Chapter 41

While the group in front was busy preparing the barbecue sauce, Su Miao Miao was crouched behind Shang Yan’s group’s barbecue grill. She was organizing the bamboo skewers in the box on the ground, which had been left in a mess by some careless boys.

After all, since she was going to freeload a meal, it wouldn’t be right to do nothing.

Thinking this, Su Miao Miao peered through the gap in the grill’s support frame and happened to see the chaotic scene in the group ahead.

——

Two boys were standing side by side preparing the sauce. One of them, with sauce on his fingers, smeared it directly across the other’s face. The culprit ran off immediately after, and the boy who got smeared stood in shock for ten seconds before letting out a yell. He then grabbed the bowl of freshly made barbecue sauce and began to chase his friend for revenge.

The two of them ran around like monkeys, full of energy and joy. Although they seemed a bit silly and there was an indescribable weirdness to it, Su Miao Miao still felt a bit envious of them. However, this envy abruptly ended when the boy being chased, unable to escape, tripped over an unseen box behind him as he tried to block the sauce from being smeared on his face.

“Watch out…”

Su Miao Miao’s intention was to warn the boy, but it was too late.

In those few seconds, she realized with a jolt that the boy was falling towards her and would inevitably knock over the barbecue grill.

She tried to get up and dodge, but it was already too late.

A searing heat, much stronger than the one that had previously made her eyes dry, rushed towards her.

Startled, Su Miao Miao instinctively shut her eyes tightly.

She heard scattered exclamations around her.

Suddenly, she felt a tight grip across her chest, pulling her forcefully backward from her collarbone area.

The source of heat quickly moved away.

Amid the cries of surprise, a muffled groan sounded very close by.

Su Miao Miao’s heart jolted.

That voice was…

She opened her eyes in a panic and shouted, “Shang Yan!”

The girl’s voice was filled with extreme fear, her face turning deathly pale, and her heart clenched painfully.

The next second,

Losing her balance, she was pushed to the ground by the person in front of her.

“Bang—”

Almost immediately after the two landed, a barbecue grill tumbled over not far away, hitting the ground with a bang. A few pieces of red-hot charcoal rolled out from the gaps.

The large platform suddenly fell silent.

All the students were petrified in those few seconds, staring wide-eyed in terror at what was happening. Their limbs felt like they were filled with lead, freezing them in place.

Pinned underneath, Su Miao Miao cried out a second time:

“Shang Yan—!”

This was the first time all the students, including Su Miao Miao’s friends like Qi Wenyue, had heard her speak in such a panicked and lost tone.

It was a stark contrast to her usually extremely quiet demeanor.

Her voice trembled, barely suppressing her sobs, and choked up almost immediately upon uttering the words.

“…It’s okay.”

Shang Yan braced himself with his right hand beside the girl who had fallen to the ground and pushed himself up.

He knelt and helped the girl to her feet as well.

His gaze quickly scanned her up and down, and the tension in his eyes eased.

“Are you hurt?”

Su Miao Miao choked out a response, shaking her head vigorously.

Shang Yan exhaled in relief, but then his brows furrowed.

He turned his neck to glance at his left arm, his brow twitching slightly.

At this moment, Shang Yan was wearing a black turtleneck sweater, but even that dark color couldn’t hide the charred ring on the outside of his left arm.

He moved his fingers slightly.

A numbing, piercing pain shot through.

Su Miao Miao had already noticed his involuntary groan of pain earlier. Despite the aching in her own heart, she scrambled to her feet—

“Water! Cold water!”

She turned her head and yelled at Li Zhe and the others, who were still paralyzed with fear.

This was the only time most people had ever seen Su Miao Miao lose her temper.

The girl’s chestnut hair was disheveled and draped over her shoulders. Her exquisite, beautiful face was flushed with urgency, her petal-like lips tinged with crimson, and the emotions in her dark eyes were shockingly intense.

Such a small and seemingly harmless girl managed to shock everyone in those two seconds.

Li Zhe was the first to react. He grabbed a basin and rushed to the water source on the platform.

Meanwhile, Su Miao Miao glanced around and spotted a large pair of scissors on the nearby table.

She quickly ran over, picked them up, and hurried back.

The handles of the scissors were so wide that they were almost a whole size larger than her palm, making it difficult for her to grip them.

The girl’s fingertips were trembling slightly.

As she stopped, Shang Yan was about to get up, his brows furrowed.

“Don’t move!”

The girl’s voice was not loud, but what froze Shang Yan was the unmistakable hint of tears in her voice.

Shang Yan frowned, “I won’t move if you don’t cry.”

“…!”

Su Miao Miao was getting desperate—what was he doing, teasing her at a time like this!

