After Becoming Roommates with My Flirty Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 38

Yu Xia was stopped by Zheng Yun as she headed out the door.

Having only been at work for a couple of days, Zheng Yun had already stopped wearing makeup, her face as fresh and pure as a lotus emerging from clear water. Up close, one could still catch the faint scent of her facial mask.

“Xiaxia, take your breakfast,” Zheng Yun said, handing her a bag.

“No need, thank you,” Yu Xia replied, sitting on a low stool to put on her shoes, her usual refusal.

“I don’t have a good excuse to bring you breakfast today,” Zheng Yun said, taking two steps forward in her slippers. “You wouldn’t want to be associated with me at work, would you?”

Yu Xia lifted her gaze.

It was difficult to remain unmoved by Zheng Yun’s beauty. Even though they lived together and saw each other daily, Yu Xia rarely looked directly at her, usually choosing to avert her eyes.

Today, Zheng Yun had her hair pulled back, revealing her slender, vulnerable neck, her shoulders and back delicate, and her collarbones exquisitely defined, like a porcelain vase that could shatter at the slightest touch. Yu Xia withdrew her gaze expressionlessly. “I don’t eat breakfast.”

“Then you should take it even more,” Zheng Yun said, handing over the bag. “It’s from the porridge shop, so your colleagues won’t ask any questions.”

As expected of Zheng Yun—she had considered even this detail.

Yu Xia gave her a deep look, studying her bathed in the morning light, her smile gentle and warm. She took the bag and left.

Arriving at the office early, Yu Xia found half her colleagues still absent. She opened the box, releasing a rich aroma of porridge. It was scalding hot; Yu Xia’s palm turned red before she withdrew her hand.

The porridge shop’s bag and box would lead colleagues to assume she had ordered takeout or picked it up herself, never suspecting that someone had gone to such lengths to conceal their relationship.

Zheng Yun truly knew how to manipulate her, going to such lengths just to ensure she had a warm meal.

Yu Xia felt a sudden surge of irritation, which she attributed to Nanqiao City’s rising temperatures.

Since she had brought it herself, she couldn’t simply throw it away like the breakfast Zheng Yun had forced on her before. She finished the entire bowl, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead, her stomach warm and full. She stood up to discard the trash in the corridor bin, just as Zheng Yun arrived at the office.

Colleagues bustled around them, some greeting Yu Xia, others Zheng Yun. Their eyes met briefly, and Zheng Yun smiled as she watched Yu Xia toss the visibly empty bag into the trash can.

“Zheng Yun, good luck with the big challenge!” a colleague said to Zheng Yun before turning to Yu Xia with a cheerful grin. “Yu Xia, Little Zhou has a fever and won’t be coming in today, right?”

Little Zhou was the name of Yu Xia’s desk neighbor.

“Okay,” Yu Xia nodded.

As the rest of the colleagues arrived, Yu Xia learned the bizarre reason for Little Zhou’s fever: during the night, he had accidentally stepped on the air conditioner remote, pressing the temperature down to 16 degrees Celsius. Little Zhou, a heavy sleeper, didn’t wake up until he was freezing and already catching a cold. By morning, he had a high fever.

Yu Xia rarely heard such peculiar reasons for illness. Her astonishment rivaled the time Chen Zhu, startled by a nightmare, had stumbled out of bed, tripped over the trash can, and crashed to the floor, waking her with the earth-shattering commotion.

Next came a message from Cen Xue, informing her that she had taken a personal day off due to some urgent matters.

The company could function without anyone, but without her colleagues’ constant chatter, Yu Xia’s ears felt strangely quiet—almost uncomfortably so.

Yu Xia usually had lunch with Cen Xue and Xiao Zhou, but today Xiao Zhou was absent. Had Cen Xue taken the day off? She planned to grab a quick bite at noon.

As lunchtime approached, Yu Xia crossed off her morning work tasks and decided to avoid the peak hours by going downstairs to buy a sandwich later.

Her phone beeped. Yu Xia picked it up and saw a message from Zheng Yun:

Come to the break room at 12:15.

Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to you.

Yu Xia expressionlessly turned off her phone. The company’s ergonomic chair was comfortable, but her mind was far from at ease.

She had explicitly asked Zheng Yun to maintain distance at work, insisting that no one should know they were living together.

But why was Zheng Yun repeatedly emphasizing this?

At exactly noon, the office workers scattered. A few lingered to heat up their lunchboxes in the break room microwave, while most headed downstairs to the cafeteria or nearby restaurants.

At 12:15, Yu Xia glanced at her phone. Zheng Yun hadn’t sent any further messages.

She felt like she was under some kind of spell, mindlessly following Zheng Yun’s instructions and walking toward the break room. The only difference between her and a corpse being led by a corpse driver in Xiangxi was that she was still alive.

