Jiang Wenyan felt a tap on his shoulder but ignored it. Only one person sat behind him, so he knew exactly who it was. He held a grudge for a long time and had unilaterally developed a feud with Lu Xingheng.
Lu Xingheng sent a WeChat message directly.
WWW: There’s a small jar in Jiang Wan’s pocket.
Jiang Wenyan’s phone wasn’t password-protected, so the message was visible directly on the lock screen.
WWW: I accidentally tightened it for him. Can you loosen it a bit for him?
For Jiang Wan’s sake, Jiang Wenyan replied.
JWY: Fine.
But Lu Xingheng seemed to be in a hurry.
WWW: Loosen it for him now.
Frowning, Jiang Wenyan looked up and finally noticed Jiang Wan with his forehead resting against the edge of the desk, both hands clutching his stomach, even his breathing suppressed.
Just looking at him was painful—how much worse must it be for Jiang Wan himself?
“Bro,” Jiang Wenyan called softly.
“Hmm…”
Jiang Wenyan’s heart skipped a beat. Jiang Wan, who was so sensitive to the cold, even had damp strands of hair at the ends.
Jiang Wenyan said, “Jiang Wan, lift your head. Let me see if you have a fever.”
Jiang Wan didn’t move. His hands pressed harder into his stomach. He was already thin, and with his strong grip, the outline of his stomach was visible even through his school uniform.
“Teacher Li,” Jiang Wenyan’s temples throbbed as he interrupted, not even hearing where Li Yun had gotten to in the lesson.
Li Yun asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Yun hadn’t fully processed the situation. Jiang Wan had a severe cold constitution and often felt drowsy, so falling asleep in class was common.
Jiang Wenyan said urgently, “My brother has a stomachache. I need to take him to the infirmary.”
Li Yun didn’t dare delay. She walked over and touched Jiang Wan’s forehead. “Class monitor, is the pain severe?”
“It’s okay,” Jiang Wan mumbled, dazed from Jiang Wenyan’s shaking. “It’s probably just a chill from the changing seasons. My brother can accompany me.”
But Jiang Wenyan was only eighteen, and Li Yun wasn’t entirely reassured. “Lu Xingheng, you go with them.”
Xu Yichen’s mouth was still hanging open. As he stood up, Li Yun threw a piece of chalk at him, forcing him back into his seat. “Pay attention to the lesson.”
Xu Yichen’s voice was too loud. If this loudmouth went along, Jiang Wan probably wouldn’t be able to rest properly.
“What’s wrong with the class monitor?”
“I was taking notes and didn’t notice. It seems like a stomachache.”
“Probably stomach cold. It might be from the chill of the changing seasons,” a girl with twin ponytails in the front row whispered.
“Damn, the class monitor really is cold. Last time he explained a problem to me, his fingertips were so cold it gave me a shock.”
“Is it that serious?”
“Not exactly. It was just that the weather was hot, and everyone’s hands were warm, but the class monitor felt like he’d just built a snowman—no warmth at all.”
“Let’s buy some warming supplies after class and give them to the class monitor.”
“I’ll go too.”
“Count me in.”
…
The classroom was in disarray for a while, and Li Yun felt a bit flustered. She couldn’t focus on teaching. “We’ll have self-study after this lesson.”
—oo—
The classroom was on the second floor. Jiang Wenyan practically propped Jiang Wan up as they left. He was much shorter than Jiang Wan, making the position uncomfortable for Jiang Wan.
Halfway down the stairs, Jiang Wenyan felt a cold touch against his cheek. Jiang Wan suppressed the urge to vomit and spoke softly and slowly, “Brother, aren’t you tired like this?”
Jiang Wenyan replied irritably, “No.”
Jiang Wan said, “I’m feeling a bit unwell…”
“Now you realize it hurts?” Despite his words, Jiang Wenyan’s movements became much gentler.
After descending the last step, Jiang Wenyan crouched down directly. “Get on. I’ll carry you on my back.”
“No need.” Jiang Wan exerted a bit of force, putting some distance between himself and Jiang Wenyan. “It’s not as serious as you think.”
Lu Xingheng had been following them, neither too close nor too far.
“Not as serious as I think,” Jiang Wenyan repeated coldly. “Jiang Wan, tell me what counts as serious?”
This expression meant Jiang Wenyan was truly angry.
