Chapter 22 (1/2)

Chapter 22

When He Nuo arrived, he saw Shi Yan sitting at the usual place by himself so he thought the rest hadn’t arrived. He walked over to a spot that wasn’t very close to Shi Yan and sat down to wait.

“Why are you sitting so far away? Get over here!”

He Nuo walked over and sat beside him. Shi Yan turned and looked at him, but He Nuo continued looking straight ahead into the distance, his line of sight falling upon the vast, boundless rice fields. Shi Yan looked at this thin silhouette; a gentle breeze lifted his bangs, exposing He Nuo’s smooth forehead. The shoulder blades on his back protruded out sharply which made him look even more fragile. Shi Yan still remembered their fight in their first year; at that time, Shi Yan still had to use quite a bit of energy before he could subdue He Nuo (during the New Year’s party), but in their most recent scuffle, he had easily pinned He Nuo down. The previously still somewhat st.u.r.dy hand crumbled so easily, and yet I only realized during Monday’s physical education cla.s.s that he had such skinny arms – how could they not be weak and flimsy?

What is he looking at? Before them, there were only lush green wheat and rice crops swaying in the wind like rumbling waves; what is he thinking? Why isn’t he asking me why I called him over today? He Nuo is someone who likes simplicity, he understands the extent of his abilities and what he is capable of, he wasn’t the type to attempt worthless ventures – this was evident in how he didn’t bother debating with Shi Yan over changing the original agreement. Whether or not it was fortnightly or weekly, since he didn’t have the power to resist Shi Yan, the right to decide had never been in his hands to begin with. The most he could do was to minimize the harm done to himself as much as he could.

Shi Yan pulled that arm over, and He Nuo was so surprised he immediately pulled it back. Once again, Shi Yan put his vice-grip like hands to use and grabbed onto He Nuo tightly and pulled his sleeve up, then he stopped. He Nuo tried to stammer out some words but failed, so he could only lower his head.

“Why are you so stupid, it’s so hot (June), how can you wrap up this kind of injury?” Shi Yan tore away the cloth that was wrapped around He Nuo’s wound in circles, “Even if you’re scared that others would see it, aren’t you scared that your wound would rot and fester?”

Shi Yan thought that because the injury had been exposed during their physical education cla.s.s, He Nuo wanted to hide the wound. On the other hand, the He Nuo who was listening to Shi Yan’s reprimands had a shocked and relieved expression on his face. Shi Yan took the torn cloth off and angrily threw it to a side, then lifted He Nuo’s arm to take a closer look. Aside from the longest bruise on his arm, the other wounds left behind by either the stronger or weaker punches and kicks weren’t even close to how bad this one is. Shi Yan pressed on the edge of the terrible wound and heard a slight, sharp intake of breath.

He squatted in front of He Nuo, then he placed his hand at the bottom of his trousers to take a look, but He Nuo withdrew his leg, “Don’t.”

Shi Yan grabbed his ankle, “Just let me take a look.”

He pulled the trousers up, but there was another layer of pants, “What kind of season is it, and yet you’re still wearing two layers, don’t you feel hot?” Shi Yan pulled this layer up to, but there was another layer underneath!!!