Cosmic Love Affair

Chapter 6, The Kuiper Belt Six

Xie Li put his hands behind his back and scratched hard. The persistent itching on the back of his hand was making him very uncomfortable.

Professor Fang was both amused and exasperated as she explained to Xie Li, "That's my husband's father. He's quite old." She pointed to her head with her strong fingers, "He has dementia and always forgets that his mother-in-law has passed away. She lived in this house for a while before she died. When he gets confused and can't find her, he always thinks she's still here."

Xie Li then realized he had made a fool of himself, meddling in other people's affairs without knowing the full story. He became uneasy and said awkwardly, "I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."

Professor Fang smiled kindly, "You didn't know, so it's not your fault. I should thank you for speaking up and clarifying things for me. Most people would have left quickly to avoid getting involved in such a situation."

The nanny came out of the bedroom after calming the elderly man down and immediately said, "Just now, young Mr. Xie was hit by the old man. I don't know how serious it is. We have some medicinal oil for bruises and sprains at home. You should apply some."

Xie Li instinctively touched his shoulder and quickly shook his head, "It's nothing, I'm fine."

As he reached out, the glaring patches of red rash on the back of his hand were exposed.

The nanny, being close to him, exclaimed, "Oh dear, what happened to your hand?"

Xie Li hurriedly pulled back, saying, "It might be an allergy."

The nanny was quick and grabbed his hand, examining it closely, "This doesn't look like an allergy. When did it start?"

Tan Ke, who had been sitting in the corner of the living room looking at his phone, suddenly stood up and walked over to Xie Li to look at his hand as well.

This man was very tall and had to bend over slightly. Xie Li felt like he was completely overshadowed by the other's presence.

He immediately felt very uncomfortable and tried to pull his hand back, saying, "I, I'll go back and find some medicine to apply."

Tan Ke, however, grabbed his hand and suddenly asked sternly, "Didn't you ask someone to tell you to wash your hands?"

There was a hint of blame in his tone, and Xie Li couldn't help but shrink back, then he remembered that the hall manager did mention something about washing hands at that time.

But at that moment, it was said out of the blue, and he had no idea what it meant. He still didn't know why he needed to wash his hands. And after he went back to school, he did wash his hands.

He was now quite afraid of Tan Ke and unconsciously took a half step back, speaking in a low and indistinct voice, "I washed them later."

Professor Fang came over from behind and noticed something amiss, "So, Ah Ke and Xiao Xie know each other?"

Xie Li didn't speak. His relationship with this "white moonlight" was awkward, and he really couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

It was Tan Ke who casually responded.

Professor Fang looked at her nephew, then took Xie Li's hand again and examined it. Her tone became serious, "I think your condition is worse than before. It's progressing so quickly. You probably should go to the hospital and get it checked out."

Xie Li gently pulled away and obediently agreed, "Then I'll go and see a doctor tomorrow."

He really couldn't stay here any longer and wanted to take his leave, but after some internal struggle, he still spoke up, "Teacher Fang, can I go in and apologize to grandpa?"

He truly felt guilty. He had just scolded an elderly man who was ill. He shouldn't just leave like this: "I think I should apologize to grandpa."

Professor Fang was about to say it was okay, but seeing that Xie Li seemed to really care, she changed her mind, "Then let the aunt take you there."

So the nanny took Xie Li to another room.

Tan Ke helped Professor Fang sit down and joked casually, "I didn't expect such a lively scene at my aunt's place."

Professor Fang smiled helplessly, "Xie Li doesn't have bad intentions, he's just a bit impatient. I also didn't expect my father-in-law to get confused and come over today. Usually, when he comes to cause trouble, the nanny would stop him. Who would have thought that seeing Xie Li today would make him even more agitated. When he gets confused, it comes in waves, and there's really nothing we can do."

Tan Ke pondered for a moment and said, "I have another apartment in the city center. Aunt, why don't you move there? This can't go on forever."

Professor Fang shook her head, "People will come to pick him up later. He and my mother-in-law bickered for decades. Now that she's gone and he's confused, he still remembers to argue. But I thought if he came here and found no one, he might get upset again."

Tan Ke clearly disagreed, "Old people like him shouldn't be wandering around by themselves. Aunt, you're too soft-hearted. You're divorced from my uncle, you have no obligation to take care of his father anymore."

Professor Fang smiled and said, "Although my marriage with your uncle didn't work out, we're still friends. My mother-in-law was very kind to me when she was alive, I'm just returning the favor." She paused, then added, "Besides, you haven't had a proper romance or marriage yet, you don't understand this principle."

Tan Ke was left speechless by her words.

Seeing his expression, Professor Fang continued, "Don't bring up your past boyfriends. That was like eating fast food, it can't be considered real dating."

Tan Ke was truly at a loss: "Aunt, I'm so busy with work. Do you expect me to accompany people shopping and boating? Isn't that too much to ask?"

Professor Fang sighed as she looked at him, "If you meet someone you truly love, you won't think these things are a waste of time."

Tan Ke remained silent, neither confirming nor denying.

Professor Fang knew when to stop and changed the subject, "I see that you seem to know Xie Li,"

Tan Ke hummed in acknowledgment but didn't elaborate.

Professor Fang slapped her thigh, "I almost forgot, you knew Shen Zhichuan before, no wonder you know his student."

She continued, "Then do me a favor later and see Xie Li off. There's no subway station near Falin Road. Xie Li has been running back and forth carrying my materials. I see this thin child, and his school bag seems to be crushing him."

