Never Getting Better

"Uncle."

"Hmm?"

"Do you have any medicated wine for bruises?" When An Shiyu asked this, Ye Shuang instinctively glanced at her legs. Perhaps because she was wearing stockings, it was hard to see clearly.

He asked, "Did you get it from jumping off the building this morning?"

"Meh." An Shiyu didn’t answer directly, instead giving a vague response.

"Even if you’re a ninja, you shouldn’t just jump off the second floor like that," Ye Shuang sighed. Her stunt earlier had scared him half to death, even making him forget for a moment that the infirmary was on the second floor.

But he didn’t press for details. If she didn’t want to explain, asking would just be pointless—especially with someone as willful as An Shiyu.

After a moment’s thought, Ye Shuang decided to check her condition using his system. If she had something like a hairline fracture, that would be trouble.

[Character: An Shiyu

Congenital heart disease patient. You might want to show her some extra care. Right now, her foot is slightly sprained.]

Huh?

Ye Shuang stared at the window in front of him, suddenly puzzled. Though the system’s displays varied, certain key details never disappeared.

An Shiyu, noticing his prolonged stare, narrowed her eyes. "Perverted uncle, your gaze is pretty rude right now."

"Sorry, I’ll get it for you." Suppressing his confusion, Ye Shuang stood up and retrieved the medicated wine from the cabinet.

"Want me to apply it for you?"

"Mm. I don’t like the smell on my hands." An Shiyu sat down on a nearby chair—medicated wine had a pretty strong odor, after all.

"How am I supposed to apply it if you’re wearing stockings?" Ye Shuang pointed at her outstretched leg. "Take them off."

"What a hassle." The girl gave him a deadpan look.

"I’m the one who should be complaining," Ye Shuang muttered. Was he supposed to peel them off for her?

With a rip, An Shiyu tore open the stocking around her ankle, revealing pale skin. Ye Shuang stared for a few seconds before sighing. "You really…"

"They’re cheap."

"Never mind." Ye Shuang decided not to dwell on it. He steadied her calf with one hand, but the smooth fabric made it hard to grip. Eventually, he had to hold it properly—

An Shiyu’s calf was slender, just the right size to fit in his palm. As he rubbed the medicated oil onto the slightly swollen area, he couldn’t help but lecture her. "Don’t do something so reckless next time. I know you’re physically strong, but that doesn’t mean you should take risks like that. If you’d landed headfirst, even a miracle wouldn’t save you."

"Physically strong?" An Shiyu watched Ye Shuang as he bent over to tend to her, her expression amused and slightly mocking.

Ye Shuang’s hand paused. Casually, he asked, "Aside from hyperthymesia, do you have any other conditions?"

"Do I?" An Shiyu’s expression stiffened slightly, and she even stopped chewing her gum. She shot back, "Uncle, why do you ask? Has your medical skill reached the point where you can diagnose by touching legs?"

"Just a random thought. Your grandfather has heart problems, and some cardiac conditions can be hereditary. If you have time, you should get checked at the hospital." Ye Shuang resumed his work, keeping his tone light.

"Oh."

"Listen to me on this." Seeing her indifferent attitude, Ye Shuang applied the oil with more force—enough to make most people yelp. But An Shiyu just smirked, as if the pain meant nothing to her.

Once finished, the girl pulled her leg back and limped over to flop onto the bed.

Ye Shuang checked the time and realized classes would end soon. A thought crossed his mind, and his gaze drifted back to her—

[Character: An Shiyu

Congenital heart disease patient. In this position, you could probably give her a smack on the butt.]

"Uncle, if you’re going to stare, do it openly. Sneaky peeping makes me uncomfortable." An Shiyu tugged at her skirt, shooting him a look as if he were some kind of discarded trash.

"I wasn’t looking at that."

"Tch. Your pervert level just upgraded."

"That’s not it at all!" Ye Shuang averted his eyes. "I’m heading out. Remember to lock the infirmary when you leave."

An Shiyu didn’t even turn around, lazily pulling out a handheld console. "Yeah, yeah."

Closing the door behind him, Ye Shuang lingered outside for a moment before finally walking away.

---

Arriving at Class A, Ye Shuang spotted Bai Yuyou and Tang Keke just as they stepped out. When their eyes met, the two girls hurried toward him, and he couldn’t help but smile.

"Brother."

"Ye Shuang..."

"Keke, you really won’t join us for dinner?" Ye Shuang steadied the girl who had practically thrown herself at him while glancing at the grinning Tang Keke.

"I don’t drink," Tang Keke said.

Ye Shuang looked down at Bai Yuyou, who was nuzzling into his chest, and suddenly understood. She must have misunderstood his intentions. "You girls don’t have to drink. It’s just a casual meal and chat."

But Tang Keke shook her head. "I don’t know any of your friends, brother. It’d be awkward."

"Alright, fair enough." Ye Shuang wouldn’t force her—he’d just asked out of courtesy.

Since there was still time before meeting Li Fugui and the others, Ye Shuang pinched Bai Yuyou’s cheek and suggested she spend more time with Tang Keke. "I’ll head home first. You two can walk back together?"

Girls often had their own after-school routines, and Yinshan Academy dismissed earlier than most schools. Ye Shuang didn’t want to intrude on Bai Yuyou’s social time.

But a flicker of conflict passed through Bai Yuyou’s eyes. Though she enjoyed Tang Keke’s company, after not seeing Ye Shuang all day, she wanted to stick close to him.

Noticing this, Tang Keke chuckled knowingly. "Brother, seems like Yuyou wants to go with you. I actually need to pick something up for my mom at the store, so you two go ahead."

"Sure, that works."

"Bye-bye."

As Tang Keke walked away, Ye Shuang watched her retreating figure, thinking what a good kid she was. His gaze lingered a little too long, though—soon, he felt a tug on his sleeve.

Bai Yuyou clung to his arm, her voice soft but insistent.

"Ye Shuang... don’t stare..."

"Hmm?"

"Staring... isn’t good..."