Chapter 15: Serving Tea and Water
When Shi Huaibai was picked up by Jiang Xinian, he was still majestic and spirited, like a little peacock returning victorious from court.
Jiang Xinian glanced sideways at the wretched Song Chi on the ring. His temples throbbed violently. At this moment, he looked exactly like a bald pheasant whose calls to heaven and earth went unanswered.
The motto LB Academy took pride in was “Freedom, Love, and Beauty.”
Shi Huaibai was really free to the point of going overboard!
Chen Xin received Jiang Xinian’s summons in the middle of the night. He hauled himself up in a hurry to rush to the boxing gym. Halfway there, Jiang Xinian called again, his tone adding a few degrees of irritability: “Don’t come to the boxing gym. Go directly to the hospital. Bring some nourishing soup by the way.”
Carrying a thermos of soup, he thought: Was that kid Shi Huaibai really beaten crippled?
Stepping into the hospital entrance, that thick smell of disinfectant, strong enough to choke, drilled rudely into his nostrils.
Chen Xin remembered: Jiang Xinian hated hospitals the most.
As the Academy Chief, Jiang Xinian would visit hospitalized students as a routine duty, but every time he would subconsciously cover his nose tight.
He would show his face symbolically, say a few formulaic words of comfort, smile politely… and no more than two seconds after the procedure ended, this “decent person” would quickly find a high-sounding excuse to leave.
Then, he would throw his jacket into the trash can with a look of disgust, as if contaminated by some deadly germ.
But now, Chen Xin looked at the time on his phone screen. Counting from the second call, Jiang Xinian had been guarding the hospital for at least forty-five minutes.
He really… cares about Shi Huaibai, after all.
Even tearing up his relationship with Song Chi to protect Shi Huaibai?
He even asked me to pack hot soup. Does that Jiang Xinian, who feels disgusted even approaching a ward, plan to feed Shi Huaibai soup personally?
Arriving in front of the designated ward, Chen Xin was completely dumbfounded. Shi Huaibai was sitting perfectly fine on the stainless steel bench at the door, swinging his two long, straight legs. Let alone injured, there wasn’t even a bruise on him; he was sleek and shiny.
Chen Xin froze: “Is medical technology already this advanced?”
He knew Jiang Xinian was rich, but what black technology effect could revive the dead and grow flesh on bones in a second? How did I not know?
The veins on Jiang Xinian’s forehead throbbed. He squeezed a sentence out through his teeth, unbearable: “Chen Xin, give him the soup.”
“Oh, okay, okay…” Although Chen Xin was baffled, he hurriedly handed over the soup.
Shi Huaibai took the thermos like a conditioned reflex, unscrewing the lid with a click. A rich aroma wafted out. He almost subconsciously picked up the spoon to reach into the bucket.
Jiang Xinian had quick eyes and hands. He covered Shi Huaibai’s mouth, the force making Shi Huaibai let out a “Mmph,” his eyes widening into circles.
“Did I tell you to drink it? Why did you fight with Song Chi? Troublemaker. What did you beat Song Chi’s face into?”
Chen Xin immediately craned his neck, like a curious long-necked quail, stretching and shrinking—a good seedling for Indian dance.
He couldn’t believe it: Song Chi is inside? This little ancestor Shi Huaibai in front of me looks intact, even thinking about drinking soup, while the insufferably arrogant Song Chi was actually beaten into lying down?
Chen Xin simply exploded: “Looks like you don’t need to make bombs; he couldn’t beat you either!”
He finally understood: Why Jiang Xinian stayed in the hospital for so long.
Because Song Chi was genuinely injured, and Jiang Xinian had to give the Song family a decent explanation no matter what.
While wiping his glasses with his clothes, Jiang Xinian nagged Shi Huaibai in bits and pieces: “Are you proud of hitting people? Hitting people is one thing, but you only hit the face.”
“Looking up and seeing each other in the academy in the future, are you really that unable to hold your temper?”
Chen Xin secretly looked at Song Chi inside through the crack in the door and was startled: The other party’s face was covered in bandages and iodine, bruised and swollen—red, white, blue, colorful!
Chen Xin: “Pfft…”
Jiang Xinian swept his angry gaze indiscriminately over Shi Huaibai and Chen Xin: “And you, what are you laughing at?”
Chen Xin: “No… nothing.”
Jiang Xinian used to be a living ancestor (someone hard to serve); now he met someone who pitied no ancestors. He could only cover his forehead with his hand in despair, looking desireless.
Truly an eventful autumn, bad judgment of people.
The Song family’s power was equal to the Jiang family’s, leaders in different fields. Kings don’t see kings, but that didn’t mean beating Song Chi like this could go without any explanation.
The re-election assembly was in a few days. A small part of the LB Academy Student Council was on good terms with Song Chi; acting on loyalty might bring him a lot of trouble.
Song Chi was also a tough nut. Who knew if he would play some dirty tricks behind the scenes for revenge?
Qu You stood aside. Seeing Jiang Xinian’s distressed look, the Eldest Miss Qu spoke up righteously: “Brother Xinian, don’t blame Little Huaibai. It was because that bastard Song Chi insulted you first. Little Huaibai got angry and wanted to vent for you, so he hit him. And didn’t Song Chi say himself it was a contest? If Xiao Bai hadn’t hit him, then the one beaten would be Xiao Bai.”
Shi Huaibai’s mouth was still held by Jiang Xinian, only able to make “Werwer…” sounds. His big eyes blinked and blinked, looking very aggrieved. A trace of vivid color that was extremely hard to detect was in the corner of his eyes, staring straight at Jiang Xinian, nodding like pounding garlic.
