Amidst the fervent cheers from the field, Jiang Yi supported Jiang Sixian as they reached the finish line. The moment they arrived, Class A students, led by Qin Miaomiao, swarmed around them.
Jiang Yi handed Jiang Sixian over to Qin Miaomiao, receiving enthusiastic praise in return: “Wow, Jiang Yi, you’re so cool! Thanks again for this!”
Jiang Yi released her hold, gave Qin Miaomiao an OK sign, and said, “No big deal, I just like helping people. Hurry up and take your class monitor to the infirmary.”
Having done her good deed, Jiang Yi prepared to make her exit. Surrounded by people, Jiang Sixian couldn’t help but lift her gaze, looking past the well-wishers towards Jiang Yi. She watched Jiang Yi run into the embrace of her Class B friends, biting her lower lip slightly in pain.
She actually wanted Jiang Yi to walk with her, but she knew she had no right to ask, nor should she. So, she swallowed her words, turned silently, and headed towards the infirmary with her classmates’ support.
Jiang Yi had only taken a few steps when, concerned about Jiang Sixian’s condition, she couldn’t resist turning back for a glance. She saw Jiang Sixian being escorted away by a crowd, not looking at her at all. Feeling a bit bored, Jiang Yi turned back and continued towards the Class B base camp.
Before she reached it, the excited little monitor rushed towards her, throwing an arm around her shoulder, beaming. “Tsk, Jiang Yi, you have no idea how cool you looked when you were running in first! Let me tell you, you were totally Alpha today, made me feel like a fake alpha.”
Jiang Yi glanced towards the little monitor’s lower abdomen. “Really? How did you become fake? Did you have some weird surgery?”
The little monitor sputtered, “Pah pah pah, you’re all talk. Let me tell you, when you stopped mid-race to wait for Jiang Sixian, it was epic. The whole crowd screamed.”
Jiang Yi rolled her eyes. “Those screams were for Jiang Sixian!”
Chen Wanzhou chimed in from the side, “Not necessarily. They were way louder than when Jiang Sixian was running alone. Don’t believe me? Look at this picture, this back view, don’t they look perfect together?”
Chen Wanzhou pulled out her phone and shoved it directly in front of Jiang Yi.
Jiang Yi stared at the screen, at the image of her half-embracing Jiang Sixian’s back, at Jiang Sixian hopping on one foot, practically hanging onto her. She froze for a moment.
So that’s how Jiang Sixian kept up with her. Looks like she’s seriously hurt.
Chen Wanzhou waved the phone in front of Jiang Yi’s face, smiling. “What’s wrong? Moved by your own hero-saving-the-beauty moment?”
Jiang Yi shot her a disdainful look. “No, I was just wondering how badly Jiang Sixian hurt her foot.” If it was serious, given their families’ relationship, wouldn’t she have to take care of Jiang Sixian? Wouldn’t she have to help her get to and from school? If she acted cold and indifferent now, wouldn’t that be letting Auntie Ning down after all her kindness?
Jiang Yi started to get a headache.
Ah! Please let Jiang Sixian’s foot be okay!
Jiang Yi’s mind was a mess. After a moment’s thought, she decided to turn back, telling her friends, “I’m going to check on her.”
With that, Jiang Yi took off towards the infirmary.
When Jiang Yi arrived at the infirmary, the school doctor had just finished examining Jiang Sixian and delivered the diagnosis: “It might be a torn ligament in her right foot. We need to go to the hospital for an X-ray to know for sure.”
Jiang Sixian’s foot was throbbing intensely, and she was barely holding it together through gritted teeth. The diagnosis wasn’t surprising. She nodded, whispered a thank you, and prepared to go to the hospital in her homeroom teacher’s car with her classmates’ help.
Jiang Yi arrived just as Jiang Sixian was being helped out of the infirmary door. They met face-to-face. Jiang Sixian looked slightly surprised and, unable to stop herself, called out softly, “Jiang Yi.”
Jiang Yi nodded in acknowledgment. She looked at Jiang Sixian’s foot, surprised. “What happened here? Why haven’t you treated the wound?”
Jiang Sixian bit her lip, enduring the pain, and didn’t answer. Qin Miaomiao, beside her, replied instead, “Xianxian probably tore a ligament. She needs to go to the hospital for an X-ray.”
Jiang Yi was stunned. “No way, Jiang Sixian, you tore a ligament just like that?” Oh god, this is serious. Doesn’t this mean for the next month, under the watchful eyes of our parents, I’ll have to show concern for Jiang Sixian?
If that happens, all my efforts to maintain distance will be wasted. My hard work in making Jiang Sixian dislike me will be for nothing! Just the thought made Jiang Yi feel terrible.
Jiang Sixian was already in considerable pain. Hearing Jiang Yi’s words, she felt a surge of inexplicable grievance. She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed, appearing on the verge of tears.
Seeing her pitiful expression, Jiang Yi’s mind blanked. She suddenly remembered her dear Auntie Ning saying Jiang Sixian cried easily. A few more words, and Jiang Sixian might actually start crying.
Jiang Yi held back, softening her tone slightly. “Forget it. How are you getting to the hospital? Did you call your family to pick you up?”
Jiang Sixian endured her discomfort and replied softly, “My homeroom teacher will drive me…”
Qin Miaomiao also chimed in, “I’ll go with Xianxian too.”
Jiang Yi thought about it and felt it was a reasonable arrangement. “Alright then. Since that’s settled, you should head to the hospital first. But remember to call Auntie Ning. I’ll bring your backpack home for you.”
Jiang Sixian looked at her, seeming to want to say something but hesitating. Jiang Yi, completely oblivious to Jiang Sixian’s thoughts, said rather heartlessly, “Get to the hospital and rest well. Don’t move around too much.”
