Milk Tooth

Witnessing his older brother being slapped in the face by a girl was incredibly awkward. Xie Qi Zhi ducked his head, deciding to pretend he was still sound asleep and hadn't seen anything.

A long while later, footsteps sounded behind him. Xie Qi Zhi rested his head on his arm, almost falling asleep again. A hand reached out, playfully poking the round bone at the back of his neck.

Xie Qi Zhi startled, trying to resist sitting up, and naturally shifted his lying position.

Ying Huai didn't realize he was pretending to sleep, retracted his hand, and said, "Why is he so thin?"

"Qi Qi is sleeping," his older brother said. "Don't poke him anymore."

Xie Qi Zhi turned his face outwards, the sunset light shining on his face, his eyelids burning, his eyelashes illuminated a brilliant golden, as if about to catch fire. He counted in his head—one, two, three, four… waiting for the right moment to wake up.

Suddenly, someone else approached.

A familiar scent enveloped him. His older brother mumbled, "How long has he been asleep," then reached out a finger to check his breathing, accidentally touching his slightly parted lips.

Xie Qi Zhi opened his eyes, meeting his older brother's gaze, his eyelashes fluttering continuously.

His older brother straightened up, turning his face away, a rare hint of awkwardness: "Why are you looking at me? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"

Xie Qi Zhi rubbed his eyes, subtly ignoring the faint red mark on his older brother's left cheek.

But the person sitting next to him, looking at his phone, had no good intentions. Without even looking up, he blurted out, "Why do you say he's looking at you? My older brother was fine just now, but after leaving for a bit, he came back with someone else's handprint."

Xie Qi Zhi: "..."

This time, he couldn't pretend not to see it anymore. He could only face his older brother's calm but subtly annoyed gaze.

Xie Qi Zhi looked up, staring at his older brother's face for a moment, then pulled his hand, telling him to lean down. He tenderly touched his cheek, leaned in and gently blew on it, saying, "Brother, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt anymore."

Ying Huai looked up, accidentally witnessing this scene, and suddenly understood why Xie Zhi Lan was so meticulous, thoughtful, and doting towards him.

Between the ex-girlfriend who slapped him and the bad friend who only stood by and watched the fun, Xie Qi Zhi was undoubtedly a little angel, always standing behind Xie Zhi Lan, trusting him, obeying him, comforting his soft, fragile heart with his adorable face and sparkling eyes.

Xie Qi Zhi pretended not to understand, asking in confusion, "What happened?"

His older brother said nothing.

Ying Huai propped his chin on his hand, saying concisely, "It's the karma of failed puppy love. Don't follow suit."

Follow what? Puppy love?

Xie Qi Zhi glanced at his older brother, finding it hard to imagine himself coaxing girls like him in the future. That day would definitely never come.

He simply replied with an "Oh."

Ying Huai glanced at him, his eyelashes slightly curved. Before he could say anything, his older brother walked up behind him, couldn't help but flick his head: "That's enough, I'll teach my younger brother myself."

"Stay away from me," Ying Huai tilted his head slightly, his voice not very friendly. "I'm allergic to you right now."

Xie Qi Zhi blinked a few times. The atmosphere between them… seemed no different than usual.

Had Ying Huai accepted his older brother's confession?

Could his older brother's words be considered a confession?

Can boys confess to boys too?

His older brother and Ying Huai both didn't see anything wrong, so it must be fine.

His older brother even kissed Ying Huai, but he didn't see where…

Xie Qi Zhi looked at Ying Huai. His lips were pale, of moderate thickness, and surprisingly well-shaped, looking completely different from the impression he gave, appearing somewhat soft.

He wondered what it would feel like to kiss him, and what it would be like to be kissed by him?

Xie Qi Zhi couldn't imagine Ying Huai actively kissing someone else, nor could he imagine him dating anyone, even if that person was his older brother.

He wasn't very enthusiastic towards people or little dogs. Would such an Ying Huai also like others?

Did Ying Huai like his older brother?

