Nan Zhi was somewhat a little worried, couldn’t help but ask, “I didn’t… do something, right?”
“No.”
Song Qing didn’t think she did anything, after all, it was unconscious movement in a dream, and at most she just touched him a few times.
He’s a guy, it’s not like he’d lose a piece of flesh, the most important thing is, it was him who took the initiative to warm her hands — if he hadn’t stuffed her hands into his clothes, she wouldn’t have had the chance, so it didn’t matter.
Nan Zhi nodded her head, relieved.
She yawned and stood up to stretch her body a bit. She didn’t know how long she had slept in that posture; her legs and feet curled up, somewhat sore.
While walking, Nan Zhi suddenly remembered that today’s delivery still hadn’t been unpacked. It was a few pieces of clothing she bought for Song Qing, and also some snacks, to refill her drawer.
For low blood sugar, it’s better to have some snacks nearby — as long as something’s eaten, recovery is possible.
Nan Zhi carried everything in together from the entryway. After work she had been busy running around, hadn’t gone out, so she forgot the delivery by the door.
She tried each of Song Qing’s clothes on him one by one — the ones that fit were kept, the ones that didn’t would be returned tomorrow, this she handed over to Song Qing, and also wrote the pickup code for him.
As for the snacks, once the boxes were opened, there was no regret — couldn’t be returned. But Nan Zhi still opened them one by one. There were small bread rolls, bagged roasted sweet potatoes, and also the sugar-free black rice that had gone viral some time ago.
She opened a pack for herself and one for Song Qing — felt the taste was alright, so they were kept. Only that sugar-free black rice — tasted awful to death.
At first Nan Zhi thought it was her own problem, because Song Qing ate it as usual. She didn’t believe it, grabbed another bag for Song Qing to try — he absolutely refused to touch it again. But since it had already been opened, and if no one ate it, Nan Zhi would have to throw it away because she couldn’t eat it herself, he still took it, bit it twice, and almost threw up.
Nan Zhi was sure now — it wasn’t her own problem. It was the merchant that made it too disgusting. Even someone like Song Qing, who wasn’t picky and could eat two bowls of plain white rice dry, couldn’t chew it down.
Nan Zhi wanted to leave a bad review for the merchant, but then thought, maybe it was because she had bought the sugar-free version, so she didn’t. Just complained twice in her heart — can’t the state manage these merchants? There should at least be a passing line, right? Tastes this bad, can’t finish, isn’t that food waste? Still had a small box left.
Nan Zhi really didn’t want to touch it. When she was in a dilemma, Song Qing said, just leave it here, he’d eat it when he’s hungry. Nan Zhi was very happy and immediately moved it to his small living room.
She also took part of the other snacks and stuffed them into that box, to split evenly with Song Qing. The remaining half she hugged, planning to take it upstairs.
Just happened that the time was already near twelve, time to go upstairs to sleep.
Nan Zhi carried the box and had just stepped onto the stairs when she suddenly remembered, “Today I received a transfer on Alipay, over six hundred. Was it you who transferred it?”
When the money came in was exactly during the hospital’s peak period, heard a ding sound, but only had time to glance at it before going off to work. Got busy and forgot.
Just now when thinking about that black rice snack, felt a bit wasteful, so planned to go upstairs and check the price.
Mentioning money reminded her of that transfer.
“Mm.” Song Qing didn’t hide it from her, because he also planned to transfer all the money to that account in the future.
Nan Zhi was a little surprised. “Why transfer it to my account?”
A bank card at his age requires a guardian to open one. Right now, she was his guardian, could go with him, but she had asked — he said it was too troublesome, not doing it.
Alipay only needs a phone number to open. He had one, but for some reason, instead of transferring it to his own account, he transferred it to hers.
Song Qing was still downstairs on the sofa, hands busy with a scarf. When he heard her, he looked up at her, his tone serious: “Don’t know. Just wanted to transfer.”
Nan Zhi raised her brow. “Want me to help you save it?”
Song Qing didn’t even think: “For you to use.”
He really was planning this — all the money was for Nan Zhi to use.
“Anyway, you just hold on to it.”
Compared to what Nan Zhi gave him, this bit wasn’t worth mentioning, so he wanted Nan Zhi to accept it. She could do whatever she wanted with it — once given to her, it was hers.
Nan Zhi was still standing at the stairway entrance. After a while, she said: “Then I’ll keep it for you for now. When you need to use money, come find me to get it.”
Song Qing thought of things like buying groceries and daily needs — hesitated for a moment, then nodded: “Okay.”
Spending it on household expenses was also fine.
After confirming with him, Nan Zhi then went upstairs to her own room. She shoved the snack box under the table, then collapsed onto the bed, mind running wild.
All the things that could prove his identity were with her. Even his money was stored in her account. There were whole bills and loose change. He probably didn’t hide any private stash. These were most likely his everything. Without these, even if he wanted to run, he wouldn’t be able to.
The money she placed at the entryway didn’t need to be worried about either. It was only five hundred yuan total — buy a train ticket and it’d be gone. Not even enough for escaping. Eating and drinking would be an even bigger issue.
The most important thing was his attitude — clearly wanting to give her peace of mind.
Anyway, no need to worry in the future that he would suddenly disappear.
Quite good — another point added to her sense of security.
