Chapter 53: Shen Xiyan: I’ll just rub it

After that, he didn’t just stand there dumbly. He bent down, hooked Lin Ci’s knees, and lifted her up in a Princess Hug.

“Ah… What are you doing!” Lin Ci cried out in pain, startled. “Put me down right now!”

“Bear with it. If you keep hopping around, it’ll hurt even more… Wenwen, let’s slow down. You go register us.”

“Oh~~”

Lin Ci wrapped her arms around Shen Xiyan’s neck. Aside from feeling a bit embarrassed, her body lightly bounced with his running.

Mhm.

“Is… is this a Princess Hug?”

Shen Xiyan’s face was expressionless as he perfunctorily replied, “You’re my princess.”

Lin Ci’s cheeks flushed red. “Nonsense… just spouting nonsense!”

In her heart: (*)

When Shen Xiyan carried Lin Ci back in front of the old Aunt again—

“Doctor… could you please take another look?”

“Didn’t I just check… what happened?”

The old Aunt adjusted her glasses, almost thinking she’d seen wrong.

Wasn’t this little girl standing just now? How come she’s limping now?

“I accidentally fell…”

“You kids! Did someone wax the floor, or did the janitor not dry the water properly?”

The doctor cupped Lin Ci’s ankle and looked at it, saying, “It’s fine, this one’s even lighter than the last. It’s just a bit swollen near the bone, and the scraped skin just needs some medicine…”

“Oh.”

So Shen Xiyan bought a bottle of Purple Potion and some Rubbing Alcohol.

Lin Ci’s face grew serious, her eyes fixed intently on the bag in Shen Xiyan’s hand, like a cat staring at a teaser stick.

But where a cat’s eyes would be full of longing and curiosity, Lin Ci’s eyes were full of wariness.

Shen Xiyan found it funny and laughed openly at her: “It’s just for disinfection, no need to be so scared, right?”

“I am scared!” Lin Ci said, aggrieved.

Since she was little, what she feared most was getting shots.

Especially that moment before the needle actually went in, when the doctor would tie a rubber band around her wrist, then dab her skin with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab.

The alcohol would evaporate quickly, bringing a chill to her skin. Then the even colder needle would slowly press against her skin and sink in…

It was a nightmare!

Compared to that, skin tests were just physical pain—a sharp, stinging kind.

“So how did your Aunt usually comfort you? With a hug?”

“But if I hug you, I can’t help you apply the medicine. Just make do with Wenwen for now.”

Lin Ci’s face instantly flushed red again: “Who wants to hug you? You’re all sweaty!”

“Then close your eyes, I’ll be quick.”

“I’m not that cowardly!”

“Then keep your eyes open…”

Goosebumps rose on Lin Ci’s skin. She said cautiously, “Actually, I think I can just rinse this with water.”

“Are you kidding? Your leg’s covered in dirt. Aren’t you afraid it’ll get infected?”

Shen Xiyan shot her a speechless look. So this is what she calls ‘not cowardly’?

“It’ll hurt now, but in a bit, you’ll feel good. When the alcohol evaporates, it’s really cool.”

“Besides, I’m not giving you a shot, I don’t have to stick anything in. I’m just going to dab around the outside…”

Shen Xiyan silently opened the Rubbing Alcohol, took out a cotton swab, held out his hand, and patted his thigh: “Leg here!”

Lin Ci stretched out her legs and leaned sideways on the bench, letting him hold her calf. It felt kind of delicate.

Shen Xiyan untied her shoelaces, and Lin Ci nervously tried to cover up: “I’m sweating…”

Damn!

Why didn’t I wear sandals today?!

“Alright, it’s not like I’m going to eat your toes…”

“Not going to eat them?”

“Hmm?”

***

In the end, she couldn’t win against him and let him take off her little white sneakers, revealing a pair of cute little feet.

Since ancient times, beautiful feet have been considered a refined pleasure to admire and appreciate.

How did that Ximen Qing guy hook up with Pan Jinlian?

Eh? Is this comparison a bit off?

Anyway, in ancient times, a woman’s feet were private, never to be shown or touched by others. Actually, it’s not so different nowadays.

Lin Ci fidgeted shyly, her face red as she stared at him, not blinking, watching as he peeled off her socks like he was peeling an egg.

“Do they stink?”

“They do!”

“How could they?!”

Lin Ci was so embarrassed and annoyed she almost jumped up, lifting her other foot to kick at him, not too hard, just venting her frustration.

No girl can stand a guy saying her feet stink, especially since she’s super clean—she’d just showered that morning, scrubbing every nook and cranny, even between her toes, with body wash.

Stinky?

How could they possibly stink!

“You smell them! Go on!”

“I was just joking, behave… Don’t move.”

