Became the Terminally Ill Supporting Male Lead's Rabbit Spirit

People were fleeing from the hotel one after another. The fire was intense, and many who came out late had their hands or feet burned.

Su ZhiYuan handed his younger brother to a bodyguard who had also escaped, and he made phone calls to dispatch more people to help.

Su Ci stood frozen and cold. She couldn't hear what her brother was saying beside her, couldn't hear Little Su Ning crying for his mother, and couldn't hear the wails of the injured people around her.

She remembered the day she died, watching people's indifference toward her, but even then her body hadn't felt this cold.

Su Ci's eyes were fixed on the hotel where flames were shooting out of the windows, spreading more and more fiercely.

Lu Zhe was still inside; he had gone in to look for her.

Su Ci recalled their phone conversation last night when Lu Zhe had asked where the banquet was being held. She had told him without giving it much thought.

So he had been in City B yesterday.

Boss Fang watched the fierce flames with reddened eyes, his forehead covered in sweat from the surrounding heat. His voice was choked with emotion, "I should have stopped young Zhe from going in."

They had come to City B happily, planning to find a place to open a company, but in an instant, Lu Zhe was trapped in the inferno, his fate unknown.

He glanced at Su Ci, seeing the young girl standing stiffly, her usually fair face looking particularly pale in the firelight.

He Ermeng had somehow found a clean towel and poured bottled water on it. "Ci Ci, your face and hands are dirty. Let me help you clean up."

Compared to others' disheveled state, He Ermeng still looked fresh and clean, standing out notably in the crowd.

As he spoke, he reached out with the towel to help wipe the soot from Su Ci's face.

Su Ci turned her head away, avoiding his hand. "I don't need your help."

"Ci Ci, the firefighters will be here soon. Su's Father and Su's Mother will be fine," He Ermeng said in a deep voice, trying to comfort her, his handsome face showing no trace of his usual playfulness.

Su Ci ignored him.

As her rationality slowly returned, she called out to Fu Gui, "Lu Zhe still has more than three years of life value left, doesn't that mean he won't die now?"

Normally, she wouldn't ask Fu Gui such a basic question, but right now she desperately needed a definitive answer.

Fu Gui: [Master, Lu Zhe has more than three years of life value, which means he won't die until after three years.]

Hearing this, Su Ci finally felt sensation returning to her numbed body. She didn't dare ask Fu Gui whether Su's Father and Su's Mother were already dead inside.

Every previous rescue attempt had been successful, which led Su Ci to believe this time would be no different, that she could successfully save Su's Father and Su's Mother.

However, she had overestimated her abilities.

Su Ci's lips were pressed into a thin line, turning white.

She regretted not being more forceful earlier; she should have insisted on making Su's Father and Su's Mother leave.

Chaos erupted around them.

Firefighters and ambulances arrived one after another.

He Ermeng wanted to protect Su Ci and move her away, worried that others might bump into her.

However, the girl was stubborn and refused to let him touch her at all. He could only stand guard nearby. He called home to report his safety, with the old man urging him to return.

He Ermeng glanced at Su Ci beside him, feeling too worried to leave. If Su's Father and Su's Mother had perished in the fire, the Su family would likely face major upheaval in the near future.

His only concern was Su Ci.

"Ci Ci, will you go home first?" Su ZhiYuan's refined face looked troubled, his features clouded with worry. With their parents' fate unknown, his most important task now was to ensure his sister and brother were safe.

Su Ci shook her head, her face pale and lips dry, "Brother, I'm not leaving."

She needed to wait for Lu Zhe and her parents to come out.

Inside the hotel, fire was everywhere, with scorching temperatures and thick smoke making it almost impossible to breathe.

Su's Mother coughed continuously as she struggled to move the heavy debris pinning down her husband.

Her husband was unconscious, and as the flames approached, Su's Mother fell into despair.

At that moment, a figure passed by.

The young man observed the surrounding flames and saw a woman and an unconscious man about to be engulfed by the fire.

His eyes darkened as Lu Zhe grabbed a tablecloth from a long dining table. He took several bottles of mineral water and poured them over the cloth, then draped it over himself before rushing forward.

"Please, save my husband," Su's Mother pleaded upon seeing the young man emerge from the flames, shocked but hopeful.

Lu Zhe threw the wet tablecloth to Su's Mother and moved forward to lift the debris crushing Su's Father.

The veins on Lu Zhe's arms bulged as he gritted his teeth and heaved with all his might, finally managing to remove the heavy debris from the man's body.

