After the Online Romance with the Campus Beauty Roommate Went Wrong - Chapter 35

Time seemed to stand still.

Sang Shi’an’s mind went blank, and her hormones surged uncontrollably. First, her lips burned from the kiss, the heat rapidly spreading across her cheeks to the roots of her ears, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Then, her pupils gradually focused, locking onto Jian Chenyu’s gaze.

Looking at Jian Chenyu, Sang Shi’an asked in the most deliberately calm voice she could muster, “Is there an umbrella in the car?”

“There’s one in the trunk,” Jian Chenyu replied, “but it’s buried under shopping bags. It would be a hassle to find.”

Seeing that Jian Chenyu had no intention of letting go of her, Sang Shi’an lowered her gaze. “Then forget it. Let’s just go back.”

Jian Chenyu closed the car door, locked it, and carried Sang Shi’an back along the tree-lined path from the neighborhood entrance, leaving a trail of footprints in the snow. The bare tree trunks offered little shelter from the wind and snow, and snowflakes fluttered onto their intertwined hair.

She recalled a line from a fanfiction she’d read on the school forum: If we share this snow today…

But in this snowstorm, it seemed only she was lost.

Just like that confession that had slipped out just now.

That fleeting kiss.

The overwhelming sense of being overlooked surged through Sang Shi’an’s heart, causing her heart to pound even harder. On the very first day she realized she had feelings for someone, Sang Shi’an understood another truth:

Liking someone wasn’t just about possessing a part of them; it was about fiercely wanting to claim them entirely, to make every aspect of oneself the most special thing in their eyes.

As Jian Chenyu focused on the road, Sang Shi’an stared intently at her, thinking, This person must be mine.

By the time they finally entered the apartment building, both their coats were soaked through. Jian Chenyu noticed Sang Shi’an’s gaze and looked down at her. “An’an?”

A few strands of hair clung damply to Sang Shi’an’s cheek, making her face appear even paler from the cold.

Jian Chenyu set her down as they stepped into the elevator, her voice softening. “We should have found an umbrella earlier.”

Snow clung to Sang Shi’an’s legs, which were thinly clad and now numb with cold. When Jian Chenyu set her down, Sang Shi’an stared blankly at her for a moment before suddenly placing her hands on Jian Chenyu’s right hand, silently exhaling a shaky breath.

Jian Chenyu unconsciously softened her breathing.

Since their reunion, even when Sang Shi’an had a fever, she hadn’t been this dependent on her.

“Does your leg still hurt a lot?”

The elevator doors opened, but Sang Shi’an didn’t release Jian Chenyu’s arm. She murmured, “Could you help me a little further?”

After entering the apartment, Sang Shi’an went straight to her room. The comfortable floor heating and indoor warmth quickly restored her body temperature.

As Jian Chenyu’s footsteps faded from the bedroom doorway, Sang Shi’an sat on the sofa for a moment, then raised a hand to touch her lips.

After a long pause, she stuck out her tongue and licked them, only to freeze abruptly the next second.

So, am I going to become one of those love-crazed, irrational fools?

Sang Shi’an tugged at her hair in frustration.

No, I can’t become that kind of fool.

Because Jian Chenyu is highly likely to become my own brother’s future marriage partner.

Because Jian Chenyu is now Cat Cat’s legitimate girlfriend.

And she, Sang Shi’an, was just Jian Chenyu’s sister—a sister she had known for many years.

Nothing more.

After a long silence, Sang Shi’an decided to address the issue with her wife first, before dealing with her girlfriend.

Revealing Jian Chenyu’s sexual orientation to her parents would be unethical. Moreover, given Sang Shi’an’s growing conviction that she herself might be a lesbian, the best course of action was to have either Sang Shiyue or Jian Chenyu initiate the rejection.

For the first time, Sang Shi’an found herself siding against her brother, preferring Jian Chenyu to reject Sang Shiyue rather than the other way around.

At worst, I’ll just go to the company on weekends to serve tea and water, and be extra filial to Sang Shiyue, she thought.

Frowning, Sang Shi’an switched her WeChat account to her Cat Cat Account.

Since Jian Chenyu’s hospitalization, Sang Shi’an had been sending perfunctory messages through the Cat Cat Account, taking advantage of the fact that Jian Chenyu lacked a SIM card and couldn’t verify her WeChat login.

On the chat interface, Jian Chenyu had only replied with a few terse messages since her discharge, as if they were back to the early days when Cat Cat had first added her as a friend.

Sang Shi’an sent a Cat Cat peeking emoji: Older Sister, are you busy right now? Or already asleep?

Jian Chenyu: Not busy. Just got home. What about you?

Cat Cat: Of course I was thinking about you, Older Sister! You haven’t been online these past few days, so I’ve just been watching dramas to pass the time.

Jian Chenyu: What kind of dramas have you been watching?

Sang Shi’an thought to herself, She took the bait!

Sang Shi’an: It’s a melodramatic story about a protagonist forced to break up with their lover because they have to marry someone else to fulfill their family’s obligations. Older Sister, do wealthy people in real life really abandon their loved ones for arranged marriages?

After sending this message, the screen went silent for nearly a full minute.

Staring at the quiet screen, Sang Shi’an suddenly felt her question was a bit foolish. Was she really expecting Jian Chenyu to lie and say it never happens?

Sang Shi’an: I was being too idealistic. With so many wealthy people in arranged marriages, isn’t the answer obvious?

Jian Chenyu: If someone truly loves you, they would never let you suffer.

The two messages appeared simultaneously. When Sang Shi’an saw the words “truly loves you,” her hand trembled violently, and her phone slipped from her grasp, landing on the sofa.

