The Hidden Paths of Archer Chapter 3

Li Sui did not see Archer Lu on the day he was discharged from the hospital. Uncle Yuan told him that Boss Lu was not in good health and was currently recuperating in a nursing home.

Li Sui had no idea how bad this "not so good" was, and just thought it was probably a cold or fever or something like that, so when he arrived at the sanatorium and saw Archer Lu coming out in a wheelchair, he couldn't hide the surprise on his face.

"Boss Lu." He lowered his head and called out.

Archer Lu didn't say much, just glanced at him and said, "Don't hunch your back."

Li Sui immediately stood up straight and placed his hands neatly at his sides.

The child was just thin, but not short. He was in the transition period between adolescence and adulthood, and one could vaguely see the shoulders of a mature man. Before, Archer Lu thought he was just a child because he was curled up in a small ball, but now that he stood up straight, he seemed to be a bit taller than him.

Archer Lu looked away, handed him a document on his lap, and said, "Ask me if you don't understand."

While the two were talking, Uncle Yuan had already gone out, leaving them alone in the room.

Archer Lu leaned on the back of his chair, half-supporting his head, looking at the lake in the distance in trance. He was usually stern and didn't even move much. He sat down like an old oil painting at dusk. Everything around him seemed to be infected by him, even the birds outside the house stopped chirping, and the room was so quiet for a while that the only sound of flipping through papers could be heard.

Li Sui finished flipping through the pages with great effort, picked up a pen and signed his new name on the last page.

Archer Lu turned his head and asked: "Do you understand everything?"

Li Sui shook his head: "Most of them don't understand."

Archer Lu thought the boy was really interesting and asked, "Then why did you sign?"

Li Sui looked up, his eyes were clear. He didn't say anything, but Archer Lu understood what he meant from his eyes.

"You are not a commodity I bought. You have the right to refuse from me," Archer Lu said calmly. "I don't like to force people to do anything. Everything I give you has a purpose. Because of this purpose, you will pay a huge price in the future. Before that, I will try my best to compensate you, but I hope you are willing at that time."

It was the first time that Li Sui heard Archer Lu say such a long sentence. He was unable to understand it for a moment. He lowered his head to look at the document in his hand. The whole page full of Party A and Party B made him almost dizzy.

Archer Lu knew that he might have made a mistake. He had been in business for many years and was used to following the rules for everything: oral contracts, paper contracts, signatures and seals, notarization by the notary office... But for a child like this, it was obvious that his set of rules did not apply.

"Let's leave it for now." Archer Lu took the contract back, his eyes fell on his signature, he looked at it twice and said, "The handwriting is good, who taught you?"

"It was copied from the ID card."

Archer Lu thought for a while and said, "I will teach you to read first."

They had lunch by the lake, eating freshly caught river shrimps and snakehead fish. Li Sui and Archer Lu sat face to face, feeling somewhat awkward.

Archer Lu has very long fingers, his nails are neatly trimmed, he has no tattoos and doesn't wear any jewelry. When he reaches out to pick up food, a part of his wrist with a slightly protruding wrist bone is slightly exposed. His movements are casual and elegant.

Li Sui didn't dare to raise his head and look around, so he could only stare at the hand that Archer Lu stretched out from time to time, and accidentally piled up a small mountain in his bowl.

"Not to your liking?" Archer Lu saw that he didn't move his chopsticks much.

Li Sui shook his head.

"No need to be so restrained." Archer Lu looked up at him. In just half a month, Li Sui had recovered a little compared to the last time he saw him, but he was still thin, with obvious collarbones visible through his collar. His hair had been groomed, with a simple hairstyle, and he looked like an ordinary high school student.

"Do Mason and the others often enjoy beating people in bars?" Archer Lu changed the subject.

Li Sui didn't say anything, but his silence said it all.

"Mason has always been a despicable person. Don't be polite to him next time you see him." Archer Lu said.

Li Sui looked up with confusion in his eyes.

"Let's eat." Archer Lu stood up and left the table without further explanation. "I'm going to a cocktail party with you tonight. You can prepare yourself."

Uncle Yuan came over after a while, and Li Sui asked him, "Is Boss Lu's leg... okay?"

