Chapter 13
The phone screen suddenly lit up and vibrated silently to remind the owner to answer the call.
Seeing that they were only a hundred meters away from home, He Xi glanced at the incoming call and hung up. However, the phone in her hand did not give up because of her neglect. The second call soon followed.
"We'll be there soon, don't rush—"
She felt a lump in her chest, but she couldn't help but answer the phone, so she spoke loudly, with a hint of irritation in her tone that she didn't even notice.
The person on the other end of the phone didn't seem angry. After a moment's silence, he just kept giggling, which made her even more confused.
"Xiang Zhizhi, have you eaten yourself silly?"
He Xi hurried to the door and saw Xiang Yuzhi leaning against the opposite side, smiling at her mischievously, without any resentment towards her just now.
"Sure, when did it happen?"
"That person at the alley entrance just now...was it you?" He Xi asked instead of answering, having keenly sensed something. Thinking of the man's actions just now, he almost laughed out loud.
While they were talking, Xiang Yuzhi dragged her to the opposite door. A few steps away, Zhao Lin was sitting on a chair under the pear tree with his eyes closed. It was unclear whether he was asleep or didn't want to see him.
"Come and sit here, I've left some mung bean porridge for you. You should have some."
As Grandma Li was about to get up and go to the kitchen, He Xi hurried forward to support her.
"No, grandma, I really can't eat right now."
The swelling that was just dull pain now started to become more severe, and the pain from the scalp to the temples gradually began to spread.
"Oh, it seems someone just..."
She frowned and reached out to touch it, but just as she touched her head, Xiang Yuzhi, who was winking at her, slapped her hand jokingly. Although the force was not strong, it directly pressed on the swollen bump.
“Hiss—it hurts!”
Her scream startled the people nearby. Xiang Yuzhi, noticing something was wrong, immediately started shouting to open her wound. Even Zhao Lin, who had been leaning on a recliner, stared at her expressionlessly.
"It's not that exaggerated. I just got bumped and got a bump."
After hearing this, Grandma Li quickly asked He Xi to sit under the courtyard light and carefully parted her hair to check.
"Then who...sent you back..."
Xiang Yuzhi thought of something and spoke cautiously. When He Xi saw his guilty look, she was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
"I'm impressed too. I don't know what you're thinking about all day long!"
"I...I am not seeing things right!"
Xiang Yuzhi had already lowered her composure due to the accidental injury, and now that she understood the truth, she lost all her confidence in teasing. Her eyes darted around, "But the way you were acting back then... you can't blame me for misunderstanding!"
He Xi followed her gaze and only caught a glimpse of Zhao Lin's back as he stood up and walked into the house.
"Don't tell me, who was there at that time?!"
"Isn't this all to pick you up? Grandma doesn't feel comfortable letting a girl like me go out so late!"
He Xisheng smiled bitterly, feeling hopeless after receiving her glare.
She really envied Xiang Yu's ability to quickly get familiar with people.
“Here—”
Her thoughts were interrupted when an ice pack was suddenly stuffed into her hand. When she raised her eyes, all she saw was the corner of the boy's shirt, and then she felt a burning gaze focused on her head.
"Apply some ice first."
Zhao Lin pulled away his grandmother, whose eyes were filled with heartache, and took the ice pack, wrapped it in a towel, and gently pressed it on the swelling on He Xi's head.
"Hiss!" In an instant, she was stimulated by the sudden coldness and trembled all over. She couldn't help but reach out and grab the edge of the square table in front of her.
"Yuanyuan, be gentle and take your time."
Grandma Li frowned as she watched her grandson's hand movements, full of worry.
"Um."
A mechanical hum came from the boy above his head. He Xi bit the corner of his lip silently, feeling a little uncomfortable.
She quietly stretched out her foot and kicked Xiang Yuzhi who was standing beside her, "You - come - help - me -"
She repeated it silently several times, not knowing whether Xiang Yuzhi really didn't understand or was just pretending to be dumb. He held her hand and stroked it gently, "If it hurts, just bear with it for a while."
The already awkward atmosphere became even more awkward, and it was He Xi who felt that way.
"I'll do it myself."
She held her forehead helplessly and reached out to feel for the ice pack above her head, never daring to think about what Zhao Lin's expression was at the moment.
Based on their previous interactions, He Xi could never have imagined that they would have such close contact, including Jiang Yue.
The sudden action made her feel like she was still in a daze.
"Don't move."
Her hand, which had already touched the ice pack, was ruthlessly pushed away, and the person above her head spoke in a cold and hard tone.
He Xi was frightened by him. He gritted his teeth and sat upright in the chair without saying another word.
Xiang Yuzhi, who was standing next to her, was watching their interaction with a lewd smile, and after meeting her gaze, he slipped away as fast as he could.
"Uh...my stomach hurts, I...I need to go to the bathroom first!"
"Is the child okay with his stomach?" Grandma Li looked at the empty bowls on the table with a worried look on her face. After a while, she propped herself up and stood up. "I'll go clean up the kitchen. Yuanyuan, take good care of Xixi. Don't be lazy."
As soon as the old man left, He Xi felt that the strength of holding the ice pack had increased a lot, "I'm sorry for bothering you just now, I'll do it myself."
"Are you that afraid of me?"
To be honest, she felt that Zhao Lin was dangerous from the first time they met. After several subsequent contacts, she couldn't figure out his temper, so she naturally felt a little resistant in her heart.
But after he pointed it out so bluntly, she could only bite the bullet and play dumb.
Zhao Lin didn't hear any sound for a long time. He lowered his eyes and glanced at the person under him. Standing sideways, he noticed her little thoughts at a glance. He chuckled in his heart but didn't show it on his face.
*
Under the bright white moonlight, the shadow of the pear tree floated vaguely on the ground, dancing with the cool breeze.
He Xi covered her mouth and yawned symbolically. The meaning was self-evident, but some people just didn't play by her rules.
"How did you offend Tan Zheng?"
Zhao Lin stared at her long, curled and fluttering eyelashes and asked casually.
He was really annoyed by the girl's pestering these days, so he had no choice but to chat with her. As expected, he got a lot of information out of her.
The thing that he had tried so hard to hide was now lightly brought up by an unrelated third party. Suddenly, He Xi felt a buzzing in his head.
The coldness spread from the swelling on the top of the head to the whole body.
Tan Zheng was really like a ghost, suddenly appearing to disrupt her emotions that had been repaired with great difficulty, and wantonly enjoying the pleasure brought by bullying.
"None of your business."
His vocal cords vibrated noticeably, and just as the words came out, He Xi's chaotic mind suddenly became clear: maybe he just asked unintentionally, so would this seem too harsh?
But she seemed to hear the chaotic noise again, which made her unable to think about anything else.
"Don't worry, I will pretend I didn't see anything about you two. You don't have to be so anxious to stand up for her."
She raised her eyes and caught a glimpse of Zhao Lin's cold and angry face. She snorted coldly and stood up to walk out.
"You get mad at me when I touch you. Have you always been this sensitive?"
His arm was grabbed by a strong force, and He Xi staggered and stopped.
He asked her casual questions in her ears, as if he was just like those people. They just wanted her to admit it and just wanted to appreciate her helpless and pitiful look after her collapse.
“Let go—!”
Perhaps he really didn't expect that he would yell at someone so violently. Looking at Zhao Lin who was standing there with a frown on his face, He Xi shook off his shackles and ran out of the yard in a few steps.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
