Obsessed with Cleanliness Chapter 25: Keep Things Separate

She had originally wanted to congratulate Xiao Tong for getting out of the detention center, but instead got completely shut out. Yu Qinghan was in a foul mood. She drove back to the Yu residence at breakneck speed, swerving recklessly through the streets. Everything she looked at annoyed her.

As it happened, the newly hired gardener walked right into her line of fire. While watering the plants, he accidentally splashed a bit onto her shoes. Yu Qinghan raised her hand and smacked the hose out of his hand, yelling angrily, "Are you watering the flowers or me? Are you blind? If you don’t want the job, get out now! Get lost!"

Coincidentally, Mo Xiyuan was also in the corner of the garden, trimming the roses she had carefully cultivated in the greenhouse. She heard Yu Qinghan yelling and quickly put down her shears to come over. She saw the gardener’s dark face flushed red as he lowered his head and endured the scolding.

No one knew who had upset this ancestor today, but once she lost her temper, there was no stopping her. Even Mo Xiyuan couldn’t stand it anymore. She quickly stepped in and tried to calm things down.

"Alright, Xiao Han, what’s going on? Why are you this angry for no reason?"

"I’m disciplining my household staff. That’s none of your business," Yu Qinghan snapped, brushing Mo Xiyuan’s hand away. "What kind of people is the housekeeper hiring? Get him his paycheck for this month and tell him to get out of my sight before he annoys me even more!"

The more she spoke, the more over the top she became. Mo Xiyuan’s expression also darkened. She said coldly, "What era do you think we’re living in? The Qing Dynasty has been over for how many years? What’s all this talk of ‘household staff’ and ‘beneath you’? He’s just an employee earning his salary and doing his job. You were the one who walked into the path of the water. How can you have the nerve to blame him?"

"There’s no such thing as ‘superior’ or ‘inferior’ people in this world. Xiao Han, I remember you weren’t like this before. What happened to you while I was gone all these years? Since when did you become such a bully?"

Mo Xiyuan’s mother had come from a poor background and had taught her from a young age that everyone is equal. That lesson stuck with Mo Xiyuan deeply. She especially couldn’t stand people who treated others with a superiority complex, let alone Yu Qinghan, someone she had grown up with.

She was genuinely upset. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, her gaze sharp and cold, and she didn’t speak for a long while.

Yu Qinghan hadn’t expected that her careless outburst would really make Mo Xiyuan angry. The arrogance she had shown toward the gardener instantly vanished. She stood in front of Mo Xiyuan with her head down and her shoulders hunched, letting herself be scolded without daring to say a word.

The gardener, having been yelled at by Yu Qinghan and now frightened by Mo Xiyuan, didn’t know whether to stay or go. He stood there nervously. The three of them stood in the winter garden, none of them moving, the atmosphere awkward and tense.

When Mo Xiyuan finally finished lecturing her and didn’t speak again for a while, Yu Qinghan cautiously tugged on her sleeve and shuffled a little closer, quietly admitting fault. "Xiyuan, don’t be mad. I know I was wrong."

She snuck a glance at Mo Xiyuan’s reaction.

Only then did Mo Xiyuan’s expression soften a little. She scoffed coldly, "What did you do wrong? You’re the precious daughter of the Yu family, born above everyone else. We’re all beneath you, how could we possibly call you out on your mistakes?"

"Xiyuan…" Yu Qinghan pouted, trying to get back on her good side. "Don’t be like this. I really was wrong. I promise I won’t do it again. Can’t I just apologize to you?"

"Should you really be apologizing to me?" Mo Xiyuan said coldly, glancing at her.

"Right, right, right! I should apologize to the gardener." Yu Qinghan didn’t hesitate. She bowed to the gardener and said, "I’m really sorry, sir. Thank you for your hard work. I was out of line just now. Please forgive me."

"P-please don’t, Second Miss. I-I don’t dare accept this." The gardener was flustered, stepping back several times. He was terrified. If word got out that Yu Qinghan bowed to him, he might lose his job. The Yu family treated their workers well, and he was hoping to keep the job for a few more years.

Mo Xiyuan smiled politely at the gardener. "Sir, Xiao Han was in the wrong just now. Please don’t take it personally. I apologize on her behalf. You should get back to work now and not let this delay you."

"Oh! Thank you, Miss Mo!"