In the break room, only one or two colleagues were getting water and making tea. They nodded in greeting as Yu Xia entered, then left.

As she walked further in, Zheng Yun was waiting for her.

This small break room was shared by the Art Team and the Writing Team, so Zheng Yun’s presence here wasn’t unusual.

“What’s up?” Yu Xia asked.

“Waiting for you to eat,” Zheng Yun said, gesturing to the counter. “Sit down.”

Yu Xia took two steps back. “No need. I’m leaving now.”

“Sit,” Zheng Yun said gently. “I promise no one will ever know about our… relationship.”

She lowered her voice to a whisper when she said “relationship,” as if they were plotting something.

“We don’t have a relationship,” Yu Xia corrected, frowning.

“Mm, we don’t.” Zheng Yun took out a lunchbox and pushed it toward Yu Xia.

The familiar citrus scent filled the break room, enveloping Yu Xia. Zheng Yun sat down with her own lunchbox, took out a pair of chopsticks, and handed them to Yu Xia.

“Eat,” Zheng Yun said, as if coaxing a child. “I promise nothing you’re worried about will happen.”

Yu Xia glanced at her skeptically. “If only your promises were worth anything.”

Zheng Yun’s smile faltered slightly, and she let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

“Eat,” Zheng Yun said, her voice softening. “Just think of it as not wasting food, okay?”

Yu Xia wanted to say no.

Wasting food wasn’t her fault.

But under Zheng Yun’s hopeful gaze, she accepted the chopsticks.

The break room had only a transparent glass door that opened with a push. Outside, the bustling sounds of people returning from lunch or coming in for water filled the air.

As Yu Xia ate the tomato beef stew—sweet and tangy, perfect with rice—she idly wondered how Zheng Yun would explain their lunch together to their colleagues.

Would she make up an excuse about bringing extra for Cen Xue, who was absent today? Or would she say she had simply brought too much and couldn’t finish it all?

She swallowed the food without much emotion.

A colleague pushed the door open, bringing in a wave of noisy chatter. “Hey, you two eating together?”

Yu Xia’s heart tightened. She turned to look at the colleague, but Zheng Yun had already answered: “I came to discuss birthday card designs with Teacher Yu, and we ended up having lunch together while we were at it.”

Zheng Yun’s smile was like a spring breeze. Her colleague, captivated by Zheng Yun’s beauty, smacked her lips and asked, “Isn’t Cen Xue supposed to be guiding you?”

“Teacher Cen took the day off today,” Zheng Yun explained. “She told me on WeChat to communicate with Teacher Yu directly.”

Her colleague considered this for a moment, nodded, and left to get water.

Across the room, Yu Xia finished her meal. She placed her chopsticks on the bento box with a crisp clink that went unnoticed in the noisy environment, but Zheng Yun heard it clearly.

“What’s wrong?”

“How come I didn’t know you were involved in the birthday card design?” Yu Xia asked coldly, her gaze fixed on Zheng Yun.

“It was the Team Lead’s decision. He told Cen Xue and me after yesterday’s meeting…” Zheng Yun’s voice grew softer, ending with a faint sigh. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you.”

“It’s fine,” Yu Xia said, shaking her head as she stood up. “Thank you for the meal.”

She rinsed her bento box at the sink, handed it back to Zheng Yun, and turned to leave.

With Cen Xue absent, work was temporarily stalled, and there was no need for overtime. Instead of going home, Yu Xia went to the neighboring district to find Chen Zhu.

When Chen Zhu graduated, she had planned to apply to Fengyin with Yu Xia. But after hearing from her senior about Fengyin’s grueling work schedule, she abandoned Yu Xia with a howl and sprinted toward a stable, 9-to-5 job with weekends off. As Chen Zhu put it, “Sure, the pay isn’t great, but my mental health is so much better!”

When Yu Xia saw Chen Zhu again after a month, she didn’t find her looking particularly mentally healthy. After just over a month on the job, Chen Zhu already looked like she’d been squeezed dry by work, as resentful as someone who’d pulled three all-nighters straight to finish end-of-semester assignments.

“Yu Xia! Sister Yu! Xiaxia!” Chen Zhu dashed over, stirring up the summer heat, and skidded to a halt in front of Yu Xia. “How come you look even more drained than me?”

As they walked toward Chen Zhu’s rented apartment, Yu Xia asked casually, “Are you about to be worked to death?”

Chen Zhu wailed dramatically, “Life has kissed me with pain, and I’m crying, rolling around in agony!”

“No amount of crying will make life let up,” Yu Xia said, glancing at her sideways. “It’ll only double down.”

Chen Zhu nodded in sudden understanding.

“So work is affecting you after all.”

“Huh?” Yu Xia looked puzzled.

