In the intimate confines of the room, Lin Xue ushered Wang Xiao towards the comforting embrace of the familiar bed.
The room's scent instantly transported them back in time, triggering a wave of nostalgia and déjà vu.
"What were you thinking, trying to wash it off with water!?" Lin Xue's reprimand erupted suddenly, catching him off guard. His face contorted into a frown as he pondered her question.
"Ugh! Whatever, give me your mother's phone number," Lin Xue sighed, her voice carrying a resigned tone as she studied his bewildered expression.
Wang Xiao hesitated, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Is calling her really necessary?"
Lin Xue crouched down, locking her intense gaze with his. "Boy, tell me what's going on in that head of yours. First, you tried to wash the injury, and now you're hesitating to call home? Do you want to just sit here, bleeding and die?"
"..."
The weight of her words bore down on Wang Xiao, forcing him to relent.
The reality of the situation set in – the injury was too severe to keep concealed.
Even if he bandaged it up, he would still have to face the consequences when he got home.
"Her number is six seven...." he began, acknowledging the gravity of the moment and accepting his fate.
__________
"Thank you so much for looking after him," Xinyue Zhilan expressed her gratitude to Lin Xue, the relief evident in her eyes. Meanwhile, Wang Xiao sat patiently in the car, anticipating Xinyue Zhilan's return to drive them to the hospital.
"It's alright," Lin Xue murmured, an awkward smile playing on her lips as she attempted to hasten their departure.
Never could she have imagined meeting the mother of the boy she had been sleeping with. The unexpected display of politeness caught her off-guard; she had braced herself for a potential confrontation from Xinyue Zhilan.
"Sigh..." As the car drove away, Lin Xue finally released a sigh of relief, leaving the details for Wang Xiao to handle.
It wasn't her responsibility to grapple with how he'd explain the situation to his mother or justify how he managed to get the injury.
________
"We don't need to go to the hospital; a clinic would do," Wang Xiao suggested, gripping the co-pilot seat in the car. However, his words seemed to dissolve into the rushing wind, unnoticed by Xinyue Zhilan.
She shot him a piercing look, squinting her eyes. "Children shouldn't speak too much. We're heading to the city hospital, whether you agree or not," she declared sternly, revealing her protective instincts.
Feeling the weight of her resolve, Wang Xiao settled into his seat, understanding her fierce determination. Moments later, she softened her gaze and asked, genuinely concerned, "Is it hurting?"
Wang Xiao responded, "No," though he couldn't discern any pain—perhaps his body had numbed from shock.
Xinyue Zhilan pressed further, inquiring, "...How did you get yourself hit?"
Wang Xiao recounted, "It was a car driving on the wrong side."
"A car hit you?" Xinyue Zhilan clarified, her worry palpable.
Wang Xiao added, "I tried to save myself and crashed into a pole."
Silence lingered, heavy with concern and relief.
"Do you remember the license number of the car?" she finally asked.
Wang Xiao shook his head, his eyes fixed on the road, evading her prying gaze.
Assuming him to be nervous, Xinyue Zhilan refrained from pushing further.
In less than an hour, the treatment was done. It wasn't a grave injury; with some bandages, it would heal in 4-5 days. After reluctantly accepting an unattractive bandage on his forehead, Wang Xiao was driven back home.
As he walked past the stairs, he faced more curious stares, which he dodged skillfully, retreating to the solitude of his room.
______
In the confines of his room, Wang Xiao pushed open the bathroom door, its hinges creaking slightly, and stepped inside.
His gaze was immediately drawn to the mirror, where his reflection stared back, framed by the stark reality of the ugly bandage on his forehead.
Despite the unsightly wound, his eyes were fixated on the mirror's surface, where his thoughts churned like a tempest within.
It was as though he had possessed a certain understanding beforehand, but the actual experience had wrought a complete transformation in his perception.
For years, he had held the knowledge that the human body was a fragile vessel, susceptible to shattering.
However, that understanding had remained a dormant ember, never ignited into full awareness.
Today's injury had turned that ember into a blazing flame, and he peered at his own form, bewildered.
"Is it truly this easy to die...?" he muttered, the question laced with perplexity.
*Boom!*
In a sudden surge of emotion, he unleashed a punch at the unyielding walls.
His hand withdrew mechanically, and he observed the aftermath—the skin already reddened, a testament to the force exerted, and the pain, a sharp reminder of his weakness.
"So frail..." Wang Xiao mumbled, clenching his fist and unleashing a second blow.
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
*Boom!*
The relentless barrage persisted, each punch inflicting both physical and emotional bruises.
The pain grew in intensity, seeping into his bones, a relentless reminder of his body's limits.
Wang Xiao now yearned to vent his frustration by banging his head against the wall.
He had never fathomed the extent of his fragility, and the realization gnawed at him.
Yet, he resisted the impulse, fully aware of the peril it could unleash.
Instead, he glanced at the mirror again, forcing a strained smile to conceal his lingering frustration.
The reflections of weakness and resilience danced within the confines of the mirror, encapsulating the turmoil raging within his soul.
________
*Click.*
The sound marked Wang Xiao's exit from the bathroom, his exhalation a testament to the turmoil he'd left behind.
As he crossed the threshold, he couldn't help but notice the door to his room gently swinging open.
There stood Wang Mei, having just entered, a tray laden with carefully prepared items cradled in her hands.
"Mom sent this for you," she specified softly, her bare feet padding gently against the floor as she moved towards the table.
With a delicate touch, she set the tray down, avoiding his gaze and making a subtle attempt to leave.
Wang Xiao, however, had other plans.
He halted her with a gentle but firm question, "Where are you going?"
Confusion flickered across Wang Mei's face as she paused mid-stride, her eyes widening in response to his unexpected query.
"Get better soon," she blurted out, her voice barely more than a whisper, before making a second escape attempt.
This time, however, he reached out and caught her, leading her back into the room.
It was becoming increasingly evident to Wang Xiao that this girl was growing more evasive with each passing day, especially during the day time.