Ying Huan ran out of the lounge, her face still feeling hot and her chest aching slightly. As the aftershock hit her, it hurt even more than before. She blushed and secretly rubbed the area, biting her little sharp teeth. “Damn… Xu Jingyu, what strength he has!”
It hurt so much!
In the training classroom, Ying Chi and Chen Senran were grabbing each other by the collar, both of them red-faced and refusing to back down. They had no idea where the coach had gone; if the coach were present, these guys wouldn’t dare act out.
Shi Lei attempted to step in and separate the two, advising, “You two, let go quickly. Don’t think you can cause trouble just because the coach is in a meeting. You’ll regret it if you get punished later.”
Chen Senran’s tattooed arms were tightly gripping Ying Chi, while Ying Chi had locked his legs, both of them rolling on the ground, unwilling to let go. Just as Shi Lei was preparing to call for others to use brute force to separate the two, he saw Ying Huan run over and quickly said, “Doctor, you’ve got to come and help deal with these two middle school boys!”
Ying Huan: “…”
She stood on the sidelines, looking down at the two boys. In a soft voice, she coaxed, “Chen Senran, let go. Look, you’re making Ying Chi struggle to breathe.”
Chen Senran’s face darkened, and he gripped tighter. “Why should I let go first? You’re protecting him just because you’re his sister.”
Ying Huan was left with no choice but to look at Ying Chi and gently plead, “Ying Chi, you let go first.”
Ying Chi gritted his teeth. “No way!”
Ying Huan: “…”
Was he ignoring her now?
She crouched beside them, her delicate fingers gently poking Ying Chi’s back, slowly prodding, and asked softly, “Are you going to let go?”
Ying Chi’s face turned bright red; he… damn it! He really wanted to laugh!
But he couldn’t give in!
Chen Senran saw Ying Chi’s face, which was turning purple from holding back laughter, and then glanced at Ying Huan, who was smiling gently. Suddenly, he felt like an idiot—this was really pointless… Just as he was about to release Ying Chi, Ying Chi burst into laughter, spraying saliva all over him and retreating to plead for mercy. “Sis… I’ll let go! I’m letting go…”
Chen Senran cursed, “Damn it! Ying Chi, you’re disgusting!”
He wiped his face angrily, looking at his hand in despair, wanting to stomp his foot. Pointing at Ying Huan, he yelled, “Aaaah! It’s your fault! You two siblings are too much—this is disgusting!”
Ying Huan laughed as she looked at him. “What did I do?”
Chen Senran met her innocent gaze, and despite wanting to curse a hundred times in his heart, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He disgustedly wiped his hand on his pants and marched toward the bathroom.
Shi Lei, Yang Jingcheng, and the others were left dumbfounded.
A few seconds later, several people gave Ying Huan a thumbs up.
“I’m impressed! It turns out men really need women to handle them—using softness to conquer strength!”
“Little doctor has a way. Just looking at Chen Senran’s constipated expression makes me want to laugh!”
“Chen Senran seems to be a bit of a germaphobe; Ying Chi spraying saliva on him probably bothered him more than getting punched a few times…”
Ying Huan chuckled but didn’t take Chen Senran too seriously. She crouched beside Ying Chi, giving him a glare. “Why do you keep provoking him? You know he loves to stir up trouble with his mouth; can’t you stay away from him?”
Ying Chi looked a bit frustrated. “I didn’t provoke him! It’s just that his mouth is too filthy. One minute he calls me a baby, then says I’m sister-loving, and then he says you don’t look good with braces and that you have buck teeth.”
“If he says it about me, that’s one thing, but he can’t say it about you.”
The boy propped himself up and brushed his hair back.
Ying Huan’s heart softened as she reached out to ruffle his hair. “From now on, no matter what he says about me, you don’t need to argue with him. Just pretend you didn’t hear anything.”
