Obsessed with Cleanliness Chapter 24: Lost

"Name."

"Yu Qinghan."

"Age."

"Twenty-nine."

"Your relationship with the suspect?"

"Lover."

"What did you say?"

Yu Qinghan sat across from the police officer, crossing one leg impatiently.

"Partner relationship, okay? Officer, why are you acting so shocked? What era do you think we’re living in? There's no law in this country that says being gay is a crime, right?"

She had just found out that Xiao Tong had been taken into custody during the New Year. No wonder she couldn’t reach her by phone. Now all her anger was directed at the police. If it hadn’t been for their meddling, she wouldn’t have spent all those days anxiously searching for Xiao Tong.

The officer taking the statement was visibly displeased by her attitude. But given who she was, he held back from saying anything.

After some hesitation, he finally wrote down: "Romantic partner," then continued, "Can you describe in detail the suspect’s alleged criminal activity?"

"Crime? Suspect?" Yu Qinghan let out a small, surprised laugh. "Officer, what are you even talking about? Just because my girlfriend and I were indulging in a bit of fun, suddenly she’s a criminal? I’m not good with scary stuff, so please don’t freak me out."

"According to our investigation, the suspect, Xiao Tong, is suspected of kidnapping and unlawful detainment of you. Miss Yu, please cooperate with our investigation. Thank you."

"Who’s spreading this nonsense? I stayed at my girlfriend’s house for a few days and you’re calling that unlawful detainment? Then what about all those couples who live together, why don’t you go arrest them too?" Yu Qinghan rolled her eyes. "Officer, it’s the New Year. Maybe find some real work to do instead of falsely accusing people."

It was the young officer’s first time dealing with such a stubborn and unreasonable "victim." He finally snapped, slamming his pen down on the table.

"Miss Yu! Please take this seriously!"

"I am answering your questions, aren’t I? Officer, if anyone here has an attitude problem, it’s you."

"……" The officer swallowed his anger and continued, "Fine. You say it was just a couple living together. Then how do you explain the handcuffs on your wrists and the IV needle in your arm when we arrived?"

"I already said it was part of our kink." Yu Qinghan smirked. "I like SM, so what? Officer, don’t tell me you don’t even know what SM is?"

"You——!" The officer clenched his teeth, gripping his pen so hard it nearly snapped. "Miss Yu, falsifying a statement is a crime."

"Exactly. That’s why every word I’ve said is true. Officer, Xiao Tong didn’t commit any crime against me. She didn’t even intend to. You’d better let her go soon. Don’t go arresting innocent people."

In truth, Xiao Tong’s actions didn’t quite qualify as kidnapping. At most, it was unlawful restriction of personal freedom, plus unauthorized possession of police equipment. It didn’t even count as a crime, only a public security violation.

While there was some suspicion of abuse during that time, since even the alleged victim, Yu Qinghan, claimed it was all "kink" between lovers, there really wasn’t much the police could do.

In the end, Xiao Tong was detained for 15 days and fined under the charge of "disturbing public order."

The fine wasn’t a big deal, but the 15-day detention? That didn’t sit well with Yu Qinghan.

When she wanted to see someone, she had to see them. And Xiao Tong, who used to come at her every beck and call, how dare a low-level cop lock her up and stop her from seeing her?

But still, there wasn’t much she could do. After all, they were the police. It was only two weeks. She could wait it out.

Xiao Tong hadn’t expected her punishment to be so mild. When the police came to process her release, she slammed her hands on the table and shouted: "No… no! I kidnapped her! I’m guilty! I want to go to jail! I’m not leaving!"

She was so agitated that she startled several officers. They hurriedly processed her papers and sent her back to the detention cell.

After finally closing the case, the officers looked at one another in confusion. It had started dramatic but ended in a whimper. They all sighed in relief.

They used to say even the best judge can’t resolve domestic drama. Now they believed it.

Xiao Tong thought she had finally found a way to escape from Yu Qinghan. Even if she wanted to see her again, she couldn’t. But who would’ve thought it would all end like this?

During those 15 days in detention, she had no idea what to do next.

Ironically, she felt safer in there than outside. At least she was surrounded by police.

No freedom, but at least there was a sense of security.

But in the end, she had to get out. The police couldn’t save her. The law couldn’t save her either.

Xiao Tong knew that if she wanted to survive without Yu Qinghan, she had to save herself.

The saddest part was, she couldn’t even save herself.

While she was in detention, the lawyer informed Jing Xing about what had happened. As soon as Jing Xing heard the news, she dropped everything, left her hometown and rushed back to Jiangyu City. She finally got visitation rights, and on the way to the detention center, she broke into a cold sweat just thinking about what Xiao Tong had done.

