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CHAPTER 180
He could not believe how things went from a simple outing to this state.
Speaking of the outing, Liu Xueyi recalled he sent his sister ahead of them and immediately placed a call through to her.
As soon as she answered the call, her voice was laced with worry and annoyance.
He knew she was one who hated to be kept waiting and be you her dad or mum, she would state that fact out.
"Xueyi, what's wrong? Where are you guys? Do not tell me it takes you an hour to get to a place with less than fifteen minutes journey?" Xiao Xin called out in a scolding voice.
"Not now, Xiao Xin."
Her brows knitted when she heard the dreadful stressed-out tone her brother responded to her scolding with.
"Xueyi, are you alright?"
"Yeah, but I do not know for how long," he reported.
"What do you mean? Where are you, I am coming over?"
"No. Not me. Andromeda isn't fine. I am taking her home."
"Have you called Professor Hong?"
"No. I called Chaoxiang instead. He would meet me up," he informed her.
"Sure. Fine. Do not worry about us. You take care of her, okay? I would call to check in later. And I would handle Yuemi as well."
"Thanks."
Before Liu Xueyi could end the call, he heard Gao Yuemi's voice coming close as she called out, "Hey, Xiao Xin, is that Xue-bear?"
"No."
"Then who were you so worried about just one? I could tell from the look on your face that..."
He did not get to hear the rest of the conversation as his sister ended the call, obviously dealing with the bone in his throat for him.
At that point, he was thankful for having such a witty and cunny sister. His worries could be solved at some point especially when it came to women.
*****
A few hours later, Hong Chaoxiang beckoned to Liu Xueyi as they stepped out of the room Andromeda was sleeping in.
Thanks to him carrying out what Hong Chaoxiang told him to do, Andromeda immediately got herself back but the whole incident had left certain mental stress on her and she went straight to sleep.
Although he wanted her to have a pretty good bath, all he could do was lift her gown up to her waist, leaving her bare save for her panties and soaking her lower body in the bath.
After making sure her temperature had calmed down a bit, he lifted her out of the tub, took off her gown and then headed to the bed.
Liu Xueyi wasted no time getting her dressed in one of his sports t-shirts and shorts before fetching the Vaseline and oil to rub on her thighs and legs.
"Hey," Hong Chaoxiang cast a long gaze at Liu Xueyi before uttering his next words carefully.
From the way his friend looked, he could tell he was pretty worried about Andromeda and all through when he watched her, Liu Xueyi did not utter a sound and watched from the side.
"You did a good job in taking care of her before my arrival," Hong Chaoxiang's soothing voice applauded him.
"Hmm."
The only reply he could utter at that moment was a mere hmm. His mind kept wandering back to the kind of suffering she may have had to suffer just because of his stupidity.
At this point, Liu Xueyi could not be bothered by anything concerning his anger or the kiss anymore.
All he could think of was her health.
"Xueyi?"
"Huh?" He lifted his head, casting his gloomy eyes on Hong Chaoxiang. "Yeah?"
"It's going to be okay. Her case isn't all that serious. She would be fine."
"I hope so."
"Don't hope. Just know she will be fine."
"Then what is wrong?"
"She has what is called Chafing. She experiences it when her body comes in contact with some things and then the incessant rubbing of thigh against thigh or friction on her dry skin."
Liu Xueyi's eyes remained agape from the information. Never would he have thought Andromeda would have such.
"Several things cause it, though. If she had known better, she should not have walked further when it began and just find a place to rest, let her body get itself back."
"I see."
"Yes. However, I am more concerned. Where were you when she was trekking to this point where she lost consciousness briefly?"
He swallowed hard the moment Hong Chaoxiang's question left his lips.
"Umm… You know, it is nothing. I just wasn't with her," Liu Xueyi diverted the truth.
How could he bring himself to tell his friend that his anger and jealousy made him put Andromeda in such danger without thinking?
At least if he had refused to let her off till she got home, nothing would have happened.
Instead, he let her have her wish.
"Why do I have a feeling you are not telling me something and hiding the truth from me?" Hong Chaoxiang inquired.
His eyes narrowed at Liu Xueyi as he placed both hands into his pocket. "Spill," his deep voice pushed once more.
"Nothing to spill."
He knew if he did not do something soon, Hong Chaoxiang would back him into a corner.
And there was no way he was going to reveal to him the truth between himself and Andromeda.
The fact they weren't dating and that he had slept with her that night instead of the arranged girl.
So instead of playing the victim to him, Liu Xueyi lifted his head, masking his emotions quickly as he mirrored his friend's pose.
"Nothing."
'Lies. Do not tell me you and she had a fight? Or were you jealous again?"
He did not get to question Liu Xueyi one more time before the latter shot him a cold glare, making him clamp his lips shut involuntarily.
"Okay. Well, I have brought Topical corticosteroid cream that can help soothe chafed skin, as can several home remedies, like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, cornstarch, zinc oxide, and petroleum jelly. They are all in the bag I left on the table in the room."
The cold look Liu Xueyi gave him immediately melted away and he was back to his normal self.
"Thanks."
"It is nothing. Oh, and I did not get the aloe vera plant. I got cream instead. She can take one or two of them with her in her bag when she goes out, should such a thing ever occur again."
"She would but rest assured. I would never let it repeat itself," Liu Xueyi assured.
A knowing smile twinkled in Hong Chaoxiang's eyes when Liu Xueyi declared those words out.
There was more than one way to experience chafing or for something to activate such irritation of the skin. And one of them happened to be what he had done before.
Sensing the mischief in the air, Liu Xueyi was forced to inquire about this.
"What's with the wry smile?" Liu Xueyi inquired.
"Nothing. I just hope you can keep to your word. But even if you cannot, I have some quick first aid remedies for it. That way you would not be forced to stop your pleasurable activities mid-way."
Hong Chaoxiang did not finish his sentence before Liu Xueyi got a clue of what he meant from his earlier statement.
Immediately his hands pulled out from his pocket as he pointed in the direction of the door.
"Time to take your naughty tongue out. I see Bolin had corrupted you enough."
"Hahaha, says the corrupt mind that could decipher what I was not saying."
"Yeah, what you were not directly saying but saying. Do I look like a PG-13 to you?"
"Maybe," Hong Chaoxiang mused as he brought his right hand up to conceal his laughter.
"You bunch are and would forever be naughty."
"Hey," Hong Chaoxiang lifted both hands in surrender, shaking his head. "Completely innocent. But then again, it is our naughtiness that keeps us all tied together."
"Shut it."
"Haha, deny it all you want. Anyways, let her be for now. Once she wakes up, she can drink more water, take fluid fruits and then relax more. I have given my advice. Yield to it. Remember your friendly Doctor is always a call away."
Saying that he winked at Liu Xueyi, turned around and took his leave while retaining the lovely smile on his face.
If there was anything, he was glad Liu Xueyi was serious about Andromeda.
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