After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 28

The next day, all four of them lived up to expectations and slept in late.

Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu had stayed up half the night after eating noodles, removing their makeup, and showering. Xiao Jiu had even gone out in the afternoon. Throughout the makeup removal process, she kept her eyes closed, letting Xiao Qi fuss over her. After showering, she practically collapsed into a deep slumber, not opening her eyes again until noon.

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun were also exhausted, though for different reasons than Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu.

Young and full of energy, Yu Xia woke up first to find Chen Zhu’s phone buzzing with frantic messages demanding a reply.

Still half-asleep, Yu Xia went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face, casually scrolling through her WeChat Moments. Her social circle was small, consisting mostly of classmates from middle and high school she occasionally exchanged a few words with, along with Chen Zhu, who treated her Moments like a personal Weibo feed.

Chen Zhu’s posts could wait; they were essentially sanitized versions of their private chats. After a couple of swipes, Yu Xia saw Moments posted by Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu.

Their profile pictures had already been updated with the digital versions Yu Xia had sent them last night. The two avatars, stacked one above the other, formed a pair of wedding photos. Xiao Jiu posted only one picture with the caption, “Such a happy day.”

Xiao Qi, on the other hand, shared several photos. A picture of Xiao Jiu dressed as a pop idol took center stage, flanked by a few group shots. Her caption echoed Xiao Jiu’s: “Such a happy day.”

The comments section must have been buzzing, as Xiao Qi had added a reply just minutes earlier: “Thank you all for your well wishes!”

Xiao Jiu, still half-asleep, hadn’t responded yet.

Yu Xia’s WeChat Moments was as blank as if she didn’t use the app at all. She disliked sharing her life with others, especially posting updates that might reveal her inner world to prying eyes.

But today, she felt a rare urge to share something.

Xiao Qi had sent a bunch of photos in their WeChat group, telling them to save whatever they liked. Yu Xia avoided photos with faces, carefully selecting a picture of the wedding cake.

Her fingers tapped the screen as she spat out the toothpaste foam.

“Such a happy day.”

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Yu Xia found Zheng Yun still asleep. She turned and headed out to the balcony to call Chen Zhu. Chen Zhu answered immediately, and before Yu Xia could even say “hello,” a barrage of complaints erupted from the other end of the line.

“Your first-ever WeChat post! Who were you getting cozy with? Why didn’t you reply to my messages? Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to keep that hilarious story to myself all night?!”

Yu Xia silently pulled her phone away, waiting for Chen Zhu to vent her frustration before replying.

“A friend’s birthday? I was busy all night. What’s so funny?”

The sun’s heat distorted the air on the balcony. Yu Xia stood in the doorway, hidden in the shadows. A heatwave lifted her long hair, and her loose cotton pajamas revealed a pale neck dotted with red marks and a faint bite mark on her slender shoulder.

Her expression remained cold, eyes lowered slightly. She held the phone in one hand, the other resting on the doorframe, listening quietly to Chen Zhu’s rapid-fire explanation.

“Xiaxia, you’ve really grown up! You’re making friends on your own now,” Chen Zhu said, sounding genuinely pleased. “Listen, your sister came to see me yesterday.”

Yu Xia, who had been drifting off in thought, snapped back to attention.

“Yu Nian?”

“Is that her name? She said she was your sister and asked if I could contact you.” Chen Zhu spoke quickly, wasting no words as she swiftly recounted the events of the previous day.

“Apparently, some high school classmates from your university gave her my contact info,” Chen Zhu said, a smile creeping into her voice. “They told her we were close in college, so I’d be able to reach you. I have no idea how she found my number.”

Yu Xia fell silent, suddenly remembering the message she’d sent in the group chat yesterday. She hadn’t realized Yu Nian was so resourceful, able to track down Chen Zhu through such a convoluted route.

Memories of their past flashed through Yu Xia’s mind, and she couldn’t help but narrow her eyes. The good mood from the previous night vanished completely. Frowning, she asked, “Did she tell you how awful I am and warn you not to hang out with me?”

“You know your sister too well,” Chen Zhu replied, rolling her eyes. “Ugh, calling her my ‘sister’ makes me cringe. What kind of sister is she anyway? I’ll just call her by her name.”

Chen Zhu’s brow furrowed, the disgust from the previous night resurfacing. “Yu Nian said you don’t care about family ties at all. She even sent me screenshots of your passive-aggressive messages in the group chat, claiming you’re not as good as I thought.”