Seeing the almost fierce expression on the girl’s face, Shang Yan was genuinely taken aback.

—

When pushed to the limit, even a soft, fluffy rabbit might puff up its fur and bite.

A nibble would probably hurt quite a bit.

Especially when it’s a red-eyed rabbit.

Shang Yan, feeling helpless, knelt back down and adjusted to the girl’s height.

“It’s really okay, no need to cry.”

Su Miao Miao gripped the scissors tightly, but her hand was shaking.

She gritted her teeth and forcefully held her right hand with her left, leaving red marks on the delicate skin of her fingers. Only then did she manage to stop trembling.

Biting down on her lip, Su Miao Miao followed the seam of Shang Yan’s sweater sleeve with the scissors, cutting straight up.

The smooth and fair lines of the slender forearm gradually revealed themselves, along with the sight of the burn on the back of the arm, which had turned red and formed blisters.

The burn wasn’t too deep, but it covered almost half of the area behind the arm, with the severity varying across the surface.

The scissors were tossed aside.

Su Miao Miao pouted, her eyes drooping at the corners, and suddenly, her eye sockets reddened.

The watery hue rolled twice in her round, dark pupils, threatening to spill over.

Seeing the situation turning sour, Shang Yan quickly reached out and lightly pinched the tip of the girl’s nose.

“No crying, got it?”

Su Miao Miao held back, choking back a sob.

Her earlier appearance as a first-aid pioneer had completely disappeared.

“Does it… does it hurt…?”

Her voice was soft, with a hint of nasal tone and trembling.

Shang Yan comforted her, “As long as you don’t cry, it won’t hurt.”

Su Miao Miao hiccupped a cry, “You’re lying!”

Shang Yan paused for two seconds, then chuckled helplessly, “Don’t say that, you’re actually a bit scary like this.”

That kind of cute fierceness.

It made him feel like it wasn’t his arm burning, but his heart.

Burning until it was almost melting.

Sticky and muddy, finally only outlining a tiny shadow.

Among the panicked students, Li Zhe and a few other boys rushed over with several basins of cold water—

“The water’s here, the water’s here!!”

“……….”

Another flurry of activity ensued. Su Miao Miao, with a tense expression, held back the tears that were about to spill, her nose red, as she urgently tended to Shang Yan.

Having spent so many years in the sanatorium, she lacked a lot of common knowledge compared to her peers, but when it came to emergency medical treatment and first aid for external injuries, she was much better than the average adult.

…..

When a crowd of teachers arrived at the scene panting, Su Miao Miao had already given Shang Yan’s burn wounds initial emergency treatment.

The two students who caused this “tragedy” stood by, unable to lift their heads.

Their faces were all grim, with one of them even having barbecue sauce smeared on his cheek.

Represented by Director Niu, the teachers hurriedly approached to console the injured.

“Shang Yan, hold on, the ambulance will be at the foot of the mountain soon!”

“Yes, it won’t take long!”

“The pain is temporary, once the ambulance arrives, you’ll be treated on board!”

“That’s right…”

Amidst the teachers’ chatter, just as Shang Yan furrowed his brow, about to speak, he heard a voice beside him.

It wasn’t loud, but its tone chilled the air.

“No good.”

“…?”

“It will keep hurting.””……..”

Several teachers were taken aback.

Angrily lifting their heads to see which student dared to undermine their authority like this, a girl stepped out from behind Shang Yan.

Approaching the teacher carrying the medical kit, Su Miao Miao didn’t look up, her gaze fixed firmly on the box.

“Please give me this.”

The girl’s voice was soft and calm, exuding a reassuring presence amidst the chaos and confusion.

Before the teacher could react, he handed over the medical kit.

Su Miao Miao took it and turned to walk back.

Throughout the process, her beautiful face remained devoid of emotion..

..Except for a hint of redness around her eyes.

It wasn’t until she returned to Shang Yan’s side that the teachers suddenly realized.

Director Niu hurriedly stepped forward, “Young lady, do you understand emergency treatment? If not, you shouldn’t—”

“Teacher.”

Shang Yan’s voice drowned out Director Niu’s and interrupted his words.

Meeting their expectant gazes, Shang Yan’s lips curled slightly.

“It’ll be fine.”

“Oh… okay.”

Director Niu awkwardly retracted his step.

Meanwhile, Su Miao Miao knelt beside Shang Yan, opening the medical kit. She retrieved the cleanest gauze to apply to the wound before it could be treated, preventing infection.

As she worked, Su Miao Miao kept her eyes low. “Who said it’ll be fine…?”

Her voice was barely audible, and Shang Yan turned to her, lowering his voice in response.

“I did.”

Their exchange was as soft as a whisper between them.

