Chapter 45: Try Blowing on It for Me
“Hello, good brother. Where are you?”
“I just got back to the dorm. What's up?”
“Come to the pavilion by Luoxia Lake on the new campus.”
“Something wrong?”
“Yeah. Hurry over.”
After hanging up, Lin Wan rushed toward Luoxia Lake without even remembering to put on his face mask.
The distance was just right.
Maybe I can even complete another 1,000-meter running mission on the way.
Because of the upcoming competition, his training sessions had become longer and longer.
On top of that, he still had classes every day, leaving him much less time to run.
So he had to become a true master of time management and make good use of every minute.
By the time he reached Luoxia Lake, Zhuo Feng had already been waiting for a while, since he was staying on the new campus and had a much shorter walk.
“What's wrong?”
Zhuo Feng asked as he watched Lin Wan run over.
“I just talked to the Spirit... um...”
Lin Wan paused for a moment.
“I just read online that massage can help a strained ligament heal faster. I learned a little, so let me try giving you a massage.”
Seeing how much Lin Wan cared about him, Zhuo Feng couldn't help smiling.
“Alright. Thanks, good brother.”
Luoxia Lake was an artificial lake shaped like a bird with its wings spread.
Many benches had been placed around the lake for people to sit and enjoy the view.
But not long after it was built, it became just as famous as the small woods nearby as a popular dating spot for couples.
By now, it was already dark. The pavilion had been taken over by a young couple who were completely lost in each other.
Watching them kiss as if no one else was around made Lin Wan blush.
It was the first time he had ever watched people kiss from such a close distance.
Shameless... absolutely shameless! This is so inappropriate!
They found an empty bench and sat down.
Holding Zhuo Feng's hand, Lin Wan asked in his mind, “Spirit, what should I do?”
“Step one: Massage the Yangchi acupoint in a clockwise direction~”
“Um... Spirit, you don't have to tell me the names of the acupoints. Just tell me where they are.”
As an ordinary college student who wasn't studying traditional Chinese medicine, the only acupoint Lin Wan really knew was probably the temple on the side of the head.
Telling him to massage a certain acupoint by name was asking far too much.
“Okay~ It's a little below the middle of the back of the wrist~”
“Here?”
“A little lower~”
“How about here?”
“Yes, that's it~”
………………
Following the Spirit's instructions, Lin Wan gently massaged Zhuo Feng's hand.
To him, this wasn't just a hand. It was practically walking prize money. So he treated it with extra care.
Meanwhile, Zhuo Feng watched Lin Wan carefully massage his hand with those slender, pale fingers.
The smile on his face never disappeared. His eyes were filled with warmth as he stared at Lin Wan without blinking.
Before he knew it, he had become completely absorbed.
At some point, the streetlights came on.
Their warm yellow light shone onto the left side of Lin Wan's face that wasn't covered by his cap.
His long eyelashes cast a delicate shadow across his fair cheek.
At that moment...
Zhuo Feng thought the person in front of him was unbelievably beautiful.
Breathing in the faint scent coming from Lin Wan and feeling the warmth of his hand, he could feel his heartbeat growing faster and faster.
It was as if the small space around the bench belonged only to the two of them.
The emotions inside him surged like a wave.
He had countless things he wanted to say. But when the words reached his lips, only two remained.
“Lin Wan.”
Lin Wan looked up. “What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Oh.”
He lowered his head and continued massaging.
A little while later...
“Lin Wan.”
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
A while later...
“Lin Wan.”
“What do you actually want? Just say it!”
“Nothing.”
What's wrong with him? Did my good brother hit his head when he fell too?
“Lin Wan.”
This time, Lin Wan didn't answer.
Instead, he moved his finger to the wound on Zhuo Feng's palm and gently pressed it.
Even someone with a good temper has limits! If you have something to say, then just say it! Why do you keep calling my name?!
The sharp pain instantly broke the gentle look in Zhuo Feng's eyes.
His hand jerked.
“Hiss! Are you trying to kill your dear b—good bro?!”
“That's what you get for being as noisy as a crow.”
After pressing on the wound, Lin Wan immediately regretted it.
This won't affect the healing, will it?
He looked at the bandage covering the wound and said apologetically,
“Does it still hurt?”
