Chapter 38 Part 2

"Call me 'brother' and I'll be fine," He Lezhi said, covering the part of his face that was hit. "You're already in eighth grade. Calling me 'mister' makes me a little upset."

"Brother!" the two kids shouted in unison.

Han Fangchi heard the commotion and glanced back. By then, He Lezhi was already sitting down, still covering his face with his hand, head lowered.

Han Fangchi's expression changed, and he quickly ran over. He tossed his racket aside as he approached and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Got hit, it's nothing." The bridge of He Lezhi's nose had been hit, and now his nose felt tingly, giving his voice a nasal tone.

"Let me see." Han Fangchi bent down slightly, pulled his hand away, and lifted his face.

Ning Ken and Brother Shang also came over, asking what had happened.

The two kids and their companion were panicked. He Lezhi waved at them and said, "It's fine, you guys can go."

"Brother, do you need to go to the hospital?" the kid asked worriedly.

"I don't," He Lezhi couldn't help but laugh, pointing at the men in front of him. "They're all doctors."

The kids left, looking back every few steps. He Lezhi still couldn't quite open one eye. The small area by his temple and the corner of his eye had been scraped open by the zipper, and you could see the track where it had slid across. He had been covering it with his hand just now, and the sweat on his hand and face made it sting.

"You can't open your eye?" Han Fangchi was very close to him, cupping his face and asking softly.

"I can, it just hurts a little. I need another moment," He Lezhi said.

Han Fangchi took a wet wipe to clean his face, his other hand supporting the back of his head, like washing a child's face.

Ning Ken and the other man stood by and handed another wet wipe to Han Fangchi. He took it and gently wiped the area around the scrape.

This was really too close.

At such a close distance, they could feel each other's breath.

He Lezhi subtly tilted his head back, but couldn't get away as his head was being held.

"Does it hurt?" Han Fangchi's hand stopped for a moment, then his movements became even gentler. "Don't move."

He Lezhi kept his eyes downcast and didn't make a sound.

Han Fangchi said, "Try to open it."

"I can." He Lezhi opened his eye. Han Fangchi's eyes were less than twenty centimeters away, watching him intently.

His eye was bloodshot, and it felt like there was a film over his vision, but it was nothing serious. He looked up to let Han Fangchi see his eye, and also saw Han Fangchi's eyes and the bridge of his nose up close.

They had never been this close before.

"Are you wearing contacts?" Han Fangchi asked.

"Yeah."

Han Fangchi said, "Wipe your hands and take them out?"

"I can't take them out yet. I need a few more minutes." The initial shock hadn't passed, so he couldn't touch his eye.

"It doesn't look like anything serious, but you should still get it checked out," Ning Ken said.

"No, no," He Lezhi said. "It's really fine."

Han Fangchi only let him go after confirming he was okay. He Lezhi didn't know if it was because his hand was too warm, but the back of his neck and behind his ear, where Han Fangchi had been holding him, still felt hot.

Ning Ken and the other man beside them didn't seem to think anything was wrong. Perhaps only He Lezhi felt that it had been far too close just now.

Han Fangchi stood beside him. He Lezhi's eye level was at his ribs.

He couldn't see Han Fangchi's face, and he didn't really want to look up.

When he got back that night, the area around the small scrape was already showing a faint bruise. The wound was small but covered a continuous patch, looking quite pathetic.

Han Fangchi had come with him, carrying saline solution. They had already cleaned it with saline earlier. This was what happened when you were watched by three doctors; even a small scrape had to be disinfected with saline. In all his years of bumps and bruises, He Lezhi had never disinfected a wound, never been that meticulous.

"Does your eye still hurt?" Han Fangchi asked.

"Not at all anymore," He Lezhi said. "It was just for a moment. It's fine now."

Han Fangchi hummed in acknowledgement and told him, "Don't wear contacts for the next few days."

He Lezhi nodded and said, "Okay, I got it."

By the next day, the bruise was more severe than the night before. He Lezhi's skin was quite fair to begin with, so the bruise was very noticeable.

A facial injury can either look comical or pitiful. He Lezhi fell into the latter category. When he sat quietly without speaking, he looked a bit pathetic.

"Should I make you some tea?" Han Fangchi asked.

He Lezhi shook his head. "I'm not thirsty."

He sat by the dining table by himself, looking at his phone, and didn't come over to the sofa. The dining area was on the north side, so it was a bit dark. The gray sweatshirt he was wearing was also a little too big, making him look like a lonely, isolated student.

"Aren't you cold sitting there?" Han Fangchi asked him again.

He Lezhi was actually a bit cold, so he came over and sat on the single armchair. Sunlight flooded the area, warming him with its gentle heat.

He Lezhi felt very comfortable. He leaned back against the sofa, opening and closing his eyes intermittently.

On one occasion when he opened his eyes, though he was feeling lazy, his gaze subconsciously drifted to the side. As it happened, Han Fangchi was looking right at him.

Neither of them was prepared. The gaze felt as if it had weight, creating a light sense of impact as it landed.

Han Fangchi's expression was calm. He Lezhi, as if dazzled by the sunlight, closed his eyes again, but his eyelashes were trembling.