"Help me support him, I'll carry him," Lu Zhe said in a deep voice.

Su's Mother quickly stood up to help the young man get her husband onto his back.

The fire was approaching rapidly.

Lu Zhe carried Su's Father but suddenly stumbled, nearly sending both of them falling into the flames.

Su's Mother was terrified.

Lu Zhe steadied himself, gritting his teeth through the sudden muscle spasm.

"Cover yourself with the cloth, we'll make a run for it," Lu Zhe told Su's Mother.

Su's Mother quickly picked up the wet tablecloth, covering herself with half of it and draping the other half over her husband.

Just as they escaped one ring of fire, they found another wall of flames ahead.

Su's Mother looked at the young man in panic, "You should escape on your own, don't worry about us. Save yourself if you can." Her husband was still unconscious, and she could see the young man struggling under his weight. They were only holding him back.

Sweat covered Lu Zhe's forehead as he clenched his jaw, looking at the raging fire ahead. He turned sideways and kicked hard at a door in the hallway.

The door didn't budge.

Lu Zhe set Su's Father down and kicked the door again.

After about fifteen forceful kicks, there was a "click" as the lock gave way.

Lu Zhe delivered one final kick, and the door swung open.

The fire hadn't spread into the room yet. Lu Zhe rushed inside.

He surveyed the room and found no windows; all the glass was sealed. He went into the bathroom, turned the faucet to full blast, and soaked several towels.

"Cover your nose," Lu Zhe handed a towel to Su's Mother. "We'll go that way, the fire is less intense there."

Su's Mother gratefully accepted the towel. If it weren't for this young man, she and her husband would surely have perished in the flames.

Lu Zhe wrapped another towel around Su's Father's face.

He lifted the man onto his back again.

Su Ci stood until her legs went numb, her eyes fixed on the hotel entrance, praying for the firefighters to rescue Lu Zhe and her parents.

"Ci Ci, have some water," He Ermeng noticed Su Ci's dry lips and opened a bottle of mineral water.

Su Ci didn't take it.

Little Su Ning had already been taken home by the bodyguards, and her older brother was arranging for people to assist the firefighters, trying to buy more time for the rescue.

Boss Fang stood nearby, anxiously waiting for Lu Zhe to emerge.

The girl's fair face was smudged with soot, her lips dry, yet none of this diminished her beauty. Instead, it gave her the poignant beauty of a fallen fairy.

He Ermeng felt he could never tire of looking at Su Ci's beautiful, delicate face.

Just as He Ermeng was about to ask if Su Ci was hungry, he saw her eyes suddenly brighten and her lips curve into a smile.

The next moment, Su Ci lifted her formal dress and ran forward.

He looked over to see a tall young man emerging, carrying Su's Father on his back, with Su's Mother following behind, looking disheveled.

Su's Father and Su's Mother had made it out alive.

Su Ci and Su ZhiYuan ran quickly toward their parents.

Lu Zhe let medical personnel take Su's Father from his back to transport him to the hospital.

Seeing his parents, Su ZhiYuan's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed. "Mom, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks to this young man who saved your father and me," Su's Mother looked gratefully at Lu Zhe, having thought she and her husband would die in the fire.

"It's you?" Su ZhiYuan looked surprised. He hadn't expected the young man who had once taken care of his sister to now save his parents. This young man truly seemed destined to be connected to the Su family.

"ZhiYuan, you know him?"

"He's Lu Zhe, the one I told you about who took care of little Ci before," Su ZhiYuan glanced at his sister beside him, then lowered his gaze. "Mom, go to the hospital with dad first. Brother has been sent home, and I'll bring sister to see you at the hospital later."

Su's Mother had inhaled a lot of smoke and was feeling unwell. Worried about Su's Father's condition, she followed the medical staff into the ambulance.

Su ZhiYuan made a phone call to arrange for someone to wait at the hospital, ensuring his parents would be taken care of immediately. The Su family had been hosting a banquet here today when the accident occurred, and he still needed to investigate whether the fire was intentional or accidental.

"Lu Zhe," Su Ci gazed at the disheveled young man before her with glistening eyes. "Thank you for saving my parents."

Relieved to see the girl unharmed, Lu Zhe let out a breath, "I didn't know they were your parents." But he was grateful he could save them.

"Thank you anyway," Su Ci moved closer to him. "Uncle Fang said you went into the hotel looking for me. Why are you so foolish? You knew there was a fire, yet you still went in."

