hotmtlnovel Chapter 76: I've never heard of such a strange request
Chapter 76: I've never heard of such a strange request
Chapter 76: I've never heard of such a strange request
A girl’s hands should naturally be soft and delicate.
There’s a term called rou ti , which originally referred to the tender buds of a plant. Later, it was used as a metaphor for a girl’s hands — soft, fair, and delicate.
Compared to a man’s hands, a girl’s hands are naturally smaller by several sizes. Even though Jiang He practiced martial arts, her hands hadn’t developed like a man’s. They were strong, yes, but when relaxed, they weren’t that different from an ordinary girl’s hands. Only her palms were a bit rougher, giving them a unique texture when held.
Xu Qing could no longer hold her hand, so he could only savor the memory as he tucked his own hands into his pockets. Seeing someone in front of him turn to look back, he returned their gaze with a blank expression.
“Hmm... Where were we?”
As they silently exited the Electronics Market, he spoke again, pretending nothing had happened. “Oh right, that hand...”
“Don’t talk about my hand!” Jiang He snapped.
“...craft.”
“...”
“...”
“We were talking about handcraft skills,” Xu Qing shrugged. “If you know some crafts or handmade skills, especially unique ones, you can make a living. From ancient times to now, the principle of rarity equaling value has never changed. For example, there’s someone called Handmade Geng who relies on his quirky inventions...”
As he spoke, he took out his phone. Finding his hands too cold, he put it back in his pocket. “Let’s wait until we get somewhere warmer to look at this.”
After saying this, Xu Qing reached out his hand toward Jiang He, holding it still.
“What are you doing?” Jiang He asked, huddled in her small cotton coat.
“Give me your hand.”
“No.”
“I won’t pinch it,” Xu Qing promised.
“...”
Jiang He hesitated before extending her hand again, half-clenched in her sleeve. Xu Qing rummaged for a bit before pulling her warm little hand out and holding it again.
“Can you feel the sensation I was talking about?”
“No.”
“Then why did you pull back just now?”
“...I don’t like being pinched.”
“Then why did you pinch me?”
Xu Qing asked, only to feel like his hand was caught in a clamp, almost making him jump off the street. “Stop! Let go! ...I didn’t squeeze you that hard.”
Jiang He loosened her grip and looked away, not saying anything, though her mood had clearly improved.
This guy really deserved a beating. Finally, she’d gotten a bit of revenge.
“Did it hurt?”
“Probably similar. Just think of this as a brothel, minus the obvious transactions. It’s mostly singing, dancing, and partying.”
“I... sold drinks in a brothel?” Jiang He asked, dazed.
“No. If necessary, you used to sell drinks here. If no one checks, all’s good.” Xu Qing shook his head. “It’s just a precaution. Better to have a backup plan.”
“Will that rich guy check?”
“He won’t. He even helped arrange this. Don’t worry, he trusts me... even if you were a spy, he’d cover it up and then join others in beating me up.”
“He can’t beat you.”
Jiang He had already noticed that the rich guy was far weaker than Xu Qing — unsteady on his feet, thin, and drained by indulgence.
“That’s why he’d call others.” Xu Qing chuckled. “Do you think that stance training works for him?”
“His foundation is too weak; he’ll hurt himself,” Jiang He shook her head.
“Then I’m doing better? ...Yeah, definitely better.”
Xu Qing didn’t dwell on the topic and gestured around. “Remember this place? Can you find it by yourself?”
“If I come from that direction, yes,” Jiang He pointed toward Jiang City Plaza.
She paused, looking at the nightclub, and hesitantly asked, “Can I... go inside and take a look?”
“Huh? There’s no one inside now. It only gets lively at night.”
Jiang He stared at the sign on the door, silent for a moment. But she couldn’t suppress her curiosity and asked bravely, “I just want to see... what a brothel looks like.”
In the past, brothels were places only officials and scholars could enter. Now that she was at the doorstep, it felt like a waste not to peek inside.
“No.”
Xu Qing pulled her away. “Girls shouldn’t look at these things. It’s bad for you.”
Curiosity was good, but not this kind of curiosity.
He reconsidered, watching her glance back at the nightclub. “What do you want to eat?”
“Shredded potatoes.”
“No, today we’re eating something better. Potatoes tomorrow.”
“Then just something casual.”
“Alright, let’s do a buffet.”
On the cold winter street, the two walked hand in hand, their breath visible in the chilly air before disappearing.
A thousand years ago, a thousand years later.
Who knew how many people had walked this path? Now, these two from different times were experiencing the joy of ordinary life.
It was simple and unremarkable, but happiness was enough.