Chapter 15 Differential Treatment

The 21-year-old boy clenched his fists tightly, his face full of unwillingness.

After measuring his temperature, Song Jingmo naturally tucked Lu Er’s hand under the blanket.

He also straightened the corners of the quilt—a gesture so intimate that Cong Jinyue, standing nearby, nearly lost his mind.

The key was that Lu Er didn’t show any resistance, as if he were used to it.

Clearly, the two had a close relationship.

Cong Jinyue strongly suspected that Song Jingmo was taking advantage of his professional position to get closer to Lu Er.

After all, even in a private hospital with excellent service, no doctor would take care of a patient with such meticulous attention.

Which proper doctor would tuck a patient’s hand under the blanket and straighten the quilt corners for them?

“I won’t give up.” Cong Jinyue’s eyes revealed his unwillingness as he grit his teeth and said, facing Lu Er’s differential treatment, “I’ll work hard to make you accept me.”

He believed that Lu Er’s claim of being homophobic was just an excuse to brush him off.

Lu Er and Song Jingmo looked at Cong Jinyue at the same time—one with a cautious glance, the other with a cold stare.

“I’ll prove with actions that one day, you’ll like me.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

Lu Er cut him off, raising his voice. “If you’re sick, go get it checked.”

“My mother’s still waiting to hold grandchildren. Aren’t you afraid of karma, doing this stuff to bend a straight guy?”

“Watch out for heaven’s lightning! You’ll have a son without a… you know!”

The crude curse left the ward in stunned silence.

Bai Zhi looked on knowingly—she knew Lu Er’s nature all too well.

She could only say: as beautiful as his face was, his mouth could be just as sharp.

Song Jingmo’s brows furrowed slightly, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes as he looked at Lu Er.

Apparently, he hadn’t expected that after six years, Lu Er would still curse others just as he did when they first met.

Back then, he had painstakingly spent a year correcting Lu Er’s habit of swearing.

He had thought it was completely fixed, but unbeknownst to him, Lu Er had long reverted to his old ways.

Cong Jinyue’s face turned pale, then red. “Feelings can’t be forced, but I won’t give up easily either.”

After speaking, he turned and left, his back stubborn and solitary.

The ward fell silent again, and Lu Er realized he had cursed out loud once more.

Song Jingmo hated it when Lu Er swore; the two had quarreled over it many times before.

Lu Er looked at Song Jingmo nervously, only to find him staring with a gaze he couldn’t read.

Song Jingmo felt a deep sense of helplessness swell in his chest.

Some relationships might not need to disturb love.

Maintaining the status quo might be the best choice. Not possessing, yet not losing.

Not all connections need to be pushed to a passionate conclusion.

Those almost-romantic relationships can simply exist in mutual understanding; some friendships, with just the right hint of romance, can last even longer.

Once you understand that loving yourself comes before loving others, you realize it’s not regret—it’s the courage of a clear choice.

Not every heartbeat needs fulfillment, not every companionship needs lifelong commitment.

Phase-based relationships don’t need to be forced; even if they don’t escalate, they can still be quietly cherished.

With this realization, Song Jingmo lowered his eyelids, silently reminding himself: things as they are now, are fine.

“You went a bit too far just now.”

Bai Zhi softly reminded him, “You’ll still be filming together—seeing each other every day. What if he gets angry and exposes some scandal about you?”

Lu Er scoffed dismissively, “I’ve worked diligently in this industry for six years: no scandals, no diva behavior, no tax evasion, no random flings.”

“Except that time I got drugged, even if the paparazzi tried, there’s nothing they could dig up.”

Just as she finished, Bai Zhi’s phone began vibrating wildly.

She glanced at it and immediately turned pale.

“You didn’t wear a mask when you picked up Dr. Song the night before last?”

She handed the phone over: the video clearly showed Lu Er driving to pick up Leng Keyan and Song Jingmo the night before.

The camera angles were tricky, capturing every interaction between Lu Er and Song Jingmo with ambiguous intimacy.

The headline screamed: “Top Star Lu Er Secretly Married for Years, Mysterious Doctor Boyfriend Exposed!”

“What the hell is this!” Lu Er almost jumped out of bed in anger. “Are these people bored or what?”

Even worse, Song Jingmo’s personal information was quickly dug up.

28 years old, a genius from A University Medical School, returned from six years of overseas studies—a true elite.

These accolades only fueled the public frenzy.

The PR department worked hard to manage it, but in the following days, Song Jingmo’s clinic appointments exploded.

Many people who weren’t even there for medical reasons crowded the waiting area, severely affecting the hospital’s normal operations.

“Dr. Song, today many more people specifically requested you again,” the head nurse said helplessly. “At this rate, the hospital system could collapse.”

Song Jingmo rubbed his temples wearily. “I’ll handle it as soon as possible. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

To calm the public, Lu Er decided to go live and clarify.

“Hello everyone, I’m Lu Er.”

Dressed in a patient gown on the hospital bed, he said, “There are many rumors online recently. I want to clarify: Dr. Song and I are just ordinary friends. Please continue to support me rationally.”

The live chat exploded:

[Husband, look at me!]
[Is Lu Lu single?]
[So you and the doctor are really just friends?]

Lu Er patiently said, “If you truly like me, don’t disturb my friends. Dr. Song is not in the entertainment industry and is focused on his medical career. I don’t want him affected because of me.”

He was in showbiz, earning a high salary, getting his privacy exposed—that was understandable. But Song Jingmo was different.

Meanwhile, Song Jingmo watched the live stream from his office.

Seeing the screen full of “husband” comments made him a little unhappy.

Then he thought of Lu Er firmly rejecting Cong Jinyue and inexplicably felt better.

On a whim, he registered an account. The system randomly assigned the nickname “User199505,” and he casually sent three carnival gifts.

The flashy effects immediately caught Lu Er’s attention.

“Thanks to User199505 for the carnival gifts,” Lu Er smiled at the camera. “But you really don’t need to spend money.”

“Save it for yourself or someone you like. I can earn money myself.”

“Buying for yourself or someone you like”—the words struck a chord with Song Jingmo.

Impulsively, he sent ten more carnival gifts, instantly ranking third on the leaderboard.

The live room erupted:

[Whoa, a big spender!]
[Who is this? Ten carnival gifts at once!]
[Could it be that doctor boy?]

Lu Er froze and clicked on the user profile, only to find it was a newly registered account with no information.

“User199505, thanks again for the gifts,” Lu Er said sincerely. “If you truly support me, please follow my works more.”

After the live ended, Lu Er leaned wearily against the headboard.

Bai Zhi spoke cautiously, “Brother Lu, was that gift sender Cong Jinyue during the live?”

Lu Er was exhausted. “I don’t know—a newly registered account.”

He just wanted to act properly, live properly—why did these ridiculous things always follow him?

Romantic matters were so annoying—they even affected his sword-drawing speed.

He only wanted to be a career-focused dog.