“She said? She didn’t do anything wrong. You’re just being immature. It’s your elder’s birthday, and you didn’t even show up. She covered for you, and you still mocked her? Now she wants me to apologize to her on your behalf and told me not to hang out with you anymore.” Chen Zhu chuckled as she spoke.

“Xiaxia, I’m 19, not 9. Do you really think I’d fall for such a childish attempt to drive us apart? After all these years, don’t you know what kind of person I am?”

Yu Xia wanted to laugh too. After all these years, Yu Nian was still using the same tired lines, unchanged.

But Chen Zhu’s unwavering trust eased the knot of frustration in Yu Xia’s chest. Softening her tone, she asked, “What kind of person am I?”

Chen Zhu perked up. “Xiaxia, remember the first day we met? Some guys tried to barge into the girls’ dorm under the guise of ‘inspection.’ The Auntie stopped them, but they insisted they had permission. You stood downstairs and sarcastically called them out, saying, ‘Even if you have gender identity issues, you can’t just waltz into a women’s living area!'”

She burst into laughter. “That sarcastic remark was just too good! I thought to myself, ‘If I could be her friend, I’d be her fangirl for life!'”

“You don’t have to be such a fangirl,” Yu Xia said, rubbing her temples. “What else did Yu Nian say?”

“I said? You said? It was going pretty well, so I added, ‘Niannian’s still the best.’ She got visibly angry, but she still only cursed you, saying you were a bad influence on me,” Chen Zhu said, tears of laughter streaming down her face. “I told her we’re birds of a feather, partners in crime, and if she wanted someone to yell at, I’d gladly volunteer.”

Yu Nian had been too sheltered. Her online friends only flattered her for the money, and her real-life friends were either stolen from Yu Xia or the children of her parents’ business associates. No matter how serious the issue, as long as their families maintained business ties, the younger generation would never embarrass each other.

Chen Zhu had given Yu Nian a lesson in personality diversity.

Yu Xia was about to say something when arms wrapped around her waist. The cool, refreshing scent briefly dispelled the heat as someone leaned against her shoulder, lips brushing her neck. The soft, warm breath made Yu Xia tremble involuntarily.

“Huh? What’s wrong, Xiaxia?” Chen Zhu noticed the tremor in Yu Xia’s voice and asked.

“It’s nothing,” Yu Xia said, patting the hand around her waist. Zheng Yun understood and shifted her breathing, suppressing a laugh. Yu Xia felt her shoulders shaking as she returned to their earlier topic. “Didn’t she yell at you?”

Yu Xia didn’t want Zheng Yun to overhear about Yu Nian’s situation, but hanging up now would be too obvious. She sighed inwardly and continued talking to Chen Zhu.

“She said I’m just as sick as you are, and that I’m being stubborn even though it’s clearly your fault,” Chen Zhu paused. “I told her you must have your reasons for doing what you do. If there’s something I don’t understand, it just means there’s something I don’t know.”

Chen Zhu sighed again. “Xiaxia, you’ve really drawn the short straw with family like that.”

Yu Xia stared at the concrete floor of the balcony, feeling a strange discomfort at hearing someone criticize her family for the first time.

Objectively speaking, her family wasn’t bad, apart from their favoritism. She had never lacked for food, clothing, housing, tuition, or tutoring, and her allowance was on par with Yu Nian’s. That’s why she had never complained about her family to outsiders. Complaining about a lack of affection when she had such good material conditions felt like whining without a real reason.

But Chen Zhu’s sudden mention of it now still touched Yu Xia.

“I’m okay,” Yu Xia said, not lingering on the topic. “She didn’t harass you further, did she?”

“No. I gave her another piece of my mind. She was making such a fuss over nothing, acting like the whole world needed to know how wronged she felt. In the end, she said, ‘If you don’t apologize, don’t bother coming home for your birthday.’ I told her to get lost—whether I go home or not is my business, not hers. Then she blocked me.”

“I’m sorry for troubling you,” Yu Xia apologized wearily.

“Don’t mention it,” Chen Zhu replied. “I enjoyed giving her a piece of my mind.”

“Oh, Xiaxia, are you going home for your birthday or heading back to school early? I could help you celebrate!” Chen Zhu remembered Yu Xia’s upcoming birthday just before hanging up.

“…No need. I already have plans,” Yu Xia said stiffly, forcing out a thank you. “Still, thank you.”

Thank you for standing by me without asking questions. Thank you for caring about me.

It’s true what they say: once you leave home, everyone outside is a good person.

“Saying ‘thank you’ makes us sound like strangers! See you when school starts!”

