My Sweet Little Flower Turned Out to Be a Sinister Ghost - Chapter 37

Song Yuehua gently pushed the door open and stepped into the office, her gaze immediately falling on Bai Qingyu’s profile as she sat with her head slightly bowed.

Seated at the desk, Bai Qingyu’s fingers hovered motionlessly over the keyboard, her eyes fixed intently on the screen. Even the stray strands of hair framing her forehead seemed to radiate concentration, as though she were pondering some difficult problem, so absorbed that she hadn’t immediately noticed someone entering.

“Qingqing?” Song Yuehua’s voice carried a hint of lingering concern. “The new employees… haven’t they arrived yet for the onboarding?”

Bai Qingyu finally looked up, the intensity in her eyes gradually fading, replaced by a gentle warmth. Instead of answering directly, she asked, “Don’t you have your specialized elective class today? Why did you come here all of a sudden? You didn’t skip, did you?”

Song Yuehua quickly pulled over a nearby rolling office chair, settling close to Bai Qingyu and resting her elbow lightly on the edge of the desk. “Class ended a while ago. I thought since you just finished with the opening, you must have a lot on your plate. I was worried you might be overwhelmed. Besides, I didn’t have anything else to do back home, so I came to check on you.” She then steered the conversation back, “You still haven’t answered me, what’s going on with the new employees?”

Bai Qingyu spoke slowly, “As you can see, the few new hires we confirmed during the interviews have been sending messages over the past few days saying they won’t be coming. Their reasons were all quite vague. Even two of the senior employees who worked with us on projects before suddenly resigned yesterday, saying they wanted to try a different direction.”

Song Yuehua’s lips parted in dismay. “Then… is there any way to fix this?”

Bai Qingyu replied, “It’s not as serious as you think. Our company is still small-scale right now, and we haven’t taken on any complex major projects. Our main purpose is to provide a convenient working environment for the seniors we’ve collaborated with before. It’s crowded and chaotic at the university, but here they can focus and get things done.”

Song Yuehua’s heart settled, and she quietly let out a sigh of relief, the worry in her eyes dissipating considerably.

“Really, there’s no need to worry,” Bai Qingyu said, noticing her visibly relaxed demeanor. “If there were truly something I couldn’t handle, I’d definitely tell you right away. I wouldn’t keep it to myself.”

Song Yuehua nodded obediently, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes blinking. “Then… will you be hiring others later?”

At this, a faint glimmer of mischief flashed in Bai Qingyu’s eyes, and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly. “Of course we’ll hire. Not only that, but we’ll hire as many as possible.”

Song Yuehua was taken aback for a moment, then her eyes lit up as she instantly understood what Bai Qingyu meant.

“Are you tired from class?” Bai Qingyu shifted the topic.

At the question, Song Yuehua’s expression immediately drooped, her shoulders slumping slightly. Her tone carried a hint of grievance, “So tired! There are so many pointless classes. The teachers lecture without any energy, and we can’t help but doze off listening. Plus, we have to do group assignments.”

“It’s like that for everyone. You’ll need some time to adjust,” Bai Qingyu said gently, patting the back of her hand. “Once you get past this adjustment period and your courses settle down, and the group assignments are finished, things will become much easier.”

Song Yuehua nodded, then suddenly seemed to recall something amusing. Her eyes brightened, and her tone lifted with a touch of excitement, “Oh, right! And there’s such a funny coincidence, since I changed majors, today in class I actually ran into Guo Feifei! We even ended up sitting next to each other!”

“Guo Feifei?” Bai Qingyu’s brow furrowed slightly as she asked, “Who is she?”

“She’s a friend I met earlier in the computer science program!” Song Yuehua’s eyes lit up. “I never expected her to switch majors too, and to the exact same one at that. What a coincidence!”

“Oh?” Bai Qingyu remarked, “I don’t recall you mentioning her much before.”

