After the Online Romance with the Campus Beauty Roommate Went Wrong - Chapter 22

As Sang Shi’an was changing into her little dress, the Cat Cat Account received a new WeChat message.

It was the first time in over half a month that Jian Chenyu had proactively messaged her.

On the third day after Sang Shi’an deliberately posted on her Moments without acknowledging Jian Chenyu.

Have you eaten?

Sang Shi’an, still fastening her dress, typed back while holding the collar closed: I’ve already eaten. I was just about to look for you, Older Sister.

A video call request immediately popped up, catching her off guard.

Though not fully dressed, Sang Shi’an had covered herself adequately. She grabbed her phone and mask, went to a pristine white wall, and answered the call.

As always, Jian Chenyu immediately turned off her camera, denying the other party any chance to see her.

“Wait for me, Older Sister! I’m still changing.”

The two wings on Sang Shi’an’s back were uneven, and the succubus’s signature tail tilted crookedly to the right. Only the gloves were worn correctly, making her look adorably disheveled.

“You called me just to show me this?”

Sang Shi’an nodded enthusiastically, thinking Jian Chenyu couldn’t wait any longer. She reverted to her usual clingy self: “Yes! You even liked my Moments the other day! Since you care about me so much, I had to change for you today!”

Having worn the outfit once before, it was easier to put on this time. As she secured the sash and prepared to adjust the tail and wings, Jian Chenyu’s voice suddenly asked through the phone speaker, “So, the exam tonight was a lie?”

The low, amused voice, perfectly reproduced through the speaker, purred, “Little liar.”

That voice…

It sounded even more like Jian Chenyu’s usual speaking tone than in previous video calls, yet it was also different, drawn out with a lazy, intimate cadence, like the teasing between lovers.

Sang Shi’an’s hand trembled, nearly yanking the tail she was holding.

She had almost forgotten that she had deliberately kept Jian Chenyu hanging on by claiming she needed to take an early final exam for a subject.

Had she even specified a date?

Sang Shi’an’s face twisted into a grimace as she weakly defended herself, “The proctor had an emergency and moved the exam to this afternoon.”

Jian Chenyu chuckled again. “But my calendar clearly shows your exam is tomorrow morning.”

Sang Shi’an: ……

Huh?

Sang Shi’an was completely disoriented, unable to recall which day she had blurted out in her fabricated story.

Since she couldn’t remember, she decided to play dead.

“Cat Cat?”

The familiar tapping sound returned. “Explain.”

Sang Shi’an’s hands clenched in front of the camera. In a small, sincere voice, she confessed, “Older Sister, I was wrong.”

“So you’ve been lying to me all this time?”

“…Mm.”

Jian Chenyu’s voice deepened, becoming icily indifferent. “Explain.”

“My family enrolled me in an academic tutoring program these past few days, so I’ve been really busy.”

Sang Shi’an mentally cursed Jian Chenyu eight times. Taking advantage of Jian Chenyu’s ignorance of her true identity, she began to badmouth the tutoring teacher: “Older Sister, you have no idea how awful that teacher is! She’s so strict and cold, and she doesn’t even have a boyfriend herself, yet she’s meddling in other people’s lives. The moment she caught me replying to your WeChat message, she started watching me like a hawk, even denying me food! I’ve lost three pounds in just a few days!”

The girl, deliberately straining her voice, whined pitifully, adding a slight nasal tone to sound even more pathetic.

But here’s the catch: Jian Chenyu was the very “teacher” Sang Shi’an was complaining about.

Separated by several soundproof walls, Jian Chenyu nearly laughed in exasperation at Sang Shi’an’s audacity.

Strict and cold?

Denying Sang Shi’an food?

To accompany Sang Shi’an to that newly opened viral restaurant, she had driven two hours across half of Yan City, then waited through 112 tables. And this is what she calls denying me food?

Jian Chenyu lowered her head and sighed, loose strands of hair falling softly across her forehead, obscuring the emotions in her eyes. She looked like she wanted to laugh, yet also like she was seething with anger.

Only when the faint, orchid-like fragrance reached her nose did she pause, her voice regaining its steady tone. “I see.”

“I thought you’d say you grew a tail and went to the doctor.”

The voice sounded cold, making Sang Shi’an shiver. She noticed the curtains fluttering slightly, likely because the window wasn’t fully closed.

