Can I still be saved? [Transmigration] - Chapter 16

After Su Yunjing finished bathing Fu Hanzhou, he helped him change into new clothes.

Last Saturday, Song Wenqian hadn’t just bought him new shoes, but also got him a set of autumn clothes.

“The shoes and clothes are from my mom.”

Su Yunjing explained as he wrapped a black scarf around Fu Hanzhou’s neck, along with a matching hat.

“This is your birthday present from me. There’s a pair of gloves too when it gets colder, make sure to wear them.”

He stuffed the black fleece-lined gloves into the pocket of Fu Hanzhou’s coat.

The down jacket Fu Hanzhou was wearing had belonged to Su Yunjing last winter. Song Wenqian had originally planned to give it to her nephew, but after learning the orphanage’s conditions weren’t great, she washed it and passed it to Fu Hanzhou instead.

The scarf was wrapped around twice, covering most of Fu Hanzhou’s face. Only his delicate nose bridge and those striking dark eyes were visible.

Looking at Fu Hanzhou all bundled up, Su Yunjing felt warm just seeing him.

“Still, it’s Hanzhou who makes this outfit look good,” Song Wenqian said with a smile, clearly growing more fond of the boy by the day. Then, turning to her own son, she joked, “You could wear the same thing, and it still wouldn’t look as food.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

Ah yes, nothing like a good comparison to cut deep.

“It’s almost eight,” Song Wenqian said, reaching for Fu Hanzhou’s hand. “Come on, Auntie will walk you back.”

Fu Hanzhou glanced at Su Yunjing.

Catching the silent signal, Su Yunjing immediately chimed in, “Mom, I’ll go with you.”

“What for? It’s cold outside; you’ll catch a cold,” Song Wenqian frowned.

“I’ll put on an extra layer. Wait for me.” Su Yunjing took Fu Hanzhou’s hand from her and dragged him into his bedroom.

“You kid!” Song Wenqian called after them. “If you’re just changing, why are you dragging Hanzhou along?”

Of course, Su Yunjing couldn’t tell her it was because Fu Hanzhou didn’t like being touched by others.

Inside his room, Su Yunjing let go of Fu Hanzhou’s hand and went to the wardrobe to find a thick jacket.

As he was getting dressed, he noticed Fu Hanzhou staring at the box of colored pencils on his desk.

Those were the ones Su Yunjing had tried to gift him before. But Back then, Fu Hanzhou not only refused to accept it but also gave him a half-dead fuzzy plush in return.

Su Yunjing smiled, remembering how cold and aloof Fu Hanzhou had been when they first met.

He walked over, picked up the colored pencils, and handed them over.

“They’re yours.”

Fu Hanzhou looked surprised. “You’re giving them to me?”

“I bought them for you to begin with,” Su Yunjing said simply.

Looking at his unreserved smile, Fu Hanzhou pursed his lips slightly and silently accepted the gift.

Su Yunjing wrapped a scarf around himself and said, “Let’s go.”

He turned off the light and walked out of the room with Fu Hanzhou close behind.

Seeing her son bundled up like a snowball, Song Wenqian didn’t object anymore.

They personally brought Fu Hanzhou back to the orphanage and handed him off to the head caretaker.Song Wenqian took Su Yunjing back.

At this time, cars were still a rarity, and there weren’t many vehicles passing on the road.

Su Yunjing walked beside his mother as they crossed the quiet road. Just as they stepped off the curb, he suddenly felt a strange pull, like someone calling out to him.Su Yunjing suddenly turned and looked back.

The wrought iron gate to the orphanage had already been shut. Fu Hanzhou stood behind it, perfectly still, staring at them.

Behind him loomed a pitch-black corridor, like the gaping maw of a beast, inching its way toward him, ready to swallow him whole.

The boy’s frail figure looked especially small and alone beneath the cold night sky.

For a brief moment, Su Yunjing really wanted to bring him home.

But Song Wenqian was now pregnant, so they could not adopt Fu Hanzhou. And besides, Fu Hanzhou had a father. And his father would be coming to take him back very soon.

Fu Hanzhou clutched the cold iron bars, his small face pale from the cold air, like a layer of frost on a winter morning.

When Su Yunjing turned back and met his eyes, those jet-black pupils shone so brightly in the darkness that it was heartbreaking.

Understanding the silent plea in that gaze, Su Yunjing turned to his mother and whispered something.

After a moment of hesitation, she let go of his hand.

Su Yunjing walked back to the gate, took Fu Hanzhou’s hand, and pulled two candies from his pocket.

“Go back now, or you’ll catch a cold.” He tugged Fu Hanzhou’s scarf up to cover most of his face, shielding him from the wind.

Fu Hanzhou lowered his gaze, hiding the disappointment in his eyes.

But he still nodded and obediently turned to go, clutching those two pieces of candy tightly.

Looking at the lonely figure of Fu Hanzhou, Su Yunjing couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow in his heart.

Just a little longer.

In two months at most, Fu Hanzhou’s biological father would come. Then he’d have a home.

The next morning, on the way to school, Su Yunjing saw Fu Hanzhou standing by the orphanage gate in the freezing wind, watching Song Wenqian pedal her son away on the bike.

That afternoon, When Su Yunjing came back from school, he saw Fu Hanzhou waiting for him at the door again.

“Mom, stop for a second,” Su Yunjing said, tugging on Song Wenqian’s coat.

“What is it?” she asked, pulling the bike to a stop.

“I’ll walk with Hanzhou for a bit. You can head home first.”

“What’s there to do out in this cold?” Song Wenqian frowned but seeing Fu Hanzhou, she gave in. She parked the bike and went inside the orphanage to speak to the caretaker.