After hanging up, Yu Xia turned and buried her face in Zheng Yun’s embrace. The familiar, comforting scent filled her nostrils, and her heart settled like an ice cube dropped into a glass of cola. She nuzzled Zheng Yun’s neck and asked, “Are you awake?”

Zheng Yun didn’t rush to ask about what had just happened. Ignoring the sweltering heat, she held Yu Xia close. “I’m awake,” she murmured, “but my back hurts a bit.”

It was no wonder her back ached. Last night, Yu Xia had been driven by a mix of embarrassment and anger, her actions a little rough. Zheng Yun’s pleas for mercy were ignored, and when she bit Yu Xia, only then did Yu Xia finally stop.

Just when Zheng Yun thought she could finally rest, Yu Xia let out a cold laugh, flipped her over, and continued until Zheng Yun was too exhausted to even struggle.

“Should I massage it for you?” Yu Xia offered, feeling guilty.

“Okay,” Zheng Yun agreed without hesitation.

They returned to their room, where the air conditioning quickly dispelled the oppressive heat they’d brought in. Yu Xia’s lingering frustration gradually dissipated like unraveling threads. She closed the door, sealing her earlier bad mood outside.

Zheng Yun lay face down on the pillow, her nightgown draping down to reveal her delicate curves. Yu Xia, now free of any lingering desire, focused intently on massaging Zheng Yun’s back.

“Was that your friend earlier?” Zheng Yun asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Yu Xia replied, having mentally prepared for this question. The casual tone didn’t surprise her, and she answered directly.

“Is she straight?”

“I think… probably,” Yu Xia hesitated. She wasn’t entirely sure how to answer.

Her hands paused as she considered the question. Chen Zhu wasn’t interested in celebrities, preferring to play Candy Crush on her phone. She occasionally watched dramas or movies, praising male actors’ looks, but more often she complimented women’s beauty. A pure aesthetics enthusiast, Chen Zhu had never actively pursued anyone, regardless of gender.

It was impossible to tell her sexual orientation.

“Xiaxia?” Zheng Yun called out.

“I don’t know if she’s straight,” Yu Xia replied, choosing to answer the question again.

“Are you two close?”

“We’re… okay.”

Yu Xia couldn’t understand why Zheng Yun was so interested in Chen Zhu, but she answered every question.

“I heard she seems to know a lot about your family,” Zheng Yun said neutrally. “Even I don’t know that much.”

“She only found out today…” Yu Xia paused.

She realized Zheng Yun might not be interested in Chen Zhu at all.

“Are you jealous?”

Yu Xia’s fingers pressed against Zheng Yun’s waist, giving it a gentle tickle. Zheng Yun, ticklish, rolled away to avoid it, turning to face Yu Xia directly.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, her tone tinged with resentment.

Yu Xia lay down on her side, snuggling closer. “No,” she whispered. “Just a hint of sourness.”

Annoyed, Zheng Yun turned to face Yu Xia, their cheeks pressed together. When she saw Yu Xia’s innocent eyes, the lingering annoyance vanished instantly.

“Can you tell me what happened today?” Zheng Yun asked again.

Yu Xia’s palm rested on Zheng Yun’s waist, gently exploring the taut muscles beneath the thin fabric.

Zheng Yun must have been nervous asking this question. Her upbringing forbade her from prying into others’ private matters unless they volunteered the information. But her desire to understand Yu Xia was so strong that she had to ask indirectly.

“I blocked everyone in my family,” Yu Xia summarized tersely. “Before doing so, I subtly mocked my sister in the group chat. She then went to my college friends to complain about me, and they gave her a piece of their mind.”

“Good for them,” Zheng Yun said, immediately taking Yu Xia’s side without even knowing the details. “Anyone who makes you angry can’t be a good person.”

The corners of Yu Xia’s lips curled slightly upward.

She told Zheng Yun the whole story, from her leaving home to everything that had happened with her family up to that day.

When Yu Xia mentioned blocking all her relatives, Zheng Yun gasped, praising her decisiveness.

When Yu Xia recounted her sarcastic remarks, Zheng Yun chuckled approvingly, complimenting her sharp wit.

As Zheng Yun listened, her tone was full of admiration, but her eyes were filled with heartache. If just one summer was this bad, she wondered what kind of life Yu Xia had endured before.

Yu Xia leaned against Zheng Yun’s arm and murmured, “Yu Nian is quite pitiful. Her health is poor, and our parents rarely let her go out alone. She spends most of her time at home.”

