After the Online Romance with the Campus Beauty Roommate Went Wrong - Chapter 50

Jian Chenyu wasn’t truly blinded by love to the point of losing her reason. She simply didn’t want her research results to become someone else’s gain. Given Jian Zhenyang’s insatiable greed and reckless arrogance, the project would likely be sold off under the guise of “saving the company” before it even began.

Deliberately mentioning to Jian Zhiyan that she had actively pursued Sang Shi’an served Jian Chenyu’s own selfish motives. Later, if questioned, she could claim Sang Shi’an had seduced her first.

Returning to the laboratory, she found the discarded takeout boxes neatly arranged in the trash can, and the table meticulously wiped clean.

Sang Shi’an had never been this considerate before. Wherever she went, chaos followed, and Jian Chenyu had always been the one to tidy up. If she didn’t, they’d have to wait for the weekly cleaning Auntie to arrive.

Today, however, she seemed to have undergone a transformation.

Jian Chenyu lowered her head, her mind drifting, her fingers lightly tracing the clean tabletop. After a long moment, a silent smile curved her lips.

As the sun began to set, Jian Chenyu closed her textbook, switched to WeChat, and sent a subtle message: Still studying at the library?

Sang Shi’an had been restless all afternoon. If she hadn’t already reviewed everything thoroughly, she might have been so anxious she’d want to bang her head against the wall. After leaving the Laboratory Building, she checked her phone at every flicker of movement. When Jian Chenyu’s message finally arrived, she suddenly didn’t want to reply.

Just after five o’clock, Xu Taotao, sitting across from her, promptly put down her pen and silently mouthed, “Dinner?”

Su Ningyue knew bringing Xu Taotao along would be helpful. Otherwise, Sang Shi’an would study until seven or eight o’clock without even noticing she was hungry.

She immediately tugged Sang Shi’an to her feet, urging, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

As they walked out of the library, Jian Chenyu’s call came right on time. “Can I invite you to dinner?”

Su Ningyue’s coat had picked up some chalk dust from the wall, and Sang Shi’an was brushing it off. She gave a perfunctory “Hmm” and said, “I’ll bring my friend along.”

Jian Chenyu stepped off the stairs. “I knew you’d say that.”

Sang Shi’an looked up and saw Jian Chenyu waving at her, his eyes reflecting the soft glow of the setting sun with a faint smile.

The call ended. Jian Chenyu walked up to Sang Shi’an and asked, “Is this ‘along the way’ now?”

Before Sang Shi’an could answer, Su Ningyue and Xu Taotao, who hadn’t even understood the drama they were watching, pushed her forward from either side. “Of course it’s on the way! Definitely on the way!”

Jian Chenyu chuckled, still waiting for Sang Shi’an’s nod. “Will you come?”

Sang Shi’an recalled that ‘Balala the Fairies’ episode and shook her head resolutely. “I already made plans with them.”

Jian Chenyu then extended an invitation to Su Ningyue and Xu Taotao. “Would you two like to join us for dinner?”

“Well…” Su Ningyue and Xu Taotao exchanged glances, then subtly tugged on Sang Shi’an’s sleeve. “There’s a really expensive seafood buffet that just opened on Changxing Street.”

Sang Shi’an shook off the two traitors who had already defected to the seafood side. “You might as well just call her ‘Older Sister’ and eat seafood until you get food poisoning!”

A moment of silence hung in the air before Su Ningyue and Xu Taotao chorused, “Older Sister!”

Sang Shi’an was stunned. “How can you have so little integrity?”

Su Ningyue shrugged. “Christmas just passed, and New Year’s Eve is right around the corner. Our bank accounts are barely holding on. You understand, right?”

Sang Shi’an didn’t believe a word of it.

Since Sang Shi’an couldn’t let that “Older Sister” go to waste, she reluctantly decided to help her friend protect her interests. She nudged Jian Chenyu, “So, are we still going?”

Jian Chenyu readily agreed, “Yes, we are.”

Jian Chenyu’s car couldn’t accommodate everyone, and there were no seats on the subway. Jian Chenyu seized the opportunity to take Sang Shi’an’s hand.

Sang Shi’an glanced down and shook him off. “Who said you could hold my hand?”

Then, she wrapped her arms around Jian Chenyu’s arm, using it as a makeshift pillar, claiming it was to maintain her balance.

Jian Chenyu relaxed and let her lean on him, feigning distress. “Looks like I’ve lost all my brownie points for today.”

“You know it,” Sang Shi’an teased lazily, yet she pressed closer. “Serves you right.”

The train’s gentle swaying caused their long hair to tangle together, gradually becoming inseparable.

