Love Sparked By a Bowl of Veggie Soup | 一碗咸菜汤引发的恋情

Love By Soup - Part 2: Falling in Love

When Xiaoxi felt his empty sleeve, she couldn’t control herself and moved upwards trying to find his hand until she touched his upper arm.  She was stunned and couldn’t believe he had this……condition……  She started blaming herself.  Her own actions had caused another person’s embarrassment.  It’s totally not what she had intended!

Xiaoxi took back her hand as if she had been shocked.  She was dumbfounded.  Boys moved past them in and out of the dorm and no one paid them much attention.  They probably thought that it was just a couple of lovebirds who didn’t want to say goodbye yet.  But Xiaoxi was deeply remorseful; when she touched what was left of his arm, she distinctly sensed a slight tremor.

She looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say.  What could she say? “Sorry?” Or “what happened?” Should she apologize for touching where she shouldn’t have touched?

Or should she blame herself for not being more observant?  After all, while at the cafeteria, he was standing right in front of her.  How could she not notice this at all?

For a while, no one spoke.  Finally, Yaonan opened his mouth.  “It’s getting dark soon, you better go!”

Xiaoxi raised her head and looked right into Yaonan’s eyes.

He appeared very calm and his words were very gentle.  There wasn’t a hint of pain or being offended.  He was acting like an old friend who was warmly telling her that it’s time to go home.

Xiaoxi pursed up her lips at first, then sighed and spoke with a small voice, “Sorry……”

Yaonan grinned.  “You’ve said that word hundreds and thousands of times today.  I forgave you already long ago!  Don’t worry.”

Xiaoxi hesitated a bit and showed the tube in her hand.  “This ointment is really good, I……”

She spotted pockets on the beige colored pants that he was wearing and pushed the tube into the pocket carefully.  “Here, for you…….”

After those words, Xiaoxi ran as if she was being chased away.

**

Kan Yaonan went back upstairs to Lao K’s prying.  “What were you two doing so secretively at the doorway?  We couldn’t even watch and have some fun with it.” -----Originally, Xiaoxi was standing outside of the dorm and if Yaonan had walked out of the doorway, the roommates could watch the two from the window above.

Yaonan told Lao K.  “Take out the tube from my pocket for me and see how to use it.”

“That girl gave you this?”

“Yeah.”

Lao K took out the tube from the pocket as told.  “What’s this?! No directions, no instructions, a counterfeit!”

Lao K looked up after these words and saw in Yaonan’s eyes an unusual expression of tenderness.  He frowned.  “Yaonan, not that I like to nag, but this girl is so hasty.  She may harbor some wicked ideas.  In addition, I don’t want you to get hurt.”  He put emphasis on the word “hurt”.

Yaonan seemed full of confidence.  “Don’t worry.  Come, put some on me.”

Lao K couldn’t help but respect Yaonan.  They have been best friends and were usually traveled together.  Throughout these years, he’d seen Yaonan encounter numerous glances of inquiry, sympathy, or even doubt.  Even though Yaonan had already proven himself with his exceptional skills playing soccer, most people were still skeptical.  Yaonan seemed to take it all in stride.  He never blamed anybody or anything.  In front of everyone, Kan Yaonan is always in high spirits.