"There is nothing wrong with his legs, the problem is insufficient blood supply."

"I saw him coming out in a wheelchair, and I thought..."

Uncle Yuan explained: "He doesn't often use a wheelchair, only when his condition is serious. He is not in good health and cannot stand for long. You are by his side, please help him more."

Li Sui nodded seriously.

At night, Li Sui changed his shoes and stared at the mirror for a long time. The person in the mirror was wearing a decent suit, brand new shoes, and neatly combed hair... It was the first time he looked at himself so carefully, and for a moment he felt strange.

Uncle Yuan knocked on the door. He came to his senses, folded his clothes neatly and put them in the closet. When he stepped downstairs, he felt a slight pain in his ankle.

His recent leg injury had not yet healed, and after walking in and out all day, the weight of his entire body was now on his feet, which still made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"What are you doing?" Archer Lu was waiting for him in the car.

It was drizzling. Li Sui endured the pain, took a step forward, and opened the passenger door with a normal expression.

"Sit in the back." Archer Lu said.

Li Sui obediently sat down next to him. There was little rain in winter and it always had a metallic smell. The car started to move forward, and Shang Lu handed him a tissue.

"You can follow me later and don't say anything. If someone comes to talk to you, don't pay attention."

Li Sui said "hmm", and after Archer Lu finished explaining this, he closed his eyes and stopped talking.

The car was passing a meteorological tower. The winding neon lights were changing unpredictable in the rain, like a mysterious poisonous snake, overlooking the earth alone. After living in these years, this city was still unfamiliar to him.

After getting out of the car, Li Sui lowered his head and followed Archer Lu. Under the eyes that were either sizing up or curious, he passed through the crowded lobby and walked into a small hall with more ornate decoration.

A dance was being held here, and before it was over, the crowd gathered together in twos and threes, chatting and laughing. As soon as Li Sui stepped into the door, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.

"What a handsome boy," a young girl in a red dress came over first and handed Archer Lu a glass of red wine, "Archer Lu, long time no see."

Not many people called Archer Lu by his first name. Li Sui couldn't help but glance at this woman. Unexpectedly, he caught her sight and immediately turned his head in embarrassment.

Archer Lu took the wine glass and raised it symbolically: "Blair Meng, long time no see. I haven't thanked you for what happened last time."

"Who said that, I received a gift from you," Blair Meng smiled and stretched out her wrist to shake it. The delicate bracelet was shining brightly. She moved her eyes to Li Sui, "This is..."

"Well," Archer Lu took over the conversation, looked at the other people in the hall, raised his glass, and said, "Thank you for your care in the future."

Meng Xinyuo was stunned for a moment. Many people in the hall stood up and raised their glasses to toast.

"Are you serious?" she lowered her voice.

Li Sui was very sensitive to gazes. Although he hid behind Archer Lu and didn't look up, he knew that this woman's focus had never left him.

Archer Lu looked relaxed and answered the question: "He is very good."

These words were really thought-provoking. Blair Meng's face turned red. During the pause, two more people came in at the door. Exaggerated teasing broke out around them. Many people whistled, and a wave of discussion quickly arose in the hall.

"The eldest son of the Li family still likes to be high-profile."

"Is the beauty next to him the most popular female host of Apple TV?"

...

Li Sui heard a familiar voice in the crowd and reflexively felt a chill on his back. His ankle, which was already aching, felt like it had stepped into a pile of charcoal and was burning hot.

Fortunately, Archer Lu had no intention of continuing to chat with Blair Meng and found a relatively quiet seat in the corner to sit down.

I don't know if it was because of nervousness or something else, but there was a thin layer of sweat on Li Sui's forehead, and he moved to the sofa. Just as he was hesitating, Archer Lu waved to him.

"come over."

As soon as he sat down, Archer Lu reached out his hand, held his ankle, and kneaded it gently. Sitting opposite him was a man with small eyes, staring at the two of them with a playful look on his face.

Li Sui was half leaning on the sofa, his face flushed, half from pain and the other half from shame.

"Boss Lu." Li Sui stopped him.