Jian Chenyu followed up with another message:

Jian Chenyu: But taking such a risk would be enormous. In reality, very few people would defy their family’s interests.

After a long silence, Sang Shi’an asked, “Then… someday, would you reject a political marriage for me, Older Sister?”

Jian Chenyu replied, “Don’t let your imagination run wild.”

That means I’m not yet ‘liked enough’.

In other words, Jian Chenyu doesn’t love Cat Cat that much yet.

The weight that had been crushing Sang Shi’an’s heart all night finally lifted a little.

After a few more exchanges, Sang Shi’an made up an excuse about catching a cold from the chill and bid Jian Chenyu goodnight.

Her clothes, now dried by the heater, lay on the nearby cabinet. As she picked up her pajamas and headed to the communal bathroom with a bathtub, she heard a clear, gentle voice call out, “An’an, come here for a moment.”

Sang Shi’an turned to see Jian Chenyu standing by the tea bar. Her sleeves were rolled up, revealing slender wrists as she stirred a cup with a silver spoon, the soft clinking echoing in the room.

Sang Shi’an casually tossed her pajamas onto the nearest cabinet and walked over. “What is it?”

“I just boiled some ginger tea. Have a cup to warm up.”

Sang Shi’an paused, then accepted the cup Jian Chenyu offered. The ginger tea, sweetened with brown sugar, masked its usual pungency. She took a sip—it wasn’t unpleasant.

The two quietly drank their ginger tea in the pantry. Jian Chenyu finished first and turned to wash the pot.

Even the coldest person seemed to soften in the kitchen, revealing a domestic warmth. However, Jian Chenyu rarely entered the kitchen. During their time living together, Sang Shi’an had only seen her there after meals, when Jian Chenyu would clear the dishes.

Sang Shi’an deliberately lingered, only approaching the sink when Jian Chenyu was placing the cups back on the rack.

Jian Chenyu naturally took Sang Shi’an’s cup, her wet fingers pale and immaculate, the faint lines on her knuckles like delicate brushstrokes. She truly resembled a fairy who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal realm.

Yet who would have imagined that Jian Chenyu secretly preferred passionate and bold girls like Cat Cat?

As Jian Chenyu turned off the faucet, Sang Shi’an averted her gaze, intending to go shower.

But then Jian Chenyu suddenly asked, “Is the boy you like from our school?”

Sang Shi’an tensed up, like a puppy stopping mid-chew on a chicken leg to guard its food. “Why are you asking?”

“Just curious,” Jian Chenyu replied, drying her hands as she approached.

“She’s fine,” Sang Shi’an replied dismissively. Under Jian Chenyu’s calm gaze, she deliberately added, “She’s not the kind of person you’d imagine would be a good match for me, especially my brother. If he ever found out, I might get kicked out of the house. But I just really like her.”

Jian Chenyu shook her head. “Your brother isn’t like that.”

Hearing Jian Chenyu defend Sang Shiyue, Sang Shi’an immediately took the bait, fiercely defending her one-percent-progress love: “That’s because you don’t understand my brother. Don’t let his casual dating fool you—he’s incredibly rigid when it comes to me. To him, me liking someone is practically a crime.”

As expected, Jian Chenyu asked, “Your brother has had many girlfriends?”

“How am I supposed to know if they were just casual flings or real relationships?” Sang Shi’an, having achieved her goal, shut off her mic and pretended to be dead.

“Let’s get back to you,” Jian Chenyu continued, her voice slow and deliberate. “Your family would never approve of the person you like. Do you still want to be with her?”

Sang Shi’an avoided her gaze, pretending to be tired of standing. She went to the living room sofa, casually grabbed a throw pillow, and hugged it to her chest. “I wasn’t planning on confessing to her anytime soon anyway.”

Jian Chenyu followed her, pausing slightly. “Why not?”

Sang Shi’an’s fingers tightened around the pillow. She looked up at Jian Chenyu, her obsidian-like eyes fixing directly on Jian Chenyu’s face.

In her twenty years, Sang Shi’an had rarely wanted for anything. Her privileged upbringing meant she never lacked material comforts, while her exceptional grades and striking beauty attracted many genuine friends. Even the older siblings everyone envied in childhood had been easily within her reach.

Her lack of romantic experience had always kept Sang Shi’an remarkably composed. Even as those around her fell in love, she confidently dismissed the very notion of love in the world.

Yet this time, she had actually fallen for Jian Chenyu.

“Her family has already arranged a marriage for her,” Sang Shi’an said, “with a very suitable partner.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Jian Chenyu’s face. “He’s married?”

Sang Shi’an couldn’t quite decide whether she wanted Jian Chenyu to guess her feelings or remain oblivious.

She avoided Jian Chenyu’s gaze, lowering her head to rummage through the coffee table for nail clippers. “It must be soon, right?”

“Was the person you like in an arranged marriage, or did he choose it himself?” Jian Chenyu bent down to pick up the trash can, tightened her grip, walked over, and placed it beside Sang Shi’an’s slippers.

“That’s not really important, is it? What matters is that she probably doesn’t like me.” Sang Shi’an looked up, meeting Jian Chenyu’s gaze with composure. “I’ve known that brother for years. If you were in her shoes, and your younger brother, whom you’ve known for ages, confessed his feelings right before your wedding, would you reconsider? So I figured there’s no point in wasting my efforts.”

Jian Chenyu’s breath hitched imperceptibly, as if a hidden string in her heart had been plucked beneath her calm facade. She closed her eyes briefly and murmured, barely audible, “Maybe I would.”

Sang Shi’an was taken aback. “Why?”

Jian Chenyu reached out and ruffled Sang Shi’an’s hair. “Perhaps because that younger brother was very brave.”