At the next stop, more passengers surged onto the train. Jian Chenyu withdrew his arm and wrapped it around Sang Shi’an, his embrace growing warmer. Neither spoke. When Su Ningyue was jostled toward them, Jian Chenyu instinctively steadied her, but he didn’t release his hold on Sang Shi’an.

Su Ningyue gripped the handrail, her gaze lingering meaningfully on Sang Shi’an’s shoulder.

Sang Shi’an calmly asked, “Do you need me to hold onto you too?”

“Of course not,” Su Ningyue replied. “I’m perfectly fine holding onto the pole.”

Sang Shi’an scoffed and turned away, ignoring her.

When they reached their stop, Sang Shi’an released his “pole” and strode ahead, leaving Jian Chenyu behind. Su Ningyue finally realized something was amiss between the two.

As Sang Shi’an led the way toward the exit for Changxing Street, he coldly asked, “Why are you asking me? Do I seem like the type to pick fights for no reason? Of course it’s her fault.”

Xu Taotao and Su Ningyue, who had caught up, exchanged sympathetic glances with Jian Chenyu before continuing to listen to Sang Shi’an’s rant. When he finally ran out of steam, they chimed in unison:

“True. With so many exams these past few days, you’d have to be crazy to start trouble now.”

“I never thought Senior Jian would be like this. You can’t judge a book by its cover, huh?”

“You should teach Senior Jian a lesson. After dinner tonight, give her the cold shoulder for ten days or so.”

Sang Shi’an’s footsteps faltered. “Ten days?”

Su Ningyue quickly backtracked. “…Three days?”

Sang Shi’an’s frown deepened. Xu Taotao chimed in: “One day?”

Only five hours had passed since Su Ningyue left the Laboratory Building, and Sang Shi’an looked even more displeased.

In the end, Su Ningyue made the final decision: “Let’s go with one hour. From the moment we leave campus, we won’t speak to her. That’ll drive her crazy.”

Sang Shi’an grudgingly agreed: “Hmm, I remember a new private milk tea shop opened right next to that restaurant. She’s picky about self-serve drinks, so I’ll grab her something while we’re waiting in line for a table.”

Su Ningyue: “Huh?”

As they exited the subway station, the buffet restaurant was directly across the street. While crossing, Sang Shi’an kept glancing back at Jian Chenyu, anxious about losing him, though she maintained her aloof silence.

To ensure service quality, the restaurant had limited seating, and three tables were ahead of them in the queue. While waiting, Su Ningyue noticed Sang Shi’an was serious about getting Jian Chenyu a drink. As she accompanied her, she hesitated before asking, “What exactly happened between you and Senior Jian? Was it because of that Art Department’s Most Handsome guy at lunch?”

Sang Shi’an: …

Oh, I almost forgot about that.

Another convenient excuse delivered right to my doorstep.

Sang Shi’an frowned. “It’s not about him. It’s something else—something much more important.”

Su Ningyue couldn’t guess what it was and humbly asked, “Tell me what’s so important, considering I’m treating you to seafood later?”

Sang Shi’an replied, “It’s a matter of life and death.”

Half an hour later, after giving Jian Chenyu the cold shoulder for a full hour, Sang Shi’an’s anger over the Art Department’s Most Handsome hadn’t subsided. As she sat down at the table, she shoved the milk tea across to Jian Chenyu and got up to go to the condiments station, continuing to ignore him.

Jian Chenyu opened the packaging to find freshly made Mango Pomelo Sago, with a small printed label specifying “No grapefruit shreds.”

Neither Sang Shi’an nor Jian Chenyu liked grapefruit shreds, but while Sang Shi’an was picky, Jian Chenyu didn’t mind them. He could drink it with or without.

He followed Sang Shi’an to the condiments station, mimicking her every move. When she added a spoonful of sauce, he added one too. “Still mad?” he asked.

Sang Shi’an remained silent, deliberately choosing chili sauce to mix her dipping sauce. She scooped up a large spoonful of bright red chopped peppers, waiting for Jian Chenyu to copy her.

“I was wrong,” Jian Chenyu said softly. “I shouldn’t have brought up the time you liked to dress up as a Balala the Fairies character and chant spells. But back then, you were my favorite too. You—”

Sang Shi’an hurriedly covered Jian Chenyu’s mouth. “Okay, okay, I get it. There are so many people here.”

She noticed the girls nearby secretly laughing at her after hearing Jian Chenyu’s words.

Sang Shi’an returned with the dipping sauce and went to select seafood, her expression still tense. “The Art Department’s most handsome guy came looking for you at noon, and you still have time to eat dinner with us?”

Jian Chenyu: ?

