Princess Carry
Jiang Yibai squatted down to tie the last shoelace for Lin Xiyan, his fingertips brushing against the washed-white canvas, his movements so gentle as if he wasn't afraid to break anything. He raised his head, about to pull Lin Xiyan to her feet, but his eyes caught a glimpse of a subtle bruise on her left ankle, now turning purple, hidden beneath pale skin and the edge of an ill-fitting, worn sock.
The traces were not new, but they were definitely not old either.
Jiang Yibai paused. All his attention had been on the bleeding arm, and he hadn't noticed the wound there.
Lin Xiyan lowered his head, following his fixed gaze, and saw the bruise on his ankle. He subconsciously tried to pull his foot back, hiding it in the shadow of his trouser leg, mumbling, "It's okay... I just bumped into it accidentally..."
The voice is hollow and lacks confidence.
Jiang Yibai remained silent. He remained squatting, looking up at Lin Xiyan. The heartache and tenderness in those purple eyes hadn't faded yet, but now a heavier layer of emotion weighed heavily on them. It wasn't anger, but a sense of regret and self-blame that threatened to drown him.
Why hadn't he discovered it sooner? Why had he let this man, injured and alone in this cold room, spend the entire night?
Lin Xiyan felt uneasy when he looked at her. His gaze was so deep and heavy that he felt lost. "Really... it doesn't hurt..." He repeated in vain, his voice getting weaker and weaker.
Jiang Yibai took a deep breath, as if to suppress the soreness in his chest. He suddenly reached out, not to hold Lin Xiyan's hand, but to very lightly touch the edge of the bruise with his fingertips.
When the cold skin touched the warm fingertips, Lin Xiyan shuddered violently and subconsciously tried to dodge with her ankle.
"Don't move." Jiang Yibai's voice was low, with a strange, suppressed hoarseness. His fingers didn't exert any force, just loosely encircling the thin ankle, and his thumb gently rubbed around the bruise.
The movements were performed with an almost pious caution.
Lin Xiyan froze, his breath held. The touch on his ankle was so gentle, almost itchy, yet it made him more flustered than any pain. He could clearly feel the thin calluses and warmth of Jiang Yibai's fingertips, which seeped through his skin, bit by bit, causing his toes to curl up.
Jiang Yibai lowered his head and stared at the glaring purple for several seconds. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he suddenly raised his head and his eyes met Lin Xiyan's panicked eyes.
"This won't work," he said, his tone not as a negotiation but as a statement of determination. "You have to go to the hospital right away."
Without waiting for Lin Xiyan to refuse again, Jiang Yibai suddenly stood up. But he didn't try to pull Lin Xiyan. Instead, he bent down, carefully put one hand around Lin Xiyan's back, and the other hand through his knees.
The next second, the world was spinning.
Lin Xiyan only felt his body lighten, and then he was steadily lifted up sideways!
"!" He gasped in shock, his left hand subconsciously clenching the fabric of Jiang Yibai's clothes on his chest, his right hand hanging loosely due to the injury. His heart seemed to suddenly stop beating, then beat wildly again, making his eardrums buzz.
Jiang Yibai...picked him up?
Princess hug.
This realization made all the blood in his body rush to his head, and his cheeks, ears, and neck instantly burned red. He was completely stunned, his mind blank, and he could only lean stiffly in Jiang Yibai's arms, feeling the strong heartbeat from his chest and the burning body temperature through the thin fabric.
Jiang Yibai held him firmly, his arms strong but not constricting. He carefully adjusted his position, making sure to completely avoid Lin Xiyan's injured right arm, and the hand supporting his knee was also deliberately lightened to avoid the bruise on his ankle.
He lowered his head and looked at the person in his arms, who looked like a frightened little animal, with eyes wide open, cheeks red, lips slightly open, and a dazed look as if he was completely unable to react.
The heavy feeling in Jiang Yibai's heart was suddenly diluted by this cute reaction. He couldn't help but smile slightly, and lifted the person in his arms up to make him lean more comfortably.
