Jiang Ci, with his black shirt taut across his broad, cold back, turned to Su Yue, bending with a disciplined straightness at the waist. “Help your grandfather up,” he commanded.
Su Yue, momentarily taken aback, quickly assented. “Okay.” Though Grandpa Fang was old and thin, he was far from weightless. With her grandmother’s help, Su Yue struggled to guide her grandfather onto Jiang Ci’s back. Jiang Ci, however, stood solid as an oak, his legs unyielding, bearing Grandpa Fang’s weight with effortless ease. “Lead the way,” he instructed.
Su Yue hurried to his side, taking his arm. “Jiang Ci, let’s walk steadily.”
“Are you worried I’ll drop Grandpa?” Jiang Ci’s lips twitched, a faint snort escaping him. “Don’t worry, I can’t fall.” He walked, silent and unburdened, through the narrow alley, with Grandpa Su a quiet presence on his back. Su Yue walked beside him, guiding him around the scattered debris, her gaze lingering on his slightly disheveled black bangs and the stark, hideous scar on the left side of his face. Yet, even with its starkness, Su Yue couldn’t help but find him handsome.
By the time they reached the hospital, the sky was already faintly bright, the dark curtain of night beginning to lift, revealing the first hints of dawn. The hospital was hushed, save for the soft rustle of medical staff. Su Yue didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until Grandpa Fang had been examined and was settled in a ward, receiving an IV drip. She turned to Jiang Ci, his handsome brows furrowed with fatigue. Jiang Haoyan, leaning against him, dozed, a picture of adorable vulnerability.
“Jiang Ci, take Xiao Haohao to Grandma’s house to rest first.”
Over in the ward, Grandma Fang, seeing Grandpa Fang’s fever begin to subside, finally had the energy to truly see her granddaughter. Her daughter had gushed on the phone about how thin and beautiful Su Yue had become, but now, seeing her granddaughter’s slender frame, Grandma Fang’s heart ached. So thin, she thought, too thin. She used to be so healthy, but now her thinness was distressing. And why was the child wearing a mask? Did she have the flu?
“Yueyue, it’s fine for Grandma to guard your grandfather here. You go back and rest first. You’ve been up all night; you can’t stand without sleep,” Grandma Fang said, pulling the quilt higher on Grandpa Fang.
“Grandma, you also took care of Grandpa and didn’t sleep all night,” Su Yue countered, shaking her head. “I’ll just stay here and take care of Grandpa. You two can go back and rest first.”
“I won’t feel at ease unless I’m watching your grandfather,” Grandma Fang’s face was etched with exhaustion.
“With me, Grandma, you can rest assured and go back to sleep. When Grandpa wakes up, we’ll call you back…” Su Yue persuaded her for a while longer before Grandma Fang finally agreed to go home and rest. Su Yue asked the driver to take Grandma Fang and Jiang Haoyan back first, leaving her and Jiang Ci at the hospital.
Jiang Ci leaned lazily in his chair, stifling a yawn. “Su Yue, give me a shoulder.”
At his request, Su Yue pulled her chair close to his. She sat up straight, allowing Jiang Ci’s head to rest on her shoulder. “Actually, I can stay here by myself. You can go back and rest.”
“Are you sure you can carry your grandfather into the car?” Jiang Ci settled unceremoniously onto Su Yue’s shoulder, a stark contrast to his own firmness. Her shoulder felt boneless, soft, as if it might break under pressure.
Su Yue was startled. “Thank you for your hard work.”
Jiang Ci’s head rubbed against Su Yue’s shoulder. Remembering the taste of her when she was drunk, he licked the corner of his lips. “You can, give me a kiss as a reward.”
Su Yue’s dark eyes widened at his words.
“Will you kiss me?” The faint scent of her milk clung to his nose, and Jiang Ci closed his eyes in contentment.
Su Yue had noticed this man had been asking for kisses recently. A blush crept up her neck. “You can’t just kiss casually.”
