Rebirth in a Shura Field, but in an Abstract Version

004 Itch

Before Wang Zhe could sort out his thoughts, Song Zhiyi and Jiang Di had already started arguing.

Song Zhiyi pointed at Jiang Di's right hand and said, "What kind of person is he? Someone who doesn't study properly and only knows how to fight and cause trouble! Otherwise, why would he have such a wound?"

Wang Zhe then noticed that Jiang Di had a bloodstain the size of an eraser on the back of her right hand.

Jiang Di blocked his right hand with his left and sneered, "What kind of fight is this? Is it wrong to get beaten up by my dad?"

Song Zhiyi: "Why did your dad hit you?"

Jiang Di: "He got angry because I advised him not to gamble on football."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhiyi was stunned—she was injured for this reason, and she was scolding her for "only knowing how to fight and cause trouble." Wasn't that going too far?

Wang Zhe: "What you wanted to ask earlier was about football, right?"

Jiang Di nodded: "My dad also bet on tonight's match, so I just wanted to ask which side you bet on."

Wang Zhe first turned to his childhood sweetheart, who had repeatedly broken down today, and said, "See? Don't be stereotypical, don't assume things. Now you're embarrassed, aren't you?"

Song Zhiyi: "..."

Wang Zhe shrugged and said, "Alright, don't be shy. Just say sorry. Jiang Di and I don't have any special relationship. You've misunderstood someone else."

Song Zhiyi stared at him and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Wang Zhe: "It's not about me, it's about Jiang Di. You should apologize to her."

Song Zhiyi bit her lip, her face full of grievance. After hesitating for a long time, she finally bowed her head to the suspected rival in love and said, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm fine..."

Jiang Di had been acting all high and mighty, but when Song Zhiyi apologized, he seemed a little flustered.

"Alright, then you take care of her wound. I'll take her home. Bye."

After saying that, Wang Zhe left with Song Zhiyi.

But Jiang Di did not go home, because she had just practically escaped from her home, and naturally she would not walk into a trap and go back to be beaten again.

So, where can she go now?

Jiang Di stood there for a moment, then subconsciously headed in the direction Wang Zhe and Song Zhiyi had gone. As she walked, she caught sight of the young couple's backs in the distance.

She suddenly realized something was wrong; didn't this seem like she was stalking someone?

Even though she realized it, she couldn't stop. She was very curious about the relationship between the two of them...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Wang Zhe escorted Song Zhiyi to the entrance of her apartment building, waved goodbye, and turned to leave.

He didn't look at the girl's expression anymore.

But after walking only a few dozen meters, Wang Zhe spotted Jiang Di hiding behind a tree.

He went straight up to him and asked, "What are you doing here? Following me?"

Jiang Di retorted, "Didn't you say you wanted me to treat my wounds? I can't go home now, where else can I get them treated?"

Wang Zhe: "You mean you want me to handle this for you, right?"

Jiang Di pursed her lips, turned to leave, and said, "It's fine if you don't want to help. It's just pouring alcohol, I can go buy some myself..."

"return!"

"Huh?" The girl froze in place.

Wang Zhe sighed: "Don't pour alcohol directly onto the wound. Doesn't it hurt? It will also irritate the wound. Wash it with clean water first, then use iodine... Never mind, come with me."

Then, he took Jiang Di to a pharmacy to buy iodine, to a small shop to buy two bottles of purified water, and then found a bench by the roadside.

The two sat down side by side, with Wang Zhe on the right, holding the girl's right hand.

Wang Zhe unscrewed the bottle of purified water and poured it on the wound on the back of her hand.

"Hiss..." Jiang Di frowned slightly.

Wang Zhe: "Just bear with it."

Jiang Di scoffed, "This is nothing! When I got injured before, I just washed it with alcohol, which hurt way more than this!"

"Oh, well, you're pretty good."

Wang Zhe gave a perfunctory reply, his eyes fixed on the wound. After cleaning it, he began to apply iodine.

Therefore, he did not notice the girl's unusual expression.

Jiang Di blushed slightly, her eyes darting around. She wondered to herself, why was her heart pounding so hard when the pain was so much less than the pain from alcohol, and far less than when her parents hit her? Her cheeks were burning, and she couldn't help but breathe faster.

The girl tried to distract herself by asking, "Do you get injured often? How do you treat your wounds so skillfully?"

Wang Zhe: "I often play soccer. On the artificial turf at school, if you fall, you'll get a lot of bloody marks. And I've tried it, applying alcohol directly not only hurts, but also slows down the healing process; iodine is much better."

"Oh..." Jiang Di looked up at the sky, seemingly lost in thought.

She didn't even know what she should be thinking right now.

My wrist was being held by a handsome young man, and the back of my hand was being gently patted. I had never experienced this feeling before.

That's so strange...

It hurts slightly, feels a bit cool, and is a little itchy. But this itching doesn't seem to be just a sensation from a wound.

Suddenly, Wang Zhe's voice interrupted her drifting thoughts.

"It's all taken care of. Be careful with the wound, don't get it wet or touch anything else. We'll talk about it again once it's healed."

Jiang Di looked down at the treated wound, then looked up at the delicate face and asked softly, "Are you sure you don't need alcohol?"

Wang Zhe was somewhat confused: "Why do you insist on alcohol?"

Jiang Di was too embarrassed to admit it, because the gentle touch had made her feel itchy. So, she wanted to see if the pain she was already used to could relieve this itch.

At this point, Wang Zhe said, "Alright, let's go back."

But Jiang Di sat there motionless, and took out a cigarette and a lighter from his school uniform pocket, and lit it for himself.

She took a drag and asked with a smile, "I already said I can't go home, so where do you want me to go?"

Wang Zhe retorted, "Are you never going home again? What you have to face, you'll have to face sooner or later. Besides, it's his fault that your dad hit you because of gambling on football. Tell your mom."

Jiang Di shook her head: "My mom went to a parent-teacher conference, and my grades were really bad this time, so..."

Wang Zhe suddenly realized: "Oh, no wonder you didn't go home. Because you'd get another beating if you went back?"

"That's right." Jiang Di was about to take another puff when, before he knew it, Wang Zhe snatched the cigarette from his hand.

He said, "People who are injured and have just been treating their wounds should not smoke."

"It's only just been lit, and there's still so much left, don't waste it... Huh?"

Jiang Di froze before she could finish speaking. She saw Wang Zhe actually put the cigarette in his mouth and take a drag. Of course, it was the kind of inhalation where he didn't inhale, but the problem was, she had just smoked that cigarette!

Isn't this an indirect kiss?

Wang Zhe grinned mischievously and said, "This way it won't be a waste, right? Okay, stop smoking."

In the past, if someone had dared to be so rude to her, Jiang Di would have already lost her temper. But now, as if possessed, she lowered her face and whispered a single word: "Oh."

But for some reason, the itch in my heart is becoming more and more urgent and unbearable.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.