Chapter 15

Under the scorching sun, Li Miao and the other members of the military training camp stood at attention.

After several days of training, even the instructors noticed the existence of Li Miao, an outstanding student.

Before the afternoon military posture training, the instructor also asked everyone to learn from Li Miao, to learn from the young man's serious attitude towards everything.

Bathed in the admiring gazes of her classmates and hearing the instructors' praise, Li Miao straightened her back even more, her military posture even more dashing.

Liang Yixuan and Pei Huai were tall, so they were placed at the very back.

No matter what kind of training they were doing, Pei Huai could always see Li Miao's back.

"I didn't expect Li Miao to be so amazing. She always stays on time for so long during military training and maintains such high standards." The more Liang Yixuan thought about it, the more he felt that he had underestimated Li Miao back then.

I thought that because of his delicate appearance, he would be the first to back down.

Li Miao's performance made him feel inferior.

"Yes, he's great." Pei Huai looked ahead, a slight smile curving his lips as he spoke.

As his good friend, Pei Huai's subtle emotional changes could not escape his keen eyes.

"Tsk tsk tsk, look at you, acting all lovestruck. Can you tone it down a bit?" Liang Yixuan spoke very softly, so the other classmates around him couldn't hear him.

"Me... a fangirl?" In Pei Huai's eighteen years of life, this word was very distant from him.

"Are you the one who's infatuated or am I?" Liang Yixuan teased lazily, "Your mouth is practically blooming with a smile."

"Don't think I can't see it."

Pei Huai opened his lips, intending to retort, but swallowed the words back. He had indeed smiled just now.

“You’re exaggerating,” Pei Huai said calmly.

"I'm not exaggerating at all." Liang Yixuan's eyes were practically screaming, "Don't try to fool me."

Pei Huai felt a slight itch in his throat and coughed lightly.

His gaze unconsciously fell on Li Miao, who was standing a few rows ahead.

Finding himself unable to look away, Pei Huai pursed his lips even tighter.

Li Miao was completely unaware that she was being watched the whole time.

After standing at attention, they then practice marching.

Time passed little by little, and soon it was four o'clock in the afternoon.

The sun wasn't as strong, and the temperature wasn't as high as it was at noon.

But Li Miao suddenly realized that something was wrong with her body.

My paws, which had never felt uncomfortable before, started to ache with each step I took. The friction between my right foot and the rubber boots from military training caused my little toe to rub against the ground.

The pain intensifies with each movement.

Li Miao bit her soft lips tightly, trying to ignore the pain spreading from her toes, and persevered until the end of the afternoon's military training.

The instructors dismissed the troops and announced that today's military training mission had been successfully completed.

Pei Huai, Liang Yixuan, and Li Hang all took the initiative to get together.

The group discussed whether to eat in the cafeteria or go out to eat today.

Liang Yixuan and Li Hang's minds were constantly filled with all sorts of delicious food.

Pei Huai was the first to notice that Li Miao's expression was off.

Li Miao is usually very energetic, with a fair complexion and rosy cheeks, and her eyes sparkling with a dazzling light. But at this moment, Li Miao's whole face is listless and lacks energy. She has a slight frown and her walking posture is also wrong.

"What's wrong?" Pei Huai's concerned question interrupted the other two who were having a heated discussion about what to have for dinner.

Li Miao originally planned to go back to the dormitory and take off his shoes to check on his feet.

Pei Huai suddenly asked, and he blinked his thick, curled eyelashes, still slightly bewildered.

She quickly regained her senses, but Li Miao's brows were still furrowed in pain, and her voice was listless and somewhat pitiful: "It's nothing, my foot just hurts a little."

"Your foot hurts?" Liang Yixuan looked down. "Did you twist your ankle during training?"

"Is it rubbing your heels?" Li Hang asked.

Faced with her roommate's concern, Li Miao shook her head and truthfully said that her toes hurt.

To avoid worrying everyone, Li Miao shook her head and said with a smile, "It's nothing serious. I'll go back to my dorm and check it myself. I should be able to get rid of it by just applying some ointment."

"I get it. It must be that you're not used to the hard-soled rubber shoes from military training. Did you get blisters from walking for too long?" Liang Yixuan guessed.

The answer should be li mio hui.

The words had barely left his mouth.

He then saw Pei Huai walk up to him and squat down.

"Since your feet hurt from walking, don't keep walking. I'll carry you back," Pei Huai said, turning his head and putting his hands behind his back, already in a position to carry someone.

He was squatting, with broad shoulders and a strong back, exuding a sense of power and security.

