Qiu Xianzhi had no choice but to hold Jiang Zhuo up by the hips and settle him onto his lap. Jiang Zhuo, who had never cried like this before, felt a little embarrassed too and refused to lift his head, burying himself against Qiu Xianzhi’s shoulder as he cried. A large patch of his clothes was soaked through, and Jiang Zhuo’s tears still hadn’t stopped.
Aunt Zhong had once said that the more someone loved to smile, the easier it was for them to cry. The brighter they smiled, the more tears they shed when they cried, and the more heartbreaking they looked.
At that moment, Jiang Zhuo was exactly as Aunt Zhong had described, like a little water doll, tears dripping nonstop like a broken faucet.
In the end, Jiang Zhuo cried until he got sleepy. He yawned, looking fully prepared to just fall asleep in that position.
Qiu Xianzhi nearly laughed right then and there. The whole process had taken less than six minutes. For the first two, he had genuinely been scared and crying from the grievance in his heart. After that, his emotions had surged up, and he simply couldn’t stop crying. And now he was worn out from crying and getting ready to sleep.
Qiu Xianzhi: “Go sleep on the bed!”
Jiang Zhuo nodded. He was a little sleepy, so he simply curled up on the bed and went to sleep.
Ye Heng had still been worrying whether Jiang Zhuo would get scolded. After finally seeing him come out, only to hear that he was sleepy and had gone to sleep, he decided he might as well sleep too.
Qiu Xianzhi looked at the sleeping Jiang Zhuo and thought to himself that there was still a month left before school started in September. Once classes began, he wouldn’t have so much free time to fool around, so for now Qiu Xianzhi had let him do as he pleased. But this little brat’s nerve was far too big. He had gotten into a fight, fallen into the water, and almost been bitten by a snake.
He was far too good at stirring up trouble. He needed to be sent off early to learn something, wear out some of that energy, make him too tired to keep causing chaos, and save him from getting hurt again.
When he had heard over the phone that Jiang Zhuo had been bitten by a snake, he had been frantic too. He had been waiting by the window for medicine, and the hospital announcement had even called his name, but he had still left without hesitation and never turned back to pick it up.
Qiu Xianzhi reached out and tucked Jiang Zhuo’s blanket in, worried that the air conditioner would make him catch a cold.
Even now, if someone stood in front of him and told him, you, Qiu Xianzhi, will one day meet someone you’ll devote yourself to completely, spoil in every possible way, and treat well without asking why, without questioning your own heart, without wanting anything in return.
He would definitely sneer at that. He was a businessman. Want nothing in return? Impossible.
Spoil someone in every possible way? What did it even mean to spoil someone? No one had ever taught him that people needed to be cherished like that, or how to do it.
But when faced with Jiang Zhuo’s face, he was already doing it. He had kept Jiang Zhuo by his side and treated him well, never once thinking about getting anything in return, and never once thinking Jiang Zhuo had any value he could make use of.
As for spoiling him, he didn’t know what counted as spoiling. But his tolerance, concern, and answering every request Jiang Zhuo made, that should count as spoiling, shouldn’t it?
Ye Chen and Qiu Xianzhi had been close friends for years. Watching someone so high-spirited end up confined to a wheelchair had always left a bitter taste in his heart. But looking at him now, Qiu Xianzhi was still Qiu Xianzhi. No matter what setbacks he went through, he still would not fall. “Ah Xian, another day I’ll come by with my younger brother to thank you properly. And for what happened a few days ago, my brother should apologize to your younger brother too.”
#Qiu Xianzhi: “You’re too polite. When kids play together, that’s their own business.”
Ye Chen nodded too, agreeing with what Qiu Xianzhi said. That had been what he’d thought at the dinner table that day as well, but what happened today still deserved thanks.
The two of them only had scrapes and hadn’t inhaled any water. Once all the reports came back, they each went home.
Aunt Zhong was already waiting at the door. The moment she saw that Qiu Xianzhi had accompanied him back, she didn’t say anything. But as soon as Jiang Zhuo was by himself, Aunt Zhong immediately stepped forward and started scolding him.
Jiang Zhuo obediently took the scolding, nodding again and again and saying he would definitely behave, stay far away from the water and from grassy areas, not fight with anyone, and absolutely not get hurt.
Just as Aunt Zhong was about to begin her second round of concern, Jiang Zhuo slipped behind her and started kneading her shoulders, his tone turning coaxing. “Aunt Zhong, I’m hungry already. Can you cook, please?”
Aunt Zhong smacked the back of his hand without even turning around, then went into the kitchen to start stir-frying dishes.