After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 37

Yu Xia woke up groggily, rubbing her stiff neck. A sharp pain shot through her, likely from sleeping in an awkward position.

She glanced at the alarm clock. It was the latest she’d ever woken up since starting her job. Fortunately, the office was only two subway stops away, or a quick ten-minute bike ride.

She got up and washed her face.

Her reflection in the mirror looked increasingly world-weary, her face cold as if she hadn’t smiled in a lifetime.

As she spat out the toothpaste, she noticed how unusually quiet the living room was.

Normally, Zheng Yun would be making breakfast at this hour, the clinking of porcelain filling the kitchen and dining area.

It was only then that Yu Xia remembered: she and Zheng Yun were now colleagues. Both had drunk alcohol last night. She had to go to work, and so did Zheng Yun.

Outside the door, there was no sound, no movement at all.

Had she woken up too late? Was Zheng Yun still asleep?

After washing up and drying her face, Yu Xia left the bathroom and headed back to her room.

The silence next door persisted.

She quickly changed, slung her bag over her shoulder, and passed Zheng Yun’s room. After a moment’s hesitation, she deliberately increased her footsteps as she left the apartment.

Many people were heading out at this hour. Yu Xia grabbed the last available bicycle from the apartment complex’s bike rack and followed her mental map to the office, clocking in with just two minutes to spare.

As she settled into her workstation, she noticed a takeout container on her desk.

Frowning, she looked up to see a colleague approaching to explain, “Zheng Yun said she knew we’d be feeling rough after drinking last night, so she ordered congee for everyone. She’s such a sweetheart—beautiful inside and out.”

“…Okay,” Yu Xia replied, rubbing her temples. She instinctively looked around for Zheng Yun, but quickly remembered she was at work and forced herself to stop. She opened the container and took a bite.

This was no ordinary takeout congee.

Yu Xia had always struggled to relate to those literary protagonists who could instantly recognize their mother’s cooking with a single taste. She had never tasted Ms. Ke Qian’s cooking; the flavors at home changed with each new cook.

Today, she finally understood what it meant to recognize Zheng Yun’s cooking with a single bite.

This congee perfectly matched her palate—a flavor Zheng Yun had meticulously refined over time, adjusting it bit by bit until Yu Xia’s eyes lit up after tasting it one day.

Her colleagues had already finished eating. Their company was fairly relaxed; as long as work was completed on time and to standard, a little office slacking was tolerated.

“This congee is pretty good,” her colleague said, wiping sweat from her forehead. The hangover headache had eased considerably. She crossed her legs. “I’ve been to their physical store before—it’s really clean. Zheng Yun really put some thought into this.”

Yu Xia didn’t know if the congee in everyone else’s bags had been personally made by Zheng Yun, nor did she understand Zheng Yun’s motives for this elaborate gesture.

Eating felt excruciating.

The congee was delicious—perfectly warm and subtly sweet. She could almost picture Zheng Yun cooking it.

Each bite reminded her of how kind Zheng Yun had once been to her, so kind that she had meticulously studied Yu Xia’s preferences.

It also served as a painful reminder of how they had ended up like this.

After two more mouthfuls, Yu Xia excused herself, claiming her hangover still made her nauseous and unable to eat. She closed the lid, set the congee aside, and planned to throw it away later.

Just when she was enjoying a rare leisurely morning, the Team Lead announced a meeting for the afternoon.

Yu Xia had only recently joined the team and still had a player’s-level understanding of the game. She didn’t play games herself; she had once stayed up three nights straight trying to pass the Fengyin entrance exam, but failed. In the end, she had borrowed Xiao Jiu’s fully completed, all-collectibles account to familiarize herself with the game.

A colleague explained to her, “After the Qixi Festival on August 7th, we’ll be preparing for the new chapter in early September. Plus, one of the characters has a birthday in mid-September, so we need to finalize the birthday event plans by early August at the latest. We’re going to be busy.”

Yu Xia nodded, indicating she understood.

