My Wife Came From A Thousand Years Ago

Chapter 149: Can you drink it cold?

Neither of them were saints. Both had their own bottom lines, and those boundaries were what mattered most. Jiang He wouldn’t rely on her strength to force or bully him, even when angry, and Xu Qing, while taking the occasional liberty, wouldn’t go so far as to deceive her into anything improper.

This mutual understanding had grown so naturally that Jiang He wasn’t even consciously aware of it—she simply followed her instincts to maintain the status quo. It was one of the things Xu Qing liked about her. He despised rule-breakers. Exploiting loopholes in rules was fine, but flipping the board was not. If Jiang He had been unruly, or flatly rejected his kindness without reason or ever softening her stance, he might not have liked her this much.

“Later, I finally learned how to love~” Xu Qing hummed a tune as he held Jiang He’s hand, the two making their way to their meeting spot.

Qin Hao was already there, sitting alone. He waved them over as they approached. “Liu Jingfang isn’t here yet. Have some water while you wait.”

“Liu Jingfang? Why not call her Jingjing or Fangfang? So formal,” Xu Qing teased as he pulled Jiang He into a seat, setting up the tableware and pouring two cups of tea.

“Gross…” Qin Hao rubbed his arms exaggeratedly, pretending to shiver. Then, lowering his voice, he muttered, “It’s just a casual meal, trying to see how things go.”

“Oh, I get it.” Xu Qing smirked knowingly.

Qin Hao felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint what. He figured he’d see how things developed—time would eventually reveal the truth. It wasn’t excessive caution, just self-awareness. They had agreed to fake a relationship to appease his family and avoid the endless blind dates. Their interactions were sparse, maybe a meal of braised chicken rice or a staged photo with flowers. Meeting once or twice a month didn’t exactly scream romance. How had this turned into something real?

Bringing Xu Qing was partly for introductions but mostly to let him help assess the situation. Xu Qing’s sharp eye for detail far surpassed his own, and Qin Hao knew it. If their roles were reversed, Xu Qing would have immediately figured out Jiang He’s secrets during that KTV encounter, no need for later tests.

“What’s her story?” Qin Hao nodded toward Jiang He as he casually asked.

“The same as I mentioned before,” Xu Qing replied, tilting his head toward Jiang He. “She wandered through Zhejiang, got tricked into working at a sweatshop, and ran when she realized it was shady. Afterward… you worked in a bar, right?” he asked Jiang He.

“Mm, selling drinks at a bar,” she confirmed.

“Poor thing.” Xu Qing shook his head theatrically. “My girlfriend’s had it rough. Nearly got crushed by life at such a young age.”

The duo’s playful back-and-forth made Qin Hao frown. “This sounds tricky.”

“No kidding. If it were up to you, she’d already be sent to a shelter.”

“Pfft…” Qin Hao sneered. He considered asking if Jiang He had searched for her parents but decided against it. That was better saved for a private conversation with Xu Qing. As long as they had witnesses and neighbors to corroborate her identity, things would be straightforward. The real problem was if no one could be found, which would complicate matters.

“It’d be best if she could return to Zhejiang to look,” Qin Hao suggested.

“And how’s she supposed to get there? She’d be stopped on the highway.”

“How’d she get here in the first place?”

“Are you comparing now to a few years ago? Do you still see green trains or overloaded buses?” Xu Qing had already thought it through. “How about you drive her there in a police car?”

Visiting Zhejiang would help solidify the story. Busywork sometimes created opportunities. This, Xu Qing thought, could count as “extra effort” and mentally reviewed a concept from his school days as he pondered.

“You think we’re that free?” Qin Hao retorted, rolling his eyes. Helping others was fine if it was important, but trivial matters were usually a no-go.

“Sorry, I’m late!” Liu Jingfang called as she entered. Spotting them, she hurried over with apologies, taking a seat beside Qin Hao. She wore black tights and a short skirt, her white blouse adorned with delicate floral embroidery at the collar. A faint trail of perfume lingered as she passed, contrasting sharply with Jiang He’s practical, heavy jacket.

Setting her sleek black handbag on the table, it ended up beside Jiang He’s plush bear-shaped bag. Jiang He glanced at the handbag with faint disdain—too small to even fit two decent-sized potatoes. Her bear bag was far more practical.

“Order whatever you like,” Qin Hao said, sliding the menu toward Xu Qing, who passed it along to Liu Jingfang. “You first.”

Jiang He’s gaze lingered on the faintly exposed skin at Liu Jingfang’s neckline until Xu Qing pinched her hand under the table, snapping her out of it. She took a sip of tea, finally averting her eyes.

“What’s on your mind?” Xu Qing asked in a low voice.

“Thinking about what you told me.”

“Uh…” Xu Qing had told Jiang He so much over time that he couldn’t guess which part she was mulling over.

Jiang He was piecing together her fabricated backstory. She had wandered in Zhejiang before being duped into Jiang City’s sweatshop—which had since shut down after an incident years ago. After that, she had worked odd jobs at Wang Zijun’s bar, met Xu Qing while still underage, and eventually became friends with him. They started dating, and two years ago, she moved in with him. Although neighbors had only seen her last year, they’d insist she’d been there earlier. No one had evidence to the contrary, especially with Wang Zijun patching the last gaps in her timeline by erasing signs of her sudden appearance.

Her contemplative demeanor made her look dazed to Qin Hao, much like when he first met her—quiet, introverted, and a little slow. He couldn’t imagine that Jiang He was meticulously weaving her false history.

“Drink up,” Qin Hao said, breaking the silence. “Work’s been so hectic that I barely managed to squeeze in this meal.”

After ordering, introductions were exchanged. Xu Qing discreetly observed Liu Jingfang, only to feel Jiang He’s pinch. Turning, he saw her staring at him.

“You promised,” she mouthed softly.

“I…” Xu Qing opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

“Let’s eat,” he finally said.

The arrival of the first dish saved him, and he busied himself pouring juice and inviting everyone to dig in. Yet, he couldn’t shake the sense that something was off with Jiang He. Worrying as he held the cold juice bottle, he asked, “Can you drink cold stuff?”

“…” Jiang He didn’t respond.

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