After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 36

The new residential area had significantly higher property prices, and the apartments offered far better soundproofing than the old, dilapidated units in the university district. At midnight, the world was utterly silent; inside the room, you could hear a pin drop. The only sound was the ticking of Zheng Yun’s wristwatch, which lay on the coffee table.

Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Yu Xia stared unblinkingly at Zheng Yun.

She hadn’t changed much, at least not in Chen Zhu’s eyes. During their final three years of university, she remained like tempered steel, radiating a cold, forbidding light that kept others at bay.

Zheng Yun leaned against the wall, her shoulder blades pressing painfully against the concrete. She didn’t cry out, but her peach blossom eyes glistened with tears, catching the living room light like sunlight shimmering on a lake in spring.

As alluring as ever.

“I don’t have such thoughts,” Zheng Yun said.

She blinked, and a clear tear slid down her cheek, landing on Yu Xia’s finger. It was warm, not scalding. Yu Xia instinctively wanted to pull her hand away, but the moment she realized what she was doing, she suppressed the urge.

Yu Xia pressed her fingers firmly against Zheng Yun’s lips, wiping the tear across her flushed mouth.

“I don’t care what you’re thinking,” Yu Xia hissed, leaning so close her lips nearly brushed Zheng Yun’s earlobe. “We stay out of each other’s way. Don’t bother me again.”

She tried to pull away, but Zheng Yun gripped her wrist.

“It’s sweet,” Zheng Yun murmured, her lips, still flushed from Yu Xia’s touch, now glowed like a cherry glistening with dew.

Yu Xia frowned, confused.

“My tears,” Zheng Yun said with a smile, “they’re sweet.”

Though Yu Xia had done nothing, Zheng Yun looked as if she had been cruelly wronged, her lashes lowered, her demeanor so docile it was as if Yu Xia were the heartbreaker.

How could tears be sweet?

Yu Xia didn’t voice the question. She stared at Zheng Yun’s hand still gripping her wrist. “Let go.”

Zheng Yun released her, her expression utterly innocent.

Yu Xia turned and walked away.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun called softly after her, “good night.”

As long as Yu Xia acknowledged her, Zheng Yun would accept anything—the good, the bad, everything—without reservation.

Yu Xia didn’t even pause as the door slammed shut in Zheng Yun’s face.

Zheng Yun rubbed her nose and turned to tidy up her things.

Yu Xia sat down in her room and slowly raised her right hand.

How could tears taste sweet?

Feeling drowsy and her thoughts muddled, she gently licked her fingers.

Not sweet at all. Zheng Yun lied again.

By the time she realized what she had done, the memory was already indelible.

Fortunately, she was alone in the bedroom, and no one had seen her—especially not Zheng Yun.

Leaving her room, she went to get some water.

Zheng Yun emerged from the kitchen just then, acting as if nothing had happened. She called Yu Xia over to eat.

“Don’t punish your stomach,” Zheng Yun said, her eyes bright. “Your health is your greatest asset.”

Yu Xia didn’t reply. She sat down and tried a bite of the fried mushrooms Cen Xue had given her.

They were probably delicious, but she just couldn’t get used to the taste.

After several more attempts, she still couldn’t understand what made them so good.

Yu Xia closed her eyes.

As expected, even with the passage of time, things I dislike remain disliked.

“Xiaxia, have some porridge,” Zheng Yun said, leaning closer. She looked exhausted, rubbing her eyes repeatedly.

“I don’t eat at night,” Yu Xia replied coldly. “You’d be better off going to bed early.”

With that, she ignored Zheng Yun’s attempts to say something behind her, returned to her room, grabbed her clothes and a towel, and went to wash up.

When she emerged, Zheng Yun had already retreated to her own room.

The door to the opposite bedroom was tightly shut.

A breeze swept through the living room and down the hallway. Yu Xia paused for a moment, then turned and went back to her room.

In the hazy space between sleep and wakefulness, the question resurfaced in Yu Xia’s mind:

How can tears be sweet?

