Nian Ueno

Jiang Weixi was amused by the way the little boy was addressed.

Uncle and pretty sister?

The children had already stuffed flowers into his hands, so Ji Dongxun took out his money and bought the bouquet.

The little boy ran off happily, waving his hand and saying, "Thank you, Uncle."

Ji Dongxun handed the flowers to Jiang Weixi: "Do I look old?"

Jiang Weixi suppressed a laugh and shook her head: "No, no."

"Then why does he call me 'uncle' and you 'sister'?"

"Maybe... you look a bit serious." Jiang Weixi held the red roses, in a good mood.

Ji Dongxun subconsciously rubbed his hands together; the child had touched him earlier, and he couldn't help but wipe them on his clothes a few times.

Jiang Weixi caught a glimpse of his actions out of the corner of her eye; he was rubbing his hand until it was red and raw.

She seemed to be deep in thought.

The two returned home close to one in the morning.

The first thing Ji Dongxun did upon entering the house was to wash his hands, repeatedly using hand sanitizer five times.

He came out of the bathroom.

Jiang Weixi was cutting a mineral water bottle: "It seems we don't have a vase at home, so I'll use this plastic bottle to put the flowers in for now, and I'll buy one tomorrow."

There were twelve roses in the bouquet. She cut two mineral water bottles and put the flowers in two groups inside.

Jiang Weixi lowered her head, her expression focused, and muttered as she worked, "Add some water, preserve it well, and the flowers can bloom for a few more days."

Ji Dongxun: "You really like flowers?"

Jiang Weixi: "Hmm... It's alright, this is the first bouquet of flowers you've ever given me."

Regardless of his motives, he gave it to her anyway.

Ji Dongxun was slightly taken aback, not expecting that a casually given bouquet of flowers would be taken so seriously by her.

He blurted out instinctively, "I'll buy it for you later."

At that moment, he was thinking about buying her a bigger and prettier bouquet of flowers in the future.

The idea popped into his head naturally, surprising even himself.

Jiang Weixi paused in her hand, which was fiddling with the flowers, and then looked up at him.

She smiled sweetly, her eyes crinkling, and said in a sweet voice, "Okay, then... I'm looking forward to Mr. Ji's flowers."

The way she pronounced "Mr. Ji" had a special quality to it, gently tickling his heart.

"Hmm," he responded casually. "It's getting late, let's get some rest."

"it is good."

Ji Dongxun turned around and prepared to go back to his room.

Jiang Weixi arranged the flowers and placed them on the dining table, then called out to him, "Mr. Ji."

He stopped and turned to look at her.

Jiang Weixi jogged over, stopped in front of him, lowered her eyes, and let her gaze sweep over the back of his hand.

She stared at his hand without saying a word.

Ji Dongxun looked down at his hands: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Weixi hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mr. Ji, do you have touch avoidance disorder?"

Ji Dongxun's eyes widened, a hint of surprise appearing on his face: "You know about this disease?"

It's a very niche problem.

Even those close to him didn't know, they just thought he was a germaphobe and didn't like to interact with others.

Actually, that's not the case. He has a medical condition and can't control his body's natural resistance.

Apart from his former psychiatrist, no one knew he had this problem.

Jiang Weixi: "I know about this problem because... I used to have a similar problem."

At first, she thought that Ji Dongxun was just naturally cold, didn't like to interact with people, and had severe mysophobia.

But after observing him recently, she felt that he might have a similar problem to her.

Jiang Weixi: "It must have been really painful. Strangers, unfamiliar smells, you wanted to avoid everything. You hated being approached by other people; the feeling of skin-to-skin contact was especially uncomfortable..."

Ji Dongxun didn't speak, but quietly looked at her.

Jiang Weixi continued, "It's like being wrapped in a plastic film; nobody can touch you, and you can't touch anyone else."

A very insightful summary.

Ji Dongxun's eyes finally moved, and a complex mix of emotions welled up in his heart.

