After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 26

The sun rose and set countless times, and August arrived as promised.

The days flowed by as smoothly as the murmuring stream behind the house, quietly rushing toward an unknown horizon. In the afternoon, Yuncheng was languid, as listless as a sun-dried cicada, too weary to even flutter its wings.

For the first time, Yu Xia skipped a family gathering. Relatives she rarely contacted began adding her one after another, repeating the same tired accusations: that she lacked social grace and was utterly irresponsible.

She couldn’t understand why simply being too lazy to return from her trip warranted such harsh labels. Instead of dwelling on it, she blocked them one by one. After blocking two or three, she finally remembered the family group chat she had long muted.

Unearthing the group from its corner, a few messages immediately popped up.

If she doesn’t want to come back, she doesn’t have to. I’m enough.

Yu Xia didn’t even need to see the profile picture to know who had sent that. She had to thank Yu Nian for deflecting the criticism. Soon, nearly twenty relatives in the group began copying and praising her. Yu Xia joined in, sarcastically copying a line herself.

Still Niannian is the best.

After praising her, Yu Xia’s fingers flew across the screen, exiting the “Loving Family” group chat.

With that done, she tossed her phone onto the bed, pushed open the window, and exhaled a long breath of pent-up frustration. To say she felt no emotional turmoil would be a lie; anyone would be annoyed by a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing incessantly in their ear. The moment Yu Xia blocked them, she experienced the satisfying jolt of zapping a mosquito with an electric swatter.

Zheng Yun was out, leaving Yu Xia alone in the room. The silence felt unsettlingly unfamiliar.

As the emptiness washed over her, she paused, momentarily stunned. She had always cherished solitude; noisy environments had always made her restless.

Now, she felt equally restless. She abruptly stood up and glanced in the mirror before leaving. Her hair was neat, her clothes were tidy—everything seemed in order.

Zheng Yun and Xiao Qi were busy decorating the lobby.

Today was Xiao Jiu’s birthday, and Xiao Qi had been secretly planning with the others for days. In previous years, when she and Xiao Jiu were alone, they couldn’t even manage to distract her long enough to cook longevity noodles or get a birthday cake. They had to resort to gifts.

This year, with friends joining the celebration for the first time, Xiao Qi was determined to make it special.

In the afternoon, Xiao Qi sent Xiao Jiu out to pick up a package and wander around outside. Before leaving, Xiao Jiu put on a sun hat at the door, grumbling as she did. She knew Xiao Qi was sending her out to set up the birthday decorations. Muttering to herself, she slung a large canvas bag over her shoulder and shuffled out in flip-flops.

Yu Xia had returned to her room to take a phone call and came downstairs after finishing.

“Why the long face?” Zheng Yun asked, looking up from a pile of balloons. “Harassment call?”

Yu Xia nodded. In a way, the calls from her relatives felt no different from harassment calls.

“Want to wrap your gift? Pick a box,” Zheng Yun said, turning sideways. Behind her, a mountain of freshly inflated balloons shifted, creating a gust of air that made several pink balloons bounce, revealing gift boxes beneath.

“Okay.” Yu Xia sorted through the boxes and chose a suitable one, wrapping the item she’d brought down from her room.

Xiao Qi had said they were all still students and didn’t need to give expensive gifts—the thought was what mattered most.

Under Zheng Yun’s guidance, Yu Xia drew a portrait of Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu in wedding attire. As she sketched, Zheng Yun leaned in and asked when Yu Xia would draw one for her.

Thinking this, Yu Xia pursed her lips, suppressing the smile that threatened to break out, lest she look like a fool who had suddenly burst into laughter.

She carefully placed the scroll into a rectangular box and wrapped it with the scattered wrapping paper and ribbons. So engrossed in her task, she didn’t notice someone behind her until she set the finished gift on the right side of the sofa. A strand of hair brushed against her neck, tickling her and causing her to sneeze.

Xiao Qi’s gifts lay scattered across the floor—some already wrapped, others still waiting to be packaged, buried beneath colorful wrapping paper and ribbons. Xiao Qi sat cross-legged by the coffee table, inflating balloons, while Zheng Yun and Yu Xia helped wrap the presents.