Jiang Wan, pressing a hand to his stomach, glanced back at Lu Xingheng, then gently hooked Jiang Wenyan’s fingertip. “Little brother, let’s talk when we get back.”
Jiang Wenyan pulled his hand away, suppressing his anger as he asked, “Do you have a fever?”
Jiang Wan: “No, just a headache.”
Jiang Wenyan’s tone remained icy. “Would it kill you to call me when you’re feeling this bad?”
Jiang Wan pinched Jiang Wenyan’s wrist. “Little brother.”
Jiang Wenyan frowned, his anger too great to vent.
Lu Xingheng quickened his pace, pulled out the candy jar from Jiang Wan’s pocket earlier, unscrewed it, and handed Jiang Wan two painkillers.
Enduring the wrenching pain in his stomach, Jiang Wan spoke softly and hoarsely, “Lu Xingxing, why are you taking my things?”
Lu Xingheng said nothing.
Jiang Wan was indeed in unbearable pain, his stomach feeling as if a blunt knife were slicing through it, a bloody, agonizing ache. Without even looking, he swallowed the pills.
“Open your mouth.” Jiang Wenyan peeled a piece of candy with one hand—the same kind Li Yun had given him last time.
Jiang Wan turned his head away. “My stomach hurts; I don’t want it.”
Jiang Wenyan: “Spoiled brat.”
…
It was early in the semester, so the infirmary wasn’t crowded.
The nurse first took Jiang Wan’s temperature, but perhaps because he had sweated too much, his temperature was alarmingly low.
Only thirty-four degrees.
Jiang Wenyan shook the thermometer and confirmed with Jiang Wan again, “Are you really okay?”
Jiang Wan forced a pale smile. “Yes, it’s just a stomachache.”
“Don’t smile, it looks awful.”
Jiang Wan touched the side of his neck. “Lu Xingxing, does it really look that bad?”
Lu Xingheng replied neutrally, “Didn’t see it.”
Jiang Wenyan went to the front to get the medicine, leaving only Jiang Wan and Lu Xingheng in the rest area.
Lu Xingheng spoke very little, occasionally responding with just a few words. Jiang Wan, feeling bored, tried to tease him.
“Lu Xingxing, are you just going to watch me suffer like this?”
Lu Xingheng didn’t respond.
Jiang Wan stared at him unblinkingly.
Lu Xingheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and after a long moment, he managed to say, “I’m sorry.”
After taking a sufficient dose of painkillers, Jiang Wan felt much better, and the hand clutching his stomach wasn’t as tight as before.
“What are you apologizing for this time?” Jiang Wan counted on his fingers. “Are ‘I’m sorry’ the only three words you know how to say—”
Lu Xingheng suddenly leaned down, his finger lightly hooking Jiang Wan’s chin. “Your chin is so red.”
“Ouch.” Jiang Wan frowned slightly.
Lu Xingheng leaned closer to look. “Does it hurt?”
Jiang Wan was extremely sensitive to pain. Usually, he could hide it, but now Lu Xingheng was too close, close enough to feel his breath.
Lu Xingheng: “It’s probably an allergic reaction.”
Whether from the pain or not, Jiang Wan’s breathing grew slightly rapid, his breath lightly brushing against Lu Xingheng’s forearm.
Before Jiang Wan could say anything, Lu Xingheng automatically moved away.
So disliked, huh?” Jiang Wan joked.
Lu Xingheng: “No.”
Jiang Wan: “No what?”
Lu Xingheng fell silent again.
Jiang Wan suddenly pointed ahead. “Lu Xingheng, look.”
Lu Xingheng followed his gaze. Across from them sat a young couple, the boy helping the girl warm her stomach.
Jiang Wan: “Look at how other classmates are helping massage, and you just watch me in pain.”
Lu Xingheng: “…”
Jiang Wan: “You even dislike me, staying eight zhang away at the slightest touch.”
Lu Xingheng stated objectively, “At most one meter.”
Jiang Wan’s voice was weak, but her tone was forceful, “Now you’re resorting to sophistry.”
“Have you ever been allergic to anything before?” Lu Xingheng looked at the increasingly obvious redness and swelling on Jiang Wan’s chin.
Jiang Wan: “Great, now you’re changing the subject again.”
Lu Xingheng: “…”