Chapter 58: The Benefactor is a Good Person
Suppressing the urge to tighten his arms, Xu Qing lightly held her. His head was still a bit dizzy, but his heart was exceptionally calm.
He was truly content.
Watching her move around the house every day—cooking, feeding Winter lon, playing gas, or brandishing her sword with vigor—there were many tis he wanted to hug her. But due to his lack of strength, he could only think about it.
Now, he finally got his wish.
“What are you listening for?” Jiang He asked after listening for a while and hearing nothing, her face puzzled.
“Listen again, carefully.”
“…”
Jiang He obediently perked up her ears and held her breath, still not hearing anything.
“Is there a sound?”
“Huh? No?” Xu Qing sighed in satisfaction and thought for a mont. “Maybe I heard wrong.”
“…”
Jiang He finally realized sothing was off. Just as she was about to pull away, Xu Qing casually let go.
“Thank you.”
“N-no need! It was just a small thing!” Jiang He was about to question if he did it on purpose, but when she heard him thank her, she quickly waved her hand and awkwardly tugged at her clothes, hesitating to speak.
She looked at him seriously. He seed normal enough, so she relaxed.
“Alright, I had a bit of alcohol, and I’m feeling dizzy. I’m going to shower.”
Xu Qing stood up from the couch, intending to get his pajamas. At the door, he turned back. “Rember not to get tricked.”
“Okay!”
Jiang He answered loudly, turning to see Winter lon occupying her spot. She scooped up the fluffy cat, sat back at her computer, and held Winter lon in her arms.
She listened as Xu Qing left and entered the bathroom, closing the door. The sound of running water soon followed. She turned her head toward the bathroom and let out a sigh.
So, young hero Xu Qing wasn’t always as carefree as he seed.
…
In the bathroom.
Xu Qing humd a tune, closing his eyes and lathering shampoo into his hair, feeling content.
Getting a hug was wonderful.
Feelings accumulate slowly over ti, turning into bonds that are hard to sever. Just like how he could still get distracted while drinking, or how Jiang He always left him so food after eating her fill.
Unnoticed, these little things had beco their daily routine. Jiang He might not realize it, but Xu Qing was clear. If Jiang He suddenly flew back to the Tang Dynasty, she’d think of him often for a long ti.
Everyone has feelings. So people just need a little push—especially a certain girl who insisted on calling it gratitude instead of affection. Hah, so pretentious.
After showering and changing into his pajamas, Xu Qing admired himself in the mirror before stepping out. He paused at the door, went back in, filled a basin with warm water, and brought it out, setting it on a plastic chair.
“Put your hands in,” he instructed, eting Jiang He’s puzzled gaze.
“What for?”
“Just do it.”
Xu Qing urged her. When she placed her hands in the water, he sat down beside her and gently pressed her hands further down.
“The calluses on your hands from sword practice are different from those from manual labor. Most people won’t notice, but the police station has many experts. Soone might.”
He rubbed the calluses on her fingertips and clicked his tongue. “Better to avoid trouble. Soak them in warm water for twenty minutes each night to soften them.”
“How do you… how do you…” Jiang He struggled to describe her feelings, finally saying, “How do you seem so experienced with cri?”
“Experienced with cri?” Xu Qing blinked and touched her hand thoughtfully. “Maybe it’s just because I’m smart.”
“…”
“Good thing I’m not a criminal. Otherwise, I’d be a master criminal they’d never catch.”
Xu Qing started bragging again, but Jiang He ignored him, looking down at his hand on hers. After a mont of silence, she said, “Can I do it myself?”
“Huh? Oh, sure, sure. Habit, haha. You do it.”
Xu Qing, caught red-handed, wasn’t embarrassed at all. He naturally withdrew his hand, wiped it dry with a tissue, and noted the ti. He walked over, turned off her computer, and said, “Finish soaking, then shower and sleep. It snowed today; it’ll be cold tonight, so stay warm.”
He glanced out the window.
Snowflakes continued to fall, covering everything in a thick layer. Winter had arrived.
When the snow lts, the real cold begins.
…It would be nice to have soone to warm the bed. Cuddling together would keep the cold away.
Xu Qing closed the window, looked at Jiang He, and wrapped himself in his pajamas before heading to his room. He flopped onto his bed, pulled up the blanket, and prepared to sleep.
Ah, life—
That hug was so satisfying.
…
In the living room.
Jiang He watched Xu Qing return to his room. The room grew quiet, with only Winter lon swishing its tail, hesitating to jump into her lap.
Calluses…
She turned her hand over and rubbed her fingers. It didn’t feel as ticklish as when Xu Qing did it.
The hug just now felt different, too—unlike being held by Second Boss during cold winters.
Thinking of the past, Jiang He drifted off. Only when Winter lon forced its way into her lap did she return to the present. The water in the basin had cooled. She put Winter lon down, carried the basin to the bathroom, emptied it, and fetched her clothes to shower.
The bathroom was still warm from Xu Qing’s shower. Jiang He looked up at the ceiling light.
Since winter began, Xu Qing always showered first, so the heater was pre-ward for her. She never felt cold when she showered.
Intentional? Unintentional?
She didn’t know.
But…
Jiang He looked at the calluses on her hands. Soone that thoughtful probably didn’t do it unintentionally.
She’d only been here for half a year, but maybe because each day felt leisurely, it seed like longer. mories of her past—her brothers, Second Boss, First Boss, and the Third Boss—flashed through her mind like a lantern, growing distant.
A thousand years… She wondered how they were doing back then.
Through the misty steam, Jiang He seed to see Second Boss waving goodbye, her old straw hat perched on her head, smiling as always.
“Girl, be careful out there. There are a lot of bad people…”
The murmurs echoed in her heart. She steadied herself. Only steam remained—no smile, no straw hat.
This place was good.
Jiang He closed her eyes, letting the water flow over her head.
The people she t here were good, too.
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