ushernet Chapter 109: Although special, but normal
Chapter 109: Although special, but normal
Chapter 109: Although special, but normal
Xu Qing had never in his life truly understood what it meant to be completely at someone else's mercy—until now.
When the gap in strength is so vast, even resistance becomes futile. He couldn’t move, couldn’t avoid it, and even cooperating wasn’t an option—he was pinned down too thoroughly. Uneasily, he twisted his arms to alleviate the numbness and soreness brought on by Jiang He’s grip.
At least she didn’t resort to violence...
The TV blared with cheers welcoming the stroke of midnight, and only then did Jiang He lift her head. Her gaze was bright and spirited as she stared at Xu Qing, whose face was now smudged with the drool she’d accidentally wiped on him.
“And now?” she asked.
“Not clean, definitely not clean anymore. Can you please let go of me?” Xu Qing replied weakly, trying to say what she wanted to hear to smooth things over.
“Really?”
“Really. You’ve already messed me up completely—what clean slate could there be?” Xu Qing sighed, doing his best to match her train of thought and calm her down.
A man and a woman, drunk, sparks flying—this had all the makings of a prime drama script. But this girl had utterly ruined it.
He couldn’t even hug her back; his hands were pinned so tightly he was left to be the one taken advantage of.
Seeing Jiang He deep in thought again with no intention of letting go, Xu Qing pursed his lips. “If you let me go, I can teach you...”
Jiang He, her face full of tipsiness, suddenly sprang up and dashed into her room. Xu Qing had just started rubbing his wrists in relief when she returned, holding two pairs of shoes.
“What are you doing?”
“If you like them, they’re yours.”
“?”
Xu Qing hesitantly accepted the shoes she handed over. “What... does this mean?”
Jiang He didn’t answer, staring at him intently. Her heart pounded with an impulse she couldn’t quite articulate. Should she kiss him again? Her head felt foggy and heavy. After some contemplation, she closed her eyes and took a step back.
“I’ll teach you boxing,” she announced.
“?”@@@@
Before Xu Qing could process her words, Jiang He had already assumed a stance, her moves sharp and forceful.
Who drinks just to do this nonsense!
“It’s late! Can we just go to bed?” Xu Qing pleaded.
“Let me finish this routine first. Then you can seriously learn.”
“...Let’s learn tomorrow. It’s New Year’s. Take a break—there’s no rush to practice boxing today,” Xu Qing coaxed gently.
Jiang He slowed her movements, swaying a little before nodding at the mention of New Year’s. “Alright.”
“Alright.”
Breakfast passed in silence.
Afterward, Xu Qing washed the dishes in the kitchen. Upon returning to the living room, he noticed the two pairs of shoes still sitting on the floor. After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “Do you... remember what happened last night?”
Jiang He froze, her expression hardening.
“We... aren’t clean anymore.”
“Wait, hold on, I think you’re misunderstanding something.” Xu Qing scratched his head, looking at his rumpled clothes. “Let me take a shower and change first. We’ll talk after.”
Jiang He said nothing, watching him grab fresh clothes and retreat to the bathroom. She stared at her hands nervously.
It’s over... it’s over... Now I have to have a baby...
Xu Qing, using the shower as an excuse, took the time to organize his thoughts and clear his head. He stayed in there for a full twenty minutes, long enough for Jiang He to worry he might have had an accident. When he finally emerged, towel-drying his hair, he asked, “Can I just ask—why were you drinking?”
“I... I...” Jiang He faltered, looking embarrassed. After a moment of silence, she mustered the courage to reply, “I wanted to latch onto you.”
“Latch onto me?” Xu Qing was stunned.
Still nursing a slight headache, Xu Qing glanced at the shoes on the floor, pondering. “Then why did you give me these shoes?”
“Because you like... like my shoes, don’t you?” Jiang He stammered, her gaze evasive.
...??
Xu Qing was even more confused. “Who told you that I like shoes?”
“I looked it up. Liking shoes might be a bit peculiar, but it’s not a disease. You don’t have to feel... embarrassed...” Jiang He hesitated, trying to reassure him. “If you like them, just take them. As long as I wear them when...”
At this point, she imagined herself wearing shoes Xu Qing had touched, her toes curling involuntarily as an inexplicable sensation coursed through her. Her face flushed, and she turned her gaze away.
“...”
Seeing Xu Qing remain silent, she stole a glance at him and, after a moment of internal struggle, nudged the shoes closer to him with her foot. “It’s okay if I don’t wear them...”
“Wait a second...” Xu Qing took a deep breath, struggling to keep his voice calm. “I’m not weird at all. I don’t even like shoes. You’ve misunderstood...”
He paused, a sudden realization hitting him as he turned toward his room. A suspicion surfaced in his mind. “Did you see me put your old straw shoes away?”
Seeing Jiang He’s expression of “understanding,” Xu Qing held his forehead and explained, “I only kept them because they could be sold for money. They were the ones you wore when you arrived...”
“Original... flavor?” Jiang He’s expression grew even stranger.
Xu Qing fell silent.
After a long pause, he closed his eyes.
“What on earth have you been reading?!”