After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 17

Yu Xia found herself momentarily speechless.

It was a captivating beauty, like the allure of a snake demon. Everyone warned of her bewitching appearance and cruel nature—how she devoured men whole—yet they still flocked to glimpse her beauty, only to be mesmerized and easily devoured.

In Yu Xia’s eyes, Zheng Yun was that snake demon.

The moment Yu Xia lowered her gaze, she fell into Zheng Yun’s hunting trap, willingly becoming her prey.

“Do you like me?” Zheng Yun abandoned the pointless question of whether Yu Xia hated her. Yu Xia’s actions had already given her a satisfactory answer. Now she wanted Yu Xia to confess it aloud.

Yu Xia, who had never uttered those two words in her nineteen years, struggled to speak for what felt like an eternity.

Zheng Yun possessed boundless patience. Even her teachers had remarked that patience was her greatest strength. She excelled at waiting for results. She stared intently at Yu Xia, observing her eyes reddened by Zheng Yun’s touch and her bruised lips.

“I like it,” Yu Xia finally managed to say after a long pause, her voice awkward and shy, like an ancient robot learning a new word.

Zheng Yun wanted to tease her further, but Yu Xia’s pale face was already burning hot. She gently pressed a kiss to Yu Xia’s lips.

“Let’s stop here for tonight. Good night,” Zheng Yun said, wanting to spare both Yu Xia and herself. Another kiss, and her lips would be too sore to face anyone tomorrow.

“Your bed…” Yu Xia pointed to the muddy footprints she had left on the white sheets in her haste. The stains were glaringly obvious, impossible to ignore.

Zheng Yun glanced at the mess and, with perfect composure, took Yu Xia’s hand. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

They had slept together even before their “lip friendship.” Now that they had kissed, Yu Xia had no reason to refuse.

The smile on her lips threatened to burst forth.

After a long, eventful night, both were exhausted. Soaked from the rain, they needed to shower again.

Zheng Yun asked if they could shower together. Yu Xia’s face flushed crimson, and she suggested she could shower in Zheng Yun’s room instead, making Zheng Yun laugh heartily.

After they took turns showering, they left a nightlight on, used the same-scented body wash, and lay down on the same bed, under the same blanket.

Yu Xia felt dazed, as if they had just met, yet also as if they had known each other for ages.

The day had been overwhelming for both of them, leaving them exhausted. Yet their minds refused to settle, stirred by the presence of the person beside them.

On the night of the power outage, they had shared a bed but slept under separate blankets, their closest intimacy limited to holding hands while sleeping.

Just a day later, they were kissing and embracing, sharing a single blanket and body heat.

With her heart’s concerns resolved, Yu Xia finally felt at peace enough to sleep. The familiar scent beside her brought her immense comfort. Drifting between sleep and wakefulness, she heard Zheng Yun speak.

“Can I call you Xiaxia?” Zheng Yun asked softly.

“Yes,” Yu Xia replied without hesitation.

Everyone in her family called her Xiaxia, so one more person wouldn’t make a difference.

“Xiaxia, can I have a goodnight kiss?” Zheng Yun murmured gently.

Yu Xia was so sleepy her eyes were already closing. A “goodnight kiss” was a novel concept to her, and she didn’t immediately react, murmuring a soft agreement.

Zheng Yun gently pressed a kiss to her lips.

When Yu Xia opened her eyes, she saw Zheng Yun gazing at her quietly and serenely in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Her dark hair framed her red lips and white teeth, but what truly dazzled Yu Xia was the pure, unadulterated affection in Zheng Yun’s eyes.

She couldn’t remember if anyone had ever looked at her with such tenderness before.

No one could resist such affection, not even Yu Xia, a woman seemingly carved from ice.

So, after Zheng Yun turned off the light, Yu Xia pulled her close and practiced her clumsy kissing skills anew. Her teacher had always said she was quick to learn everything—painting, academics, and now, apparently, kissing too.

Zheng Yun had initiated this, but she hadn’t expected Yu Xia to learn so quickly. With her jaw and cheek pinned, Zheng Yun was forced to submit to Yu Xia’s aggressive advances. Her other hand was trapped against the pillow. If they hadn’t been lying in bed, she might not have been able to stay upright.

Just seconds before Zheng Yun was about to cry out, Yu Xia finally released her.

Now, neither of them could sleep.

The next morning, a commotion erupted downstairs.

The college students had gone out early to explore, brimming with energy and determined to make the most of their trip despite their limited budget. The argument was between Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu.