He probably did. He had never shown such intimacy and patience with anyone else, except his older brother.

Ying Huai, like everyone else, favored extroverted, generous people like his older brother, everything he did seemed smooth and easy.

"What are you looking at me for?" Ying Huai suddenly looked up.

Xie Qi Zhi snapped out of it, meeting his dark eyes, his lips slightly pursed. He didn't answer, silently turning his head away.

For the evening self-study session, Xie Zhi Lan used the excuse that his younger brother was unwell to ask for leave. Xie Qi Zhi realized his older brother also had a sense of pride. He understood but didn't say anything. To cooperate with him, he coughed all the way, only feeling a little better once they got into the car.

Ying Huai also got into the car. Xie Qi Zhi hugged his chest, listening to his older brother ask, "Where's your family driver?"

"He said something wrong, so my dad fired him," Ying Huai said, lowering his head. "Lately, he's been a bit unhinged, finding fault with everyone."

His older brother paused for a few seconds, then changed the subject, talking about the 11th-grade autumn field trip at the end of the week.

Xie Qi Zhi suspected his older brother had guessed something but didn't tell Ying Huai. This thought flashed through his mind, then was dismissed when his older brother asked him, "Qi Qi, do you want to come along?"

Xie Qi Zhi nodded vigorously: "Yes!"

His older brother casually said, "Wanting to is useless, you've lost hope."

Xie Qi Zhi stood up from the back seat, clinging to the back of his brother's seat, pressing him: "Why!"

"The spot I got for you was to make up for you not participating in the sports meet, not a reward for your long-distance run," Xie Zhi Lan pursed his lips, then subtly relaxed them. He turned his head and lectured him: "Why are you standing up? Sit back down, buckle your seatbelt."

Xie Qi Zhi looked utterly disappointed, wanting to plead with his older brother a little more, but they hit a red light, and the car braked sharply. His forehead hit the back of the seat in front, and his body uncontrollably fell backward.

"Qi Qi!"

Hearing the sound, Ying Huai turned his head and saw Xie Qi Zhi collapse limply. Xie Zhi Lan quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed Xie Qi Zhi's right hand.

Xie Qi Zhi tightly closed his eyes, suddenly becoming still. A transparent plastic box slipped out of his jacket pocket, falling onto the seat. A small white milk tooth rolled out, tumbling to Ying Huai's feet.

Xie Zhi Lan gripped Xie Qi Zhi's arm tightly, suddenly realizing something. He pressed his forehead and cheek against Xie Qi Zhi's forehead. His palm was burning; Xie Qi Zhi's body temperature was abnormally high.

Xie Zhi Lan's fingers trembled slightly. He used his knuckles to check Xie Qi Zhi's breathing, then abruptly pulled back his hand and said to the driver, "Uncle Wu, turn around, to the hospital!"

Ying Huai quickly asked, "What's wrong with him?"

Xie Zhi Lan shook his head, saying nothing more, his voice still quite calm: "It's probably nothing."

Ying Huai watched Xie Qi Zhi leaning against Xie Zhi Lan's elbow, eyes closed, motionless, as obedient as if he were sleeping.

One hand hung limply down, small, faint blue veins visible on the pale back of his hand, his fingertips almost touching the ground.

He took Xie Qi Zhi's wrist and gently placed it back by his side.

In the corner of the seat was a white object. Ying Huai bent down to pick it up, discovering it was Xie Qi Zhi's milk tooth.

He found the plastic box and put the tooth inside, intending to return it on the field trip day, or sooner.

When he was little, he heard his paternal grandfather say that children's milk teeth couldn't be casually thrown away. Upper teeth had to be buried in the ground, and lower teeth had to be thrown onto the roof, so that the new teeth would grow in evenly.

This milk tooth had been in Ying Huai's pocket for several days.

Until the weekend field trip, Class 11 (11) had a total of 32 students, all 32 were present.

But the white-haired kid, who usually carried his small backpack and blended in properly with the group, did not appear.