The Nightmare Experience of a Useless Person

"Hey, it's Brother Jiang! Long time no see! Which piece of meat do you want today?" Uncle Wang, the butcher with blood-stained hands and a burly build, spoke with an unexpectedly warm and friendly tone.

"Yes, Uncle Wang, it's been a long time." Jiang Zhiyang replied casually, but his sharp eyes had already scrutinized the pork. "Cut me a piece of this hind leg meat, it's leaner."

"Oh my, you really know how to pick a bride!" Uncle Wang said, skillfully wielding the knife while constantly chatting with Jiang Zhiyang. "And this is... the bride?"

"No." He hesitated for a second, his eyes crinkling to hide a hint of embarrassment.

"Hahaha, no? Or, not yet?" Uncle Wang raised his eyebrows, looking like a seasoned veteran. "The wedding hasn't happened yet, has it? When it does, be sure to invite me to the wedding banquet! Hey, hey, this piece of fatty meat is yours too. Render some lard for it; it'll make delicious stir-fries!"

"Thank you, Uncle Wang."

"Why are you being so polite with Uncle Wang! Here, I've packed it all for you!" The burly man greeted everyone with a beaming smile and eager eyes. When Qingjun met his gaze, he even wiped his hands and waved goodbye to her.

"Uncle Wang is so hospitable." Qingjun walked along, savoring the memory of that kind smile.

"He's a good person and knows how to do business. From now on, we'll just have to support his shop more." As he spoke, Jiang Zhiyang took another step forward and turned to the side to separate Qingjun from the crowd.

"Thank you." Qingjun nodded in acknowledgment, but was forced to take a step forward and press himself against Jiang Zhiyang's chest by the pedestrians behind him.

They stayed close together, squeezing through the most congested sections of the road, and then reluctantly parted ways in the sparser spaces.

I like Jiang Zhiyang, I like his scent. That natural soapy fragrance attracts Qingjun closer and closer, and with repeated touches, the boundaries are blurred. Then, naturally, I become tainted by his scent.

"Qingjun! Come try this on!" Without warning, Jiang Zhiyang turned and ducked into a clothing store. "You're so fair-skinned, this light yellow will definitely make you look beautiful!"

"Isn't it too bright? It doesn't suit me." Qingjun touched the embroidery on the hem of the skirt. The workmanship was indeed exquisite, and it must have been very expensive.

"How could that be! A young lady your age should dress more brightly!" Jiang Zhiyang pushed Qingjun into the inner room, insisting that she try it on, just like a shop assistant who had just received his wages.

The pale yellow dress was covered with embroidered flowers, as if a tree of peach blossoms had been shaken off. As the young woman turned around gently, the delicate petals fluttered in the warm spring breeze. Beyond the lining was a layer of hazy gauze, which, when viewed from afar, resembled flowers seen through mist or the moon reflected in water—delicate and gentle.

"Beautiful, beautiful!" Jiang Zhiyang's eyes sparkled as he looked Qingjun up and down again and again. But before Qingjun could even get a clear look at herself in the bronze mirror, he handed her a long dress in a nutmeg color.

Qingjun reluctantly accepted the color, but after the cardamom color came light blue, orange, navy blue, plum dye, white and pink... It seemed that Jiang Zhiyang was determined to dress her up as a flamboyant little fairy, but before she could become flamboyant, she had already become an exhausted little fairy.

Qingjun felt there was too much, but Jiang Zhiyang felt it was far from enough. He remembered when they first met, Qingjun was dressed in a gorgeous crown and beautiful clothes, and she was very particular about her appearance. But since she entered Leshan Hall, in order to accommodate everyone, she always wore Aunt Dong's old linen clothes and didn't even have a decent piece of jewelry.

"Shopkeeper, do you have any jewelry?" Jiang Zhiyang, holding a pile of colorful dresses, started rummaging through the dazzling array of jewelry.

"This hairband, with its embroidered auspicious clouds, was made by our own embroiderers. It symbolizes good fortune, prosperity, and advancement, and it's our best-selling item!"

"I'll take it."

"This hair ornament is modeled after a pair of lotus flowers on one stem, symbolizing a loving couple and a match made in heaven!" The shopkeeper glanced at Qingjun, then at Jiang Zhiyang, and suddenly seemed to understand something, staring expectantly into Jiang Zhiyang's eyes.

