Luo Qingshan only found out that Pei Ran had fallen after he finished his run.

Luo Qingshan was athletic and left Pei Ran far behind during the race. When he crossed the finish line and looked back, Pei Ran was long gone.

After asking the spectating students about the situation, he rushed over without even registering his time.

Not expecting him to come, Pei Ran's movements paused for a moment, and then the sudden coldness on his ankle pulled him back to his senses.

Yan Zhun glanced at Luo Qingshan, gave a faint "mm," and then placed the ice pack on Pei Ran's sprained ankle. "Is it here?"

Pei Ran subconsciously replied, "More or less."

Luo Qingshan caught his breath and quickly walked into the lounge. "Pei Ran, Pei Ran, where are you hurt? Do your bones hurt?"

Seeing the injury on Pei Ran's leg, he took a deep breath and picked up his phone. "I'll call a car and take you to the hospital."

"No need," Pei Ran said. "It's not that serious. Just disinfecting it will be fine."

"No, you still have to get an X-ray. What if you've injured a bone?" Luo Qingshan insisted.

"It's not injured, just sprained." Seeing him really open the ride-hailing app, Pei Ran had no choice but to say, "Even if you call one, I won't get in."

"..." Luo Qingshan's fingertips paused, and he sullenly closed the app.

He glanced at Yan Zhun awkwardly. Yan Zhun was helping Pei Ran apply the ice pack and didn't even lift his head.

"Yan Zhun, why are you here?" He changed the subject, twitching the corner of his mouth. "Finished the 1000-meter race?"

Yan Zhun said, "Mm."

"How'd you do?"

"Just a casual run."

"It's fine, placement doesn't matter. I didn't expect you to win an award anyway," Luo Qingshan said casually. "You guys who love to play games don't exercise much."

Pei Ran was quiet for two seconds. Seeing Yan Zhun's silent acquiescence, he couldn't help but speak up before Luo Qingshan could say another word. "He got third place. The first two were sports students."

Yan Zhun's expression changed slightly. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, picked up the ice pack, wiped the water off Pei Ran's ankle with his palm, and then reapplied it.

Pei Ran felt as if he had been scalded by his palm.

Luo Qingshan was stunned for a moment. "Ah? Is that so... Congratulations."

He still had many questions in his heart, all reflected in his tightly furrowed brows. He picked up a tissue to wipe his sweat, then extended his hand toward Yan Zhun. "Thanks for bringing Pei Ran here. Give me the ice pack, I'll take it from here."

Yan Zhun finally looked up, making no other movement. He looked at Luo Qingshan, his tone surprised. "Didn't you two break up?"

As soon as these words were out, the atmosphere turned cold again.

Luo Qingshan's expression was very rich. After a long moment, he gave a smile, feigning nonchalance. "That's why I need a chance to perform well."

Yan Zhun retorted, "Why should I give you this chance?"

Luo Qingshan: "?"

Pei Ran couldn't listen anymore. He pulled his foot back. "I won't trouble you two. It's just a small injury, I can handle it myself."

Luo Qingshan was still looking at Yan Zhun, his gaze slightly complicated. Just as he was about to ask something, his phone suddenly rang.

It was their Class President, telling him to hurry back to the field to sign. Not signing would mean he had run for nothing, and his result would be canceled.

Luo Qingshan asked a few more questions before leaving, looking back every few steps with a face full of concern.

The ice pack was freezing his hand. Pei Ran held it perfunctorily for a bit, then sincerely said to the person beside him, "Thank you for today."

Yan Zhun grunted an "mm," then suddenly said, "You stepped on my foot several times on the way here."

It's hard to walk on one foot, especially right after the fall when both of Pei Ran's legs hurt, making his walking very awkward.

Pei Ran met his gaze for two seconds, then looked down at Yan Zhun's shoes.

There were shoe prints on the white limited edition shoes—ironclad evidence.

"Sorry," Pei Ran said. "I'll wash them for you."

For once, Yan Zhun was taken aback, raising an eyebrow. "You'll wash them for me?"

Pei Ran added, "I'll send them to a laundry service. They can wash shoes there too."

Yan Zhun's interest faded. "No."

He looked at Pei Ran's hands. They were a very beautiful pair of hands, suited for painting, for playing the piano, suited for Pei Ran.

'Even if Pei Ran really wanted to wash his shoes by hand,' Yan Zhun thought, 'I wouldn't have the heart to let him ruin them.'

Pei Ran said, "Then I'll wipe them for you with a wet wipe?"

"Don't," Yan Zhun retracted his gaze. "Just consider it a favor you owe me."

Pei Ran frowned lightly, his tone firm. "I'll compensate you with a new pair. What model is this?"

Sensing the subtle change in Pei Ran's attitude, Yan Zhun met his gaze for a long time, then sighed softly.

He turned, pulled a tissue from the nearby table, held Pei Ran's wrist, rubbed the tissue on the ice pack, and then casually wiped his shoe with it.

"It's clean now. You don't owe me anything."

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone in Yan Zhun's pocket buzzed several times in a row.

Seeing the message content, Yan Zhun remembered that he had promised Lin Xuhuan he would go to the Base today to play a few training matches with them.

Yan Zhun stood up. "Let's go."

Pei Ran looked up at him. "Where to?"

"To take you back." After saying that, without waiting for Pei Ran's agreement, Yan Zhun grabbed his arm and draped it over his own neck. "Hold on tight."

Pei Ran's dorm room was very clean. After his roommate moved out, he did a big clean-up, and the air still carried a faint, fruity fragrance.

Yan Zhun put him down and left, not even closing the dorm door.

Pei Ran wasn't in a hurry. He opened the black bag on his desk, thinking, 'I should have asked Yan Zhun if he wanted some fruit just now.'

Pei Ran walked with difficulty to the sink, carefully peeled a peach, and just as he was about to take the first bite, there was a sound at the door again.

Yan Zhun had returned, carrying a black bag in his hand. "Take this."

Pei Ran asked, "What is it?"

"Ice cream," Yan Zhun said. "For you to put on your foot."

Pei Ran laughed.

Yan Zhun didn't know what he had said to hit his funny bone. He stared at Pei Ran for a long time. "What are you laughing at?"

Pei Ran shook his head, still smiling, and took the bag. "Thanks. Do you want some fruit?"

"Yes." Yan Zhun glanced at his hand. "A peach?"

Pei Ran hummed in affirmation, hesitated for a moment, then handed the peach over. "I've washed my hands. It's clean."

Just as Pei Ran finished speaking, Yan Zhun suddenly leaned in, lowered his head, and took the peach from him with a bite.