The Unexpected Laundry and a Startling Realization

The breakfast consisted of congee, steamed buns, and soft flour pancakes.

Xia Chu quickly finished her meal, then settled into her gaming chair, absently switching on her computer.

It was just past nine, not yet ten, and Bai Jingjing usually went out to buy groceries around half past ten.

Patience, endurance, discretion—she merely needed to act as if nothing had happened.

Xia Chu opened her computer, browsed Bilibili (TL Note: A popular Chinese video-sharing website) for a while, then casually launched a game to play.

She had no particular goal, simply wanting to pass the time until Bai Jingjing left for groceries.

Meanwhile, Bai Jingjing, having just cleared away breakfast, was now resting briefly on the sofa.

The sensation of falling asleep in Xia Chu’s embrace last night had been quite pleasant. Comparing her to Luo Xuan from the night before, Bai Jingjing concluded that each had their own unique charm.

One was a beautiful young lady, the other a mature, stunning woman—both fragrant and soft, though Xia Chu was a bit ‘larger’ in presence.

Perhaps this was what they called relativity: when you were someone’s girlfriend, they were simultaneously yours.

After a short rest, Bai Jingjing stood up, pondering what else she could do.

As a girlfriend, she should take care of her little girlfriend… No, she should take care of her *big* girlfriend’s life!

****

Games were incredibly adept at capturing one’s attention, especially competitive PvP (Player versus Player) titles. Xia Chu had initially intended to just start a casual match, but once the game began, she found herself completely engrossed.

After a round of dominating the battlefield, Xia Chu felt utterly refreshed, her entire being relaxing.

The bright Sunday sunshine, the gentle breeze drifting in through the window, the praises and compliments from her teammates in the chatbox, and the faint sounds from the bathroom—everything contributed to an atmosphere of profound tranquility.

Wait, the bathroom?

A low hum emanated from it, not quite sounding like someone showering.

Xia Chu’s heart gave a sudden lurch. She cautiously rose and walked over, peering inside. What she saw was a washing machine busily humming, and beside it, Bai Jingjing perched on a small stool, her delicate hands scrubbing something in a basin.

*Thump-thump-thump!*

Xia Chu instantly panicked, her heart hammering wildly as a single phrase echoed in her mind.

‘What’s happening? What’s happening? What’s happening? What’s happening? What’s happening?’

‘What on earth is happening?!’

“Oh, Sister Xia,” Bai Jingjing greeted her with a smile upon seeing her. “I noticed some clothes in the washing machine that needed cleaning, so I started washing them.”

Usually, Xia Chu would simply toss her worn outer garments into the washing machine, waiting for a larger load before starting a cycle.

That, of course, was perfectly fine, but the problem lay elsewhere…

“The washing machine is washing clothes, so you’re washing-washing-washing-washing-washing,” Xia Chu stammered incoherently. “Washing what?”

“I’m washing the intimate apparel that the washing machine isn’t suitable for,” Bai Jingjing declared, her tone utterly righteous.

Xia Chu grew even more bewildered. “But where did I get…”

“I found it on your bed, just now,” Bai Jingjing explained, gazing at her with an innocent expression. “It looked like it needed a wash, so I brought it here.”

Upon closer inspection, what Bai Jingjing’s delicate hands were gently scrubbing was none other than the pair of panties Xia Chu had secretly changed out of that very morning.

“No, I, this, that, you,” Xia Chu stammered, her pretty face flushing crimson. “How could you…”

“Oh, I know, it’s fine,” Bai Jingjing said softly, continuing to scrub the panties. “It’s better to wash them early. Besides, leaving them on the bed like that would make the sheets damp.”

‘Wasn’t I trying to hide them in the duvet so you wouldn’t find them?!’

After a long moment of thought, Xia Chu awkwardly replied, “It’s not that I was afraid of you finding them, it’s just… there weren’t many clothes to wash, and I was planning to do them in a couple of days.”

She struggled to find an excuse for her actions; what else could she do? She couldn’t possibly admit the truth.

Her behavior of changing her panties this morning, especially after sleeping in an embrace last night, already made her seem like a pure-hearted idiot. If she were to admit that she hid them because she was afraid of being discovered… wouldn’t that make her the ultimate idiot?

She had to salvage at least one aspect of her dignity.

“But,” Bai Jingjing said calmly, “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

‘Eh?’

Xia Chu froze in place.

That’s right, she remembered now. When she had talked with Luo Xuan before, it had been agreed that she was only available on weekends, and even if someone was found, it needed to be made clear that they could only visit for two days on the weekend.

But now…

“But, but I never said I was *only* free this weekend,” Xia Chu retorted, her beautiful face tight, letting out a soft hum.

‘Isn’t next weekend still a weekend?’

“Next weekend is five days away, you can’t just leave clothes for five days, can you?” Bai Jingjing reasoned with her. “So, I thought I’d do everything I could before I leave, including washing this…”

“…this damp pair of panties.”

“Then, then you wash them.”

Xia Chu, her face still flushed, returned to her computer. Her gaze fell upon the Bilibili (TL Note: A popular Chinese video-sharing website) video she had casually clicked on, her emotions a tangled mess.

On the computer screen, the person in the video was speaking with a laugh.

“Jingjing, it’s a good thing we didn’t get married. If we had, I would have ruined your entire life.

Take care, goodbye. Will we ever meet again, Jingjing?

When we meet again, you must be happy! Okay?

Jingjing, you must be cheerful, you must be happy, okay?

Your world will no longer have me in it, it’s fine, you must find your own happiness, Jingjing!

Jingjing! Jingjing! How can I live without you?!

Jingjing~! Jingjing~!

Ahhhhhhhhhh! Jingjing, take me with you! Jingjing!”

*Hiss—!*

Xia Chu suddenly jolted awake. She abruptly realized that these weren’t lines from the video.

At the very least, the name was wrong.

She didn’t know how long she had been watching the video in a daze. The sounds from the bathroom had ceased. Turning off the video, the entire room fell silent, as if she were the only one left.

“Bai Jingjing, what are you doing?”

Xia Chu called out, then stood up and searched around.

She wasn’t in the living room. Not in the kitchen. Not in the bedroom. Not on the balcony. Not even in the restroom or bathroom.

It wasn’t ‘as if’—she truly was alone.

‘No, where, where is she?’

With trembling, delicate hands, she took out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts, hovering over one name, hesitating, and ultimately lacking the courage to tap it. Instead, she clicked on another contact.

[Chuxia: Luo Xuan, where’s Bai Jingjing?!]

[Eylla: What ‘where is she’? I wouldn’t know, why ask me?]

[Chuxia: She was just here a moment ago!]

Her typing speed was incredibly fast, baffling Luo Xuan, who quickly replied.

[Eylla: Don’t panic, I’ll help you ask around, okay? I’ll ask.]

About a minute later, the anxiously awaiting Xia Chu finally received a reply from her best friend.

[Eylla: She went grocery shopping. She’s at the market outside your complex, didn’t you know?]

‘Ah, this, what?’

Xia Chu checked the time on her phone: 10:40 AM. It was indeed time to buy groceries for lunch.

[Eylla: Also, she said you have her number, so why didn’t you just ask her directly instead of asking me first?]