After the Online Romance with the Campus Beauty Roommate Went Wrong - Chapter 16

The whistle blew. “Time’s up! Counters, report the scores to me.”

Su Ningyue, who had been waiting for her turn, squeezed onto the soft mat and asked Sang Shi’an, “Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?”

Sang Shi’an was mortified. Seeing Su Ningyue’s mischievous grin, she grumbled, “It’s just from rushing! A skinny girl like me having to retake sit-ups? How embarrassing!”

Su Ningyue suddenly seemed to discover something amusing. She let out a long “Aiya!” “Why were you making so much noise with your sit-ups? You even bumped Senior Jian’s neck red!”

Sang Shi’an’s gaze followed Su Ningyue’s. Jian Chenyu, with her typically pale complexion, now had a faint blush on her neck, perhaps from being bumped or even grazed by Sang Shi’an’s teeth. Up close, one could even see a trace of colorless lip gloss, resembling a kiss mark.

Even more embarrassed, Sang Shi’an ignored Su Ningyue’s teasing glances and bowed her head in apology. “I’m so sorry! I was just really anxious.”

“As long as I didn’t get in your way,” Jian Chenyu replied. “You should have passed.”

Sang Shi’an’s drooping eyebrows immediately lifted. “Really?”

“They’re registering over there. Let’s go check.”

At the physical education teacher’s registration table, Sang Shi’an found her student ID number and saw the recorded score: 29.

Twenty-seven was the passing mark—she had barely made it.

She finally exhaled in relief. “That scared me half to death.”

Only then did she notice Jian Chenyu. “What are you doing here?”

“I was passing by the field after lunch when your friend asked for my help. I came to see what was up.”

After standing in the breeze for a while, Jian Chenyu’s neck had regained its pale complexion, restoring her to her usual icy beauty, devoid of emotion.

The physical education teacher blew her whistle again, urging the second group to start their sit-ups. Sang Shi’an said, “Wait here,” and went to help Su Ningyue hold her legs down.

Next came the 800-meter run.

Before the start, Xu Taotao adjusted her watch repeatedly, fearing it might malfunction. “The passing time is four and a half minutes, right? I need to keep a close eye on my watch—I can’t go over time.”

Sang Shi’an casually asked, “If you have time to check your watch while running, why are you worried about going over time?”

“That’s different!” Xu Taotao retorted indignantly. “I’m not competing for a top spot. If I ran all-out, would my legs even be able to carry me to class for the rest of the week?”

Sang Shi’an mocked mercilessly, “That’s what you get for never exercising.”

Xu Taotao deliberately squeezed ahead of her, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Of course I’m different from you. After all, you’re busy sneaking out for dates every day.”

Sang Shi’an: ……

The 800-meter run officially began.

The university’s physical fitness test lacked the fervor of high school. After the first twenty meters, only a handful of runners sprinted ahead, while the rest of the pack jostled together, some even chatting casually.

A girl deliberately squeezed next to Sang Shi’an, panting as she asked, “Is Senior Jian waiting for you, Sang Shi’an? I overheard you mentioning a date earlier. Are you two really dating?”

Sang Shi’an patiently defended her reputation, “Jian Chenyu is a wonderful senior sister. Those photos of me avoiding her or acting up were maliciously staged.”

“I often run into her when I go to Professor Xu’s office for tutoring, and we’ve become friends. She came to help when Su Ningyue injured her hand earlier. I’ll thank her properly later.”

A perfectly normal 800-meter run had somehow slowed to a crawl as the gossip-hungry crowd lingered to hear more.

Two minutes had already passed, and Sang Shi’an hadn’t even reached the starting line. Worried she wouldn’t pass, she picked up her pace and surged ahead.

The students behind her exchanged glances and shook their heads. “It’s like she’s making up serious-sounding nonsense.”

“Even the dogs at the gate wouldn’t believe that.”

Su Ningyue didn’t bother defending Sang Shi’an; any explanation would only make things worse.

During the final half-lap, Sang Shi’an, concerned Su Ningyue wouldn’t make it in time, waited for her in the distance. As soon as Su Ningyue arrived, Sang Shi’an grabbed her hand. “Hurry! It’s already three and a half minutes!”

Su Ningyue gasped for breath. “I… I’m not as fast as you. Senior Jian… is waiting for you at the finish line.”

Sang Shi’an scoffed. “She’s just sunbathing on the field.”

Su Ningyue, frustrated, retorted, “What’s so great about sunbathing?”

