Xingchen smiles at the touch, like his friend is counting his fingers one by one. It's things like this that have led him to believe that the other is much younger. The ease at which he initiates it, even the way he would often quarrel with a-Qing. They must've been around the same age. So it's easy for Xingchen to allow it, to feel comfortable with it.

"Of course. I'm sorry if it sounded that way." There's an apology in his voice. He really didn't mean to make him feel like he was tired of his company, he's not. "I just worry that you think you have to take care of me all the time, when you should be making friends your own age. It would be easy for you."

He transfers the chopped vegetables to a pot, then gets to work on washing the rice next. Another thought occurs to him.

"I bet there are nice girls in the village too."