Mrs. Fan let go after finishing speaking.
Caught off guard, Nie Rujun stepped backward, slipping on the water she had spilled earlier, her entire foot losing traction.
"Ah—"
She flailed her arms in the air, her eyes seeking help from Fan Ju seated on the sofa, but he was too far away, managing only to touch her fingertips with his outstretched hand.
"Xiaoman!" Fan Ju was terrified to the core and, in his urgency, he shouted out her nickname.
His hand failed to grasp hers, and he watched helplessly as she slipped and fell, her right hand bracing against the floor to absorb some of the force.
In the end, Nie Rujun still crashed to the ground, too scared to differentiate her pains, her whole body trembling.
Fan Ju rushed over to embrace her, his own hands shaking, "Xiaoman, are you alright? Ah, does it hurt anywhere…"
"It hurts…" Nie Rujun clutched at his clothes, tears streaming down her face.