There was an overwhelming variety of items: comic books, novels, CDs of unknown origin (judging by the packaging, they were quite old), beautiful dresses of varying lengths, gold bracelets, gemstone rings, and even LEGO bricks. It didn’t look like a birthday gift haul; it seemed more like a spontaneous shopping spree.

Zheng Yun carefully placed a ring box into a paper box and murmured, “Boss Qi, did you buy the entire mall for Madam?”

Boss Qi wiped the sweat from her forehead, looking bewildered. “Huh?”

Yu Xia’s hands were tired from wrapping gifts. She had received quite a few birthday presents, as was expected from a wealthy family. Even if they didn’t particularly like her, they wouldn’t skimp on gifts.

Few people knew what she truly liked. Most of the gifts were just color-variations of things Yu Nian liked. Yu Xia and Yu Nian had completely different personalities and tastes, so all the presents ended up stuffed into cardboard boxes and hidden deep in the walk-in closet, never to be seen again.

“She likes too many things, and I usually think it’s too extravagant to buy them for her, especially clothes and jewelry. She might wear them once a year, if that,” Xiao Qi said, finishing blowing up the last balloon. She stood up and sat down to help with the wrapping.

“She could wear them when we travel,” Zheng Yun said, taking the scissors Yu Xia handed her. She cut a length of ribbon and tied a perfect bow.

“We don’t travel often. She hates car rides. I was so happy when she said she wanted to go out with you guys that day,” Xiao Qi said with a gentle smile.

Her appearance wasn’t particularly gentle. With sharp, arched eyebrows and bright, piercing eyes, she had a fierce, handsome look. But she rarely wore a cold expression. With Xiao Jiu around, she was always smiling.

“What day was that?” Yu Xia asked, having no recollection of the conversation.

“That day… when I said I could take full responsibility for your affairs,” Zheng Yun said with a smile.

“…Right,” Yu Xia remembered.

Wasn’t that the night under the moonlit flowers?

The wrapped gifts were piled together as the group began sticking balloons together to spell out words. Lacking experience, Yu Xia served as a human chair stand, while Zheng Yun handed out balloons, occasionally stepping back to check for crooked placements.

Once all the balloons were assembled, Xiao Qi rubbed her lower back and sighed, “We used to hire people to help with this. This is the first time we’ve done it ourselves. It’s exhausting!”

Zheng Yun chuckled and handed her a bottle of water. “Just think how happy Xiao Jiu will be later. It’ll be worth it.”

Xiao Qi nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right.”

As the sun began to set, Xiao Jiu returned right on time.

“Did you get the delivery?” Xiao Qi called from the kitchen.

“Got it! Are these my birthday presents?” Xiao Jiu asked, clutching a cardboard box. Sweat streamed down her flushed face, strands of hair clinging to her cheeks.

Knowing Xiao Qi often gave extravagant gifts, Xiao Jiu adhered to her principle of keeping wealth hidden and never opened deliveries in public. She had no idea what was inside.

Setting the box on the front desk, she stood on tiptoe to grab a notebook from the counter and fanned herself with it. “Do you know how hot it is outside? I felt like a dead fish walking back here, my eyes practically rolling back from the heat.”

“Unpack your delivery, rest for a bit, and then take a shower,” Xiao Qi said with a smile. “Your clothes are hanging in the room, waiting for you.”

Xiao Jiu hugged the box and plopped down on the sofa. The icy air conditioning made her shiver, and remembering Xiao Qi’s warning, she scooted away from the vent.

The afternoon’s decorating clutter had already been cleared away. Xiao Jiu confidently placed the box on the coffee table, grabbed a utility knife, and began to open it.

Inside, wrapped in thick foam padding, was a box bearing a brand name Yu Xia recognized. Xiao Jiu, however, didn’t seem to recognize it, muttering, “Why is there another box?”

She carefully lifted out the elegant box. It felt surprisingly heavy in her hands. After tearing off the outer packaging…

…there was yet another box inside.

“What’s with all these boxes?” Xiao Jiu paused for a few seconds before resignedly continuing to unpack.

When she finally lifted the lid of the last box, Yu Xia felt a momentary daze, unsure if it was from the dazzling light or a flicker of memory.

