Chapter 33

The phone call ended with a hollow, soft click.

Xie Qingyan turned around to face Boss Shen and Jiang Ci, his anxiety and worry barely concealed: "Boss Shen, I'm so sorry, my father accidentally fell and injured himself while working. He's at the community hospital now, and I have to rush back immediately."

"Oh dear! There's no need to apologize! Hurry up and go back! We won't deduct your pay today, just go!" Boss Shen waved his hand repeatedly, his face full of concern.

Xie Qingyan nodded, grabbed the coat draped over the back of the chair, and was about to rush out.

Just then, a figure blocked his way.

It is Jiang Ci.

He had already slung his bag over his shoulder and held his phone in his hand. His tone was unwavering, even reassuringly calm: "Address. Name of the community hospital."

Xie Qingyan froze, staring at Jiang Ci. Those deep eyes clearly reflected her own image, filled with concern and unwavering resolve. "Jiang Ci, you don't need to..."

"Address." Jiang Ci repeated, speaking even faster, decisively cutting off any possibility of refusal. "Which community hospital?"

Xie Qingyan looked at Jiang Ci, her Adam's apple bobbing, and without further ado, quickly gave the name and approximate location of the community hospital.

"The car will be at the door in three minutes." Jiang Ci quickly hailed a ride-hailing car.

The two hurriedly left the bookstore, the wind chimes on the door ringing erratically from their hasty movements.

Through the glass window, Boss Shen watched the two figures rush towards the car that had just stopped by the roadside, one after the other. Jiang Ci even opened the back door first, instinctively placing his hand above Xie Qingyan's head to protect him, and only after Xie Qingyan got in did he quickly walk around to the other side and get in himself.

The movements were practiced and natural, as if they had been rehearsed hundreds of times.

Mr. Shen looked at the doorway, clicked his tongue, and shook his head with a sigh: "This young Jiang... I really didn't expect it."

Inside the taxi.

The carriage was cramped, filled with a faint scent of aromatherapy. Xie Qingyan gripped her phone tightly, her fingertips icy cold, her gaze anxiously fixed on the rapidly receding street scene outside the window, her lips pressed pale. Xie's father wasn't old, but years of hard labor had taken their toll; this fall…

Suddenly, a warm hand reached out, enveloped his hand, squeezed it tightly, and then released it.

It is Jiang Ci.

"Don't scare yourself." Jiang Ci's voice sounded beside her, low but unusually steady and powerful, piercing through Xie Qingyan's panic. "Community hospitals usually do basic treatment first, we'll see how it goes when we get there. If it's serious, we'll transfer you to another hospital immediately. I'm here, don't be afraid."

His words were devoid of any flowery language, even somewhat blunt, yet they struck Xie Qingyan like the most solid rock, each word hitting the spot where Xie Qingyan was most uneasy.

Xie Qingyan suddenly turned her head and looked at Jiang Ci.

Don't be afraid.

These two words were what he had used to comfort Jiang Ci, and he had worried that they wouldn't offer Jiang Ci much solace. But when Jiang Ci uttered those two words, he realized their weight.

The boy's profile appeared somewhat hard in the flowing light and shadow outside the window, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, containing not a trace of false comfort, but only complete seriousness and responsibility.

"Thank you." Xie Qingyan managed to squeeze out only these two words, her voice slightly hoarse.

Jiang Ci didn't speak again, but turned her gaze to the window, leaning slightly towards Xie Qingyan, as if offering another kind of silent companionship and support.

As the car drove away from the bustling area, the surrounding scenery gradually became familiar and simple. Finally, it stopped in front of an old building with a faded sign that read "Qinghe Community Health Center".

Xie Qingyan practically jumped out of the car. Jiang Ci quickly paid the fare and followed closely behind.

The clinic reeked of disinfectant; the environment was rudimentary, and people came and went. Xie Qingyan immediately spotted the couple on the bench in the corridor. Xie's mother was holding her forehead, while Xie's father was half-lying down, his left ankle already bandaged and immobilized. His face was a little pale, but his spirits were still good.

"Dad! Mom!" Xie Qingyan rushed over in a few steps.

"Xiao Yan!" Xie's mother's eyes immediately reddened when she saw her son. "You're finally back! Your father..."

"Mom, Dad, it's alright, I'm back." Xie Qingyan knelt down and carefully examined her father's feet. "What did the doctor say?"

"It's a sprain, a slight fracture, not too serious, but you'll need to rest for at least a month and can't put any weight on it." Xie's father endured the pain and tried to keep his tone light. "It's just that you slipped and fell, nothing serious, but your mother was in a hurry to call you."

Xie Qingyan listened carefully, then looked at her mother. Her mother wiped her eyes and lowered her voice, "The X-rays are done. They said I need a cast or a brace, prescribed a bunch of medications, and I need physical therapy…and the follow-up…" She didn't finish, but the worry in her eyes was clear. For this family, having the breadwinner unable to work for a month, plus the subsequent medical expenses, was a considerable burden.

Only then did Xie's mother notice that there was another person following behind her son. Tall and thin, with a cold and aloof demeanor, he seemed out of place in the noisy and shabby clinic.

"Auntie, Uncle." Jiang Ci stepped forward. "I heard that Uncle was injured, so I came to see if there was anything I could do to help."

His appearance surprised Xie's parents.

"Ah, it's Jiang Ci. Thank you so much for making the trip." Xie's mother thanked her hurriedly, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Mr. Xie nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, son."

“No trouble at all.” Jiang Ci’s tone was calm, his gaze already shifting to Xie’s father’s bandaged ankle. “The doctor’s diagnosis is an ankle sprain with a minor fracture? Can I see the X-ray? What are the specific immobilization and rehabilitation plans?”

