TSDT - 12

The ankle sprain hurt, but thankfully it was mild and hadn’t damaged the bone. After a series of hospital checks, ice packs, and medication, it was already late when they got home.

The doctor instructed her not to wear high heels for a week. Meng Jingshu glanced at her shoes and then didn’t let her walk on her own, practically carrying her all the way back.

Jiang Ying stared at his temples and said, “Am I very light?”

Meng Jingshu said, “Hmm, like a cat.”

Jiang Ying said, “Then why are you sweating?”

Meng Jingshu paused and said, “Right, I lied, you’re very heavy.”

Jiang Ying: “...”

Once they got home and changed into slippers, Jiang Ying was finally able to walk freely, albeit slowly.

She was busy categorizing and putting the groceries into the refrigerator, while Meng Jingshu casually surveyed her living space.

The studio apartment wasn’t large. Entering from the door, the kitchen was on the left of the entrance, the bathroom on the right. Further in, the living room, bedroom, and balcony were all connected, a straight line of sight to the end. Besides a few posters on the wall and some aroma diffusers on the tables and cabinets, there weren’t many pretty decorations that girls typically liked; everything was simple. Things were a bit messy but still relatively clean.

The largest piece of furniture, the bed, was also the messiest. The quilt was bundled up, several plush toys were placed by the pillow, and a few items of clothing, whether worn or not, were at the foot of the bed. Meng Jingshu smiled at the sight.

After tidying up the ingredients, Jiang Ying took out her ointment, intending to wash her face and apply the medicine. She turned around to see him observing her bed and wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, she fiercely warned him, “Don’t you dare say my place is messy and dirty, or I’ll kick you out.”

Meng Jingshu: “I didn’t say anything, you did.”

Jiang Ying snorted and slowly shuffled towards the bathroom.

Meng Jingshu couldn’t stand it and picked her up again.

Jiang Ying mumbled softly, “So strong...”

Meng Jingshu’s lips twitched. He didn’t make a sound, just leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, waiting for her.

Jiang Ying leaned close to the mirror, carefully removed her makeup, then, with a tight frown, disinfected the wound and applied ointment little by little with a cotton swab. She waved her hand to fan it for a while, waiting for the medicine to dry, then put a horizontal bandage over her nose.

After applying it, she chuckled to herself.

Meng Jingshu looked at her reflection in the mirror and inexplicably chuckled along.

How could a person switch between so many emotions in just a few hours? She was so angry when she was hit, so fierce when she was cursing, and now, looking at her wound, she could actually laugh?

Jiang Ying spoke, resolving his confusion: “I look especially like a character from Fantasy Westward Journey, isn’t it... Divine Heavenly Soldier? Big eyes, with a bandage on.”

That’s a really ancient game...

It started getting popular when they were in fourth or fifth grade, right?

Meng Jingshu was led by her to reminisce. After a moment, he shook his head and said, “Not the Divine Heavenly Soldier.”

Jiang Ying: “It’s not? Then who is it? There must be such a person, I remember it clearly, he even winks,” she said, winking her right eye into the mirror, “Like this.”

Meng Jingshu didn’t speak for a while. Jiang Ying met his gaze in the mirror, urging him: “Don’t you remember? I feel like I saw him often... Come on, try to remember.”

After another few seconds, he finally said, “Was he wearing a helmet? Standing at the gates of the Heavenly Palace?”

It aligned with her memory. Jiang Ying nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, yes! That’s him!”

Meng Jingshu: “That’s a Heavenly Soldier or General, an NPC.”

Jiang Ying was a little disappointed: “Ah... I only resemble a mediocre NPC.”

Meng Jingshu found it amusing: “Did Teacher Jiang also play online games when she was in school?”

Jiang Ying proudly: “Of course.”

She finished treating the wound on her face and was about to leave the bathroom. In the cramped space, she turned around and found herself face to face with the person at the door.

The warm yellow light in the bathroom poured in quietly, and time seemed to gently pause.

After a sudden silence, he asked in a low voice, “Aren’t you taking off your glasses?”

“...Huh?” Jiang Ying was confused.

“I mean...” He searched his mind for information. “Those contact lenses that make eyes look bigger, called... colored contacts?”

He had wanted to ask this before. Her eyes weren’t very large, but her irises were big, dark, and bright. Lately, he occasionally dreamed of her, in the night, in those ambiguous moments, her eyes veiled with a misty layer, looking at him. He always felt like he could be drawn into them.

Jiang Ying retorted angrily, “I’m not wearing colored contacts! My eyeballs are naturally like this. I had surgery two years ago, so I don’t wear glasses anymore.”

She pushed Meng Jingshu aside and squeezed through the gap between him and the door, limping to the table to sit down.

She had gotten laser surgery after graduating from university. She had blocked him in her senior year, and after that, whether intentionally or unintentionally, they hadn’t seen each other since.

Perhaps he had never clearly seen her true appearance.

The atmosphere immediately dropped to freezing point.

Just over ten minutes later, the sky had already darkened completely. Only the bathroom light was on in the room. Jiang Ying sat silently at the table, her hands clasped, enveloped in the dimness.

Meng Jingshu strode over a few steps. Seeing her sulking, he unconsciously softened his voice: “I think you said before that laser surgery was scary, so I thought you wouldn’t do it.”

Ah...

Is that so?

Jiang Ying slowly said, “Did I? When?”

Meng Jingshu said, “In high school, I once heard you discussing it loudly with a few girls.”

It seemed there was such a thing...

Well, alright then.

The mood shifted from gloomy to bright.

Jiang Ying praised him, “You have a good memory.”

“...”

Before just now, Meng Jingshu had no idea he remembered these things.

His questions and explanations today came without any reason.

He had no intention of reminiscing, but someone made him remember.

It was almost six o’clock, and it was completely dark. Jiang Ying tapped the living room light on, as if pulling open a curtain for a grand entrance, and said, “Dinner time.”

Meng Jingshu snapped back to reality and said, “What are we eating? I’ll go buy something.”

“No need, I’ll cook today.” Jiang Ying supported herself as she stood up, saying grandly, “Let Gege treat you to a meal.”

“...” Meng Jingshu said indifferently, “Who are you calling Gege?”

He remembered she was born a year after him.

Jiang Ying: “Hehe.”