The Unspoken Departure

Bai Jingjing was met with unexpected warmth at the property management office.

Perhaps it was because the attendees were mostly homemakers from various households, many of them older aunties and grandmas, leaving Bai Jingjing as the sole youthful maiden among them.

Moreover, everyone seemed to know her, greeting her with fervent enthusiasm the moment she stepped inside.

“Good afternoon, Jingjing.”

“This must be Jingjing, what a radiant girl.”

“Jingjing, ah, you see, things were so rushed, Auntie didn’t prepare anything for you all. I’ll make it up next time.”

Bai Jingjing responded to each greeting, growing increasingly bewildered.

While it was one thing for everyone to know her, ‘I didn’t prepare anything for you all, I’ll make it up next time’ left her utterly perplexed.

It wasn’t until Auntie Zhang approached and offered an explanation that she understood.

“I introduced you in the WeChat group. Everyone knows you’re Xia Chu’s… Oh, right, Jingjing, why don’t you join the community group? You have WeChat, don’t you?”

Bai Jingjing took out her phone. “I do have it, but I don’t really use it much…”

“I know, you young people all use QQ and don’t really bother with WeChat,” Auntie Zhang said with a smile. “It’s fine, just go online sometimes to check for important announcements.”

And so, Bai Jingjing joined the community WeChat group, which was aptly named “United, Friendly, Harmonious Ailinghua Family.”

She also briefly acquainted herself with the other household heads, including Auntie Wang, Grandma Li, and even Grandpa Fan, the gatekeeper.

Reportedly, Grandpa Fan was also a resident who, upon hearing the gatekeeper position required night duty, eagerly applied, as he enjoyed staying up late to watch football.

For several years now, he had diligently guarded the main entrance of Ailinghua Community.

“You must be Jingjing, what a good girl. It was me who opened the gate for you yesterday,” Grandpa Fan declared, his voice robust as he fanned himself with a cattail leaf fan. “I could tell at a glance you were a good child. If it were anyone else I didn’t recognize, I wouldn’t have opened that gate at all.”

“Thank you, Grandpa. Please continue to enjoy the cool breeze.”

After Bai Jingjing had a friendly exchange with everyone, the person designated to lead the meeting finally arrived.

“Everyone, please quiet down. Today, we’ll once again discuss the issue of entering and exiting the community.”

A person who appeared to be from property management beckoned everyone to attention and began speaking.

Like the others, Bai Jingjing sat quietly, listening intently.

“The weather has recently warmed up, though not completely, with temperatures fluctuating occasionally.

This is precisely peak flu season.

Although our community isn’t densely populated, vigilance is still required when entering and exiting.”

In essence, it was a session to instill a mindset of epidemic prevention among the residents.

“Hey, I’ve noticed that other places outside all have health QR code scanning,” Auntie Zhang suggested. “Shouldn’t our community implement something similar?”

The property manager furrowed their brow, looking at the computer. “I’m trying to connect our premises to the ‘Provincial City One-Code Pass’ (TL Note: A unified QR code system for health and services), but I’m unsure how to proceed.”

Those present were all somewhat advanced in age; they could barely manage modern digital products, but for something so complex and technical, they simply lacked the necessary expertise.

Everyone recognized this predicament, and so, several people turned their gazes toward the only youthful maiden in the room.

Bai Jingjing rose and walked towards the computer. “Then, let me give it a try.”

Under such circumstances, she could only oblige.

Auntie Zhang turned to the others and declared, “This child, Jingjing, is truly dependable. When there’s a task, she genuinely steps up.”

Everyone nodded in profound agreement.

Bai Jingjing tinkered with it for a while and, remarkably, managed to submit the application successfully.

“All set. Once the location QR code for the ‘Provincial City One-Code Pass’ is issued, just paste it at the community entrance.”

****

Unaware of her girlfriend’s impressive display of prowess at the property management office, Xia Chu remained preoccupied.

She was still agonizing over the question her best friend had sent.

[Eylla: Should I come pick her up tonight, or tomorrow morning?]

‘It’s definitely tomorrow morning, why the rush?’

This was Xia Chu’s initial thought, yet upon closer reflection, she realized it genuinely warranted consideration.

Primarily, after merely sleeping in an embrace last night, she had changed her underwear this morning, only for Bai Jingjing to discover it.

Bai Jingjing had even made her wash it herself.

If they continued to sleep together tonight, the ‘big sister’ (TL Note: A term of endearment for an older female, often implying a sense of responsibility or maturity) would find it rather embarrassing.

And if she were to leave the next morning…

Xia Chu envisioned the scene: the two of them sleeping soundly through the night, only for her to wake up and find herself alone in the bed.

Struggling to rise, she would search every corner of the house, but the girl’s figure would be nowhere to be found.

In that daze, it would feel as though she had always been alone in the house, and the radiant maiden nothing more than a fleeting dream.

‘Damn, I’m already feeling sad.’

[Chuxia: Come pick her up tonight.]

‘It’s better to let her leave before bed tonight. Be rational; it allows time to process the emotions.’

[Eylla: Alright, I’ll come pick her up in the evening.]

‘Pick her up, let her go, let them all go, sigh.’

The ‘big sister’ (TL Note: A term of endearment for an older female, often implying a sense of responsibility or maturity) sighed silently, then suddenly recalled something and hastily added.

[Chuxia: Then make sure she comes over earlier next weekend too, arriving on Friday evening.]

‘She can’t just be dropped off Saturday morning; I’d be losing an entire night with her.’

[Chuxia: Also, regarding the rental fee…]

In Bright Pearl Community, Luo Xuan lay on her bed chatting with her best friend.

Upon seeing the number her friend sent, she nearly spat out a mouthful of water.

[Eylla: You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re renting a girlfriend, not buying her life. Aren’t you afraid of scaring her off?]

If Bai Jingjing were given that much money, she would likely be so terrified she’d flee the provincial city overnight.

[Chuxia: So, what do you think it should be?]

The two then discussed it further, eventually settling on a “market price” of sorts.

Xia Chu felt too awkward to give it herself, so she entrusted Luo Xuan with the transfer, as Luo Xuan was, in essence, the intermediary.

After their conversation, Bai Jingjing coincidentally returned, greeting her with a question. “Sister Xia, what would you like for dinner? Should I check if we need to go to the wet market?”

Just as Xia Chu was about to speak, a bitter taste suddenly filled her mouth, and she said awkwardly, “You’d better not go. We’ll just make do with whatever’s left from what we bought before.”

Noticing the odd tone in her voice, Bai Jingjing couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?”

“Nothing, you’re just leaving soon,” Xia Chu retorted, turning away with a cold huff. “If I buy too many vegetables, I won’t cook them, and they’ll just spoil.”

“It’s fine, and besides,” Bai Jingjing blinked her eyes, “I’m not leaving until tomorrow…”

“You’re leaving tonight,” Xia Chu interrupted her. “Luo Xuan will be here to pick you up shortly.”

“Oh, I see.”

Upon reflection, Bai Jingjing realized it was true; leaving tomorrow would merely mean staying one more night, making little difference.

Moreover, if she stayed an extra night and left first thing in the morning, it would actually be quite inconvenient.

For instance…

“This is actually better. If I were to leave tomorrow morning, there are some things I wouldn’t have time to do,” the girl analyzed calmly.

Xia Chu paused, slightly taken aback. “Wouldn’t have time to do what?”

“Wouldn’t have time to wash your underwear,” Bai Jingjing replied earnestly.

If they were to sleep together for one more night, the ‘big sister’ (TL Note: A term of endearment for an older female, often implying a sense of responsibility or maturity) would again need to change her underwear the next morning.