Chapter 51 "Aren't we friends?
Zhou Ai was shirtless, the bruises on his back looking even more hideous in the firelight. He picked up the dry short-sleeved shirt and, without looking at Chu Yi, held it out from a distance. His voice was a little tense, "Your clothes."
After saying that, he quickly looked away, and Chu Yi took the soft cotton short-sleeved shirt and said, "Thank you."
After putting on his clothes, Chu Yi looked up and saw Zhou Ai was still shirtless. "Don't put them on yet."
Zhou Ai paused and looked at him in confusion.
Chu Yi pointed to the spot beside him and said, "Your back is badly injured and needs to be treated. Crouch over here with your back to me."
Zhou Ai hesitated for a moment, but still walked up to him as he said, and slowly squatted down with her back to him.
This posture completely exposed his broad back to Chu Yi's sight and the light from the fire, making the purple bruises look even more terrifying.
Chu Yi endured the pain in his ankle, moved his body, and reached out to pull his rescue bag over.
After searching carefully at the bottom of the bag, I finally found a small brown glass bottle containing a dark-colored blood-activating and blood-stasis-removing medicinal oil.
"Go wet the towel with rainwater, not too wet, wring it out." Chu Yi instructed, and at the same time opened the medicine bottle. A strong herbal smell instantly filled the air.
Zhou Ai silently did as he was told, walked to the cave entrance, soaked a towel with the rainwater flowing down from the rocks, and wrung it hard until it was half dry.
Chu Yi took the wet towel, but didn't apply it immediately. He picked up a branch, placed the towel on it, and held it over the fire to warm it carefully. The wet towel was heated by the fire, and it emitted wisps of white steam. He didn't withdraw his hand until it was hot to the touch but not hot enough to burn his skin.
"It may be a little hot, just bear with it." Chu Yi whispered, carefully applying the heated wet towel to the center of the bruise on Zhou Ai's back.
"Hiss--" The sudden high temperature stimulation made Zhou Ai's muscles tense suddenly, and he took a breath of cold air, but soon, the heat penetrated into his skin and flesh, and began to dispel the stagnation and coldness inside, bringing a sore but strange feeling of relief.
Chu Yi used his palm to gently press through the towel, allowing the heat to penetrate more evenly. He repeated this several times, reheating the towel and applying it again until the skin on Zhou Ai's back was slightly red and blood circulation was noticeably accelerated.
Then, he poured the medicated oil into his palms and rubbed them vigorously until they felt hot. Chu Yi looked at Zhou Ai's tense back muscles and reminded her again, "It's going to be a little painful, just bear with it." Then, he placed his oil-soaked palm firmly against the bruise on Zhou Ai's back.
"Ugh!" Zhou Ai's body trembled violently, and he groaned. The force was strong, carrying the pungent tingling sensation of the medicated oil, pressing precisely on the most painful spot, as if to dissolve all the blood clots. Instantly, intense pain shot through his body, and beads of sweat immediately oozed from his forehead.
Chu Yi could feel the stiffness and trembling of his muscles, but he didn't stop. His palm pressed against Zhou Ai's skin, rubbing the injured area in circles, gradually increasing in intensity. His fingertips would occasionally brush against the intact skin on Zhou Ai's back, bringing shivers down his spine.
After Chu Yi had thoroughly rubbed the bruises on Zhou Ai's back, Zhou Ai was already sweating profusely.
"Are you okay?" Chu Yi patted Zhou Ai's shoulder and handed him a bottle of water.
Zhou Ai took the water, took a sip, took a deep breath, and maintained the original squatting position for two minutes before coming back to his senses.
Chu Yi used the back of his hand to test the temperature of his back and said, "You can get dressed now. The potion has dried."
Zhou Ai nodded silently, stood up, found a long-sleeved shirt in his backpack, and put it on with difficulty. He turned around and asked Chu Yi, who was sitting by the fire and unable to move, "Are you hungry?"
Chu Yi was poking the burning flames with a branch. When he heard Zhou Ai's question, he turned around and pointed to his bag, "There are biscuits under my bag."
The two men sat facing each other, one holding a box of biscuits and eating them dryly, with a blazing fire between them, and no one took the initiative to speak.