She skipped lunch, claiming she was tired. Instead, she went downstairs to buy a bun. When she returned, she saw Zheng Yun standing outside the cafeteria, laughing and chatting with other colleagues.

It was then that Yu Xia truly realized how popular Zheng Yun was.

Yuncheng was a small city, and Yu Xia and Zheng Yun rarely went out. Being stopped for their WeChat IDs was a rare occurrence. But here in Nanqiao, surrounded by stylish urbanites of similar age, Yu Xia had overheard colleagues casually mentioning that many people were already subtly inquiring about Zheng Yun’s personal information and contact details.

Colleagues from the Writing Team and Art Team kept their lips sealed tight. When asked, they’d simply say they were new and didn’t know, or suggest using DingTalk for work-related inquiries.

Maintaining a professional image was crucial at Fengyin. After all, even if someone left the company, Fengyin’s industry reputation meant future employers would conduct thorough background checks. What would it look like if they discovered colleagues had been pestering Zheng Yun for her personal information? Most people quickly gave up.

The midday sun blazed like the scorching heat farmers loved for drying grain. The grain thrived, but Yu Xia hated it. The intense glare made her vision blur as she retreated into the building, clutching her bun.

Zheng Yun withdrew her sidelong glance at the building entrance and replied with a smile, “Did she enjoy her meal?”

Her colleague hummed in agreement. “She said it was quite delicious.”

The corners of Zheng Yun’s lips curved into a more genuine smile. She let out a soft sigh. “We walked home together last night. I had a bit too much to drink and accidentally stepped on her foot. She might be angry with me.”

The colleague waved dismissively. “Nonsense! Yu Xia might seem temperamental, but she’s actually quite easy to get along with.”

Zheng Yun smiled sweetly. “She’s truly wonderful.”

The colleague nodded in deep agreement, echoing her sentiment.

Cen Xue glanced at her colleague, then at Zheng Yun. She opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing.

During the afternoon team meeting, the colleague asked Yu Xia to pour tea in the conference room. Yu Xia complied, and in the empty room, she encountered another person.

The summer afternoon was perfect for a nap. Blinds covered most of the conference room’s glass windows, casting a sliver of light that fell near Yu Xia’s feet. As she poured tea, seat by seat, she relished this rare moment of solitude, so engrossed in her task that she didn’t notice the glass door sliding open and closed.

Just as she was pouring the last cup, a hand gently covered the rim. Yu Xia nearly spilled the hot water, a few drops splashing onto the pale back of the hand, leaving mottled crimson marks.

Yu Xia frowned and looked up, meeting Zheng Yun’s half-smiling gaze. Her eyelashes seemed even longer than they had been three years ago, perhaps enhanced by the light makeup she was wearing today, which made her features appear even more refined. She truly possessed beauty that rivaled that of a game character’s portrait.

Zheng Yun gazed at her with eyes brimming with warmth and amusement.

This was a look reserved solely for Yu Xia.

Yu Xia had never seen such tenderness in Zheng Yun’s eyes when she looked at others—a gaze filled with affection, fondness, and laughter.

In the past, Yu Xia had cherished this exclusive favoritism. But now, she felt like a toy Zheng Yun had grown tired of and discarded, only to rediscover one day and fall in love with all over again.

She knew that once Zheng Yun grew bored again, she would be discarded once more.

Lifting the teapot, she asked impatiently, “Do you need something?”

Zheng Yun shook her head and flipped her cup upside down on the table. “Someone in our group took a half-day off unexpectedly, so don’t bother pouring more.”

“Alright, thanks,” Yu Xia said, picking up the teapot to leave.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun called out, reaching for her hand. “Do you really have to be so distant with me?”

“It’s not about being distant,” Yu Xia replied coolly, pulling her hand away. “I should get going.”

Yu Xia had just taken a few steps back when the glass door burst open, and a colleague rushed in, muttering as she noticed the distance between them, “What are you two doing?”

“Bonding,” Zheng Yun replied simply, the slight upward curve of her lips dipping slightly, yet still maintaining her impeccable composure. “And waiting for you all.”

