My Wife Came From A Thousand Years Ago

Chapter 144: Ultraman does not exist

The saying goes, "Those who stay close to vermilion are stained red; those near ink are stained black." Spending so much time with Xu Qing, Jiang He inevitably started adopting some of his calm indifference toward certain matters. Even when she discovered the suspicious possibility that Xu Qing had secretly worn stockings, she didn’t react unusually. If it had been a few months ago, she would have looked incredulous and asked outright, “Why would you wear something meant for girls?”

Respecting others’ quirks is a way to protect oneself. Otherwise, Xu Qing might fly into a rage and forcibly make her wear them, taking the opportunity to tease her legs.

After breakfast, Jiang He sat at the table and began studying the computer—not playing, but genuinely studying. She was intensely curious about this modern treasure. Not only did she want to learn how to operate it, but sometimes she even entertained the idea of taking it apart to examine its internal components. It was just a thought for now; she wasn’t confident she could reassemble it if she did.

“What are you thinking about?”

Occasionally glancing back, Jiang He noticed Xu Qing doing nothing—or rather, doing just one thing: sitting quietly and staring at her back, seemingly lost in thought.

“I’m reminiscing about last night’s dream,” Xu Qing answered honestly.

“What did you dream about?”

“Something really interesting.”

Xu Qing’s nostalgic mood was interrupted. He paused for a moment, trying to decipher her train of thought, and couldn’t help but ask, “Why would I dream of turning into a girl?”

Every action and thought has a starting point. Why Jiang He asked wasn’t important; what mattered was why she considered becoming a girl to be fun and worth reminiscing about.

Jiang He didn’t answer his question but continued, “Wasn’t that it?”

“Of course not!”

“What a pity.”

“… …”

Jiang He was adept at cross-boundary conversation topics, leaving Xu Qing helpless. The entire morning passed as she immersed herself in learning computer operations.

The morning is the best time for study. The afternoon would be better for diving into the stack of materials Xu Qing had sent her about opening an online store and editing videos.

Opening a Taobao shop was relatively easy and didn’t require much initial investment. Since Jiang He was worried about losses, Xu Qing suggested a method leveraging price discrepancies. She wouldn’t need to stock goods; she could mark up products from other shops and list them in her own store. When someone placed an order, she’d purchase directly from the other shop to fulfill it.

It was a common practice that had even become an industry of its own. Xu Qing highlighted the tricks and challenges of this approach—it was essentially acting as a middleman. He’d learned it from Li Gaobo, who had started with little money for inventory. By using this method, Li Gaobo increased his shop’s product variety, only purchasing items from other sellers after receiving orders.

However, Li Gaobo had done this mainly to increase his store’s traffic, not to profit significantly from each transaction.

Jiang He studied this while continuing her usual manual labor, though she lacked the enthusiasm she had for physical work. She preferred creating wealth with her hands and had an innate resistance to such speculative approaches.

Lunch was prepared by Xu Qing, who made a few flatbreads and a pot of egg soup.

There were no stir-fried dishes or rice; it was a simple, standard meal in Jiang City. Wrapping scallions dipped in sauce inside the flatbread, each bite was flavorful and fragrant.

“If you want to open a shop, I’ll set one up for you under my name,” Xu Qing said between bites of scallion and bread. Jiang He preferred scallion whites, while he liked the greens—a small discovery that brought him a bit of joy.

“I don’t want to open one,” Jiang He shook her head.

“Alright then, take your time getting familiar with it. There’s no rush. There are 360 professions, and every one can produce a top talent. With your determination and diligence, I’m sure you’ll excel at anything you choose to do,” Xu Qing said confidently. Her ability to earn thousands through sheer manual labor spoke volumes; once she found a suitable venture, she was bound to outshine most people, even if not becoming the best.

“I believe in you,” he added.

Jiang He pursed her lips, skeptical. “I don’t even believe in myself.”

“That’s because I see things more clearly than you do.”

Xu Qing understood her current hesitation.

Even educated modern-day college graduates often struggle to find their career path right out of school. It takes trial and error to discover one’s calling—or, alternatively, to surrender to reality, grumbling about quitting while clocking in every month for full attendance pay.

Jiang He’s unique circumstances, though a limitation, were also her strength. Without overthinking, she could more easily find satisfaction and joy in something she enjoyed and that could sustain her.

“Cats eat fish, dogs eat meat, Ultraman fights little monsters—follow your nature. Don’t worry about how much money you can earn right now; focus on finding something you don’t dislike and work on it step by step.”

“What’s Ultraman?”

“A being of light. I used to have a transformation device but lost it. Otherwise, I’d transform and show you.”

Xu Qing grinned as he finished his soup and went to the kitchen for another bowl. Jiang He, lost in thought, gently pushed Winter Melon, the cat, aside.

Cats can’t eat human food; they’ll get sick—she’d already checked on Baidu.

After lunch, the two went out for a walk to digest their meal. The weather was perfect for an outing. In a month or two, when the heat made frying an egg on the pavement feasible, wandering the streets would seem absurd.

At the residential complex’s gate, the umbrella had been replaced with a large new one, almost like a canopy. Uncle Zhao sat with a pot of chrysanthemum tea and a fan, watching the street outside.

If Xu Qing were a security guard, he thought, he’d ponder deep questions like reincarnation, aliens, magic, intelligence, time, and the meaning of life in distant galaxies.

He’d spent lazy afternoons here before, borrowing Uncle Zhao’s tea and enjoying the idle moments.

“What happened to your hand?”

Uncle Zhao immediately noticed Xu Qing’s arm—not the one holding Jiang He’s hand, but the free one. It flailed around like a chicken claw, resembling the stroke-impaired movements of Old Qi from next door.

“Young people shouldn’t have such problems,” Zhao remarked with concern.

Noticing his worried look, Xu Qing chuckled and said, “I smoked two cigarettes yesterday, and then…”

“Get lost. Stop spouting nonsense,” Uncle Zhao retorted with a laugh. He knew the mention of cigarettes meant Xu Qing was making things up.

“This is Eagle Claw Technique. I learned it from a reclusive master,” Xu Qing said, shaking his hand into a claw and waving it theatrically.

Zhao raised an eyebrow, skeptical of the odd gestures.

“What’s this?”

Ignoring Zhao’s disdainful look, Xu Qing turned to a notice posted nearby. This old complex often posted updates—usually about street repairs, power outages, or water supply disruptions, though such events were rare.

“They’re installing a gate system with advanced tech. In the future, you’ll need a fob to buzz in,” Uncle Zhao explained. “When they checked the surveillance cameras during that ghost incident, they also found a thief. Luckily, nothing was stolen. The committee decided to set up this gate system. It’s taken forever to arrange, though.”

“Ah… and it’s free, right?” Xu Qing teased, glancing at the notice. “So, does that mean you’ll lose your job?”

“Pfft. Even with the system, I’ll still be here. I heard tenants will need to pay ten yuan for a fob, but homeowners get it free. Not sure if it’s true, though. The gate frame isn’t even up yet. This property management is so sluggish…”

The setup—or lack thereof—didn’t matter much to Uncle Zhao. He’d still sit there sipping tea and smoking. But he couldn’t resist criticizing inefficiency when he saw it.

Xu Qing wasn’t bothered either. A key fob on his keychain wouldn’t make much difference, though security would improve. Thieves climbing through windows wouldn’t stand a chance.

As the two walked away, Uncle Zhao reclined in his chair, watching them leave. He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket but hesitated, putting it back to save for later.

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