The gardener felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly picked up his tools and fled the scene.

As he walked away, he couldn’t help but wonder, who exactly was this Miss Mo? She seemed gentle enough, but somehow she had managed to put even the Second Miss of the Yu family in her place? Tsk tsk… not simple at all.

The gardener managed to escape, but Yu Qinghan couldn’t. Not only couldn’t she leave, she had to do her best to coax Mo Xiyuan and get back on her good side. After all, Mo Xiyuan was the one she cared about the most.

Mo Xiyuan didn’t even look at her. She turned and walked back, with Yu Qinghan following close behind, not daring to say a word.

When they returned to the greenhouse, Mo Xiyuan sat down at the small tea table. Yu Qinghan, looking like a child caught misbehaving, twisted her hands nervously and stood there with her head down, waiting for her punishment.

Mo Xiyuan slowly poured herself a cup of tea, brushed away the surface foam with the lid, took a small sip, then put the cup down. She looked at Yu Qinghan’s "good little girl" expression and finally couldn’t hold it in, she burst out laughing.

Then, remembering that she was supposed to be angry, she coughed twice and pretended to look stern again. She motioned to the chair across from her and said coldly, "Sit."

The fact that she laughed meant she wasn’t angry anymore. Yu Qinghan breathed a sigh of relief, quickly dragged the chair over next to Mo Xiyuan, and sat down close beside her. She smiled sheepishly and started massaging Mo Xiyuan’s shoulders.

"Xiyuan, you’re not mad anymore?"

"Of course I’m mad. Xiao Han, you shouldn’t look down on others."

"Okay, okay, I know I was wrong. I promise I won’t do it again. Today was just a special situation," Yu Qinghan muttered, "That guy had a bad attitude and just happened to bump into me when I was in a bad mood…"

"What did you say?"

"Nothing! I mean, I promise I’ll do better next time!" Yu Qinghan immediately sat up straight and gave her a serious look, as if she were about to salute.

Seeing that her apology seemed genuine, Mo Xiyuan finally let go of her anger. She poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in Yu Qinghan’s cold hands. "Tell me what happened."

"Tell you what?" Yu Qinghan sipped her tea and pretended nothing was wrong.

"You still want to hide it from me? I’ve watched you grow up, what about you could I not know? Come on, what happened today? Who upset you this much?"

It would’ve been fine if she hadn’t asked, but now that she did, all of Yu Qinghan’s frustration came flooding back. She held her teacup and drooped her head.

"I got dumped."

"What did you just say?" Mo Xiyuan looked like she’d just heard some earth-shattering news, eyes wide in shock. "You were in a relationship? How come I didn’t know about this? Tell me, whose son was it? How tall? Was he good-looking or not? Xiao Han, that’s so not cool. Something as big as falling in love, and you managed to hide it from me so well?"

Seeing Mo Xiyuan’s gossipy, overly eager expression, Yu Qinghan felt a little helpless.

The fact that she was gay, she could tell the whole world and not care. But the only person she didn’t dare tell was Mo Xiyuan. She was afraid Mo Xiyuan would look down on her, or hate her.

So all she could do was inch closer, test the waters bit by bit, find the right moment to circle her in, to let her first accept her sexuality, then accept her.

Yu Qinghan’s eyes flicked, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?

She put down her teacup, furrowed her brows, and put on a pained, restrained expression. Maybe Xiao Tong’s firm decision to walk away really did sting her deep down, because even faking that sad face brought a real ache in her chest. The fragrant tea in her mouth suddenly tasted unbearably bitter.

"It wasn’t a guy," Yu Qinghan said, covering her face. "She… the person I liked was a woman."

As she said this, she turned her head slightly to look at Mo Xiyuan. Her eyes reflected nothing but Mo Xiyuan’s image but in her mind, the face that flashed was Xiao Tong’s.

Yu Qinghan silently scolded herself for being unfocused. At such a critical moment, how could she still be thinking about Xiao Tong? This was her chance to come clean to Mo Xiyuan, to confess her feelings—that should be her priority. She gave her head a shake, trying to toss Xiao Tong out of her mind.

And that actually worked. She really did stop thinking about Xiao Tong, maybe because the expression she made while shaking her head looked so anguished, it made Mo Xiyuan’s heart ache. Mo Xiyuan reached over and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against her.