Jiang Xinian froze, withdrawing the hand covering Shi Huaibai’s mouth. His mind was still troubled, like paste: Even if Shi Huaibai did it for me, that’s… a bit too lacking in propriety. Couldn’t even stop at the right point.
But… it seems it was for me.
Yes, he did this for me.
Waves seemed to suddenly rise in his brain, ripples spreading to unpredictable depths. Jiang Xinian sighed helplessly: “Go in and apologize.”
“Okay.”
Shi Huaibai stood up obediently. Halfway through his step, before landing, Jiang Xinian’s helpless voice came from behind again, reminding: “Take the soup in.”
Perhaps having deep experience with Shi Huaibai’s destructive power, Jiang Xinian had completely become a mother hen.
Out of distrust for Shi Huaibai, Jiang Xinian spoke right into Shi Huaibai’s ear: “Feed him. Got it?”
Jiang Xinian dared to conclude that if he didn’t say this, Shi Huaibai could thoughtlessly throw the thermos to a place far away and run away rudely.
“Have a better attitude.” After the last instruction, Jiang Xinian finally closed his eyes wearily to rest.
Chen Xin stood straight beside him, worrying: “Song Chi shouldn’t trouble us, right?”
Jiang Xinian also had a headache: “If we’re lucky, he won’t.”
Because Song Chi was more moral than him. Unlike his own seeking revenge for the smallest grievance, Song Chi was just impulsive. Once impulsive, he would do anything.
Song Chi’s moral concept changed with his temper. Once in a fit of anger, rudeness and barbarism took the upper hand, and reason would be burned to ashes.
That’s why Jiang Xinian told Shi Huaibai to take the soup and apologize. Smooth the person’s temper down, and everything would be fine.
Thinking of this, Jiang Xinian looked at Shi Huaibai’s back with a gloomy gaze, thinking: So strange. If it were before, I would instinctively distance myself from this troublemaker Shi Huaibai. Now I’m actually bothering to plan and solve troubles for Shi Huaibai.
So… strange.
Song Chi wasn’t seriously injured; the most wretched part was just that face.
Because of this, the humiliation stuck in his throat even more, making him wish he could eat Shi Huaibai’s flesh and drink his blood to relieve the hatred.
Although he was fine, he was still childish, putting on airs.
At this moment, he was viciously scrolling through the academy forum, fingers flying, typing rapidly as if venting anger:
[Liar!] [Gold Digger!] [Colluding with Jiang Xinian!]
A rhythmic sound of footsteps came to his ears. Song Chi naturally knew who it was: Hit me and want to leave just like that? Where in the world is there such a good thing?
Shi Huaibai sat down on his bedside with a plop, hair messy. He lifted his eyes to stare at him once, then unscrewed the thermos. A curl of warm steam rose, and the savory aroma immediately filled the room warmly. Shi Huaibai’s skin was white as snow. He timidly stirred the soup with a spoon, carefully blew a breath, twisted his snowy neck, and looked over at Song Chi with those misty eyes.
He gazed at the wounds on Song Chi’s face, tone light: “Does it hurt?”
Song Chi’s mind went into a trance, thinking Shi Huaibai’s methods were truly superb; no wonder the one named Jiang liked him so much now.
This tame and harmonious appearance—who wouldn’t comment ‘wife, kids, warm bed’ upon seeing it?
Really excessively pretty.
Song Chi gave a soft “Hmph.” Don’t think feeding me a bowl of soup can make big things small and small things disappear.
Shi Huaibai lowered his head in a daze. Song Chi couldn’t see his expression clearly.
He only held out for a few seconds before he couldn’t help it: Was I too fierce? Perhaps Shi Huaibai wasn’t wrong either; it’s just that he met Jiang Xinian first and followed Jiang Xinian first.
“Are you scared?” Song Chi sat up straight: “I’m just angry that you hit my face exclusively. Winners are kings, losers are bandits. You indeed won against me with your own ability; there’s nothing to say about that. I won’t trouble you.”
“I, Song Chi, am not that kind of person.” He stiffened his neck, opening his mouth unconsciously as if showing great mercy: “Soup. Feed me.”
“Ah~”
This was the biggest step down Song Chi could give Shi Huaibai.
I’m accepting Shi Huaibai’s goodwill, isn’t that enough?
Who is Shi Huaibai putting on this scared look for?
“I knew it, my opponent is also a man of his word.” As soon as the words fell, Shi Huaibai looked at Song Chi’s open mouth waiting to be fed. He suddenly lifted his head, eyes full of innocence: “Ah? Why should I feed you?”
Song Chi: “???”
Shi Huaibai continued to press on, saying shocking words: “Didn’t I win against you? Then aren’t you supposed to serve me tea and water for a week? Then you have to feed me!”
Speaking of this, Shi Huaibai lay down on Song Chi’s hospital bed with a swagger, found a comfortable angle, played with his phone, and opened his mouth wide: “Ah…”
Song Chi almost smashed the bowl.
Mental case!
The System couldn’t hold back either: 【Host, what are you doing?】
Shi Huaibai answered as a matter of course: 【Helping Xinian slap Song Chi’s face. Didn’t Xinian just tell me to feed him (be fed)?】 (Note: In Chinese, “wei zhe he” can be ambiguous depending on interpretation, here Shi Huaibai interprets it as “be fed to drink” while Jiang meant “feed him to drink”)
Jiang Xinian, who had been observing at the door for a long time, cracked again: “…”
I told you to feed Song Chi, not let Song Chi feed you.
Shi Huaibai blinked at Jiang Xinian from afar: How about it?
“I helped you teach Song Chi a lesson. Feels good, right?”
We Long Aotians are just that cool!
Author’s Note: Jiang: Little friend, no talking, speak civilly, be polite. Shi Huaibai: I’ll let Song Chi know right now what politeness is!
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