Tang Shiying squatted by the roadside. Having been too busy at noon to grab lunch, she had then endured over an hour of bus travel that evening.
By now, her head was spinning, her stomach churned violently, and cold sweat was pouring down her body!
"Teacher Tang, are you feeling unwell?"
A familiar voice drifted into her ears, and a figure appeared before her!
Tang Shiying looked up to see Xu Han's handsome face.
Xu Han looked at her pale cheeks with tenderness in his eyes!
"I'll take you to the hospital."
With that, Xu Han stepped to the edge of the road and started hailing a cab!
Tang Shiying watched his retreating back and waved her hand dismissively:
"No need for the hospital, I just got carsick. I'll be fine after a little rest!"
Xu Han returned to her side, brushed aside a stray lock of hair, and reached out to test the temperature of her forehead!
She didn't have a fever, but she was drenched in cold sweat!
His gesture startled Tang Shiying.
No male had ever gotten this close to her—and crucially, this little fellow actually dared to touch her forehead!
This definitely counted as physical contact.
Tang Shiying had always resented physical contact, especially with males, but this time she hadn't resisted!
No, wait—it must have been because he was too fast and she hadn't reacted in time, letting him get away with it!
Xu Han paid no attention to her reaction.
Instead, he squatted down and motioned for her to get on his back!
"I'll carry you back?"
Tang Shiying froze, standing in place not knowing what to do!
Seeing that she didn't react, Xu Han turned his head and glanced at her:
"What's wrong?"
Their gazes collided, and Tang Shiying looked away first, her face flushing.
What should she do?
Does this little fellow have any idea what he's doing?
"My legs are going to fall asleep if I keep squatting like this!" Xu Han muttered in a low voice!
Out of pity for him, or perhaps feeling a pang of tenderness...
Almost instinctively, Tang Shiying gently leaned onto his back.
A pair of fair, slender arms draped over his shoulders.
Feeling the soft, warm weight against his back, Xu Han reached his hands behind him.
Keeping his palms away from sensitive areas, he scooped up her long legs and stood up with her on his back!
She was very light, and the faint scent on her body smelled wonderful!
"Did you drink?"
The person on his back spoke abruptly!
Her voice was soft, without a hint of blame!
Xu Han nodded:
"We had a department dinner tonight, so I had a little!"
He hesitated for a moment, then added: It doesn't smell very good, I'm sorry!
Xu Han regretted it now; he shouldn't have been drinking. She must hate the smell of alcohol on him.
They were already halfway there, though; he couldn't just drop her and walk away.
Thinking this, Xu Han noticeably quickened his pace.
If he got her back faster, she wouldn't have to smell the alcohol!
Feeling his stride lengthen, Tang Shiying naturally understood what he was thinking, but she didn't say anything to stop him!
Students and teachers kept passing by on the path. If someone saw her being carried on a student's back, it could easily cause a misunderstanding!
She didn't mind for herself, but as for this little fellow—if there were any misunderstandings, it wouldn't be good for him!
Tang Shiying stole a glance at the little fellow and was surprised to find that Xu Han's ears were beet red.
Was he shy?
How could he not be shy?
When Xu Han squatted down to offer her a piggyback, the two little voices inside his head had been fighting fiercely!
Wasn't he being too bold?
What if she rejected him? It would be terribly awkward running into each other after that.
Though he looked calm and nonchalant on the outside, his insides had already suffered a massive earthquake!
It took them five minutes to walk from the bus stop to the apartment!
Xu Han gently set Tang Shiying down on the sofa, turned to the doorway, and slipped into his house slippers.
Tang Shiying leaned against the sofa, her eyes half-closed.
Her body still felt a bit weak, but otherwise, everything else was much better!
"Teacher Tang, let me change your shoes for you!"
Carrying a pair of slippers, Xu Han walked over and half-squatted in front of Tang Shiying!
The person on the sofa gripped the cushion, feeling completely at a loss!
Seeing that she said nothing, Xu Han took it as tacit consent.
He grasped Tang Shiying's ankle with one hand and gently slipped off her sneakers, replacing them with a comfortable pair of indoor slippers!
The entire sequence of movements was as smooth as flowing water, done in one go!
Xu Han didn't even have time to savor the moment; he grabbed her discarded shoes and hurried away!
He was afraid that if he lingered for even a second, she would kick him across the room!
Before Tang Shiying could even react, her feet felt wonderfully light!
She raised her head, a flush washing over her calm face, just in time to see the back of a tall boy carrying her worn shoes toward the door!
He wasn't disgusted?
Tang Shiying touched her face; it felt as though she had a fever.
What on earth was that little fellow doing?
Why didn't she refuse?
Tang Shiying couldn't tell if she was feeling regret or... shyness!
She felt she couldn't let this continue any longer, otherwise...
She had to say something:
"What time do the dorm gates lock?"
Xu Han glanced at the time—it was already nine-forty in the evening!
Was she trying to chase him away?
Did he really push his luck too far after all?
Not daring to look at the person on the sofa, Xu Han replied in a low voice:
"Oh! I'll head back right now!"
With that, he turned and bolted!
Just as he reached the door, he spun back around!
"I'll boil some hot water for you. Ten minutes is plenty, and it won't take ten minutes to walk back!"
Before Tang Shiying could speak, he dashed into the kitchen!
Sitting on the sofa, Tang Shiying curled the corners of her lips into a smile!
This little fellow really was rather adorable!
She raised her phone, snapped a sneaky photo, and sent it to Xu Ruolan!
The photo showed Xu Han's back as he stood in the kitchen!
Xu Ruolan: ??
What is this supposed to mean? My little brother went over to your place to stay?
Tang Shiying suddenly regretted sending the photo!
How was she supposed to reply?
Say that she was the one he carried back?
That was completely out of the question.
After weighing her options for a few seconds, Tang Shiying replied: Just passing by!
Reading those two words on the other end, Xu Ruolan smiled faintly!
It should be around ten o'clock at night over in China.
What normal person would be passing through someone else's kitchen at ten o'clock at night!
No, wait—her little brother was a normal person!
In the end, Xu Ruolan sent five words: Don't you dare bully him!
Seeing the message, Tang Shiying glanced toward the kitchen.
Xu Han was just stepping out with a mug of hot water!
"It's a bit hot, wait a little while before drinking it!"
Seeing his deadpan, serious expression, Tang Shiying couldn't resist teasing him a little!
She immediately pointed at the wall clock.
Xu Han followed her gaze.
Five minutes until dorm curfew!
"I'm leaving!"
The moment the words left his mouth, he was already hurtling out the door!
Xu Han ran all the way back to the dorms, sliding safely through the doors in the very last second before the dorm auntie locked them!
As an exemplary college student, how could he possibly stay out overnight right at the start of the semester?
Absolutely not!
Xu Han returned dejectedly to room 520, where the three drunkards were already sawing logs!
He quickly washed up, climbed into bed, and tossed and turned, completely unable to sleep!
Every time he closed his eyes, Teacher Tang's figure floated before him!
He turned his phone on, then off again, repeating the process countless times before finally drifting off to sleep without realizing it!
When he woke up, Lin Jinghao was already packing his things!
"You're awake. Where did you go last night?"
"Didn't I come back to sleep?" Xu Han feigned total ignorance!
Seeing this, Lin Jinghao didn't press further; he had been heavily drunk himself and probably didn't remember!
"Get up, time for class!"
"A university career without skipping class is incomplete!" Zhao Lefan mumbled sleepily!
"It's the counselor's class meeting!"
"I love going to class, class brings me joy!"