Chapter 086: Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup

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“Xiaojun, are you alright?” Though he was drenched in sweat, Yang Tian still hurriedly struggled to sit up and gently asked the girl in his arms, Huang Juan.

“I’m fine. What about you? Your arm… your arm is already like this and you’re still worried about me!” Huang Juan patted her forehead and then got up. When she saw Yang Tian’s right arm swollen and his face beaded with sweat, she couldn’t help but softly chide him. Amidst her worry, she was even more deeply moved—despite his condition, the first thing he thought about was her.

If he hadn’t tried to protect her, nothing would have happened to him. Huang Juan knew this very well. Suddenly, she felt an urge to cry—touched and pained for him all at once.

“My arm… it’s nothing! Didn’t I always hurt myself like this climbing trees when we were kids? Don’t you remember?” Yang Tian glanced at his right arm, which was badly swollen. A large patch of skin at his elbow was scraped off, oozing fresh blood.

“You’re still putting on a brave face! Come on, let’s see a doctor right now!” Huang Juan scolded him softly and immediately helped Yang Tian to his feet, half-carrying him as she hurried toward the small clinic on Xuefu Street. She knew Yang Tian was only pretending to be fine so she wouldn’t worry; he must be in a lot of pain.

Fortunately, the fall hadn’t been too severe. Thanks to years of exercise, Yang Tian’s body was much sturdier than most, so his bones were unharmed—only the soft tissues were injured, though the damage was considerable. The doctor said it would take at least a month of rest to recover fully, and during that time, Yang Tian shouldn’t use his right hand too much, or the injury might worsen.

“Does it still hurt?” On their way home, Huang Juan supported Yang Tian with extra care, asking him in a soft voice from time to time.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore. Didn’t the doctor just apply that Voltaren cream? I can’t feel any pain now!” Yang Tian smiled, though he knew very well that the cream only relieved pain and promoted blood flow. His hand would need careful attention for some time to recover.

“Don’t try to fool me! Whenever you hurt yourself climbing trees as a kid, it always took days to heal, didn’t it? How could it get better so quickly? …Xiaotian, I’m sorry. If you hadn’t tried to protect me, you wouldn’t be like this!” Huang Juan pouted with a small smile, then lowered her head and spoke apologetically.

“Alright, enough, you can’t blame yourself for this. The only one at fault is that reckless truck driver. We’re lucky nothing worse happened, or he’d have gotten what he deserved!” Yang Tian wanted to pat Huang Juan on the head with his right hand, but since he couldn’t move it, he used his left instead.

“If anything had happened to you, I’d hunt that truck driver to the ends of the earth and strangle him myself!” Huang Juan gritted her teeth and spoke fiercely.

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Yang Tian was taken aback, then burst out laughing, and Huang Juan joined in with a laugh of her own.

Back at home, Yang Tian began to tend to his own injuries. He’d bought a bottle of safflower oil and slowly began to massage his arm.

Though the doctor had told him he’d need a month to heal, Yang Tian didn’t believe it would take so long. In his previous life, he’d gotten into plenty of fights and was no stranger to injuries, so he knew how to care for himself. He figured he’d be able to move his arm freely in a week—otherwise, he’d miss something important.

With his right hand out of commission, how could he rewrite his calligraphy piece for the award ceremony at the end of the month?

Huang Juan fetched a basin of water and helped Yang Tian wash his face. Seeing him struggle to massage his right arm with his left hand, she quickly came over to help.

Yang Tian wanted to refuse, not wanting to tire her out, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Pouting, she insisted, and he had no choice but to let her.

Her touch was gentle but steady, and the massage felt unexpectedly comfortable. To Yang Tian’s surprise, he soon drifted off to sleep, thoroughly enjoying the care.

When Bao Yuehong returned and heard what had happened, she was so frightened she immediately screamed, grabbing the sleeping Yang Tian and checking him all over for serious injuries. Yang Tian, startled, thought a burglar had broken in and leapt up with a start.

Once he realized it was only Bao Yuehong, who looked terribly anxious, he relaxed and went back to sleep. The coolness of the safflower oil soothed his right arm, making it feel as though it was submerged in ice water, lulling him further into rest. He didn’t bother with Bao Yuehong, his homeroom teacher, for now.

But Bao Yuehong scolded him soundly and threatened to confiscate his motorcycle to keep him out of trouble in the future.

After her scolding, she hurried to the convenience store and bought two pounds of pork ribs and a winter melon, returning to make winter melon and pork rib soup to nourish Yang Tian. Huang Juan went to help her.

It was nearly midnight, but both little rooms were brightly lit. Bao Yuehong was simmering the soup with great care, while Huang Juan tiptoed to Yang Tian’s bedside from time to time, checking to see if he was asleep and whether the cold towel on his injured arm had slipped off.

After a deep sleep, Yang Tian was awakened by the aroma of winter melon and pork rib soup. His stomach rumbled, and when he saw Bao Yuehong and Huang Juan carefully bringing in the soup, he quickly sat up, a bright smile spreading across his face.

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“You’re hurt so badly, and you still have the heart to smile! …Here, drink this soup—eat more so your wounds heal faster!” Bao Yuehong couldn’t help but laugh, then spoke with genuine concern.

Yang Tian grinned and took the bowl, drinking it down. Whether it was Bao Yuehong’s cooking or his own hunger, he found the soup especially delicious that night.

“Slow down, nobody’s going to take it from you!” Seeing him struggling to hold the bowl with his left hand, Huang Juan hurried to help, her face full of concern as she glanced repeatedly at his injured right hand.

“How is it? Does it taste alright?” Bao Yuehong soon filled another bowl for Yang Tian, smiling as she asked.

“It’s so-so, just passable,” Yang Tian smacked his lips and lifted his chin with a grin.

“You little rascal, always playing cheeky! If you can joke like that, your injury can’t be as bad as I thought!” Bao Yuehong patted Yang Tian’s head and laughed.

“It’s just a scratch!” Yang Tian replied breezily, continuing to drink the soup. Compared to the wounds he’d gotten in fights before his rebirth, this was nothing at all.

“Miss Bao, this is all my fault. If he hadn’t tried to protect me, Yang Tian wouldn’t have been hurt like this!” The lighter Yang Tian acted, the more guilty Huang Juan felt. She lowered her head and spoke to Bao Yuehong.

“You’re still calling me Miss Bao? Don’t you want to call me ‘sister’ anymore? Xiaojun, let me tell you, Xiaotian has always been this kind of person—he never hesitates to help those around him. That’s why everyone likes to be with him—because being with him makes you feel safe,” Bao Yuehong said thoughtfully, stroking Huang Juan’s head.

“Alright, I’m full. The rest is yours,” Yang Tian cut in before Bao Yuehong and Huang Juan could become too sentimental.

“No way, have another bowl. You need to get well quickly—how else will you attend the calligraphy award ceremony at the end of the month?” Bao Yuehong and Huang Juan wouldn’t take no for an answer. Together, one handed him the bowl and the other fed him with a spoon, forcing Yang Tian to eat another bowl of soup.