Lu Zhe's gaze deepened.

Then, he heard the girl say: "But I love how you lost all reason for my sake."

Su Ci's eyes sparkled, "You must consider me very important, even more important than yourself, to risk danger to save me."

She asked him worriedly, "Are you hurt?"

Lu Zhe: "No."

His gaze fell on the girl's face, noticing some soot on her left cheek. He raised his hand toward her face.

"Slap!" A crisp sound rang out.

"Who gave you permission to touch her?" It was He Ermeng who had violently knocked Lu Zhe's hand away. His handsome features were filled with hostility as he scrutinized Lu Zhe sharply.

"He Ermeng, are you crazy?" Su Ci glared at He Ermeng, then grabbed Lu Zhe's hand that had been struck and placed it on her face. "He can touch me however he wants."

"Su Ci!" He Ermeng stared in disbelief at the scene before him - Su Ci actually letting this boy touch her face.

Su Ci ignored He Ermeng and looked at Lu Zhe instead. "My face is dirty, help me wipe it clean."

The girl's coquettish words felt like a knife twisting in He Ermeng's heart, causing both pain and jealousy.

Earlier when he had offered to wipe her face, she had flatly refused, but now she was actively asking this unknown boy to do it!

He Ermeng's eyes reddened, the sharp look in them fading to be replaced by a wet sheen as he looked at Su Ci. "Ci Ci, I can help wipe your face too."

"I don't need you, I only want him!" Su Ci rejected him clearly.

Lu Zhe looked at his soot-covered hand and withdrew it.

Su Ci's expression darkened, about to scold him.

Lu Zhe wiped his hand several times on his clothes, cleaning both his palm and the back of his hand, before reaching out again. His cold fingertips touched Su Ci's face.

His rough fingertips gently wiped away the soot on her face.

He Ermeng watched, wanting nothing more than to beat the other man to death. He spoke through gritted teeth: "He's the one who answered your phone that day, isn't he?"

"So what if it was him?" Su Ci's mood had improved now that she saw Lu Zhe and her parents were safe.

He Ermeng had planned to send people to investigate in City B, but now it seemed unnecessary.

He wanted to ask Su Ci if she liked this boy, but seeing how she was taking his side, he swallowed his words.

He was afraid of the answer.

He Ermeng's eyes were fixed on Lu Zhe's hand touching Su Ci's face, wanting to chop it off.

Lu Zhe's rigid face remained expressionless as he wiped the soot from the girl's face, quickly withdrawing his hand afterward. He cast a cold glance at the person called He Ermeng, knowing this was the one Su Ci had mentioned who had been bothering her.

The two men's gazes met, creating a tense atmosphere.

Su ZhiYuan came over after finishing his phone call, "Ci Ci, let's go to the hospital to see Mom and Dad."

Su Ci looked at Lu Zhe.

Lu Zhe: "Go ahead."

Su ZhiYuan turned to Lu Zhe, "Thank you for saving my parents. The Su family won't forget this debt of gratitude."

Lu Zhe's gaze deepened, "I only did what I should have." He would have saved anyone, even if they weren't Su Ci's parents.

"Regardless, our family owes you two favors." Su ZhiYuan was genuinely grateful to the young man, knowing his parents might not have survived until the firefighters arrived without him. "There's still much to handle today, but I'll properly thank you another time."

Su ZhiYuan left with a reluctant Su Ci.

After Su Ci left, Boss Fang hurried to Lu Zhe's side, "Xiao Zhe, are you alright?"

Lu Zhe shook his head, "I'm fine."

"You really scared me to death, I thought..." Boss Fang quickly spat to ward off the bad thoughts, "It's so good that you're okay."

At his age, he had nearly been frightened half to death.

With Su Ci gone, He Ermeng had no reason to stay either.

Before leaving, he fixed Lu Zhe with a vicious stare, running his tongue along his palate before saying coldly: "I'll remember you. If you don't want me to kill you, stay away from Su Ci."

He had watched over Su Ci for three years; she belonged to him.

Lu Zhe's expression remained cold as his dark eyes met He Ermeng's scrutiny directly. "Do as you please." After all, he wouldn't live long even without the other's intervention.

He Ermeng had always been the school bully, and even among the wealthy families, others his age had to mind his mood. This was the first time he'd met someone who wasn't afraid of him. He looked at Lu Zhe mockingly - he'd heard plenty of tough talk before, but in the end, those people all ended up beaten down by him.