The students who had been watching the commotion earlier caught up, their curiosity piqued. Sang Shi’an clamped a hand over Su Ningyue’s mouth. “Save your energy! One more word and you’ll have to run the whole thing again!”

Sang Shi’an crossed the finish line just as the timer hit four minutes. After registering her time, Su Ningyue leaned against Sang Shi’an’s shoulder and suggested, “Let’s get some iced drinks?”

Sang Shi’an was about to reply when she noticed Jian Chenyu’s gaze shift toward her. Jian Chenyu raised a hand slightly in her direction, the delicate bracelet on her wrist shimmering softly in the sunlight.

As if drawn by an invisible force, Sang Shi’an instinctively pulled away from Su Ningyue and took a few steps toward Jian Chenyu before saying to Su Ningyue, “Go find Xu Taotao and the others.”

Under Su Ningyue’s watchful gaze, Jian Chenyu twisted open the cap of the mineral water bottle and, as Sang Shi’an approached, held it to her chin.

Startled, Sang Shi’an hesitated, unsure whether to accept. Just then, Jian Chenyu’s voice sounded in her ear: “You shouldn’t drink ice-cold water right after running. This will have to do.”

Sang Shi’an glanced at the freshly opened bottle. Had Jian Chenyu gone to buy it specifically for her?

Seeing Sang Shi’an’s lips press into a thin line and her expression turn awkward, Jian Chenyu’s delicate brows furrowed slightly in confusion. “What’s wrong? Do you want me to feed you?”

Before she could finish the sentence, Sang Shi’an frantically cut her off: “Who wants you to feed me?!”

Jian Chenyu’s gaze lingered for a fleeting moment on Sang Shi’an’s parted lips before she calmly looked away, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes.

With the physical fitness tests concluded, the participants dispersed to buy water, and a new group of students quickly filled the track.

Sang Shi’an and Jian Chenyu walked off the track. As they passed the basketball court, Jian Chenyu glanced at Sang Shi’an’s open collar and the sweat glistening on her forehead. “Are you hot?”

Sang Shi’an nodded. “I want to shower, but I don’t feel like walking all the way back to the dorm. I guess I’ll just make do there—at least they have hot water.”

Jian Chenyu offered, “My car’s parked at the school gate. Want a ride?”

Sang Shi’an didn’t ask why Jian Chenyu had driven today, but she felt a bit awkward. “Nah, I’m all sweaty. I’d get the car seats dirty.”

Jian Chenyu paused. “It’s just a car.”

She asked, her tone softer than usual, “Aren’t we friends?”

The words slipped into Sang Shi’an’s left ear, tickling her senses like ripples expanding in concentric circles.

Sang Shi’an twisted open her water bottle and took a sip, trying to suppress the strange flutter in her chest. “…Fine, then.”

After the physical fitness test, nearly every college student who hadn’t exercised in ages was suffering from muscle soreness, some even dramatically spraying Yunnan Baiyao pain relief spray. Sang Shi’an, being the delicate type, hated the medicinal smell and refused to use it. When she climbed the stairs to her dorm for her afternoon nap, she moved as slowly as a turtle.

By the weekend, however, she couldn’t hide her discomfort any longer.

Fortunately, Uncle Wang was still picking her up on Saturdays, sparing Sang Shi’an from having to walk too far. As she settled into the car, she casually asked, “Uncle Wang, is my brother coming today?”

The driver signaled a turn, glanced in the rearview mirror, and replied, “Madam was afraid the Young Master would come home today and then leave again, so she insisted he stay home.”

Sang Shi’an imagined the scene and burst into laughter.

It was one thing for her parents to still be strict with her at her age, but her brother was twenty-seven, a respected figure in his own right. How could he still be so stifled?

Curious, Sang Shi’an asked, “Did my brother deliberately avoid Mom last time?”

The driver shook his head. “I wouldn’t know about that.”

Leaning against the car window, Sang Shi’an hummed in acknowledgment, gazing blankly at the bustling streets outside as she drifted off to sleep.

When the car stopped, the driver woke her. She rubbed her eyes groggily, her gaze sweeping across the scene outside the window before abruptly freezing.

There stood Jian Chenyu, radiant in a white, tailored long dress paired with a tweed Chanel-style jacket and matching block-heeled shoes. Her raven-black hair cascaded down her straight back, with a single strand draped over her chest.

So… was Jian Chenyu here to show off to her family?

Ren Li approached and opened the car door. “Why aren’t you getting out? I specially invited your Sister Chenyu and her family over for dinner today. Aren’t you excited?”

