Chapter 13
Ling Yao silently helped Su Rui all the way to the bicycle shed under the teaching building, which was relatively quiet. "Wait here." He let go of Su Rui's hand, his tone still cold, even a little commanding, and then turned and left.
Su Rui leaned against the cold iron railing, her ankle throbbing with pain. Her heart was in turmoil because of Ling Yao's last words and sudden departure. What did he ask him to wait for? Was he going to call Ah Zhe and the others to come and see him? Or...
Before he could come up with any conclusion from his wild thoughts, Ling Yao returned a moment later. He walked up to Su Rui with a plastic bag in his hand and stuffed it directly into his arms.
Su Rui subconsciously caught it and looked down. Inside the bag were several bottles of imported mineral water, some expensive-looking energy-replenishing snacks, and even a box of individually wrapped disinfectant wipes and Band-Aids.
"..." Su Rui was stunned. She looked up at Ling Yao, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Ling Yao avoided his gaze, his eyes sweeping over his fixed ankle and scraped elbow. His brows knitted together as usual, as if he had seen something that bothered him. He said impatiently, "Don't be like that. It's annoying to look at."
After saying this, he turned around and was about to leave as if he had completed a task.
"Ling Yao!" Su Rui called him subconsciously, her voice trembling with nervousness.
Ling Yao paused, half turned sideways, the setting sun casting a golden shadow behind him, his expression unclear: "What's wrong?"
Su Rui hugged the plastic bag tightly in his arms, making a crackling sound. He mustered up the greatest courage he had ever known, but his voice was still low: "Those shoes... I... I'll wear them tomorrow."
The air was quiet for a few seconds.
Ling Yao seemed to chuckle, a light laugh that vanished on the wind. He turned around, his gaze finally landing on Su Rui's face. The look in his eyes was complex and difficult to discern: scrutiny, a hint of amusement, and some deeply hidden emotion that Su Rui couldn't fathom.
"Whatever you want." He finally just said these two words, and this time he didn't stop. He put his hands in his pockets and walked away slowly.
Su Rui stood there, watching his tall figure disappear around the corner of the teaching building. The weight of the plastic bag in her arms and the cold touch of its contents were incredibly real.
"As you wish." Not an order, not a taunt.
These two words fell lightly on his heart like a feather, with an almost indulgent meaning.
The next day, Su Rui hesitated again and again, but finally dragged the cardboard box out from under the bed. He carefully took out the brand new pair of sneakers, as if holding some fragile treasure, and repeatedly wiped the non-existent dust with a clean soft cloth before solemnly putting them on.
The shoes had a wonderfully clingy feel, soft and elastic, a comfort unlike anything he had ever experienced. Each step he took in these shoes, which didn't match his old clothes, felt like walking on clouds, unreal yet filled with a secret joy.
He still limped to school, but he felt much lighter.
During the break, he went to the toilet and ran into Ling Yao and Azhe coming out. Azhe was talking excitedly about some game strategy, while Ling Yao listened absentmindedly.
Seeing Su Rui, Azhe's voice paused, his eyes subconsciously swept over Su Rui's feet, a trace of obvious surprise and inquiry passed across his face, but he quickly returned to normal and continued talking as if he hadn't seen him.
Ling Yao's gaze lingered on his feet for a brief moment, perfectly natural. Without any sign of reaction, not even a change in the pace of his steps, he simply passed him by.
It seemed as if wearing the pair of shoes, which cost enough to cover Su Rui's living expenses for several months, was a normal thing on his feet.
But at the moment when they crossed each other, Su Rui clearly saw that the corners of Ling Yao's mouth, which were always tightly pursed and seemed a little unkind, seemed to rise up in an extremely small and almost imperceptible arc.
So fast it seems like an illusion.
But it was enough to make Su Rui uneasy and her heartbeat disordered for the whole day.
After school, he received a new message from that familiar number.
The content is no longer a single word, but a complete sentence, although it still carries the self-righteousness and awkwardness of a young master:
"Okay, remember to buy some disinfectant and wipes for yourself, and don't bother me if you get infected."
Su Rui looked at the words, rereading them three times. This awkward instruction concealed unspoken concern—Ling Yao was even worried he'd forget to change the dressing and get an infection. This clumsy concern felt like a tiny electric current running through his heart.
He slowly lowered his head and buried his hot cheeks in the coolness of the evening breeze, but he couldn't suppress the gentle smile on his lips.
Look, he will. He just won't say it. But his branch has already been extended, with hard thorns, but also wrapped in a soft inside.
And his "little fox" finally stretched out its claws carefully and touched him gently.
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