“You used to just be sarcastic,” Chen Zhu lamented, her voice filled with anguish. “Now you’re as harsh as my old boss—the one who paid me five thousand yuan but expected fifty thousand yuan’s worth of work, and called me useless when I couldn’t deliver!”

As they chatted, the two reached the apartment building’s entrance. Chen Zhu scanned her face, and Yu Xia pulled open the door. The lobby was spacious and cool, their footsteps echoing faintly on the floor.

“Don’t compare me to a balding man,” Yu Xia said, pressing the elevator button. “Just change jobs.”

Residents streamed in and out of the elevator. It was the time when elementary school students, carefree after lunch, were heading out to play on their bikes. Chen Zhu glanced at them enviously before turning away. “All the recent college graduates have started their jobs. I asked around, but every company said they’re not hiring for the next two months. They told me to wait for the September campus recruitment.”

Yu Xia couldn’t offer much help, and Chen Zhu had no intention of continuing her complaints. As they stepped out of the elevator, golden sunlight streamed through a small window at the end of the corridor, painting the scene with the beauty of twilight. Chen Zhu skipped ahead to unlock her door. “I live alone, and you still haven’t come to stay with me! Oh, how’s your new roommate?”

Yu Xia suddenly thought of Zheng Yun’s face. In a matter of seconds, her mind drifted to questions like: Shouldn’t Zheng Yun be heading home by now? Has she eaten? What is she doing? She snapped back to reality quickly, and Chen Zhu, busy unlocking the door, didn’t notice her brief mental detour.

“It’s alright,” Yu Xia said objectively. “Not noisy at all. Very quiet.”

“That’s great! My previous roommates were like Bluetooth speakers infected with a virus—they made noise everywhere they went,” Chen Zhu grumbled as she pushed the door open. “They should be forced to be square dance partners for old ladies.”

Yu Xia imagined the scene and shuddered slightly.

“I haven’t learned to cook yet, so let’s just order takeout for now,” Chen Zhu said, sprawling on the sofa. “I miss the curry chicken cutlet from the third cafeteria. Is the food around your office any good?”

Even though Chen Zhu was asking about restaurants near her office, Yu Xia’s first thought was of the tomato beef brisket she’d had for lunch.

“It’s no different from the cafeteria,” Yu Xia said, changing the subject. “What did you want to talk about?”

“This… well…” Chen Zhu hesitated, “Let’s talk after we eat.”

Chen Zhu’s siblings, parents, and in-laws had all contributed financially to her starting her new job. Though her salary couldn’t match Yu Xia’s earnings from working five days of overtime a week, she lived far more comfortably. When Chen Zhu pulled several bottles of wine from the refrigerator, Yu Xia’s eyelids twitched. What could have driven someone as reserved as Chen Zhu to need liquid courage?

As they ate and drank, Chen Zhu, who had a decent tolerance for alcohol, downed three bottles. The alcohol loosened her tongue. “I’ve fallen for someone… I don’t even know if they’re male or female.”

Yu Xia’s hand froze mid-pour.

“We met playing games. When I got flamed, they’d flame back for me. We started playing together, and their skills are amazing. They always defend me when others trash-talk, but they’ve never used voice chat.” Chen Zhu poured more wine into her glass, a hint of melancholy in her voice.

“Xiaxia, I’m a college graduate! How could I still be crushing on someone just because they’re good at games? I don’t even know their gender or what they look like!” As she spoke, her emotions surged, her long, wavy hair swaying with each sip.

“Where are they from?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re asking what?” Yu Xia calmly proposed a solution. “If they’re nearby, suggest meeting up. I’ll go with you.”

Chen Zhu hesitated. “What if he’s just another creepy old man like my boss?”

Yu Xia poured her another glass of wine. “Then run.”

Chen Zhu downed a few more glasses, her head spinning. She slumped onto the table and sighed, “Xiaxia, you’re the best. If only I could handle my relationship problems with your decisiveness.”

Yu Xia said nothing.

When Chen Zhu got too drunk and needed to sleep, Yu Xia cleaned up the living room. After confirming Chen Zhu was merely tired and not passed out, she took the trash out of the apartment.

It was nearly the subway’s closing time. Fortunately, she didn’t need to transfer. She boarded the last train, the car sparsely populated. Yu Xia could clearly feel the wind on her face, which helped clear her head.

Twenty minutes later, the train arrived at the station near her office, where tired workers flooded the platform.

Thirty minutes after that, she got off at the station near her apartment complex.

The city’s light pollution obscured the stars, and the moon wasn’t bright enough. Even the cicadas’ chirping sounded lazy.

When Yu Xia arrived home, the living room light was still on.

Hearing the door open, Zheng Yun sat up from the sofa, rubbed her eyes, and walked over, clearly having fallen asleep while waiting.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun called out, “did you drink?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Zheng Yun massaged her temples to clear her head. “I’ll make you a bowl of hangover soup so you don’t have a headache at work tomorrow.”

