One had to admit, Xiaorou's feet were truly lovely. They were small and exquisite, perfectly proportioned, neither too plump nor too thin, with round, pearl-like toes.
When Xiaorou saw Liu Ergou staring intently at her feet, the blush that had just faded from her face reappeared, this time spreading all the way down her neck.
"Brother Ergou… c-can you stop looking?" Xiaorou asked, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
Her words snapped Liu Ergou back to his senses, and he reluctantly let go of her foot. "All right, Xiaorou, your foot is fine now. Just avoid any heavy work for a week and you'll be good as new. You should head home."
"I still have to go to town to sell these herbs."
With that, Liu Ergou helped Xiaorou to her feet, preparing to leave. Once standing, Xiaorou tentatively tested her ankle. To her utter astonishment, the pain was completely gone. Her jaw dropped.
"Brother Ergou, when did your medical skills get so incredible?" Xiaorou asked, her face a mask of disbelief.
Liu Ergou just chuckled. "My medical skills have always been this amazing! Now, hurry home before your family starts to worry."
Saying this, Liu Ergou walked over to his basket. As he passed the five men on the ground, he couldn't resist giving each of them another solid kick. He put his full force into it, causing all five to curl up like boiled shrimp, clutching their stomachs, too terrified to even twitch.
Xiaorou gazed at Liu Ergou's strong back, her thoughts drifting. As the old saying goes, what young maiden's heart doesn't flutter with dreams of love? Especially for someone like Liu Ergou—unbelievably strong, incredibly skilled in the healing arts, and her childhood friend, to boot. The longer she watched him, the softer and mistier her gaze became.
If only I could marry Brother Ergou, that would be wonderful… The thought made her blush again. No, that's too bold!
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered her bicycle was still in the ditch nearby. She glanced at the five thugs on the ground and quickly abandoned the idea of going home alone. She limped over to Liu Ergou's side.
Before Liu Ergou could say a word, Xiaorou threw her arms around him. Her soft chest pressed against his, and waves of her delicate fragrance made it hard for him to breathe.
"What's wrong, Xiaorou?" Liu Ergou asked gently.
Xiaorou looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Brother Ergou, I'm scared to go back alone. What if I run into more thugs like them? Can I go with you to sell the herbs? My bicycle is just over there by the road. You can ride it!"
Her words made sense. Liu Ergou thought for a moment and agreed. He followed her directions to her bicycle, pulled it out of the ditch, and hopped on. Follow current novᴇls on NoveI~Fire.net
A delighted Xiaorou ran over, eagerly took the basket from Liu Ergou, and settled herself onto the back rack. Then, with practiced ease, she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Let's go, Brother Ergou!" she chirped. As she spoke, her hands gave his firm abs a mischievous squeeze.
"Behave," Liu Ergou reminded her gently.
With that, he started pedaling, heading straight for town with Xiaorou on the back. As they rode, Xiaorou clung to his waist, feeling the reassuring strength of his broad back and the hard muscles of his abdomen. A restless feeling began to stir within her. Soon, her small hands slipped under his shirt. Once inside, they began to wander, tracing the lines of his abs, stroking here and there. The constant caressing began to fluster Liu Ergou as he tried to focus on riding.
"Xiaorou, stop messing around! I'm trying to ride!" he warned.
But Xiaorou just giggled playfully. "Hehe, I don't want to!" she teased, growing even bolder.
Her hands, which had been exploring his abdomen, suddenly slid lower. Before Liu Ergou could react, her nimble fingers had already undone his belt and slipped inside his pants. The move startled him; he had no idea what she was trying to do.
Xiaorou herself was shocked by her own audacity. She didn't know what had come over her; it was as if some otherworldly impulse had guided her hand to unbuckle his belt…
Feeling her wandering hands, Liu Ergou yelled in a panic, "Xiaorou, stop it! I'm riding a bike! If I lose my balance, we'll both get hurt, you hear me?!"
As he spoke, he couldn't help but shudder, making the bicycle wobble violently. The scare was enough for Xiaorou. She quickly stuck out her tongue in mock apology and pulled her hand back. For the rest of the ride, she didn't dare misbehave, merely clinging tightly to his waist.
「About half an hour later.」
Liu Ergou and Xiaorou finally arrived in town. Once there, Liu Ergou wasted no time and pedaled straight to Baiji Hall, the pharmacy where he usually sold his herbs. To his dismay, the shop was closed. Staring at the shuttered storefront, Liu Ergou grew troubled. If Baiji Hall is closed, where am I supposed to sell these herbs?
Just as a frustrated Liu Ergou was about to leave, a shifty-eyed man sidled up to them, unnoticed. He stood on his tiptoes, peering into the basket Xiaorou was holding.
Xiaorou, ever vigilant, immediately clutched the basket protectively. "What are you doing?" she snapped. "Why are you staring? Are you some kind of pervert?"
Her sharp accusation immediately drew a crowd of onlookers. Seeing this, the shifty-eyed man quickly waved his hands in surrender and explained awkwardly, "No, no, little sister, you've got it all wrong! I wasn't looking at you, I was looking at the herbs in your basket. Are you two here to sell them?"
Hearing this, Xiaorou finally relaxed. Liu Ergou turned to face the man. "That's right, we're here to sell herbs," he confirmed. "But why is Baiji Hall closed?"
The man picked his nose disdainfully. "Oh, them? They were always undercutting prices, messing up the market," he sneered. "And then… well, you can guess the rest, can't you?"
Suddenly, his tone shifted, and a fawning smile spread across his face as he looked at Liu Ergou. The abrupt change was enough to startle Liu Ergou.