Speaking of that five hundred yuan, Nan Zhi remembered — she was a bit worried it wouldn’t be enough and had thought about adding more. She went to check and found — he hadn’t touched a cent. Just used the supermarket card to buy a few yuan worth of stuff. Probably tofu or something, she saw it on the dinner table.
Usually really doesn’t spend at all. Not even one mao \[Note: 1/10th of a yuan] on snacks.
Modern young people — even if they don’t drink milk tea, they’d at least eat some duck neck, right? There’s a night market nearby, so lively and full of snacks, but he never buys anything.
And he didn’t have any bad habits either — like smoking or drinking. If he did, some of the money would’ve been spent.
Probably knew he had no way to spend money anyway, so never carried any.
What a model five-good youth. \[Note: “五好青年”, literally “five-good youth,” refers to someone exemplary in moral character, study, health, discipline, and helping others — a socialist-era ideal model youth.]
Even though he grew up in a rather bad environment, his character remained upright. He didn’t go bad at all.
She’d really picked up a treasure.
Nan Zhi narrowed her eyes, feeling a trace of sleepiness. She hurriedly climbed up to wash up, and after getting everything ready, turned off the lights to sleep.
Around 3 AM, she groggily got up again to go to the bathroom. When she came back, she found that there was faint light downstairs. Though dim, there was indeed light.
Nan Zhi tried hard to open her eyes and looked downstairs — it was coming from Song Qing’s small living room.
Three AM, huh — forgot to turn off the lights?
Nan Zhi originally didn’t plan to care, was about to go back and continue sleeping, when she noticed — behind the glass, there was a silhouette moving on the curtain.
Song Qing wasn’t asleep yet. And it didn’t look like he had just gotten up to use the bathroom, because he hadn’t come out, and he was sitting at the desk.
He’s also started staying up late?
What was he doing?
Nan Zhi was really a bit curious. She rubbed her eyes, and wearing her pajamas, went downstairs just like that. Tiptoed quietly next to the small living room — the glass door was tightly shut, but the curtain wasn’t closed. From the gap, she saw Song Qing was squeezing something and rubbing it onto his legs.
“What’s going on?” Nan Zhi asked through the layer of glass.
Inside the small living room, Song Qing just then noticed her. At first, he had only rubbed his hands and neck — felt it was too slow, and if he didn’t use it up in time, it would expire. So now he was even rubbing it onto his legs and arms. He looked up and said, “That hand cream you left at the door last time — there are quite a few tubes. They’re about to expire.”
Originally he was rubbing his legs, but because Nan Zhi came over, he didn’t want her to see an indecent scene, so he changed to rubbing the back of his neck.
He had already rubbed it earlier — arms too.
From a distance, Nan Zhi saw a patch of white on the back of his neck. He touched around with his hand a few times but didn’t manage to reach that spot.
Yawning, Nan Zhi instinctively opened the door and walked over. Still muddle-headed from sleep, she didn’t realize anything at all — reached her hand out and directly pressed her palm onto that white spot to help him rub it in.
Song Qing’s movements paused. His hand withdrew, head quietly lowered, making it easier for her to rub.
That glob was too big, couldn’t spread out. Nan Zhi moved downward a bit, and Song Qing cooperated too — undid his front buttons, and while at it, tugged the back hem of his shirt downward, revealing half of his back.
Too much was exposed, and there wasn’t enough cream. Nan Zhi took the tube from his hand, pinched with two fingers — out came a huge glob.
Nan Zhi: “……”
She was silent for a long while before saying, “I’ll help you rub your back too, then.”
Song Qing didn’t object. He wanted to pull up his hem. Nan Zhi felt he was a bit inconvenienced like this and told him to go lie on the bed. Song Qing obediently followed, lay on the bed, and lifted his shirt himself.
Since he was using the back of his hand, he could only pull it up to the waistline. After Nan Zhi finished rubbing and spreading evenly the cream on the back of his neck, she lifted up his shirt from behind, revealing his entire back and slender waist.
Nan Zhi had still been somewhat groggy, but the sudden flash of that snowy white, pretty back jolted her fully awake.
She blinked, like she was sleepwalking, dazed for a moment. Seeing the stuff in her hand, and Song Qing’s obediently lying-down figure, she started to recall a bit — mechanically dipped into that big glob of hand cream and rubbed it into Song Qing’s waist hollow.
Maybe her hand was too cold, froze Song Qing — Nan Zhi saw with her own eyes the skin under her hand suddenly tighten a little.
She herself also got slightly scalded by the boy’s overly hot body temperature. After a while, she touched again, wiping upward along the waist.
The touch was slick and smooth, like touching a peeled egg.
The young man’s figure was excessively beautiful — so stunning that her fingers slightly trembled.
She quickly started scolding herself in her head — Nan Zhi ah Nan Zhi, please have a bit of vision, don’t be so embarrassing.
What are you scared of? It’s just rubbing hand cream, not like you’re doing something earth-shattering.
After the scolding, her heart felt a little steadier, and the trembling of her fingers wasn’t as strong. She smoothly finished rubbing in that big glob.
But there was still a patch on that whole back that hadn’t been rubbed. Nan Zhi hesitated for a moment, wanted to squeeze out a bit more to rub that spot.
It wasn’t a big area — just needed a tiny bit, just squeeze a little.
That’s what she thought. But once she moved her hand, another huge glob came out.
Nan Zhi: “……”
Under Song Qing’s gaze, she guiltily suggested, “How about… I rub your belly too?”