Sweet Oxygen - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Sense of Touch

Why are you freaking out? Something fishy going on?

——

The big watermelon was too heavy, and Qin Han was already carrying an entire mille crepe cake, milk tea, sugar-roasted chestnuts, and a small ceramic flowerpot.

She staggered along, looking like an old lady, stopping every few steps to bend down, put everything on the ground, and take a break. Red marks had formed on her hands from the weight.

Finally, she reached Zhang Yuqing’s shop. The familiar scent of light bamboo filled the air, and Qin Han let out a deep sigh of relief.

Summoning her last bit of strength, she carried everything inside and placed it on the floor before softly calling out, “Zhang Yuqing, are you there?”

Right after she spoke, a figure emerged from inside.

Qin Han had just put on a smile, but when she saw who had stepped out of the tattoo studio, she was stunned, hastily taking a big step back.

For a moment, the scene turned chaotic. She tripped over the watermelon at her feet, but still tried to hold onto the mille crepe cake in her hands. Struggling and flailing, she barely managed to stay upright by grabbing onto the doorframe.

This person! This face!

He was clearly the fruit stall owner!

Why was he in Zhang Yuqing’s shop?!

For a split second, Qin Han wondered—was Yaonan Alley really inhabited by supernatural beings?

Could it be that the fruit stall owner just now was actually Zhang Yuqing in disguise…?

Zhang Yuqing stepped out of the tattoo studio and noticed the pile of things Qin Han had brought.

He tilted his head slightly and gave Luo Shijin a meaningful look.

Luo Shijin hunched his shoulders and quickly explained, “Hey, hey, Qing-ge, I swear on my life, I really didn’t know that scumbag was—”

Catching Zhang Yuqing’s slightly dangerous gaze, he immediately changed his wording, “—Ah no, I mean, I really didn’t know this little girl was looking for you.”

Qin Han had no idea what they were talking about. All she saw was the fruit stall owner pulling down the brim of his wide straw hat, opening a side door, and slipping out.

The door was left wide open, and the stifling summer breeze blew through the shop. From where she stood, she could now see the fruit stall outside.

So the back of the fruit stand was actually connected to Zhang Yuqing’s shop…

Which meant she had just carried all these things on a long detour… for nothing.

Qin Han sighed internally.

She felt so stupid.

Zhang Yuqing leaned against the doorframe, glancing at the large and small bags she had brought. His eyebrows raised slightly. “Planning to move in with me?”

Qin Han must have been in a good mood today, because not only did she not shrink back timidly, but she even played along with his joke, smiling. “Didn’t you say last time that you don’t charge any fees here?”

She huffed and puffed as she moved everything onto the table, then proudly introduced her purchases like she was showing off a treasure.

“This mille crepe cake is super delicious! It’s really popular right now—I had to wait in line to buy it. It’s strawberry-flavored.”

“And this milk tea! It’s a taro soy milk tea—not too sweet. A lot of guys like it. I’m not sure if you’ll like it, though.”

“The sugar-roasted chestnuts—I bought them while waiting for the bus outside the mall. I’ve had them before. They’re soft, chewy, and taste amazing. Plus, the chestnuts are really big.”

“The flowerpot is for the little cactus. I thought it suited it well.”

“And the watermelon…” Qin Han paused and glanced at Luo Shijin, who was standing by the back door, hesitating.

She had originally planned to say that the fruit stall owner picked it out for her and guaranteed that it would be sweet.

But if she mentioned that the watermelon came from the back street fruit stall, wouldn’t that expose the fact that she had taken the long way around?

Qin Han hesitated.

The moment Luo Shijin heard her mention his watermelon, he immediately spoke up, “Guaranteed sweet! Absolutely sweet! Let me cut it open right now and prove it!”

From inside the tattoo studio, one of Zhang Yuqing’s customers weakly called out, “Qing-ge, I can’t take the pain anymore. Let’s take a break—save a piece of watermelon for me too.”

The watermelon was placed on the table. Luo Shijin rushed out the back door and returned with a large knife, looking downright menacing—like he was out for revenge.

Qin Han instinctively shrank behind Zhang Yuqing.

But Luo Shijin’s watermelon was truly amazing.

The moment his knife tip touched the rind, there was a crisp “crack,” and the watermelon practically split itself in half. The shop was instantly filled with a sweet, refreshing aroma.

Luo Shijin was incredibly proud, cutting the watermelon as he boasted, “See? This watermelon is top-notch!”

“You lost out,” Zhang Yuqing said to Qin Han with a smile. “If you had come a little later, he would’ve delivered the watermelon himself. You wouldn’t have had to pay for it.”

Hearing this, the fruit stall owner immediately protested, “What?! Do you think I’d take advantage of a young girl? If I had known it was for you, I wouldn’t have taken her money in the first place! I’m refunding it right now!”

Qin Han quickly waved her hands, “No need…”

But the fruit stall owner wasn’t as easygoing as Zhang Yuqing. With the knife still in his hand, he demanded aggressively, “QR code! Give it to me!”

Qin Han glanced at Zhang Yuqing. Seeing that he wasn’t stopping the man, she reluctantly pulled out her phone. Feeling a little embarrassed, her ears turned slightly red.

“Beep”—the money was transferred back.

The fruit stall owner clapped his hands in satisfaction. He picked up a slice of watermelon, and took a big bite. Then, he sighed dramatically, “Sigh, do I seem like a scumbag right now?”

Qin Han looked completely bewildered.

“Scum? What scum?” She wondered.

Why was he insulting himself?