How could Sang Shi’an possibly be happy? But Ren Li’s voice was so gentle and soothing that, as always, Sang Shi’an’s temper melted away. She called out, “Mom,” and looked up with a bright smile. “Of course I’m happy!”

During Jian Chenyu’s four years abroad, Sang Shi’an had seen his parents many times and felt quite familiar with them. She greeted them politely with a “Hello, Uncle and Aunt,” and Mother Jian immediately pulled her aside and pressed a gift box into her hands, asking with a coaxing tone, “This is specially for you. Do you like it?”

Sang Shi’an opened the box to find a diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe women’s watch. While the two families exchanged gifts regularly, this seemed excessively extravagant.

Sang Shi’an quickly protested, “Aunt Luo, I can’t accept this. It’s too expensive!”

Luo Wei teased her, “Since it’s specially for you, just take it. This isn’t Chenyu’s style anyway. Do you want me to embarrass myself by returning it?”

Sang Shi’an glanced at Ren Li for help, but to her surprise, Ren Li didn’t object. “I picked this out with your Aunt Luo. I got one for your Sister Chenyu too. You’re usually so thick-skinned—why are you being so polite today?”

“Then I won’t be shy about it,” Sang Shi’an said, putting the watch on her wrist in front of everyone. She smiled at Luo Wei. “Aunt Luo, how does it look?”

“It looks beautiful, An’an. You’re already beautiful, and this watch makes you even more so.”

The group entered the house together. Sang Shi’an walked beside Jian Chenyu and, as they stepped through the door, she deliberately reminded her, “Don’t forget, we’re still as close as we were when we were little.”

They mustn’t suspect we’re acting.

But Jian Chenyu didn’t respond as usual.

Sang Shi’an grabbed her arm in the entryway. “Did you hear me?”

Jian Chenyu’s gaze lingered on Sang Shi’an’s hand for a moment before shifting away. Her tone was heavy with meaning. “They won’t be paying attention to us today.”

Sang Shi’an: ?

Assuming Jian Chenyu was deliberately trying to make things difficult, Sang Shi’an continued to plead softly as they walked to the living room.

“Are you upset because I was rude to you these past few days? I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it. I just really didn’t want to talk to anyone. My legs have been killing me since the physical test, and they still hurt so much today…”

Jian Chenyu, who had been ignoring her, suddenly spoke up. “Your legs hurt?”

Seizing the opportunity to play the victim, Sang Shi’an whined, “Yeah, I haven’t run in ages. I must have strained a muscle.”

“Why haven’t you put any ointment on it?” Jian Chenyu asked.

“…I forgot.”

Jian Chenyu shot her a disapproving glance. “I’ll help you later.”

When it was just the two of them, Sang Shi’an had resisted applying the medicine. But this time, she desperately wanted everyone in the room to witness the intimate scene of Jian Chenyu applying the ointment. She immediately said, “Okay, okay, I’ll go get the medicine right now.”

As she left the living room, she bumped into Sang Shiyue coming down the stairs. He was wearing a suit even at home today, a more casual style than the black one he’d worn last time, softening his usual sharp edge. The embroidered red tie added a touch of untamed elegance.

Sang Shi’an let out an exaggerated “Wow!” “Brother! So that’s why you didn’t pick me up—you were busy dressing up at home?”

Sang Shiyue didn’t seem particularly pleased, but he didn’t offer an explanation. “The guests are here. What are you doing going that way?”

“Just grabbing something. I’ll be right back,” Sang Shi’an waved dismissively, humming a popular song as she headed toward the storage room.

She chose a mild-scented ointment, confidently planning to return and play the part of the respectful younger sister with Jian Chenyu.

As she rounded the corner back into the living room, Mother Jian was speaking, apparently praising Sang Shiyue’s handsome appearance. Sang Shi’an thought to herself that her brother was nothing but a big bad wolf, putting on a different act in public than he did in private.

Then, the radiant smile on her lips froze instantly.

Sang Shi’an nearly dropped the ointment, feeling as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head, chilling her to the core.

Mother Jian’s next words were:

“…Your mother mentioned it to me last time, and after thinking it over, I agree it’s a wonderful idea. Chen Yu is currently single, and our families have been close for so many years. A marriage between us would be the perfect finishing touch.”

Sang Shi’an almost doubted her ears. She hurried into the room, her voice cutting through the others’: “Who’s marrying whom?”

Even her voice cracked at the end.