Without the disturbance of inexplicable nightmares or her hoarse-voiced roommate, Yu Xia finally slept soundly.

The next morning, Zheng Yun was already up early, bustling around in the kitchen. Ignoring Yu Xia’s cold rejection from the previous night, she busied herself preparing Yu Xia’s breakfast.

“Xiaxia, this is breakfast,” Zheng Yun said, pointing to the steaming porridge and dishes on the table, fresh from the stove.

“And this is lunch,” Zheng Yun added, handing her a bento box. Even without opening it, Yu Xia could tell it was meticulously prepared and delicious.

Yu Xia didn’t take either. Tilting her head, she asked, “Do you enjoy being self-sacrificing?” Her tone was flat, still tinged with morning grumpiness from just waking up. “Or are you simply bored?”

Zheng Yun’s movements froze. She lowered her head, her soft black hair trembling slightly.

Yu Xia brushed past her and turned to leave.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun called out.

Yu Xia glanced back.

“It’s going to be hot today,” Zheng Yun said, handing her a paper bag. “At least take something to drink.”

Yu Xia didn’t refuse this time. Another few minutes of this back-and-forth and she’d be late. Grabbing the bag, she opened the door and nearly bumped into Cen Xue, who was just stepping out of her own apartment.

“Oh, Yu Xia!” Cen Xue’s eyes lit up when she saw her, and she smiled.

“Morning,” Yu Xia greeted casually.

“Did you enjoy the fried mushrooms last night?” Cen Xue asked as they waited for the elevator.

“They were good,” Yu Xia replied, her gaze fixed on the elevator numbers.

The sound of a door closing echoed behind them.

Yu Xia distinctly remembered closing her apartment door when she left, but since she heard the click of the latch, she didn’t bother checking.

The elevator arrived, and the two women stepped into the car. Only then did Cen Xue notice the bag Yu Xia was carrying.

“Bringing lunch to work? Not eating with us?” Cen Xue asked, glancing at the bag.

“…It’s a drink from Zheng Yun,” Yu Xia replied.

“Oh, I see,” Cen Xue nodded knowingly. “Are you two close?”

“Not really,” Yu Xia said, her voice tight with irritation. “We just happen to know each other through family.”

“Well, she seems like a nice person,” Cen Xue mused thoughtfully. “I was worried we wouldn’t get along.”

Zheng Yun was indeed a kind person. Yu Xia had lived with her for two months, and even the neighbor’s dog never barked at her—a testament to her universally acknowledged good temper and easygoing nature.

Yu Xia assumed Cen Xue’s comment about being “easy to get along with” referred only to neighborly relations.

Since moving in a week ago, Zheng Yun had been taking care of Yu Xia like a nanny, cooking meals, brewing soups—she was practically doing everything short of washing Yu Xia’s underwear and scrubbing her back.

After repeated refusals proved futile, Yu Xia calmly began ignoring breakfast altogether. She accepted the drink Zheng Yun offered, occasionally ran into Cen Xue at the convenience store downstairs buying the same brand of bread, and then went to work.

Cen Xue was a very discreet person. After her initial inquiry, she never pried into the nature of Yu Xia and Zheng Yun’s relationship, nor did she ever mention Yu Xia’s beautiful roommate during meals.

As a result, until Zheng Yun officially joined the company, none of Yu Xia’s colleagues knew about their connection.

On Monday morning, the Team Lead informed Yu Xia that she would be going through the formal promotion process.

“Hey, Yu Xia,” a colleague swiveled her chair over from the next workstation. “How about we celebrate your promotion at Cen Xue’s place this weekend? What do you think?”

Yu Xia, who was focused on finalizing her work, didn’t even look up. “Whatever you guys decide is fine with me.”

The colleague spun back to her desk, typing excitedly. “Cen Xue’s team just got a total knockout! They say she’s even more stunning than the game’s character art.”

Yu Xia hummed noncommittally, showing little interest.

“Yu Xia, are you… straight?” the colleague leaned closer. “How can you not be interested in such a beauty?”

