Sweet Oxygen - Chapter 58

Chapter 58 – Going Upstairs

Remember to buy a sturdy mattress

——

“I was afraid you’re not good enough.”

The words slipped out before Qin Han could think twice. She immediately regretted her bluntness.

It wasn’t that she was completely naive about such matters. She’d listened in on Xie Ying and the others when they discussed men in the dormitory. Besides, at 22 years old, she’d read countless books that delved into the psychology of men and women. She couldn’t recall where exactly, but she had some vague understanding of these things.

Wasn’t it considered rude to call a man “not good enough”?

Zhang Yuqing’s laughter came through the phone, different from his usual teasing chuckle. There was an unidentifiable emotion in his voice.

He said with a smile, “That’s dangerous ground you’re treading on, young lady.”

Qin Han quickly changed the subject. “I’ll come over this morning. We can go to Yaonan Market together and have hotpot for lunch.”

Zhang Yuqing didn’t press the issue. “Stay home. I’ll pick you up.”

“I’ll take the bus. I need to return books to the library anyway.”

“What are you reading?”

When the conversation turned serious, Qin Han momentarily forgot her earlier blunder. She answered earnestly, “The Du Fu Poetry Collection. I really like Du Fu.”

Zhang Yuqing laughed. “Du Fu is great, you know. ‘How can I get a thousand houses to shelter all the cold scholars under heaven?’“

“I love that line too!” Qin Han said happily. “I didn’t find it impressive when I memorized it in school, but now I can’t help but admire it.”

She thought for a moment. “I always feel this poem has your spirit.”

“That’s not true at all.”

Zhang Yuqing’s laughter came through. “I don’t have such grand ambitions. I can barely protect my own family’s safety. Don’t flatter me so much.”

Qin Han didn’t argue.

But she truly believed Zhang Yuqing had that kind of grandeur.

When she didn’t speak, Zhang Yuqing guessed her thoughts. “Still think I have that grandeur? Turn off that admiration filter, young lady.”

Maybe it really was the filter of liking someone.

Qin Han smiled secretly.

After hanging up, Qin Han sat on the bed grinning foolishly for a while before opening the Du Fu Poems at the bedside.

After glancing through a few pages, she suddenly remembered that impulsive and silly remark, “I’m afraid you can’t handle it.”

Qin Han threw the Du Fu Poems aside.

Forget about those poems!

She just said her boyfriend isn’t good enough!

How should I handle this?!

Qin Han immediately thought of their dorm’s relationship expert and called Xie Ying, “Xie Ying, I think I made a mistake.”

“What did you do?”

It was still early on a weekend morning, and Xie Ying’s voice carried thick sleepiness as she said, “Your Zhang Yuqing always protects you. As long as you don’t go sleep with some random guy, he’ll forgive anything you do, right? Don’t worry about making mistakes—just treat it as playful banter.”

Qin Han didn’t respond, her heart heavy with worry.

She kept remembering that saying her boyfriend wasn’t good enough could have serious consequences.

She had just started dating.

Would this affect her relationship with Zhang Yuqing?

Even though Zhang Yuqing was a calm and forgiving person, everyone has limits. What if he was actually angry?

After a few seconds, Xie Ying must have woken up, her voice now more alert. “My Little Qin Han, what mistake could possibly make you this panicked? Spill it!”

“I sent him everything you gave me.”

Xie Ying’s laughter, interrupted by gasps for breath, came through the phone. “That’s perfect! It’ll strengthen your bond and promote harmonious physical activity. Ha ha ha!”

Qin Han’s eyes were vacant as she slowly said, “But I just told him I was afraid he wasn’t good enough.”

“Holy shit! Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!”

A string of expletives erupted from Xie Ying’s mouth. After a long pause, she sighed, “Little Qin Han, we’ve had this dorm room talk more than once. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, never say a man wasn’t good!”

“But I did say it. What now?” Qin Han asked, her gaze lowered in genuine contrition.

