Figure Skating: Waltz on Ice

"Uh~ Don't go, I just... have a knee pain, it's okay... I can bear with it."

Du Liangchen grabbed Mei Jing's hand, preventing him from going to the dormitory manager.

"My knee hurts, let me take a look."

Lifting the blanket, Du Liangchen was wearing short pajama bottoms with his knees exposed.

Mei Jing was worried and gently touched his knee with her finger: "Does it hurt like this?"

Du Liangchen shook his head.

"I remember you didn't have a knee injury during training, so why does your knee hurt?"

Mei Jing poked his other leg again and found that touching Du Liangchen like that didn't hurt.

Du Liangchen said in a hoarse voice, "It should be growing pains. It's been hurting a lot lately. Luckily, I haven't had any cramps, otherwise training would be very difficult."

Knowing the reason was unrelated to injury, Mei Jing breathed a sigh of relief.

"I understand. I'll give you a hot compress and then massage you. I'll go get some water."

Mei Jing quickly filled a basin with hot water and then wet a towel to apply a hot compress to Du Liangchen.

I carefully placed it on his knee and observed his expression: "How is it? Is it hot? If it is, I'll add some cold water."

Du Liangchen shook his head: "It's not hot, it's very comfortable."

Mei Jing said in a light tone, "That's good."

Du Liangchen glanced at the time: "Thank you for your trouble, Mei Jing. It's very late now, you should go back to sleep. I can change the water myself."

Mei Jing's eyes were gentle, full of concern for Du Liangchen: "No need for me to worry. Besides, you don't need to be so polite with me. We're good friends, aren't we?"

Du Liangchen frowned slightly, his heart filled with worries and confusion.

He didn't understand what Mei Jing was up to by being so kind to him.

Du Liangchen asked hesitantly, "In your heart, have we always been friends?"

Mei Jing nodded and answered affirmatively, "Yes, it always has been."

“I know that because of Hao Shuxue’s matter, you have locked yourself in your heart and no longer easily trust anyone. I understand and agree with that.”

"If that happened to me, I would probably do the same as you."

"However, I'm probably not as brave or skilled as you, and I should have already left the competition."

Mei Jing was startled.

"But didn't you come to my neighborhood to find me and get me back on the field? How come you think you can't do the same thing now that you've encountered this situation?"

Mei Jing touched her nose with her finger, embarrassed, and muttered softly, "Because I can't bear to part with it."

Du Liangchen didn't hear clearly: "What?"

Mei Jing accidentally blurted out what was on her mind. Luckily, he didn't hear it, or it would have been even more awkward.

"Because I don't want to lose you as a friend and teammate. We've been brothers since the provincial team. Without you on the field, I'll feel very lonely."

Du Liangchen was taken aback, then blushed, and then laughed happily, a laugh that was unrestrained and flamboyant.

"Thank you for thinking I'm so important to you."

He felt that he and Mei Jing were like Bo Ya and Zi Qi, kindred spirits who appreciated each other.

"I've had it on for ten minutes now. Now I'll give you a massage to relieve the pain and prevent leg cramps."

Mei Jing took a towel off one of her legs and gently pressed it onto Du Liangchen's leg.

"How much force was it applied? Was it too strong?"

Du Liangchen was very ticklish, especially on his legs, and he quickly pulled back when Mei Jing touched him.

"What's wrong?" Mei Jing looked at him in confusion.

"No, I'm ticklish. I'll start laughing if you touch me, so let's not."