Sweet Oxygen - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Joke

Really, really, really handsome!

——

“No, I don’t like you. I have a crush on… on another guy.”

After saying this, Qin Han suddenly felt awkward.

“I don’t like you.”

This sentence had an ambiguous meaning.

It could be understood as simply a negation of “I like you.”

Or, it could mean that she didn’t fancy him at all, not even a little.

Qin Han worried that Zhang Yuqing might misunderstand her and anxiously tried to explain.

But at her feet was a large plastic bag filled with dog food. In her haste, she tripped over it, causing metal cans of dog food to roll out with a clatter. She lost her balance and, while trying to turn around to pick up the cans, nearly fell.

Luckily, Zhang Yuqing caught her.

His arm reached over from behind, his fingertips warm as they lightly supported her forearm.

After stabilizing her, he withdrew his hand immediately.

For a fleeting moment, Qin Han felt that the faint bamboo scent around her grew slightly stronger. She also thought she sensed a bit of warmth against her back, but it was so brief that it seemed like an illusion.

“Thank you.”

Qin Han steadied herself and turned around, seeing Zhang Yuqing bending down to pick up the fallen dog food cans.

When he looked up, she finally noticed that his expression wasn’t as relaxed as usual. His brows were deep-set, his gaze serious.

Qin Han’s heart sank.

Oh no.

Even with her low emotional intelligence and lack of social skills, she knew that if “I don’t like you” was interpreted in the wrong way, it could be really hurtful.

Zhang Yuqing must be upset.

Feeling uneasy, Qin Han stood opposite him, at a loss for what to do.

Zhang Yuqing placed the cans on the table, then looked at her.

“Little girl, next time, don’t bring anything when you come over.”

Qin Han hadn’t expected him to talk about this and was even more surprised that, despite his serious expression, his tone remained gentle.

She immediately let out a sigh of relief and scratched the back of her head. “But the golden retriever is staying with you. It must be a trouble for you—”

“So you bought food for both the dog and me?”

Zhang Yuqing resumed his usual tone. He nudged the bag of dog food lightly with his toe and joked, “Are you afraid I’ll starve the little guy?”

Qin Han quickly waved her hands. “No, no!”

“If not, then don’t be so polite next time. You just graduated and aren’t earning money yet. Don’t waste it on things like this.”

Like an older brother, Zhang Yuqing raised his hand and gave her head a light pat. Then he picked up a can of dog food and called out to the retriever. “Beibei, come here! Your little benefactor has brought you a special meal.”

He squatted down as Beibei wagged his tail excitedly and trotted over. The rich smell of canned dog food spread through the room.

He glanced at it. “Beef, huh?”

Qin Han crouched beside Zhang Yuqing, watching Beibei happily munching away. Just then, the back door creaked open, and Luo Shijin walked in carrying a big watermelon. “Qing-ge, this watermelon has been chilled in well water. I checked every single one in the truck—this one is definitely the sweetest!”

Before he could finish speaking, Luo Shijin spotted Qin Han. He paused, then reluctantly greeted her, “Hi.”

Qin Han smiled and waved. “Hi, Luo Shijin.”

Luo Shijin plopped the watermelon onto the table, picked up the bag of dog food, and glanced at it. The entire bag was covered in foreign text. He could barely read Chinese—how was he supposed to understand this? However, a receipt stuck to the bag caught his eye.

This fancy imported dog food cost over 200 yuan for just a small bag?!

Only four pounds!

Over 200 yuan?!

And those canned dog foods—each one cost dozens of yuan!

Was it made from celestial beef?!

This was exactly why Luo Shijin didn’t like Qin Han.

Not that she was an unlikeable person—on the contrary, she was fair-skinned, gentle, and pleasant. A very likable girl.

But she came from a wealthy family, and they were simply not the same kind of people.

Take the ceramic flower pots she bought last time. A few days ago, a customer who came for a tattoo complimented them. “Qing-ge, you have great taste.”

Luo Shijin had been there at the time. To him, a flower pot was something you could buy for five yuan at the local market. Haggle a bit, and you could get three for ten yuan.

But what did that tattoo customer say?

She said the ceramic pots Qin Han bought were from a famous brand, each one handcrafted, and at least 150 yuan a piece.

The sheer price difference was a shock to Luo Shijin. It reinforced his belief that Qin Han was pampered and out of touch—a rich girl.

Take the case of Hu Er Mazi’s son from the back alley. He had fallen for a wealthy girl, and she had demanded that he buy a house in the center of the capital city before they could get married.

The poor guy couldn’t afford it. In despair, he jumped into the river.

Luo Shijin was genuinely afraid that his Qing-ge would end up taking on unnecessary burdens because of Qin Han.

To Luo Shijin, Zhang Yuqing was an absolute legend.

Qing-ge was so cool! So capable!

But life had been too hard on him. He never had a moment to enjoy himself.

Since middle school, Zhang Yuqing had been juggling work and studies, yet he still ranked in the top three in school.

But even after getting into a great university, financial pressure forced him to drop out.

Even his tattoo studio—tucked away in this rundown part of Yaonan Alley—still attracted plenty of customers.

If it weren’t for his grandmother’s medical bills and his younger sister’s tuition, the money he earned from tattooing would be enough for him to be a rich man and enjoy himself lavishly.

Damn it. Why did life have to be so cruel to Qing-ge?!

