hotmtlnovel Chapter 187: I'll beat you if you keep doing this
Chapter 187: I'll beat you if you keep doing this
Chapter 187: I'll beat you if you keep doing this
Rain had fallen throughout the night, and the next day showed no signs of clearing up. Instead, it seemed to be turning into a downpour.
Jiang He leaned against the windowsill, staring blankly at the curtain of rain outside.
"If it gets heavier, it'll be just like the day I arrived."
"That's how it is in May and June," she muttered.
"At least it’s cooler this way."
"Once the rain stops, summer will really begin," Xu Qing remarked as he glanced outside.
As June approached, a heavy rain often marked the start of the sweltering days to follow. In Jiang City, this cursed place alternated between freezing winters and scorching summers. The summer heat was so intense it made the air above the asphalt roads shimmer and distort.
By afternoon, the rain intensified, bringing a slight chill. Jiang He ventured out to buy groceries, carrying a big black umbrella—the same one Xu Qing had initially offered her at the door. She carried her little basket, while Xu Qing used a flimsy umbrella he'd received from attending a health seminar.
The difference in quality was glaring. Xu Qing's small folding umbrella looked like it could be destroyed by a strong gust of wind.
He grumbled about it, thinking how romantic it would be to share an umbrella on a rainy day, close and intimate.
"Why would we crowd under one umbrella in the rain? Do you want to make sure we both get wet?" Jiang He shot back.
"But isn't doing silly things part of being in love?"
Following behind her, dejected, Xu Qing watched the rainwater drip from the rooftops along the street. Then, he asked, "Could you perform a sword dance so precise that no rain would touch you? Just swish-swish, dance through the rain without getting wet."
"No."
"Not even theoretically possible?"
"Still no."
Jiang He extended her hand beyond the umbrella to feel the rain. "If that were possible, you'd have seen a fresh, dry me that day, instead of someone who looked like a drowned rat." ᚱἈNȪbΕꞨ
"A drowned rat, huh..." Xu Qing chuckled, remembering that scrawny, angry girl. She was nothing like her current gentle self.
Time had passed so quickly. Almost a year had gone by in a blink, from autumn to winter, then spring, and now summer was almost here.
"Jiang He."
"Yeah?"
"Let me carry the basket for you."
Back home, Jiang He shook off the rain from the umbrella and propped it by the door. She took the groceries to the kitchen, chopping away rhythmically with the knife. After a while, she turned her head to see Xu Qing leaning against the doorway. She slowly stopped.
"Something feels off the more I think about it."
"What feels off?"
"It's like you've brought home a live-in chef."
"I think you're just looking for an excuse not to study. Even as a chef, you'd still have to read books and do exercises—you can't escape."
Xu Qing mercilessly exposed her ploy. Sometimes this little old lady was ridiculously crafty.
Back in the living room, Xu Qing tried to play some music but realized her computer was password-protected. He had to plug her computer's speakers into his laptop.
"You don't need to lock it; I wouldn't snoop through your computer."
"Don't you think that sentence itself sounds suspicious?" Jiang He’s voice floated from the kitchen.
"No, I'm just stating the facts. Admittedly, I did once check your search history when your understanding of things was still... underdeveloped, and you were easily misled by random nonsense online. I did it out of concern for your growth."
While browsing through songs on the player, Xu Qing continued, "It’s like how a dad might ask a teacher what his daughter’s up to in school—same mindset. I just didn't want you to misunderstand things or sneak out in the middle of the night, only to end up cold and starving somewhere."
"And now?" Jiang He poked her head out of the kitchen.
"Now you're settled here, capable of independent living, with your own ideas and privacy. Of course, I respect that. Oh, and I apologize for looking at your search history back then, regardless of my reasons."
"You're acting suspiciously," Jiang He said, narrowing her eyes. "Why bring it up? Nothing would have happened if you hadn’t mentioned it. Are you planning to snoop again?"
Although she had ensured her browsing history was irretrievable, she still felt uneasy.
