Please, I'm Trying to Study, Your Highness! - chapter 27

Qiao Nian sat by the sink.

Her legs dangled over the edge of the counter, her right leg shockingly red and swollen from the burn.

The stall fell into silence.

The monotonous, rhythmic sound of the faucet echoed in the small space that could only fit a few people.

Cool water poured down from the boy’s palm, easing the initial sting.

The burning heat on her skin gradually faded away.

It was like the sudden chill of an ice cube pressed against you on a sweltering summer day.

Qiao Nian lowered her head.

Her gaze involuntarily landed on the hand that was holding the water for her.

His hand was beautiful.

Long fingers, distinct joints, nails neatly trimmed and clean.

His palm wasn’t broad, but it had the powerful lines unique to a young man.

A few drops of water lingered on his pale skin, refracting tiny specks of light under the lamp.

Some slid between his fingers, tracing the blue veins along his wrist.

The water soaked his cuff.

A small patch of white fabric turned semi-transparent.

Damp marks remained.

Droplets rolled down, like some indescribable forbidden liquid.

For some reason… staring at that wet hand, the moist texture seemed to transmit itself through sight,

Radiating a sense of restrained yet tempting contradiction.

Indescribable…

Bittersweet desire.

Qiao Nian suddenly realized what she was thinking.

Her cheeks burned even hotter.

‘Oh my god, how could I be thinking about such nonsense at a time like this? I’m supposed to be tending to my wound, and yet… I’m really out of line.’

She bit her lip, hoping the slight pain would pull her thoughts back on track.

Other than the sound of running water, there was no movement in the stall.

The atmosphere was so quiet it felt a little awkward.

Qiao Nian couldn’t help but break the silence.

“Brother Huihui, thank you so much for helping me.”

Her voice carried the nasal tone of someone who’d just cried. “If you hadn’t pulled me away in time, I might’ve been hurt even worse.”

“It’s nothing. You dodged pretty fast too.”

Lin Hui’s reply was brief and lazy, not taking all the credit for himself.

Qiao Nian couldn’t help but smile.

“Brother Huihui, do you always work part-time during holidays?” Her tone was softer than usual.

“Mm.” The boy’s attention was still on controlling the water flow. “Need the money.”

“Eh?”

“What? Surprised?”

“No, not really, I…”

“What about you? You go to Linjiang Noble Girls’ School, so your family must be well-off. Why are you working too?”

The question made Qiao Nian pause.

His tone held no flattery or probing, just simple curiosity.

“Well…”

Her fingers curled at her side. “My family’s always protected me too much, never letting me experience anything. If it goes on like this, I’ll always be a flower in a greenhouse. So…”

“Trying to experience life?”

“Mm… Sounds pretentious, right?” Qiao Nian turned her head shyly. “But that’s really how it is.”

“Is that so.”

Lin Hui turned down the water. “At least it sounds like a pretty classy reason.”

His words were indifferent, as if commenting on something trivial.

Yet Qiao Nian felt a strange warmth in her heart because of his calm attitude.

“Brother Huihui, you really speak… in a special way.”

She said softly, curiosity in her voice. “I’ve noticed you don’t talk much usually, but just now… you were amazing. You scared her off in just a few words.”

“Just saves trouble. People like her, all bark, not much bite.”

Lin Hui’s palm steadily held the water. “If I let her keep making a scene, she’d make me late getting off work.”

His blunt answer made Qiao Nian laugh, her tension and unease washed away.

She was silent for a moment, then gathered her courage, her voice even softer and gentler. “Actually… what happened today might be my fault.”

Lin Hui didn’t look up, just gave a quiet “Hm?” to prompt her to continue.

“Brother Lu Ze… the boy who came to the shop today, he’s my childhood friend.”

“We… we’re really close. He’s always been good to me, taking care of me since we were little, chasing away the boys who bullied me, buying me my favorite candies…”
“I… like him.”

Qiao Nian’s pure and delicate features were softened by the glow of the light, yet her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of the sink.

“But Brother Lu Ze has had girlfriends nonstop since middle school.”

“Every time he dates someone, I feel so unnecessary. I know I should keep my distance when he has a girlfriend, to avoid suspicion.”

“But I always think, we’re just friends, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“That woman today… she must be his current girlfriend.”

The more Qiao Nian spoke, the more guilty she felt, her voice growing quieter and quieter.

“If I could keep some distance from him, she wouldn’t have stormed in to cause trouble.”

“I’m really awful, aren’t I? I shouldn’t be so close to Brother Lu Ze…”

Her halting confession began to choke with sobs, revealing a negative self-doubt.

Her shoulders slumped, weighed down by something invisible.

The face that was once bright and lively was now shrouded in gloom.

“That kind of thinking is pretty strange.”

A lazy voice sounded, interrupting her self-blame.

“Hm?” Qiao Nian stopped sniffling and looked at the boy in confusion.

He lifted his eyelids, and behind his glasses were a pair of lifeless eyes with heavy dark circles.

“What’s the point of saying all this? Do you want me to criticize Lu Ze for being fickle, or comfort you so you won’t feel so bad?”

“No, I, I…” Qiao Nian started to explain, but he continued.

“Liking someone isn’t some terrible crime.”

“Who says you can’t like someone who already has a partner?”

“As long as you don’t interfere, don’t cross the line, don’t try to break up their relationship, what’s wrong with it?”

“Eh? I… I just thought…”

“Qiao Nian.”

The boy slowed his speech, as if caring for her fragile mood. “Don’t define your feelings as something so cheap.”

“Cheap… is it…” She was stunned, repeating the word softly.

“Yeah.”

The sound of running water faded a little as Lin Hui adjusted his position.

“Besides, if your childhood friend really didn’t care about you, would his girlfriend be so nervous that she’d rush over to pick a fight? That kind of firepower, that’s at least the treatment reserved for the main girlfriend.”

He spoke lightly, ending with a casual, almost amused chuckle.

The analogy made Qiao Nian laugh out loud.

Not a single word he said was the usual “don’t be sad” or “you’ll find someone better”-those standard listener responses.

Yet his simple, direct logic melted away all her tangled worries.

Looking at the boy, the mist in her eyes gradually cleared.

“Brother Huihui…”

“Not sad anymore?”

“…Mm.”

A gentle light rekindled in Qiao Nian’s eyes.

She suddenly realized that this Brother Huihui, who always seemed indifferent to everything, actually had a mysterious power that made people want to draw close and feel safe.

So this is what it feels like to be understood.

No need for pity, no need for lectures-just a simple affirmation of the legitimacy of her feelings.

After laughing, Qiao Nian realized her earlier loss of composure, and her cheeks flushed again.

This time, the blush wasn’t from pain or shame.

But…

“Brother Huihui, you’re right.”

Turns out, there’s no need to blame yourself for someone else’s mistakes.

Turns out, liking someone isn’t wrong in itself.

A small, warm tingling sensation rose in her heart.

Qiao Nian found her own awkwardness amusing.

But…

She also felt grateful.

Grateful that in this little room,

it was just her… and him.

Grateful that he gave her a reason to stand up again.

With tear-stained cheeks lifted, she met the boy’s slightly sleepy eyes and smiled sweetly.

Her smile was like a little flower blooming again after the rain.

A little shy, a little relieved.

“Thank you… I guess I really was overthinking it.”

Her body didn’t hurt so much anymore.