"Can you get me some water?" Chu Yi's voice brought Zhou Ai back from her daze.
Zhou Ai stood up, patted his pants, took out the water from his bag, and when he was about to hand it over, he rubbed the cold bottle mouth for a moment, "How about you wait for me?"
After saying that, he took out the iron box containing chocolate from the bag, poured mineral water into it and placed it in the center of the flame.
As the temperature continued to rise, the water gurgled and rolled in the iron box. Zhou Ai took the iron box off with a towel and placed it in the vent. "Let it cool down a bit, then you can drink it."
Chu Yi gently pinched the biscuit box in his hand and whispered "hmm", and silence spread between the two of them again.
About five minutes later, Zhou Ai stood up, holding the iron box with a towel, and squatted on one knee in front of Chu Yi. The temperature of the iron box dissipated too slowly and it was still a little hot. Chu Yi tried to reach out to take it, but then stepped back.
"Let me hold it and feed it to you." Zhou Ai held the iron box through the towel and carefully approached Chu Yi with a calm face, not feeling that there was anything wrong at the moment.
Chu Yi was dazed for a moment as he looked at Zhou Ai kneeling on the ground, then he put his mouth close to the iron box, carefully avoiding the hot edge of the iron box, and drank a sip of hot water with satisfaction according to Zhou Ai's posture.
"Take another sip?" Zhou Ai maintained his original posture and did not move, and moved the iron box close to Chu Yi's mouth.
Hot water is indeed much more comfortable to drink than cold water. Chu Yi felt that all the bones in his limbs were unblocked.
"You should drink some while it's hot." Seeing that Chu Yi really didn't want to drink anymore, Zhou Ai turned sideways, held the hot water and sat next to Chu Yi, then lowered his head and took a sip.
Chu Yi looked at Zhou Ai's profile in the flickering firelight, thinking to himself that this was probably the most embarrassing day of Young Master Zhou's life.
After drinking a few sips of hot water, Zhou Ai put down the iron box and his eyes fell on Chu Yi's still red and swollen ankle.
He silently picked up the cold towel beside him and slowly poured the remaining hot water from the iron box onto it, soaking it thoroughly and wringing it out. Then he naturally sat down on the ground in front of Chu Yi, reached out his hand, and gently grasped the ankle of Chu Yi's injured foot.
Chu Yi subconsciously wanted to retract his legs and leaned back slightly: "I can do it myself."
Zhou Ai didn't let go. His palms were warm and strong, carefully avoiding the red and swollen wounds, and he easily grasped Chu Yi's slender ankle. As Chu Yi retreated, his other leg unconsciously crossed over, and now the two of them were in a position where Chu Yi's legs were resting on Zhou Ai's.
Zhou Ai's gaze fell on the injured ankle, and the firelight danced in his deep eyes, "Don't move."
Chu Yi felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by him. The warm touch on his ankle made his heart skip a beat. He tried to struggle slightly again: "Zhou Ai, there's really no need..."
Zhou Ai's grip on his ankle tightened slightly, stopping him from moving. He leaned over and carefully placed the warm towel on the bruised and swollen ankle.
"Stay back," Zhou Ai lowered his head and said in a lower voice, "I don't mind holding you on my legs to hold you still. It might be more convenient that way."
Chu Yi froze instantly, all thoughts of struggle vanishing at those words. He stared at Zhou Ai's lowered head in disbelief, his ears uncontrollably burning red. He had no doubt Zhou Ai would actually do this.
This person is sometimes more stubborn than he could have imagined.
Seeing Chu Yi finally calm down, Zhou Ai continued his movements. Using his palm, he gently pressed against Chu Yi's ankle through the warm towel, allowing the heat to penetrate and relieve the swelling and pain. His fingertips would occasionally touch the cool skin on the side of Chu Yi's ankle, then quickly move away.
Chu Yi sat stiffly, not daring to move, feeling the perfect warmth and pressure on his ankle. The warmth seemed not only to soothe his sprained tendons, but also to spread along his calf, making his entire body feel slightly warm. He could only turn his head away, avoiding looking at Zhou Ai, and focusing his gaze on the burning fire before him.
