The touch was extremely brief, roughly less than a second.
Ashley's mind was still blank, and she hasn't even had time to react.
The next second, she felt that Jacob seemed to freeze, and then immediately stood up straight and took a step back.
There was a short distance between the two.
The position where they stood was behind the bus stop, with the light behind them, extremely dim.
Ashley raised her head subconsciously and looked dull, facing his slightly dark eyes.
She didn’t know what was going on, but she dared not look at him and immediately withdrew her eyes. Inexplicably, she took a step back, not knowing where to put her hands and feet.
She had no idea what she should react.
‘It seems strange that if the reaction is too big, but if the reaction is too small, it is not appropriate.
Or I can just pretend nothing happened.
Treat the accident as a trivial matter, and then continue to have a normal conversation with him as usual.’
But Ashley couldn't say anything.
When she was confused, she wanted to rub her forehead with her sleeves, and when she raised her hands, she felt that she was a little obvious, so she had to touch her head instead.
Soon, Ashley heard Jacob speak.
His breathing was a little heavy as if he were suppressing some pain, and his voice became low and dumb, "I'm sorry."
Ashley paused and looked at him.
Only then did she find that Jacob's expression was extremely bad.
It was cold today, but there was a thin sweat on his forehead and the hair on his forehead was wet.
His lips were pale to purple and the whole person was taut.
It was like he was going to fall down the next moment.
Ashley froze.
She had never been in such a situation before, and suddenly remembered where she seemed to have bumped into him.
She was so anxious and frightened that she stumbled, "Brother … Does it hurt? Did I bump into you somewhere? "
Jacob calmly breathed and reluctantly bent his lips, "It was not you."
"I'm sorry."
Ashley inexplicably wanted to cry, and her eyes gradually turned red and her voice had a nasal sound. "Brother, wait for me here, I'll get a cab."
This time JACOB said nothing more and said slowly, "go ahead."
As soon as SHE got to the side of the road, there happened to be an empty taxi coming. Ashley hurriedly stopped it, told the driver, and immediately trotted back to the side of Jacob.
She helped Jacob to walk in the direction of the taxi.
Jacob walked a little slower than just now, and he seemed to feel pain even when he moved.
He suddenly laughed, "It seems that you are really supporting an old man this time."
Ashley couldn’t laugh.
“Little Ashley, brother feels like it’s not a stomachache."
Jacob looked sideways at Ashley and seemed to be thinking, speaking slowly, "But it…"
"…"
"It really hurts."
The driver looked back and noticed Jacob's face, "Are you drunk or something? What happened? Don’t throw up in the car. "
Maybe he relieved the pain after sitting down, he smiled and said, "Sir, don't worry, I can bear it."
The driver frowned and made it clear, "50 dollars for vomiting."
"Of course."
Ashley said hurriedly, "Sir, he's not feeling well. He is not drunk. Please drive to the city hospital. Thank you. "
The driver said nothing more and started the car.
With that, Ashley subconsciously looked in the direction of Jacob.
He leaned back on the seat, sitting lazily, with one hand covering the position of his right lower abdomen.
Ashley didn't want him to talk, so she didn't take the initiative to speak up.
But Jacob first said, "Ashley, fasten your seat belt."
She subconsciously pulled the seat belt from the right rear and tried to buckle it, when she suddenly remembered that he had not fastened it either.
Ashley paused and leaned close to him.
Probably noticing her movement, Jacob moved, "What?"
Ashley went to touch the seat belt next to him and muttered, "I'll fasten it for you."
Ashley smiled, "Do bother. Brother asked you to fasten your seat belt."
"I'll fasten it for you. You just sit tight." Ashley shook her head and insisted, "Brother, get some sleep, then you won't feel any pain. I'll call you when you get there."
"All right. Thank you, Little Ashley."
Ashley did not refuse, sitting in place, tilting his head and staring at her, "for taking care of brother."
Fortunately, the city hospital was not far away.
The driver parked his car at the door of the hospital. Ashley paid the money, helped Jacob into the hospital, and then went to register.
The doctor got an X-ray for Jacob and made sure it was acute appendicitis.
Ashley listened to the doctor. The doctor said that he had been in this condition for a long time, and it would become much more serious if he came later.
It was not a small problem then.
She pursed her lips and glanced at him.
Jacob didn't seem to care too much.
