CHAPTER 1079: CHAPTER 1079: ROSES AND TEARS (PART 5)

"Okay, I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you, always stay with you... Xiaoqing, don’t be afraid. Aliang is here... It’s okay, it’s all over..."

After a while, Chu Xinqing finally stopped crying, but she was still trembling slightly.

Feeling her emotions stabilizing a bit, Qiao Liang reached out to support her and asked cautiously, "Listen to brother, take your medicine first, then eat something, okay?"

Chu Xinqing sniffed, "I... I want you to feed me!"

"Okay." Qiao Liang smiled in response, "Then let go of me."

As he spoke, he reached out to hold her hand, "Slowly, be careful not to pull the needle, come on, let me get the pillow, okay... lean on it."

Settling her against the headboard, he got up to leave, but felt the weight on his shirt. Looking down, he saw her unbandaged fingers still clutching tightly to the hem of his shirt.

"Don’t be afraid, I’m just getting your medicine."

Qiao Liang gave her a reassuring smile, leaned over to bring the medicine and water over, and brought the tablet to her lips. Unintentionally, he brushed against her lips. A girl’s lips... so soft.

As his gaze swept across Chu Xinqing’s lips, the memory of that kiss many years ago echoed in his mind.

Back then, he was just an innocent boy, just beginning to develop an interest in relationships.

At first, he always thought kissing was disgusting, with two people mouth-to-mouth, even exchanging saliva. Why so many people seemed to enjoy it with such pleasure was beyond him.

Later, he looked up a lot of information, from the taste buds on the tongue to the nerves, but couldn’t draw a conclusion. Finally, Qiao Liang decided to verify it himself.

He had been tall since childhood, fair-skinned and handsome. Many early-blooming girls had made numerous overt or covert gestures of affection toward him.

If he wanted, any girl would surely be willing, but the thought of swapping saliva with them was unacceptable. In the end, he set his sights on his "good buddy" Chu Xinqing.

So, that Sunday, when the two "good buddies" went out to sea, he took the initiative to kiss her once.

Thinking of how Chu Xinqing looked at that time, Qiao Liang couldn’t help but lightly curl his lips.

"What are you smiling at?"

Noticing his expression, Chu Xinqing asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing?" Qiao Liang took the plate, used a toothpick to pierce a piece of apple and brought it to her mouth. Watching her take the apple and chew it slowly, he smiled again.

He remembered that day; she also had eaten an apple, her mouth full of its fresh flavor.

Chu Xinqing was puzzled by his laughing and swallowed the apple in her mouth forcefully.

"What are you smiling at again?"

"Nothing."

"Liar." Chu Xinqing frowned, "Tell me quickly, is there something on my face... or apple peel on my teeth?"

Qiao Liang chuckled softly, "No."

"Then what are you smiling at?"

"I just..." Qiao Liang fed another piece of apple to her, his eyes resting on the scars on her face, and his smile froze, "Idiot, you were too impulsive earlier. If she really shot you, you could have died, you know?"

"If I die, I die." Chu Xinqing lowered her eyelashes. "If I died, I would be your life-saving benefactor, and you would remember me for a lifetime."

Qiao Liang raised his hand and lightly tapped her forehead, "What nonsense are you talking about, life and death and all that? If you died, what would I do?"