Then she came back and brought both kids home.

She handed them some sunflower seeds and tangerines.

“Go play. I’ll make dinner. Hanzhou, stay for dinner tonight, I’ve already spoken to your caretaker.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” Fu Hanzhou replied politely.

Seeing how well-mannered and pretty he was, Song Wenqian couldn’t help but smile.

“Look at those lashes! Even prettier than a little girl’s. Auntie really likes you.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

Ever since Fu Hanzhou showed up, he felt like his status at home had dropped significantly.

Was this the irresistible appeal of a second male lead? Everyone loved him, except the female lead.

Once Song Wenqian left, Su Yunjing immediately took Fu Hanzhou to wash his hands.

His hands were like ice. Su Yunjing poured some extra warm water into the basin and had him soak them for a bit.

Back in the room, Su Yunjing shut the door and peeled a tangerine for him.

“Here, you eat. I’m going to do my homework.”

Fu Hanzhou nodded and stayed quiet, not interrupting.

First-grade homework was easy. Su Yunjing finished quickly and then began writing up some new math problems for Fu Hanzhou to solve tomorrow.

That evening, Song Wenqian planned to make wontons. After mixing the filling, she washed a box of fresh strawberries and brought them into the room.

She’d thought the boys would be watching TV, but instead she found them studying.

Su Yunjing was teaching Fu Hanzhou how to write new characters.

Seeing this scene, Song Wenqian, as a mother, felt relieved immediately. She unconsciously placed her hand on her slightly rounded belly.

From then on, every morning and evening, Fu Hanzhou waited by the orphanage gate, to see Su Yunjing off, and to welcome him home.

There were few entertainment activities at this time, and Fu Hanzhou wasn’t close with anyone else. The only person he liked to be around was Su Yunjing.

Knowing that the boy waited all day just for him made Su Yunjing’s heart ache.

So after school, he would go to the orphanage to find Fu Hanzhou as soon as possible.

Others always have stomach-strengthening and digestion-promoting tablets at home, but Su Yunjing always has White Rabbit in his pocket.

As soon as he arrived, kids swarmed around asking for sweets.

But these days, he rarely had the chance to hand them out because Fu Hanzhou would snatch them all up first.

Today was no different.Su Yunjing got off the back seat of Song Wenqian’s bicycle.Before he even set foot on orphanage grounds, Fu Hanzhou was already there, rifling through his coat pockets and expertly confiscating every last candy.

His cold fingers brushed against Su Yunjing’s wrist, like ice dipped in a frozen pond.

Su Yunjing didn’t complain about the candy. Instead, he asked, “What happened to the gloves I gave you?”

“I washed them,” Fu Hanzhou replied, tucking the candies into his own pockets.

“Don’t wait for me out here anymore. Look at your face; you’re freezing.” Su Yunjing flipped up the hood of his coat. “Here, put your hands in here. It’s warm.”

Fu Hanzhou hesitated but finally placed his hands inside.

It was warm, and he could feel Su Yunjing’s body heat through the thick coat.

Slowly, he leaned in and rested his forehead against the hood.

“Don’t give them candy anymore,” Fu Hanzhou said softly.

Caught off guard, Su Yunjing blinked.

“Why?”

Fu Hanzhou didn’t answer. He just repeated it, stubbornly.

“Don’t give them candy.”

Your candy… is only for me.

Su Yunjing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “Alright. If you say no more candy, then no more candy.”

It just so happened that he’d been wanting to save up some money lately. After all, the day when the little cool cub would be taken back by his biological father was coming closer.

As they were about to part, he wanted to give Fu Hanzhou a gift.

When Su Yunjing promised, a faint curve appeared in Fu Hanzhou’s delicate, refined eyes and brows.

He hugged Su Yunjing tightly, soaking up every bit of warmth.

Now Su Yunjing no longer had to sneak food to Fu Hanzhou.

Because Song Wenqian liked him so much and since they always studied together, she started letting him stay for dinner.

The orphanage didn’t protest either, since they always brought him back on time.

Seeing how Fu Hanzhou opened up more each day, Su Yunjing felt proud.

But when he thought about it carefully, it seemed Fu Hanzhou only acted that way around him. With everyone else, he was still cold and distant.

Did that count as completing the system’s mission?

If so, would he have to leave this world soon?

The question kept nagging at him.

But without contact from the system, all Su Yunjing could do was keep playing his part as Lu Jiaming.

After the first frost, the weather grew colder by the day.

Although Su Yunjing bought gloves for Fu Hanzhou but the conditions in the orphanage were too poor, and Fu Hanzhou ended up with frostbitten hands.

That night, Su Yunjing lay in bed, thinking about buying him some ointment for the first bite and fell asleep in a daze.

He didn’t know what time he slept, he was startled awake by the sharp ring of the landline.

The first to wake was Song Wenqian. Her sleep had been light since getting pregnant. She nudged Lu Tao awake.

“Get the phone.”

Lu Tao cursed the caller as a lunatic, and reluctantly went to the living room to answer the phone.

But the moment he asked who it was, the caller hung up.

Su Yunjing, still in bed, heard the commotion and rubbed his eyes. He was about to roll over and go back to sleep but then, like a jolt, he thought of Fu Hanzhou.

He waited until everything had quieted down in the master bedroom. Then he got up quietly.

He didn’t dare turn on the lights. Squinting in the dark, he fumbled for the landline and checked the call history.

Sure enough, it was Fu Hanzhou’s number.

Su Yunjing’s heart skipped. If he was calling this late, it must be serious.