Chapter 8

A student in the third year of junior high school at Yizhong

Ruan Qianqian smiled, looking in a very good mood, "I was feeling a bit down just now, but seeing you makes me feel better. I wonder if it's just a psychological effect."

In fact, she truly meant no other intention with this statement; it is akin to when one experiences a stomach ache in childhood, and simply seeing a doctor at the hospital seems to alleviate the pain.

Ruan Qianqian urged, "I have difficulty with one hand. If it is not possible, please go out and call Doctor Xiao in for me."

That group of students was undoubtedly the "heartfelt resentment" of the teachers. Later, the Ministry of Education, considering the quality of education, abolished this method of "paying for priority admission," which ultimately preserved the reputation of No. 1 High School

Zhou Shi also immediately darkened his face, "bang" he locked the door, muttering a curse as he turned back.

Zhou Shi also said: "Whom have you offended?"

On this day, the sky was clear and bright, and the sunlight was as usual

Xiao Nansheng glanced at Zhou Shiyi at the door, then at Ruan Qianqian on the sickbed. After measuring them back and forth for a while, he felt that something was off and obediently took a step back.

"I won't say I'm leaving." He turned to leave

When Zhou Shijing returned, Zhou Shi was still sulking in the room. Thinking that he was under a lot of academic pressure, she suggested that he go to the small courtyard to get some fresh air. As he walked to the door, his steps froze because he saw that sneaky figure again at the entrance of the stairwell

He remained silent and pulled again, but it did not budge

Xiao Nansheng did not know when he had walked out. He is a very sensitive man, and the sparks that were popping in this ward were difficult for him to ignore, even if he wanted to pretend they were invisible.

Zhou Shi also raised an eyebrow, his tone mocking: "Isn't this quite a good meal?"

She turned her head, and her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure at the doorway. Although half of the person was obscured by the tall frame of Xiao Nansheng, it did not hinder her from recognizing him. Ruan Qianqian shifted to the side for a clearer view; the person leaned against the door frame, exuding a relaxed demeanor

On that day, the window was slightly ajar, and he habitually faced away from the window while taking a shower. When he turned to wipe his back, he caught a glimpse of a pair of clear eyes through the crack.

Therefore, she has never left

... ...

Zhou Shi's expression remained unchanged, with a hint of indifference and detachment between his brows, a stark contrast to the way he had teased her that night in the small dark room

Ruan Qianqian knew that he did not think highly of her, but such blatant disregard still left her feeling somewhat displeased. Therefore, she waved her hand at Xiao Nansheng and said, "Doctor Xiao, please step aside."

In the last semester of his third year, Zhou Shiyi found the learning atmosphere to be quite tense. Every morning, the homeroom teacher would passionately deliver admonitions at the podium, his face flushed and spittle flying. Time was indeed pressing, and Zhou Shiyi had reduced his basketball playing from once a day to once a week

He glanced at her left hand and said, "Isn't there still one?"

Suddenly, there was nothing at my fingertips; the spoon was snatched away by someone

That person looked down at her from a high position, raising an eyebrow slightly, without saying a word

She really has the nerve to bring it up

She must keep that matter well; how could he possibly be so cheap

... ...

With each movement, the taut lines on the body become even more pronounced

I was also from No. 1 High School, but when I entered the first year of high school, you had already graduated. I even saw you taking a shower, do you remember that

A posture that seems to ignore me, then I will annoy you to death

She has not felt any shame or embarrassment to this day, after all, it has been several years since that incident

Zhou Shi also raised an eyebrow, neither affirming nor denying.

Ruan Qianqian was momentarily stunned, mechanically opening her mouth, taking it in, her Adam's apple gently rolling, swallowing it bit by bit

She continued to look at him calmly, her gaze so self-assured that it even made Zhou Shiyi, sitting opposite her, wonder if he was being a bit too petty, or perhaps he should be more generous, more assertive, and ask her: "Are you satisfied?"