Finally dressed, she tried shaking her back twice, the fluffy wings and tail swaying with her movements. “So Older Sister cares about me after all?”

“I did go to the doctor, but he said this tail doesn’t belong to me. Once it grows out, it’ll burn with pain every night. Older Sister, please save me!”

Jian Chenyu: “How can I save you?”

Sang Shi’an’s voice sounded dejected. “If no one comforts my newly grown tail, I’ll die from the pain and never be able to transform back into an Elf.”

Jian Chenyu: “Why is this happening?”

Sang Shi’an continued weaving her newly acquired Western fantasy knowledge for Jian Chenyu. “I’m sorry, Older Sister. I just wanted your love so badly. I heard the Demon King had a potion that could make my beloved fall for me, so I stole it. But I never imagined… I never imagined…”

“I’m sorry, I’m just a bad girl. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I was too afraid to tell you. I’ve been deliberately avoiding you these past few days. Will you hate me?”

A long silence followed before a sigh finally came from the other end. “Then don’t hold back.”

Sang Shi’an was about to ask what “don’t hold back” meant when—

“Come here. Sit on my lap.”

Sit… where?

Sang Shi’an froze, her mind racing. How can I sit on your lap through a screen? Should I go knock on Jian Chenyu’s door right now?

“Still not coming? Does Cat Cat want to be tied up?”

The voice was both gentle and cruel, two contradictory qualities merging into a single tone. This abrupt shift silenced Sang Shi’an’s frantic thoughts, pulling her back to the mindset she’d had during their earlier video calls.

It felt as if Jian Chenyu were right there, sitting imperiously on her bed, issuing commands from above.

She could refuse.

Yet in that instant, her bl00d surged upward, her breath quickened, the exposed collarbones flushed crimson, and her legs half-rose from the chair, her slender calves flashing briefly across the camera.

She settled back down. “I…”

Sang Shi’an wasn’t sure if Jian Chenyu understood.

“Now, wrap your arms tightly around my shoulders.”

A new command.

Sang Shi’an raised her hands and placed them on the sofa at the foot of the bed. Behind her, her wings unfurled with the movement, the black feathers spreading across the entire screen, making her look like a fallen angel newly arrived in the Demon Realm.

“Lift your waist. I can’t reach you like that.”

Sang Shi’an shifted her waist slightly.

“Higher.”

“Press down here.” It felt as if a pair of hands were pressing into the small of her back.

The lower half of her face, masked, gradually came into view on the screen. Afraid of being discovered by Jian Chenyu, Sang Shi’an could only sit up straighter.

But the moment she had that thought, Jian Chenyu spoke again.

Forced to comply, she arched her back lower and lower, while the tail she had claimed would “burn without caresses” became increasingly prominent on the screen.

Sang Shi’an had taken dance lessons as a child but quit because she found it too tiring. Her flexibility had long since deteriorated; she couldn’t even reach the 20-centimeter mark in a sit-and-reach test.

Yet now, fine beads of sweat rolled down her taut back, shimmering like a layer of silver dust.

So hot.

And so sore.

“I really can’t bend any further,” Sang Shi’an gasped, her voice strained and tinged with frustration.

“Good girl, you can do it.”

“Almost touching your tail.”

“Lean in a little more, against me.”

“Can you feel it?”

The voice gradually lowered, yet remained clear and intimate in her ear.

Sang Shi’an felt a strange illusion, as if she were truly being held in someone’s arms. The soft, feathered fabric against her chest seemed to blend with a gentle warmth, pressing against her skin.

“Cat Cat’s tail is so beautiful.”

“So soft.”

“So obedient.”

Jian Chenyu’s triple praise made Sang Shi’an so embarrassed she couldn’t even open her eyes.

“You’re all flushed red. Poor thing.”

Sang Shi’an forced herself to explain, “It’s just from the medicine I just applied.”

A long silence followed.

The breeze through the window made the feathers on the tail tremble slightly, as if they were truly being stroked.

“Is just touching your tail enough?”

“Why are you still so red?”

“Should Older Sister help cool you down?”

The voice seemed muffled, yet its breathy intimacy remained unnervingly clear.

It felt as if her vulnerable tail had been seized, her fatal weakness exposed in another’s hands. She wanted to escape, yet craved more.