Xie Ying heaved a long sigh. “Don’t struggle, darling. Just wait for Zhang Yuqing to pound you into the bed frame. Remember to buy a sturdy mattress.”

Pound?

Xie Ying actually said “pound”?

Qin Han had never heard such crude language before. Her ears burned so fiercely she nearly turned into smoke.

But Xie Ying wouldn’t let up. “Clean yourself up and deliver yourself to him, ha ha ha ha ha!”

.

.

“Qing-ge, shall I take Dandan to the market? We’re having hotpot for lunch, right? What should we buy?”

Luo Shijin pushed his electric tricycle forward, excitedly patting the seat. “Remember when we first got the air conditioner? We ate hotpot with it on back then. Life was so much tougher back then—we thought having air conditioning was such a luxury. I bragged about that for days afterward.”

Zhang Yuqing smiled. “Let’s wait for Qin Han. The girl likes Yaonan’s market and wants to go together.”

“When’s Qin Han coming?”

“She said she’s returning books to the library first. She’ll be here soon.”

As Zhang Yuqing spoke, he posted yesterday’s compiled watercolor tattoo techniques on social media.

Luo Shijin pushed his tricycle back and walked over to glance at the screen. “Qing-ge, spreading your kindness again?”

Zhang Yuqing suddenly recalled the earlier conversation. The girl had actually compared him to Du Fu, the poet who wished for “all the world’s poor to find shelter and joy”?

Women’s fantasies about their lovers, huh?

He tapped the tablet screen with a smile that was both helpless and tender.

“Qing-ge!”

Luo Shijin wailed, then rubbed his arms. “Being around you feels like a constant assault on single people! Qin Han isn’t even here yet! How can you wear that sickening smile?!”

After his outburst, Luo Shijin settled down beside Dandan.

Dandan was at the window table doing homework. Feeling someone sit beside her, she turned around.

Luo Shijin teased Dandan, “Dandan, poor Shijin-gege has no girlfriend and has to eat dog food every day.”

Dandan tilted her head, listening for a moment. She pulled out a small bottle from her pocket—the bear-shaped vitamin gummies Zhang Yuqing had bought her.

She took out two gummies and handed them to Luo Shijin, saying seriously, “Shijin-gege doesn’t need dog food. Dandan will give you candy.”

Just as Luo Shijin was about to be touched, Dandan added, “The dog food is Beibei’s. Shijin-gege shouldn’t eat Beibei’s food.”

Beibei, who had been basking in the sun on the floor, heard his name. He wagged his big tail and came over, barking at them.

“Hey! You think I’m here to steal your dog food? Did you forget the meat your Luo-dad gave you yesterday?”

Zhang Yuqing, sitting across from them, laughed at Luo Shijin’s loud argument with Beibei.

After the commotion, Luo Shijin asked Zhang Yuqing, “Qing-ge, with all the money you’re making now, have you considered opening a bigger store?”

“Not at the moment.”

“Don’t you have… quite a bit of money?”

Zhang Yuqing smiled. “I’m not planning to overwork myself just yet.”

“That makes sense. You’ve only just relaxed, and taking care of Dandan and Grandma requires energy. Are you looking to take a break?”

“It’s not a break. I want to start dating.”

Luo Shijin felt a pang of jealousy again and downed a large glass of ice water in one gulp.

A sound from the shop entrance drew the attention of all three humans and the dog.

A girl in a pleated skirt peeked inside timidly. “Hello. Is the tattoo artist here?”

“Come on, Dandan, Beibei! Let’s go play at the back door with Shijin-gege. Your brother needs to work.”

Luo Shijin led Dandan and Beibei away.

The pleated skirt girl bounced over to Zhang Yuqing. “You’re Zhang Yuqing.”

Zhang Yuqing acknowledged her with a soft “Mn.”

“I want this tattooed on my arm. Can you help me design it? I looked you up online—you’re famous. I can pay whatever you charge, as long as it looks good.”

