I pushed him away in a panic, lowering my head and unable to look at him.
"Are you really okay?" Huo Ze asked, slightly furrowing his brow, his tone carrying a hint of concern that was hard to miss.
His sudden concern made me feel somewhat uneasy, and I quickly took a step back to create some distance between us.
"I'm really fine, just accidentally bumped into something," I said, trying to sound casual while avoiding eye contact.
The kitchen was already small, and as I stepped back, my back pressed against the cold countertop, leaving me with nowhere to retreat.
Huo Ze's tall figure loomed over me, and I immediately felt a sense of pressure.
"You..." I nervously clenched the hem of my shirt, wanting to pull away again, but he swiftly grabbed my wrist.
"Don't move," Huo Ze said in a low voice, his gaze falling on my ankle. "It looks like your ankle is swollen."
Only then did I feel a throbbing pain in my ankle. Looking down, I indeed saw that my previously fair ankle was now red and swollen.
Damn it, I must have twisted it when I bumped into the cabinet earlier!
I secretly cursed my carelessness but didn't dare show it. Instead, I forced myself to remain calm and said, "It's nothing; it should just be a minor sprain. A little ointment will do."
"Let me take a look," Huo Ze said, not releasing my hand but instead pulling me slightly closer.
"No, really, it's fine..." I resisted his approach, trying to pull my hand back, but he held it tightly.
"Don't move." Huo Ze's tone was firm and left no room for refusal as he crouched down to examine my injury closely.
I was forced to maintain close contact with him; his breath lightly brushed against my skin, carrying a faint, refreshing scent. My heart raced uncontrollably, and my cheeks began to heat up.
"You..." I wanted to say something to ease the awkwardness of the moment but found myself at a loss for words.
"How could you be so careless?" Huo Ze looked up, our gazes meeting in mid-air. There was a hint of reproach in his eyes, but more than that, there was concern.
As our eyes locked, my heart skipped a beat, and an unfamiliar feeling quietly spread within me.
"I..." I opened my mouth but didn't know what to say.
Just then, my foot slipped, and my body fell backward uncontrollably.
"Watch out!" Huo Ze reacted quickly, extending his arms to catch me.
I fell heavily into his embrace, my nose colliding with his firm chest, letting out a muffled grunt.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment. I dazedly lifted my head and met his deep gaze. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes but quickly gave way to calmness.
"Are you okay?" His deep voice whispered in my ear, carrying a barely perceptible tremor.
I just realized that he was still holding me tightly in his arms, his body heat transmitting through the thin fabric, warm and reassuring.
I pushed him away as if I had been electrocuted, standing up in a panic, but due to the injury on my ankle, I lost my balance again and stumbled.
"Be careful!" Huo Ze quickly supported my arm, his tone carrying a hint of tension.
I steadied myself and awkwardly tried to pull my hand back, but he held it tightly.
"Don't move, I'll help you out," he said, his tone leaving no room for refusal, yet laced with a touch of gentleness.
I dared not resist any longer and could only let him support me as we walked step by step out of the kitchen.
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