Chapter 26: He’s Unworthy of Touching Chi Xingcun

Chapter 26: He Doesn't Deserve to Touch Chi Xingcun

Why does he keep running off?

Chi Xingcun truly couldn't understand.

He was literally just trying to help him.

The two of them went to check the security footage and, sure enough, saw Xie Yean walking out of the hospital.

Chi Xingcun was about to go look for him when Qin Liyi grabbed his arm and said, "Do we really need to go after him? This is his own choice. If he doesn't appreciate your help, then him suffering is on him."

"...It's different," Chi Xingcun said. The others didn't know who Xie Yean really was, but he did.

"Forget it," Chi Xingcun said. "Let's not go looking for him."

Even if he found Xie Yean right now, Xie Yean would just run again. The only way he'd accept treatment is if Xie Yean was truly convinced.

That evening, Chi Xingcun left the dorms and headed to the studio apartment Xie Yean rented off-campus.

He knocked.

He heard light footsteps inside, and then the door opened.

The lights were off inside, and Xie Yean's face was backlit, so it was even harder to see.

"Xie Yean..." The second Chi Xingcun spoke, Xie Yean knew he was here to talk him into it.

His night vision was great, and he could clearly see Chi Xingcun's big, innocent eyes right now. With that look on his face, he could ask for the moon and people would hand it to him.

"Let's talk outside."

He had no intention of inviting Chi Xingcun in. He couldn't afford the electric bill, so there were no lights on. Besides, the room was too small—it wasn't good enough for Chi Xingcun.

When they got to the green area outside, Chi Xingcun blurted out: "Why did you run off? I'm trying to help you!"

Xie Yean had a slight fever, and his muscles felt weak as he sat down on the concrete ledge, but his expression showed no sign of defeat—still calm and detached.

But he couldn't treat Chi Xingcun the way he treated everyone else.

"Chi Xingcun, you've got a kind heart, and I just happen to be a tragedy that landed right next to you, so you want to help me. But have you thought about it—if you give me all this money, what if I can't pay you back?"

"That's fine! You can owe me! You can pay me back slowly!"

"Are you really that confident in me? I can't even support myself. Hospital bills, lawyer fees—that's a huge amount. Can I really pay that back? I can't promise you that."

"...Of course you can. You're still a student, but your grades are amazing. Once you start working, you'll definitely land a great job with good pay, and you'll be able to pay it back."

What Chi Xingcun was actually thinking was that he'd be taken back by the Chi family soon—what was a little money to them?

Were his grades really that good? He might not even graduate, so how could he get a good job?

He felt completely helpless.

Xie Yean suddenly grabbed Chi Xingcun's wrist and pulled him close, lifting his broken, starlit eyes to meet Chi Xingcun's.

But he let go right away. It had been an impulse, but he immediately realized that someone like him didn't deserve to touch Chi Xingcun.

He didn't know that the way he looked at Chi Xingcun was soft as water, like he was saying he wanted love too.

But his actions showed he was holding back.

His voice was hoarser from the fever, but it still sounded gentle.

"Chi Xingcun, you don't need to help me anymore. I have another way."

"What?" Chi Xingcun's eyes widened slightly.

He didn't answer, just got up and left.

Chi Xingcun watched him walk away, completely lost.

......

For the next two days, Chi Xingcun went to class but couldn't focus.

He'd originally asked the Chis to help, but since Xie Yean refused, there wasn't much they could do.

This way, Xie Yean could've been saved—maybe his identity would've even been found out—but since he refused, everything just stopped.

Some classmates asked why he hadn't brought his brother around anymore. He could only say his brother was busy.

He didn't tell them Xie Yean went to Keda University, afraid they'd go after him there and cause trouble for him.

When midterms came around, Chi Xingcun did his usual thing and ranked fourth in his class, fifteenth in the grade.

As soon as his grades came out, the whole class was shocked, because Chi Xingcun had either skipped exams or come in last before.

This turnaround changed everyone's opinion of him.

They'd actually noticed a while ago that Chi Xingcun was a bit different, but they hadn't had a chance to talk to him. Now that his grades were out, they swarmed him.

"Chi Xingcun, how'd you do so well this time?"

"Were you just faking it before?"

"See, once you stopped being lovesick, your grades went up."

They were talking about how Chi Xingcun had stopped chasing Fu Chenzhan.

They'd thought it was just a phase, but he really had stopped... It had already been half a semester.

Chi Xingcun listened to their compliments and could only smile goofily, looking absolutely adorable. During this time, he not only paid attention in class but also had private one-on-one tutoring—there was no way he could do badly.

After class, Chi Xingcun carried his heavy backpack out, surrounded by classmates who wanted him to come eat lunch with them. Chi Xingcun felt a bit awkward but hesitated and agreed anyway.

At the cafeteria, Chi Xingcun was still spacing out, thinking about what Xie Yean meant by "other ways"...

But his classmates kept talking to him, so he couldn't stay zoned out.

Xue Tianye sat down next to him with his tray.

"Have you decided what you're signing up for at the sports meet?"

Chi Xingcun snapped back to reality and said, "The 1000-meter relay."

"Just that?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, I'll sign you up."

That thing at the school gate last time stirred things up for a bit. He'd originally thought there was no one around Chi Xingcun who genuinely cared for him, but last time... he could tell that guy was deliberately putting on a show of force, just to stop anyone at school from talking about Chi Xingcun like that again.

That show of force really worked—even the posts trashing Chi Xingcun on the forum went down.

Good. At least someone genuinely cared about the young master, so he wouldn't be so sad anymore. Xue Tianye felt delighted.

He couldn't really put his finger on what he felt for Chi Xingcun—maybe... like he was raising a son?

Chi Xingcun was too beautiful, even fairer and more delicate than the dolls in a display case. Who wouldn't want to raise a kid that pretty?

Moreover, he probably wasn't the only one thinking this way. He turned his head and saw a bunch of gleaming eyes fixed on a snow-white rabbit like wolves in the dark.

That was a bit twisted. Xue Tianye thought—he's not actually a doll. He's eighteen, not short either, with a slim, tall build and a pale, fragile kind of beauty.

But it was precisely that fragility that made people want to protect him even more.

After the afternoon classes ended, Qin Liyi came to the school gate to pick up Chi Xingcun.

If the class monitor hadn't mentioned it, he would've almost forgotten about the sports meet.

Twenty more days.

"Will you run with me? Teach me how to run?" he said to Qin Liyi.

"Sure," Qin Liyi said with a smile. "Then you'll have to stay at my place. That way I'll have time in the evenings to run with you, and besides, after running it'll be around nine or ten o'clock anyway."