Archer Lu turned his head. In the dim light, his eyes were deep and distant. His eyes looked a little blue, like a mixed race. The next second the colorful light flowed, and the blue shadow moved away and returned to black. He had seen it wrong. .

"how?"

Li Sui came back to his senses and forgot what to say for a moment.

"Boss Lu... Oh, Sawyer Xiao is here too. Sorry, did I disturb you two?" It was Mason who had deliberately followed, and next to him was a hot girl in S3xy clothes.

Li Sui's back straightened suddenly, and this change did not escape Archer Lu's eyes.

"How is it? Boss Lu didn't treat you unfairly, did he?" Mason said condescendingly.

Li Sui lowered his head, remembering in his heart Archer Lu's previous instruction of "ignore anyone", and Mason was naturally included in this "whom" silently.

"Thank you, as you can see." Archer Lu calmly patted Li Sui's stiff shoulder.

"Put it together. He is indeed a beautiful boy. Boss Lu has a good eye. It seems that I have wasted a natural gift." Mason smiled and sat down opposite him. What he said was quite true, even with a hint of sourness. However, this was exactly what Li Sui feared. At this moment, he suddenly became afraid. What if Mason changed his mind and asked Archer Lu to send him back? Would Archer Lu agree?

"Li Sui, I'll give you a toast, Brother Yan." Archer Lu said suddenly.

Li Sui was stunned and clenched his hands into fists.

"New name?" Mason looked at him with a half-smile, which seemed to be contempt but also a warning.

The wine glass was handed to him and Li Sui took it. Archer Lu came over and said into his ear: "Thank you Brother Yan for your generosity."

He suddenly realized that Archer Lu was helping him out, so he took a deep breath and imitated Mason, "Thank you, Brother Yan, for your generosity." Then, without waiting for Mason to react, he drank it in one gulp.

This eviction order... really didn't save anyone's face at all. Mason smiled awkwardly, stretched out his hand to make a "you are awesome" gesture, hugged the hot girl next to him and went to the dance floor.

After his body relaxed, Li Sui gradually realized the taste. What Archer Lu gave him just now was a glass of grape juice.

"Are you afraid of him?"

Li Sui lowered his head blankly and controlled the trembling in his legs. He knew that his performance made Archer Lu dissatisfied: "I...I will try my best to overcome it."

Dare to admit fear is already a big improvement. In fact, it is normal. Mason is like an animal trainer to him. The reason why the little lion is conditioned to be afraid is nothing more than the excessive training of the animal trainer in his childhood. If you use too many whips, you cannot break through your own psychological shackles, but it does not mean that you have no ability to resist the trainer.

The two sat for a while, and when the dance floor started to get lively, Archer Lu led Li Sui and walked out of the front door in a swaggering manner. Everyone here knew that he didn't like the excitement, so the owner didn't try to persuade him too much and sent two doormen to hold an umbrella for him.

It was already dark, and the drizzle outside gradually turned into heavy rain. Uncle Yuan had been waiting outside the door. When he saw him come out, he immediately surrounded him and asked, "Are we going to Secretary Xu's house now?"

Archer Lu opened the door and got into the car, saying softly: "Go home."

Uncle Yuan wanted to say something, but he looked at Li Sui and swallowed it back.

Li Sui's face was a little pale. Although he had been more tolerant than others since he was a child, the limit of his body's endurance was beyond his control. His injured foot began to swell and was squeezed in the shoe. He was embarrassed to take off his shoes in the car, so he had to endure it. He looked at the street scene and counted the seconds along the way, and never let go of his fisted hands.

The Lu family is a small three-story detached house. Uncle Yuan does not live here. The cook and cleaner only come here when needed. Most of the time, Shang Lu is the only one here. With Li Sui, there are now two.

"Ice compress, will that help?" Archer Lu took out an ice pack from the refrigerator, wrapped it in a towel and handed it to him.

Li Sui took it obediently and sat quietly on the sofa to apply the massage to his ankle.

"There are painkillers in the drawer. If you can't help it, just take it yourself. Don't overdose." Seeing that he could take care of himself, Archer Lu turned around and sat down at the dining table in the living room, opened his laptop and started working.