Finally, He Ermeng's lips twisted into a sneer as he left.

"Xiao Zhe, I heard that person's surname is He." Boss Fang worried for Lu Zhe. Given the other's proud character and surname, among those qualified to associate with the Su family, there could only be one He family.

This wasn't someone ordinary citizens like them could afford to offend.

He could see that the young He was in love with Su Ci, while Su Ci seemed to like Lu Zhe, and Lu Zhe probably liked Su Ci too, which was why the He boy wanted to cause trouble for Lu Zhe.

Lu Zhe, with no power or influence, could easily be taken advantage of.

"Uncle Fang, don't worry, it's fine." Lu Zhe patted Boss Fang's shoulder to bring him back to reality. "We still need to look at the venues."

Boss Fang hadn't forgotten their purpose in coming to City B, but he looked at Lu Zhe with concern, "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe we should go back to the hotel to rest first, and look later?" There had been such a big fire, and Lu Zhe had rescued people while dealing with his own illness - he worried Lu Zhe might be too exhausted.

"I'm fine, let's hurry and look at a few more places." They had bought tickets for tomorrow, time was running short.

Boss Fang understood their situation and sighed, "Alright, let's go."

......

That evening, Su Ci and Su ZhiYuan returned home together from the hospital.

Su's Father had regained consciousness but had suffered serious injuries to his back and needed to stay in the hospital for some time. Su's Mother remained at the hospital to care for him.

Little Su Ning sat alone at the dining table. Seeing Su ZhiYuan and Su Ci return, his bright black eyes lit up, "Brother, Sister."

The little one had experienced the fire today and must have been frightened. With his parents, brother, and sister all away, he had cried several times, and it took the servants a long while to calm him down.

Su Ci went forward and stroked Little Su Ning's head, "Has Ning Ning been good at home?"

Little Su Ning completely forgot about crying for so long and nodded, "Yes."

"Mom and Dad still have things to take care of and won't be home for a few days. Is it okay if Sister takes care of you?" Su Ci asked him.

Little Su Ning had always loved his sister, and now that she no longer saw him as a nuisance, he loved playing with her. He answered in his baby voice: "Okay."

Su Ci stroked his head again, "Good boy."

Su ZhiYuan saw that his sister was now willing to care for their brother, and his eyes softened with tenderness. He asked for his meal to be sent to the study - today's events had major implications, and he had many matters to handle.

After dining with Little Su Ning, Su Ci had someone take the little one for his bath.

Back in her room, Su Ci called Lu Zhe directly.

The call was answered after just a few rings.

"Lu Zhe, where are you now?" Su Ci sat on the edge of her bed, still wearing the formal dress from the banquet, not having had time to change.

"What's wrong?"

The young man's cool voice came through the phone, with some background noise.

"Tell me where you are, and I'll come find you." The afternoon location wasn't suitable, and she hadn't had a proper conversation with him. Besides, she wanted to know why he suddenly came to City B.

Lu Zhe was having dinner with Boss Fang at a small restaurant near the hotel. The environment wasn't great, crowded and noisy - how could Su Ci come to such a place?

He lowered his gaze, "You don't need to come here. I'll come find you."

He knew she would definitely want to see him.

Su Ci laughed, "I'll send you my home address."

After hanging up, Lu Zhe met Boss Fang's gaze.

"Was that little Ci?" Boss Fang recalled that Lu Zhe didn't seem to have any other friends besides Su Ci.

"Yes, I'm going to see her." Lu Zhe lowered his head and quickened his eating pace.

Boss Fang smiled, "We're leaving tomorrow, so you should definitely see little Ci. After this, you two won't be able to meet for quite a while."

After coming to City B, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Su family. Today, they had visited many office buildings, several of which belonged to the Su family's enterprises.

And these office buildings were merely insignificant assets to the Su family.

The gap between Lu Zhe and Su Ci was like an unfathomable abyss.

Leaving the small restaurant, Lu Zhe took a taxi to the Su residence.

After getting out of the car, Lu Zhe texted Su Ci: I'm at your front gate.

The Su residence was like a castle in the heart of the city, and Su Ci was the pampered princess within.

After a while, the iron gate opened.

Lu Zhe watched as the delicate princess came out, while he stood in the darkness, like a delusional thief stealing glances at a princess.

"Lu Zhe."

Su Ci walked out, looking at the tall young man standing under the tree in the shadows, and complained, "Why are you standing there? I almost didn't see you."

