“It’sin,”Eliansaid,watgCra—eyesstillsqueezedshut,likeshedidn’tevendarebreathetoohard.Hisvoicecarriedahintofindulgenceheprobablydidn’trealizehehad,alongwithpureresignation.“LinChu-Qing初晴,youopenyoureyesnow.You’resafe.”
“No.I’mnotopeniellmewhenit’sdone.”
Cra’svoicewasmuffled,thickwithanasaltone—andadefenseless,sulkystubbornness.Likeanostrichburyingitsheadinthesandatthefirstsignofdanger,sheturnedherfacetothesideahereyesshuttight,refusingtoevehetubetapedtoherhand.
Elian’smouthtugged,amuseddespitehimself.Somuchforthecalm,rationalsce-studentimage.Hedidn’tforceher.
Hepulledasmallpsticstooloverandsatdown.ThehandthathadbeencmpedaroundCra’slefthandloosenedalittlemore—buthestilldidn’twithdrawit.Hekeptalight,hhold,lettiifffingersrestagainsthispalm,herasmall,steadywarmthtogto.
TheIVwouldtakeabouthalfanhour.
Theiionroomwasquiet—nothingbutthetiny,regurdripofliquidile,aeadyhumoftheoldairditioner.
ElianhadsprinteddownNanyangStreetin30°C86°Fheatwithaheavybackpahisshoulder,thencarriedoutanadrenaline-fueled“patientcaptureoperation.”Nowthateverythinghadfinallygoill,theic’scooirwashedoverhim,andthemomenthismusclesunched,exhaustiediide.
He’dooleanagainstthewalhiseyesforased.ButlisteningtoCra’sbreathinggraduallysmoothoutasthefevermedietookeffect,hisownawarenessblurredwithit.
Stillholdingherlefthand,hedriftedintosleep.
Abouthalfanhourpassed.
Theclearliquidfinallyreachedtheend,andthelinegaveafainthollowsound.
“TheIV’sdone!I’mgoingtoremovetheneedlenow,”thenursesaidbrightlyasshepushedthestainless-steelcartba.Hervoicebroketheroom’squiet—andcarriedstraightintoElian’ssleep.
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