Chapter 6: Raj's Laughter

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Scene: Village Street, afternoon.

Raj bursts into laughter upon spotting Ashu, who's been caught by his friend while carrying a pile of freshly washed clothes.

Raj: (chuckling) Ashu, what's going on? Are you in some kind of play?

Ashu: (annoyed) Very funny, Raj. Just helping out at home.

Raj: (grinning) You look more like a laundry service than Ashika.

Ashu: (sighs) I know, I know. It's not my choice.

Raj: (more serious) Seriously, though, what's going on?

Ashu's frustration boils over, and he spills the truth about the forced charade and Mandeep's visit.

Raj: (sympathetic) That's messed up, Ashu. They're making you do all this just for some money?

Ashu: (nodding) Yeah, and it's driving me crazy. I never realized how much work being a girl entails.

Raj: (grimacing) Man, that's rough. But you know, this could be eye-opening. Maybe you'll appreciate things from a different perspective.

Ashu: (rolling eyes) I appreciate things just fine from my own perspective, thank you very much.

As Ashu walks away, the conversation with Rajlingers in his mind. He's not just going through the motions anymore; he'sgaining insight into the lives of the women around him. And with each taskcompleted, his irritation transforms into a begrudging acknowledgment of theeffort that goes into maintaining a household.

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