It’s not that the Lu family doesn’t have a study, but Archer Lu has always been reluctant to use it. There is a square table in the living room, right next to the window, which can get sunlight when the weather is good. He likes to read those boring documents there, as if the words can come alive.

Unfortunately, it is night time now, and apart from a little green light on the lawn, not even a ghost can be seen.

He worked very hard and tirelessly, and by the time he came to his senses, it was already past dinner time. Li Sui still maintained the same posture as before, with his eyes blank, and the ice pack in his hand turned into water.

"Are you hungry?" Archer Lu turned off the computer.

Li Sui shook his head, but his stomach growled at an inopportune moment.

Archer Lu sighed inwardly, calling the kitchen to bring two bowls of noodles and pushed them in front of him. He then poured himself a cup of warm rice wine and said, "If you can't finish it, leave it there. Someone will come to collect it."

"Boss Lu, don't you want to eat?" Li Sui's eyes were immediately attracted by the two yolk-fried eggs on his face. He was at the age of growing up, so naturally he had a bigger appetite. It was nothing for him to be used to eating one meal and skipping the next, but during this period of time in the hospital, he had to have three meals a day on a regular basis, which actually developed his appetite.

Archer Lu shook his head and pinched his eyebrows: "Does your foot still hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

Archer Lu looked at him eating without any hesitation, and knew that he would not believe his words "it doesn't hurt anymore". He felt as if he had a cat, and a very well behaved one at that. He handed him a tissue and said, "You don't have to be so restrained when you're here with me. If you're hungry, tell the kitchen. If you're not feeling well, go to Doctor Liang. If you need anything, tell Uncle Yuan. There's only one thing you need to remember -"

Li Sui raised his head from the bowl of noodles.

"Don't leave my sight."

From the moment he came into contact with Li Sui, Archer Lu gave him the impression of being cold most of the time, as if he was not interested in anything and didn't care about anything. This was the first time that he saw the tired look on his face. I feel a tough side.

Li Sui knew that this was Archer Lu’s bottom line, a bottom line that could not be touched in any way.

Probably because the noodle soup was too hot, he sweated a little for no reason. He sat upright and said, "I understand, Boss Lu."

"Eat quickly." Archer Lu wiped the corners of his lips for him, stood up and left the room, throwing a heavy thunder without saltiness, "Sleep in my room tonight."

Li Sui was eating noodles. When he heard this, he lowered his head and choked.

Archer Lu frowned slightly, and as if he remembered something, a faint smile appeared on his face: "Do you know what keeping someone means?"

Li Sui's face changed. He had seen those kept little stars and young models in bars many times before. There were many of them around Mason. Even if he was stupid, he had been in that kind of environment for a long time and only knew what this relationship meant.

"That's all I need to know." After saying that, Archer Lu went upstairs calmly.

Li Sui was the only one sitting alone in the living room. He carefully recalled Archer Lu's words and actions during the day, and then he gradually came to realize that this was a bit like a big money owner declaring ownership.

Li Sui didn't know what a person who grew up in a bandit's den would look like to outsiders. He would probably be humble or lowly, and would definitely not have a good impression. With Archer Lu's temperament, he shouldn't look down on him like this, but he would never have any thoughts about him. After calming down and thinking about it, there seemed to be more of a teasing tone in his few words.

The bedroom door was not closed. When he walked in, Archer Lu was standing by the window, talking on the phone in English. He was wearing pajamas, and the thin fabric showed the outline of his back. Hearing the noise, he turned around and pointed to the bathroom, signaling Li Sui to take a shower.

The bathroom was spacious, with folded bathrobes and towels placed by the sink. Li Sui didn't use the bathtub because he was injured. He just rinsed his mouth and used the shower head to rinse his body, deliberately avoiding his injured ankle. He took a quick shower, and when he came out, Archer Lu hadn't finished his call yet.

He had no idea what material the bathrobe was made of, but it was so slippery that it made his whole body numb. It felt so light that he felt like he was not wearing anything. As soon as he stepped out of it, he felt an indescribable sense of shame.

But Archer Lu still stared at him, and Li Sui was so embarrassed that he couldn't even raise his head. After a long while, the other end finally hung up the phone and reached out to him: "Bring me the medicine."