"Zhou Ai, thank you... and I'm sorry." Chu Yi's sudden apology and thanks were soft, but they clearly penetrated Zhou Ai's ears. He paused in his movement of holding the towel, raised his head in surprise, and raised an eyebrow.
In the firelight, Chu Yi's expression was a little uncomfortable, even with a rare hint of... submission?
This is not common.
The lingering resentment in Zhou Ai's heart caused by the line being drawn between them suddenly dissipated a little.
He deliberately slowed down his tone and asked with a hint of playfulness: "What are you sorry for? What are you thanking me for?"
Zhou Ai paused deliberately, his eyes falling on Chu Yi's slightly pursed lips, and emphasized his tone, "Aren't we friends?"
He pronounced the last three words particularly clearly, directly colliding with Chu Yi's previous seemingly gentle but actually ruthless words that completely threw away the decision-making power.
As expected, the word "friend" silenced Chu Yi instantly. His eyelashes trembled rapidly, as if he were pricked by something, or as if he had nothing to say.
Chu Yi was unusually silent for a few seconds, as if sighing inwardly. Finally, as if in compromise, he repeated softly, "Okay, friend."
These two words came out of his mouth with an indescribable meaning. It was no longer the aloofness of before, but it was not completely warm either.
Zhou Ai got the response he wanted. While it wasn't the ideal one, it was at least no longer an impenetrable wall. He stopped pressing further. He gently removed Chu Yi's leg from his own and carefully placed it back on the ground.
The night air grew increasingly chilly, and the temperature in the cave dropped noticeably. Zhou Ai stood up, fetched his already warmed jacket, and without hesitation, draped it over Chu Yi, wrapping him tightly.
"It's cold in the mountains at night, put on some clothes." Chu Yi subconsciously wanted to refuse, but Zhou Ai had already turned around and walked towards the depths of the cave.
"I'll go in and see if there's any dry firewood. This much isn't enough to burn until dawn." Zhou Ai's voice came from the shadows deep in the cave, accompanied by the sound of his footsteps gradually fading away.
Chu Yi watched his back disappear into the darkness, and subconsciously clutched his windbreaker jacket, which still retained Zhou Ai's body temperature.
The wind and rain outside the cave had not stopped, and the fire inside was flickering. He sat there alone, listening to the faint rustling sound of Zhou Ai rummaging for firewood coming from deep inside.
Zhou Ai brought back some relatively dry branches and shrubs from the depths of the cave and added them to the fire. The flames burned brightly again. He dusted his hands, walked back to his backpack, squatted down and began to search.
They were in such a hurry that they both had limited changes of clothing. He dug out the only solid item he could find—a thin, compressible down jacket liner. Without hesitation, he handed it to Chu Yi.
"Put it on."
Chu Yi looked at the thin long-sleeved shirt on him, then looked at the heavy rain that was still pouring outside the cave, and frowned slightly: "Aren't you cold?" Zhou Ai still had an injury on his back, making him more likely to catch a cold.
Zhou Ai curled his lips and looked nonchalant: "I'm thick-skinned, it's okay. Isn't there a fire here?" He pointed to the burning fire, trying to make the atmosphere more relaxed.
Chu Yi silently took the light and warm down jacket, but did not put it on immediately. Instead, he looked up at Zhou Ai, gently patted the seat next to him, and motioned him to come and sit down.
Zhou Ai raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, but still walked over as he was told. He didn't get too close, but sat down a short distance away from Chu Yi, as if there was room for another person.
Chu Yi glanced at him without saying anything. He just silently and clumsily moved his butt towards Zhou Ai, completely eliminating the subtle distance between them, with their arms almost touching.
Zhou Ai's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
Chu Yi took off the jacket that belonged to Zhou Ai and handed it back to Zhou Ai: "It's yours, put it on."
Zhou Ai was stunned and didn't answer: "You..."
Before he finished speaking, Chu Yi had already unfolded the thin down jacket and placed it directly on the two people's legs. The down jacket was not big, but it was enough to cover the thighs that were close together.
"This way, everything can be covered." Chu Yi said in a low voice, looking at the jumping flames. His profile looked calm and natural in the firelight, as if this was just the most reasonable distribution plan.