“Zheng Yun,” Yu Xia said, her tone measured.

Zheng Yun looked at her, puzzled.

“What do you want from me?” Yu Xia asked, after washing her hands in the kitchen and meticulously drying her fingers. Her question sounded both like an accusation and casual conversation.

“I don’t want anything from you…” Zheng Yun sighed.

Zheng Yun’s beauty was timeless. Even now, with her hair disheveled and the dazed look of someone just awakened, her hazy eyes still captivated.

Yu Xia averted her gaze and pressed on, “You followed me into the company, trying to manipulate me, infiltrate my social circle, and control my work environment. You really don’t want anything?”

Zheng Yun shook her head. “I don’t.”

Yu Xia leaned forward, her hands braced on the marble dining table, closing in on Zheng Yun until she could count every one of Zheng Yun’s eyelashes. When Zheng Yun’s lashes fluttered, Yu Xia could even feel their soft, downy touch against her skin.

“You have to go to work yourself, yet you wake up an hour and a half early to make breakfast and lunch for me,” Yu Xia asked sarcastically. “You’re not going to tell me you actually enjoy cooking, are you?”

Zheng Yun stared at the woman who had never spoken harshly to her before, now finding every word laced with suspicion. A sudden weariness washed over her.

She forced a smile. “I wanted… a kiss from you?”

Her words were deliberately bold, meant to give herself a way out.

Yu Xia’s anger twisted into a bitter laugh. “Are you asking for a kiss from the ex-girlfriend you dumped?”

Fueled by alcohol, the emotions Yu Xia had suppressed deep within her surged to the surface like bamboo shoots after a rain, threatening to become a swaying bamboo forest.

“…Yes,” Zheng Yun admitted, facing the raw truth of their bloody breakup. “Is that allowed?”

Yu Xia pressed closer, their faces nearly touching. She hissed, “You’re truly pathetic.”

Then she leaned in and kissed her.

Neither of them was any better than the other.

Unlike the tender kisses exchanged between lovers in the past, Yu Xia’s kiss was more like a lion tearing into its prey, ruthlessly tearing apart the flesh with savage abandon.

The metallic tang of bl00d mingled with their saliva, staining it a lurid crimson. Zheng Yun’s fingers curled in pain, her sobs swallowed down her throat. Her slender neck, held in Yu Xia’s hand, arched back with fragile defiance, accepting everything Yu Xia offered.

This was no kiss of passion, but a punishment.

Yu Xia didn’t even bother to support Zheng Yun with her hands, indulging her twisted amusement. Zheng Yun could retreat at any moment if the pain became unbearable.

Yu Xia could clearly feel Zheng Yun trembling in pain, yet she didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned forward, offering herself up to Yu Xia’s ravenous assault, making it easier for Yu Xia to devour her.

The lingering taste of alcohol filled their mouths as Yu Xia’s demands consumed Zheng Yun’s warm, yielding lips. Every trace of restraint vanished, leaving Zheng Yun gasping for air. A stifled moan escaped her lips, and only then did Yu Xia pull back, breaking the suffocating embrace.

“Satisfied now?” Yu Xia sneered, her gaze fixed on Zheng Yun’s flushed cheeks, peach-pink ears, and the crimson streaks marring her once-plump, rosy lips.

“Xiaxia,” Zheng Yun murmured, her lips parting and closing, the crimson hue adding to her captivating allure. She smiled faintly. “Has your kissing technique deteriorated?”

Before they collapsed onto the sofa, Yu Xia thought to herself that she would have made a terrible general in ancient times. A simple provocation, and she’d fallen right into the trap.

This time, Yu Xia abandoned even the pretense of gentleness, forcing Zheng Yun to endure a relentless storm of passion. Zheng Yun was pinned against the corner of the sofa, her only recourse to lean back against the cushion, with no escape.

In the silent night, only their soft gasps filled the air. Tears streamed down Zheng Yun’s cheeks, soaking the sofa pillow and dripping into Yu Xia’s palm.

Yu Xia, thoroughly satisfied, stood up and gazed down at Zheng Yun, who lay panting on the sofa, her lips covered in tiny cuts.

“Come up with your own reasons,” Yu Xia said, her voice as cold as a judge delivering a sentence. “I don’t want to hear you mention me at the office again.”

“…Fine,” Zheng Yun said, covering her eyes. “Can I at least know where you were tonight?”

“None of your business,” Yu Xia replied, turning to leave. “You have no right to ask about my affairs.”

As Yu Xia closed the door, she heard Zheng Yun stir. She recalled Chen Zhu’s praise for her decisiveness in matters of the heart.

How ironic.

Who would be so decisive? He kissed his ex-girlfriend the moment they disagreed.