Chapter 117: The Bald Clan

“Do you always have to be so picky? These clothes are brand new!” Yu Shui pouted, his mock-resentful expression betraying his true feelings. He understood his friends’ meticulous nature and knew they meant no harm.

Bi Qiao’an met Yu Shui’s gaze with a straight face. “The clothes may be clean, but you aren’t!” Her words sparked a wave of laughter from the surrounding crowd. 

Yu Shui playfully retorted, “I feel like you’re implying something, but I have no proof!”

Unable to maintain her serious demeanor, Bi Qiao’an burst into laughter. After composing herself, she apologized, “I was just joking! Don’t take it to heart.”

“Of course I know! Do you think I’d let you off the hook otherwise?” Yu Shui embraced his role as the office clown, knowing he couldn’t change it.

Choosing not to prolong the banter, Bi Qiao’an offered Yu Shui a pack of wet wipes and a small bag of ginger candy as a peace offering. “Here, this is my apology!”

Yu Shui’s excitement made him stumble over his words. “Wow! Qiao’an, you’re too kind. You know what? Feel free to tease me more often. I don’t mind, as long as there’s a peace offering!” He hugged the items, genuinely surprised by the thoughtful reward.

As the weather turned colder, Bi Qiao’an distributed ginger candy to everyone, hoping to help them warm up. When the group gathered, she was taken aback by Ye Xiaoxiao’s baseball cap, which fit so perfectly it seemed like an extension of her head.

“Xiaoxiao, what’s with…?” Bi Qiao’an pointed at the cap, her voice faltering. 

With a smile, Ye Xiaoxiao removed the hat. “As you can see, I’m Bald Ye now!”

Her declaration rang out clearly, prompting Yu Shui to rush over, surprise etched on his face. “Goodness, little beauty, why did you shave your head?”

Ye Xiaoxiao explained, “Well, when you go a long time without washing your hair, it starts falling out in clumps. I was worried that by the end of the dry season, I wouldn’t have any left. So, I figured I might as well go ahead and become bald. Now I can just wipe my head with a towel!”

“But what about the dry shampoo Qiao’an mentioned?” Yu Shui inquired.

“You can’t overuse that, and besides, it only cleans the hair itself, not the scalp. You still end up with dirt and oil buildup.”

“As a girl, don’t you feel self-conscious about shaving your head?”  

Ye Xiaoxiao laughed. “Maybe a little now, but who knows? Let me tell you, we’re probably the only ones in the unit who still have hair. The elders in our community went bald long ago. And honestly, it feels amazing! My scalp is cool, and there’s no discomfort at all.”

“It sounds wonderful. You’re making it tempting!” Yu Shui touched his own greasy, matted hair and, after some hesitation, said, “Maybe… I’ll give it a try?” 

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded firmly. “Trust me, you won’t regret it!”

She thought to herself that persuading others was smart—it would make her feel less out of place as the only bald one. Besides, going bald really was convenient, leaving her scalp clean and comfortable.

Ye Xiaoxiao’s example inspired the group. In the following days, new bald heads appeared regularly until only Shen Yanming, Bi Qiao’an, Qin Yiren, and Mi Xue’er remained. 

Qin Yiren’s large villa and ample water storage allowed her to wash her hair every ten days to two weeks. Mi Xue’er, on the other hand, was too attached to her beauty to accept a smooth, bald head. She believed that once the dry season passed, her beauty would make her the most attractive person in the unit.

If Bi Qiao’an were to hear Mi Xue’er’s thoughts, she might say, “Ahem, girl, do you have some misunderstanding about beauty? True beauty has nothing to do with hairstyle. Otherwise, how do you think Wuniang^[1]Wuniang (武娘) is a character from the classic Chinese novel “Water Margin” (水浒传), also known as “Outlaws of the Marsh” or “All Men Are Brothers”. In the … Continue reading was able to return to the palace from Ganlu Temple?”

The rise of the bald clan did alleviate one of Bi Qiao’an’s worries. For a while, she had been experiencing a persistent itch on her scalp, despite washing her hair weekly. 

She couldn’t determine if the sensation was physical or psychological, but the fear of contracting lice—either directly or from someone else—consumed her thoughts and created constant discomfort.  

Thankfully, Bi Qiao’an began to relinquish some of her worry, reasoning that by minimizing physical contact with Qin Yiren and Mi Xue’er, she could greatly reduce the risk of getting lice. However, fleas remained a problem that only she and Shen Yanming could address.

Each day after work, the couple would remove their coats and hang them in the living room bathroom. They would then bathe and thoroughly wash their innerwear and undergarments, sleeping in fresh pajamas each night and putting on the same clean undergarments the following morning. Before leaving, they’d give their coats a cautious sniff—the odor was quite pungent! They’d pinch their noses, put the coats on, and drive to work. 

While these measures couldn’t completely eliminate fleas, they ensured the best possible hygiene. They believed they were doing everything they could and leaving the rest to fate.

But is the situation truly that dire? Isn’t it just a few itchy bites? Perhaps people in the know would say they’re being a bit too sensitive! 

Hmph, so what if they’re being overly sensitive? They clearly had so many clean clothes, yet they still endured wearing dirty clothes like everyone else.

On Wednesday, the hypersensitive couple received a call from Ji Kangyong—their first communication since the incident at Qingli Mountain.

“Yanming, want to get together this weekend?” Ji Kangyong asked.

“Is there good news to celebrate?” Shen Yanming replied with a smile.

“Absolutely! Your buddy has been successfully kicked out of the house and is officially a loner now!” Ji Kangyong’s tone was light and carefree.

“Wow, you finally got your wish and are now free as a bird! Congratulations, buddy!” Shen Yanming was genuinely happy for his friend. “When are you moving? I’ll help!”  

“Actually, I don’t have much–just clothes, bedding, and that sort of thing. Everything can fit in the trunk. If you have time, can you help me move supplies from the warehouse back to my place?”

“No problem. I’ll check with Chen Shunwei and the others about their schedules and let you know.”  

“Thanks, Yanming. I’m lucky to have you guys as brothers. I wouldn’t have made it this far without you.”

After hanging up, Shen Yanming went to the storeroom to find a gift. Realizing Ji Kangyong didn’t really need anything, he opted for something unique. He grabbed a bag and filled it with spicy hot pot seasoning, fish-flavored pork seasoning, kung pao chicken seasoning, and water-boiled meat slice seasoning. Finally, with a clear conscience, he added sunflower seeds, peanuts, a bottle of red wine, and a pack of beef jerky.

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