Song Yuehua scratched her head. “Well, I didn’t really bring it up intentionally. We only met a few times at first, and she already had close friends in her original class. We didn’t chat much outside of class, so sometimes I just forgot to mention it. It wasn’t on purpose.”

Bai Qingyu raised an eyebrow. “And now?”

“Now she talks to me quite often,” Song Yuehua said. “After all, the original class has been together for half a year already. We’re the only two newcomers, so we naturally stuck together.”

“That’s nice,” Bai Qingyu replied.

“Yeah,” Song Yuehua continued. “She even invited me to have lunch with her tomorrow.”

Bai Qingyu looked up at her. “So… you won’t be coming home for lunch tomorrow?”

Song Yuehua said somewhat apologetically, “Well… I was thinking that you’re already busy and tired enough from work. You don’t need to rush home just to cook for me. I can eat at school, and it’ll save you the trip.”

“So, from now on, you plan to have lunch at school every day?” Bai Qingyu unconsciously straightened her posture, her gaze fixed on Song Yuehua’s face.

“Mm-hmm,” Song Yuehua replied, looking a bit guilty.

She genuinely didn’t want Bai Qingyu to go through extra trouble because of her.

“Alright,” Bai Qingyu responded.

“By the way, Qingqing,” Song Yuehua quickly changed the subject, leaning in to tug at her sleeve with a serious expression. “When are we going home tonight?”

Bai Qingyu glanced at the person now pressed against her side, their noses almost touching her arm. She couldn’t resist reaching out, her fingertips cool, and gently brushed Song Yuehua’s cheek. “We’ll have to wait a bit longer. I need to finish revising this partnership proposal. If you’re tired, you can go rest in the lounge. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“No!” Song Yuehua immediately shook her head, snuggling even closer. “Give me something to do. I want to help share the load. I can’t let you handle everything alone.”

Bai Qingyu smiled. “Okay.”

After work that evening, the two went to the supermarket to buy groceries for dinner.

Song Yuehua pushed the shopping cart, casually tossing in broccoli and fresh strawberries, Bai Qingyu’s favorites, while chattering, “These strawberries look so sweet. We can make strawberry yogurt tomorrow morning.”

Bai Qingyu, meanwhile, picked out fresh tomatoes and occasionally put back the extra snacks Song Yuehua had grabbed.

Once they finished shopping, Song Yuehua thought they were heading home. But Bai Qingyu suddenly stopped and turned to her, her tone tentative. “Wait, the sleepwear section is up ahead. I’d like to pick out some new pajamas. Would you mind coming with me to take a look?”

“Of course!” Song Yuehua’s eyes instantly sparkled. She immediately set down the grocery bag, took Bai Qingyu’s wrist, and strode eagerly toward the sleepwear section, her steps noticeably lighter. “I’ll help you choose!”

The racks were filled with pajamas of all kinds: cotton blends, flannel, printed with tiny florals or cartoon patterns. Under the warm yellow lighting, the fabrics seemed soft and cozy, inviting a gentle touch.

Song Yuehua’s eyes immediately landed on the pink flannel set hanging in the most prominent spot, and she reached out to pick it up. Holding it up in front of Bai Qingyu, her eyes sparkled as she said, “Qingqing, look at this! It feels so soft, and the color is lovely!”

Bai Qingyu stared at the pink fabric, a hint of surprise in her eyes. She reached out and touched the material, it was indeed soft, but couldn’t help asking, “Would this… suit me?”

Song Yuehua glanced down at the rabbit ears on the pajamas, then at Bai Qingyu’s usual gentle style, and also felt it might not quite match. She stuck out her tongue playfully and said, “Then let’s pick another one! We’ll keep looking!”

Nearby, Bai Qingyu spotted a set of matching couple’s pajamas. She called Song Yuehua over and said, “I think this one is pretty nice.”

Song Yuehua examined it carefully and agreed, “It is nice. Let’s get it.”

