The next morning.
Ji Nanchan casually threw on a leather jacket, smoothing down the cuffs as she announced, “Qin Qin, I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll be back before lunch.”
Leng Bingqin was sprawled across the headboard, feet kicking idly in the air while she played on her phone.
Hearing her girlfriend was going out, she lazily rolled onto her back, pouting with reluctance. “Come back soon, or I’ll blow up your phone with calls.”
Amused by the clingy tone, Nanchan’s eyes crinkled into a smile, thinking her little freeloader was evolving into a little barnacle. Glancing out the window at the rare autumn sunshine, she delegated a chore: “The weather’s nice today. If you’re free, go wash the dirty clothes. Don’t let them pile up.”
Walking over to the bed, she habitually ruffled Bingqin’s hair, nagging, “Go wash the clothes before playing on your phone. Be good.”
“Okay~” Bingqin got up, insisting on walking Nanchan to the courtyard gate, clinging to her hand unwilling to let go. “Come back early, and be careful on the road.”
Nanchan patiently coaxed her, “I’ll be back soon. Go on inside.”
Bingqin paid no heed, secretly lingering by the gate until Nanchan’s figure disappeared at the end of the alley before trudging to the bathroom.
Standing in front of the washing machine, she stared blankly for over ten minutes, eyes wide with confusion.
Faced with the overflowing laundry, she pulled on rubber gloves, scratching her head one moment and rubbing her waist the next clearly uncomfortable all over.
Staring perplexedly at the row of buttons on the machine, she tilted her head and muttered, “How does this thing work?”
Noticing the laundry detergent beside her, she crouched down to examine it. After studying the label’s “drum weight” instructions, she instinctively concluded that a full 8kg was necessary to get the clothes clean.
So, determined, she hoisted the large bottle and poured its entire contents into the machine. Only when it was completely empty did she clap her hands with satisfaction. “Chan Chan should give me the Little Bee Hardworking Award.”
Rolling up her sleeves, the little housemate attacked the buttons with gusto. Hearing the rush of water from the pipes, she put on a show of sweating profusely, her face beaming with accomplishment. “Tsk, this isn’t so hard.”
As if she’d accomplished a life milestone, Bingqin strutted proudly into the yard and plopped down on the steps to kill time. Fugui snuggled up by her feet, the two of them lazily basking in the sun.
Perhaps lulled by the warm sunlight, she let out a big yawn, leaned her head against a post, and after a brief struggle with her eyelids, succumbed to the cozy autumn drowsiness, dozing off halfway.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She had no idea how long she’d been napping when a loud banging noise, like a locomotive ready to burst into action, jolted her awake.
Bingqin trembled violently, eyes wide as she scanned the room. Even Fugui startled, legs kicking in alarm.
Panicked, she hurried into the house, only to be utterly dumbfounded.
A tidal wave of foam had spread from the bathroom all the way to the living room, completely obscuring the hallway and bathroom door.
In her fluster, Bingqin stamped her feet twice before plunging headfirst into the sea of bubbles.
With a thud, she accidentally bumped into the door, letting out a muffled groan as she rubbed her forehead and finally found her bearings.
Waving her hands to clear the foam in front of her, she followed the roaring noise of the washing machine, frantically trying to unplug it.
The washing machine was dancing more wildly than the legendary Five Golden Flowers, as if it had drunk counterfeit liquor at a nightclub, thumping and bouncing in a chaotic frenzy.
Her feet slipped on the slick floor, and Leng Bingqin flailed her arms in the air before crashing to the ground, splayed out like a starfish. Her head hit the side of the washing machine as if she’d struck the power-off button, and with a roll of her eyes, she passed out. (Her poor head had endured far more trauma than it should at her age.)
◥
“On a pitch-black night, Ji Nanchan’s shadow darted about. She had her eyes on the nation’s trea… Oh my god!!!” Having successfully sold a month’s worth of recyclables, Ji Nanchan hummed her personal theme song while busily counting the small change in her hands.
As she stepped into the yard, she was met with an overwhelming scene of foam spilling out from the house, letting out a dramatic, chicken-like squawk of despair.
Fugui dashed out of the house, coated in slippery laundry detergent, and lunged at its owner with its tongue lolling.
Ji Nanchan shrieked and scrambled away in panic: “Get away from me! Leng Bingqin!”
She shouted at the top of her lungs but received no response. Sensing something was wrong, Ji Nanchan tore off her coat and charged into the living room.
Trying to swat away the obstructive foam only left her covered in it. Her feet slipped and slid as she stumbled into the bathroom, nearly stepping on the unconscious Leng Bingqin.
The washing machine, still high on counterfeit liquor, continued its passionate shaking. Ji Nanchan lost her balance and fell hard, feeling as if her tailbone had shattered. “Oww!”