The more Luo Shijin thought about it, the sadder he felt for Zhang Yuqing. And when you feel bad for someone, sometimes you just look for a scapegoat. So, Luo Shijin picked the softest target in the room.

His tone turned sharp as he said to Qin Han, “Why is this dog food so expensive? People eat rice for just a few yuan, and yet you’re feeding a dog like a king.”

Maybe it was because teachers always stressed the importance of focusing on one thing at a time, but Qin Han wasn’t great at multitasking.

Her attention was completely on Beibei enjoying his meal, so she didn’t catch the sarcasm in Luo Shijin’s words.

Instead, she earnestly explained, “I don’t really know, but the salesgirl said this dog food is good for bones and eyesight. It’s very beneficial for dogs.”

Qin Han always spoke slowly and seriously, with a sincerity that was hard to ignore.

Luo Shijin felt like he had punched a cotton ball—his frustration had nowhere to go, leaving his chest tight with irritation. In the end, he could only crumple the receipt in his hand to vent his anger.

However, Zhang Yuqing caught on to something and cast a warning glance at Luo Shijin.

Under Zhang Yuqing’s gaze, Luo Shijin immediately behaved himself and picked up a knife to cut the watermelon.

While he was cutting the watermelon, Zhang Yuqing, Qin Han, and the dog squatted together.

It was already past 3 o’clock in the afternoon, and the sunlight slanted through the window, casting a patch of golden light onto the floor. The two people and the dog sat right in the middle of that warm glow.

Qin Han propped her chin up with a smile. “Why did you name it Beibei?”

“Don’t you think its eyes are very bright? Like the North Star.”

“So you named it Beibei?”

“Yeah, because it’s like the guiding star.”

“Where’re the ‘stars’ it guides then?” Qin Han looked at Zhang Yuqing curiously.

Zhang Yuqing smiled, a hint of teasing in his expression.

He gestured outside the window. “There are always stray dogs out there. But this one? I’ve cleaned it up nicely. When it goes outside, it stands out—like the North Star among the other stars.”

Qin Han suddenly burst into laughter, and Zhang Yuqing laughed along with her.

Luo Shijin couldn’t understand all this metaphorical talk. He just felt that if life hadn’t placed such a heavy burden on Zhang Yuqing, his “Qing-ge” could have been someone truly extraordinary—carefree and happy, just like Qin Han, untouched by the harshness of reality.

But life was absolutely ruthless. It had nearly crushed Zhang Yuqing under its weight.

And now, out of nowhere, this girl had shown up, leaving a dog behind. Wasn’t that just more trouble for him?!

What was worse, the one causing the trouble didn’t even think she was a bother. She even bought dog food that cost over 200 yuan per bag!

And the one dealing with the trouble didn’t seem to mind either—he was still joking around with her.

The most frustrating part?

They were cracking jokes that he didn’t even understand!

Luo Shijin hacked down on the watermelon with the knife and shouted, “You two! Are you eating this or not?!”

While eating, Qin Han continued playing with the golden retriever.

Luo Shijin seized the moment when Zhang Yuqing had stepped a little further away. He leaned in and asked Qin Han, “Qin Han, be honest, you keep coming here all the time—”

His voice wasn’t too loud or too soft, just enough for Zhang Yuqing to hear. Zhang Yuqing immediately turned his head, his brows furrowed, his gaze full of warning.

But Luo Shijin couldn’t hold back what was on his mind. Even under Zhang Yuqing’s stare, he still finished his question.

“—Do you have a thing for my Qing-ge?”

What if his Qing-ge ended up like that kid from the back alley, Hu Er Mazi’s son?!

What if?!

This was the second time today that Qin Han had been asked this question. She was momentarily stunned, but then, without even blushing, she smoothly repeated the answer she had given earlier.

However, considering the awkward phrasing from before, she changed her response this time, completely leaving Zhang Yuqing out of the response.

“Nope, I like another guy.”

Zhang Yuqing: “…”

Luo Shijin was also taken aback. “Huh? You already like someone?”

Qin Han nodded.

Ever since she saw that video of Zhang Yuqing the other day, she kept thinking about his movements in it. She attributed this “lingering thoughts” to missing that guy.

She figured that maybe, after so long, she had forgotten what her “Brother” looked like, so her mind kept using Zhang Yuqing as a stand-in.

Yes, that had to be it.

Luo Shijin, still skeptical, pressed on, “What guy? Someone from your school?”

“No,” Qin Han shook her head. Thinking that Zhang Yuqing and Luo Shijin weren’t exactly outsiders, she felt no need to hide anything. Excitedly, she recounted her past encounter.

“I met him a long time ago. He was super handsome! He was throwing javelins in the park—not like archery, but actual javelin throwing. He had these long white-feathered arrows, and he just casually tossed one—whoosh!—and it landed perfectly in the tube!”

As she spoke, Qin Han even stood up to demonstrate the throwing motion.

Truthfully, she couldn’t remember the exact gesture anymore, so she mimicked Zhang Yuqing’s action from earlier when he was throwing the ball for Beibei.

The sunlight illuminated her fair face, making the tips of her ears appear slightly red. Her eyes sparkled brightly.

Luo Shijin asked in bewilderment. “That’s it? That’s all it took for you to fall for him? If my Qing-ge tried, he could probably throw it in too. What’s so special about that?”

“That’s different!” Qin Han huffed, placing her hands on her hips like any die-hard fan protecting their idol. “That brother was really, really, REALLY handsome!”

Zhang Yuqing: “…”