Chapter 22

Someone nearby anxiously handed me tissues, which I used to stop sobbing. I looked over and saw it was the same student again.

He was the one taking care of me.

My eyes glazed over for a moment, during which time they swept over him from head to toe. His short, slightly messy hair looked dry and brittle. He wore black-rimmed glasses, his eyes set behind the lenses, occasionally narrowing. His eyelashes covered the rest of his thin, double eyelids. He had some acne scars and pits on his cheeks that were noticeable upon closer inspection, his lips were pale and chapped, and he wore a plaid shirt and black trousers. His hands fidgeted nervously in front of him, and he wore sneakers with high heels.

I exclaimed "Ah!" and remembered, "Thank you for bringing me to the hospital. Did you pay for it in advance? How much was it? I'll transfer it to you now."

He nodded, then shook his head, and said nervously, "It didn't cost much, you don't need to pay. Is there anything you'd like to eat? The doctor said you're fine, it's probably just emotional distress. I was going to try contacting your emergency contact—ah, I didn't mean to look at your phone, it was an emergency, but I don't know why..."

He waved his hands repeatedly, trying to clear himself of any suspicion of ulterior motives. His clothes were already wrinkled from being pulled so much that they hung loosely and naturally.

He stopped there, his mouth open but no words came out.

That's a bit strange.

I saw his eyes flicker with uncertainty, and his tone shift from that ethereal, dreamy quality to the previous cloying warmth: "What kind of friends are they? They can't even make a single phone call. In life, aren't people who are close by more likely to help you? Those who are far away and can't even answer the phone are of no use at all."

“Luckily, I was here with you.” He moved closer to me, his fingers gently stroking my face. “No children would have gone by then, and the doctor wouldn’t have left immediately. If you had fainted there, it would have been a long time before anyone could help you…”

I pressed his hand to stop him from saying what he was about to say, and said with great sincerity, "Thank you."

"If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know what to do now."

I blinked, met his eyes, and smiled at him as gently as I could.

I was genuinely sincere; it was he and my counselor who made me realize that I should also have feelings of "disgust."

Although it only appeared for a moment, and was quickly overwhelmed by my fondness, it at least reminded me.

He was taken aback, not expecting me to say that. He stammered a few "uh-huhs" and "ahs," then mumbled, "The doctor said you're not injured," "You need to rest," and "You can leave now." Before he could finish speaking, his phone rang in his pocket, so he hurriedly ran outside to answer it.

When he came back, he told me he had to leave first. I thanked him for his help and watched him leave. Under my gaze, his face turned red, so red that I thought I was seeing that red and white mass again before he fainted.

No, that's not it. I blinked again, and his figure disappeared through the doorway.

I took out my phone and typed a message to my senior. He also had to take care of Hua and couldn't find time to come see me. Gu Xinglian and I weren't close enough for him to visit me; the only person I could reluctantly ask for help from was my senior.

The other party replied quickly, and to express their anxiety, they specifically sent a voice message. I clicked to convert it to text.

"Why did you go to the hospital? Are you sick or injured? Are you alright? Where does it hurt? What did the doctor say?"

I typed: Thank you for your concern. I'm fine. The doctor said I need to rest.

My senior arrived very quickly, so quickly that I hadn't even had a chance to idly swing my legs twice on the hospital bed. I had sent him the room number in advance; it was a private room, so it was fairly easy to find.

As he stood panting in the doorway, my gaze happened to be directed there.

His purple eyes appeared black from a distance. His face had a faint, indistinct flush from running.

I smiled at him and said, "Thank you for coming, Xavier."

He took my hand and patiently asked me all sorts of questions, showing concern for my well-being.

I answered each question, gently stroking the back of his hand. He sat beside me, looking at me with very gentle eyes.

He took care of everything for me, resolving all the issues, and held my arm to help me walk carefully.

I explained that I wasn't that fragile, and the doctor only said I was emotionally unstable. He looked at me with those same eyes again, looking quite helpless.

He drove himself there and also drove me home. I told him my address, and his expression didn't change. He drove his car towards the sun and into the depths of the city.

I sat in the back seat because he said it would be more convenient for me to rest. I get a bit carsick, so I pretended to gag in the back to try and ease the discomfort.

He asked me with concern what was wrong, his hand rolling down the rear window faster than my mouth. The wind blew in, making my hair stick to my eyes. I slowly peeled it away from my face, some stray hairs still lingering. He turned on the music in the front, the volume turned down to a very low pitch, barely audible.

He parked the car at the intersection, opened the back door, and asked me to get out. I wasn't injured in the leg, nor had I just had surgery, but I still put my hand in his.

In reality, this is a test. He will put aside his own work and choose me immediately, even if the problems I encounter are insignificant.

A faint smile appeared on my face.

Even the most despicable places have gatekeepers; this residential area doesn't welcome people who don't live here, even if someone vouches for them.

Therefore, we will be parting ways.

He hugged me, his eyes filled with worry and sorrow. I was already used to his touch and remained unmoved. The adult male body was healthy, and years of working in the lab and in the field filled him with strength. I watched his lips move, from which he kept uttering words I could no longer hear.

He left, and I stood at the crossroads. I awkwardly brushed the dust off my shoulders, and the surroundings began to bustle. The gatekeeper wanted to ask me something, but I had nothing to say. I was as if savoring that fleeting moment of warmth, yet I couldn't recall anything else.

Our relationship is about to reach a new level.

I snapped out of my reverie, my finger hovering over Xavier's chat box.

After editing all the content, I quietly looked at it and remained silent for a while.

I deleted it.

Outside the hospital room window, the sun was setting. The twilight light cast a reminder that the world was heading towards night. The sound of a lost bird flapping its wings could easily startle someone, so all eyes were drawn to it.

It flew very high and very far, with a few broken wings timidly hiding inside its feathers.

I couldn't help but walk over and touch the window of the ward with my fingertips. The blood-red sunset watched over the city from beyond the snow-capped mountains, and I saw those strange things surging again. They struggled, screamed, their soft and sharp bodies blocking and piercing each other, and the dust was awakened by them.

Amidst towering skyscrapers and winding, muddy paths, they are as gentle as a spring evening breeze, as stern as icicles.

They are born from all the places where humans live.