Yu Qinghan was thrilled on the inside, though she didn’t dare show it. She leaned in and looked even more pitiful.

"Xiyuan, all I did was like a woman. What’s so wrong with that? I didn’t hurt anyone. So why does everyone feel like they get to judge me?"

If Chang Linran had heard that, she’d have laughed herself to death on the spot. Judging Yu Qinghan? Who’d dare? You’d have to have a death wish. She’d destroy you on the spot.

But Mo Xiyuan didn’t find it funny, she just felt heartbroken. Yu Qinghan was only half a year younger than her, but she had always seen herself as Yu Qinghan’s big sister. As the saying goes, "the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother." And since Yu Qinghan’s mother passed away early, Mo Xiyuan had gotten used to taking care of her.

She hadn’t realized that while her eyes were elsewhere, Yu Qinghan had endured so much judgment. Her eyes turned red with frustration, and she nearly cried. She tightened her hold on Yu Qinghan and asked with a slightly choked voice, "Did that girl break up with you because she couldn’t handle the pressure from others?"

Yu Qinghan leaned into her shoulder and wrapped her arms around her waist, feeling giddy with joy. She was in no state to answer Mo Xiyuan’s question, she just nuzzled into her shoulder a bit more.

To Mo Xiyuan, that little gesture was a silent yes. She gently stroked Yu Qinghan’s hair and spoke with a soft, gentle voice, not wanting to poke at her wounds.

"It’s okay, Xiao Han. You still have your brother, and you still have me. Let those people talk all they want, it’s just words. We don’t need to listen or look. There’s no need to let their nonsense make you feel this way."

"Xiyuan, don’t you think I’m disgusting?"

"What do you mean, disgusting?"

"I like women. I’m a lesbian."

"And you’re also my family," Mo Xiyuan sighed. "Xiao Han, whether you like men or women, you’re still my Xiao Han. I will never, ever look down on you. I will never think you’re disgusting."

"Really?"

"Really."

Yu Qinghan hugged her waist a little tighter. "Xiyuan, you’re so good to me."

The joy in her heart felt like it was about to explode. She was dying to tell Mo Xiyuan, the person I’ve always liked is you. But when the words reached her lips, when they reached the tip of her tongue, they turned around and got swallowed back down.

She had to give Mo Xiyuan some time to adjust. If she blurted it out now, she might scare her. Just a little longer. She’d waited this many years already, what’s ten more days or half a month?

Mo Xiyuan had no idea about the whirlwind of thoughts in Yu Qinghan’s head. She just felt sorry for this little sister who had been hurt by the outside world and could only curl up in her arms for comfort. She was upset with herself for not realizing sooner. All that time, and she never noticed Yu Qinghan liked girls.

If she had seen it earlier, maybe she wouldn’t have changed the outcome but at the very least, she could’ve told her not to be afraid, told her that she would always have her back.

Mo Xiyuan had met a lesbian couple back in the UK, two Chinese girls with bright personalities. But one day, they suddenly cut off all contact. Much later, she found out their parents had discovered their relationship. One was sent back to China for forced "treatment." The other was forced into a marriage with a British man. Later, both girls committed suicide.

Mo Xiyuan knew how cruel this society could be toward gay people especially lesbians. And she knew, if even their families couldn’t support them, people like Yu Qinghan really had no way out.

But Mo Xiyuan was so worried about Yu Qinghan that she overlooked one thing: how could someone with a temper like Yu Qinghan’s ever get discriminated against?

Most people bully the weak and fear the strong. Forget about her liking a woman even if she fell in love with a dog, people would probably still clap for her and praise her love as something pure and moving.

Yes, discrimination existed. Mockery, slander, even insults but all of it had been borne by someone else.

Mo Xiyuan rested her chin on Yu Qinghan’s head and gently said, "Xiao Han, that girl didn’t understand you. We’ll just find someone better. If she didn’t want you, it’s her loss."

Yu Qinghan murmured a soft "mm."

On the other side of the city, Xiao Tong was making dinner when she suddenly sneezed.

"Caught a cold?" Jing Xing poked her head into the kitchen doorway.

"No," Xiao Tong sniffled and kept picking through her celery. "Probably just someone cursing me behind my back."

"You barely even have any friends. Who’s got the time to think about you during the holidays?"