Jing Xing couldn’t understand how Xiao Tong could’ve been so reckless.

It was just Yu Qinghan, was she really worth throwing away her entire future? She had already lost the first half of her life. Did she really want to lose the rest too?

Thankfully, it was only 15 days of detention.

If something had happened to Yu Qinghan, would the Yu family have let Xiao Tong off so easily?

Seeing Xiao Tong in person, Jing Xing finally relaxed. She hadn’t lost weight, and her mental state seemed normal.

Jing Xing had planned to scold her and talk some sense into her. But the moment she saw Xiao Tong, she couldn’t say a word.

They just sat in silence for a while until she finally sighed helplessly: "Xiao Tong, how could you be so foolish?"

"A-Xing, didn’t you go back to your hometown for the New Year?" Xiao Tong acted as if nothing serious had happened. She even smiled when she saw Jing Xing. "Was it fun?"

"You were in this kind of mess, and you think I could enjoy the New Year? Think I had the mood to have fun? If this got out, we’d both lose our jobs!"

Xiao Tong smiled guiltily. "Sorry… I acted on impulse. I didn’t think it through."

"Forget it. It’s fine now. Thankfully none of this made it out. Just stay here and calm down for a few days. Once you’re out—everything from before… just let it go."

Jing Xing didn’t say it outright, but Xiao Tong understood.

She gave a bitter smile and shook the handcuffs on her wrists. The metallic clinking echoed.

"This time, it really is over…"

But even if it wasn’t, what else could she do?

Xiao Tong had tried everything and none of it worked.

Before, even when Yu Qinghan treated her badly, she could at least comfort herself with sweet memories. But now, even those memories were fake.

Now she really had nothing. Nothing at all.

Xiao Tong wished all the painful memories could be fake too.

But they weren’t. They were raw, vivid, and real. There was no room for denial.

"A-Xing, did you go back to Shangrong County this time?"

"Yeah. I was going to travel instead, but then I remembered, didn’t you say you were going to visit your grandmother? I realized I hadn’t been back in a long time either. So I went during the holiday. Oh, right, Xiao Tong, you’re from Shangrong too, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that’s perfect. Next time, we can go back together."

Xiao Tong didn’t answer. She just smiled.

The conversation drifted off topic. Visiting time ended. Jing Xing left.

As Xiao Tong watched her leave, she thought:

If her grandmother hadn’t been buried there, she would’ve never wanted to return.

That place… was hell.

Not long after Jing Xing left, even Yu Qinghan asked to visit Xiao Tong but Xiao Tong refused.

She didn’t know what Yu Qinghan’s intentions were. To humiliate her? To mock her?

It didn’t matter.

All Xiao Tong knew was, she couldn’t see Yu Qinghan again.

Even one more glance, and she’d never be able to escape her again.

The fifteen days flew by.

When she was released, Jing Xing came to pick her up.

Xiao Tong felt incredibly guilty, she had caused so much trouble for her.

She decided to treat Jing Xing to a nice meal to thank her, and asked if she had any favorite restaurants.

Jing Xing smiled and said, "I’ve gotten sick of eating out all the time. If you really want to treat me to a meal, how about cooking for me instead? We can celebrate your release too. Come to think of it, I’ve never actually tasted your cooking."

Xiao Tong said, "Sure. We can pick up some groceries on the way back. Just don’t complain if it doesn’t taste great."

"Why would I? I’m sure anything you cook will be delicious."

Jing Xing’s car was parked just outside the detention center by the roadside. She opened the passenger door and motioned for Xiao Tong to get in. Just then, a series of honks sounded behind them.

The two of them turned around at the same time and saw a black sedan speeding toward them, screeching to a stop right behind Jing Xing’s car.

Xiao Tong’s expression changed instantly. She staggered back a step as if her legs were weak.

A person stepped out of the black car.

Who else could it be but Yu Qinghan?

When Jing Xing saw Yu Qinghan, her expression also shifted. She immediately stepped in front of Xiao Tong and said coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Yu Qinghan didn’t even look at Jing Xing. She walked straight toward Xiao Tong, who was hiding behind Jing Xing, too afraid to look at her.

"Xiao Tong, I just want to talk to you for a minute."

Yu Qinghan leaned to look over Jing Xing’s shoulder at Xiao Tong, but Xiao Tong kept her head down the entire time. All Yu Qinghan could see was the top of her head.

