Transmigrating as the Female Supporting Character: Dumb with Deep Pockets - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Washing Up Together

That answer was relatively sensible.

Su Su felt relieved. They packed their things and bolted toward the bathhouse, only to find they were a step too late—the long queue already stretched nearly to the entrance of the cafeteria.

Because military training had been so exhausting, everyone had been settling for quick, meager rinses in the dorms. Now that they had the time and the facilities, they didn’t mind spending a little extra money. Consequently, the wait time was already looking to be two and a half hours.

With the long line behind them as well, they were reluctant to leave.

Su Su’s bag was in Chen Jia’s hand. Tired of standing, Su Su squatted on the ground, leaning her back against Chen Jia’s calf. She complained in a low voice, “When are we ever going to get in?”

“Just wait a bit longer.”

Chen Jia shook her leg slightly. Su Su’s body swayed forward with the movement, but she showed no intention of standing up.

“I can wait, but what about you? Didn’t you agree to start work at the fruit shop today? Isn’t it bad to be late on your first day?”

“Bad” was an understatement. Chen Jia was counting on that 800-yuan monthly salary to get through the semester.

“Let’s just wait.”

She didn’t believe that once they actually made it inside the bathhouse, she’d still be stuck waiting.

As it turned out, she could.

It had rained today, so the weather was chilly. The bathhouse was filled with thick mist, and the ceiling was covered in pea-sized beads of condensation. Plop. A droplet fell onto Su Su’s face. She wiped it away and suddenly caught sight of an empty double shower stall nearby.

“Hey, there’s a spot over there.”

“That requires two people to wash together.”

In those stalls, two showerheads were connected to a single card reader. Regardless of whether one or two people were using it, water would flow from both sides. It was a waste of both water and money, so unless it was an emergency, most people preferred to wait for a single stall.

“This is a special circumstance. Tell you what—my treat?” Su Su suggested. She knew the fruit shop job was crucial for Chen Jia.

“That’s not necessary.” Chen Jia could afford a shower.

Besides, her skin felt sticky and gross. After steaming in the bathhouse for so long, her clothes were clinging to her body uncomfortably. She closed the stall door and began to lift the hem of her shirt.

Rustling sounds came from outside the door.

Su Su whispered, “Are you starting already?”

The question was redundant, but Chen Jia knew that if she didn’t answer, the girl would keep talking through the door.

“Yes,” Chen Jia replied softly, tucking her removed top into a nearby cubby.

More rustling followed.

“Chen Jia, have you started? Can I come in with you? Li Sisi and Sun Yimiao are already inside, and I’m still standing out here. I don’t know when a spot will open up, and I don’t want to walk back to the dorm alone later.”

The second the words left her mouth, Su Su regretted them. She felt like a total creep.

But… she really didn’t want to go back alone.

“I promise I won’t look at you!”

Chen Jia’s hand stayed on the faucet dial, unsure of what to do. If she remembered correctly, she had only known Su Su for about a month. Even if they were dating, she’d hesitate to shower together after only a month, and they certainly weren’t dating.

Su Su didn’t feel awkward talking to Chen Jia through the door, but when she turned around, she realized everyone in line was looking at her with bizarre expressions. The delayed wave of embarrassment hit her so hard she wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. Her voice took on an edge of desperate urgency.

“Chen Jia, please open the door! People are looking at me weirdly, and since I stepped out to talk to you, I lost my spot in line. I’m too embarrassed to squeeze back in; I’ll have to start all over again.”

“Chen Jia…”

She intentionally dragged out the last syllable, making herself sound utterly pitiful and helpless. She leaned her entire weight against the door, and suddenly, it swung open.

She stumbled, nearly falling right into Chen Jia.

Chen Jia, being quite lean, caught her and straightened her up. “Stop shouting.”

Everyone in the long queue was bored to death, so the commotion between the two of them had naturally drawn countless eyes. Those stares seemed to say: How terrifying, lesbians right in our midst.

Chen Jia finally understood why Su Su had been wailing outside. Anyone would panic under that kind of scrutiny. While Chen Jia was dazed for a moment, Su Su darted inside with lightning speed.

The space became cramped. The person who had just been dying to get in suddenly became awkward.

“What now?”

“I don’t know.” Chen Jia rubbed her forehead. She couldn’t understand why she had been brain-dead enough to open the door.

Even though they were both girls, showering together in a tiny stall was undeniably awkward. Chen Jia sighed. “Do you want to go back out?”

Su Su shook her head. Compared to standing outside earlier, going out now would be even more humiliating—it would look like she and Chen Jia had been doing something scandalous inside.

“Fine. You wash yours, I’ll wash mine. From now on, don’t speak.”

Chen Jia knew Su Su’s embarrassment was only temporary. Once she got used to the environment, her mouth wouldn’t stay still.

“Oh.”

“Turn around.”

Chen Jia glanced at the watch face sitting in her paper bag. There was about an hour and a half left; she should make it.

The water hissed from the showerhead. Because it had been running continuously, it came out scalding hot. Fortunately, it was manageable.

“Ouch!”

Just as Chen Jia wet her arms, Su Su let out a yelp behind her. “Ah! It’s so hot!”

Su Su had delicate skin; it took her a while to adjust to the temperature. She was about to ask Chen Jia to look at the reddened patch on her arm when her peripheral vision caught a glimpse of wheat-colored skin. Her movement stiffened. Realizing neither of them had clothes on, her face flushed as hot as the water. She turned back toward her own side of the shower and stared intently at the white tiles, trying to change the subject to hide her fluster.

“Did I scare you?”

That yelp had caused a ripple of chuckles from the people still waiting outside.

“Chen Jia, are they laughing at us?”

“If you’d stop making strange noises, they wouldn’t laugh.”

“Oh.”

The stall, which was meant to be spacious, felt crowded with two people in it. The rising steam made breathing a bit difficult. Chen Jia’s faint mint-scented soap was completely overpowered by Su Su’s intense rose fragrance.

Su Su was already immersed in the joy of the shower, completely forgetting Chen Jia’s warning to stay quiet.

“Chen Jia, my body wash smells really good and makes your skin so smooth. Do you want to try some?”

“No thanks.”

Experience told Chen Jia that the less she said, the better, lest Su Su cause some other ridiculous scene.

Su Su looked disappointed at the refusal.

“You really should try it. Maybe it’ll wash you ‘white and pretty’ (xi bai bai).”

Speaking of getting white, she looked gloomily at the distinct tan line on her wrist.

“My hands got so tanned. I’ll have to buy a hand mask one of these days; maybe that’ll bring the white back. Do you want to try one too? You have nice hands. They’d look even better if they were pale.”

“No thanks.”