Xu Jingyu walked out with his hands in his pockets and glanced at Ying Huan, who was smoothing the hair of the little ancestor. He looked expressionless as he directed his gaze at Shi Lei. “What’s going on?”
Shi Lei responded with a casual, “Just two middle school boys fighting.” He chuckled. “It’s fine; the little doctor managed to calm things down.”
Upon hearing his voice, Ying Huan felt the spot where he had held her earlier throb again. After all, she was a nineteen-year-old girl who had never had a boyfriend, and this was her first time having such intimate contact with a man—especially in such a sensitive area. Just thinking about it made her feel incredibly awkward.
Ying Huan’s ears turned slightly red, and she didn’t even want to look back.
Did he realize what he had touched?
She glanced down at herself. Shouldn’t there be a bit of a reaction there?
She wasn’t exactly flat…
But it seemed like he didn’t react at all.
If he didn’t know, then she would just pretend nothing had happened.
Ying Huan steeled herself, pinching Ying Chi’s cheek. The boy looked up at her in confusion, and she had already stood up, saying nonchalantly, “You all go back to what you were doing. I’ll head back to school later since I have nothing else to do.”
Ying Chi nodded. “Okay.”
As she turned around, she bumped into Xu Jingyu’s gaze. She tried her best to keep a natural expression. “Is the uniform still in the lounge?”
Xu Jingyu still felt a heat radiating from his palm. No matter how he recalled it, the sensation from earlier had been too soft; that feeling lingered at his fingertips, refusing to fade. He scrutinized her for a moment, confirming that she intended to act as if nothing had happened.
What a sin.
He had touched a girl’s chest in such a manner.
If she wanted to act nonchalant, he could play it even cooler than her.
Xu Jingyu slipped his hands back into his pockets, leaned against the equipment behind him, and smiled slightly. “Yeah, it’s on the table.”
Ying Huan nodded. “Then I’ll go get it.”
After she finished speaking, she turned and left with quick steps, feeling as if his gaze was boring into her back, as if he were trying to see right through her.
He must have realized something!
As she turned into the corridor, Ying Huan glanced up at the ceiling in despair, feeling an urge to scream like Ying Chi did.
She didn’t even try on her uniform; she just took it back to the dorm. Once she returned to the dorm, she took out the clothes, and just by looking at them, she knew she didn’t need to try them on—the size was perfect.
Zhong Weiwei turned to her with surprise. “Wow, you have a uniform too?”
Ying Huan hadn’t expected that, as a part-time medical assistant, she would get a uniform, especially not two complete sets for spring and summer. “Yeah, I might need it if I have to go with the team in the future.”
Jiang Meng leaned closer, shaking out the red baseball jacket and touching the logo on the chest. For some reason, seeing something like a uniform made her feel a surge of adrenaline, and she looked at Ying Huan with a hint of envy. “Doesn’t that mean you’re wearing the same style as Xu Wang?”
“Wouldn’t that count as a couple’s outfit?” Lin Siyu asked with a grin.
Ying Huan was startled by their imagination and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Doesn’t that mean the whole team, including the coach, would be in couple’s outfits? You’re thinking too much; it’s just a uniform…”
Wasn’t that a bit too much thinking?
Lin Siyu recalled the night Xu Jingyu had called out, “Little doctor, come treat me, I’m dying,” and now that she thought back on it, it felt oddly intimate. Would Xu Jingyu say such things to other girls?
Probably not…
A few days ago, Jiang Meng had asked around, saying Xu Jingyu was quite low-key in class. He balanced training with his studies and didn’t interact much with classmates. He occasionally participated in class activities, but it was mostly just playing games with the boys.
With a guy like Xu Jingyu, it was no surprise he attracted a lot of girls, but she hadn’t heard that he had a girlfriend…
It seemed that Ying Huan was the girl he interacted with the most.
She didn’t dare to say any of this directly, considering Jiang Meng’s presence.