“No,” Yu Xia sighed softly, finally lifting her head to meet her colleague’s gaze. “Don’t make such disgusting jokes.”

The colleague stuck her tongue out.

In all her years, Yu Xia had only ever fallen for one beautiful woman—and she’d been badly deceived.

She vowed never to let herself be blinded by beauty again.

The team lead had demanded the draft be submitted by the end of the workday. Yu Xia skipped lunch, and a colleague brought her a bread roll on their way back from lunch. She ate it quickly and dove back into her work.

Finally, just before the end of the day, she finished the card design. After the team lead repeatedly checked it, it was approved.

Yu Xia confirmed the notification and let out a long sigh of relief.

This was the first time in weeks she’d left work on time at 6 PM. The streetlights had just come on, but the sky was still bright. The distant evening glow painted the horizon in shades of orange and purple, the sunlight resembling embers glowing red-hot, scorching the earth.

“Let’s go!” her colleague bounced ahead. “Cen Xue asked us to get some drinks from the supermarket.”

Yu Xia followed her.

“The neighboring team will be joining us tonight too,” her colleague said, sounding slightly apologetic. “If you don’t want to talk to them, just stick with me.” After all, the gathering was supposedly to celebrate Yu Xia’s joining the company.

“It’s fine,” Yu Xia said, shaking her head.

She knew her colleague was trying to introduce her to the company’s social circle. She was already familiar with most of the Writing Team members and didn’t dislike them.

“Oh, and the new intern from the next team will be there too,” her colleague added, loading a case of beer into the shopping cart. “That’s everyone.”

Yu Xia nodded absently, responding with distracted replies.

Carrying two bags of drinks, Yu Xia returned to Cen Xue’s spacious home. Eight or nine women were gathered in the living room, some standing and others seated, with more expected to arrive. Yu Xia placed the bags on the shoe cabinet in the entryway and let her colleagues lead her into the crowd for introductions.

As she rounded the corner from the entryway into the living room, Yu Xia paused.

The overhead lights were off, and the evening glow painted the white walls in rich, vibrant hues. The Creator’s artistry surpassed any human-made masterpiece.

Zheng Yun sat on the sofa, bathed in the light. Like a sculpture personally crafted by the goddess Nüwa, she blended seamlessly into the background, outshining all earthly paintings.

This was actually the first time Yu Xia had stood at a distance to truly observe Zheng Yun since their reunion.

It wasn’t the averted gaze she’d seen when Yu Nian was present, nor the gentle, coaxing demeanor Zheng Yun adopted when they were alone. Instead, she resembled a flower freshly bloomed, its petals still glistening with morning dew, so delicate that Yu Xia felt she couldn’t speak too loudly nearby.

The living room buzzed with chatter: discussions about game storylines, gossip about recent fruit price drops, and a small group clustered around Zheng Yun, who smiled softly, radiating warmth.

Yu Xia felt a sudden surge of irritation. Her colleagues, oblivious to her mood, took turns patting her shoulder and introducing themselves.

When Yu Xia first joined The Dream Quest Project Team, she had briefly become a minor sensation. Her striking looks, strong personality, and youthful energy had made her stand out.

But office workers weren’t so forward. The novelty wore off after a few days, and now they merely greeted Yu Xia casually.

After making the rounds, the colleague finally reached Zheng Yun.

“This is our new colleague, Zheng Yun,” the colleague introduced.

Of course I know her name is Zheng Yun, Yu Xia thought. I also know which of her words are coy and which mean she’s truly had enough.

We even live together.

On the surface, she said nothing, merely extending her hand in a distant, polite gesture. “Hello, I’m Yu Xia.”

Zheng Yun’s tone was much warmer. She smiled slightly. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”

After a brief, perfunctory handshake, their hands parted.

Apart from Cen Xue, who hadn’t returned yet, no one knew they lived together. The two women, who had once shared a bed, now pretended to be strangers in front of everyone.

Fortunately, everyone was used to Yu Xia’s aloof demeanor. The colleague steered her to a seat and began rummaging through the refrigerator, unpacking the pre-prepared ingredients.

