Chapter 28: The Infirmary

Ten meters…
Five meters…
Almost there.

Su Wanqing pushed herself to the very limit, sprinting toward the finish line—toward Lin Cheng’s direction.

Then, all of a sudden—
A violent, spinning vertigo hit her like a tidal wave. Her vision twisted and flipped upside down, as though she had been yanked out of the air and thrown backward.

The possession—was over.

Su Wanqing was forcibly torn out of Li Xiaoran’s body.

In that instant, Li Xiaoran, still mid-stride, went stiff. Her gaze lost all focus, like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Her entire body collapsed, crashing headlong toward the rough, unyielding surface of the track.

“Xiaoran!”

Lin Cheng reacted with the speed and sharpness his strengthened body granted him. His eyes had already caught the accident half a second before it happened. He lunged forward, closing the distance in a few quick strides.

His left hand shielded her head, his right arm hooked firmly around her waist and back, catching her just before she hit the ground.

The soft weight of her body slammed into his chest, jolting him back a step, but he held on tight. She hadn’t hit the ground—he had her, safe in his arms.

Lin Cheng lowered his gaze to the girl nestled against him.
“Xiaoran, what’s wrong? Did you fall again?”

Her long lashes trembled, unfocused eyes taking several seconds to gather clarity. When they did, the first thing she saw was his face—drawn with worry.

“…Lin Cheng.”

She remembered falling—remembered the raw pain tearing through her knees and arms. Then she had made that stubborn decision:
To get up. To keep running.

Even if Lin Cheng came running to her, she wouldn’t quit.

Why? Why had she been so determined, even when it hurt so badly she wanted nothing more than to cry?

It felt like one of those irrational bursts of temper, worse than any monthly mood swing—an obstinate refusal to admit defeat, to give in.

So foolish.

Why had she pushed herself that far?

Confused and miserable, Xiaoran thought of it like crashing an electric scooter into a stone pillar again and again—frustrated to the point of madness, then sulking silently at home, making her boyfriend guess why she was angry.

But…
Lin Cheng’s embrace was so warm. So safe.
His scent was clean, edged faintly with the warmth of sunlight.

Mm…

All the pain seemed to melt away in the refuge of his arms.
It even smelled nice.

Almost instinctively, like a lost little animal, Li Xiaoran burrowed deeper into that warmth, her voice muffled with a tremor, nasal and small:
“It hurts… it hurts everywhere…”

“Don’t be afraid. It’s alright now. I’m here.”

Lin Cheng’s hold tightened protectively, careful not to press on her scraped knees or elbows. With steady steps, he carried her across the finish line.

“Forget the race. I’m taking you to the infirmary.”

The supervising teacher rushed over, but seeing Lin Cheng already lifting Xiaoran in his arms, said nothing and let him go.

Outside the track, Su Wanqing came back to herself, gritting her teeth as her eyes burned toward the stands—toward Zhou Mingyuan.

Damn it.

She never should have kept running.
She should’ve cut across the field, gone straight to Lin Cheng, and told him everything.

Now her possession was over. She couldn’t enter Xiaoran again. And that left the girl in danger.

Zhou Mingyuan had set his sights on her. Who knew when that beast would make his move?

Jaw tight, Su Wanqing followed after Lin Cheng, her mind racing for a plan.

***

Inside the infirmary.

“Oh heavens, how did you end up like this? Put her on the bed, quickly!”

The school nurse, a middle-aged woman, frowned deeply at the bloody scrapes marring Xiaoran’s knees and elbows.

Because Su Wanqing had forced the body to keep running, the wounds had never been cleaned or rested. The torn flesh was aggravated, bleeding anew, the pain doubled.

Lin Cheng lowered Xiaoran carefully onto the white-sheeted cot.

The instant she left his arms, the pain came back sharp and unrelenting.

“Classmate, wait outside. I need to treat her injuries,” the nurse said.

“…Alright.”

He nodded and stepped to the doorway—but lingered, watching through the glass window, eyes never leaving Xiaoran.

The nurse snapped on gloves, pulled out disinfectant and cotton swabs.
“This will sting. Bear with it,” she warned, then got to work.

First a rinse with water, to clear away dirt, then the disinfectant.

“Hss—”

The sting of alcohol on raw skin made Xiaoran suck in a sharp breath, tears springing to her eyes.

Her fists clenched tight, her whole body rigid.

“Relax. The more you tense up, the worse it’ll hurt.”

The nurse slowed her motions slightly, but the pain still made Xiaoran tremble.

Hurts so much…

And then—
A warm hand gently closed over her clenched fist.

Startled, Xiaoran looked up.

Lin Cheng was back at her side, standing by the bed.
“Don’t be afraid. It’ll be over soon.” His hand enveloped hers.

Heat spread from his palm. Xiaoran’s face flushed crimson.
The tingling sensation from his touch actually softened the rigid tension in her muscles.

Like she’d been burned, she uncurled her fist, fingers stiff but obedient, curling into his palm and not daring to move. She even held her breath.

Like a girl letting her boyfriend hold her hand for the very first time.
Shy. Nervous.
And secretly… expectant.

The nurse shot them a sidelong glance, but said nothing. She lowered her head and kept tending the wounds.

Teenage couples weren’t unusual. Even middle schoolers dated openly now.

At least this boy seemed reliable—bringing his girlfriend straight here, staying by her side, steady and attentive. That was responsibility.

And the girl… shy, but not pulling away. Likely she’d already made up her mind about him.

Yes. These two would be fine.
That was the nurse’s quiet judgment.

Outside the infirmary—

Su Wanqing pressed her translucent face against the glass, trying to slip through, but failed.

No.
Why can’t I get in?
Does this shabby little room also require permission to enter?

Frustrated, she banged against the door, glaring inside.

Lin Cheng was holding Xiaoran’s hand. Xiaoran’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes lowered shyly. Lin Cheng’s gaze was steady, full of focus and concern.

Su Wanqing nearly exploded.

Ugh! Xiaoran, you’re unbelievable.
It’s just disinfectant! Does it really hurt so much you need him to hold your hand?

Please.

When I got hit by that car, my whole body mangled and torn, did I cry out even once?
And here you are—acting like this?
What a little green tea act.

Su Wanqing sighed resentfully at the door.

She’d already accepted the idea of following Lin Cheng for the rest of her existence. He had even sworn to avenge her. What difference was there between that and being together?

And now, the very next day, she had to watch this?
How laughable.

Arghhh!!