Chapter 12: Awkwardness

“All right, I’ll be there right away!”
Zeng Xiaofan didn’t think much of it and got up to head straight toward the yard.
The family’s laundry hung from the bamboo pole in the courtyard, a task usually handled by Bai Qingyao—she was the one who always hung out and brought in the clothes.
“Where are Auntie’s clothes…”
Muttering to himself, Zeng Xiaofan walked over to the bamboo pole. Even before he reached the clothes, the clean, sun-warmed scent greeted him.
That fresh fragrance, baked by the sun, was utterly pleasant. Suddenly, a jolt ran through Zeng Xiaofan’s entire body!
The moment he caught sight of Auntie’s larger undergarments,
Zeng Xiaofan stood rooted to the spot—completely frozen.
Bai Qingyao always dressed conservatively,
and though her figure was enviable, she hid it well.
It wasn’t until Zeng Xiaofan saw those garments that he truly realized her figure was even better than he’d imagined.
So this must be what people mean by “slim in clothes, curvy underneath.”
That line surfaced in Zeng Xiaofan’s mind,
and the moment it did, his cheeks flushed scarlet in shame!
“Zeng Xiaofan! You beast!”
“This is Auntie Yao! What are you thinking?”
“Shameless! Absolutely rotten!”
He raised his hand and smacked himself hard, trying desperately to drive away the chaotic thoughts swirling in his mind.
But though he forced his mind into order, the task still needed to be done…
Standing before Bai Qingyao’s clothes, Zeng Xiaofan was so embarrassed he hesitated to reach out and take them.
Because this wasn’t just any ordinary piece of clothing—it was a particularly provocative item,
something Bai Qingyao had bought in hopes of spicing up her marriage and perhaps restoring her husband’s health.
Yet, her husband had never been stimulated by it—instead, Zeng Xiaofan was the one who’d ended up flustered.
Even as he tried to restrain his thoughts, he couldn’t help but imagine how Bai Qingyao might look wearing that set.
“Ugh!”
Try as he might to resist, the image made his whole body tense with unease…
After a long moment of hesitation, Zeng Xiaofan finally took a deep breath,
snatched the garment down in a single motion, worried someone might see him, clutching it so tightly his palms broke out in a sweat.
He glanced anxiously around, and only after confirming no one had witnessed him did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Yet, clutching Auntie’s clothes, their soft texture in his grasp, he felt even more awkward and mortified.

He even found his thoughts drifting, recalling the time he’d accidentally caught a glimpse as Auntie Ling bent over.
“No!
That’s Auntie!
I can’t let my mind go astray and disrespect her!”
Zeng Xiaofan shook his head violently, finally regaining some composure, then hurried to finish gathering the laundry.
He’d already collected the tops—only the bottoms remained.
But as he searched up and down the bamboo pole, his target was nowhere to be found.
“Could it be… Auntie doesn’t usually wear leggings?”
“No, no…
What am I even thinking? Ridiculous!”
He laughed at himself and resumed his search, when suddenly, in the corner, he spotted something unusual.
It didn’t quite look like a pair of leggings.
“Huh? That’s odd…”
“What is this?”
Instinctively, Zeng Xiaofan held the garment up in front of himself, sizing it up.
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Bai Qingyao had grown impatient waiting.
She wrapped a bath towel around herself and strode out.
“What’s taking Xiaofan so long? I only asked him to bring in a couple of things…”
“Xiaofan, what are you—”
Muttering to herself, Bai Qingyao walked out,
and at that moment, she saw Zeng Xiaofan holding her leggings up in front of himself, mimicking how they’d fit.
“Uh!”
Both of them froze instantly…
Bai Qingyao looked at Zeng Xiaofan,
then at the pants in his hands,
then back to his eyes…
For a moment, the air seemed to congeal—silence fell over the world.
After several seconds, Bai Qingyao finally snapped back to herself:
“Ah!!!”

“Xiaofan! What on earth are you doing with my pants?!”
“Ah!!!”
Bai Qingyao was thoroughly flustered—shocked and mortified, she instinctively covered her face with both hands,
trying to shield her eyes from the indecent sight of Zeng Xiaofan’s behavior.
But she forgot she wore only a towel,
and as her hands flew up, the towel slipped down!
“Ah!!!”
Now it was Zeng Xiaofan’s turn to shout in panic!
“Ah!!!”
Bai Qingyao realized the towel had fallen and screamed even louder!
Zeng Xiaofan, equally startled, joined in!
Their cries echoed, each outdoing the other in volume…
After the shouting subsided, Bai Qingyao, on the verge of a breakdown, grabbed the towel and fled in a panic.
Zeng Xiaofan stood there, utterly dumbfounded,
his handsome face so red it looked as though it might bleed,
and didn’t recover himself until Bai Qingyao’s figure had long vanished.
Only then did he rush after her, desperate to explain:
“Auntie… it’s not what you think…”
“Please listen to me…”
“I swear I didn’t do anything to your pants…”
“Auntie… let me explain…”
He chased to the bathroom door, mortified and ashamed, knocking anxiously—
He felt that if he couldn’t clear this up, he’d rather die!
Inside, separated only by the door, Bai Qingyao was terrified, pressing her body tightly against it, scolding in a mixture of anger and embarrassment:
“You brat! Why are you still knocking…”
“Haven’t you seen enough already?”