Jiang Ci’s lips twitched, his voice laced with amusement. “It’s not casual; it’s legal.” It was fine if she didn’t kiss him. He could always do it … when she was sleeping.
The next second, a kiss, filtered through the mask, landed on his lips. Su Yue’s heart pounded frantically against her ribs. Beneath the mask, Su Yue’s face burned, hot and flushed. A warm breath escaped the thin layer of the mask, and Jiang Ci felt the faint, soft touch against his lips.
It was a fleeting touch. Su Yue pulled back, her mind became a whirlwind. Suddenly, it felt difficult to breathe with the mask on.
Jiang Ci reached up, touching his slightly numb lips. He frowned, a hint of dissatisfaction in his expression. It felt as if Su Yue had been perfunctory, hidden behind the mask. Yet, the fact that she had initiated the kiss was different from him stealing one.
“Su Yue, that doesn’t count,” Jiang Ci complained, licking his lips. “The mask was blocking it.”
Su Yue pursed her lips, whispering, “You only said ‘kiss.’ You already kissed. You must be content.”
Jiang Ci made a soft “tsk.” He leaned closer to Su Yue, his slender fingers brushing her face, then gently hooking around her ear, lifting the thin mask. Jiang Ci lowered his head, a look of satisfaction on his face, and pressed his thin lips against her.
Su Yue froze. His lips brushed the tip of her nose. Just as Su Yue thought he couldn’t see and had kissed the wrong place, Jiang Ci’s mouth opened slightly, and he bit her small, adorable, snow-colored nose.
“Ah,” Su Yue couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp.
In the next instant, Su Yue’s dark eyes widened. Her lips were crushed heavily, and she tasted a cold temperature. After a moment, Jiang Ci released her. He hooked his lips, a joyous note in his clear voice. “This is the kiss.” What she had done earlier was just child’s play.
Her heart fluttered. Su Yue quickly picked up the mask that had fallen to the ground, putting it on swiftly, covering her flushed cheeks. She pursed her lips. There was a distinct taste in her mouth, and the base of her tongue felt slightly numb.
When the IV drip was almost finished, Grandpa Fang woke up. The heat now faded from his face, and Su Yue hurried forward. “Grandpa, you’re awake.”
Grandpa Fang looked at Su Yue blankly. “You…”
Su Yue held his hand, speaking softly, “Grandpa, I’m Yueyue…”
By the time they arrived home, Grandpa Fang’s energy had largely returned, and his fever had subsided, though his leg still couldn’t bear his full weight. He sat on a wooden chair, gazing at his granddaughter, who had changed so much. His usually robust voice was now softly lowered. “Yueyue, why are you still wearing a mask at home? Do you have a cold?” He hadn’t expected his illness to bring not only his granddaughter but also his grandson-in-law.
“You don’t need to wear that at home; it’s so uncomfortable. Take it off,” Grandma Fang urged.
“It’s not a cold,” Su Yue’s voice was muffled. “I hurt my face a few days ago. It’s a little ugly, so I’m wearing a mask.”
“Why did you hurt your face, child?” Hearing this, Grandma Fang stood up anxiously. “Let me see. Is it serious?”
Seeing the worry etched on her grandmother’s face, Su Yue had no choice but to remove her mask. Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang stared, shocked.
“My God, Yueyue, why is your face like this?” Grandma Fang exclaimed, her voice a mix of alarm and distress as she saw her granddaughter’s several black and red scars. “How can you make this face like this? Is it ruined?”
“It was an accident. The doctor said it will be fine after a while. I apply medicine on time every day. Grandpa and Grandma, don’t worry,” Su Yue quickly explained, worried about upsetting the elderly couple.
“Can the scar on this face really be okay?” Grandma Fang’s wrinkled face was still filled with concern.
“Okay, it just looks scary now, and the scar will fade later,” Su Yue reassured her, putting her mask back on, not wanting her grandparents to continue worrying.
“You should pay attention. What a pretty little face, what if it really gets ruined?” Grandma Fang calmed down. “You and Jiang Ci haven’t rested yet. Go upstairs to sleep first. When dinner is ready; I’ll call you again.”