What medicine? Li Sui's mind buzzed, thinking that it couldn't be possible. He looked up and met Archer Lu's eyes, then he realized that he had misunderstood.

"Which one?" Li Sui hurriedly followed his gaze and opened the drawer, and found that there were more than a dozen bottles and jars inside.

Archer Lu sat down next to the bed: "Clopidogrel and aspirin."

Li Sui looked confused.

Archer Lu remembered that he probably didn't recognize these complicated drug names, so he pointed, "The second bottle in the first row and the one with the blue label."

Li Sui fumbled and turned the medicine bottle out. Archer Lu glanced at him, counted a few pills and swallowed them with cold water: "What were you thinking about just now?"

"No...I didn't think about anything."

"Well," Archer Lu opened the quilt, "Take off your clothes."

Li Sui: ...

"Not willing?"

Li Sui gave him a calm look, said nothing, hesitated for two seconds, and slowly took off his bathrobe. The light in the bedroom shines on this young body, making it look particularly soft. Archer Lu asked him to turn around, stretched out his hand to touch the overlapping scars on his back, and said gently, "How did you do it?"

These scars are old and new, and some Li Sui himself cannot remember: "The cigarette B*tts were burned by the foreman, the cuts were caused by wine bottles, and the wrinkled area was burned by boiling water."

"Here..." Archer Lu's hand slid to his shoulder blade, where there was an ugly little round hole, "There's a scar."

If Li Sui turned around at this time, he would see an expression on Archer Lu's face that he had never seen before.

Li Sui recalled it carefully: "I have no memory of it when I was a child."

Archer Lu lingered near the scar for a while, then patted his shoulder: "Well, go to sleep."

There was no ambiguity, not even embarrassment, and the atmosphere was so calm that Li Sui couldn't help but suspect that there was something wrong with his ears. He snuggled into the quilt obediently, watched Archer Lu turn off the lights and lay down, put his arm around his shoulders, brought the belt to him, closed his eyes and fell asleep without making any unnecessary movements.

Growing up in a complex environment for a long time, Li Sui has developed a highly sensitive sense of danger since he was a child. Archer Lu's emotions are more hidden than most people he has met. Although he can't guess what he is thinking, the message from the deep subconscious of his body is that this man has no such thoughts about him at all. Li Sui secretly breathed a sigh of relief and moved in the quilt, trying to keep his head close to the other's arm, but keeping a considerable distance from his body, neither crossing the line nor appearing too distant.

The surroundings were quiet, and there was a very light sound of rain outside the house, which was misty and unreal. At this age, Li Sui shared a bed with someone for the first time. He felt at a loss all over his body, as if he couldn't even sleep anymore. He was afraid of waking up the people around him. He tried his best to hold back the several times he wanted to turn over. There was a faint scent of shower gel on Archer Lu's body, which smelled very good. Li Sui's brain was confused in this scent, and he lay there like a corpse until late at night, and then gradually fell asleep.

A dreamless night.

The city's climate has little to do with the word "pleasant". The cold and humid rainy days always last for a long time. When all the rheumatism patients in the hospital are queued up at the entrance of the hospital, the continuous cold rain begins to subside. It finally snowed this night.

Li Sui woke up and was confused for a moment. It took him a while to remember where he was. There was no one in the room, and Archer Lu's pajamas were placed on the bedside.

The door opened with a creak, and Li Sui slowly felt a little nervous. The person who came was not Archer Lu, but an elderly aunt.

"Awake?" She walked in with a smile on her face, opened the curtains, picked up the clothes on the bedside, and said, "Breakfast is prepared downstairs, wash up and go eat."

"Thank you." Li Sui remembered that this was the cook of the Lu family. Archer Lu called her Sister Lu. This woman looked very kind and always had a smile on her face. Li Sui liked her very much and couldn't help asking, "Where is Boss Lu?"

"He went to the company. Why, do you want to go find him?"

Li Sui was surprised: "Is it possible?"

"No." Sister Lu said with a smile.

Li Sui: ...

"I was just teasing you," Sister Lu seemed to like this kid very much, "Boss Lu has told you to stay home and heal your foot injury. Doctor Liang will come over this afternoon to give you acupuncture."