As more people arrived to help, the colleague, realizing Yu Xia looked utterly clueless about cooking, suggested she go relax in the living room.

Zheng Yun, who had also been told that interns shouldn’t be preparing meals, stayed behind. In an instant, the once lively living room was left with only the two of them.

Zheng Yun grabbed the remote, turned on the TV, and let the background noise drown out their conversation.

“Do you really not want anyone to know we know each other?” Zheng Yun asked, cupping her chin and gazing at the children’s cartoon playing on TV. The pink hairdryer in the show was shrieking loudly, making it difficult for Yu Xia to hear her.

“It’s not about wanting or not wanting,” Yu Xia replied stiffly, her shoulders tense. “We shouldn’t have met in the first place.”

She completely denied their shared past, not uttering a single word about the happiness they had once shared.

“About what happened back then…” Zheng Yun began, wanting to explain, but she couldn’t find the right words. Her sentence trailed off unfinished.

Yu Xia didn’t interrupt, waiting patiently for her to continue. When the explanation stalled, she scoffed, “Haven’t figured out a new way to lie to me yet?”

Zheng Yun fell silent.

Perhaps because it was her first day at work, Zheng Yun had applied light makeup, making her look even more radiant than usual. Yu Xia refused to even glance at her. When no answer came, she stood up to leave.

Zheng Yun wanted to stop her, but Cen Xue returned, drenched in sweat. As she entered, she exclaimed, “Someone, help me!”

Since only the two of them were in the living room, Yu Xia hurried over and took the items from Cen Xue’s hands.

“Hey, Yu Xia!” Cen Xue greeted her, then noticed Zheng Yun approaching. After the greeting, she seemed about to say something more but abruptly stopped herself.

“I asked Auntie downstairs to get me fresh fish,” Cen Xue said, wiping sweat from her forehead with a paper towel. “It’s best when freshly killed.”

She turned and headed into the kitchen.

There wasn’t much actual work to be done, but the group swarmed into the kitchen in a flurry of activity. Most ended up getting in the way and were eventually chased out.

Dinner wasn’t served until over two hours later. At first, it was just eating. Cen Xue’s cooking was truly exceptional, with each dish she prepared boasting perfect flavor, aroma, and presentation.

As soon as everyone had their fill, someone raised their hand and shouted, “Time for drinks!”

Cen Xue specifically warned everyone not to drink too much, reminding them they had work the next day.

But this warning had little effect on the workers who had just finished a major project phase. After a few rounds of drinks, even Yu Xia had downed several glasses, a fiery warmth rising in her chest.

“Truth or Dare!” a colleague slurred, leaning drunkenly over the coffee table.

Everyone was familiar with each other, having played this game several times before. This time, it was a deliberate icebreaker. Cen Xue replaced the beer in her colleagues’ glasses with warm water, reassuring them, “We won’t get too carried away.”

Yu Xia nodded in agreement.

Zheng Yun sat beside her, the evening’s main focus. Zheng Yun was the guest of honor, and everyone raised their glasses to toast both of them.

The bottle spun on the floor as colleagues took turns answering questions. The questions were mostly harmless gossip and minor dares, like “Were you the one who farted during the morning meeting?” or “Record a video of yourself saying you’re a pig.”

When the bottle first pointed at Zheng Yun, half the group sobered up instantly. The question came: “Do you have an ex?”

Yu Xia sat cross-legged nearby, peeling peanuts and popping them into her mouth, listening to Zheng Yun’s answer with detached interest.

Whether it was luck or skill on the part of the spinner, Yu Xia was repeatedly chosen.

The questions directed at Yu Xia had already thoroughly probed her romantic history.

“Do you have an ex?”

Yu Xia, considering Zheng Yun as such, nodded.

“Do you still like your ex?”

Yu Xia felt the eyes of everyone around her fixed on her. Without hesitation, she shook her head.

On the final spin that landed on her, someone suggested, “Call your ex and ask to borrow money.”