Rolling onto her stomach, she clutched her butt in pain, grimacing. Once she regained her senses, she anxiously patted Leng Bingqin’s face, calling out, “You little good-for-nothing. you little good-for-nothing.”
Seeing no response from Leng Bingqin, Ji Nanchan was so frightened she felt her soul almost leave her body. “Don’t scare me like this, wake up!”
“Mmm… uh.” Leng Bingqin’s brow twitched, and she let out a strained whimper.
Relieved to see some reaction from the little good-for-nothing, Ji Nanchan steadied her nerves and let out a sigh. She then crawled to the wall, fumbling until she unplugged the machine.
The relentless clattering finally ceased, and peace was restored to the world.
This wasn’t some heaven-sent free housekeeper, it was more like a calamity sent to claim her life!
Ji Nanchan was so furious she covered her forehead and laughed soundlessly. Unbelievable, utterly unbelievable trusting Leng Bingqin with household chores was a mistake she’d never make again.
A sharp pain shot through her head, and Leng Bingqin, devoid of her usual liveliness, whimpered weakly, “Nanchan, it hurts.”
Ji Nanchan set aside her anger, noticing her distressed state, and quickly checked her injuries. “Where does it hurt?”
“My head hurts.”
The floor was covered in foam mixed with laundry detergent, making it clearly unsafe to carry Leng Bingqin away. Besides, Ji Nanchan had no desire to suffer another fall.
She stood up, grabbed her towel, and gently cushioned the little good-for-nothing’s head with it. Then, she took off her shoes to avoid slipping.
Picking up the empty laundry detergent bottle from the floor, she shook it near her ear and glanced around at the disastrous state of the house. Her face scrunched up in frustration. “Do you have zero common sense? You used up an entire bottle of detergent!” Gritting her teeth, she resigned herself, life had to go on.
After a life half spent in fighting and killing, I’ve returned only to find myself battling bubble magic. My heart is weary.
“A bucket of laundry detergent, 8KG, can wash clothes at least a dozen times.” Ji Nanchan was sprawled on the floor, her butt sticking up high as she scrubbed the floor inch by inch with a cloth in her hands. Foam clung to her hair, and her bangs drooped over her forehead in an indescribable mess.
Leng Bingqin leaned weakly against the sofa, careful not to move her face too much, as even the slightest motion would tug painfully at her forehead. She could only watch quietly as the wiggling butt in the distance swayed back and forth.
After a moment of silence, Ji Nanchan couldn’t hold back her frustration and started muttering again, “I get that your brain isn’t working well, but it can’t be this useless!”
“…” Leng Bingqin pouted, her expression pitiful the moment she made a mistake, as if one more word from Ji Nanchan would make her burst into tears.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? I’m not blaming you. If you don’t know how to operate something next time, just call and ask me.” Ji Nanchan turned to look at the little klutz, only to see tears welling up in her eyes. Her heart tightened, and she shivered involuntarily, quickly making a zipping motion over her lips.
All this busywork had eaten up the entire noon.
Ji Nanchan was exhausted, her back and waist aching as if she’d just completed a high-intensity night mission. She twisted and stretched, massaging her sore muscles, and gazed at the clean, sparkling house. Wow, she had somehow ended up doing a full-scale cleaning.
Leng Bingqin had been in low spirits all along, curled up on the sofa like a soul drained from her body, silent and lost in thought.
Ji Nanchan went into the kitchen to fetch a bowl of lard, then returned to the sofa and scooped up the dazed little klutz with one arm. “Don’t move around.”
Leng Bingqin regained a bit of clarity, hissing in pain and squinting her eyes with deep resentment. “It hurts you scolded me.”
“I told you to wash the clothes, not the entire house. How could I not scold you?” Ji Nanchan rubbed the lard between her fingers and dabbed it heavily on Leng Bingqin’s forehead, where one bump hadn’t even subsided before another appeared. “Do you know what you look like right now?”
Feeling top-heavy, Leng Bingqin flopped into her arms and asked weakly, “What do I look like?”
“Like the Golden Horn King’s brother, the Silver Horn King. These two bumps are just like his horns. So ugly.”
Hearing herself called ugly, Leng Bingqin twisted her fingers in Ji Nanchan’s clothes, pouting and mumbling, “I didn’t mean to cause trouble. You can’t call me ugly.”
“Tell me, how much more can this head of yours take? In just three or four days, you’ve managed to hit yourself into amnesia, get struck by a rock, run a fever, and then bump into the washing machine. Let me interview you, Miss Klutz: what are you planning to bump into next?” Ji Nanchan pretended to hold a microphone, extending it toward Leng Bingqin for an interview.
The little nanny lifted her head, nuzzling her cheek against Ji Nanchan’s neck in a sulky, listless manner. “You’re getting more and more fed up with me.”
