Pampered by My Ex's Cousin

Chapter 417 - 411: Choice (Part Eight)

Ji Anning had also suffered a heavy blow, and both of them were licking their wounds, seldom gathering together.

Even when they met, it was just to exchange a greeting. Today, after class, they happened to run into each other on the stairs and ended up walking together without planning it.

On the gloomy day, their moods were also oppressed, and they walked in silence.

Arriving at the dormitory entrance, as Ji Anning was about to dig out her keys to open the door, Jin Yuanyuan suddenly called out to her, "Anning."

Ji Anning paused in her actions and turned her head, puzzled, "What’s wrong?"

"Do you... have something troubling you?" Jin Yuanyuan asked hesitantly, then clenched her lips tightly, waiting for her answer.

Ji Anning nodded, "Yeah, something upsetting did happen."

As she spoke, she continued to pull out her keys, inserting them into the lock.

"What happened to your hand?" Jin Yuanyuan’s gaze inadvertently swept over the tips of Ji Anning’s left hand, and she asked in alarm.

As she asked, she reached out her hand to grab that hand, turning her palm up to inspect her fingers.

"It’s nothing, just an accidental poke," Ji Anning said as she forcefully withdrew her hand, hiding it behind her.

Her gaze flitted away as she quickly opened the door and entered the dormitory.

Jin Yuanyuan felt that something was off and squeezed her way in just as Ji Anning was about to close the door. "How could you be poked like that? What poked you?" she asked persistently.

She insisted on seeing Ji Anning’s hand. "Stretch it out, let me have a look."

"Don’t look at it," Ji Anning said, keeping both her hands behind her, hidden from Jin Yuanyuan’s view.

Jin Yuanyuan simply forced the issue, stepping forward and gripping her wrist, pulling her hand in front of her. Upon seeing Ji Anning’s fingers, she shuddered violently, "Anning, did you self-harm?"

She looked up at Ji Anning in shock, "What on earth happened that you resorted to self-harm?"

"Yuanyuan, how can I forget someone? How can I stop thinking about that person?" Ji Anning reached out to hug Jin Yuanyuan, leaning on her shoulder, and began to sob softly.

Streaming tears rapidly dampened Jin Yuanyuan’s shoulder.

’Alas!’ Jin Yuanyuan sighed and gently patted Ji Anning’s back, "At least he is still here, at least you can see him, so think about how lucky you are."

Only then did Ji Anning remember what had happened to Jin Yuanyuan, and she quickly stopped crying, apologizing while wiping away her tears, "I’m sorry."

"It’s okay," Jin Yuanyuan looked down, her heart aching as she observed Ji Anning’s fingertips – those holes larger than pinpricks, her fingertips swollen, a ghastly sight.

Her own fingers inched closer, cautious not to hurt her, she dared not touch.

"I’ll go get some ointment for you to apply. Please, don’t do anything foolish again."

After applying some antiseptic solution to Ji Anning, Jin Yuanyuan kept cautioning her, worried she might do something silly again.

"Yuanyuan, that school heartthrob Yao Yiyang, he went abroad," Ji Anning said, watching Jin Yuanyuan’s receding figure, and suddenly remembered the letter Yao Yiyang had sent her.

She called out to Jin Yuanyuan, stopping her.

Jin Yuanyuan turned around, looking curiously at Ji Anning, "Do you know him?"

"No," Ji Anning shook her head, "I’m asking if you know him."

"I don’t know him at all," Jin Yuanyuan blinked, appearing genuinely clueless about Yao Yiyang.

That was odd, Ji Anning frowned in confusion, thinking of something, she asked Jin Yuanyuan again, "Is your nickname Jiaojiao? Or have you ever had that name?"