“Why are you so quiet?”

“Cat Cat, why haven’t you contacted me these past few days?”

Sang Shi’an: ……

Must you bring up old grievances even now?

“Don’t move.”

Sang Shi’an had only straightened up slightly for a second before Jian Chenyu’s sharp eyes caught her.

She obediently lay back down. “I love Older Sister so much.”

“I want to go home with Older Sister.”

“So Older Sister can see me hiding under the covers as soon as she gets home from school.”

Jian Chenyu: “And then?”

Sang Shi’an’s ears flushed crimson. “Then…”

Jian Chenyu waited patiently, letting Sang Shi’an find the words herself.

The wait stretched on, so long that Sang Shi’an’s back began to ache, her body trembling.

As her breathing grew ragged, she finally couldn’t hold back a soft, choked sob.

Jian Chenyu’s breath caught in her throat, her hand clenching around the volume control of her headset.

Lowering her voice, she made the decision for Sang Shi’an.

“Cat Cat, shall I devour you?”

Sang Shi’an’s back ached for a full week.

Ever since that succubus cosplay outfit, Jian Chenyu had become like an insatiable spirit, draining Sang Shi’an’s energy relentlessly. The younger woman suffered in silence, afraid to use the family’s medicinal balms and secretly applying patches in the bathroom after class.

“A little lower… Ah, damn it! Stop pressing so hard! Be gentle!” Sang Shi’an gritted her teeth, complaining about Su Ningyue’s clumsy application of the medicinal patch.

Su Ningyue carefully peeled off the patch’s protective film and sighed. “Just bear with it. Everyone else gets shoulder and back pain from sleeping in weird positions, but you? It’s always your waist! If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you’d been sneaking off to a hotel with someone.”

Sang Shi’an’s breath hitched for a moment. “How could that be possible?”

Su Ningyue leaned closer, brushed aside Sang Shi’an’s hair, and pinched the tip of her ear. “You’re not hiding anything from me, are you?”

Sang Shi’an slapped her hand away. “What could I possibly be hiding?”

“You don’t seem the type,” Su Ningyue muttered. “Otherwise, your back wouldn’t be so spotless.”

At least there should be some marks, right?

This pale waist… even a little pressure would leave a mark.

It’s hard not to be tempted.

After applying the patch, Su Ningyue tugged down Sang Shi’an’s shirt hem. “Need help tucking it into your skirt? Surely you can manage that yourself?”

Sang Shi’an recoiled in disgust, stuffing her clothes into her bag. “Get lost! Don’t even think about taking advantage of me!”

Su Ningyue snorted. “As if I’d want to.”

Sang Shi’an threw on her jacket and pushed open the door. “Plenty of people want me. Once the hype with Jian Chenyu dies down, I’ll get a confession every day just to make you jealous.”

Su Ningyue: “Are you talking about the kind of confession you get after basketball practice, when you’re drenched in sweat and someone corners you for half an hour?”

Sang Shi’an: …

Sometimes, words aren’t necessary.

Su Ningyue draped an arm over Sang Shi’an’s shoulder, leaning half her body against her. “Don’t be mad. Those days are closer than you think.”

Sang Shi’an’s hand froze mid-reach for her phone. “What do you mean?”

“Remember when you helped Senior Jian clear up that misunderstanding a few days ago? Car enthusiasts have already identified your car’s exact model and specs. Its market value is over five million yuan.” Sang Shi’an was wearing a pure white faux fur jacket today, so soft that Su Ningyue couldn’t resist hugging her tightly.

“The school is buzzing with curiosity about your and Senior Jian’s family backgrounds. Someone from the Department of Chemistry even claimed that the chemistry lab building was donated by Senior Jian’s family, and they also fund over a hundred million yuan in research grants annually.”

“This donation information is publicly available on the official website. When people saw the same surname, they didn’t bother investigating the exact relationship and simply assumed a connection.”

Sang Shi’an looked puzzled. “Even if they know the car belongs to Jian Chenyu and that his family is well-off, what does that have to do with me?”

Su Ningyue sighed at Sang Shi’an’s naiveté and poked her forehead. “Are you dense? Do you think everyone sees studying as their only path to success? When someone’s good-looking and comes from a wealthy family, do you think those guys wouldn’t be interested?”

