewy and springy. The scallion oil was slow-cooked with green onions, fragrant and rich. Mixed together, topped with crispy fried scallions—pure heaven.
Lu Shiyan sat in his usual spot, a large bowl of noodles before him.
He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
The fragrance of scallion oil, the springy noodles, the crunch of fried scallions—exploded in his mouth.
He paused, then sped up his eating.
"Good, isn't it?" Uncle Wang had appeared across from him again. "Old Zhang's scallion oil noodles, only once a week, always gone in seconds."
"Mm." Lu Shiyan rarely admitted to enjoying anything.
"Eat up. You've got a busy day ahead." Uncle Wang said mysteriously.
"What do you mean?"
"Xiao Su said she's adding something new for you. Not sure what exactly."
Lu Shiyan's chopsticks paused.
Something new?
He thought about yesterday's farming, and his hands started trembling faintly again.
Just then, Su Tang walked over with her bowl and sat down beside him.
"Mr. Lu, there's a 'special activity' this afternoon," she said as she ate.
"What kind?"
"You'll see when you get there." Su Tang smiled, keeping it a mystery.
Lu Shiyan glanced at her but didn't press.
He'd learned over the past few days—this woman liked being mysterious, but whatever she came up with, no matter how unconventional, worked.
Like farming. After farming yesterday, he'd fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, not even dreaming.
Like drawing. He'd drawn two crooked wavy lines and found his mood had actually lifted.
He didn't want to admit it, but these "unconventional treatments" worked.
"Fine," he said.
Su Tang smiled and lowered her head to continue eating.
Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on her face. Her eyelashes cast a tiny shadow on her cheeks.
Lu Shiyan looked at that shadow for a second, then quickly looked away and buried his face in his noodles, eating furiously.
Uncle Wang watched this scene from the side, his eyes crinkling into slits with amusement.