Then, the doctor wrote something on the medical record and asked Ashley to pay the money first, and then arranged the operation.
Ashley nodded, looked at the bill, turned her head, and walked out.
Before she took a few steps, Jacob stopped her, "Ashley."
Ashley turned around and said, "What's the matter?"
"There is a card inside, and the password is brother's birthday."
Jacob handed her the wallet from his pocket. "Thank you, Little Ashley, for help."
She stared at him for a few seconds, then took it and said, "Okay."
This was only a minor surgical operation, the danger was very small, and the time was not long.
After she handed in the money and went back, Jacob noticed the time and took the initiative to say, "Little Ashley, it's nine o'clock. It's time for you to go back to school. It's not safe later. "
Ashley didn't move.
"It's no big deal," Jacob said. "After the operation, I'll be fine after a few days' rest. When you are free, just come and meet me. "
Ashley handed the bill to the doctor and said, "I'll wait for you to come out."
"It will take an hour."
Jacob raised his eyebrows, and his face was still close to morbid whiteness. "Aren't you bored out there alone?"
Ashley, who was in a bad mood, said gloomily, "Stop talking."
"All right."
Jacob smiled again. "Then brother just closes my mouth."
Ashley stopped talking and stood beside him in silence.
It suddenly occurred to her that if she hadn't made an appointment to have dinner with him today, he probably wouldn't have gone to the hospital, as he just said on the phone.
Her heart was inexplicably blocked.
After Jacob entered the operating room, Ashley sat outside and waited.
Fearing that her roommates were worried, she told them she would be back late tonight in the dormitory group and then opened the web page to search for "precautions after appendicitis".
After a while, Ashley put away her cell phone and suddenly remembered the accident at the bus stop.
He touched her forehead subconsciously.
Maybe it was psychological. At this moment, the position he kissed began to get hot.
It was like it was burning.
At that moment, the breath he exhaled seemed to be wrapped around her.
An extremely intimate distance.
‘Forget it.
Forget it, Ashley.
Stop!’
She bumped into him first, but it was him who apologized.
According to the analysis of the specific situation, in this way, on the contrary, she should have taken advantage of him.
And just a kiss on the forehead, it's not a big deal.
‘’Anyway, we are not children anymore.
Looking at his reaction, he didn't seem to take the matter too seriously.’
The mobile phone in her hand vibrated, cutting her thoughts. It was her Mom.
Noticing the time at the top of the screen, Ashley hurriedly picked it up, "Mom."
Grace's voice came from the other end of the phone, "Ash, haven't you gone back to the dormitory yet?"
Because she came so far to school, before she came here, Grace told her in advance that she should have a phone call at 10 o'clock every night.
Ashley did not lie, "No."
Grace, "Are you with your friends?"
"No," Ashley said. "Mom, I met my brother’s friend here, the one who tutored me when I was in junior high school, Jacob."
Grace, "Oh, I remember him."
"Because he has helped me a lot, I just wanted to invite him to dinner."
Ashley explained, "But he's sick, so I took him to the hospital, and now he's in the hospital."
Grace, "Sick? Is he okay? "
Ashley, "Just acute appendicitis, it should be no big problem."
"Then take more care of that child. He doesn’t have any families at home."
Grace sighed. "You should pay attention to yourself and go back early, okay?"
"…"
Ashley was attracted by her words and said, "What do you mean he doesn’t have any families at home? Mom, how do you know that? "
"Ah?"
Grace said, "I don't think I mentioned this to you? Your brother’s friend, like, during the summer vacation of the first semester of freshman year, borrowed five thousand dollars from your brother. "
"..."
"How old was your brother at that time? He didn't have the money, so he asked your father for it."
Grace said softly, "The money was used to treat his mother. Later, the money was returned, but it seemed that his mother was gone. "
Ashley was a little speechless and paused for a long time, "What about his father?"
"I don’t know."
Grace said, "But if his father is here, how can he let his son borrow money?"
After the operation, Jacob should be hospitalized for another week.
He was placed in a two-bed ward.
He was dressed in a hospital gown, his hair drooped over his forehead, his face was cold and pale, and he was not in a good state of mind.
The operation was under local anesthesia, so he was still awake and had fluid infusion on the back of his hand.
Looking at Ashley on one side, Jacob bent his lips and reminded again, "Little Ashley, it's time for you to go back to school."