Putting down the lard bowl, Ji Nanchan helped her lie back down and clicked her tongue in exasperation. “You clumsy little klutz, how dare I be fed up with you. If you’re not feeling well, just sleep for a while. I’m going to the kitchen.”
Leng Bingqin tugged at Ji Nanchan’s hand, not wanting her to leave, and whined coquettishly, “Don’t go.”
“If I don’t go, who’s going to make you lunch? Who’s going to pop popcorn for you?”Ji Nanchan had already mastered the art of effective coaxing, pinpointing Leng Bingqin’s weakness with precision.” The mere mention of food was enough to make her obedient.
It seemed she hadn’t been very obedient. The young nanny released her grip, struggled to her feet, and tried to follow her into the kitchen.
“Stay put. I’ll bring the food to you once it’s ready,” Ji Nanchan pressed down on her shoulder in time, afraid she might cause trouble, so she coaxed her gently, “Pick a movie you want to watch on your phone, and we’ll eat while watching it later, okay?”
“Fine, hurry up and cook. I’m hungry,” Leng Bingqin urged in a sweet, coquettish tone, then pouted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’ll miss you so much it makes me anxious if I can’t see you. What should I do?”
Ji Nanchan didn’t respond. With an expressionless face, she turned and headed toward the kitchen.
As she rounded the corner and stepped inside, she frantically thumped her chest, her ears burning so hot they turned red and purple. A sudden, inexplicable turmoil churned within her.
Ah! Good heavens! Don’t punish me with that little fool’s coquettish antics and clumsy charm! Ji Nanchan wailed inwardly.
Ji Yan lay sprawled on the soft bed, indulging in deep slumber. Her smooth, delicate back, exposed outside the covers, rose and fell with her steady breaths.
The warm sunlight fell across her face but only provoked a furrowed brow of displeasure.
Irritated, she shifted to her side, yet sleep continued to elude her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at the empty space beside her, letting out a dissatisfied snort.
Like a savage beast with no restraint, she had lost herself in wild abandon through the night and into the dawn. Clothes, inside and out, lay scattered messily across the floor.
Ji Yan picked up her robe and slipped it on haphazardly, not even bothering to tie the belt, leaving her exposed to the morning light.
Li Chuchu emerged from the bathroom with a towel draped over her head, drying her damp, long hair as she walked.
Leaning against the wall, Ji Yan’s gaze roamed over her with unabashed hunger. Suddenly reinvigorated, she grabbed Li Chuchu’s arm and pulled her into an embrace.
Perhaps too many pent-up emotions had accumulated lately. Ji Yan had roughly and relentlessly demanded her fill throughout the night. The red marks trailing from Li Chuchu’s neck down her entire body looked terrifying.
Li Chuchu lowered her eyes submissively and refused with difficulty, “President Ji, I’m in a bit of pain. My body isn’t feeling well.”
Ji Yan paid no heed to her suffering. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply the fragrant scent of her post-bath skin, planting kisses along the delicate skin of her neck.
When she opened her eyes again, they gleamed with a primal, wicked ferocity. She flung the woman in front of her harshly onto the sofa and, without hesitation, tore open the already loose belt.
Savoring the art of last night’s spontaneous creations, she teased with a playful rhetorical question, “Don’t you think these kiss marks weave a beautiful pattern across your body?””
Li Chuchu knew there was no escaping her perverse demands. She could only collapse onto the sofa and resign herself to her fate. “I failed to serve President Ji well. It’s my fault.”
“Hmph, don’t act all obedient with me,” Ji Yan gripped her waist and pulled her upright, nuzzling her ear as she commanded, “Join me for a bath. And bring those little toys in with you. Things like training always need proper reinforcement.” With that, she strode into the bathroom first.
Li Chuchu glanced at the nightstand, where a pile of nauseating little toys lay. Disgust washed over her to the extreme; she even covered her mouth, fighting back the urge to vomit.
Stuck at the bottom of the chasm of material reality, she had no way to resist Ji Yan’s perverse desires.
Li Chuchu needed money, a staggering amount of it. Aside from selling herself to Ji Yan, no one could help her. This was, from the start, a transaction that trampled on her dignity. Talking about self-respect was utterly laughable.
Ji Yan poked her head out from the bathroom, quietly admiring Li Chuchu’s helpless expression. Amidst her wickedness, a trace of humanity remained, pulling her back from the abyss of desire. Her tone softened as she said, “Forget it. Go make breakfast. I’m starving.”
Hearing the instruction, Li Chuchu snapped out of her wandering thoughts and turned to look at Ji Yan with a dazed expression. Her face was a mix of emotions confusion tinged with a hint of gratitude. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to eat, President Ji?”
“Anything is fine, but the fried egg must be runny.”