A diamond tiara lay silently in the box, adorned with a few pearls. The central diamond at its peak blazed with an overwhelming brilliance that made her heart tremble. Yu Xia closed her eyes briefly, finally remembering why the brand name had seemed so familiar.

On her birthday one year, Yu Xia had received a similar gift. The box wasn’t as large, fitting snugly in the palm of her hand. It was a bracelet.

The brand specialized in crowns, and for her birthday that year, Yu Nian had received a small crown—smaller than Xiao Jiu’s, but still exquisitely beautiful.

Ms. Ke Qian had dragged Yu Xia to her room to apologize, explaining that only the smallest size was available. Yu Xia insisted on having that particular one, and there wasn’t time to order a larger size. Buying a bigger one for Yu Xia would only upset Yu Nian, so Yu Xia had to make do.

As she spoke, Ms. Ke Qian watched Yu Xia’s expression, her voice filled with remorse. “Xiaxia, I couldn’t reach you at school, so I took the liberty of choosing without asking. It was my fault. Please don’t blame Niannian.”

Ms. Ke Qian tried to make amends by giving Yu Xia a handbag in addition to the bracelet, the combined value of both items matching the price of Yu Nian’s crown.

But Ms. Ke Qian seemed to have forgotten that Yu Nian was the one who liked handbags, not Yu Xia. In the end, Yu Nian took the handbag too.

After Ms. Ke Qian finished apologizing, Yu Nian called her away. Yu Xia stood at the bedroom doorway, watching the lively celebration in the living room from afar. The backdrop displayed two names, with everyone gathered around one person—wearing a crown, dressed in a beautiful gown, looking as refined as a princess.

Yu Xia felt as if she were separated from them by vast mountains and rivers. Her mind drifted back to someone’s words: You’re just too unlikable. That’s why you’re always left out.

“It’s truly beautiful,” Zheng Yun said sincerely, her clear voice snapping Yu Xia out of her reverie. Yu Xia instinctively turned her head to look at Zheng Yun, her gaze falling into a pair of eyes brimming with affection.

“Xiaxia, it’s so beautiful it made you lose yourself in thought,” Zheng Yun murmured, noticing her gaze.

“…Mm,” Yu Xia blinked, trying to clear the shadows from her eyes. “It’s a bit dazzling.”

“Do you like it?” Xiao Qi asked, wiping her hands as she emerged from the kitchen.

“How much did this cost?” Xiao Jiu stared in disbelief, unable to react for a long moment. “Even if you sold me and Chuntianli together, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re both priceless treasures,” Xiao Qi said, pulling a letter from the box. “This is a birthday gift from my sister, representing our family.”

Xiao Jiu’s fingers trembled slightly as she opened the letter.

Xiao Qi’s younger sister was well-rounded and possessed beautiful, neat handwriting. Her words were sincere but not overly sentimental. She began by sending greetings to Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu, sincerely wishing them happiness in their relationship, and then expressed concern for Xiao Jiu’s health.

The letter concluded: “Dear Xiao Jiu-jie, I know you always feel a bit awkward when you visit our home, but my family and I have long considered you one of our own. When I saw this dazzling crown while shopping, I knew it would suit you perfectly. I’m giving it to you as a birthday gift, hoping you’ll always be safe and happy.”

Xiao Jiu’s tears dripped onto the letter. Xiao Qi chuckled as she wiped away her tears, urging her, “Hurry up and shower and change! We need to take some pretty photos to show them.”

Xiao Jiu stood up, sobbing and wiping her eyes as she walked. “If I drop this expensive thing, I’d have to sell myself to pay for it!”

“It’s yours now,” Xiao Qi said, hugging the box and following her, flusteredly trying to comfort her. “If it breaks, it breaks. Don’t worry about it.”

The two girls pushed and shoved each other into the room, closing the door behind them, leaving Yu Xia and Zheng Yun alone.

A pile of bubble wrap lay on the coffee table. Zheng Yun grabbed a sheet and handed it to Yu Xia. “Pop it.”

Yu Xia obediently squeezed the bubbles, each tiny burst sending a peculiar thrill through her fingertips. She continued popping them.