He asked very professional questions, getting straight to the point. Xie's mother quickly handed him the X-ray films and the doctor's medical record.

Jiang Ci took the film, examined it carefully against the light, and then quickly browsed the medical record. Although he wasn't a doctor, he had an exceptional ability to grasp key information. After reviewing it, he turned to Xie Qingyan and her mother, and said clearly and logically:

“I don’t understand the technical details of the X-ray very well, but the diagnosis is consistent with what my uncle said, it’s not very serious. Immobilization is the first step. The next key points are choosing the immobilization method, anti-inflammatory and analgesic medication, and subsequent rehabilitation and physical therapy to prevent any sequelae.”

His words were clear, calm, and powerful, making all of Xie's mother's vague worries concrete.

Xie's mother's eyes reddened again, and her worries lessened considerably: "Child, this...this is all thanks to you!"

“Auntie,” Jiang Ci interrupted her gently but firmly, “Please let me help. This is not only for Uncle’s speedy recovery, but also so that Qingyan can focus on his exams. He has his second mock exam soon and can’t be distracted by these things.”

He elevated the reason to "for Xie Qingyan's college entrance examination," which was the most important thing to Xie's parents, making it impossible for them to refuse.

Xie Qingyan stood aside, watching Jiang Ci's calm, reliable, and thoughtful demeanor as he talked with his parents, and seeing the hope and gratitude gradually rising in his parents' eyes, her heart felt warm.

Jiang Ci not only came, but also handled everything so well. He saw the family's predicament and offered support in whatever way he could. He was even more thoughtful than his own son.

In the time that followed, Jiang Ci demonstrated remarkable efficiency. Following the community doctor's instructions, he ran around paying fees, picking up medications, and inquiring about nursing details; he even took a break to go out, returning with several bottles of water and some easily digestible food, which he handed to Xie's mother and father.

He didn't talk much, but every action he took was effective. At first, Xie's mother was uneasy, but later she was able to naturally ask him to help her get things and listen to him explain the doctor's instructions. Xie's father watched the busy young man, his eyes filled with admiration and emotion.

Xie Qingyan stayed by his father's side the whole time, but his gaze involuntarily followed Jiang Ci's figure. He watched him carefully check the medicine list, watched the gentle movement as he handed warm water to his mother...

Something burst forth from his chest, growing wildly with intense heat, almost engulfing him.

After handling all the urgent matters and confirming that Xie's father was in stable condition and only needed to rest at home, it was already dark.

No matter what, Xie's mother insisted that Jiang Ci stay for dinner. "Child, you've been busy all afternoon, you must eat before you leave! Xiao Yan has made great progress thanks to you, we haven't even had a chance to properly thank you yet!"

Jiang Ci did not refuse this time. He looked at Xie Qingyan and saw that she also nodded, so he agreed: "Then I'll trouble you, Auntie."

Back in the Xie family's cramped yet cozy courtyard, the sound of stir-frying quickly filled the kitchen, and the aroma of food wafted out. Jiang Ci sat in the small living room, chatting with Xie's father, who was reclining in a deck chair. The conversation, which had subtly shifted from wound care to Xie Qingyan's recent studies, began. Jiang Ci's tone was calm, but the protectiveness and approval he expressed towards Xie Qingyan brought a smile to Xie's father's face.

Xie Qingyan was helping her mother in the kitchen when she heard the faint sounds of conversation outside, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

At the dinner table, there were simple home-style dishes, but Xie's mother had prepared her signature braised pork and steamed fish. Jiang Ci ate very attentively, and when Xie's mother put food on his plate, he ate it politely without showing the slightest discomfort.

"Jiang Ci, we really owe you a lot today," Xie's father said with emotion. "You may look cold on the outside, but you have a really warm heart."

"Uncle, you flatter me. It's my duty," Jiang Ci said earnestly, putting down his chopsticks.

Xie's mother kept piling food onto his plate, saying, "Eat more, child. If it's convenient, come often, and Auntie will cook you delicious food."

Jiang Ci looked at the pile of food in her bowl, then glanced at Xie Qingyan, who was eating with her head down and whose ears were slightly red. A faint, genuine smile flickered in her eyes: "Okay, thank you, Auntie."

After dinner, Jiang Ci sat for a while longer, and after confirming that Xie's father was not feeling unwell, he got up to take his leave. Xie Qingyan saw him to the door.

The two stood under the dim streetlights outside the courtyard gate. The night wind carried a chill.

"Thank you so much for today." Xie Qingyan looked up at Jiang Ci, her eyes sparkling under the light.

Jiang Ci looked at him, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and gently touched his hair, brushing away a few stray hairs that had somehow gotten stuck to it.

"No need to thank me." He withdrew his hand, his voice very low.

He looked at Xie Qingyan's slightly widened eyes and softened his tone: "Go back and take good care of your uncle."

"Mm." Xie Qingyan nodded emphatically.

"Go inside, it's cold outside." Jiang Ci gestured for him to go back.

"Be careful on the road," Xie Qingyan instructed.

"Know."

Xie Qingyan turned around, took a few steps, and then couldn't help but look back.

Jiang Ci was still standing there, the streetlight casting a long shadow of him. Seeing him turn around, he raised his hand, gesturing for him to go inside quickly.

Only after Xie Qingyan's figure disappeared inside the door did Jiang Ci slowly exhale, look up at the few sparse stars that were rarely visible in the city, turn around, and blend into the night.

Inside my chest, my heart beat steadily and passionately.

He had never felt so clearly before that he was truly alive, involved in another person's life, and firmly drawn by that warmth.