"No, no. It's just a matter of principle. Even in a close relationship, everyone deserves their space. If you’re this defensive around me, it shows you’re safeguarding your space, which is fine but unnecessary. Understand?"
"Fine. I accept your apology, though I wasn’t mad to begin with," Jiang He said, her lips curling into a small smile.
"Trust is the foundation of a relationship."
"You sure like lecturing."
"Well, you only lecture the ones you love. Strangers? Who cares about them? If they irritate you, just ignore them."
"So you're doing this for the long haul?"
"Details determine success."
"Yeah, imagining someone like Qin Hao ending up in textbooks as a legendary officer from a thousand years ago. It’s surreal."
He handed her the sunglasses he'd bought earlier. "When you’re out wandering—no, traveling—wear these, along with a sun hat."
Looking out the window, Xu Qing frowned. "Why did you close the curtains?"
"Huh? Oh, it was too sunny. The light was annoying, so I shut them." Jiang He slipped on the sunglasses and glanced around nonchalantly.
"You don’t need to wear those indoors; it’s almost evening. If it gets too hot at night, just turn on the air conditioning."
"How do I turn it on?"
"I’ll show you."
He led her to her room and fetched the remote, explaining how to adjust the temperature. "This weather’s fine at about 24 or 25 degrees."
"You don’t have one of these in your room, do you?" Jiang He asked, feeling the cool air from the AC.
"I don’t need it."
"We could swap rooms. I don’t mind the heat."
"Just stay put. We’re not switching every other day."
Xu Qing shut off the air conditioner decisively, cutting off further discussion. He glanced at the window, noticing two long socks hanging there. Pausing, he looked at Jiang He’s legs.
"When did you start wearing—"
"Wait!" Jiang He interrupted, expressionless as she snatched the socks and hid them behind her back. "What were you just saying?"
"This isn’t fair. I’m not some creep; socks are for wearing, not hiding."
"But you’ve secretly worn them too."
Xu Qing’s face twitched. "Don’t make baseless accusations!"
"I saw you," Jiang He said confidently, hands clasped behind her back.
"When?"
"That time you were washing socks on the balcony early in the morning."
"That was... Wait a second. You’re accusing me just to cover for sneaking them off to wash yourself, aren’t you?" Xu Qing frowned, piecing it together.
"What were you doing on the balcony then?" Jiang He countered.
"I..." Xu Qing faltered under her piercing gaze.
"I wasn’t sneaking around! Wear them if you want. Don’t if you don’t."
He retreated to the living room, muttering about buying socks in other colors, vowing to someday normalize wearing them.
Xu Qing sat down in the living room and resumed working on the iron vegetable basket he had been crafting. His mind wandered as he wondered why Jiang He was so resistant to something as simple as wearing socks.
They were close enough to hug and cuddle without a second thought, so what was she worried about? Did she think he might do something indecent? That was absurd.
"I can’t even beat you in a fight. What are you afraid of? I’ve hugged your bare legs countless times, and you’re worried about wearing socks now?" he muttered.
"But what if you licked me or something? I can’t exactly sew your mouth shut," Jiang He retorted without missing a beat.
"Why would I do that?"
"Why wouldn’t you?"
Jiang He’s expression remained deadpan as she stared him down. She’d already figured him out—strange outfits inevitably led to strange thoughts.
"You kissed my foot last time," she accused.
"...!"
"You can’t fool me." Jiang He pinched her earlobe, her face slightly flushed as she recalled all the bizarre possibilities. "So devious," she muttered, glaring at him.
"Focus on your studies. There’s still a ton of exercises left in the workbook," Xu Qing said, pulling out a math book from under the coffee table as his trump card.
"I don’t want to."
"You have to."
"I don’t want to do math!" Jiang He sulked, lowering her head to pick at her fingernails.
"Can you stop acting like a delicate little maiden? It’s so fake, and you’re terrible at it," Xu Qing sighed.
"I’m not doing it!"
Jiang He snapped her head up, her brows furrowed and fists clenched tightly, producing a sharp cracking sound.
"If you keep nagging me to do math, I’ll hit you!"