Xiao Qi, who had gotten up early to sweep, noticed cigarette ash near the entrance. When the college students were leaving, she casually mentioned that they should use the ashtray next time. The students were astonished, claiming they had slept like dead pigs and hadn’t even been on the first floor the previous night.

Xiao Qi checked the security footage and discovered that Xiao Jiu had been secretly smoking.

Years ago, Xiao Jiu had suffered from pneumonia, leaving her lungs weakened. Xiao Qi had forced her to quit smoking then, and she couldn’t believe Xiao Jiu would dare to smoke again, especially while running a fever. Furious, Xiao Qi felt her good intentions had been wasted, like throwing a meat bun to a dog. Xiao Jiu, knowing she was in the wrong, could only mutter under her breath, “You’re the dog.”

Even Yu Xia, who had witnessed Xiao Jiu’s entire smoking session, received a glare from Xiao Qi when she came downstairs.

Zheng Yun’s lips throbbed. She thought Yu Xia was the real dog, her bites so painful. Yu Xia seemed somewhat contrite, realizing she had bitten too hard that morning. A bright red mark stained Zheng Yun’s lips, leaving no doubt in the minds of anyone with experience about what had transpired.

This included the two owners standing in the lobby, one of whom had even played matchmaker for them. If it hadn’t been for Xiao Jiu, Yu Xia might still be staring at the ceiling, wondering what Zheng Yun really meant.

Now, there was no need to wonder. She had received a satisfactory answer.

But she had no reason to interfere in the couple’s quarrel. All she could do was offer Xiao Jiu a cup of pear soup to soothe her lungs while she was being scolded.

Once Xiao Qi had vented her anger, she finally took a closer look at the two of them.

“Did you two… work things out?” Xiao Qi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zheng Yun nodded, while Yu Xia shook her head.

Xiao Qi: ?

What did one nod and one shake mean?

Zheng Yun and Yu Xia exchanged glances, then switched their responses: Zheng Yun shook her head, and Yu Xia nodded.

Xiao Qi was even more confused.

Zheng Yun had to leave soon and didn’t have time for a detailed conversation. She had just received an apologetic call from the parent of one of the children, asking if she could watch the child for the day. With nothing else to do, Zheng Yun agreed.

Naturally, Yu Xia accompanied her.

On their way, they returned to the earlier topic. Zheng Yun asked Yu Xia what her head-shaking had meant.

The rain had stopped, and the sky had brightened, though the sun remained hidden.

Yu Xia gazed at the still-gray sky and replied softly, “Because we haven’t defined our relationship.”

They had been so caught up in the moment the night before that they had forgotten the most crucial step: defining their relationship.

Zheng Yun felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, suddenly empathizing with Xiao Qi—they had kissed and embraced, but she still wasn’t his girlfriend.

There was no time for further discussion. A little girl came bounding over, her pigtails bouncing adorably. The girl’s mother, dressed like a busy career woman, rushed over and politely entrusted her daughter to Zheng Yun.

Their daily routine now involved the little girl holding hands with both of them—Zheng Yun on her left and Yu Xia on her right. The two beautiful older sisters made her feel incredibly important, and she strutted down the street with an air of confidence.

While Yu Xia went to buy the little girl ice cream, Zheng Yun and the girl sat on a park bench near the entrance, waiting for her return. The girl leaned in and whispered to Zheng Yun, “Sister, I know that other sister is your girlfriend.”

Zheng Yun froze for a moment, then smiled and asked, “How did you know?”

The little girl swung her legs and replied in a childish voice, “I saw it on my mommy’s phone. You and Yu-jiejie were at the mall, and a really ugly man…”

Zheng Yun couldn’t quite focus on the rest of what she said.

When Yu Xia returned, Zheng Yun was holding the little girl’s hand while scrolling through the video on her phone.

Fortunately, the person filming had been pushed to the back of the crowd and only managed to capture the very end—the moment Zheng Yun delivered her cutting remark about Zhang Hui being inferior to her girlfriend. The video angle was skewed, completely missing Yu Xia.

The caption read: “Beautiful lesbian battles bizarre mother and son.” In the comments section, few people paid attention to Yu Xia; the discussion centered almost entirely on Zheng Yun. Though the language was harsh, the fact that Yu Xia wasn’t visible in the video was a relief.

Zheng Yun sighed in relief, took the ice cream from Yu Xia, and heard the little girl chirp sweetly, “Thank you, Yu-jiejie!”

Yu Xia, who had no experience with children, forced a smile, trying to appear less aloof.

