Meng Xi'er averted her gaze, raising her head to smile a little, her air somewhat distant, "Is there something you need, Mr. Lu?"
"..."
The address of 'Mister Lu' gave him pause, causing Lu Qingchuan to hesitate before slowly approaching her.
Standing before Meng Xi'er, Lu Qingchuan became aware of her frailty.
She only came up to his shoulders, her collarbone prominent as she looked up at him.
"Are you...not feeling well?"
Meng Xi'er tilted her head, evidently perplexed, and remained silent.
Lu Qingchuan himself wasn't sure why he had stopped her. After being overcome by a brief bout of coughing, he quietly asked, "Has my brother...been treating you poorly?"
At his question, Meng Xi'er's expression drastically changed, her look of surprise and confusion directed at Lu Qingchuan.
Lu Qingchuan, noting her change in expression, confirmed his suspicion and couldn't help saying, "If there's anything I can do to help, you can ask me…"
"There's nothing."