Slightly drunk and hazy, Yu Xia scrolled through her contacts until she found an unnamed phone number and dialed it.

Her actions were so devoid of hesitation, it didn’t seem like she was asking an ex for money, but rather handling a work handover.

The gazes lingered on her phone for a long time, until the ringing stopped and a robotic voice announced that the call went unanswered. Only then did the eyes finally withdraw.

“She probably changed her number years ago,” Yu Xia said casually. “We broke up years ago.”

The others didn’t press further, continuing to shake their liquor bottles. Only a tipsy colleague leaned in and asked, “You were dating before you were even an adult? You know you shouldn’t date too young.”

Yu Xia handed her a glass of warm water and reminded her, “I started dating after I turned eighteen. Even if it was ‘young love,’ it’s too late to bring it up now.”

The colleague mumbled an “oh” and promptly fell asleep with her head resting on Cen Xue’s lap.

Was the bottle still there? Let’s spin it again. Who’s the unlucky one this time? Zheng Yun.

Still the same question.

“Do you still like your ex?”

Yu Xia kept her head down and took another sip.

She didn’t particularly enjoy drinking; alcohol dulled her thinking. But today, she was indulging herself.

If she was going to indulge, she might as well go all out.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, but her heart was racing faster than usual. The side light caught the pale beer in her glass, making the bubbles shimmer and pop.

She felt a little dizzy, unsure if it was the memories flooding back or the alcohol taking effect.

“Of course I still like him,” Zheng Yun said, her cheeks flushed pink, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “I still think about him.”

“Then why did you break up? Were you dumped by a jerk?” the host muttered, spinning the bottle for the final time.

“It was just… a series of unfortunate misunderstandings,” Zheng Yun said with a perfect smile, the corners of her lips curving into a flawless arc.

“Last question,” the host said, rubbing his forehead. “Can you call your ex right now?”

Yu Xia felt Zheng Yun’s silence could have lasted ten minutes, or perhaps only half a minute.

The living room television was still blaring an advertisement for a pink hairdryer, the noise grating on her nerves like someone playing jump rope on her brain.

Zheng Yun raised her glass apologetically. “I can’t do it. I’ll punish myself with a drink.”

Most of the guests were already quite drunk, leaving only a few with better tolerance to clean up. Cen Xue saw the two women to the door and waved goodbye.

They turned to walk toward their own home.

Yu Xia pulled out her keys and asked calmly, “Do you have any other exes?”

The question came out of nowhere, startling Zheng Yun. She shook her head. “No.”

So it was just the two of them.

Up until this point, Yu Xia still felt she was maintaining her composure.

No one turned on the lights. The living room was pitch-black and silent, save for their breathing.

“You like your ex,” Yu Xia repeated. “You still think about her.”

Leaning against the table, she countered, “Is ‘a series of unfortunate misunderstandings’ the reason you gave me three years ago?”

Zheng Yun didn’t reply.

Even she didn’t know what to say.

“Or is this just a pretense of deep affection before you move on to your next relationship?” Yu Xia’s voice wasn’t loud enough to disturb the neighbors, but to Zheng Yun, it struck her ears like the resounding clang of a temple bell, each word carrying the weight of a thousand pounds.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun reached for her hand, “I didn’t…”

She finally panicked under Yu Xia’s malicious misunderstanding.

“I still only love you,” Zheng Yun blurted out, her fingers barely brushing Yu Xia’s fingertips.

Yu Xia chuckled softly.

Zheng Yun had always praised how rare and moving Yu Xia’s smiles were. Now, that laughter struck her heart like a heavy hammer blow.

“Zheng Yun,” Yu Xia murmured, her fingers finding Zheng Yun’s cheek even in the darkness. She gently rubbed Zheng Yun’s earlobe and whispered, “My teacher said you can’t step into the same river twice.”

“I can’t let you fool me again, can I?”

Zheng Yun silently watched Yu Xia’s retreating figure. After just two steps, Yu Xia’s silhouette vanished into the darkness.

Just like their future.