AMBTICBPIB Chapter 35

 

The first time Chu Yi saw Chu Chengxu at the school gate, he sensed they might come looking for him again.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Liu Meihan and Chu Yang appeared at school to find him.

Although he had clearly rejected them that day, Chu Yi knew they wouldn’t give up so easily.

He had already decided that if they approached him again, he would tell Shen Jin and let him handle it. After all, Shen Jin had said he could come to him with anything.

After this incident, Chu Yi realized Shen Jin hadn’t just been making empty promises. When Shen Jin had said those words, he seemed displeased that Chu Yi hadn’t come to him sooner.

To Chu Yi, the Chu Family was completely foreign. The only people he felt close to were Uncle Wen and Shen Jin. He felt like he was now basking in reflected glory; with Shen Jin by his side, it seemed like he had nothing to worry about.

He had expected Liu Meihan to return, but several days passed without any sign of the Chu Family. No one came looking for him. It didn’t seem like they had given up simply because of his rejection.

Just as Chu Yi was wondering about this, Uncle Wen told him that Shen Jin had already warned the Chu Family, so they naturally wouldn’t dare bother Chu Yi again.

Chu Yi glanced at Shen Jin, his gaze burning with admiration. Shen Jin had said he would never see people he disliked again, and he truly meant it. Chu Yi was remarkably slow to react to certain things. When he recalled Shen Jin’s promise to take care of him that day, he thought it would be like how Uncle Wen cared for him.

*How wonderful,* Chu Yi thought. *Shen Jin probably won’t hate me anymore.*

Noticing his gaze, Shen Jin looked up. Chu Yi smiled at him before lowering his head to continue eating.

Shen Jin raised an eyebrow. Chu Yi seemed to be growing less afraid of him.

Butler Wen asked Chu Yi, “Why haven’t I seen you going out much lately?”

On weekends and holidays, Chu Yi usually enjoyed going out for walks, but he hadn’t left the house for the past couple of weekends.

Chu Yi explained, “Exams are coming up soon, so I need to focus on studying.”

Butler Wen asked, “Do you get nervous during exams, Chu Yi?”

“Not really,” Chu Yi replied. “I’m not too nervous.”

Chu Yi had never slacked off in his studies, but with exams approaching, he still needed to review thoroughly. Even though the chances of failing were slim, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

While other students aimed simply to pass, Chu Yi was determined to rank first. Their academy was brimming with talent, and many students excelled academically. Without diligent preparation, achieving his goal would be impossible.

Upon learning of his ambition, Butler Wen gazed at Chu Yi with admiration. “Your goal is to rank first?”

Chu Yi smiled sheepishly. “I’d like to.”

“Chu Yi is remarkable,” Butler Wen praised.

“After your exams, I’ll take you to Gu Jin’s place to play. You like racing, right?” Shen Jin said from the side. “I haven’t been too busy lately, so I can go with you.”

Chu Yi’s head snapped toward Shen Jin.

“This time, you can experience driving yourself,” Shen Jin added.

Chu Yi’s chair scraped against the floor as he scooted closer to Shen Jin, his eyes shining with anticipation. “Really? I can actually drive on the racetrack?”

Overcome with excitement, Chu Yi didn’t notice how close he had moved to Shen Jin, their arms brushing together.

Shen Jin lowered his gaze to meet Chu Yi’s. “You can drive, as long as it’s absolutely safe.”

“Absolutely safe!” Chu Yi’s face lit up with anticipation. “You’re not just saying that, right? I can really drive a race car?”

The last time Gu Jin had taken him for a ride in the passenger seat, Chu Yi had watched Gu Jin drive with envy. But back then, he hadn’t known Gu Jin well enough to ask for a favor, so he had simply observed, his heart filled with longing.

Now that Shen Jin was telling him he could drive himself, Chu Yi couldn’t contain his excitement. He wished the exams would end tomorrow so he could go play at Gu Jin’s racing club.

Knowing Chu Yi was studying diligently that evening, Uncle Wen prepared some snacks for him.

Just as he finished, he saw Shen Jin. “Take these to Chu Yi,” Uncle Wen said. “Tell him to have a bite and take a break. He shouldn’t tire himself out too much.”

Chu Yi’s door was ajar. When Shen Jin entered, he saw Chu Yi standing on a chair, occasionally stretching on tiptoe as he searched for something. His body swayed precariously, looking quite dangerous.

“What are you doing?” Shen Jin asked, lowering his voice so as not to startle Chu Yi.

Chu Yi turned to look at him. “I’m looking for a book.”

Shen Jin approached. “Come down. I’ll help you find it.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Chu Yi replied. “I’ll find it right away. Just a moment.”

While studying earlier that day, Chu Yi had suddenly remembered a book containing relevant information he wanted to consult. He recalled buying it shortly after joining the Chu Family and thought he had placed it on the bookshelf. So he stood up to search for it.

He had barely stepped onto the stool when Shen Jin entered the room.

Perched on the stool, Chu Yi’s slender frame swayed slightly. He reached for the top shelf, but the book remained elusive. *Where could it be?*

“Ah!” Chu Yi suddenly slapped his forehead. “How could I forget? It’s not here—it’s in the drawer!” He remembered placing it on the desk after reading it a few days ago.