Yu Xia glanced at her curiously, unable to discern the source of Zheng Yun’s displeasure.

“Oh, right,” the colleague said, thinking nothing of it. “The Team Lead will be here any minute. Let’s get seated.”

Yu Xia nodded and turned to take her usual seat in the corner, but the colleague called out, “Hey, Yu Xia!”

“Hmm?” Yu Xia asked, puzzled.

“Sit with Zheng Yun,” the colleague instructed. “Since you both need to speak, you can sit together in the back. It’ll be a good chance to bond too.”

Yu Xia wanted to refuse.

But before she could voice her objection, the colleague hurried off to fetch the meeting materials. Within seconds, the other team members began filing in, settling into their familiar seats.

Yu Xia had no choice but to give in.

She didn’t have the princess-like temperament to expect everyone to revolve around her.

The sharp clicks of the two Team Leads’ heels on the marble floor announced their arrival. Everyone was already seated, including the reluctant Yu Xia.

Zheng Yun handed her the printed materials, which Yu Xia accepted with feigned gratitude.

“You’re welcome,” Zheng Yun replied, her hand resting on the black conference table. Her already pale skin appeared even whiter, the redness from the burn spreading across her hand, glaringly bright.

Yu Xia averted her gaze and began listening to the Team Leads conduct the meeting.

The main purpose of the meeting was for the Writing Team to report on the completed main and side storylines, as well as the card designs that needed to be illustrated.

Before joining the company, Yu Xia had heard from a senior colleague during the orientation that Fengyin usually maintained a relaxed management style, but they insisted on high-quality work delivered on time. This was especially true for Journey of Dreams, the first domestically developed yuri-themed game by a major Chinese studio. With no established templates or formulas to follow, every step was like feeling for stones to cross a river. The game’s current success was entirely due to the team’s tireless efforts.

Zheng Yun no longer disturbed Yu Xia’s work, focusing instead on her own learning.

Yu Xia quickly immersed herself in the task at hand.

The meeting barely concluded before lunchtime. Some of the copywriting was deemed substandard and needed revision, prompting the Writing Team to huddle together and discuss how to make the narrative more coherent.

The Art Team Lead began assigning tasks. Tilting her head in thought, she asked Yu Xia, “Would you prefer to work on the main storyline or the birthday card illustration?”

Yu Xia countered, “Can’t I do both?”

The two Team Leads exchanged amused glances. “Such confidence!”

Yu Xia replied earnestly, “I believe I can handle it.”

“It’s not that you can’t,” the Art Team Lead said with a kind smile. “But if the birthday card’s quality falls short, the players might criticize it. Aren’t you worried about that?”

Yu Xia shook her head. “I’m not afraid. I can do it.”

The Art Team Lead clapped her hands. “We shouldn’t overburden the newcomers. Let them handle the main storyline. You focus on preparing the birthday card illustration.”

The Writing Team Lead winked at Yu Xia. “You’re really motivated, aren’t you?”

When her gaze shifted to Zheng Yun, Zheng Yun picked up the thread. “I’ll make sure to learn from Ms. Yu Xia’s excellent virtues.”

Forced by the presence of her colleagues, Yu Xia couldn’t say anything. She tugged at the corners of her mouth, trying to make her expression look normal.

After the character assignments were announced, everyone left the conference room. Yu Xia and Zheng Yun stayed behind to clean up the trash.

There wasn’t much trash—just leftover tea. Some people had brought their own cups, leaving unfinished tea on the table. Yu Xia poured the remaining tea into the teapot, planning to wash it all later.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun said, approaching with her empty cup. She stood beside Yu Xia and asked casually, “Did you like the congee?”

Yu Xia didn’t even look up. “No.”

Zheng Yun wasn’t embarrassed or annoyed. She continued probing, “Has your taste changed recently?”

Yu Xia finished tidying up the last few items, turned to leave, and tossed back a light remark: “Instead of worrying about the tastes of ordinary colleagues, you should pay more attention to your own health.”

She walked out, leaving Zheng Yun in silence, the faint red marks on the back of her hand still visible.