Ying Huan cut off all the tags from her uniform and soaked them in a basin of water.
That night, while taking a shower, Ying Huan checked her chest. Her skin was pale and smooth, and beneath its soft curves were faint dark lines. Jiang Meng had bought a mirror and stuck it in their dorm’s bathroom. Blushing, Ying Huan stared at herself in the mirror, feeling a bit dizzy.
“Is Xu Jingyu trying to crush me?”
What strength!
She couldn’t help but complain again.
At night, the balcony of the girls’ dorm 501 had several vibrant red uniforms hanging out to dry. For the first time, Ying Huan’s wardrobe had clothes in a bright red color.
This year’s National Games will be held in Tianjin, with the boxing events set up in the sports center’s arena. Athletes must arrive two days in advance to attend the opening ceremony and promotional activities.
A University officially starts on September 16, but the club athletes are planning to book their tickets for September 10. Although Ying Chi can’t compete, he will still go to the venue to experience watching the matches.
Before the trip, Wu Qi asked Ying Huan, “Do you want to go with us? If you want to, I can register you as a member of the team.”
It wasn’t just a ticket; she would be going as part of the team.
Ying Huan was very tempted, but she hesitated because Ying Chi couldn’t compete.
Moreover…
If she went, she would have to spend several days with Xu Jingyu.
God knows she had been trying to avoid him lately.
Xu Jingyu walked past with a lunch box, sidestepping her and Wu Qi, and kicked the chair in front of them aside. He sat down, stretched out his long legs, and opened the lunch box, starting to eat heartily.
Ying Huan silently glanced at him and the large portion of his lunch.
After a few bites, Xu Jingyu suddenly looked up at her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “What are you looking at?”
Ying Huan shook her head. “Nothing.”
He continued to eat leisurely and said casually, “If you want to go, just go. No need to hesitate or feel obligated—just think of it as a trip for fun.”
Wu Qi smiled. “Think it over. It just so happens that Doctor Du has something to attend to and can’t join us. It won’t be a problem for just Doctor Han to go alone.”
In reality, it was just a chance for the young girl to have an outing.
That was also Zhou Baihao’s intention.
After Wu Qi finished speaking, he left, as he had a bunch of other things to arrange.
Xu Jingyu placed the lunch box on the table, leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and fixed his gaze on the girl. “Don’t you want to watch me compete?”
Ying Huan’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at him.
She always thought Xu Jingyu’s eyes were special—perfectly sized with double eyelids that spread from the outer corners and a slight upward tilt at the ends, giving them a particularly beautiful shape. His gaze was sharp and lively. Just looking at his eyes revealed that he had a healthy lifestyle, didn’t stay up late, and kept his body and spirit in peak condition.
Xu Jingyu slightly curved his lips. “You’ve never seen me compete formally, have you?”
“No…”
Ying Huan was about to say that she would go when a loud voice called out from behind her.
“And there’s me! Little doctor, are you really not going? I look pretty cool when I compete too.”
She turned to see Shi Lei and Yang Jingcheng walking up to her.
Ying Chi followed closely behind, tossing his used napkin into the trash can. He hopped over to her, a bit smug. “If I could compete, my sister would definitely go without hesitation—she might even skip class to be there!”
Xu Jingyu’s lips twitched slightly, while Ying Huan nodded. “Yeah, if you have a competition in the future, I’ll take a leave to go watch.”
He raised an eyebrow.
Watching her comfort the little ancestor.
Ying Chi cheekily nudged Shi Lei and grinned, “Hey, Lei Ge, why don’t you give your competition spot to me?”
Shi Lei turned around and walked away.
Ying Chi: “…”
It was just a joke!
He turned back and glanced at Chen Senran, who was a few meters away, drinking a sports drink.
Chen Senran smiled brightly at him. “Get lost.”
Ying Chi’s face fell; being young, his desire to compete was especially strong. He sneered, “What did I say?”