Thinking of something, Grandma Fang added slowly, “I’ve already laid the sheets, but I don’t know if Jiang Ci will be used to sleeping here.” This grandson-in-law was from a wealthy family; he probably wasn’t used to such a bed. “How about I find another quilt for you to put on?”
“Grandma, don’t bother. He can sleep anywhere, and so can I. I can fall asleep wherever I lie,” Su Yue said with a smile.
“Okay, then you can go upstairs. I’ll call you for dinner. I’ll also can watch the child. Don’t worry,” Grandma Fang’s tone was kind. She wasn’t happy about her granddaughter becoming a stepmother after marriage, but the little child was innocent. She and the old man had lived honest lives, and they couldn’t bring themselves to harm children. Besides, this child was fair-skinned and plump, with well-defined features, truly endearing.
There were only three rooms in the house: two on the first floor and one on the second. The space was quite large, but it was an old house. The rooms were simply furnished; besides a large bed, a wardrobe, a wooden table, and wooden chairs, there was nothing else. The bed itself was an old wooden frame, and the white mosquito net had faded to a dull light gray. Grandma Su, with her always meticulously clean nature , kept the room neat and airy, devoid of any peculiar smells.
Fang Ru had wanted to bring her parents to City B, but Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang were unwilling to leave, saying they had lived in the village most of their lives and felt uncomfortable in a big city. Su Jindong sent money to them every month, but Grandpa Fang and Grandma Fang, accustomed to saving, kept all the money, believing it would be there for their daughter or granddaughter if they ever needed it in an emergency. Thus, despite their potential wealth, the two elders maintained their simple lives.
Su Yue lifted the mosquito net and hung it on the hooks on both sides of the bed. The bedsheet was a bright, almost gaudy red. Su Yue smiled as she arranged the pillow. Since there was no air conditioner, only a fan, she moved the fan to a wooden chair, pointing it towards the bed, and lay down after her efforts.
“Jiang Ci, are you comfortable ,” Su Yue said, a little worried Jiang Ci wouldn’t be used to sleeping here.
Jiang Ci, his eyes closed, hugged Su Yue from behind. “I’m not that squeamish,” he said lazily.
“Well.” Su Yue removed her mask and placed it beside the pillow, then closed her eyes.
The fan, perhaps old, made a “da-da-da” noise as it oscillated, a distinct sound in the quiet room. After a while, Su Yue shifted, and the wooden bed let out a “squeak.” Su Yue stiffened. After a moment, she carefully and gently turned her body again, and this time, the bed remained silent. A few minutes later, Su Yue moved once more.
“Moving around like a bug. Aren’t you sleepy?” Jiang Ci tightened his embrace, his eyes still closed.
“Sleepy.” Su Yue stared at the top of the gray mosquito net. “I can’t sleep.” Just moments ago, she had worried about Jiang Ci not being used to the wooden bed. Now, she realized she should have worried about herself. She found the wooden board beneath her too hard. She wasn’t used to falling asleep on such a surface and felt uncomfortable. She knew she was usually a bit delicate and feared pain, but she hadn’t expected her body to be so sensitive now that she couldn’t tolerate a wooden bed. Before, while filming, she could fall asleep sitting in a car, she wasn’t this delicate. She felt that because of Jiang Ci, her skin had become softer, but her body had grown more fragile. Su Yue hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but now she found it troublesome.
“Can’t sleep?” Jiang Ci slowly opened his eyelids.
Su Yue blushed. “The bed is a little hard.” She preferred soft beds.
Jiang Ci reached out, pinched her nose, and sneered. “Oh, who just told grandmother that I can lie down and fall asleep wherever I go?”
Su Yue pursed her lips, sullen. “Don’t gloat. You sleep. Maybe I’ll get used to it if I sleep a little longer.”
Jiang Ci let out a low snort and rolled her over into his embrace. “Sleep!” Su Yue stared blankly at herself, lying on his chest, as if she could hear his heartbeat next to her ear.