Ashley said softly, "Got it."
"After you get on a car, write down the license plate number and send it to brother."
"Then when you get to the dormitory, call me," Jacob said.
"Oh."
Ashley grabbed the bag and hesitated to ask, "Does it hurt?"
"Nope."
Jacob smiled. "I don't feel it."
Ashley nodded, "Then I'll see you tomorrow."
"Only if when there is no class."
Jacob said, "There is nothing wrong with brother here. There is no need for Little Ashley to run back and forth every day."
"…"
Ashley looked at him and said, "See you, Brother Jacob."
"Well, goodbye."
Seeing her out of the ward, Jacob picked up a cell phone and looked at it.
Noticing that Liam called him, he raised his eyebrows and called back slowly.
Listening to the mechanical ticking sound in his ear, Jacob suddenly remembered what happened next to the station.
And Ashley's reaction.
The little girl was so caught off guard that she seemed so frightened that she dared not even look at him.
Maybe she felt a little embarrassed and didn't say a word for a long time.
‘Maybe she did care about this?’
Without waiting for the other end to pick up, Jacob hung up the phone.
He finally had the time and energy to think about it.
‘To sum up, in a few months, the child will be twenty?
Even if she is 20 or 30, his behavior just now seems to take advantage of her, who is also his brother's sister.
And he watched the girl grow up.
And she is twenty years old, can he always tease her like that?
If the kiddo misunderstands that he has some evil thoughts, it is not good.
Maybe little girls care more about this?’
Jacob touched the center of his eyebrow, feeling a little bit guilty.
He suddenly remembered her previous online lover.
At this time, the cell phone rang, interrupting his mood.
It was Liam.
Jacob picked up, thinking about whether to confess the matter.
Liam's voice came from that end and said lazily, "Brother, have you got your cecum cut? How does it feel? "
"Pretty good."
Jacob pulled the corner of his lips and said loosely, "You can try."
"Handsome people don't have such a thing, okay?"
Speaking of which, Liam mentioned a matter, "I heard that my sister sent you to the hospital?"
Jacob, "Yes."
"Do you still need to be sent? Can't you go to the hospital by yourself? "
Liam said leisurely, "Can you take care yourself? If you feel the pain, you should take the initiative to go to the hospital. "
Jacob, "Is that what you called for?"
"I happened to be free. I heard you were sick, so I called to celebrate."
Liam said, "Since you're all right, forget it. I'll go to bed."
"Wait a minute," Jacob went silent for a few seconds. "I'll tell you something."
"Okay."
Jacob considered how to express it.
‘How can I say that?
That I accidentally kissed your sister, and the little girl really cares.
I hope you don't mind as a brother.
That’s weird.’
"Forget it."
"It's nothing," Jacob said. "
"…"
Liam was quiet for a while and soon added, "I don't like that about you. A big man talks like a little girl. What can't you say?"
Jacob, "Bye."
"Wait a minute."
Liam seemed to be in high spirits. "Man, I hear you are going on a blind date again recently?
Your boss is very warm-hearted. How many have you been introduced? "
"…"
"Is there a successful one? I don't think you have a date now. "
Liam said, "All right, bro. A suggestion, stop talking like you did before. "
Jacob was speechless, "How did I talk?"
"The tone of your voice, I have been embarrassed to hit you."
Liam spoke slowly. "You know, it's a little corny."
"..."
Liam said. "Dude, tell you what, now the post-90s generation don't like it."
Jacob's eyebrow heart jumped, "Post-90s?"
"We post-90s are quite fashionable, you know?"
Liam said leisurely, "I know you post-80s don't understand, but you have to keep up with the times."
Jacob was one year older than Liam.
Jacob was born in 1989, while Liam was in 1990.
Jacob was speechless and chuckled, "You are really funny, I gotta go."
He looked at the time and calculated the time from here to Silver River University. He was about to make a phone call to ask Ashley if she had got in the car when he suddenly noticed that there was some movement on the other side of the door.
Jacob raised his eyes.
He immediately saw that the person who had just left came back at this moment.
She stood by the door, motionless, as if afraid of being scolded by him, and her voice was very low, "Brother Jacob, I’d better I stay with you."
"…"
"I feel like if I was sick."
Ashley scratched her head.. "You probably won't leave either."