Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

The people in the ward found it hard to believe the story. After hearing the story from her, they assumed that the cat’s owner had seen the incident but did not show up because he was afraid that he could not stand a chance against the gang of people. He could only help Jiang Yao by sending out his cat to scratch Zhao Zhuangzong.

After thinking for a while, everyone nodded. “We do need to thank the owner. Although he didn’t show up, he didn’t just act like a bystander and did lend his help. Later, I will go around and ask the neighbours if they have a cat.”

Mrs. Lu’s words were also the thoughts of all the adults in the room. Surprisingly, no one realized Jiang Yao had described the little thing who helped her as a kitten. Let’s perceive this with our sense of logic, how could a normal little kitten scratch the face of a grown-up man?

Upon knowing that Jiang Yao had encountered a mishap, Lu Xingzhi did not even have time to arrange the duties in his troop and insisted on taking leave no matter what. Then, he flew straight back to town, took the cab that Lu Haixing had arranged for him, and rushed to the hospital of the town.

By the time he arrived, it was already about 5 o’clock in the morning the next day and the sun had just risen. The corridor in the hospital was quiet, with no one awake yet.

Lu Xingzhi walked straight into Jiang Yao’s ward. Jiang Yao was the only one in the ward and she was lying on her stomach. It was perhaps due to the pain on her back, causing her to be unable to sleep well. The sound of the door opening woke her up. She opened her eyes slowly, blurrily turned her head around, and looked at the man who entered.

No one else was in the ward. Jiang Yao had asked everyone to go back home last night and to only deliver breakfast to her the next morning. The extra beds provided by the hospital were hard and narrow. Typically, adults would have trouble sleeping and would be unable to have a good night’s sleep by putting up with the poor circumstances.

“Did I wake you up? Or did you not sleep at all throughout the night?” Lu Xingzhi put down his luggage that he was holding and strode towards her. “Does it hurt? How bad are your wounds?”

He walked to her and had a closer look. Jiang Yao’s face was still obviously reddish and swollen. There were even bruises on the corner of her lips. Lu Xingzhi’s fists, which were hanging beside him, clenched and loosen up before clenching up again.

He could not put the pain in his heart into words.

No words were able to express his anger.

“I slept, but it wasn’t a good one.” Jiang Yao reached out and held Lu Xingzhi’s fist which was slowly clenching up. She gave him a slight pat. “I’m fine, I only look scary. The doctor asked me to stay overnight for observation. If nothing happens, I can be discharged and rest at home.”

“That’s great.” He could feel the warmth from Jiang Yao’s palm. She was gently caressing his palm with her fingertips while slowly squeezing into his clenched fist as if she was telling him to not worry about her and that she was fine.

Although he knew that her wounds were not serious, Lu Xingzhi was still heartbroken looking at her lying on the sickbed. “Lie down, let me have a look at the wounds on your back.”

“No.” Jiang Yao flattened her lips. After she was admitted into the hospital, Mrs. Jiang and Mrs. Lu had helped her change into the hospital gown which was made out of pure cotton. Her wounds were covered with ointment. Therefore, she did not wear anything else underneath that set of clothes.

Lu Xingzhi did not realize that Jiang Yao was shy. He gazed at Jiang Yao, whose mind had wandering off elsewhere. He gently propped Jiang Yao up and let her lay on his thigh with her face facing the floor. Without any delay, he reached out his hand and pulled up the clothes on her back.

After a night, the wounds on Jiang Yao’s back were not as terrifying as they had initially looked. The wounds were covered with white ointment and some of the injured parts could not be seen clearly. Even so, it still looked horrifying in Lu Xingzhi’s eyes.

“Is it very painful?” Lu Xingzhi asked in a low voice after noticing Jiang Yao, who was lying on his thighs, taking a deep breath in. Then, he smoothened her clothes.

“Painful! Of course it was painful!” Jiang Yao was holding back in front of the elders because she did not want them to blame themselves and be worried about her, but she did not want to act tough and endure it anymore in front of Lu Xingzhi.