When Li Sui went downstairs, he realized that what Archer Lu had explained was far more than what Sister Lu said. He still had private lessons to attend all morning.

Li Sui had never been to a real school and had no idea about the teaching model in the domestic system. Fortunately, the teachers found by Archer Lu were not rigid and quickly made adjustments based on his situation.

He actually had the basics, but for some words that were not used frequently, sometimes he couldn't connect the pronunciation and meaning. Once the teacher reminded him, he immediately recalled them in a chain-like manner.

"It doesn't seem like this is your first time. Have you learned it before?" The private teacher's surname is Huang. He wears a pair of gold-rimmed glasses and has a serious look on his face.

Li Sui thought for a moment and replied, "I occasionally learn a little secretly when I'm not working."

Teacher Huang nodded, thoughtfully.

Ellis Liang arrived as scheduled at noon. Unlike his usual high spirits, he looked very listless today and even yawned while having an acupuncture treatment.

"Dr. Liang didn't take any rest, okay?"

Ellis Liang nodded indignantly: "I am different from your boss Lu. I work for someone else. I stayed up all night last night writing the test application. I didn't sleep at all. I am exhausted."

Li Sui always had a special envy for people with high academic qualifications, and he expressed this envy in the simplest language, which made Ellis Liang laugh.

As soon as the conversation started, Ellis Liang couldn't help teasing him. He picked up some interesting stories from his time studying in America and told them to Li Sui. As he told them, he burst into laughter again. In contrast, Li Sui was much calmer, mainly because he didn't understand it at all, so he had no choice but to laugh along in confusion.

After a while, Ellis Liang started to pull out the needle and couldn't help but take a second look. He had heard Uncle Yuan talk about Li Sui. He had the experience of being abused in the most important years of character development, but it was rare for him not to be tainted with that kind of gangsterism at all. Although he occasionally showed restraint, he was not coy or had anti-social personality tendencies. He also had an indescribable sense of calmness about him, which was highly consistent with Archer Lu.

It was also a trick of fate. If he could be born into a complete family and raised well, he might become a great person in the future.

"The blood stasis has not yet dissipated. Don't run around for the next two days. Apply a hot compress before going to bed. If you have any problems, contact me immediately."

Li Sui nodded and gave him a grateful smile in return.

As the sky darkened, the fireplace burned brighter, and the whole house was warm. After Ellis Liang left, Li Sui read the textbook left by Teacher Huang over and over again, and he couldn't put it down. After finishing the assigned homework, he felt unsatisfied, so he turned to the two characters "Archer Lu" in the textbook, and wrote a long stack of simplified and traditional Chinese characters. Later, he fell asleep on the sofa and didn't even know when Archer Lu came back.

Uncle Yuan wanted to come over and call him, but was stopped by Archer Lu who came in behind the scenes and signaled him to go back first.

Li Sui's sleeping face cannot be said to be very pretty, but it is very quiet. His body is curled up, his hands are clasped in front of his chest, and half of his face is buried in the sofa, which is a defensive posture. Archer Lu sat down next to him and took out the textbook from his arms. It was full of words, vigorous and neat. Archer Lu saw his name in the handwriting, and his eyes fell on the young man next to him.

Li Sui's skin is very white. It is different from the fair skin maintained by adults. His skin color is closer to that of a baby, without any blemishes. Strange to say, there were so many injuries on his body, but none on his face. I wonder if this face was so perfect that even his tormentors couldn't bear it.

Li Sui woke up dazedly, his body stiffened, and he sat up slowly: "Boss Lu."

"When you feel sleepy, just go to bed."

Li Sui responded with a "huh" and his voice was slightly nasal: "I originally wanted to wait for you to come back."

Archer Lu paused and asked softly: "Are you not used to being at home alone?"

Li Sui was used to being alone, so he didn't have to worry about it. But Archer Lu asked because he cared about him, so he naturally wouldn't refute him. He picked a way out and said, "Boss Lu, do you usually live like this at home?"

"Well," Archer Lu lowered his head, thought for a while and said, "I will take you to the company tomorrow morning."