Chapter 71: But Su Li Never Once Complained

Chi Qingya sat quietly in her usual spot, watching the two Aunties busy at work.

Every time she caught their eyes when they glanced her way after tidying up the trash, she felt an overwhelming sense of embarrassment.

Even though she had paid for their services… when their gazes met, her face burned with shame.

Cleaning the room took much longer than she had imagined, and watching the Aunties work so professionally made her realize just how much effort it required.

They had been busy for a full four hours before the entire house was finally spotless.

Just the trash alone filled more than a dozen bags.

Because they had gone over the agreed time, Chi Qingya paid them an extra sum.

She had no intention of accusing the Cleaning Ladies of slacking off.

Seeing them work so hard subconsciously reminded her of her own parents, who labored physically at home.

Though her parents earned more money, their work was also exhausting.

Suddenly, she regretted having been harsh to the Cleaning Lady earlier.

For the mess her room was in, sixty yuan per hour really was too little.

Her Cell Phone kept vibrating.

When Chi Qingya glanced at the Sisterhood Chat Group, she found her sisters had already posted messages supporting her point of view.

Her cheeks flamed with heat.

She was grateful she hadn’t uploaded any photos of the Cleaning Lady online.

Otherwise, the Auntie might have faced online harassment and possibly lost her job.

【Enjoyable for both refined and popular tastes: This matter has been resolved, no need to trouble everyone anymore, thank you~】

Watching the two Aunties carry out the dozen or so bags of trash, Chi Qingya stood awkwardly by the door.

Night had fallen, and the City’s noise gradually faded.

The soft light inside the Room shone on Chi Qingya’s radiant appearance.

She wore an exquisite long dress, her makeup flawless.

The light made her seem as if she was about to step onto a glittering stage.

Outside the dimly lit door, the Cleaning Ladies struggled under the weight of the bulging trash bags.

Their clothes were soaked with sweat, clinging to their bodies.

Stray strands of hair stuck to their foreheads.

Their hands looked rough and calloused from the long hours of labor.

Even long after the two Aunties had left, Chi Qingya stared after their departing backs, unable to snap out of her daze.

Her heart felt as if pricked by invisible needles.

The phone vibrated again and again.

She guessed the Chat Group was probably still discussing the Cleaning Ladies.

But she no longer had the heart to check the messages.

The Room was spotless, as if Su Li were still here.

With a heavy, uneasy heart, Chi Qingya slowly made her way to the Room Su Li once lived in.

The Room was silent; Su Li’s presence was nowhere to be found.

So it wasn’t that cleaning the house would bring Su Li back…

She hadn’t expected that a simple gathering of sisters would cost so much money and time just to restore the Room to how it was when Su Li was still here.

Moreover… she vaguely felt the Room wasn’t as clean as it had been when Su Li lived there.

There were some special spots the Cleaning Ladies said were beyond their duties.

And on top of that, Su Li had also prepared meals for her.

Suddenly, Chi Qingya wondered if she had been too harsh on Su Li before…

Images of Su Li silently working flashed through her mind.

The time Su Li spent cleaning the house until late when she invited the sisters over for dinner.

When Chi Qingya played games with the sisters that night, she even thought Su Li was too noisy and told her to be quieter.

Cleaning the Room took that long, not to mention Su Li had also prepared a feast for them.

In the end, Su Li didn’t complain even once.

The one who complained in the end…

Was herself, not Su Li.

Regret crashed over her like a surging tide, wave after wave drowning her.

Her heart ached as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, pierced endlessly by countless needles.

Her chest felt weighed down by a wet quilt, every breath heavy and sour.

Her throat tightened, swallowing bitterness with a metallic tang of regret.

Remembering her past actions, her words, and decisions felt like sharp knives carving deep wounds into her heart.

Each cut left her bleeding, the pain unbearable.

Chi Qingya’s body trembled slightly, her teeth chattering— not from cold, but from the endless remorse and pain buried deep inside.

Even though there were no fruit flies left on the Dining Table, she still curled up in the corner as if that spot could offer her some security.

Next time they met, she thought, she would bring Su Li a cup of Starbucks.

She’d been gone so long—surely it was time to come back.

Chi Qingya did not return to her own Room.

Instead, she stayed in Su Li’s Room, wrapped tightly in a blanket.

Only, the scent of Su Li that once lingered in the air had long since vanished.

She tried hard to detect any trace of Su Li’s presence, but not a single hint remained.

……

The next morning.

Su Li had just woken from a dream when she received some documents from her landlord, Bai Huizi.

To her surprise, she found out the person she needed to play the role of mother for was her own school’s teacher, Shen Cishu.

And she had recently chosen Shen Cishu’s Selection Course.

Reading the information about Shen Cishu left Su Li feeling a little uneasy.

But Su Li had never felt a strong sense of belonging to the school anyway.

Shen Cishu was already an adult.

The School Rules did not forbid romantic relationships between teachers and students.

Besides, Su Li wasn’t actually trying to date Shen Cishu — she was only completing a transaction.

Playing the role of Shen Cishu’s mother to satisfy some psychological need.

Bai Huizi’s task required that she not reveal she was hired.

She only needed to report her progress to Bai Huizi in a timely manner.

If her relationship with Shen Cishu advanced to a certain degree, Bai Huizi would grant her a Bonus on top of the original payment.

Su Li knew Bai Huizi wasn’t short of money.

Opening the wardrobe, Su Li found many clothes Bai Huizi had bought for her, all available for her to wear as she pleased.

The price of a single outfit was even more expensive than the rent.

Bai Huizi didn’t have many demands — just to keep the clothes clean and send her a photo of each outfit before wearing it.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a single outfit in the wardrobe that matched the image of “the mother in Shen Cishu’s mind.”

So Su Li decided to go to the mall to buy a new outfit.

But just as she arrived at the clothing section, she saw a familiar figure.