“This society is brutally realistic. Before, they gossiped about you two because you were both single, and watching you during boring classes was certainly eye-catching. Now that money and status are involved, who cares about your actual relationship with Jian Chenyu? Even if you were dating, some people would still rush to become the third wheel.”

Sang Shi’an: “This is Yanjing University.”

Su Ningyue: “Just because they’re at Yanjing University doesn’t mean they’re at the top of the pyramid in terms of character or romantic views.”

Sang Shi’an glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then whispered, “Jian Chenyu doesn’t like guys either.”

Su Ningyue poked her again. “Whether Senior Jian likes guys or not is irrelevant. What matters is whether they want to pursue her.”

Across the long corridor, Su Ningyue tilted her chin. “See? I wasn’t making things up, was I?”

Sang Shi’an followed her gaze and indeed saw a boy standing before Jian Chenyu, scratching the back of his head with one hand while extending his phone toward her with the other.

It was the classic move of asking for someone’s WeChat during a confession.

“So, like I said, you won’t have to worry for long… Hey! Hey! Where are you going?” Su Ningyue watched in dismay as Sang Shi’an started walking toward the corridor.

She hurried after her, her heart pounding anxiously.

Sang Shi’an’s emotions had been volatile lately, like a rebellious high school student going through a late-stage adolescence.

This was especially true when it came to Jian Chenyu.

She acted like she hated Jian Chenyu with every fiber of her being, but she took advantage of their online romance on her alt account to get closer to Jian Chenyu in real life. Her eagerness had become so excessive that Su Ningyue had given up trying to reason with her.

“Jian Chenyu!”

Just as Jian Chenyu was about to reject the confession, Sang Shi’an’s voice rang out.

The students who had gathered to watch the spectacle pointed in surprise at Sang Shi’an, and whispers of “That’s Sang Shi’an!” rippled through the crowd.

Sang Shi’an hadn’t considered the consequences of her actions.

Now, she froze, completely at a loss for what to say next.

Su Ningyue stepped in to salvage the situation, flipping her student ID card face down and pressing it into Jian Chenyu’s hand. “Senior Jian, I was just about to return your student ID. Thank you so much for helping me at the library today.”

Jian Chenyu apologized to the male student and calmly walked over to them. “I need to go to Professor Xu’s office to move some materials. It might be too much for one person. Are you two free to help?”

“We’re free. We don’t have class,” Su Ningyue replied, having already given up on Sang Shi’an. “We’ll go with you.”

Jian Chenyu nodded and headed downstairs ahead of them.

The crowd of students, hearing it was just about moving materials, quickly lost interest and dispersed.

As they reached the faculty office area, Su Ningyue excused herself, claiming she had a gaming appointment, retrieved her student ID, and slipped away.

The road was deserted. Sang Shi’an, still reeling from her impulsive confession and self-doubt, felt dazed. Jian Chenyu gently brushed a fallen leaf from her shoulder and asked softly, “No classes this afternoon?”

Sang Shi’an looked up at her. Jian Chenyu’s eyes showed no annoyance at having her confession interrupted, nor any intention of scolding her.

After a long silence, Jian Chenyu’s gaze lowered slightly. “Why are you staring at me like that? Didn’t you say you needed to talk to me?”

“…Su Ningyue told me everything. After I helped clear things up for you, a lot of guys started having other ideas about you. Since I caused this, I feel responsible for you.”

Jian Chenyu’s eyes flickered slightly. “Is that so?”

Sang Shi’an was left speechless by the question, unsure how to respond. She turned away and paused on the bridge, watching the fish. “Mm-hmm,” she murmured.

Jian Chenyu walked over and stood beside her, quietly observing the fish for a while before suddenly asking, “Do you even know what ‘taking responsibility’ means?”

Sang Shi’an: ……

Of course she knew what taking responsibility meant! But wasn’t her use of the word meant to smooth things over after the earlier incident? It was just a face-saving remark. Why was Jian Chenyu playing so unpredictably?

“Of course I do,” Sang Shi’an hummed softly. “Next time I see them, I’ll help you chase those guys away, okay? But I have high standards, so if I accidentally scare off someone you like, don’t blame me later.”

Jian Chenyu chuckled, his features softening. “Alright, I won’t blame you.”