"Hold on tight," he said in a low voice, with a barely perceptible smile, his breath brushing against the burning tip of Lin Xiyan's ear, "We have to hurry."
After saying this, he picked up the person, turned around and walked out, his steps big and steady.
Only then did Lin Xiyan seem to have finally regained some consciousness. He struggled in a panic, whispering, "Put... put me down... I can walk by myself... This won't do..."
It's so embarrassing. And... and what if Jiang Yibai carries him out and someone sees them?
"Don't move." Jiang Yibai tightened his arms to stop him from struggling, but his tone was unnaturally soft, even with a hint of coaxing, "Your feet are injured, your arms are injured, how can you walk by yourself? Be good, just like this, we will be there soon."
He carried the person and walked down the narrow and dark stairs with ease. Lin Xiyan buried her burning face in his shoulder, not daring to look up, as if this could isolate her from the outside world.
The voice-activated lights in the old hallway were still broken, leaving only a sliver of daylight leaking in from the doorway below. Jiang Yibai took each step steadily, carefully avoiding the debris on the floor. The embrace was warm and reliable, insulating him from the damp and cold surrounding him.
Walking downstairs, the morning sun was a bit dazzling. Occasionally, an early-rising neighbor would cast a curious glance. Lin Xiyan wanted to curl up into a ball and hide in Jiang Yibai's arms.
Jiang Yibai seemed to be completely oblivious to those gazes. He tilted his head slightly, his lips almost touching Lin Xiyan's hair, and asked in a low voice: "Does it hurt? Did you touch the wound?"
Lin Xiyan shrank his neck as his warm breath brushed across his hair. His voice was muffled by his clothes, as thin as a mosquito's: "...No."
"Yeah." Jiang Yibai seemed relieved and walked quickly towards his car, which had been waiting on the roadside. The driver immediately got out and opened the back door.
Jiang Yibai carefully and almost lovingly put Lin Xiyan into the back seat, then he got in and sat next to him.
"Go to Uncle Chen." He instructed the driver, his tone returning to his usual sharpness.
The car drove out smoothly. In the enclosed space, only the soft breathing sounds of the two people could be heard.
Lin Xiyan still lowered her head, her fingers nervously scratching the leather of the seat beneath her, the heat on her face still lingering. The feeling of being held in her arms just now still lingered clearly: the strength of Jiang Yibai's arms, the warmth of his chest, and the clean, pleasant scent of his body when he was close...
My heart was beating ridiculously fast.
Jiang Yibai tilted his head to look at him, taking in his red earlobes and slightly trembling eyelashes. He reached out his hand, touching nothing else but gently holding Lin Xiyan's left hand on his leg.
The warmth in her palm wrapped around his slightly cool fingers.
Lin Xiyan's fingers trembled, but he did not pull away.
"Are you scared?" Jiang Yibai asked softly, stroking the back of his hand with his thumb.
Lin Xiyan was silent for a moment, then shook his head ever so slightly. With you here, it seems... I'm not so scared anymore. He didn't say this out loud, but the panic in his heart strangely subsided.
Jiang Yibai looked at his obedient and soft appearance, and the soft spot in his heart collapsed. He couldn't help but lean towards Lin Xiyan again, his shoulder touching his shoulder.
"Go get some sleep," he said, his voice softening. "I'll call you when we get there."
Lin Xiyan was indeed tired and in pain, having been on edge all night. Now, in the warm and quiet carriage, with a reassuring atmosphere beside him, his eyelids gradually grew heavy. He uttered a soft "hmm," and unconsciously, his head tilted slightly, resting on Jiang Yibai's shoulder.
The weight is very light, with complete trust and dependence.
Jiang Yibai's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, adjusting his position to make it more comfortable. He tilted his head and looked at Lin Xiyan's sleeping face close to him. Her eyelashes cast a light shadow on her pale face, and her breathing gradually became even.
He let out a very light breath, closed his fingers, and held the slightly cold hand more tightly in his palm.
The car merged into the morning traffic and drove smoothly towards the hospital. The sunlight filtered through the car window, falling on the two people snuggling together, a warm and cozy feeling.
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