“No matter how pitiful she is, she shouldn’t treat you like that,” Zheng Yun said, tucking a stray strand of Yu Xia’s hair behind her ear and gently stroking her jawline with her thumb.

“I’m not angry, just annoyed.”

“When you were this small,” Zheng Yun gestured to about waist height, “you must have felt so wronged.”

Yu Xia lowered her gaze, almost afraid to meet Zheng Yun’s eyes. After a long pause, she said, “I’ve already forgotten.”

Zheng Yun pinched her cheek. “Good. If she ever calls you again, I’ll help you yell at her.”

The thought of Zheng Yun yelling at someone made Yu Xia burst out laughing. “No need.”

“Why not?” Zheng Yun felt Yu Xia was underestimating her yelling skills.

“When you yell, it sounds like you’re pouting.”

Yu Xia rolled off the bed, flipped over, and scrambled up, dashing out the door.

“Xiaxia!” Zheng Yun scrambled up too, chasing after her without even putting on her shoes.

As Yu Xia flung open the door, she came face-to-face with Xiao Qi, who was just coming upstairs.

“Playing ‘eagle catches chicks’ at midday?” Xiao Qi asked in astonishment.

Zheng Yun, unable to stop her momentum, bumped into Yu Xia’s back. When she saw Xiao Qi, she retreated to put on her shoes.

“Getting some exercise,” Yu Xia improvised. “What’s up?”

“Lunch is ready! I thought you two had gone out to eat, but the door was locked and you weren’t replying to my messages, so I came up to check on you,” Xiao Qi urged. “Hurry up! Aren’t you hungry after skipping breakfast?”

Xiao Qi’s words made Yu Xia realize her stomach was empty.

The two quickly changed and went downstairs for breakfast. Xiao Jiu, still in her pajamas with her hair in a messy ponytail, pounced on her bowl like a hungry tiger.

After finishing her meal, Xiao Jiu leaned back contentedly, patted her round belly, and sighed, “Being able to eat is such a blessing.”

With her hunger satisfied, she became more talkative.

“I told Xiao Qi earlier not to disturb you two, thinking you might be… you know… during the day. But Xiao Qi said you were too tired yesterday for any of that,” Xiao Jiu said, looking at Xiao Qi with admiration. “Xiao Qi knows you best.”

Yu Xia and Zheng Yun exchanged guilty glances.

After breakfast, Xiao Qi took the dishes to the kitchen. Xiao Jiu slumped back in her chair, her bl00d sugar spiking, making her drowsy again.

Seeing this, Yu Xia and Zheng Yun were about to head upstairs to discuss their afternoon plans when they heard a sharp slap.

Xiao Jiu slapped her cheeks vigorously, jolting herself upright. “Let’s open the gifts now!” she declared, forcing herself to stay awake.

The afternoon sun blazed high, the heat oppressive even through the glass.

After loading the dishes into the dishwasher, Xiao Qi walked out and saw Xiao Jiu’s eager expression. Amused, she said, “Your gifts? They wrapped everything themselves. What could they possibly not know about?”

Xiao Jiu raised an eyebrow. “There might be something.”

Xiao Qi suddenly remembered something and patted Yu Xia’s shoulder. “I’ll go get you some water.”

Yu Xia was also curious. What could be hidden among the gifts she and Zheng Yun had personally wrapped?

A few minutes later, Yu Xia saw the gift Xiao Jiu had hinted at—a whole cardboard box filled with manga and novels.

Xiao Jiu began pulling out stacks of books, handling them like precious treasures. “This author’s art style is amazing, and the stories are brilliant. But most importantly—”

She paused abruptly, a knowing smile spreading across her face, as if everything was understood without needing to be said.

Confused, Yu Xia took two manga volumes from Xiao Jiu and flipped through a few pages. A sudden heat flushed her ears. Just as she was about to close them, Xiao Qi arrived with the water and caught a glimpse of the contents.

“You’re quite the quick reader,” Xiao Qi remarked. “When Xiao Jiu was following this series, the author always stopped drawing at exactly these kinds of moments.”

Zheng Yun leaned closer, and all three of them stared at the open page. The author’s art style was indeed excellent, and the female lead’s design was stunning, living up to the cover’s promise of “explosive popularity.”

However, while the female lead was undeniably beautiful, the page Yu Xia had flipped to showed her lying in bed, with her intimate areas censored. Given that two couples were present, no one failed to recognize the suggestive pose.

With a snap, Yu Xia slammed the book shut.

