The smile on Jiang Mingxi's face instantly fell.
Just as Song Lan thought he had given up, Jiang Mingxi reached up and tugged at his own collar.
"Look, Teacher Song. The skin really is broken here."
Jiang Mingxi had fair skin.
When he pulled his collar aside, he exposed a broad expanse of collarbone and a bright red shoulder.
Just as he had said, his shoulder had been rubbed raw.
Song Lan averted his gaze. "What does that have to do with me?"
When he looked away, Jiang Mingxi leaned into wherever his gaze landed, putting himself back in his line of sight.
When pursuing someone~
You had to be thick-skinned!
Come on, Jiang Mingxi! You're the best!
After giving himself a little encouragement, Jiang Mingxi craned his head forward and smiled at Song Lan.
"But you stood up for me today, Teacher Song. I thought we were on pretty good terms."
"In your dreams." Song Lan gave a short, amused snort. "I just couldn't stand him refusing to do the task."
Jiang Mingxi immediately agreed. "Exactly, exactly! I couldn't stand it either. Since we share a common enemy, could you help me put on some ointment?"
Jiang Mingxi's eyes shone.
They held an ardent plea.
His cheeks were slightly flushed.
"I really can't reach my back. It'll get inflamed without ointment. Please."
As he spoke, he pushed the ointment in his hand into Song Lan's.
Their fingers touched.
Song Lan's fingers were warm, while Jiang Mingxi's were ice-cold.
Holding the ointment, Song Lan frowned and turned toward the inner room.
Jiang Mingxi's small, tenderly adoring face instantly stiffened.
He was just leaving?
Was he that unattractive?
Being so shameless just now had already used up most of his courage. He had none left to make his skin any thicker.
Not daring to follow Song Lan inside, Jiang Mingxi adhered to the principle of quitting while he was ahead and taking things step by step. He tugged up the corners of his mouth and chuckled. "Then-then get some rest, Teacher Song. I'll head back."
Song Lan abruptly looked back.
"Didn't you say you couldn't reach your back?"
Jiang Mingxi had already taken a step away.
Huh?
The little light bulb above his head lit up in a flash.
His dejected face instantly brightened again.
He turned on his heel and headed into the inner room.
Song Lan watched him with a cool look in his eyes. "Not leaving after all?"
Jiang Mingxi seized the opening. "I was playing hard to get just now."
Song Lan: ...
The ointment Jiang Mingxi had brought smelled strongly of mint.
Song Lan washed his hands and squeezed a little onto his fingertip. "Turn around."
Jiang Mingxi tipped his head up slightly and met Song Lan's eyes.
His cheeks were flushed, his eyes glittering like obsidian, his lips red and his teeth white. He pushed his luck. "I want to watch you put it on, Teacher Song."
Song Lan glared at him, but did not refuse. He only said, "Pull your collar farther aside."
Jiang Mingxi pulled at his collar, exposing his chafed, reddened shoulder.
He had been fierce when cursing at Jiang Mingle.
Now he was all delicate coyness. "It hurts so much~"
A hint of amusement showed in Song Lan's eyes, but he ignored him.
His ointment-coated fingertip rubbed over the tender skin of Jiang Mingxi's shoulder.
Carrying corn from the field ridge to the village stage had meant walking a full two li one way (1 li = 500 meters).
Jiang Mingxi had not lied. A large patch across his shoulder and back had been rubbed raw.
He was pulling his collar aside with his own fingers, but some of the chafed areas were still covered by the fabric. Song Lan simply deigned to reach out with his other hand and pull his collar open...
Fuck!
He had pulled it a little too far.
And he was taller than Jiang Mingxi, so he could see almost at a glance the two... on Jiang Mingxi's slender chest.
Jiang Mingxi was staring at Song Lan's face.
So handsome~
I want to kiss him!
My legs are going weak.
I won't be able to hold back!
Suddenly, Song Lan's icy voice came from above his head. "Turn around."