Su Miao Miao: “…”

She lifted her head slightly, giving Shang Yan a meaningful look before refocusing her attention on the gauze and Shang Yan’s injury.

But Shang Yan didn’t let the conversation end there.He chuckled softly.

“And besides, if something does happen, that’s even better.”

“―?” Su Miao Miao paused in her movements, lifting her head incredulously to look at Shang Yan, a hint of anger flashing in her dark eyes. “How can you not take your own body seriously…?”

“…”

This time, it was evident that the girl was genuinely angry, but Shang Yan found himself feeling much happier.

He chuckled quietly to himself.

“If something happens, should you be responsible?”

Su Miao Miao: “?”

“If something really happens, you’ll be in trouble, kid.”

There was a smile hidden in his tone.

Shang Yan’s words left Su Miao Miao feeling a bit bewildered.

Finally, Shang Yan unraveled his last bit of hidden intention—

“If something really happens, be prepared for me to rely on you for the rest of my life.”

Su Miao Miao: “…………”

After a two-second pause, as if she hadn’t heard anything, the girl lowered her head to continue cutting the gauze.

From Shang Yan’s perspective, he could clearly see—

The exposed delicate and fair neck, fragile as if it could be snapped with just one hand. Within his sight, that fragile whiteness gradually tinged with a blush.

Director Niu and the others, unable to help and fearing they might make things worse, could only watch from a distance.

Seeing that the injured student and the first responder had started a quiet conversation, completely ignoring their presence, Director Niu exchanged an awkward glance with the other teachers.

Looking around, he finally found a way to redirect the focus amidst his foggy thoughts.

“What exactly happened here? How did Shang Yan get injured so badly, huh!?”

The forty-something director put on a stern face, his anger from being brushed off by Shang Yan fueling his outburst. His shout silenced the already nervous students.

The two boys standing nearby bore the brunt of his wrath, their faces turning pale.

“Di… Director…”

The boy who had knocked over the barbecue grill knew there was no escaping, so he raised his hand tremulously with a miserable expression.

“It… it was us… we accidentally did it.”

After saying this, the two boys took turns stammering out a rough account of what had happened.

Director Niu listened, growing increasingly furious. He took a deep breath, about to shout again with all the force he could muster, when a lazy voice suddenly came from behind him.

“It’s not a big deal, stop making a fuss.”

“―!”

Director Niu’s breath caught in his throat, stuck halfway, nearly making him choke and roll his eyes.

After finally managing to calm himself, Director Niu turned around and softened his tone, “Shang Yan, with your injury like this, how can you not hold anyone responsible?”

Hearing this, Shang Yan shifted his gaze from the girl bandaging his wounds.

“Hold them responsible for what?”

At that moment, Shang Yan was sitting on the ground in a casual posture, leaning back on his right hand, with one leg stretched out and the other bent.

He didn’t look like an injured person but rather like someone on an autumn outing, ready to lie on the grass and bask in the sun.

Even his lazy, half-closed eyes and the nonchalant expression on his handsome face conveyed a carefree attitude.

He glanced sideways at the girl diligently bandaging him, a hint of a smile curling at his lips.

Shang Yan turned back.

“And we don’t need an ambulance. Someone can handle it. Tomorrow, I’ll—”

“No.”

In the quiet clearing, a cool voice suddenly interrupted Shang Yan without any hesitation.

As she spoke, Su Miao Miao stopped what she was doing.

She looked up at Shang Yan, her beautiful and delicate features devoid of emotion.

“You must go to the hospital.”

“Tomorrow…”

“Shang Yan!” The girl’s voice rose a few decibels. “You have to go.”

“……….”

There was a few seconds of silence. The boy looked down in resignation, smiling as he brushed the hair from his forehead.

He conceded.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

“……..”

Director Niu and the other teachers were witnessing for the first time someone daring to speak to Shang Yan like this, and it was also their first time seeing Shang Yan in such a “submissive” state. They were momentarily at a loss for how to manage their expressions.

Meanwhile, Li Zhe and a few others, although unable to remain calm and still feeling a mix of emotions, found themselves becoming gradually numb to the frequent surprises and shocks from witnessing the interaction between Shang Yan and Su Miao Miao.

After watching Su Miao Miao carefully help Shang Yan up and start walking down the mountain, Li Zhe and the others stood behind, their expressions hard to describe.

Someone finally spoke up with a sigh.

“What a beast…”

“It was clearly a hero saving the damsel.”

“Then it’s a beast in the hero-saving-the-damsel scenario.”

“……”

“But did you guys see that just now? At that distance, with how fast it happened, I couldn’t even blink, and Brother Yan stepped in immediately.”

“In such situations, it has to be instinctive reflexes.”