"I'll take it!"

"This glass hairpin was specially crafted by a skilled craftsman from Jiangnan. Not only in my shop, but in the entire Rongcheng, there is only one of its kind!" The shopkeeper became more and more excited as he spoke, carrying the jewelry box from one end of the house to the other.

"I want it! I want it!"

"That's enough." Qingjun tugged at Jiang Zhiyang's sleeve. If he didn't stop him, Jiang Zhiyang would "take over" the whole store. "Pick a couple of outfits for yourself."

"I don't want it. I don't need it. I'm just wasting good things by chopping wood and cooking all day."

"Oh dear, what are you saying!" The astute shopkeeper, quick as a fox, rushed forward and pulled the man and woman close to the mirror. "Young master, you should dress smartly to match your wife. When you go out, everyone will know you're a couple!"

Jiang Zhiyang liked this vague statement because he couldn't speak for himself and could only get Qingjun's tacit approval through the words of others.

"Then you choose for me."

"Alright!" The shopkeeper glanced at Jiang Zhiyang's money pouch and became even more enthusiastic. "This navy blue one is nice. It has an extra layer of fabric on the shoulders, which makes the shoulders look broad. This black one is also good. The waist and hem are voluminous, so it won't make you look thin..."

The shopkeeper recommended clothes that made him look bigger and stronger, but Jiang Zhiyang insisted on choosing clothes that were light and thin. It wasn't that he didn't like tall people, but he just liked clothes that were form-fitting, especially the kind that cinched his waist. It seemed like he couldn't take his eyes off them.

"How slutty." The shopkeeper turned around and muttered to himself, but little did he know that Jiang Zhiyang had sharp ears.

"What?"

"Less! I said I'd give you a lower price!" The shopkeeper quickly put on a kind smile, his fleshy face almost obscuring his eyes.

Stepping out of the clothing store, the purse around my waist looked three sizes smaller.

"Why are you spending so much money today?" Jiang Zhiyang asked, carrying large and small bags. Qingjun tugged at his sleeve.

"It's your money anyway," Qingjun said, taking small steps, so Jiang Zhiyang would take two steps and then stop. "Qingjun has always loved dressing up, so there's no need for you to compromise yourself just to protect my self-esteem."

Jiang Zhiyang was tall, and every time Qingjun looked up at him, a hazy halo would outline his features: smooth brow bones, a high nose bridge, and long eyelashes. He was clearly no different from others, yet he was one in a million.

"If only I could touch it," she thought.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Jiang Zhiyang waved his hand, interrupting Qingjun's dazed gaze. "Eat up, the wontons are getting cold."

"Hmm." Her eyes were vacant, and her mind was blank. It wasn't until Qingjun came to her senses that she noticed a bowl of wontons neatly placed in front of her.

With a gentle bite, the savory meat juices seeped into her esophagus, and the scalding heat and refreshing aroma rose together, completely waking Qingjun up. Only then did she notice the commotion outside the stall.

It was the owner of the wonton stall. "Oh dear, please, please lie down somewhere else. You can't just take advantage of my kindness and expect me to take advantage of you. I still have business to do!"

The man lying on the ground mumbled incoherently and then fell silent. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, the shopkeeper could only plead and threaten, "Go away, go away! We're all poor people, I don't want to report you to the authorities and have you kicked out..."

"..."

"Qingjun, may I give him some?" Jiang Zhiyang clearly couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed a few pieces of silver from his purse.

Qingjun remained silent, but quietly added another silver ingot. Jiang Zhiyang paused for a second, then sent it over as well.

……

"My God! I thought he was a beggar," Jiang Zhiyang said hurriedly, bending down and lowering his voice, "He's...he's too handsome! Ten points, a hundred points more handsome than the male prostitutes at Qingfeng Garden!"

"Qingfeng Garden? What do male prostitutes do?" Qingjun ate his wontons, not paying much attention.

"I misspoke, I misspoke, forget about that!" He laughed awkwardly, a small wrinkle appearing at the corner of his mouth. "He said his name is Mangya, and he will definitely repay me in the future. Of course, I'm not talking about repayment or anything. Judging from his appearance, he's bound to have a bright future..."

Is he really that handsome? Even more handsome than Jiang Zhiyang? When Qingjun turned around, the man was already gone. When she looked up again, she saw Jiang Zhiyang's jealous face...