Lu Zhe stepped out of the shadows and stood under the street lamp. The warm yellow light softened his rigid features as he asked the girl, "Have you eaten?"

"Yes." Su Ci walked closer and directly took his hand, trying to pull him into the Su residence.

Lu Zhe didn't move. He looked at the girl with a calm expression, "I won't go in."

"Do you want me to stand at the gate to chat with you? I'll get tired." Su Ci lifted her formal dress skirt and stretched out her foot for Lu Zhe to see.

The girl was wearing crystal silver stilettos, and on her delicate ankle, she still wore the cheap red string that clashed terribly with her formal dress.

Su Ci winked at Lu Zhe and teased, "Don't worry, my parents are still at the hospital, my brother is working in the study, and my little brother is already asleep. They won't know you came."

Then, she pulled Lu Zhe inside.

Meeting the surprised gaze of the security guard, Su Ci raised her eyebrows and threatened playfully, "You didn't see anything."

The security guard straightened his back and tactfully looked away - he hadn't seen anything.

The front yard of the Su residence had a garden and fountain, while the backyard had a lotus pond with a specially built pavilion in its center. Sitting in the pavilion to appreciate the lotus flowers in summer was the best view.

Street lamps were installed all around the backyard, keeping the surroundings well-lit.

Su Ci led Lu Zhe into the pavilion and sat down.

As soon as she sat down, Su Ci kicked off her high heels. Her feet had been aching all day from wearing them.

"Uncomfortable?" Lu Zhe knew how delicate the girl's body was - even slightly hard shoes could make her feet turn red. Now wearing high heels, she was obviously not comfortable.

"My feet hurt." Su Ci stretched out both feet.

Under the warm yellow light of the pavilion, Lu Zhe could see that the girl's heels were bright red from chafing.

His eyes darkened, "Remember to apply medicine when you get back."

"Mm." Su Ci responded perfunctorily.

Su Ci's mind wasn't on her feet. She blinked and said to Lu Zhe, "Lu Zhe, doesn't this feel like I'm sneaking you home for a secret rendezvous behind my family's back? I find it so thrilling."

Lu Zhe gave her a long look - who would say such things about themselves?

When Su Ci didn't get a response, she kicked Lu Zhe's leg with her toes, "Am I wrong?"

Lu Zhe knew how to humor her, "Mm."

Su Ci's red lips curved into a smile. She moved closer to Lu Zhe and continued asking, "You couldn't see clearly in the video, but now I'm wearing a formal dress. Do I look beautiful?"

The moon's reflection rippled on the pond's surface.

Lu Zhe looked at the girl who was as beautiful as a fairy in the moonlight, his heart skipping a beat.

He softly responded, "Mm."

Su Ci wasn't satisfied with that.

She leaned closer to him, her jade-like arms naturally draping over Lu Zhe's shoulders. The next moment, she felt the young man's body tremble.

"What's wrong?" She paused her movement.

Lu Zhe shook his head, "It's nothing. Sit properly."

The neckline of the girl's dress was rather low, and with just a slight downward glance, he could see a large expanse of pristine white skin at her chest.

Su Ci wouldn't listen to him. Her hand touched the spot where she had felt him flinch, and once again, Lu Zhe's body tensed.

Su Ci frowned, stood up, and directly pulled open Lu Zhe's collar, discovering burn wounds on the young man's shoulder.

Su Ci became a bit angry, "You're hurt and you didn't tell me."

Lu Zhe met the girl's watery gaze, the coldness in his voice dissipating, "It's not serious, just needs some medicine."

"Did you apply any medicine?" Su Ci glared at him.

Lu Zhe: ......

After leaving the hotel in the afternoon, he had been out with Boss Fang and hadn't had time to go back and apply medicine.

Su Ci pressed her lips together, gave Lu Zhe a look, and left.

Lu Zhe's rigid face gained an extra touch of coldness in the night.

After what seemed like a long time, when Su Ci returned, she had a tube of ointment in her hand.

She looked at Lu Zhe and said directly, "Take off your clothes."

Lu Zhe rubbed his forehead, "Give me the ointment, I'll apply it myself when I get back."

Su Ci sat down beside him, her slender white fingers grabbing his clothes, "I'll help you take it off."

Lu Zhe gripped her hand, his dark eyes filled with helplessness and indulgence, "I'll take it off myself."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Zhe saw the girl's dark eyes instantly light up.