Bai Qingyu let out a soft “tsk” and suggested, “Why don’t you pick a set too? It’s a good chance to get some new sleepwear.”

“Hmm…” Song Yuehua pondered for a moment. “But… I’m not sure which one to choose.”

Bai Qingyu picked up the other half of the couple’s set and asked, “How about this one? It’s pink too.”

Song Yuehua felt the fabric, it was indeed comfortable. After hesitating for a couple of seconds, she nodded. “Alright… I’ll get this one too!”

In the end, the two of them headed home carrying two bags of groceries and two sets of pajamas.

Once home, Bai Qingyu set down the groceries and went straight into the kitchen. Song Yuehua, meanwhile, carried the two pajama sets to the balcony. Their washing machine had a drying function, so she carefully placed the sleepwear inside.

By the time the washing machine started spinning, the aroma of cooking had already begun to waft from the kitchen. The wind outside still carried the lingering chill of winter. Sitting at the dining table wrapped in her beige thin sweater, Song Yuehua felt warmth spread through her body as her fingertips touched the warm rice bowl. The two of them ate quietly, occasionally chatting about work and school.

After the meal, just as Song Yuehua had finished clearing the table and was about to wash the dishes, the dryer beeped, the pajamas were ready.

She rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, poured some hot water into the sink, and had just squeezed in some dish soap when she heard Bai Qingyu’s voice from the doorway.

Bai Qingyu peeked into the kitchen, noticed the moon bracelet on Song Yuehua’s wrist, and smiled. “Yuehua, I put your pajamas in your bedroom.”

“Okay! Thanks, Qingqing!” Song Yuehua’s hands were still covered in soap bubbles. As she tilted her head, her hair slipped beside her cheek, and she casually tucked it behind her ear. “I’ll try them on as soon as I finish washing the dishes!”

…

“Yuehua! Over here!” Guo Feifei waved enthusiastically as she spotted Song Yuehua walking in.

Song Yuehua quickened her pace and jogged over.

Guo Feifei rested her chin in her hands, her eyes full of longing, and gently nudged Song Yuehua’s arm with her elbow. “Honestly, I’m so jealous that you get to live off-campus! Not having to fight for the bathroom with dorm mates must be amazing, right?”

Song Yuehua replied honestly, “It is nice, but for an 8 a.m. class, I have to wake up twenty minutes earlier than when I lived in the dorm.”

“Still better than dorm life!” Guo Feifei waved her hand dismissively, her brow furrowing slightly as if recalling some annoyance. “The two in my dorm are always up late gaming, and the keyboard noises keep me awake. I’ve been wanting to move out for ages, but I’m worried about finding a reliable roommate. Are you living alone or sharing with someone?”

“I’m sharing with a friend,” Song Yuehua said. “She’s really nice, and we get along very well living together.”

“That’s incredibly lucky!” Guo Feifei nodded in agreement, even dramatically slapping the table for emphasis. “I heard from a senior that some people end up with nightmare roommates when sharing apartments, like ones who pile up takeout containers in the living room or secretly use other people’s skincare products. Just thinking about it gives me chills! It’s so much safer to live with friends.”

After class, Guo Feifei dragged Song Yuehua toward the cafeteria.

They finally spotted a food counter with only two or three people in line. After setting their bags down on seats, they immediately went to get their food.

By the time they returned with their trays, the post-class rush had caught up, and the space instantly became crowded.

Feeling a bit sweaty on her back, Song Yuehua took off her light gray coat that had been draped over her shoulders, folded it neatly, and placed it on the chair beside her. She then casually pushed up the sleeves of her off-white sweater, revealing a delicate silver chain around her wrist.

“Wow! That bracelet is absolutely gorgeous!” Guo Feifei’s attention was instantly captured, her eyes lighting up as she set down her chopsticks and leaned in for a closer look, her voice brimming with delight. “Can I take a closer look?”