Hearing this, Zhou Hanzhang stopped what he was doing. Instead, he scooped her up into his arms, and looked down at her.
“Can you bear it?”
The young woman in his arms had tears in her eyes. She lightly bit her lip. “I can.”
But from the way she looked, it was obvious that she was in considerable pain.
Zhou Hanzhang pursed his lips. “Hold on to me first. I’ll take you to the car and have a look. You might have fractured it.”
Meng Jixue obediently wrapped both arms around Zhou Hanzhang’s neck. Her entire body curled up against his tall, imposing frame, making her look small and helpless.
For some reason, Meng Jixue noticed that Zhou Hanzhang’s brows had drawn together slightly.
She spoke in a small voice. “Uncle, am I too heavy?”
Hearing this, Zhou Hanzhang seemed slightly stunned. He glanced at her before replying indifferently, “Your weight is considered light compared to the loads we carry in the army.”
After saying that, the man strode toward the car.
When he reached the door, he thought for a moment before saying decisively, “Hold on tight.”
Meng Jixue didn’t understand why. She instinctively looked up at him, but from this angle, all she could see was the man’s tense, sharply defined jawline.
Before she could say anything, she realized that Zhou Hanzhang had already released one hand and securely placed it beneath her lower body, supporting her with one arm without showing the slightest sign of strain.
With his other hand, he opened the car door smoothly.
The movement made Meng Jixue let out a startled cry, and she tightened her arms around Zhou Hanzhang’s neck.
The inside of the car was warm.
When Meng Jixue opened her eyes again, the man had already bent down and placed her in the back seat.
At that moment, the two of them were only a few centimeters apart.
Under the light, she could even clearly see the thick, black lashes framing the man’s handsome face.
Meng Jixue couldn’t help thinking that Zhou Hanzhang’s eyelashes were surprisingly thick. And those deep, dark eyes seemed almost like mysterious black holes, drawing people in and making them want to keep looking.
The man’s deep voice sounded beside her ear. “Jixue, you can let go of me now.”
Only then did Meng Jixue realize that she was still clinging to him and hadn’t let go.
Her skin, which had been as fair as snow, was now flushed with an alluring blush.
She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she was here to seduce Zhou Hanzhang. She absolutely couldn’t afford to feel embarrassed.
Only then did Meng Jixue pretend to be natural as she lowered her arms.
Before she could speak, Zhou Hanzhang had already taken something out of his coat and handed it to her.
“Hold this.”
Meng Jixue: “?”
It was a small flashlight.
She didn’t understand what it was for, but she still took it. Meanwhile, the man whose presence had been so overwhelming a moment ago stepped out of the car.
The cramped back seat of the jeep immediately felt much more spacious.
Then Meng Jixue saw Zhou Hanzhang crouch down outside the car. He lifted one of her legs with both hands and looked up at her.
“Is this the one you twisted?”
This position was actually rather embarrassing for Meng Jixue.
She was half sitting on the seat while Zhou Hanzhang held her leg in his hands.
The man was simply too tall. Even while crouching, he was impossible to ignore. The orange glow of the streetlights fell across his body, making him seem almost as though he were glowing.
It took Meng Jixue a moment to come back to her senses. Feeling the sharp pain in her ankle, she nodded.
After getting her answer, Zhou Hanzhang didn’t look at her again. His attention fell to the pair of short boots on her feet.
He pursed his lips. “Jixue, I need to take off your shoe and have a look at the injury.”
Meng Jixue gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.
Although she had deliberately caused this situation, now that she was actually in pain, it wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Zhou Hanzhang removed her shoe and rolled up her pant leg to her calf, then pulled her sock down slightly. Her skin should have been fair and smooth, but her ankle was now completely red and swollen.
He carefully moved it a little, cautiously feeling around the injured area with his fingertips. Immediately, he heard her sharply suck in a breath.
After examining it, he said, “It’s a sprain. Fortunately, it’s not fractured. Cold compresses will be enough.”
That was a blessing in disguise.
There was no ice, but there was snow.
Zhou Hanzhang found a handkerchief in the car and tore it in half. He then went to the roadside and found a clean patch of untouched white snow, wrapped it in the handkerchief, and returned to the car.
“Let me stabilize it first.” Zhou Hanzhang spoke briefly.
His movements were professional and efficient as he bandaged the injury. After finishing that, he placed the other cloth bundle filled with snow against the injured area.
Meng Jixue shuddered involuntarily.
“Bear with it.” Without even looking up, Zhou Hanzhang continued what he was doing.
Meng Jixue looked at the man before her.
He was kneeling on one knee, the knee of his military trousers sinking into the snow and soaking the fabric, yet he didn’t seem to notice.
His hands were well defined and covered with a thin layer of calluses. Their slight movements sent strange sensations through her.
It was unfamiliar, yet she didn’t dislike it.
The man she usually had to look up at was now right before her eyes. With the striking visual difference, she only had to lower her head to see him clearly.
She had to admit that the feeling brought a faint, secret thrill to the depths of Meng Jixue’s heart.
Just as she was thinking this, Zhou Hanzhang’s gaze swept toward her. It was as though he had noticed something.
Meng Jixue suddenly felt guilty, like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
This man was simply too perceptive.
Suppressing that guilty feeling, Meng Jixue looked back at him openly and calmly.
Zhou Hanzhang withdrew his gaze and continued with what he was doing.
After everything was finished, Zhou Hanzhang finally stood up and looked at Meng Jixue.
“You won’t be able to watch the movie today. I’ll take you home. Take care of it properly, and it should be fine in a few days.”
Meng Jixue asked, “Uncle, what about Zhishu?”
Zhou Hanzhang glanced at her. “I’ll explain it to him later.”
Meng Jixue sighed. “Uncle, I’ve caused you trouble and even interfered with your blind date. If you go back to the theater now, you probably won’t make it in time.”
Her tone, however, was clearly not very sincere.
She had deliberately ruined the blind date.
Putting aside the fact that she wanted to create an opportunity to be alone with Zhou Hanzhang, even if that hadn’t been the case, knowing that Zhou Hanzhang was going on a blind date with Zheng Yanyan, Meng Jixue still would have helped him, considering how well the Zhou family had treated her.
Zhou Hanzhang naturally heard the implication in her words, but he didn’t respond.
After all, this was his private matter. Talking too much about it with a younger member of the family would be inappropriate.
Moreover, just now, he had actually…
Thinking of this, Zhou Hanzhang’s brows furrowed again.
Afraid that Meng Jixue would notice something strange, he simply picked up the scarf from the front passenger seat and wrapped it around her twice, bundling her up tightly until only her watery almond shaped eyes were visible.
“Don’t catch a cold.”
Meng Jixue’s leg was injured now and she couldn’t move around, so she could only let Zhou Hanzhang do as he pleased.
After watching the man sit down in the driver’s seat, she couldn’t help complaining inwardly.
This old man really was boring. All the effort she had put into dressing up had been completely wasted.
The car drove all the way to Shichahai.
Zhou Hanzhang drove very steadily, and Meng Jixue gradually became drowsy.
When the car finally stopped, she opened her eyes, still somewhat dazed.
Zhou Hanzhang had already gotten out of the driver’s seat. He opened the door and bent down, but then paused and looked at Meng Jixue.
“Can you get down by yourself?”
Meng Jixue was still a little groggy at first. Hearing his question, she instinctively wanted to say yes.
Then she thought about it.
No… an opportunity like this might never come again.
She immediately looked at Zhou Hanzhang pitifully. “Uncle, I can’t move.”