Yan Hao stepped back awkwardly. “Fine, fine, you teach her, you teach her. I’m leaving. There’s training at the unit anyway.”
With that, he waved at Shen Qingyou. “Qingyou, see you around!”
Shen Qingyou pretended not to hear and didn’t respond.
Yan Hao left, his footsteps hurried.
Shen Qingyou turned her head and looked at Yan Tingxu. His expression remained the same—completely unreadable.
“Continue,” he said.
Shen Qingyou nodded and climbed back onto the bike.
…
After practicing all morning, Shen Qingyou lost count of how many times she fell.
Once, she nearly tumbled into a ditch by the roadside. Yan Tingxu grabbed the back of the seat and pulled both her and the bike back just in time.
Another time, she failed to make a turn and headed straight for the wall. He blocked her way and let her crash right into him instead.
By noon, Shen Qingyou suddenly realized—she could do it?
The bike was moving steadily forward, the handlebars no longer wobbling, and her feet were pedaling in a rhythm. She rode quite a distance, smoother and smoother, and a burst of excitement welled up inside her.
“Third Uncle! I can do it!” she couldn’t help but shout.
She looked back.
Yan Tingxu was standing more than ten yards away, both hands hanging at his sides, not holding the bike at all.
He had let go long ago.
Shen Qingyou froze. Her hands trembled, and the handlebars started shaking again.
“Eyes forward!” his voice rang out.
Shen Qingyou quickly turned back, steadied the handlebars, rode ahead slowly, then made a turn and came back.
When she stopped in front of him, bracing her feet on the ground, her face was all smiles.
“Third Uncle, I can do it!”
Yan Tingxu looked at her and nodded.
“Mm.”
Just one syllable.
But Shen Qingyou saw the corner of his mouth curve slightly—very faintly, very briefly—but she saw it.
Her eyes curved into crescents, and she smiled even brighter than when she’d realized she could ride.
…
Back in her room that evening, Shen Qingyou took off her cotton jacket and only then noticed a sharp stinging pain in her hand.
She turned her palm over and saw a blister on the web of her right thumb, about the size of a pinky fingernail. It hurt at the slightest touch.
She paused, trying to remember when she’d gotten it. Probably from gripping the handlebars too tightly.
She found a needle and wanted to pop it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Never mind. She’d deal with it tomorrow.
She folded her jacket and was about to lie down when a knock suddenly came at the door.
“Asleep?”
It was Yan Tingxu’s voice.
Shen Qingyou quickly smoothed her hair and went to open the door.
The door opened. Yan Tingxu stood there, holding a small box in his hand.
“Your hand,” he said.
Shen Qingyou was stunned.
“What?”
Yan Tingxu looked at her, his gaze falling on her right hand, which hung by her side.
“Your hand. Let me see.”
Only then did Shen Qingyou realize what he meant. Instinctively, she hid her hand behind her back.
“It’s… it’s nothing…”
Yan Tingxu didn’t say a word. He just looked at her.
Feeling guilty under his gaze, Shen Qingyou slowly extended her hand.
Yan Tingxu looked down, his brow furrowing slightly.
He reached out, took her wrist, and pulled her a little closer. The blister was right there on the web of her thumb, with some redness around it.
“Why didn’t you say something earlier?”
Shen Qingyou didn’t dare to make a sound. “…”
Yan Tingxu didn’t say another word. He led her into the room and had her sit down on the edge of the bed.
He opened the small box. Inside were iodine, cotton swabs, and a small packet of antiseptic powder.
Shen Qingyou looked at him, blinking.
She herself had only just noticed the blister a moment ago.
So how did Third Uncle know about it?
But she didn’t dare ask.
Yan Tingxu took a cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and gently applied it to the blister.
Shen Qingyou hissed and winced, pulling her hand back.
Yan Tingxu’s hand paused. He looked up at her.
“Does it hurt?”
Shen Qingyou shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
…Yeah, right.
But she didn’t want Third Uncle to think she was delicate or a burden.
So she secretly gritted her teeth as hard as she could.
Yan Tingxu didn’t say anything. He continued applying the iodine, this time with great care. Shen Qingyou sighed in relief—it didn’t hurt as much anymore.
After applying the iodine, he sprinkled on some antiseptic powder, then pulled a roll of gauze from his pocket.
Shen Qingyou was stunned.
“Third Uncle, you don’t need to wrap it. It’s just a small blister—”
Yan Tingxu ignored her. He kept his head down, wrapped the gauze around her hand twice, and tied a knot.
When he was done, he looked up with a slight frown.
The knot was a little ugly.
Not nearly as nice as the one she had tied for him before.
Shen Qingyou looked down at her hand. The gauze was wrapped tightly, and the bow was crooked, but she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she liked it very much.
“Thank you, Third Uncle.”
Yan Tingxu stood up and put the small box away.
“Don’t ride the bike tomorrow,” he said. “Wait a couple more days before riding again.”
Shen Qingyou obediently nodded. “Mm.”
…
Two days later, it happened to be a school day.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw the Forever bicycle parked at the bottom of the steps in the yard. The seat had been adjusted to the perfect height for her.
Hanging from the handlebars was a pair of cotton gloves.
She put the gloves on. The fit was just right. The webbing of the thumb was thickly padded, perfectly protecting the blister that still hadn’t fully healed.
She couldn’t wait to ride. When she reached the gate, she ran into Yan Tingxu, who was coming back from his morning exercise.
He glanced at her, then at the gloves on her hands.
“You’ve got it?” he asked.
Shen Qingyou nodded, her eyes curving into a smile.
“I’ve got it.”
“Don’t ride too fast,” he said. “Be careful on the road.”
“Got it, Third Uncle!”
She rode off, slowly making her way toward school.
The morning breeze brushed against her face, cool, but she didn’t feel cold at all.
The gloves were very warm.
The cotton jacket was very warm.
And deep in her heart, it was very warm too.