Ye Shuang's Clothes

When Ye Shuang returned home after grocery shopping, he found Chen Qin had already arrived—two girls were curled up on the sofa watching TV, while Yiwang (Ten Thousand) lay asleep on Bai Yuyou's lap, its fluffy orange tail occasionally twitching and brushing against the girl's snow-white calves.

"Having kids isn’t necessarily a blessing…" the TV murmured.

"You're back," Chen Qin glanced over, grinning.

"Ye Shuang…"

Carrying bags of groceries, Ye Shuang smiled at the sight of them. It felt nice to have someone waiting for him at home, even if he’d only stepped out briefly to shop.

"Yongwang didn’t have any crucian carp, so I bought a black chicken instead. I’ll make soup with cordyceps flowers," Ye Shuang said.

"Black chicken? The ones at the supermarket are all frozen. The freshly slaughtered ones at the wet market are way better," Chen Qin remarked.

"Fine, don’t drink it if you’re so picky," Ye Shuang retorted.

Chen Qin chuckled. "Who said I wouldn’t? I love your cooking the most."

Bai Yuyou got up to help Ye Shuang, though her skills were limited—mostly washing ingredients or handling garnishes like ginger and garlic.

Ye Shuang picked up the cleaver and began chopping the chicken into pieces. With each thud of the blade, Chen Qin, watching from the side, blinked reflexively, looking rather comical.

"Miss Chen, want to learn how to cook?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Seems a bit hard."

"Give it a try?" He offered her the cleaver.

Chen Qin eyed the greasy blade, hesitated, and ultimately didn’t reach for it.

As a young lady who’d never lifted a finger for housework, overcoming this mental hurdle wasn’t easy. Ye Shuang didn’t press her and continued chopping. "Auntie Chen knows how to make good soup, you know."

"Give it to me!"

"You sure?" Amused by her sudden determination, Ye Shuang grinned.

"No problem!" Chen Qin took the cleaver, pressed one hand against the remaining chicken, and raised the blade high.

With a self-encouraging "Hyaa!"—

"Wait, wait—!" Ye Shuang nearly had a heart attack. The angle looked like she was about to chop her own hand. "Go peel garlic with Yuyou instead."

"Fine."

Ye Shuang worked quickly, preparing tomato scrambled eggs, pan-fried beef ribs, stir-fried loofah with pork, and shrimp paste water spinach before serving everything.

"Just home-style dishes. Don’t expect the fancy stuff from your place—I can’t make that," he said, handing Chen Qin chopsticks from the sterilizer.

"My family eats the same things over and over too. The chefs never try anything new," Chen Qin replied.

"Sure, sure."

Twenty-some dishes daily, and you barely touch any of them.

"Eat more later."

"My stomach’s been acting up lately, but I can drink more soup," Chen Qin said, holding up a finger.

Ye Shuang frowned. "If you’re unwell, see a doctor. Don’t let a minor issue turn serious."

"I’ll just take some medicine. Hospitals are a hassle." She didn’t have time for that.

Seeing how careless she was about her health, Ye Shuang studied her face closely—

[Character: Chen Qin

Your ultra, ultra-loving childhood friend. Currently suffering from a stomach ulcer. Maybe take her to the hospital?]

Under his gaze, Chen Qin tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, averting her eyes shyly. "What? Something on my face?"

Ye Shuang looked away. "I’m taking you to the hospital tomorrow."

"Huh? No way!"

"You’re going, whether you like it or not."

Faced with his firm tone, Chen Qin softened like a lamb. "Fine, you’re the boss."

Secretly, she was delighted. If Ye Shuang accompanied her, it might not be so bad—was he worried about her just now? So commanding… she loved it.

After dinner, Ye Shuang headed for a shower.

The moment he stepped in, Bai Yuyou began stripping off her jacket outside. Chen Qin stared, baffled. "Yuyou, what are you doing?"

Clad only in her underwear, Bai Yuyou answered, "Shower… with Ye Shuang."

"No! Put your clothes back on!"

"No…"

Chen Qin chased the expressionless girl around the table, clutching her discarded clothes.

Inside the bathroom, Ye Shuang rinsed his hair under the showerhead, listening to the commotion outside. "What are they up to?"

……

Freshly showered, Ye Shuang towel-dried his hair and glanced toward the sofa—only to find Chen Qin pinning a naked Bai Yuyou down. His expression twisted.

"Chen Qin, you—"

"It’s not what it looks like!" Chen Qin released her grip, and Bai Yuyou darted behind Ye Shuang.

"She tried to follow you into the shower!"

Ye Shuang glanced at the girl clinging to his waist, now bare and surrounded by strewn clothes—clearly, a struggle had ensued.

"Don’t catch a cold. Go shower properly," he told Bai Yuyou.

"Okay."

Once she disappeared into the bathroom, Ye Shuang gathered the scattered clothes and tossed them into the washer.

Chen Qin sat on the sofa, propping her chin in her hands. "Ye Shuang, does she do this every day?"

"Pretty much," he replied without turning. "She doesn’t understand these things. Treat her like a kid."

He’d tried educating her before, but Bai Yuyou always circled back to "married couples can do anything." He’d given up.

"With that body? How?"

"……" Ye Shuang had no rebuttal. Bai Yuyou’s figure was undeniably stunning, her skin flawless. If he weren’t determined not to be a scumbag, he might’ve succumbed long ago.

Still, he said, "I treat her like a kid. If you’ve got time, maybe teach her some basics."

"Gladly." Chen Qin’s eyes sparkled.

After Bai Yuyou finished showering, it was Chen Qin’s turn—but she hadn’t brought spare clothes. "Want me to drive you home tonight?" Ye Shuang asked.

"Ugh, I don’t wanna drive."

"I’ll take you."

Chen Qin puffed her cheeks. "What, am I in the way?"

"You have a dryer, right? Dry my clothes. I’ll borrow yours tonight," she said, then froze when she noticed Bai Yuyou nearby.

The girl stood there, bare legs peeking from under an oversized T-shirt.

That shirt…

Ye Shuang’s?