His gaze swept over her from head to toe.

She didn't look like she had these symptoms, but the things she said made it sound like she really had experienced them.

Jiang Weixi seemed to know what he was thinking.

Do you think I'm perfectly normal right now?

"That's right, I don't have that problem anymore."

She looked up at him, her eyes serious: "Mr. Ji, this is actually just a psychological illness, and it can be overcome."

"Mr. Ji, would you like to try desensitization therapy? I can help you get better."

Ji Dongxun remained silent, simply staring straight at her.

The air was quiet, and silence spread.

Just when she thought he was going to refuse the offer, he finally spoke.

"How to treat it?"

Jiang Weixi gently clenched her fingers, carefully choosing her words: "Actually, it's quite simple. It's just about getting used to it little by little, starting with the most basic touches."

She pulled out a tissue and walked up to him: "Extend your left hand."

Although Ji Dongxun didn't know what she wanted to do, he still listened to her and stretched out his hand.

"Palm upwards."

He turned his palm over.

Jiang Weixi placed the napkin in his palm and coaxed him gently, "Okay, now you have a piece of paper in your hand. This paper will protect your skin, so even if someone shakes your hand, they won't touch you, right?"

"Um."

"Okay, now I'll put my hand on it, but I won't touch you, is that alright?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

Jiang Weixi put her five fingers together and gently placed her hand on his palm, without applying any force, just lightly touching it.

How are you feeling right now?

Ji Dongxun: "I don't feel anything."

Jiang Weixi: "That's right, because I didn't even get on."

There was still a thin gap between their palms; they weren't touching.

"Now I'm going to put my hand on it."

"Um."

Ji Dongxun lowered his eyelids, his gaze falling on her slender white hands.

Her fingers were long, slender, and white; her wrists were narrow and thin; her nails were neatly trimmed and coated with light pink nail polish.

Ji Dongxun was stunned, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.

Just as his thoughts were wandering, she had already placed her hand completely in his palm.

A napkin was placed between his two palms.

"Mr. Ji, how are you feeling? Do you have the urge to pull your hand away?"

Ji Dongxun snapped out of his daze and glanced at it: "It's alright, just a little bit."

"Endure it, try to accept it."

"it is good."

She held her hand for five minutes, then withdrew it. "That concludes today's desensitization therapy. You did a great job holding on and didn't pull your hand away; you've already taken the first step towards success."

Jiang Weixi casually took the napkin and threw it into the trash can.

Ji Dongxun clenched his fist, feeling alright, without any discomfort.

Jiang Weixi ran upstairs: "Goodnight, Mr. Ji, see you tomorrow."

Her figure disappeared in the stairwell.

Ji Dongxun stood there, staring blankly at his palm, then turned and went back to his room.

He wanted to go to the bathroom to wash his hands, but he clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, and still held back.

For the next few days, Jiang Weixi would have to go to him every day for desensitization training.

A napkin has five layers.

The second time she tore off a layer, the third time she tore off another layer...

Until only the last thin layer of paper remains.

Between their hands was only a thin sheet of paper that seemed about to tear.

Jiang Weixi placed her hand on his palm.

He could feel the warmth of her palm and even sense the texture of her skin.

Ji Dongxun wanted to wash his hands, but he held back; he had already gotten somewhat used to her touching him through the tissue.

Two days later.

"Mr. Ji, there might not be any tissues today, but I'd still like to put my hand in yours, just like I did a few days ago, is that alright?"

Ji Dongxun hesitated for a moment, then held out his palm in front of her: "Give it a try."

His expression was calm.

Jiang Weixi took a deep breath, even more nervous than him.

She slowly raised her hand and, as always, gently placed it on her.

"Tell me immediately if you feel unwell."

"Um."

The moment their skin touched, they both felt a jolt of electricity from each other.

Jiang Weixi touched him very lightly for five seconds, then immediately pulled her hand away.