Jiang Yi finished speaking and waved goodbye to Jiang Sixian.
Jiang Sixian watched her retreating back, bit her lower lip, her heart sinking to the bottom.
Shortly after, Class A’s homeroom teacher drove Jiang Sixian to the hospital.
By the time Jiang Sixian arrived, Ning Wenying was already there. They used a wheelchair to take Jiang Sixian for X-rays. After all the tests were done and the paperwork completed, the homeroom teacher finally left with Qin Miaomiao.
With the outsiders gone and the doctor who would explain the treatment plan not yet arrived, Ning Wenying looked at Jiang Sixian sitting on the hospital bed and asked tenderly, “Does it hurt, Xianxian?”
Sitting on the bed, Jiang Sixian looked at her mother beside her, and the pent-up grievances finally surfaced. She nodded, saying pitifully, “It hurts.”
Ning Wenying looked at her daughter’s pathetic state, her heart aching. She pulled her into an embrace, stroking her head lovingly. “You poor thing. Our Xianxian has suffered.”
Jiang Sixian wrapped her arms around her mother’s waist, burying her face in her mother’s abdomen, shaking her head. She closed her eyes, but the image that came to mind was Jiang Yi’s indifferent retreating back. For some reason, she felt even sadder.
Jiang Sixian’s foot injury wasn’t actually as severe as Jiang Yi’s hand injury had been. Nevertheless, the hospital recommended putting it in a cast.
In the afternoon, Jiang Yi brought Jiang Sixian’s backpack over. When she followed the directions and pushed open the ward door, she saw Ning Wenying sitting by the bed talking to Jiang Sixian.
Hearing the noise at the door, Ning Wenying immediately looked up at Jiang Yi, pleased. “Ah, Xiao Yi is here.”
Jiang Yi smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. “Auntie Ning, I packed Jiang Sixian’s bag and brought it over.”
Jiang Sixian, sitting on the bed, glanced at her, her eyes filled with scrutiny. Jiang Yi walked in carrying the backpack, looked at Jiang Sixian on the bed, and asked tentatively, “Auntie Ning, her leg… how is it? Is it serious?”
Ning Wenying gestured for Jiang Yi to sit on the sofa, sighed softly, and told her, “It’s not very serious, but she still needs a cast. She’ll probably have to use a wheelchair to get to school.”
Jiang Yi’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t help but turn her head to look at Jiang Sixian. “That’s too pitiful.”
Jiang Sixian, leaning against the headboard, pursed her lips, clenched her hands tightly, and said sullenly, “It’s not that serious. The doctor said it should heal in three or four weeks.”
Jiang Yi said “Oh,” feeling somewhat relieved.
Ning Wenying sighed. “It still takes three or four weeks to heal. How is that not serious?” Ning Wenying finished speaking, looked up at Jiang Yi with a smile. “Since Xiao Yi is here, why don’t you keep Xianxian company for me? I’ll go back first and make dinner for you both.”
It was already four in the afternoon, indeed almost dinnertime. Jiang Sixian wasn’t feeling well, so Ning Wenying wanted to make her something delicious.
Jiang Yi’s heart jumped; she felt being alone with Jiang Sixian wasn’t a good idea. But then she thought, they were in a hospital anyway, and they’d been alone together before. So she nodded and agreed, “Okay, Auntie Ning, you go back first. I’ll watch her.”
Ning Wenying glanced at Jiang Sixian and nodded. “Then I’ll trouble Xiao Yi.”
Jiang Yi smiled. “No trouble.”
Ning Wenying gave a few more instructions and then drove home. For a moment, the large ward held only Jiang Yi and Jiang Sixian.
Jiang Yi sat on the sofa, awkwardly scratching her face, looked at Jiang Sixian, and said, “If you need anything, just call me.”
Jiang Sixian, sitting up, nodded and replied with a quiet “Okay.”
Jiang Yi finished speaking, put on her headphones, and started playing games. Jiang Sixian, sitting on the bed, took out her phone, replied one by one to her classmates’ well wishes, and declined their offers to visit.
The two silently occupied themselves for a while before Jiang Sixian started feeling uncomfortable. Holding her phone, she looked towards Jiang Yi and tentatively called her name twice, “Jiang Yi… Jiang Yi…”
Jiang Yi, wearing headphones, didn’t hear her and remained focused on her phone. Seeing no response, Jiang Sixian pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and shifted her legs to get off the bed.
Just as she stood up, supporting herself on the bed, Jiang Yi on the sofa happened to look up. Seeing her inching her way out, supporting herself on the bed, Jiang Yi was startled. She immediately took off her headphones, stood up, and looked at her nervously. “What are you doing? Why aren’t you lying down properly?”
Moving around like this, isn’t she afraid of reinjuring herself and ending up in a wheelchair for longer?
Jiang Sixian supported herself with one hand on the bed, stood on one foot beside it, looked straight at her, and said, “I… want to go to the restroom.”
Jiang Yi breathed a sigh of relief, stood up from the sofa, looked at Jiang Sixian, and said, “Then just call me, I’ll help you.”
Jiang Yi walked over to Jiang Sixian, resignedly put an arm around her waist, draped Jiang Sixian’s arm over her own shoulder, and started walking towards the restroom. “You just had to call me.”
Her breath brushed against Jiang Sixian’s ear. Jiang Sixian’s face flushed slightly as she whispered, “I called you, you didn’t hear.”
Jiang Yi stiffened, feeling awkward. “Then use WeChat to nudge me.”
She sounded fierce, but Jiang Sixian was very obedient. She nodded and replied with a soft, “Okay.”
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