A-Qing's bar for gentlemanly behaviour was thus: didn't call her insulting nicknames, didn't touch her without her permission, didn't make rude gestures thinking she couldn't see them.

So, it went without saying that this guy passed. With flying colours, even, given that he held his arm out low enough that her reaching hand bumped into it. (She almost let herself be glad that they had to wash frequently here and all of her clothes were new. His sleeve looked so purely white that she almost hesitated to touch the fabric.)

"Thanks!" She chirped, enjoying the pretense of ignorance that allowed her to ignore formalities. After all, most people here just used first names, and wouldn't know a formal register if you hit them with it.

It was great. "What's the film about? Anything good?"