Little T Lurking in the Beauty Salon, What's the Purpose of All the Flirting? - Chapter 1

The next day at work, I had scheduled a meeting with a client, but she suddenly had to reschedule. On my way back, a torrential downpour soaked me to the bone, so I didn’t hesitate to skip work and head home.

As soon as I walked in, I saw Xixi standing in the living room. She looked surprised to see me, and I stammered, unsure what to say.

Um, I came to get my clothes and charger, Xixi said, and return the key.

Oh, I replied, avoiding her gaze as I hurried to the bathroom to take a shower.

You didn’t bring an umbrella? she asked, stepping in front of me. Take off those wet clothes first—you’ll catch a cold. She pushed me aside and started running water into the bathtub.

The September weather wasn’t cold, but I couldn’t stop shivering, drenched to the bone. Xixi turned on the bathroom heater, flooding the room with light. Steam slowly rose from the tub, blurring my vision and making it hard to see her face.

After running the bath, she closed the door and left. I stripped off my wet clothes and sank into the warm water, suddenly feeling an urge to shout. It struck me that Xixi could come back. But what had I done? In just one day, I’d made a complete mess of everything.

Hey, you don’t mind if I come in, do you? she called from the doorway. I almost laughed. When did you get so polite, you little brat? You used to kick the door down if I didn’t let you in when I was bathing.

Come in, I replied. Xixi entered with several cartons of milk, pouring them all into the tub. You’re wasting it! I protested. She then grabbed a handful of rose petals I used for tea and tossed them in. Xiao Taohong, you can’t be so stingy!

I suddenly felt like crying.

She squeezed shampoo onto my head and began massaging it, saying, Let me treat you to a milk bath. Afterward, you can practice your martial arts. Let’s just forget about yesterday, okay?

I was speechless.

Oh, don’t be so reserved. Besides, you’ve hit me before. I think I overreacted that day. Why don’t you just explain properly? And come to think of it, after all the times I’ve disciplined you, you wouldn’t dare fool around with anyone else, would you?

Xixi, you’ve finally woken up… Why did you rush to judgment without listening to me when you got that text?!

Seeing me remain silent, Xixi laughed happily. Alright, you can be reserved. After you’re washed up, I’ll take you out to eat. She then began humming an off-key tune as she meticulously washed my body.

I knew Xixi was deeply insecure. Her mother had been chronically ill for years, and her father, a philanderer, rarely came home. Besides work, Xixi had to care for her mother. She craved warmth but struggled to trust those around her. Deep down, she harbored profound self-doubt, fearing loss and questioning her own worth. This led her to resort to violence. Though she acted indifferent, she lived a life of quiet repression.

I never doubted our love for each other. In fact, I felt I shared many of her inner flaws. That’s why, despite enduring countless beatings over the past six months, I harbored no resentment. Instead, I found a perverse pleasure in this violent expression of Xixi’s love.

I once asked Xixi why she was with me. She replied, Because you accept all of me.

She wasn’t someone who discovered her love for women only after experiencing men. She said that from a young age, likely due to her father, she had an instinctive aversion and resistance to men. When I first learned Xixi was still a virgin, I was shocked and relentlessly teased her about it.

So when she asked me the same question—why I wanted to be with her—I answered, Because you’re too utterly pure. It was the truth. As a woman, I certainly didn’t have some ridiculous virginity complex. I simply felt that this girl, from her body to her heart, desperately needed someone who understood her to cherish her.

But Xixi, how can I face you now? In just one day, I’ve inexplicably betrayed you…

Xixi, let’s break up, I finally whispered, my voice barely audible as I gazed into her familiar eyes.

She froze for a moment. You really like someone else?

I remained silent, unsure how to explain. My feelings for Lao Mi might not qualify as love, but the events of yesterday, if left unsaid, would become a ticking time bomb. Even if Xixi forgave me, they would fester in her heart like a stubborn knot.

I don’t know if Xixi is a perfectionist in matters of love, but I know I am. If something has been tainted, it’s better to discard it. Otherwise, future days will inevitably bring absurd incidents that remind us of past unpleasantness. This affair would become like a smear of dog sh1t, staining every crevice of our future lives.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. I waited quietly for Xixi to explode, but she stuck out her tongue and said, This bathwater smells so good!

Hmm, I replied.

She wiped her face and muttered, It’s really unbearable, before getting up and leaving the bathroom.

I figured she must have gone out to cry. Xixi, I’m sorry…

BUT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WITNESS THE MOMENT OF MIRACLES!

Half a minute later, she returned with a box of Mengniu T. After sucking on the straw, she declared, I really can’t stand it! Not all bathwater makes you want to drink it!

Pfft!

I burst out laughing, tears streaming down my face. Yes, not all milk is Mengniu T.

Xixi, you’re such a tease.

Xiao Taohong, don’t leave me, Xixi said, squatting beside me and shoving the straw into my mouth. Delicious, right?

I couldn’t say anything, just nodded like an idiot, sucking on the milk and looking at Xixi.