The outdoor temperature had already dropped below freezing. After standing for a while, Sang Shi’an couldn’t bear the cold any longer and decided to find a nearby classroom to warm up. As she turned, her gaze lingered briefly on Jian Chenyu’s smiling face, and she instinctively felt her cheeks flushing.

She averted her eyes, feeling as if Jian Chenyu had… cast a spell on her.

He had somehow carried over the Cat Cat Account’s sense of embarrassment into real life.

This wasn’t a good sign.

After returning to the academic building, Sang Shi’an randomly chose an empty study room and sat down. She opened her phone and casually browsed the school forum, where photos of Jian Chenyu being confessed to had just been posted.

Sang Shi’an stared at the photos for a long time, growing increasingly convinced that the boy wasn’t worthy of Jian Chenyu.

If my brother loses to someone like this, she thought, it would be utterly humiliating. It was only natural that she wanted to help Jian Chenyu drive these suitors away.

As it turned out, Sang Shi’an’s visit to the faculty office area today had been guided by fate.

Half an hour after settling into the study room, she received an email from Professor Xu, instructing her to come to his office immediately.

On her way, Sang Shi’an racked her brain, trying to figure out why Professor Xu wanted to see her.

Could it be that he found out about me skipping that elective last week and having someone take my place?

No, that can’t be it. If there were any issues, the substitute would have told me right away, and they certainly wouldn’t have taken my money.

Then could it be a mistake in my CPA registration from last month?

That’s unlikely too. I’m not a child; if there were any errors, I would have reported them to the teacher immediately.

Sang Shi’an mentally reviewed her actions for a full five minutes. As she waited for the elevator in the faculty building, someone pressed the button for her. “The elevator won’t come if you just stand there.”

She glanced at Jian Chenyu before looking away. “Are you here to see Professor Xu too?”

“Mm-hmm.” Jian Chenyu joined her in the elevator, pressed the sixth-floor button, and turned to ask, “What mischief have you been up to? You looked so distracted from a distance.”

Already feeling guilty about being summoned by the professor, Sang Shi’an snapped back, “What mischief have you been up to!”

You’re the one who’s been up to no good every night!

Jian Chenyu regarded her like a child. “Don’t worry. Professor Xu probably has good news for you.”

Sang Shi’an’s eyes slowly shifted. “You know?”

The elevator doors opened, and Jian Chenyu stepped out without further explanation.

Pushing open the office door, Professor Xu waved them over. “Come in, come in. Take a look.”

After exchanging greetings, Sang Shi’an accepted the package Professor Xu handed her. It felt like a book or perhaps a stack of exam papers bound together.

Could Professor Xu have taken on some grading work on the side and roped me in to do the grunt work?

Thinking this, Sang Shi’an grew even more anxious about damaging the contents and unwrapped the package with meticulous care.

When she finally peeled back the outer packaging to reveal a colorful magazine inside, Sang Shi’an exclaimed in mild surprise, “Professor, is this a financial journal?”

“Yes,” Professor Xu replied, instructing her to remove the plastic seal. He then took the magazine and flipped to a specific page.

“When I submitted Xiao Jian’s thesis, I included your paper as well. Xiao Jian’s was published in full, and they excerpted yours, giving you a full page.” Professor Xu pointed to Sang Shi’an’s and her advisor’s names on the page, his grin widening with pride.

“For that wager project last time, many professors in the department assigned their students to write papers. I just treated it as homework for you two, but you both really made me look good.”

Sang Shi’an, unable to believe her eyes, forgot her manners and leaned in for a closer look.

“Ah, it’s so small,” she murmured.

“Even a small mention counts as publication. When it comes to real achievements, there’s no difference between this and your Senior Sister’s full-page feature. You’re only a sophomore—don’t be so greedy,” Professor Xu chuckled. “Your excerpt perfectly complemented your Senior Sister’s argument. Otherwise, they might have rejected it outright, seeing you were just an undergraduate. In fact, you benefited the most from this. You should thank your Senior Sister properly.”

Sang Shi’an turned to look at Jian Chenyu, only to find her face flushing uncontrollably again.

Under Professor Xu’s encouraging gaze, she managed a dry, “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Jian Chenyu nodded calmly. “You’re welcome. You deserved it.”