“Why did she stop drawing?” Yu Xia asked stiffly, changing the subject.

“To prevent readers from getting too excited and losing sleep at night,” Xiao Jiu replied, still rummaging through the cardboard box. “She probably got too carried away herself while drawing.”

Xiao Jiu pulled out another book and was about to hand it to Yu Xia when she noticed a faint blush beneath Yu Xia’s lowered eyelashes. “You’re not having trouble sleeping too, are you?” she asked, puzzled.

“…My sleep quality is excellent,” Yu Xia snapped, cursing her inability to hide her true expression behind a mask. She quickly changed the subject. “What’s that in your hand?”

“Oh, this?” Xiao Jiu waved the book. “It’s the new work by an author I really like. You know, the one who…”

Her gaze shifted to Zheng Yun. “It’s by the author of that ‘Dominant Alpha Falls for Me’ novel I lent you last time. Her new story is really good—another ‘chasing after his wife’ plot. I cried buckets when I was following the updates.”

Yu Xia couldn’t fathom how anyone could cry over a novel. Her limited experience with online literature left her unable to empathize. She and Xiao Jiu stared at each other, wide-eyed.

“You don’t believe me?” Xiao Jiu, fiercely protective of her favorite author, shoved the book into Yu Xia’s hand. “Just read it and you’ll see.”

Yu Xia held the manga in one hand and the novel in the other. Glancing at Zheng Yun, who was struggling to suppress a smile, she flatly refused. “I don’t read novels or manga.”

Xiao Jiu scoffed. “You asked me about the plot of the last one before.”

Yu Xia paused for a moment before retorting, “That was an accident.”

“And before that, you said you were going to check out as soon as the rain stopped,” Xiao Jiu said, pulling the last manga from the cardboard box and stacking it on the coffee table. She shot Yu Xia a sidelong glance. “But you ended up staying with Zheng Yun, all sweet and lovey-dovey.”

The barrage of repetitive words left Yu Xia speechless. She turned to Zheng Yun for help, who managed to say through a stifled laugh, “I want to read it.”

Yu Xia took a deep breath.

Zheng Yun was her wife, so she couldn’t stay mad at her.

Xiao Jiu was her friend, so she couldn’t stay mad at her either.

Yu Xia lowered her gaze to the two beautifully bound books stacked in her hands, silently expressing her resistance.

She was mad at herself.

Seeing her expression, Zheng Yun leaned in close and whispered in her ear, “Study materials.”

The way she said those two words made it sound like a tutor secretly handing out internal documents after class. Yu Xia, who didn’t think they really needed study materials, gradually relaxed her tense shoulders.

After a few more jokes, the sleep Xiao Jiu had forcefully driven away came knocking again. It was the perfect afternoon nap time. Xiao Jiu hugged her pillow, yawned widely, rubbed her eyes, and bid them farewell. “I’m going to sleep. Remember to take good care of my books.”

Even with her eyes barely open, she managed to glare at Yu Xia. “Especially you, Yu Xia! Don’t use my books to settle personal grudges!”

Xiao Qi followed behind her, teasing the pair, “If you don’t understand anything, just ask me. I read both books with Xiao Jiu, so I know all the plot details.”

Zheng Yun waved dismissively. “What’s there to misunderstand in a novel or comic?”

As she spoke, Zheng Yun suddenly remembered something and met Yu Xia’s enigmatic gaze.

“…I…” Zheng Yun trailed off, her lips pressing shut.

Yu Xia lowered her head and started up the stairs, Zheng Yun hurrying after her. They raced up the steps, their footsteps echoing through the stairwell.

“Xiaxia, I didn’t mean to imply anything,” Zheng Yun said, blocking Yu Xia at the doorway, her voice a mix of exasperation and amusement.

“It’s fine,” Yu Xia replied, seizing Zheng Yun’s wrist and pressing it against the wall. Leaning in close, she whispered in Zheng Yun’s ear, “I trust Teacher Zheng will teach me the contents of the ‘study materials’ thoroughly.”

Dust motes danced in the afternoon sunlight, the slanting rays warming the air to a dry heat. A breeze carried the fresh scent of laundry detergent from a neighbor’s yard.

The draft brushed across their cheeks, tangling their stray strands of hair. Yu Xia gazed into Zheng Yun’s clear, dewy eyes, watching her full lips part and close. Her voice, like celestial music, asked with bewilderment:

“Xiaxia, is this something new you learned from the ‘study materials’?”

Furious, Yu Xia stormed through the door.