Jiang Mingxi's ardent gaze froze. He looked up, meeting Song Lan's eyes.
Song Lan's eyes were chilly, his tone even colder. "Turn around, or put it on yourself."
Jiang Mingxi: ...
Hadn't everything been fine just now?
Had his gaze been too blatant and angered him?
Jiang Mingxi quickly nodded. "Okay, okay."
He had originally been scheming a little: if they faced each other while Song Lan applied the ointment, not only could he admire his idol's face up close, but when his idol helped with his back, wouldn't that be the same as hugging him?
And if he turned his head "by accident," wouldn't he get a kiss in, too?
Now the beads of his abacus had scattered.
Standing with his back to Song Lan, Jiang Mingxi put his plans back together. "Teacher Song, should I take my shirt off to make it easier for you?"
Song Lan: ...
"Shut up!"
Jiang Mingxi: ...
So hard to handle.
But!
There was no difficult job!
Only a brave Xiaoxi!
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Mingxi kept flirting. "Teacher Song, isn't my skin especially nice? Fine and smooth, really comfortable to touch."
Song Lan laughed outright in exasperation. "What do other people usually say when they put ointment on you?"
Jiang Mingxi immediately said, "There aren't any other people. I'm a reserved person. I've only asked you for help, Teacher Song. I've never asked anyone else."
Song Lan was twenty-nine that year.
Since his debut at eighteen, amid all the glitz and glamour and extravagant excess, what kind of person hadn't he met?
But this was the first time someone had made his heart itch with just a few words. "Why ask me?"
Jiang Mingxi whipped his head around.
Song Lan met his eyes.
Jiang Mingxi declared firmly, "Because I'm pursuing you."
Song Lan: ...
"You're pursuing me, so you're having me put ointment on you?"
Jiang Mingxi kept his head turned, looking at him. So bewitched by his beauty that he barely knew what he was saying, he spouted nonsense. "It's easier to seduce you this way."
Song Lan: ...
You fucking-!
He smeared the ointment on his fingers hard over the last injured patch on Jiang Mingxi's back.
"Your seduction failed."
Tossing the ointment casually onto the table, Song Lan delivered those words and pulled out a tissue to wipe the ointment off his fingers.
Jiang Mingxi watched helplessly as Song Lan's expression chilled.
Inwardly, he cried, Me and my big mouth!
Missed the mark, didn't I!
Not daring to get frisky again, and afraid that the more he said, the more mistakes he would make, Jiang Mingxi hurriedly tucked his tail between his legs.
He obediently straightened his collar and bowed ninety degrees to Song Lan.
"Thank you for helping me, Teacher Song.
"This ointment really works.
"You should put some on too, Teacher Song.
"I'll be going."
Having expressed his thanks, Jiang Mingxi did not dare linger and promptly cleared out of Song Lan's space.
As soon as he left Song Lan's room, Jiang Mingxi tugged at his hair in frustration.
"Xiaoxi?" Jiang Mingle had just entered Song Lan's courtyard when he saw Jiang Mingxi walking out looking utterly dejected. He eyed him suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"
All of Jiang Mingxi's frustration turned to anger.
"None of your fucking business. Get lost!"
Showing his true colors, he barked at Jiang Mingle, shoved his hands into his pockets, and left with an outrageously cocky swagger.
Jiang Mingle's eyes blazed with anger.
Bitch.
Just you wait!
Rather than grabbing Jiang Mingxi and making him apologize as he did in front of others, Jiang Mingle headed straight for Song Lan's door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Song Lan had just picked up the tube of ointment Jiang Mingxi had left behind when a knock came at the door.
Hadn't he left with such backbone?
Why was he back again?
Song Lan went to open the door.
Jiang Mingle stood at the door with a sweet smile, holding a tube of ointment. "Teacher Song, thank you for all your hard work on today's task. I just heard Jiayuan say his shoulder was rubbed raw, so I brought you some ointment."