Chapter 125: Gentleness can't beat
They had shepherd’s purse for dinner.
After spotting this vegetable at the market, Jiang He grew quite fond of it. But when she saw its price, she felt it wasn’t worth it. She hesitated for a long time until Xu Qing bought it for her. "Wild or not, if you can’t pick it yourself, it’s worth money and therefore valuable," he said.
They scalded it in hot water and mixed it into a salad. It was refreshing and tasty, and Xu Qing liked it too.
"Did you eat this often back in your time?"
"Sometimes," Jiang He replied.
"Do you miss home?"
"No, I don’t miss it. It’s just… just…" Jiang He couldn’t quite describe the feeling in her heart.
If given the chance now to choose between going back or staying here, she would undoubtedly choose to stay. But those people, those memories—they still lingered in her thoughts.
If she did go back, Second Madam would surely scold her for being foolish. "Why give up a life this good, something others can only dream of, and return to such hardship? If that isn’t stupid, what is?""Give it at most two years," Xu Qing said gently. "I’ll take you to Gusu and see if anything’s unchanged, like Hanshan Temple, for instance. You’ve traveled the Jianghu, so you must’ve seen a lot. Places like Chang’an—some of them have preserved their original look."
Xu Qing had been planning this for a while. No matter what, they had to visit those places—wander around, take a look.
"That way, it’ll fulfill a wish. Things change over time. What’s past is past. Whatever crimes or guilt belong to that time; you don’t need to carry them with you."
"I’ve already looked up what Gusu looks like now… I’ve seen pictures online," Jiang He said. "It’s completely different."
"Of course it’s different."
"Then there’s no need to go," she replied, more rational than Xu Qing had expected. "Life now is good enough. Let the past stay in the past. That Gusu can live on in my heart."
"Alright, I’ll listen to you," Xu Qing agreed. Jiang He was going through a period of transition. She no longer felt completely out of place, but her mindset was still not fully modern.
After dinner, Xu Qing did the dishes as usual, while Jiang He checked her wallet on her phone. She had over 4,000 yuan left.
This was what remained after selling all the gold coins and repaying Xu Qing for the TV. It wasn’t a fortune, but for someone from her background who had been here for less than a year, it was a small windfall.
She had earned it entirely through her own hard work, driven by a strong desire to repay her debts and earn money.
"This is a time when, as long as you work hard, you can live well, isn’t it?" she asked after getting her first "fortune."
"Yes," Xu Qing replied decisively. "But this goodness is relative. If you think your current life is great, then it’s great—because you’re free from other pressures, competition, and societal expectations.
"But when greed takes over, this money will only bring you pain."
"Greed for what?"
"Fame, status, material pleasures," Xu Qing explained.
Fame, status, material pleasures...
Jiang He stared blankly at her wallet.
After finishing the dishes, Xu Qing tidied up and sat on the couch. Before he could do anything, Jiang He set her phone aside, turned around, and hugged him.
"Wha… what’s this about?" Xu Qing was momentarily stunned by her sudden gesture.
"I wanted to ask if you’d like a hug, but I knew your answer would be yes, so I skipped the question."
"..."
Xu Qing could never quite follow her train of thought, but it didn’t stop her from enjoying the post-dinner warmth between them.
She caught the scent Xu Qing had once mentioned—a unique scent every person carries. If you like someone, it smells pleasant.
His scent was warm and comforting, neither fragrant nor unpleasant, just soothing.
"You’re so gentle," Jiang He murmured.
"Do you even know what ‘gentle’ means?" Xu Qing tried to keep up with her logic.
"It means you can’t beat me, so you carefully lie to me without being too rough."
For f***’s sake…
Xu Qing gave up trying to understand.
"Can I reveal my undocumented status now?" Jiang He asked suddenly.
"It wouldn’t be a big issue, but it’s best not to. It could make getting your papers harder later on."
"Why?"
"Because they’d start recording everything now. It’s better to wait until we’re fully prepared and catch them off guard than to reveal yourself hastily," Xu Qing explained.
Jiang He stayed silent, hugging him tightly. Xu Qing dared not move. He had learned his lesson—the slightest wrong move would result in her pinning his hands down... though he managed to wrap his arms lightly around her back.
"I want to be on TV," Jiang He said after a moment of silence.
Xu Qing blinked. "Which TV?"
"The kind where people watch me play games, and I can earn money." She gestured toward the computer. "You said there’s a chance it could make me famous—or maybe expose my status…"
She thought for a moment, then continued, "If it doesn’t expose me, this kind of… job might even help prove my existence when I apply for identity papers."
"Technically speaking—" Xu Qing frowned, pondering for a moment. "It has its pros and cons. But it’s not as simple as you think. Maybe no one will even watch…"
"I’ve done my research," Jiang He said. "I’ve thought it through."
"You’ve been thinking about this for a while?"
"A long while."
Xu Qing fell silent, closing his eyes to think before finally speaking. "We could also open a shop. Like the one where I bought those hand warmers for you… an online shop."
"I’ve researched that too," Jiang He said, resting her head on his shoulder. "You mentioned it last time, so I looked into it. Everything’s worth trying."
"..."
"You don’t seem very enthusiastic?" Jiang He asked.
"No, it’s just… let me think." Xu Qing hugged her tightly, burying his face in her neck and taking a deep breath. "Let me think it over."
The phone on the table rang. Both of them turned to look at it. After three rings, Jiang He picked it up and handed it to Xu Qing—it was Qin Hao calling.
From the sound of the wind on the line, Qin Hao seemed to be outside, possibly on his way home.
"How’s that girlfriend situation of yours?" Qin Hao asked.
"What situation?"
"Isn’t she undocumented? You can’t keep it that way forever. I looked into it—this is a tricky issue. If you want to handle it, pick a time to go to the registry office and see if there’s a way to sort it out."
"Of course, I’ll sort it out eventually. What did you find out?"
"It depends on her situation. Just saying she’s alone isn’t enough. The review process is strict…"
Qin Hao rambled on, while Xu Qing leaned back on the couch, holding the phone to his ear as he and Jiang He listened together.
Seeing Jiang He sitting cross-legged, Xu Qing mischievously nudged her toes, making her tense up and glare at him.
"Let’s meet up another day to talk in person. When are you free for some skewers?"
"Not anytime soon…" Qin Hao replied.
"That’s fine, no rush."
"You’re not even worried about your girlfriend’s issue?"
"Who knows, we might break up someday…" Xu Qing glanced at Jiang He. "If we break up, it saves the hassle."
"..."
Qin Hao was momentarily stunned before replying, "I’m hanging up. Bye."
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