Xiao Nansheng chuckled softly

Ruan Qianqian and Xu Sheng both advanced directly from the junior high school department

Zhou Shi, come here

She heard the person across say: "Xiao Nansheng is my brother-in-law"

Zhou Shi also just finished playing basketball with his teammates, carrying his backpack on one shoulder and holding the ball in his hand as he walked home

Zhou Shi rented a house on the first floor, which comes with a small courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard is an abandoned old park that was closed a few years ago due to development issues, and the bathroom faces the park. The bathrooms in the old-style community are quite narrow, only one and a half people's width, and elongated. The window is made of frosted glass, so when closed, the view inside is obscured, which is why they have never installed curtains.

That night, he felt exceptionally restless; he could not focus on his assignments, nor could he concentrate on his reading, as his mind was filled with her fearless demeanor

The back-and-forth left Zhou Shijing bewildered

He strode to the window, cast her a cold glance, and scolded, "Are you sick?"

Finally, Zhou Shiyi walked to the bedside, his tall figure standing firm, looking down at her with an unfriendly tone: "Speak."

The window was slammed shut with great force

Oh? So what?

He calmly set down the bowl, met her gaze, and spoke in a very soft voice: "My patience will not be wasted on trivial matters"

Outside the door, Ruan Qianqian was actually bewildered; he must have thought of her as a freak

The man stood at the door, enveloped in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if coated with a layer of golden edge, emitting a faint light. His black short hair was cut very short, appearing clean and neat, perfectly complementing his facial shape, with sharp and handsome contours. His body lines were smooth, with his hands in his pockets leaning against the door frame, his gaze resting outside the window. Upon hearing her call his name, he turned his head to look at her faintly, showing little emotion

Ruan Qianqian's memory of these events is not very clear; she only remembers being extremely shocked and curious at the time. This is because Zhou Shi Yi had a very good physique back then, with smooth and perfect muscle lines, devoid of any excess fat, looking as beautiful as a sculpture, making one unable to resist the urge to reach out and touch.

Just say it like that

I do not know when the figure outside the window left

The era of the domineering CEO has long passed; if it were now, he would still scold her for being sick.

Of course, eat

Flashing

Zhou Shi was also furious, no longer caring about much, suddenly bending down to pick up the dirty clothes that had fallen on the ground, raising his long legs, quickly putting on the dirty underwear he had just changed out of, and then putting on his basketball shorts

Xiao Nansheng walked over to support her, his tone formal: "How are you feeling now? Is there anything uncomfortable?"

Then there was a beautiful face, with bold eyes staring at him unabashedly; he recognized her, Ruan Qianqian

Zhou Shi also curled his lips, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes, "So does this count as agreeing to your 'one thing'?"

Ruan Qianqian bites very hard

The setting sun outside the window descends, and dusk gradually approaches

Zhou Shi also reached out but could not touch the towel, could not cover it, yet was unable to move, could not turn around nor could he rotate.

This time, he was not put in a difficult position, and he let out a sigh, expressing his dissatisfaction by saying, "Is there not even this little bit of patience?"

The damp strands of hair on his forehead clung to his skin as he turned his head to look at her, his eyes flickering with flames, suppressing his anger: "Have you seen enough?"

Beixun No. 1 High School is a well-known key high school in the province, primarily enrolling top students ranked among the top few hundred in the city. Later, a junior high school division was established, known as Beixun Foreign Language Junior High School. Students in the junior high division are not required to take the high school entrance examination and can directly advance to the high school, although the tuition is relatively expensive, equivalent to three years of tuition at an ordinary junior high school.

Ruan Qianqian suddenly sat up straight, feeling somewhat strained. She placed a pillow behind her back and lay down again, picking up the porcelain bowl from the bedside table, her delicate white hand extending it towards him.

He grew up with his grandfather and sister. In his first year of high school, his grandfather passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage. He and his sister sold their ancestral home and rented an apartment near the school. The rented community was an old-style school district housing, long plagued by cooking fumes, with black stains running down the walls, peeling paint, and patches of powdery white falling off.