Xiao Tong didn’t dare lift her head. She didn’t dare look at Yu Qinghan, afraid that if she took even one more look, she’d fall back in again. She shrank back and said, "I thought everything that needed to be said had already been said."

"There’s one more thing."

Yu Qinghan stared at Xiao Tong without blinking. Although it was already past the start of spring, the weather was still cold. Xiao Tong was bundled up, but she wasn’t wearing a scarf or a hat. Her ears were red from the cold.

Yu Qinghan suddenly remembered. Years ago, during winter, Xiao Tong would also often forget to wear a hat or scarf. Back then, she would warm her ears with both hands.

This woman’s ears always turned red so easily.

But Yu Qinghan realized, she hadn’t noticed that in a very long time.

Xiao Tong seemed to sense her gaze and hunched her shoulders. "Go ahead. I’m listening."

"Xiao Tong, maybe we can still be friends in the future."

Xiao Tong almost laughed out loud. In fact, she did laugh—a short, bitter snort through her nose, full of mockery and sarcasm.

"Can you be friends with someone who tried to kidnap you?"

"I don’t mind that! Xiao Tong, I don’t blame you!"

"Well, I mind," Xiao Tong said through clenched teeth. "Yu Qinghan, either stay by my side forever, or don’t ever come near me again. Just don’t come around giving me vague, baseless hope. I already degraded myself enough being your stand-in for twelve years. Apart from this one time, I’ve never hurt you in all those years. You know my situation. All I ask is, for the sake of those twelve years, don’t appear in front of me again. I don’t know what I might do next time."

She tried her best to keep her emotions in check as she spoke, but the muscles on her face still twitched slightly. Yu Qinghan’s gaze felt like a physical force pressing in from all sides, and every word she said was like a blade. It made Xiao Tong shrink further into herself in pain.

"Xiao Tong…"

"Go home, Yu Qinghan. Mo Xiyuan is waiting for you," Xiao Tong said, shrinking back. "You waited for her for over ten years. Now you finally have her. You don’t need to keep looking for people who look like her anymore. Isn’t that great? Don’t disappoint her. Just go back… go back…"

Yu Qinghan said nothing. She just stared at Xiao Tong. The woman was speaking to her, yet the entire time, she never once lifted her head. Never once looked her in the eye.

Yu Qinghan realized. This time, Xiao Tong had truly decided to leave her.

She should have felt relieved. Instead, she felt a strange emptiness, like something important had just slipped through her fingers.

But when Xiao Tong mentioned Mo Xiyuan, Yu Qinghan sobered up a little.

Right. There’s still Mo Xiyuan.

"I’m sorry," Yu Qinghan said. "I know one ‘I’m sorry’ will never be enough. But if you ever need help with anything, please just say it. If I can help, I will. Even if you don’t consider me a friend anymore, after everything we’ve been through these past ten years…"

Jing Xing, still standing between them, couldn’t help but laugh at Yu Qinghan’s nonsense.

Ten years of history? What kind of "friendship" was that? More like ten years of Xiao Tong playing the unpaid housemaid, working hard, getting scolded, and taking the beatings without complaint. Who else would willingly serve such a selfish mess of a person?

Yu Qinghan wasn’t sad about losing Xiao Tong. She was just upset about losing someone who’d always been loyal and devoted to her.

And the nerve of her, still talking like she was being noble.

"Don’t worry, President Yu. I probably know more about Xiao Tong’s habits and preferences than you ever did. She’s got me now, she’ll be fine," Jing Xing said.

That comment hit like a slap to Yu Qinghan’s face.

What she really meant was, Yu Qinghan never took care of Xiao Tong a single day during those ten years. She never helped her once. And now that it’s over, why pretend she can do anything?

The best help she could offer now was to disappear from Xiao Tong’s life entirely.

Yu Qinghan’s face flushed, then turned pale.

She looked at Xiao Tong, silently hoping she’d contradict Jing Xing somehow. But instead, Xiao Tong added, "Thank you for everything in the past, President Yu. From here on out, I’ll walk my own path. I won’t trouble you again."

Yu Qinghan felt crushed—hurt, angry, humiliated but couldn’t get a single word out.

What could she say?

Beg her to stay?

Impossible.

With nothing else to say, Yu Qinghan could only lower her voice and say, "Take care of yourself."

"Mm."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Xiao Tong got into Jing Xing’s car. Under Yu Qinghan’s gaze, the car drove farther and farther away, until it finally disappeared from view.

Yu Qinghan stood leaning against her car door for a long time. Her heart felt hollow, as if something precious had slipped away from her hands.

But didn’t she think she had just recovered something precious?

So she’d decided to clear out the old things to make space for her treasure.