Chapter 43: I’ll Help You Wash

He had said it before; Su Ai and he shared similar experiences.

But they were also different.

When faced with those people, he only wanted to stay away; as a child, he didn’t even dare to fight for himself.

But Su Ai was different; she was flamboyant and dazzling, always able to make people who disliked her jump with anger.

Both of them were disliked and abandoned; one learned to lash out and hurt others, and the other learned to remain calm, building a cold wall to protect herself.

Fate brought them together again.

They formed a family.

Perhaps there were some ups and downs, some storms, some immaturity before; perhaps they hadn’t learned how to love each other.

But now it was different.

Ji Yang could feel their hearts closely connected, like two lone lives in a wasteland, clinging to each other.

Su Ai naturally understood everything about Ji Yang.

She had never been loved so wholeheartedly, with someone’s life on the line; Ji Yang was the first.

Ji Yang had never been cherished so much; this was also the first time.

Su Ai understood that feeling.

But no matter how painful the past was, Su Ai wanted to let it go because she wanted her husband and child to be happy for the rest of their lives.

She walked over and picked Ji Yang up.

“Su Ai.” Ji Yang quickly grabbed Su Ai’s clothes; his thoughts were disrupted.

“Try the wheelchair.”

Ji Yang only heard Su Ai’s heartbeat; it gradually synchronized with his own, thump…thump.

At this moment, Ji Yang felt she understood.

“Okay.”

She helped Ji Yang sit in the wheelchair.

“How is it?”

“I looked everywhere but couldn’t find an electric wheelchair; only this manual one. To go out, either someone has to push you, or you have to roll the wheels yourself.”

Technology wasn’t very advanced at that time.

“It’s already very good.”

Su Ai brought the food to the table. With the wheelchair, Ji Yang didn’t need to eat in bed; he could eat sitting in the wheelchair.

The chef at the state-run restaurant was quite skilled.

Ji Lele ate chicken wings one after another; they were soft, flavorful, and boneless delicious.

“Mom, this is so delicious.”

“Mom will make cola chicken wings for you another day.” The reason the chicken wings were so delicious was that the ingredients at that time were mostly fresh; the chicken wings were fresh, not frozen; otherwise, they would have a fishy smell.

“Okay, Mom.”

“Mom, can I go out to play after I eat?”

That’s how carefree children who didn’t go to kindergarten were.

“You can.”

“Yay!”

Ji Lele ran off after eating. Ji Yang helped wipe the table, and Su Ai washed the dishes. After washing the dishes, she put firewood on the stove to boil water.

She went to the bathroom and cleaned the bathtub she had bought in the county.

It was a wooden tub, similar to a bathtub.

When the water was boiling, Su Ai carried bucket after bucket of water.

She poured in hot water and cold water, stopping when the water was still very hot to the touch.

She still had to help Ji Yang lie down; the temperature wasn’t very warm, so the water temperature should be just right after a while.

Ji Yang hesitantly slid in, clutching his clean clothes.

He hadn’t done anything yet.

His face was flushed red.

Su Ai whistled, eagerly anticipating what would happen next.

“Your leg is injured; I need to help you wash.”

The smile on Su Ai’s face showed that she was genuinely looking forward to what would happen next.

Ji Yang clutched his clothes tightly.

“No, I can manage myself.”

Su Ai shook her head seriously: “Impossible.”

“If you don’t let me help, then don’t wash.”

This wasn’t Su Ai being a bully; this was something he couldn’t force.

Ji Yang couldn’t do many things by himself; what if his wound got wet?

What if he fell?

If it weren’t for the fact that Ji Yang had only been wiping himself and hadn’t had a proper bath in a long time, and he was uncomfortable, Su Ai wouldn’t have let him bathe.

Seeing through Ji Yang’s embarrassment, Su Ai became more serious: “We’re an old married couple; there’s nothing to hide.”

“If not, should I take my clothes off and wash with you?”

“Would that be more comfortable?”

Ji Yang was shocked.

“No, no, no!”

“Just help me wash.”

“Okay.”

Su Ai didn’t waste words; she grabbed the bottom of Ji Yang’s sweater on both sides and pulled it up.

Yep, one layer of clothing removed.

Ji Yang seemed to have given up completely; his whole body felt like it was on fire.

His eyelashes trembled as he closed his eyes; his face, neck, and even collarbone turned pink.

Su Ai couldn’t help but clear her throat.

“I suddenly realize I made a wrong decision.”

This wasn’t a benefit.

This was torture.

Su Ai’s fingertips lingered on Ji Yang’s forehead, nose, lips, Adam’s apple, and collarbone.

Ji Yang’s breathing became heavier.

His grip on the wheelchair tightened until his knuckles turned white.

“Su Ai.”

His voice was slightly pleading, as if begging Su Ai to let him go.

“Please just wash me properly.”

He couldn’t take it anymore.

…………

They entered the bathroom around 3 PM. When Su Ai carried Ji Yang out, the setting sun cast a rosy glow on the horizon.

Su Ai’s shirt and sleeves were wet and dripping.

Ji Yang, like a quail, hid in Su Ai’s arms, his head down.

Even his bare toes were pink this time.

She put him on the bed.

“I’ll take care of the wheelchair,” Su Ai’s voice was slightly hoarse.

“Mm.”

Ji Yang hardly dared to look at Su Ai.

“Dry your hair yourself.”

“Mm.”

Su Ai smiled and went out, leaving Ji Yang staring blankly at the towel.

Looking closely, he wasn’t looking at the towel; he was looking at his own hands.

Since she was already washing, Su Ai boiled another pot of water and washed herself.

She also wrung out her clothes.

When she returned to the room, Ji Yang looked much calmer; the blush of shyness had faded.

He was sitting at the head of the bed reading.

Su Ai glanced at him; his hair was dry.

Good.

Very obedient.

Seeing Su Ai come in with her wet hair, Ji Yang quickly took a dry towel: “Come here.”

Su Ai sat down and lay on the bed, her neck hanging over the headboard, Ji Yang bent down to wipe her hair.

Ji Yang was a very gentle person; he wiped her hair slowly and gently.

Su Ai was different when she wiped her own hair.

She could almost wipe her head off; sometimes, she was too lazy to wipe it and left it wet.

Neither of them spoke, but the room was filled with silent warmth.

Su Ai found the gentle touch very comfortable and yawned.

“If you’re sleepy, take a nap.”

“Mm.”

Su Ai closed her eyes peacefully.

When Ji Lele returned, sweating profusely from playing, he saw his mother sleeping soundly in his father’s arms.

His father made a shushing sound.

Ji Lele nodded brightly and asked very softly: “Dad.”

“Mm?”

“Can Mom sleep with us tonight?”