Chapter 1084: Jiaojiao Is a Big Girl Now (13)

Anyone who doesn’t like it, well, they just have to hold it in!

After having dinner at the Ruan Family’s home, the group thought about how the kids would soon be heading off to college, making these gatherings even rarer. So, they didn’t rush to leave and instead chatted in the courtyard.

Jiaojiao snuggled in the embrace of the Ruanlin Family matriarch, her little head resting on her lap. Sanmao tucked its little paws under itself nearby, occasionally licking its fur.

Rourou, on the other hand, couldn’t sit still and was having a blast running around the courtyard.

Jiaojiao watched first one, then the other, and occasionally let out a laugh. She truly felt blissful.

The chatting stretched on until past nine in the evening before everyone slowly dispersed.

Jiaojiao was truly exhausted after a long day, but remembering how much she had sweated, she wanted to wash her hair and take a bath. However, the Ruanlin Family matriarch persuaded her, "Jiaojiao, wait a couple of days before washing up. You can’t wash your hair now."

"But I sweated a lot today." During the worst of the pain, nearly all of her hair was soaked with sweat.

"You still can’t wash it. Be good and listen to granny. Besides, I just smelled it; it doesn’t stink at all. If you don’t believe me, ask your brother."

"Yeah, it doesn’t smell." — Ruan Jie.

"Smells nice." — Xiu Xi.

"..." — Jiaojiao.

She thought they also had it hard, having to coax her like this all these years.

"Well, can I at least take a bath?"

"That you can do." The Ruanlin Family matriarch nodded.

Jiaojiao let out a sigh of relief. Too lazy to go upstairs, she took her bath in the downstairs bathroom. As she undressed, she suddenly remembered the small clothes she had changed and left in the restroom at noon.

Jiaojiao had started washing her own small clothes since middle school. She wouldn’t let anyone help before, and now even less. She washed what she had just changed out of in the bathroom before coming out.

As she emerged, the Ruanlin Family matriarch happened to come out of the kitchen and said, "Jiaojiao, leave your little clothes. Granny will wash them for you later; you can’t touch cold water."

Jiaojiao’s face blushed, and she softly said, "I already washed them."

The matriarch frowned, immediately setting down what she was holding and walking over, "Did you use cold water or warm water?"

"Cold water..."

"Don’t do it next time. Leave it to granny. Why are you separating these things from granny?" The matriarch knew she was shy, but this wasn’t something to play around with.

Dirty small clothes can’t be cleaned with hot water, only cold water can do the job, but Jiaojiao shouldn’t be touching cold water with her current condition.

"Okay." Seeing the matriarch’s serious expression, Jiaojiao didn’t argue and nodded.

"Give me what’s in your hands. I’ll wash it for you. Did you wash the one from noon? Where is it? Bring it down, and granny will wash it." The matriarch continued.

Thinking of the small clothes from noon, Jiaojiao’s face reddened again, but she dared not refuse the matriarch and could only go upstairs to get it. She had specially balled it up into a small ball and stuffed it into a corner, covering it with a towel to keep it from being discovered.

When she went upstairs to look for it, she searched all around the spot where she had hidden her small clothes, but she couldn’t find them.

Even the towel that covered them was nowhere to be found.

It couldn’t be! She had left them in her bathroom; how could they just disappear?

Could it be that Mom took them down to wash?

Jiaojiao turned, just about to go ask Shu Jiao, but as she stepped out of her room and passed by the living room, she caught sight of Xiu Xi standing on the balcony. Subconsciously glancing at him, she noticed a very familiar piece of small clothing fluttering in the summer breeze above his head...