Shu Wang felt a slight daze looking at the simple room.
Having grown up under the care of his family, he hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society; he couldn't even stand living here alone for a few months, let alone a few years.
After a long while, Yan Junxi came out of the bathroom and walked straight to the sofa, sitting down.
Leaning on it, she finally felt a little more relaxed.
A moment later, she suddenly felt a burning pain in her ankle.
After taking off her shoe, she realized her ankle had been scraped at some point, with blood oozing from the wound, mixed with mud.
Seeing this, Shu Wang leaned closer and asked, "How is it? Is it serious?"
"It hurts a little."
"I'll help you put on some medicine."
Shu Wang said, and without waiting for her reply, he immediately stood up and walked to the bathroom, knowing he needed to wipe the wound clean with a towel before applying medicine.
"Ah, mm... okay." Yan Junxi mumbled, looking at his back.
About ten seconds later, Shu Wang suddenly poked his head out of the bathroom, looking at her and smiling apologetically, "Um, Yan... Miss?"
Yan Junxi was startled for a moment, then asked, "What's wrong? Why are you suddenly calling me that?"
Shu Wang smiled and explained, "Nothing, mainly I didn't know how to address you. I've read some wuxia novels where people call girls that. Also... I wanted to ask, which towel in the bathroom can I use?"
After hearing him, Yan Junxi thought for a moment and said, "The white one will do."
Then she added with a smile, "That's a nice way to address me, but it feels a bit awkward."
Shu Wang heard this, went back into the bathroom, wet the white towel, wrung it semi-dry, and then returned to sit by the sofa.
"Bear with it, it might hurt," he said softly, then carefully used the towel to wipe away the mud and blood from her ankle.
After doing this, Shu Wang picked up the medicine from the table, dabbed a cotton swab in it, and mimicked the doctor's movements he had seen at the clinic, carefully applying it to the wound.
To make it easier for him to apply the medicine, Yan Junxi cooperatively placed one foot on his knees, her lips pressed together, her face slightly flushed, quietly watching him. Even though the wound hurt a little, she didn't utter a sound.
"Thank you so much today," she suddenly said.
"No problem, we contemporary university students are all like this, kind-hearted, haha," Shu Wang replied with a smile.
"Alright, you sit here for a while and don't move around. Wait until the medicine takes effect before showering. Apply it on time every day for the next few days, and it should heal very quickly. And the doctor also said it wouldn't leave a scar."
Yan Junxi's eyelashes trembled, and she nodded slightly.
She then glanced at Shu Wang, who was sitting on a small stool, and then at herself. It had rained outside, and after all that commotion, both of them were covered in mud.
She asked, "Do you want to wash your clothes? They're all muddy..."
"Huh?"
"Then what would I wear?"
— — — —
After a long while, Shu Wang finished his shower and came out of the bathroom, looking at the clothes he was wearing with a complex expression.
Yan Junxi, sitting on the sofa, saw him come out and was about to ask if it fit, but after one look, her brows furrowed tightly.
The next second, she abruptly turned her body away, refusing to look at him.
Shu Wang clearly saw her uncontrollable smirk from the side.
He took a deep breath and couldn't help but complain, "What is this? I'm not wearing it! I'm just going to change back into my own clothes!"
Yan Junxi turned her head, "Don't! It's pretty good... *pfft*..."
"..."
Shu Wang pouted, about to turn and walk back into the bathroom.
Yan Junxi suddenly said to his back, "If you wear those muddy clothes, you'll sleep on the floor tonight. I'm not letting you use my blanket."
After taking a few steps, the young man suddenly turned around, sat back on the small stool, and mumbled, "I suddenly think these clothes are alright. They have a strong sense of the era."
Yan Junxi looked at him with a beaming smile, her hand clenched into a fist under her chin, scrutinizing him. Shu Wang felt uncomfortable under her gaze, so he asked,
"Big sister, how do you have clothes like this? This is clearly the kind of floral blouse Old Ladies and Old Men wear, isn't it?"
Yan Junxi heard this, straightened her face, and lightly kicked him with her uninjured foot. It was as light as a wisp of smoke, causing no pain.
"What are you calling 'big sister'? That sounds even worse."
"These clothes were made by my grandma herself. They were made too big, but you're thin and don't fill out clothes, so it feels like they fit you just right."
Shu Wang was even more confused after hearing this. "Even if they were made big, they couldn't be this big, could they? Even I, a guy, can wear them."
Yan Junxi hesitated, then said in a low voice, "I... don't go back often, maybe once a year. My grandma always remembers me as a child growing up, so she makes the clothes bigger each year."
Shu Wang watched as her eyes gradually dimmed, a deep sorrow hidden between her brows.
"You said you came to Lian City by yourself, so how do you make a living?"
Yan Junxi thought for a moment after hearing this, then replied, "Oh, you mean that. I used to bus tables, wash dishes, and hand out flyers at restaurants during the day. In the evenings, I'd work temporary jobs at bars and such, but those jobs weren't always available. You wouldn't believe how much some people can drink and how much trouble they cause. But there are also often university students like you who go there; they can't drink much, but their voices are loud. Moving beer crates every day was exhausting, more tiring than busing tables and washing dishes, but it paid more. I stopped going to school when I was very, very young, so I don't have much education and can't do much else, but these jobs are enough. They allow me to support myself."
Shu Wang listened silently, his heart feeling bitter, even a little anxious. She spoke very casually, but it was clear how much hardship she had endured, yet she still wore a smile. No one knew what this girl was thinking.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but mock himself internally, "I used to cry over exam results when I was in school..." Shu Wang continued to ask, "Then you just said you don't go back home often. Isn't this kind of life tiring? It would be so much better to go home and spend time with your grandma; at least someone could take care of you..."
Yan Junxi shook her head vigorously, "I'm not like you. Your family runs a Flower shop, which sounds wonderful. You have parents who love you. I've had no mom or dad since I was little. When I encounter difficulties, I can only bear them alone, and I don't want to tell my grandma. She would only be sad and worried, and she couldn't do anything. And back then, I... secretly ran away to Lian City..."
As she spoke, mentioning her grandma, her face gradually began to wrinkle, the corners of her mouth uncontrollably curving downwards, her lips pouting, her nose sniffling, and her voice becoming indistinct.
"I'm sorry, I just spoke freely. Just listen and forget it," she choked out.
Shu Wang was stunned, quickly pulling out a tissue and handing it to her.
"Thank you..."
"You've said 'thank you' to me so many times tonight," Shu Wang said with a wry smile.
Yan Junxi suddenly looked up, her eyes fluttering, brimming with tears as she looked at him, "But, I'm not very good at talking. Besides 'thank you,' I can't think of anything else to say..."
She was about to cry again, and Shu Wang instantly panicked, explaining that in his haste, he directly reached out and used a tissue to wipe her tears.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant. I meant you don't need to be so polite. I don't expect you to say anything nice in return for what I've done..."
"Oh, thank you."
"..."