“Feeling better now?” Zheng Yun asked, cupping her face in her hands.

Yu Xia didn’t know whether to nod or shake her head.

“I’m not unhappy,” she replied.

“We’ve slept together enough times for me to know when you’re not happy,” Zheng Yun said with a sly smile, her tone slightly smug.

Perhaps the afternoon’s phone calls had unconsciously distracted her, causing her mood to sink on what should have been a perfect day.

Maybe she was just a natural mood-killer.

“It’s nothing,” Yu Xia said, trying to reassure Zheng Yun. She reached out and took Zheng Yun’s hand, hoping to move past the awkward moment. “Just thinking about something unpleasant. It’ll pass soon.”

“You’re going to deal with it alone?” Zheng Yun asked, squeezing her hand in return.

“Mm-hmm.”

“That won’t do,” Zheng Yun sighed. “Letting you handle your bad moods alone is a failure on my part as your girlfriend.”

Zheng Yun naturally absorbed Yu Xia’s suppressed emotions, even without knowing their source.

The sun hadn’t fully set yet. Zheng Yun stuffed the foam packaging from the coffee table into a cardboard box, tossed it into the kitchen, and, with Yu Xia in tow, dashed up the stairs to the rooftop.

“What about Xiao Jiu and the others?” Yu Xia reminded her.

After all, they were celebrating Xiao Jiu’s birthday tonight. Yu Xia’s mood could slowly fade with time, just like it always had.

She had already upset too many people; she didn’t want to ruin Xiao Jiu’s special day too.

“Xiao Jiu is the birthday girl today. She’s the most important thing right now.”

Zheng Yun stood at the third-floor stairwell, the setting sun streaming through the corridor, casting a faint golden glow on her slender shoulders and back. Her windblown hair caught the light in shimmering strands.

Against the backlight, Zheng Yun’s features were indistinct, but Yu Xia felt the Goddess’s gentle strength enveloping her, soothing her bewildered emotions.

Her voice soft and laced with amusement, Zheng Yun said, “But you’re my precious darling. To me, you’re the most important thing in the world.”

Sensing Yu Xia’s lingering unease, she added, “Xiao Qi bought her a very elaborate dress. Bathing, dressing, and doing her makeup will take ages—more than enough time for me to coax you into a good mood.”

Her voice trailed off with a hint of uncertainty as she impulsively pulled Yu Xia closer, gazing at the dazzling sunset on the horizon.

Pointing at the vast, orange-tinged sky, Zheng Yun asked, “Xiaxia, have you ever heard this saying?”

“What saying?”

“If you make a sincere wish at sunset, the sun will carry away your bad luck before it sets, and the moon will bring you good fortune.”

Isn’t that the same as wishing upon the sunrise? Yu Xia thought, but she honestly replied, “No, I haven’t.”

Zheng Yun’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Of course not,” she said. “I just made it up.”

Yu Xia stared at her in silence for a few seconds.

“But,” Zheng Yun continued, her smile deepening at Yu Xia’s reaction, “I can grant you one wish. What do you want?”

Yu Xia had only one answer.

“I want to be with you forever.”

“Look in that direction,” Zheng Yun said, gesturing in a different direction than before. “There’s a city called Nanqiao City. It’s where I went to school, and if all goes as planned, I’ll stay there for work. Would you be willing to come with me?”

Yu Xia nodded without hesitation.

After graduation, she wouldn’t be returning home. Any city would do, but now that she knew Zheng Yun, Zheng Yun’s direction had become her own.

“We’ll live together, get a cat—or a dog, if you prefer—and after work, we’ll have dinner and watch the sunset from the balcony,” Zheng Yun painted a picture of their future.

This kind of empty promise, which Yu Xia would have dismissed as pie in the sky in the past, now stirred her imagination. She couldn’t help but fantasize about a future where she could be with Zheng Yun forever.

“We will stay together,” Zheng Yun said firmly. “I’ll work hard to make it happen.”

After all, no one can resist the allure of fine wine. Even Yu Xia, usually so clear-headed, felt intoxicated after just one sip.

As Yu Xia gazed into Zheng Yun’s sincere eyes, she thought, With so many gambles in life, surely I can win at least once.