Some college students nearby were looking this way.

Li Miao quickly declined, saying that he didn't need to be carried.

"It's not far back to the dorm, I can walk back."

"That will only worsen the discomfort in your foot," Pei Huai said calmly.

Li Miao could clearly hear the concern he showed for him.

“I can hop back on one foot.” Li Miao’s ears were slightly warm; she felt embarrassed to have troubled Pei Huai so much.

"No, I'll just carry you back on my back." Seeing that Li Miao was still hesitating, Pei Huai said calmly, "If you keep hesitating, my legs will get tired from squatting. Come on up."

The tone left no room for argument.

Liang Yixuan and Li Hang also followed Li Miao.

With her legs pressed against Pei Huai's lower back, Li Miao didn't refuse this time. She lowered her body, wrapped her arms around Pei Huai's neck, and pressed herself against him.

Li Miao's thighs were supported by warm, large hands.

As Pei Huai stood up, Li Miao's field of vision also became higher.

"Hold me tighter." Pei Huai's voice was deep and magnetic.

As he turned to speak, his warm breath brushed against Li Miao's nose.

Li Miao stared into Pei Huai's deep, clear black eyes, their breaths mingling, and for a second she was stunned.

Suddenly, a different emotion rose in Li Miao's heart, and he quickly came to his senses and said, "Okay."

She wrapped her fair, slender arms tightly around Pei Huai.

The sounds of Liang Yixuan and the others discussing what to eat that night continued to echo in my ears.

Li Miao could only hear vaguely.

He could hear clearer sounds: Pei Huai's steady breathing and his rapidly pounding heartbeat.

Li Miao carefully observed Pei Huai.

It was hot, and they had been training all afternoon. Pei Huai had a light sweat on his forehead, which dampened his black, tousled hair. It hung down messily and casually, but it didn't look dirty. With more of his eyebrows and eyes showing, he looked even more aloof and handsome.

This was the first time Li Miao had seen him so closely and at such a close distance.

Pei Huai has always had very defined facial features, with a striking look in his eyes and brows, deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips that give him a cool and aloof appearance when pursed.

But after spending a week together, Li Miao figured out his personality. He wasn't aloof at all; in fact, he was very gentle, just like now, when he was carrying her back home with concern.

The heat intensified Pei Huai's scent; it wasn't unpleasant, but rather the refreshing, cool minty and herbal fragrance of the shower gel.

Cats have a keen sense of smell.

After smelling the aroma, Li Miao couldn't help but want to sniff it again, and her nose was so close to Pei Huai's neck that she didn't even realize it.

Pei Huai, who was speaking, immediately shut his mouth at Li Miao's sudden action.

"What are you... smelling?" Pei Huai asked, unusually flustered.

He had just exercised that afternoon; could it be that Li Miao smelled his sweat?

"Then let's go out and buy some boxed lunches. On the way back, we can also buy some ointment for Li Miao." Liang Yixuan made the final decision.

Li Hang had no objections.

Pei Huai casually said "okay," but his attention was entirely on Li Miao.

"Is it because of my smell that you're bothered? Why don't you just bear with it for now? We'll be at the dorm soon." Pei Huai asked anxiously.

"No, no, you don't smell bad." Li Miao's face turned slightly red, and she felt as if the air around her had become sticky.

"I thought I had a smell." Pei Huai smiled casually.

When he smiles, his cold features soften considerably, like ice and snow melting in the dead of winter, creating a different kind of handsomeness.

As they looked at each other, Li Miao's face started to burn again.

"Yes, but it smells nice," Li Miao whispered.

"That's good." Pei Huai's smile deepened.

He turned around and continued walking with Li Miao on his back.

Li Miao's heartbeat gradually quickened, thumping abnormally fast.

Upon reaching the dormitory building, Pei Huai's breathing became increasingly labored as he climbed the stairs.

"If you're tired, put me down. I'll hop along while holding onto the handrail." Li Miaowei bit her lip. She saw a thin layer of sweat on the back of Pei Huai's neck.

"There are only a few steps left, so stay put," Pei Huai said.

"Oh..." Li Miao buried her head in Pei Huai's back, refusing to look at the gazes coming from upstairs and downstairs.

Liang Yixuan and Li Hang didn't go upstairs; they had parted ways downstairs earlier. Pei Huai had them go buy dinner and medicine to save time.

Finally, they arrived at the dormitory entrance. Li Miao was put down, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

Pei Huai lowered his eyes, took the key, and opened the door.