Zhou Shi also did not know when he had sat down beside her bed. He picked up a pale blue and white porcelain bowl, his fingers long and clean, with distinct joints. He gently stirred the contents of the bowl with the tip of the spoon, scooped up a spoonful of white porridge, and held it out in front of her, his tone light: "Eat up"

... ...

He simply let go, clearly a bit impatient, trying his best not to lose his temper, and pressed down his patience to ask: "Are you still going to eat?"

He could only allow her fiery gaze to fixate on his bare back, his long, straight legs, the clearly defined lines of his muscles, his broad shoulders and narrow waist... At the tender age of eighteen or nineteen, his physique was already quite impressive

Ruan Qianqian shrugged and said lightly: "There is nothing to offend, isn't this society just like that? The more right you are, the more people you offend. Everything is viewed only in terms of benefits and drawbacks, there is no absolute right or wrong. Han Han has said before, only children distinguish right from wrong, adults only look at benefits. If I die one day, the murderer will definitely be someone who benefits from my death"

... ...

At such a young age, where do all these insights come from

He scoffed, "I only see the words 'beaten'"

Ruan Qianqian did not know whether she was mesmerized or doing it intentionally, as she kept staring at him without moving away or turning her head, her gaze fixed on him. It is undeniable that she was at an age of youthful rebellion. She was captivated by his physique, looking at him with a sense of justification, perhaps driven more by a curiosity fueled by hormones

Ruan Qianqian calmly waved at him, "Hi"

... ...

Zhou Shi also had no interest in continuing this topic with her, glancing at her feet and hands, "How did this happen?"

Ruan Qianqian blinked and asked, "Do you really not remember who I am?"

I got into a fight with someone

Ruan Qianqian blinked her eyes, waiting for him to continue, but he did not speak again, a hint of depth in his gaze

How big is the face

Zhou Shi also scooped a spoonful and placed it by her lips. Ruan Qianqian took it in with a bite, sucking the porridge in. He attempted to withdraw the spoon, but she bit down on it, her dark eyes fixed on him, fluttering.

Moreover, is that considered watching? Peeking and watching, although they differ by just one character, can convey vastly different meanings

She nodded slightly, signaling him to withdraw the spoon

Ruan Qianqian actually did not intend to bring this up, but the only intersection between the two of them is this impression, which is somewhat profound enough to make him remember her

I also hit them, alright? However, the effect is not very noticeable

In the ward, Ruan Qianqian remained silent, leaning against the edge of the bed with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed intently on him

Zhou Shi also glanced over, shook his head lightly, and did not respond: "I am not hungry"

She quietly drank her porridge, pretending not to hear. In fact, her left hand had little strength, her arm was covered in bruises, and her hand trembled slightly while holding the spoon. Back and forth, nearly half a bowl of porridge was spilled, yet even so, she could not let Zhou Shiyi take advantage of her.

"Who fed you?" Ruan Qianqian shot him a glance, "I just had surgery on my right hand, it's inconvenient for me, you feed me."

Zhou Shi also stared at her for a moment, and the next second, he turned his eyes away expressionlessly, pretending not to see.

It seems like many years ago

Ruan Qianqian did not speak, but kept staring at him. If looks could kill, Zhou Shiyi would probably have hundreds of holes in his body by now.

The sleeve was suddenly pulled, "Zhou Shiyi, do you still remember me?"

When Xiao Nansheng and Zhou Shiyi entered the hospital room, Ruan Qianqian was struggling to sit up on the bed, moving about with her feet in a large cast, which looked enormous, and her hands were also wrapped in bandages, giving her a clumsy and comical appearance

... ...

She frowned in displeasure, thinking to herself: How capable of negotiating conditions. In the next moment, Ruan Qianqian withdrew her hand, placed the porcelain bowl back on the bedside table with a "bang," turned to the side, and with her left hand, laboriously scooped the food into her mouth, gritting her teeth and saying: "No need for your grandpa's help."