185 Back Injury
By the time security arrived at the observation room, many people were already lying on the ground. Almost all of them had fainted, leaving only two who were still struggling.
The guards quickly restrained the rest. Only then did Guan Lei have a chance to catch his breath, leaning against Shen Xi for support, completely exhausted.
Shen Xi was startled by Guan Lei’s sudden weakness. “Guan Lei, what’s wrong?” She asked worriedly.
“I’m fine,” he said, his words barely more than a whisper as he allowed Shen Xi to prop him up.
Shen Xi was deeply concerned. As she held Guan Lei, Shen Xi felt something warm and sticky against her skin. An ill foreboding rose in her heart.
Her hands were washed red in a dark crimson hue.
Shen Xi quickly helped Guan Lei to his bed and yelled for Zheng Huai. “Doctor Zheng, Guan Lei is injured!”
Zheng Huai ran over upon hearing Shen Xi calling for him. Immediately, he began examining Guan Lei’s condition.
The situation was critical. Neither she nor Zheng Huai had noticed the wound Guan Lei had sustained due to his black pyjamas.
Although the wound was not deep, it was large, almost 20 centimetres long.
The observation rooms were not far from the infirmary or the school doctor’s offices. Zheng Huai had Guan Lei lie on his stomach before hurrying away to grab the necessary supplies to disinfect and bandage the wound. Shen Xi remained by Guan Lei’s side. A short while later, campus security led the police to the crime scene.
Shen Xi did not know when Guan Lei was injured, though it could not have been after she turned on the lights, or she would have noticed otherwise.
It must have happened at the beginning of the assault when Guan Lei shielded her from harm.
The realisation caused Shen Xi endless guilt and caused her tremendous heartache. She knelt by the bed and asked, “Did you injure yourself protecting me? Why would you…”
Guan Lei propped his head up with a pillow, fixing Shen Xi with a calm-eyed stare. “I was the one who dragged you into this mess. It’s only natural that I should keep you safe.”
Despite Guan Lei’s assurance, Shen Xi knew their assailants were after her, not him. They had aimed for her face several times, but each attempt had been thwarted by Guan Lei’s single-minded goal of protecting her.
Someone must have put them up to the task. Why else would they try to disfigure and not kill her outright?
Her single regret was that Guan Lei had been implicated in her affairs. Shen Xi felt bad and gently asked, “Are you in pain?”
Guan Lei pat Shen Xi on her head, comforting her, “I’m not in pain. Don’t worry.” He did not want her to worry.
Lost in her thoughts, Shen Xi was oblivious to Guan Lei’s intimate gesture. Meanwhile, Guan Lei relished the feel of Shen Xi’s silken locks between his fingers.
“Alright, stop looking so glum. If you feel guilty, why don’t you blow on my wound? Maybe I’ll feel better if you do that,” Guan Lei teased.
He did not expect Shen Xi to get up and remove his pyjamas, doing as he had asked.
All Shen Xi wanted to do was to ease Guan Lei’s pain. She did not pause to consider how outsiders might construe her actions.
Shen Xi’s bold move left Guan Lei speechless.
Surprise transformed into joy. It seemed Shen Xi was truly worried about him. Guan Lei particularly liked the feeling of having someone care for him; it made him so happy that he could not conceal the smile on his face.
The first thing Zhao Yuan saw upon arriving at Observation Room 201 was Shen Xi kneeling beside someone half-dressed with her head bowed as she blew on that person’s back.
“Xixi, what are you doing? Who is this?” Zhao Yuan asked, not knowing the situation.
“It’s Guan Lei. He was injured just now while trying to save me.” Shen Xi explained to her good friend.
Zhao Yuan circled the bed, stopping on the other side. The bloody wound on Guan Lei’s back looked very serious. “Xixi, what happened?”
Shen Xi had her suspicions but no proof, so she kept her thoughts to herself. She merely offered Zhao Yuan a vague response, “I’m not sure what happened either. Maybe it was burglary.”