The girl held a photo of a male celebrity. This star was currently at the height of his fame, with striking looks and impressive work, naturally attracting a large fan base.

Recently, some fans had even tattooed the artist’s name initials in artistic script on their ankles, making Zhang Yuqing quite familiar with this celebrity.

But a full-arm tattoo of a celebrity photo?

Zhang Yuqing, expressionless, asked, “How old are you?”

The girl in the pleated skirt lifted her chin. “Sixteen!”

Zhang Yuqing pushed the photo back toward her. “I’m sorry, but I can’t accommodate you. We don’t serve minors here.”

“Why not? My classmate got a tattoo too. How come his place let him do it?”

Zhang Yuqing offered a detached smile. “If your parents brought you here, I might reconsider.”

The girl sighed in disappointment. “My parents would never agree to a tattoo. I was hoping to sneak one.”

She lowered her head in thought for a moment. For some reason, she decided Zhang Yuqing seemed approachable.

“Could you secretly tattoo me instead? I really, really love him!”

Zhang Yuqing raised an eyebrow as the girl continued excitedly,

“Do you know someone you adore that much? If you do, you’d understand how I feel. It’s like missing them desperately even when they’re just out of sight, feeling overjoyed at their presence, and finding motivation for everything because of them—”

The girl scratched her head. “I can’t find the words. He’s just… my light, my sun, my entire purpose.”

She looked at Zhang Yuqing with hopeful eyes. “Do you have someone like that?”

“Mm.”

A figure in a beige dress passed by the window, and moments later, movement sounded again at Zhang Yuqing’s shop entrance.

Qin Han, carrying a bag, called out cheerfully, “Zhang Yuqing! I bought some sweet potato starch. It’s perfect for hot pot!”

For some reason, Qin Han’s gaze kept avoiding his eyes, her ears flushing pink.

Zhang Yuqing stood up, smiling at the girl in the pleated skirt. “My light and sun has come.”

The girl chattered for a while, but Zhang Yuqing remained firm in his stance. Eventually, she left disappointed.

Qin Han took out the sweet potato starch from the plastic bag and asked curiously, “Is she a minor?”

“Mm.”

“Shall we go to Yaonan Market now? Has Li Nan arrived yet? What about Luo Shijin and Dandan?”

Qin Han always felt a genuine joy when coming to Yaonan Alley, as if all her worries and troubles vanished the moment she faced Zhang Yuqing.

She fired off a series of questions without realizing it.

After a few seconds of silence, Qin Han turned around to find Zhang Yuqing watching her.

She pouted in embarrassment. “Did I ask too many questions at once?”

“We’ll go to the market later.”

“Li Nan hasn’t arrived yet. There’s traffic on the road.”

“Dandan and Luo Shijin are playing in the Backstreet.”

Zhang Yuqing’s earlier polite demeanor toward his guest had vanished. With each answer, he took a step forward, his smile never fading.

After three questions, he stood directly in front of Qin Han.

He smiled and ruffled her hair. “You can speak freely around me. It doesn’t matter if you talk much or little.”

Qin Han nodded.

“Follow me. I have something to show you.” Zhang Yuqing took Qin Han’s hand and led her upstairs.

His closeness earlier, his gentle gaze…

For some reason, as Qin Han followed him up the stairs, all she could think of was Xie Ying’s words, “Don’t struggle, darling. Just wait for Zhang Yuqing to fuck you into the bed. Remember to buy a sturdy mattress.”

Fuck you into the bed.

Fuck you into the bed.

Fuck you into the bed.

So lost in thought, Zhang Yuqing suddenly stopped. He pushed open the bedroom door and glanced at Qin Han with an unreadable expression.

Qin Han stared at him, wide-eyed.

Was he going to…

He said, “Little girl, I just remembered something.”

“Hm?” Qin Han murmured.

Zhang Yuqing leaned against the doorframe, smiling. His thumb gently brushed the back of her hand.

He asked, “What did you say during our morning call? That you were afraid I wouldn’t be good enough?”