The slap echoed loudly, leaving a red mark on his forehead. Chu Yi winced and rubbed the spot.

Watching him standing so high and fidgeting, Shen Jin grew increasingly anxious. “Come down now.”

Chu Yi agreed and prepared to descend, but disaster struck at that very moment.

Chu Yi and the stool lost their balance simultaneously.

Chu Yi closed his eyes in resignation, bracing for the inevitable crash to the floor.

But the imagined pain never came. Instead of falling, he found himself held firmly in someone’s arms.

The person shielding him, however, collided heavily with a cabinet.

Shen Jin’s arm tightened around Chu Yi’s waist. “Are you alright?”

Chu Yi was fine, but he knew Shen Jin definitely wasn’t. He had heard the dull thud of Shen Jin hitting the cabinet, and the sound alone made him wince.

Chu Yi scrambled out of Shen Jin’s arms. “Are you okay?”

The bracelet on his left wrist had turned yellow and was vibrating urgently, dutifully alerting its wearer to a change in his body.

Shen Jin replied calmly, “I’m fine.”

Chu Yi’s voice trembled with tears. “Let me see.”

“There’s no need,” Shen Jin insisted. “I’m fine.”

Chu Yi stared at him, his eyes red-rimmed and unwavering. “Let me see.”

Faced with those pleading eyes, Shen Jin’s resolve crumbled. “Alright, alright, I’ll show you. Just don’t cry.”

When Chu Yi saw the mark on Shen Jin’s shoulder, his tears overflowed. “How can you say you’re fine when you’re like this? Waaah!”

The mark was a vivid mix of red and purple, swollen and inflamed.

Chu Yi burst into tears. It looked so severe—it must be excruciatingly painful. Yet Shen Jin, trying to comfort him, stubbornly insisted it didn’t hurt.

Before, Chu Yi had only wept silently, tears streaming down his face. Now, he sobbed openly, his cries filled with anguish and sorrow.

Shen Jin frantically wiped away Chu Yi’s tears. “Don’t cry, don’t cry,” he said, flustered. “If others hear you, they’ll think I’m bullying you.”

Chu Yi suddenly remembered something and hastily wiped away his tears. This wasn’t the time for crying. “I’ll apply the medicine for you.”

Shen Jin watched Chu Yi dash off to retrieve the small medicine box. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly removed his wristband.

Chu Yi was so focused on Shen Jin’s shoulder injury that he didn’t notice the wristband glowing yellow and vibrating incessantly.

Chu Yi rushed back with the medicine box. “Hold still,” he said, “I’ll apply the medicine.”

As he applied the ointment, Chu Yi’s hands trembled, moving with delicate care, as if tending to a fragile, tender flower.

Shen Jin said lightly, “You don’t need to be so careful. It doesn’t hurt.”

The moment the words left his lips, Chu Yi’s tears began to fall again, his voice thick with self-reproach. “How could it not hurt? It must hurt terribly.”

Shen Jin noticed that whenever he spoke, Chu Yi cried even harder. *How could this person be such a crybaby?* he wondered. *He cries when he’s in pain himself, and he cries when he sees others in pain.*

A tear landed on the back of Shen Jin’s hand, its warmth almost scalding.

Shen Jin felt as if something had seized his heart. That strange, threadlike sensation resurfaced, and an indescribable feeling welled up within him. He wanted to do something—to kiss away Chu Yi’s tears.

He reached out to wipe Chu Yi’s tears, but Chu Yi looked at him through teary eyes and said, “Don’t move. It’ll hurt more.”

Shen Jin smiled reassuringly. “It really doesn’t hurt.”

For someone like him, pain had become an abstract concept, something he only understood through the bracelet’s textual descriptions.

Chu Yi pursed his lips, staring at him. “If you say it doesn’t hurt again, I’ll start crying right now.”

Shen Jin chuckled, amused by this threat.

Chu Yi, who had once been terrified of crying in front of Shen Jin, was now using tears as a weapon.

*Fine,* Shen Jin thought. *I’ll lie and say it hurts a little.*

“It hurts a little,” Shen Jin admitted.

“I’ll be even gentler,” Chu Yi replied. “Just bear with it.”

As Chu Yi applied the ointment, he gently blew on the wound, hoping to ease the pain.

Seeing Chu Yi’s careful and concerned expression, Shen Jin smiled. It had been a long time since anyone had treated his injuries with such tenderness.

Finally, after meticulously applying the wound-healing gel to all the abrasions on Shen Jin’s shoulder, Chu Yi let out a sigh of relief. “The abrasions are on your back shoulder, so it’s hard to apply the ointment yourself. I’ll help you with it for the next few days.”

“Okay,” Shen Jin replied.

Chu Yi lowered his head. “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.” In truth, Shen Jin didn’t need to come pick him up. Even if he had fallen, it wouldn’t have been serious.

Back in his room, Shen Jin returned to his usual self, moving freely without any sign of pain. He felt perfectly fine—he could even play tennis right now without any issues.

After Shen Jin left, Chu Yi noticed a wristband on the desk.

Shen Jin had left his smartwatch here.

Only then did Chu Yi remember that the wristband had been vibrating incessantly when Shen Jin caught him, and it had even emitted an unfamiliar yellow light.