“Ugh, the stench of romance…”

“I don’t smell the stench of romance, but the unique lemon scent of a single dog like you is giving me a headache.”

“—Pah!”

“……”

*

Half an hour later, Su Miao Miao accompanied Shang Yan on the ride back.

They had come by bus, but were returning in an ambulance. Shang Yan felt like laughing, but next to him, Su Miao Miao’s eyes were red, looking as if she might burst into tears at any moment.

Shang Yan had a headache and smiled helplessly.

“It’s just a minor injury. Why do you look like you’re about to mourn your master?”

“It’s not minor at all!”

The girl glared at him angrily, her voice tinged with a sob.

Her eyes were as red as a rabbit’s.

But probably the most beautiful rabbit…

Shang Yan couldn’t help but smile, looking down at her.

“And you’re still smiling!”

Su Miao Miao turned her head away in anger. Seeing the empty rear compartment of the ambulance made her even more upset, and her voice choked with a mix of frustration and grievance.

“This ambulance doesn’t even have a doctor on board…”

Her soft complaint made Shang Yan’s heart feel a mix of sour, painful, and itchy sensations.

Not wanting to see her cry anymore, he spoke to comfort her.

“Didn’t the driver explain before we got on? The ambulance was urgently dispatched from a nearby town, so it didn’t have a doctor on board.”

Su Miao Miao pouted.

She knew that, but she was still anxious.

No injections, no medication—how much more pain would he have to endure…

Thinking of this, the girl felt a lump in her throat and her eyes reddened again.

Shang Yan frowned and reached out to pinch her nose gently.

“Can you not cry?”

“I’m not… not crying.”

The girl stubbornly held her breath, tears welling up in her eyes, and her nose tip turned red.

Shang Yan felt both pained and amused.

He simply didn’t know how to handle her.

After a moment of quiet in the car, the girl finally suppressed her sobs and leaned over to carefully look at him.

“Does it hurt?”

“No,” Shang Yan reassured her.

Two minutes later.

“Does it hurt now?”

“…No.”

Another two minutes passed.

“Does it—”

“………”

Shang Yan, unable to bear it any longer, extended his right hand and gently pinched the girl’s chin.

The familiar, delicate sensation from his memories and dreams made his thoughts waver for a moment. He then coughed lightly, focusing his gaze on the girl looking at him.

“Do you need to hear me say ‘it hurts’ to stop asking, hmm?”

Shang Yan’s expression turned slightly dangerous as he squinted his eyes.

Su Miao Miao looked at him with concern.

As soon as he let go, she wore a pitiful expression that seemed to say, “I knew it.”

“Does it really hurt a lot?” she asked.

“…Yeah,” Shang Yan chuckled.

The tears in the girl’s eyes seemed to control him like a remote control.

When he said this, her dark eyes immediately became a few shades wetter.

Feeling guilty, Shang Yan cursed himself inwardly, but he couldn’t help but lead the girl further into the trap he had set up.

“I have a method that works really well for relieving pain,” Shang Yan said.

His words indeed had the effect of controlling the girl’s emotions like a remote control. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, Su Miao Miao’s tears stopped.

“What—” She choked up for a moment, then asked urgently, “What method?”

Shang Yan raised his hand.

Pointing to the arm where he had applied the gauze, he chuckled, in a rather improper manner.

“A kiss from you will make it stop hurting.”

Su Miao Miao looked at him bewildered.

After being stared at by the girl’s innocent and harmless eyes for a few seconds, the buried humanity in Shang Yan finally surfaced.

He cleared his throat lightly and looked away.

“I was just joking with you. Please don’t cry again.”

His voice abruptly stopped.

After a few seconds of stiffness, Shang Yan slowly turned his neck and lowered his gaze.

—

The girl kissed his arm gingerly.

Very softly.

After a few seconds, she slowly lifted her head, looking at him anxiously.

There were traces of tears in the corners of her eyes.

“Will this… make it feel better?”

“……….”

Shang Yan was momentarily lost in thought.

He heard a silent sound in his ears as the last piece of glass under his feet shattered.

He closed his eyes tightly, as if he could see himself falling from the sky, descending through the clouds, past towering skyscrapers, with the wind singing like a melody…

Like many boys his age, he had fantasized about the vast world, with mountains and rivers stretching to the ends of the earth, endless wilderness, birds singing loudly, and waterfalls soaring into the sky. They awaited only the pioneers to pave the way—and they, wild and unrestrained, arrogant and talented, felt no constraints.

…..

Unrestrained, until this moment.

What shattered the last piece of glass under his feet was an invisible thread.

That thread entangled him tighter and tighter…Yet, he embraced it willingly.

Shang Yan chuckled bitterly in his heart.

—

You’re “done.”