An hour later.
Xu Qing stood in the fast-food restaurant, packing two servings of pig's trotter rice, then holding a pile of bags and pondering if there was anything he had missed buying.
Clothes, toothbrush, towel, and even two packs of Seven Degrees Space... He didn't know what he was thinking; it felt a bit like taking care of a disabled girl.
Besides that, there were also two books picked from the roadside bookstore—one copy of "Five Thousand Years of China" and one "Guide to Simplified and Traditional Chinese Characters."
Useful or not, he would just put them at home for now.
"Two servings of pig's trotter rice are ready!"
"Thank you."
Taking the packed rice, Xu Qing walked home with both hands full, carrying a bunch of stuff.
Beiwang Road was not very bustling, tucked away in a rather remote corner of Jiangcheng. Compared to the noise of the city center, it seemed a bit quiet here.
Nevertheless, it was still a modern city, with all nearby amenities available.
After yesterday's heavy rain, some depressions on the roadside were still filled with water, glistening under the sunlight. Security Guard Zhao had finished his lunch and was leisurely smoking under the umbrella at the gatehouse chair. Seeing Xu carrying a load of packages, he casually called out, "Xu, are you back from shopping?"
"Yeah, have you eaten yet?"
"Just finished. Oh right, you called me yesterday..."
"I dialed the wrong number by accident, it's nothing."
Xu smiled and thought to himself that he couldn't possibly tell you that he had brought back someone from ancient times.
"You better be careful, lock the doors and windows. Mrs. Liang said there have been thieves around lately; keep an eye out for anyone sneaking around."
Hearing Zhao's words, Xu Qing paused for a moment and nodded, "Okay, got it."
Upon arriving at his front door, he took out his keys to open the door, and the first thing Xu Qing saw when he looked up was Jiang He holding a sword in the corner of the living room, her demeanor relaxing when she saw it was him returning. She put down the sword and sat back down on the sofa.
"Didn't I tell you? It's absolutely safe here."
"Hmm."
"You'll seem very strange standing around like this. Relax... come on, let's eat."
Xu Qing placed the pile of bags on the side of the sofa and, noticing Jiang He's gaze, said, "I bought you some daily necessities. We'll sort them out after eating."
"Thank you."
"..."
Jiang He, seeing Xu Qing stop his actions, asked curiously, "What's the matter?"
"Shouldn't you add an object to your sentence?"
"What?"
"Like... 'Thank you, Hero'?"
"..."
"Do I count as a hero? Or a good man? Or something else?" Xu Qing suddenly became excited.
Who hasn't dreamt of roaming the world with a sword in their youth?
"Thank you... Hero." Jiang He spoke with some difficulty, having never come across such a peculiar request.
"No trouble at all!"
Xu Qing waved his hand cheerfully, and Jiang He felt a strange impulse in her heart—unknown to her, that impulse was called the urge to critique.
"Alright, let's eat!"
The pig's trotter rice, fourteen yuan a serving, was flavorful and generous. As soon as he lifted the lid of the takeaway container, the fragrant aroma immediately filled the air.
It was said that back when Jack Ma's online nickname was still "Flying Penguin," he would spend his days and nights in the upper floors of Seg Technology Park, figuring out how to add more servers, accompanied only by bowls of pig's trotter rice to see him through the restless nights.
Pig's trotters, pig's trotters...
Jiang He did seem hungry, having had only a little porridge and a few buns the previous night. She ate with gusto, far from the refined elegance of the female warriors Xu Qing had seen on television, who would dine gracefully, tasting their food in small, delicate bites.
Eating in silence, sleeping in quietude, neither of them spoke while dining. The rice, soaked in the savory sauce, was delicious. Xu Qing cleaned his plate with alternating bites of pig's trotter and rice, wiped his mouth, and downed a glass of water. Seeing Jiang He eating and inadvertently showing a content expression, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
"This is the clothing I bought for you. I'm not sure about your size, but based on your height, it should be about right. Try them on later."
He picked up the paper bag beside him and opened it, "I also bought a dress; wear it if you like, no worries if you don't... and shoes, these are flats, definitely more comfortable than the straw sandals you're wearing."
Clothes were taken out one by one, and when it came to the underwear, he paused for a moment, slowing down his speech, "This... take a look later, you should know how to wear it. If you really can't figure it out, I'll find a video on the topic—got multiple sizes for you to choose the right one."
Jiang He curiously watched as he pulled out clothes from the bag, nodding incessantly.
"And this stuff, it's all for women, I won't elaborate, you can figure it out yourself..."
Xu Qing tossed the Seven Degrees Space over and continued to rummage through the bag.
"This book on history, though it's in story form, it's good as introductory knowledge for you. There's this one, too—a guide to Simplified and Traditional Chinese Characters... Not sure if it's useful, but take it and see."
"Just use my toothpaste, this is a new toothbrush, and there's also a mouthwash cup, a towel..."
After laying everything out for Jiang He, Xu Qing rubbed his forehead in thought, then opened Taobao, searched for a moment, and ordered a computer handwriting input board.
Regardless, teaching her the simple use of a computer would be best, Baidu is like an encyclopedia of knowledge.
"Alright... did you not sleep well last night?"
Seeing the undeniable fatigue on Jiang He's face, Xu Qing thought for a moment then let it go, since he himself had suffered insomnia until the latter part of the night, "Rest up a bit later, for now, let's talk some more. Anything you want to ask about from last night?"
With the Seven Degrees Space in hand, Jiang He looked it over curiously, then pondered, "What is your status in this world?"
"Status...? A fresh graduate about to become 'society livestock,' currently unemployed—put in terms you'd understand, it's like... hm... someone who just finished the imperial examinations, but didn't become an official and is thinking of doing something else to make a living."
"Offspring of a wealthy family?"
"Not at all, I come from humble beginnings. There are many industries in this world; not all paths of study lead to officialdom."
Jiang He nodded as if she understood, but in her heart, she still categorized him among the likes of landlords and the rich.
"How can I get back to where I came from?"
"I don't know... It must be very difficult. How did you get here yesterday?" Xu Qing was curious; it couldn't have been a lightning strike, could it?
"I don't know either." A hint of bewilderment flickered in Jiang He's eyes, "Yesterday... I... was chasing a pickpocket; it was pouring rain, and I got lost in the woods, then I turned left and right... until I saw those tall buildings."
"..."
Woods?
"There aren't any woods nearby..." Xu Qing scratched his chin, unsure of what to think.
Both sat silently on the couch for a moment; he cleared his throat and said, "Well... survive here first, and then think about going back."
Jiang He nodded silently.
"I want to ask, what level is your combat power?" Xu Qing glanced at the Longsword beside her, eager to know if 1,200 years ago there really were mystical skills like inner strength.
"Combat power?"
"I mean, how are your martial arts?"
"In the Salt Gang, I am... relatively strong."
"How strong is that? What inner strength do you practice? Swordplay? Do you have Qinggong..."
Excited, Xu Qing walked to the window and pointed outside, "How high do you think you could jump from without getting hurt?"
"About..." Jiang He walked to the window and looked out, then pointed, "There."
"??"
"That spot?" Xu Qing was puzzled; the second floor... was not quite what he had imagined.
Even parkour enthusiasts could jump down from a third-floor!
It should be higher; it was possible she was holding back or being conservative in her estimate.
Thinking this, he moderated his expression and changed his tone, "I don't believe it, you can definitely go higher."
"Hmm... maybe there too wouldn't be a problem," Jiang He hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand a bit higher.
Xu Qing followed her gaze, the fourth floor.