"I don’t have friends, but I’ve offended plenty of people. Just those few seniors at the studio, every time we have a meeting, it’s like they want to eat me alive. With my personality, who knows who I’ve upset and when?"

Jing Xing didn’t respond. She leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching Xiao Tong, a hint of worry in her eyes.

Xiao Tong noticed her stare, looked up, and met her gaze. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No." Jing Xing shook her head. "I was just thinking, since your public image is the cool, aloof type, why worry about making enemies? I’ve got your back."

That, at least, was the truth. Xiao Tong had been in the so-called fashion world for years. She’d met more designers than she could count. Most of them were full of themselves, believing their talents were too lofty to be understood by the world, while still craving praise and validation. They all claimed to be "high-level," all called themselves "eccentric geniuses."

If Jing Xing hadn’t always been there to smooth things over for her, Xiao Tong would’ve been torn apart by that crowd a long time ago.

Thinking of everything Jing Xing had done for her over the years, Xiao Tong felt moved. She was just about to say thank you when Jing Xing cut her off, "Don’t bother with thanks. We’ve known each other for how long? That stuff’s meaningless. You want to thank me, make a few of your best dishes tonight so I can finally try your cooking. That’ll be enough."

The "thank you" hanging at the edge of Xiao Tong’s lips turned into a smile. "You’ve got it. Tonight, you’ll eat so well, you won’t be able to walk."

Jing Xing rubbed her chin and frowned. "Why does it sound like you’re insulting me?"

Xiao Tong squinted and burst out laughing. Jing Xing laughed too but inside, a quiet worry lingered.

Xiao Tong was acting too normal. She’d just gone through something huge, and yet here she was, acting like nothing happened. That was the real red flag.

Jing Xing wanted to ask about Yu Qinghan, whether Xiao Tong had truly let go, whether she was done holding on but she was afraid to bring it up and reopen old wounds. The mood was so light right now; it didn’t feel right to ruin it. So in the end, she didn’t ask.

Xiao Tong and Yu Qinghan, more than a decade of history between them. You don’t just let go of that overnight. Jing Xing knew Xiao Tong must be hurting more than she showed.

But there was nothing she could do. This was something only Xiao Tong could work through on her own. All Jing Xing could do was stay by her side… and make sure she didn’t do anything stupid.

Xiao Tong really could cook. In no time at all, she had four dishes and a soup ready. She knew Jing Xing loved seafood and spicy food, so she even made her a plate of spicy crab, the shell was glossy, and the smell alone was mouthwatering.

Jing Xing didn’t even bother with chopsticks, she just grabbed a crab leg and bit into it. The sweet, tender crab meat mixed with the spicy sauce had her groaning with delight.

"Xiao Tong, if I’d known your cooking was this good, I’d have been coming over for free meals ages ago! Your food’s ten times better than anything from a five-star hotel!"

Xiao Tong knew Jing Xing was just flattering her, but seeing how much she enjoyed it still made her happy. She brought the dishes to the table, ladled a bowl of seafood soup for her, then quickly cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless. Only then did she wash her hands and get ready to eat.

She heard footsteps behind her, turned around, and saw Jing Xing standing at the kitchen door with a crab claw in hand, still gnawing on it. Jing Xing said with admiration, "Xiao Tong, your kitchen looks brand new even right after cooking. Don’t tell me you have OCD?"

Xiao Tong froze for a second, then laughed. "What OCD? Don’t be ridiculous."

But Jing Xing glanced at the cabinets, chopsticks sorted by length and design, each in their own box, dishes arranged more neatly than in a showroom. This was "not" OCD? Please. She didn’t buy it.

In her memories, Jing Xing had always thought of Xiao Tong first as a design genius. Then, after learning about her past with Yu Qinghan, she just felt that Xiao Tong was too stubborn, too devoted—she hurt for her, but also couldn’t help feeling frustrated. She wanted to protect her.

Now, seeing this little "quirk" of hers, Jing Xing felt she was more real. A little strange, yes but even more endearing.

Xiao Tong, on the other hand, wasn’t thinking that deeply. She sat at the dining table, eating, and when she saw Jing Xing still standing dumbly at the kitchen door, she called out, "Ah Xing, if you don’t come over now, the food’s gonna get cold."

"Coming!" Jing Xing grinned and hurried over.