Li Miao led Pei Huai into the house by one of his arms.

"Sit down, let me check the wound." Pei Huai pulled Li Miao to sit on a stool, then pulled his own stool over and sat down with Li Miao's knees touching.

"Oh~" Li Miao nodded, taking off her shoes and socks.

When I took off my socks, the cotton socks stuck to the broken skin on my little toe. When I pulled them apart, they pulled on the broken skin.

The pain caused Li Miao to let out a soft sob.

My paws hurt, ┭┮﹏┭┮

It took a lot of effort to keep myself from making a sound.

Pei Huai frowned when he saw that Li Miao was in pain.

"Does it hurt a lot? Let me see." Pei Huai bent down, grasped Li Miao's ankle, and lifted his calf onto his knee.

He held Li Miao's feet in his hands and leaned closer to examine the ulcers on her toes.

The wound was streaked with blood and mixed with tissue fluid; it wasn't big, but it looked very painful.

Li Miao's eyes widened slightly as she looked down at Pei Huai.

He didn't expect Pei Huai to suddenly get so close to examine his wound.

The thought of Pei Huai worrying about her smell flashed through her mind.

Then wouldn't his cat paws be even more...?

"No need, I can see it myself." Li Miao blushed and tried to pull her foot back.

Her ankle was held tightly by Pei Huai's large hand, and she didn't move.

"I'm watching everything, don't move around," Pei Huai said, looking up.

Li Miao was extremely embarrassed and stammered.

"Speak your mind," Pei Huai asked, his grip on his palm remaining firm.

Unable to retract her foot, Li Miao was immediately discouraged, her voice puffed out in anger: "My claw... no, my foot, my foot!"

Pei Huai narrowed his eyes.

"What if it smells? Stay away from me. I'll take care of my wound myself later," Li Miao said, blushing.

"It doesn't smell, don't worry about it." Pei Huai glanced down at Li Miao's feet.

I wonder if there's absolutely no sunlight at all.

Li Miao's feet were a shade lighter than her body.

The instep is very thin, and you can see the winding blue veins on the instep.

The toes are rounded, pink, and clean.

It doesn't have an unpleasant smell.

On the contrary, Pei Huai felt as if he were holding a piece of pure white jade when he held Li Miao's foot.

The broken skin is a flaw on the surface of mutton fat jade.

“Ah…” Li Miao didn’t know how to reply.

Since Pei Huai doesn't think there's anything wrong with it.

Li Miao mumbled, "Then, if you don't mind, then please help me treat my wound."

"Hmm." Pei Huai put down Li Miao's ankle.

Because military training can easily lead to injuries, iodine and alcohol are provided in the dormitories.

Pei Huai used a cotton swab to apply iodine solution to disinfect Li Miao's toes.

Li Miao hissed; it hurt a little, but it was tolerable.

"Don't use a band-aid yet, just leave it exposed like this, and apply some ointment when Liang Yixuan comes back."

"Okay, whatever you say." Li Miao thought about how Pei Huai had carried him back and hadn't hesitated to apply iodine to his wounds.

"Pei Huai, thank you for helping me so much." Li Miao's amber eyes were bright and clear, with brownish-red pupils that looked like a thousand stars.

"It's nothing, just a small matter," Pei Huai said, and he believed it to be true.

After thanking him, Li Miao, having nothing else to do, took out her phone to check her WeChat Moments.

But then another sentence fell from above.

"You only called me by my full name when you said thank you." Pei Huai lowered his thin white eyelids and stared intently at Li Miao.

Li Miao felt extremely guilty.

"My brother said..."

"Keep it from your brother and don't tell him."

"Oh." Li Miao said "Oh" and then fell silent.

"Oh, what's next? Shouldn't you call me brother now?" Pei Huai said leisurely, raising his hand to rub Li Miao's head.

It wasn't that he hadn't called her that before, but Li Miao felt inexplicably embarrassed by the name he was about to use this time.

After a long period of mental preparation, Li Miao finally managed to say, "Thank you, Brother Pei Huai."

"Mm." Pei Huai's eyes showed a hint of satisfaction as he smiled.

The atmosphere subtly changed from usual.

Li Miao felt even hotter in the dormitory.

He cupped his hand to fan his cheek and looked around, saying, "Don't you feel hot? Where's the air conditioner remote? Turn on the air conditioner, turn on the air conditioner."

"Let me look for it." Pei Huai got up and looked for the air conditioner remote control.

With a "ding," the air conditioner turned on.

The cold air blowing on her face finally calmed Li Miao down a bit.