Chen Senran scoffed lightly, “With that barefaced expression of yours, how could I not know?”
Ying Huan tugged at Ying Chi, signaling him not to start a fight. Ying Chi obediently turned his face away and stopped looking at Chen Senran. Chen Senran glanced at Ying Huan, pressed his lips together, feeling inexplicably annoyed, and turned to leave.
Ying Huan didn’t pay attention to Chen Senran and turned to Ying Chi, instructing him, “I’ve packed your things. When you go home tonight, check if anything is missing, and then bring it with you to school tomorrow morning for registration.”
Yang Jingcheng was shocked. “You even helped him pack? What a goddess! How can you be this nice?”
Ying Chi laughed. “Don’t be jealous.”
Xu Jingyu rested his arms behind his head and casually glanced at Ying Huan. She really knew how to spoil people.
“Yeah, I heard my major is particularly unpopular; there aren’t even many people in one class…” Ying Chi frowned, looking particularly troubled. “If that’s the case, if I want to skip a class, I won’t even be able to get someone to sign for me.”
Ying Huan shot him a look. “You’re already thinking about skipping classes before school even starts?”
Ying Chi quickly defended himself. “But sometimes there’s training, right?”
Xu Jingyu straightened up and glanced at Ying Chi. “If you want to skip classes, just say so.”
He finished packing his empty lunch box and tossed the trash into the bin.
Before Ying Chi could blow up, he left without waiting.
He didn’t even bother to look at Ying Huan comforting the little ancestor.
In the afternoon, Wu Qi had the competing athletes train with practical exercises again. “Let’s try the tactical training one more time. Tomorrow, pack your things and get ready to catch the flight. Don’t forget your feel for the game.”
Xu Jingyu nodded and pulled the lace to hook it with his thumb to start tying.
Ying Huan stood beside him, her gaze unconsciously drawn in. She had seen other team members tie their laces, but even though it was the same motion, Xu Jingyu made it look particularly good and natural.
Xu Jingyu worked quickly, and after finishing, he lifted his eyelids to find Ying Huan staring intently at his hands.
He raised an eyebrow slightly. “What are you looking at?”
Ying Huan lowered her head and took a step back, not wanting to engage in too much conversation with him.
Who would have thought that as she stepped back, Chen Senran would dash past her from behind and bump into her, causing Ying Huan’s small frame to be jolted back, her knee directly hitting the equipment.
She let out a hiss of pain.
Chen Senran paused for a moment, turning to look at her.
Ying Huan bit her lip and said to him, “It’s fine, you go ahead and train.”
Shi Lei was still waiting for him.
Xu Jingyu walked over, his gaze landing on her long and slender legs, where a bruise was already forming on her knee. Because her skin was so fair, it looked especially noticeable. He frowned and said, “It’s already bruised.”
In fact, it didn’t hurt that much; it just appeared more pronounced due to her sensitive skin. Ying Huan shook her head, “It’s fine. I just have sensitive skin; I bruise easily when I bump into things. It’ll be fine in a couple of days.”
Xu Jingyu’s gaze suddenly froze as he looked at her. He recalled that day when she fell so unexpectedly, and it seemed he hadn’t controlled his strength well when he caught her.
He had been focusing on strength training lately, and his arm muscles were stronger than before, increasing his power quickly. Athletes could be a bit rough; he hadn’t considered that a slight bump could hurt the petite girl so much.
No wonder her eyes had turned red.
So, it was painful.
“Is that so?” he asked softly.
“Yeah,” Ying Huan nodded, not quite understanding, but when she looked up, she met his deep, lingering gaze and realized she had inadvertently revealed something significant.
Leaning against the equipment, Xu Jingyu scratched his nose with his fingertip, turned to look at her, and said softly, “That day… I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional.”
Author’s Note:
Ying Huan: Wanting a life, huh?
Xu Jingyu: Here, it’s all yours.
