An excerpt from Kusuriya no Hitorigoto light novel volume 14, chapter 21: A perverted Jinshi and a flirty Maomao.

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

二十一話　帰り道

[...]

 壬氏はじっと猫猫を見ると、そっと猫猫の前に手を伸ばす。猫猫の手に触れそうで触れないところで止まった。

「触れないんですか？」

　猫猫が聞き返すと、壬氏は困った顔をする。

「触れたいぞ。それだけじゃなく掴みたいし、ぎゅっとしたい」

「しませんねえ」

　猫猫は揶揄するように言った。以前はいくら触るなと言っても勝手に触れてきた男だ。

　だが、最近はむしろ避けるような態度ばかりとる。今日も米袋のように担がれてしまった。

「我慢できなくなるからやめている」

「我慢できなくなるのですか」

「ああ。ぎゅっとするだけでおさまらず、噛むし舐めるぞ」

「今、ぞわっときました」

　猫猫はちょっぴり半眼になる。鳥肌が立った。

　顔がいいから許されそうだが、普通に変態の発言だ。羅半が言おうものなら、履を踏みつけるに飽き足らず、槍を突き立ててやるくらいの気持ち悪さだ。

「めちゃくちゃ失礼だな」

　壬氏は怒るわけでもなくただ恨めしそうに猫猫を見る。

「では失礼ついでに」

　少し悪戯を仕掛けたくなった。

　猫猫は果実水を飲み干すが、器の結露で指が濡れた。そのまま湿った指先を壬氏のほうに向け、人差指を壬氏の手首にのせた。

「!?」

　壬氏が体を強張らせる。手首がぴくりと動く。

　猫猫の人差し指は、壬氏の手首から手の甲、中指へと滑っていく。蝸牛が這ったように濡れた跡が残る。最後に中指の爪を押すようにして離す。

「……おまえなあ」

「なんでしょう？」

「薬屋が天職だと思っているようだが、案外妓女の適性もあると思うぞ」

「それ、誉め言葉ですか？」

　猫猫は少しむっとする。

　対して、壬氏は猫猫から目をそらして居心地が悪そうな顔をしている。

（ちょっと仕掛けるのが早かったか）

　まだ馬車は出たばかりだ。

　なんとも言えない空気のまま、都につくまでしばらく時間がかかった。