Chapter 1399: So That’s How It Is (2)

Zhou Qi carried Xiao Rou to the sofa and sat her down, just like he did last time at the cinema, kneeling on one knee on the floor, gently picking up Xiao Rou’s foot to take a look.

Xiao Rou was already stunned, until another wave of sharp pain came from her foot, pulling her back to reality.

"It hurts, it hurts..."

Xiao Rou was in so much pain that tears welled up in her eyes.

He, however, breathed a sigh of relief; there were no broken bones, just a strained ligament.

"Do you have any ice?"

"In the fridge, there should be some."

Zhou Qi grabbed a pillow and placed it directly on the floor, then put Xiao Rou’s foot up on it, and went to the fridge to find some ice, quickly making a simple ice pack and bringing it over.

The touch of ice against her ankle, the instant flood of cold and pain made Xiao Rou start doubting her existence.

Biting her lip, she stared hard at the ceiling, determined not to let herself cry.

He looked at her, both concerned and amused: "How did you manage to twist your ankle at home?"

Xiao Rou continued to stare at the ceiling, after the initial shock passed, she felt a bit better and was finally able to answer Zhou Qi’s question.

"The light bulb in my bedroom broke, I was changing the bulb, and accidentally fell."

"Why change the bulb yourself? For these kinds of things, call me next time."

He said it naturally, yet somehow, a wave of grievance surged through her. Call him? How could she have the right to call him?

In what capacity?

As the sister’s good friend?

With such a relationship, bothering him over something as small as changing a light bulb would be unreasonable, wouldn’t it?

Xiao Rou’s stubbornness under her gentle nature surged up, she turned her gaze aside: "I can’t always rely on you."

Her voice was small, just mumbling to herself, but now with only the two of them here, no other sounds around, no matter how small Xiao Rou’s voice was, Zhou Qi could hear it clearly.

His hand holding the ice pack paused, his gaze burning as he looked at Xiao Rou.

She had turned her head away at this moment, from Zhou Qi’s perspective, he could see her profile slightly drooping, her eyes red, he didn’t know if it was from pain or grievance.

And Zhou Qi’s heart was tightly gripped.

During this time, it was he who could keep his distance, it was he who intentionally didn’t contact, he was human too, when faced with temptation, he couldn’t help wanting more.

And Xiao Rou was his greatest temptation.

And when he knew he couldn’t have more, Zhou Qi chose to keep his distance.

But now, her eyes were red, even though he didn’t know the exact reason, Zhou Qi found himself feeling heartache.

A deep heartache.

His heart, after being painfully gripped, relaxed, so be it, be it temptation or poison, he was resigned.

He lowered his gaze and stared at Xiao Rou’s swollen ankle, speaking in a deep voice: "You can."

Can always find me.

Xiao Rou was somewhat incredulous, what did she hear?

Zhou Qi said she could?

What could she do?

Was it a response to what she had just mumbled?

Xiao Rou’s fingers unconsciously clenched, her heart started pounding again, was it the meaning she hoped for?

She didn’t dare speak, the atmosphere in the living room suddenly changed, as if a veil had descended, making one hesitate to touch it, as if upon touch, something might explode out.

Zhou Qi carefully iced her ankle, only after a long time, when the ice pack had melted considerably, did he finally stop.

He took a new light bulb into the bedroom to change the bulb, then carried Xiao Rou back in and placed her on the bed.