Tan Ke made a wry face, "Aunt, I came to see you, and you won't even keep me for a meal, and you're using me as a driver."

Professor Fang immediately waved her hand, showing her distaste, "I'm not keeping you for a meal. My nanny always hates cooking for you. She doesn't allow any green onions or ginger, it's simply torture."

Xie Li stayed in the guest room on the first floor for a while.

The old man seemed to regain his senses when he saw Professor Fang just now, grabbing her and asking about his wife. Upon hearing that she had passed away in a certain year, he suddenly became quiet and let the nanny lead him away.

When Xie Li went in, the old man was sitting in a chair, muttering to himself.

The nanny and Xie Li walked over together. Xie Li squatted down next to the chair and said softly, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have scolded you like that."

The old man turned his head to look at him, still muttering, showing no intention of acknowledging him.

The nanny advised Xie Li, "The old man is forgetful now, often forgetting people he just met, and sometimes he doesn't like to interact with others. There's really no need to apologize, he's already forgotten."

Xie Li was taken aback, looking at the old man's bewildered eyes, and regret suddenly surged up.

He had spoken so rashly, and now that he knew he was wrong, he didn't even have the chance to apologize.

He grew up in an orphanage, where he learned to fight back. Because there was no logic among children, it all depended on who was more aggressive. If hurt, one had to retaliate in kind.

When he saw Song Yi cheating, he wanted Song Yi to feel the same pain as him.

Being falsely accused by an unfamiliar old man, he would go up and argue; if the old man scolded him, he would scold the old man back.

He dealt with problems with a confrontational attitude, holding the belief that he couldn't back down an inch, never considering the possibility of a misunderstanding, that the other party was just a poor soul driven by illness.

The nanny urged Xie Li again.

Xie Li felt quite upset inside. He touched the old man's hand resting on his knee, turned around and rummaged in his school bag, pulling out a piece of chocolate.

This time he learned his lesson and knew to ask first. He held it up for the nanny to see, "Can grandpa eat this chocolate?"

The chocolate was brought back from Sweden a few days ago by his senior from the adjacent atmospheric physics department. Xie Li was reluctant to eat it and had kept it. It just so happened that he hadn't eaten anything at noon, so he put it in his bag on a whim.

The nanny hesitated and nodded, "He can eat it, he likes sweet things."

Xie Li peeled off the wrapper of the chocolate and carefully placed it in the old man's hand, "Grandpa, I'm sorry, will you eat this?" Then he whispered, "I shouldn't have said to reduce an hour for you, I'm sorry, it should be reduced from mine."

He looked up at the old man, held his hand, as if trying to squeeze an hour into a ball and give it to him.

The old man wasn't listening to him, just looking at the thing in his hand, then popped it into his mouth, smacking his lips in delight.

Tan Ke had stood by the door at some point, arms folded, watching the young boy squatting in front of the chair.

Just now when he was grabbing the cane and scolding people, he was quite fierce, but now he was like a little dog trying hard to please, wagging his tail vigorously.

After coaxing the old man, Xie Li stood up with his school bag. As he turned around, he saw the man standing there expressionlessly. Upon seeing him get up, the man turned and walked away.

Xie Li's heart skipped a beat, recalling his own scolding just now, and his face immediately felt like it was on fire. He walked out with his head down and in silence, and as he passed the living room, he quickly said goodbye to Professor Fang.

Professor Fang wanted to call him back, "Xie, let my nephew see you off, he came by car."

Upon hearing this, Xie Li broke into a faster run.

He hurriedly left the small courtyard, walking along the wall covered with climbing plants, following the sidewalk, and as he walked, he vigorously scratched the back of his hand.

He didn't know what was going on, but he felt it getting itchier and itchier.

Xie Li was thinking to himself that he should go back and ask someone if they had some hydrocortisone cream to borrow and apply.

Suddenly, a car honked its horn nearby.

Xie Li turned his head and saw a black car following his pace, driving extremely slowly. The passenger side window rolled down, and the man inside looked at him.

Xie Li stopped in his tracks immediately.

The black car also came to a stop, and Tan Ke gestured to him from a distance with a lift of his chin, "Get in the car."

Without a second thought, Xie Li shook his head vigorously and quickened his pace even more.

Unexpectedly, the black car also slowed down and followed behind. The cars behind that could change lanes did so, while those that couldn't help but honked their horns desperately.

Xie Li also became a target of everyone's annoyance, receiving disapproving glares. He had no choice but to stop again and said to the man in the car, "Really, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Tan Ke looked at Xie Li's slightly sunburned face. But the young boy didn't dare to look back at him so boldly; his gaze was evasive.

He found this kid quite amusing, truly like some little animal, dashing about recklessly and straightforward without any pretense. It was like a puppy's tail; a wag would immediately reveal whether it was about to bite or come to rub against one's leg.

So he maintained his poker face and said in a cool tone, "I promised Professor Fang to see you off, I'm just doing my part."

Sure enough, the young boy's face showed hesitation.

He added another sentence, "The cars behind are all waiting."

Xie Li was really out of options. He suspected that if he didn't get in, this car would follow him all the way to the bus stop.

He resignedly pulled open the car door. As soon as he sat in, he hugged his school bag to his chest, pressing closely against the door—his whole body exuded resistance.

"Seatbelt," Tan Ke said.

He held the steering wheel, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young boy tugging at the seatbelt, looking very conflicted, hesitating whether to put the seatbelt over or under the school bag.

Tan Ke's lips were taut.

He was now a bit doubtful. Could it be that Shen Zhichuan took on this student just to amuse himself in his old age?