Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
Volume 14, Chapter 21: The Way Home
[...]
Jinshi stared at Maomao and gently reached out his hand in front of her. He stopped just where he could almost but not quite touch Maomao's hand.
'You can't touch my hand[1]?'
When Maomao asked him for further clarification, Jinshi made a troubled face.
'I want to touch your hand[1]. Not only that, I want to grab it and hold it[1] tight.'
'So you're not doing it.'
Maomao said as if she was making fun of him. He used to touch her whenever he wanted, no matter how much she told him not to do so.
However, recently he had been avoiding her. Today as well, he was carrying her like a sack of rice[2].
'I've stopped because I can't hold back anymore.'
'You can't hold back anymore?'
'Yes. I won't stop at just holding it[1] tight, I'll bite and lick it[1], you know."
'Just now, you've creeped me out.'
Maomao gave him a subtle sidelong glance. He gave her goosebumps.
It might be forgivable because he has a nice face, but it's usually a perverted remark. If Rahan were to say it, it would be so sickening that she would not only content with stomping on his shoes, but also spear him.
'That's extremely rude of you.'
Jinshi was not angry, but just gave Maomao a grudging look.
'Now, if you'll excuse me...'
Now she felt like playing a little prank.
Maomao chugged down the rest of her fruit water, but her fingers got wet from the condensation on the cup. She turned her damp fingertips towards Jinshi and placed her index finger on his wrist.
'!?'
Jinshi's body became tense. His wrist twitched.
Maomao's index finger slid from his wrist to the back of his hand and then to his middle finger. It left a wet mark as if a snail had crawled on it. Finally, she released her finger by pressing on his middle fingernail.
'....you little...'
'What is it, sir?
'People may think that being an apothecary is your vocation, but I think you also have an aptitude for being a courtesan.'
'Is that a compliment?'
Maomao was a little offended.
In contrast, Jinshi looked away from Maomao and looked uncomfortable.
(Maybe it was a little too early to do that.)
The carriage had only just left.
It took a while for them to reach the capital with an indescribable atmosphere.
<end of chapter 21>
Disclaimer: English is not my mother tongue.
[1] The object is omitted here, making it ambiguous which exactly Jinshi's trying to touch😀But since Maomao's hand is mentioned in the previous sentence, I guess it's "her hand" he's trying to touch.
[2] like this