Zhou Ai lowered his head, looking at the shared, bulging down jacket on his legs, then looked at the windbreaker that Chu Yi had returned, and then looked at Chu Yi's profile, which was illuminated by the firelight and was so close to him. His heart felt like it was hit by something, and he felt sore and weak.
He didn't refuse again, silently took his jacket and put it back on. The sound of the zipper closing was particularly clear in the silent cave.
The two of them sat side by side, legs touching, sharing the warmth of a down jacket.
The dancing firelight cast shadows on them, and the air was filled with the crackling of burning firewood and the sound of water outside the cave.
Zhou Ai could clearly feel the warmth of the person next to him, warm and real even through the thin fabric. His stiff body slowly relaxed, and an indescribable sense of security enveloped him, even overshadowing the pain in his back and the harsh environment.
Chu Yi didn't say anything else, just sat there quietly, occasionally stirring the fire with a branch.
As the night deepened, the sound of rain outside the cave gradually turned into a patter, leaving only the water curtain at the top of the cave still making a sound.
After extreme fatigue and shock, the relaxed nerves are easily invaded by sleepiness.
Chu Yi had originally just been quietly leaning against Zhou Ai's side, but as time went on, his head began to tilt slightly, and his body unconsciously tilted slightly. Zhou Ai was staring at the dancing flames in a trance when he suddenly felt his shoulders sink.
He was startled and turned his head suddenly, only to see Chu Yi had fallen down defenselessly, his entire weight leaning on his side, his forehead gently resting on his shoulder, his breathing even and long - he had actually fallen asleep just like that.
Zhou Ai's body stiffened instantly, and even his breathing subconsciously slowed down. He lowered his eyes, looking at the sleeping face so close to him, and his heart felt like it was gently bumped by something, and it felt soft and numb.
Chu Yi was fast asleep, his long, thick eyelashes casting thick shadows under his eyes, trembling slightly with his breathing like two small fans. Perhaps because of the warmth, his fair cheeks were a faint pink. His lips, usually pursed and somewhat distant, were now slightly parted, revealing a little bit of white teeth. He looked defenseless, even... a little obedient and cute.
A few strands of black hair softly stuck to his forehead and temples, making him look much younger than his actual age. He had shed all his calm and self-possessed appearance, leaving only a pure softness.
Zhou Ai's heartbeat began to accelerate uncontrollably. He hesitated for a few seconds, then carefully reached out his arms and gently pulled Chu Yi into his embrace, allowing him to lean against him in a more comfortable position.
Zhou Ai gently pulled the down jacket out from between the two of them and wrapped it tightly around Chu Yi, wrapping him up like a dumpling, and then tightened his arms again, holding the man completely in his arms.
Chu Yi seemed to feel a greater source of warmth and comfort in his sleep. He unconsciously rubbed himself against his arms, searching for the most stable position. Finally, he pressed his face completely against Zhou Ai's chest. His warm breath penetrated the thin fabric and ironed Zhou Ai's skin.
Zhou Ai's muscles tensed, not daring to move. He could only clearly feel the softness and warmth of the body in his arms, and the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing. Chu Yi was even lighter than he had imagined, and holding her in his arms felt like she weighed nothing.
After doing all this, listening to Chu Yi's shallow breathing, Zhou Ai felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest.
This was the first time he had embraced Chu Yi so clearly.
By the flickering firelight, he gazed down at the sleeping face of the person in his arms. For some unknown reason, he raised his free hand and gently touched Chu Yi's long, thick eyelashes with his fingertips. A subtle tickling sensation spread from his fingertips, like a feather brushing against the tip of his heart.
Zhou Ai's Adam's apple rolled, and she chuckled very softly, her voice almost inaudible: "Hehe... quite cute."
His fingertips seemed to have a will of their own, slowly moving downwards, brushing across the tip of her upturned nose, and finally hovering above her slightly parted, pale lips. He could almost feel the warm breath on his fingertips.
But just as his fingertips were about to fall, Zhou Ai suddenly pulled his hand back and clenched it into a fist as if he was burned.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness surging in his heart. Finally, he gently rested his chin on the top of Chu Yi's soft head, inhaling the faint scent of rain and herbs in his hair. He completely embraced Chu Yi in his arms, using his body to block any possible chill, and closed his eyes.
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