Zheng Yun watched Yu Xia’s movements and suddenly chuckled.

After dinner downtown, the little girl’s mother came to pick her up. Though she looked tired after a long day at work, she still politely accepted her daughter and sent Zheng Yun a WeChat transfer of 666 yuan.

Zheng Yun declined, saying it wasn’t necessary since the little girl was well-behaved and they had enjoyed spending time with her.

The mother insisted, saying that as long as her daughter had fun with them, it was enough. Only then did Zheng Yun accept the payment, which far exceeded the effort they had put in.

Their routes home diverged sharply. Zheng Yun politely declined the offer to be driven back, preferring to return on her own.

By the time she arrived at Chuntianli by taxi, it was already dark. The college students hadn’t returned yet, having found an excellent late-night barbecue spot and planning to stay out late. They had asked her to leave the door unlocked. The earlier quarrel had vanished; Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu were huddled together watching a melodramatic 8 PM drama. Xiao Qi frowned intently, while Xiao Jiu looked excited, predicting a satisfying “face-slapping” moment was imminent.

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun greeted them and headed upstairs, but Xiao Jiu called them back.

Her fever had broken, and she was much stronger than she had been the previous two days, though her voice remained hoarse and soft. Whenever she spoke, Xiao Qi stood nearby, arms crossed, sneering coldly—clearly still nursing a grudge over that cigarette.

Xiao Jiu was at her wits’ end. If words couldn’t coax her wife, only physical action would do, but her recent physical condition made that difficult. As the submissive partner, she couldn’t force herself on Xiao Qi, leaving her with nothing but a silent staring contest.

“Is there anything else?” Yu Xia asked.

“Come with me,” Xiao Jiu said, gesturing for Yu Xia to follow her.

Xiao Jiu didn’t invite Yu Xia into the room. Yu Xia stood at the doorway, with no desire to pry. Xiao Jiu handed her a mysterious box, claiming it was a congratulatory gift for the newcomers after her successful mediation.

Yu Xia didn’t mention that their relationship hadn’t been officially defined yet.

Zheng Yun went upstairs first. Yu Xia, clutching the box, walked up the stairs without even thinking to open it.

Zheng Yun hadn’t gone into the room either. She was crouched at the top of the third-floor staircase, waiting for Yu Xia. Now that the rain had stopped, the temperature was gradually rising, and Zheng Yun had started wearing skirts again. The white hem of her skirt brushed the wooden floor as she rested her cheek against her arm, waiting for Yu Xia to come up.

“What did she give you?” Zheng Yun asked, leaning in curiously as she noticed Yu Xia holding a box.

“I don’t know. Xiao Jiu said it’s a wedding gift for both of us,” Yu Xia repeated Xiao Jiu’s words, sounding puzzled.

“Open it and see,” Zheng Yun suggested.

The box was a plain cardboard one, hastily taped shut, suggesting the contents weren’t particularly valuable. This made Yu Xia feel more comfortable accepting it.

She tore off the haphazardly applied tape, opened the box, and gasped.

Inside was a pile of finger cots, strawberry-flavored lubricant, and even a manual.

Yu Xia flipped it open and read Xiao Jiu’s handwritten note: Essential Techniques for Guaranteed Success! See website for details…

Yu Xia: ?

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun exchanged a wordless, awkward glance before quickly averting their eyes.

Their current relationship was… too intimate for casual s3x, yet refusing to sleep together felt like a cruel rejection.

“Just keep it,” Zheng Yun said, her older age lending her a more composed demeanor. “You never know.” She stood up, walked to the door, and reached for the handle.

“You’re going the wrong way,” Yu Xia kindly pointed out.

Zheng Yun: “……”

She turned and headed in the right direction.

As she twisted the doorknob, she suddenly glanced back and asked, “Can I sleep with you again tonight?”

Yu Xia, still sitting on the floor and trying to re-tape the cardboard box, looked up blankly at Zheng Yun. “What kind of sleeping?”

Thanks to Xiao Jiu, she could no longer take the phrase “sleep together” at face value.

The box in her hands suddenly felt like Pandora’s Box. Once opened, something invisible seemed to have changed.

“Either way is fine,” Zheng Yun replied, her gaze dropping to linger on the box.

Yu Xia leaped to her feet, nearly tumbling down the stairs.

She realized with alarm that she and Zheng Yun might be about to repeat their past mistakes—achieving the remarkable feat of kissing, hugging, and sleeping together, yet still not being girlfriends.