“…Don’t make that kind of joke next time.”

Lin Ci bashfully kicked him with her other foot, her cheeks blushing, her tender lips pouting, and her beautiful big eyes rolling dramatically as she tried to glare at him even harder.

Lin Ci’s feet were just about the size of Shen Xiyan’s palm, with smooth arches, rounded toes, neatly trimmed nails, and fair skin where faint blue veins could be seen.

Held in the hand, they were as delicate and soft as the finest jade in the world.

Shen Xiyan pressed his thumb against her heel. Unlike his own callused heels, hers were soft, and even though they were a bit sweaty, there was no strange smell at all.

Each toe was like a tiny lotus shoot, curled up adorably together.

“Your feet really are white, huh?”

“My whole body’s white!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Not just white—even a little pink.

On this, Shen Xiyan was the most qualified to comment.

Such dainty little feet felt wonderful in his palm. If he tickled her soles, Lin Ci would giggle, and if he kept tickling, she’d pounce and bite him.

In the end, Lin Ci simply covered her face with both hands and gave up, letting him play as much as he wanted.

Strangely enough—

If it were another boy touching her feet, she’d feel disgusted. But with Shen Xiyan, she just wanted to stuff her feet into his clothes, have him hold her all day, and make her body tingle all over…

“Brace yourself, here I go.”

Lin Ci’s wound was on her ankle. It didn’t look like much, just some scaly skin, but that kind of wound hurt the most, especially at the joint. Any little movement was agony.

Shen Xiyan gently dabbed around the wound with the alcohol-soaked cotton swab. As soon as it touched her, Lin Ci’s foot flinched reflexively.

“Good girl! Hang in there! I’ll be gentle…”

Lin Ci: “???”

She wasn’t a little kid. Why was he coaxing her in such a soft voice?

She felt like she should be more reserved, but her body was just too honest, showing how much she enjoyed it, not even afraid of the pain anymore.

Very soon, Shen Xiyan finished treating her wound.

“That’s it. Just rest for a couple of days until the skin heals. When you shower, wrap it up with a plastic bag, or the body wash will sting like crazy.”

“Mhm.” Lin Ci nodded like a kitten.

Shen Xiyan carried her shoes and socks in a plastic bag, glanced at Lin Ci, and smiled, asking, “I helped you with your medicine, so why do you look like I bullied you?”

“…I don’t!”

“Yeah, right.”

Then Shen Xiyan squatted down in front of Lin Ci again: “Come on, I’ll carry you home.”

“Carry… carry me?”

“Or do you want to walk?”

“Help me hold the umbrella while you’re at it.”

“Oh~~” Lin Ci put on her most obedient face, but inside she was blooming with happiness!

You all heard it—Shen Xiyan was the one who offered to carry her.

Miss Lin Ci never said a word about it.

Then, two soft mounds pressed firmly against Shen Xiyan’s back. His broad chest and back felt so comfortable that he almost moaned aloud.

No wonder guys love girls with ‘big boobs, perky butt, and long legs.’

If you don’t have a big chest, how can you win people’s hearts?

As for being flat-chested—he had that himself.

Shen Xiyan adjusted Lin Ci’s thighs upward, steadied his steps, and started walking downstairs.

“I must be really light, huh?” Lin Ci, overflowing with happiness, leaned close to his ear and breathed softly.

“You are. You eat like a kitten, just a couple bites per meal. How heavy could you be?” Shen Xiyan sneered, “I remember your Peak Record was eating two pounds of ribs in one sitting, wasn’t it? I can’t even eat that much!”

“Xiyan!!”

Lin Ci was mortified. How could she not hear the sarcasm in Shen Xiyan’s tone?

“But I didn’t get fat!”

Shen Xiyan curled his lip: “…You eat veggies with me at school every day. If you got fat, I’d be shocked!”

“Who’s eating with you? I just want veggies myself!”

“Sure you do… But if you get fat and turn into a chubby girl, I won’t carry you anymore. You’ll be too heavy.”

“Hmph, try not carrying me and see what happens.” Like she was possessed, Lin Ci carefully bit his ear: “I’ll tell Aunt you didn’t take care of me!”

“Hey!”

Shen Xiyan felt the dampness on his ear and nearly lost it.

Why is she acting like Qin Sheng now?

“Hmph! See if you dare talk nonsense again.” Lin Ci buried her face in Shen Xiyan’s shoulder and mumbled, “Do it again and I’ll have pig’s ear with my drink!”

“Carrying or not?”

“Carrying, aren’t I carrying you right now?”

“But about what happened with Qin Sheng just now…” Shen Xiyan coughed twice, lowering his voice so Wenwen wouldn’t hear: “That’s just how she is—she’ll do anything to get her way. Don’t take it to heart.”