Chapter 41: Strolling Through the Night Market, a Fair Share of Affection

Every night, there is a night market held at the lakeside square in Qingcheng, and with many foreign investments this time, the market has become even livelier. There are also many vendors selling lanterns.

She met Xie Zhi’s gentle gaze, lifted her hand to cup his face, and gently rubbed his delicate cheek. “Let’s go explore over there.”

“Okay.”

The dark, quiet places were still too dangerous. They walked along the peaceful streets, where the crowd was dense. Shops that should have been closed were still open, and many young couples strolled hand in hand.

Xie Zhi’s gaze was very serious, and he realized he hadn’t bought any pretty clothes for Jiaojiao yet. When he saw a shop selling ethnic clothing, he grabbed the girl and walked in. This kind of clothing wasn’t very popular these days, as people tended to prefer imported foreign goods.

An elderly woman approached them, her face kind and inviting. “Are you two looking at clothes? We also have some beaded bracelets.”

Jiaojiao scanned the shop, its simple decor, but the items for sale undoubtedly served as the shop’s main decoration, and her gaze was fixed on the clothing worn by the mannequins.

“Is this made of summer hemp?” she asked.

The elderly woman was surprised, “This young lady has a lot of knowledge. You even know about summer hemp.”

The most eye-catching garment in the store was displayed in the center, worn by a mannequin. The top was a trendy halter-neck style, and the fabric was embroidered with bright yet subtle floral patterns. The overall color was a warm yellow tone, complemented by red, blue, and brown.

The bottom was a kind of layered skirt, similar to modern “cake skirts,” but made from soft summer hemp fabric, giving it a muted purple hue. It looked almost like the embroidered pieces displayed in a museum.

The beauty and fine craftsmanship of the garment made Jiaojiao unable to look away. She swallowed nervously. “Is this dress for sale?”

The elderly woman carefully took down the dress and handed it to the girl. “This dress is rarely noticed. If you like it, feel free to try it on.”

She took the dress, and it felt as light and cool as expected. She pulled Xie Zhi into the fitting room and asked him to help her with the zipper, talking excitedly. “Husband, you don’t know how complicated the craftsmanship of this dress is. I didn’t expect it to look so good.”

Xie Zhi was no longer listening to her words, his mind fixated on her smooth, pale skin. His fingertips lightly brushed against her, the soft, silky touch almost permeating through his bones. He couldn’t help but blink.

He helped her put on the dress, and its halter-neck design exposed a deep V at the center, revealing large amounts of her fair skin. Xie Zhi’s Adam’s apple moved with pleasure, his eyes now filled with intensity.

Seeing the predatory look in his eyes, Jiaojiao felt the urge to escape but was held firmly in place by Xie Zhi. He leaned in and kissed her on the chest. “Jiaojiao, you feel so cool in this dress. I really like it.”

When they came out again, Jiaojiao’s skin looked as fresh as a flower about to bloom, beautiful to the point of being unreal, tender as though it could drip with water.

The elderly woman dared not breathe, fearing she might disturb this beautiful scene.

She knew the girl was beautiful, but she never expected that the dress would enhance her beauty in such an extraordinary way. The dark colors didn’t make it look old-fashioned at all, but rather, it complemented her round and smooth figure perfectly.

Words failed the elderly woman, and she could only say, “Truly beautiful.”

Jiaojiao shyly glanced at herself in the mirror. “How much is this dress?”

The elderly woman smiled and replied, though with a hint of nervousness, “Sixty.”

Jiaojiao nodded in understanding. “The summer hemp is difficult to process, and its growing environment and season are limited. It’s much cheaper than I expected.”

“Oh, this young lady is very familiar with the summer hemp process,” the elderly woman remarked.

Jiaojiao adjusted her messy hair and examined the dress more carefully, slowly saying, “First, the raw materials are difficult to obtain. The fibers come from stubborn plants, and it’s not easy to sun-dry or split them. Moreover, hemp is not ideal for clothing, but this dress is so skin-friendly. It’s clear a lot of effort went into it.”

Xie Zhi watched the girl speak so confidently, effortlessly explaining anything, and realized he had never known how skilled Jiaojiao was in many areas. His admiration for her grew even more.

The elderly woman, her eyes watery, was visibly moved. “Are you an expert in this field, young lady?”

Jiaojiao regretfully shook her head. “I’m not an expert, but I’ve studied it systematically and experienced the process of washing and spinning hemp. It’s really not easy.”

Without hesitation, she handed the elderly woman sixty yuan and a cloth ticket, knowing this item was in a rather awkward situation, possibly with no other customers.

Loris, overhearing the translator next to him, looked at the girl with admiration in his eyes. “This lady is very knowledgeable.”

At that moment, Jiaojiao noticed a few foreigners in the shop, accompanied by a Chinese woman who was likely translating her words. Switching to fluent English, she said, “This summer hemp fabric is only found in China.”

The translator, hearing Jiaojiao speak with perfect accent, was not only surprised but also impressed by how authentic her pronunciation was, even better than the professional translator’s.

Xie Zhi, watching the bearded foreign man, felt a sense of familiarity. He tentatively spoke, “Loris?”

Jiaojiao was hearing Xie Zhi speak English for the first time. His voice, with its classic London accent, sounded like that of an old noble, low, sexy, and alluring.

Loris paused, then recognized Xie Zhi. “Xie Zhi, is it really you?”

They were neighbors in England, having spent several years together, but after Xie Zhi’s family experienced a crisis, they lost touch.

The two men embraced tightly. Loris joked, “Xie, is this your lover?”

Xie Zhi nodded, and Jiaojiao introduced herself with grace. “I’m Xu Jiaojiao.”

The elderly woman’s little shop, which usually saw few visitors, had welcomed several foreign customers today, thanks to Xie Zhi and Jiaojiao, who helped sell several dresses and woven shoes.

Before leaving, the elderly woman placed a cool stone-like bracelet on Jiaojiao’s wrist. “Thank you so much.”

After Xie Zhi exchanged contact details with Loris, the two of them walked toward the lanterns. He quickly pulled Jiaojiao into a quiet alley.

He pressed her into his arms, his eyes full of desire as he looked at her flushed face. Seeing her dazed eyes, he chuckled lowly, “Jiaojiao, you’re just craving my body, aren’t you?”

Jiaojiao’s mind cleared in an instant. She looked at his wicked smile, disbelief written on her face. “You’re actually trying to seduce me.”

Xie Zhi could only see her moist lips constantly moving, and an uncontrollable heat surged in his chest. His body tensed, but Jiaojiao remained oblivious, babbling on.

Finally, he pressed his lips firmly onto hers, silencing her with a deep kiss. “Jiaojiao, you better stop talking now.”

Her mind exploded like fireworks. What was he saying? But soon, his actions scattered all her thoughts, her thick lashes glistening with a layer of tears, her eyes misty, the corners tinged with red, like a stage actress without her makeup.