“It stings a little. Why don't you blow on it for me?”
“Oh.”
Lin Wan lowered his head toward Zhuo Feng's palm.
“Phew... Phew...”
After gently blowing on it a few times, he asked, “Is it better now?”
Zhuo Feng's heart was beating even faster, but his face remained calm.
“Yeah.”
He didn't say anything else. He simply watched Lin Wan continue the massage with full concentration.
More than ten minutes later...
“The massage is finished~”
The Spirit's voice sounded in Lin Wan's mind.
He let go of Zhuo Feng's hand.
“How does it feel?”
He wasn't sure whether it was because the massage really worked or just because of psychology, but Zhuo Feng's hand did feel more flexible.
He nodded.
“Much better. Thanks, good brother.”
“If it really helps, I'll send you the acupoints you need to massage later. Massage them a few times every day.”
Zhuo Feng raised an eyebrow.
Massage them myself?
“I think my left hand feels a little uncomfortable too. It doesn't have much strength.”
“Really? Then... do you want me to massage that one too?”
“Sorry to trouble you again.”
“Give me your hand.”
Zhuo Feng placed his left hand into Lin Wan's hands.
Looking at Lin Wan's small hands, he felt that he could wrap one of his own hands completely around them.
The thought immediately turned into action.
He suddenly closed his hand around Lin Wan's, gently holding it.
Feeling the softness in his palm, he quickly let go again and said with a completely serious face, “You pressed a nerve. It was just a reflex.”
“Oh.”
Lin Wan immediately became gentler. He thought he must have pressed too hard just now.
“Give me your phone.”
Zhuo Feng suddenly remembered that they still hadn't asked for the medical expenses.
Lin Wan took out his phone and handed it over.
“What for?”
“Didn't that girl say she'd pay today's medical bill?”
“Oh, right! We should ask her.”
If that girl hadn't run onto the track, Zhuo Feng wouldn't have gotten hurt.
And his prize money wouldn't be in danger!
Zhuo Feng placed Lin Wan's phone on the bench beside him.
Using his right hand, he opened WeChat and immediately found the girl they had added earlier that day.
There were already several unread messages from her.
【Have you arrived at the medical room?】
【I'm really sorry about today.】
【Will your hand injury affect anything? How about I treat you to a meal as an apology? Otherwise I'll feel really guilty.】
【I bought some ointment. Do you want me to bring it over?】
She had sent those messages that afternoon. After waiting for over an hour without getting any reply, she finally sent one more.
【Don't forget to send me the bill.】
After thinking for a moment, Zhuo Feng typed a message.
【Are you there?】
He didn't even have to wait. She replied almost instantly.
It was obvious she had been watching WeChat the whole time.
【Yes! Is he feeling better?】
Zhuo Feng replied,
【Yeah, I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for your concern.】
The moment she saw that message, Jiang Jingyao realized she was chatting with the handsome guy from earlier, not his "girlfriend."
She immediately replied,
【Let me treat you to a meal. I really feel guilty.】
She deliberately wrote "treat you" instead of "treat both of you." She believed Zhuo Feng would understand what she meant.
As long as he agreed, she'd still have a chance.
Zhuo Feng replied,
【No need. Just transfer the money. Today's medical cost was 9.7 yuan. Since we're classmates, I'll round it off to 10 yuan.】
The corner of Jiang Jingyao's mouth twitched.
That's called rounding?
Even so, she transferred 10 yuan.
Then she typed another message.
【Where are you? How about I bring you the ointment?】
Zhuo Feng accepted the money.
Then he searched online for a picture of a green tea drink sitting alone in the Gobi Desert and sent it to her.
【Image】
Then he sent another message.
【Have you ever seen a red exclamation mark?】
After sending it, he immediately blocked and deleted her.
When Jiang Jingyao tried to reply—
(Red exclamation mark) 【What does this picture mean?】
She looked at the picture for a while.
Just after sending her reply, she noticed the bright red exclamation mark in front of her message.
???
He deleted me?
Why would he delete me?
Was it his girlfriend who took his phone and chatted with me?
But what does that picture mean?
She forwarded the picture to one of her admirers, whose nickname was "Fish No. 7, Has a Little Money," and asked what it meant.
A few seconds later, he replied:
【Trashy green tea.】