"Hm." Xue Yang shrugged, while he held still. "Don't get any snot on me if you can't stop crying."

Still, he could admit something. "I didn't think it mattered either. So you couldn't have known." Not an apology but at least something.

He was silent for a while, as Meng Yao brushed his hair. He did it so carefully, it was a strange feeling. Xue Yang finally spoke again, not sure what he was going to say. "You know, xiao Yao, some time ago a stupid kid lost their little finger. It still hurts all the damn time."