Zhang Yuqing chuckled. “It’s ‘chá’ (猹), not ‘zhā’ (渣).”

——T/n: I’m not sure about this. Luo Shijin really said 渣 (zhā, scumbag), but it seems Zhang Yuqing intentionally twisted the meaning and said it was 猹 (chá, a sneaky animal) instead. And the later chá (猹) is not a commonly used word in modern Chinese. Correct me if I’m wrong.

Qin Han didn’t understand a lot of jokes, but she was familiar with these kinds of wordplay jokes from school. She couldn’t help but laugh along.

Just as she was laughing, Zhang Yuqing picked out the juiciest piece of watermelon and handed it to her. “This one looks sweet.”

From inside the tattoo room, a customer groaned dramatically, “Qing-ge, stop flirting with the girl and show some concern for your customer! I’m dying here, only watermelon can save me. It has to look sweet too!”

Zhang Yuqing remained expressionless as usual.

Luo Shijin shivered exaggeratedly. “You’re a grown man—why are you acting all coy?”

Zhang Yuqing grabbed a random piece of watermelon and walked into the tattoo room, leaving Luo Shijin and Qin Han outside.

Luo Shijin gave Qin Han a once-over, curiosity evident in his eyes. “Never seen you before. How do you know Qing-ge?”

Being asked how they knew each other, Qin Han froze.

If it were just about hiding from the rain under Zhang Yuqing’s eaves, that would be easy to explain.

But…

At this moment, Zhang Yuqing came out again. Qin Han saw him slightly open his lips—

No, no, no!

Please don’t say it was because he turned off that movie for me!

Still chewing on watermelon, Qin Han didn’t have time to stop him with words. Her actions were already faster than her brains and she instinctively lunged toward him, reaching to cover his mouth.

But she forgot about their height difference.

One hand was still holding the half-eaten watermelon, and in her haste, Qin Han stepped on Zhang Yuqing’s foot, losing her balance. She barely had time to steady herself before stubbornly stretching out her hand to cover his mouth.

Zhang Yuqing was startled by the sudden movement. He recognized it was Qin Han and reached out to prevent her from falling. But when she put her hand toward his face, Zhang Yuqing instinctively leaned back.

Her hand ended up landing on his Adam’s apple.

“Trying to silence me?” Zhang Yuqing steadied her and smirked.

Her left hand carried the coolness of the watermelon chilled in well water, while her right hand felt the warmth of his skin.

As he chuckled, the subtle vibration of his Adam’s apple tingled against her palm.

Qin Han froze. Then, flustered, she pulled her hand back and quickly stepped away.

Luo Shijin stared at them, mouth agape. “I was just asking how you two met. Why are you freaking out? Something fishy going on?”

Qin Han anxiously glanced at Zhang Yuqing, only to hear him say, “She was hiding from the rain under my eaves. You ask too many questions.”

Her palms tingled. Standing in the sunlight, she suddenly felt that Zhang Yuqing’s vague answer had a hint of protectiveness in it.

By the time Qin Han returned home, it was already dinnertime.

She opened the door, surprised to see her father in the living room.

“Dad, you’re home!”

Father Qin paused briefly before smiling. “I haven’t been back in a few days. Did you miss me?”

“Of course!”

Mother Qin walked out of the kitchen, adjusting a curl behind her ear. Half scolding, half smiling, she said, “Look at you, always busy with work. The child misses you.”

The fragrance of fresh flowers in the pots filled the house—Mother Qin loved lilies.

Father Qin was always busy. Seeing that he was still in his suit, Qin Han asked, “Dad, are you not staying for dinner?”

Father Qin loosened his tie and took off his jacket. “I’m staying. Let’s see what your mom has cooked tonight.”

“Oh, no, you two stay out!” Mother Qin shooed them away with a laugh. “You only come in here to sneak bites. Out, out, out!”

Qin Han was a little distracted today. She could still feel a lingering warmth on her palm.

She barely paid attention to the conversation at the dinner table. Her mind kept replaying the moment when Zhang Yuqing picked out the best piece of watermelon for her—so casually, so effortlessly gentle.

After dinner, Mother Qin brought out a fruit platter. The watermelon had been scooped into little balls and placed alongside dragon fruit balls, mango cubes, and strawberries inside a hollowed-out watermelon rind. A few peeled mangosteens added the finishing touch.

Mother Qin smiled. “The summer heat is intense. Eating watermelon helps cool you down.”

Absentmindedly, Qin Han stabbed a piece with her fork and popped it into her mouth.

It wasn’t as sweet as the watermelon from the fruit stall behind Zhang Yuqing’s shop.

Mother Qin handed a fork to Father Qin. “You should eat some fruit too. Back in college, I noticed that unless it was washed and cut for you, you’d always forget to eat it.”

Qin Han didn’t notice that her father had been unusually quiet today, nor did she realize that her mother had tried bringing up multiple topics during dinner, only for him to respond sparingly.

Until—

College.

Father Qin, seemingly touched by a warm memory, accepted the fork with a small smile. “Back then, we weren’t as particular as you girls, eating fruit every day.”

Mother Qin laughed. “But you had time to play basketball. You were just too lazy to wash fruit.”

“That’s slander. Ever since we met, I spent all my free time accompanying you to the library.”

“We even went to the old book market together, remember?” Mother Qin set her fork aside, enjoying the trip down memory lane.

“Yeah, I remember.”

Father Qin took a bite of watermelon and said with a smile, “That old book market was on Yaonan Alley, wasn’t it?”

Yaonan Alley!

Qin Han’s head shot up.

Zhang Yuqing’s laughing eyes flashed through her mind.