Jian Chenyu was momentarily taken aback by Sang Shi’an’s sudden shift in thought. She reached out to accept the plate of small Australian lobsters Sang Shi’an had prepared and handed her a clean, empty plate.

“His girlfriend is my aunt’s student. She couldn’t come to the Laboratory Building today because of her period, so he came to ask for a leave of absence on her behalf. Don’t misunderstand.”

Sang Shi’an stared at her skeptically, her eyes clearly saying, “I don’t believe you.”

Jian Chenyu gently hooked her pinky finger around Sang Shi’an’s and leaned closer, lowering her voice. “Besides, you know I don’t like boys.”

This piqued Sang Shi’an’s curiosity. “Then how did you realize you liked girls? Don’t lie and say it’s because of me. I saw it on your computer.”

Jian Chenyu sighed in exasperation. “Do you really have to bring this up here?”

The halved Australian lobsters lay splayed on the plate, surrounded by various fresh sashimi, amidst the bustling crowd of diners.

Fine.

This really isn’t the right place.

Sang Shi’an suppressed her curiosity, enduring until they finished their meal. Su Ningyue and Xu Taotao, not wanting to be third wheels, hurried out of the restaurant, claiming they needed to return to the library.

Sang Shi’an called after them, “I’ll walk back with you. My book’s still there.”

Xu Taotao patted her chest, declaring confidently, “I’ll bring it back for you.”

Sang Shi’an insisted, “No, I need to review it tonight. The exam’s tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Su Ningyue cast a suspicious glance at Jian Chenyu. Still not appeased?

Sang Shi’an wasted no time once they reached the library. She gathered her things and left immediately, fearing Jian Chenyu might slip away to avoid answering her question.

Jian Chenyu had been waiting by the library entrance. Seeing Sang Shi’an panting from her run, he patted her back. “Why the rush?”

“I was afraid you’d run off,” Sang Shi’an said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down the library steps. “Now, can you tell me?”

The campus was quiet at 8:30 p.m., especially during finals week. The basketball courts were silent, while the track was dotted with students memorizing textbooks.

Sang Shi’an abandoned her plan to stroll around the sports field and instead walked along the school path. “When I was in high school, I heard that Second High School next door made their students run laps with their English textbooks during morning exercises. I never imagined I’d see such a spectacle in college too.”

Jian Chenyu followed her, her pace leisurely. “You could take out tomorrow’s textbook and start memorizing now. Who knows, you might even get a perfect score.”

Sang Shi’an shuddered at the thought. “Absolutely not! If someone took a photo and posted it on the forum, it would shatter the illusions the freshmen have about me.”

“What illusions?”

“The ‘beautiful senior sister’ illusion, what else?”

The two exchanged a glance beneath the bare tree branches, and one of them couldn’t hold back a laugh.

“Just stop tormenting the freshmen.”

Sang Shi’an retorted, “Tormenting? They might be so thrilled they can’t sleep for nights!”

Jian Chenyu chuckled again. “Then maybe I should reconsider pursuing you. If I can’t sleep for days on end, my old body might not be able to handle it.”

Sang Shi’an: ……

Gritting her teeth, Sang Shi’an snapped, “Have you even tried to pursue me? People usually give roses when they’re trying to woo someone.”

Jian Chenyu understood immediately. “Should I go buy you a bouquet right now? Do you have a preference for the color?”

That would be too formalistic, Sang Shi’an thought.

She pushed Jian Chenyu away, took a step back to maintain distance, and said, “You haven’t even won me over yet. Don’t get so close, or the forum will start spreading rumors about our relationship again.”

Speaking of the forum, posts about them had become increasingly rare. Perhaps everyone had grown accustomed to seeing them together and realized it was just a friendship, so they moved on to other gossip.

Sang Shi’an was actually a little bothered by how fickle the forum users were. She had expected Jian Chenyu, who supposedly liked her, to say something in their defense. But after waiting for a while, Jian Chenyu remained silent.

Sang Shi’an leaned back in. “Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”

She felt a little nervous. “You were so bold the other day, kissing me whenever you wanted. Now that I tell you ‘don’t get so close,’ you’re suddenly being so obedient?”

Jian Chenyu paused, a silent smile playing on his lips. “No, I was just wondering… since you’ve never liked girls before, were you really upset when the rumors about our relationship started?”

Sang Shi’an let out a dry “Ah,” and replied, “Not really.”

Jian Chenyu tilted his head, gazing at Sang Shi’an’s blurred features under the streetlight, his eyes softening with tenderness.

Sang Shi’an’s fingers, tucked into her coat, curled inward bit by bit, her voice strained as she added defensively, “Anyway, everyone was just joking around, right? I told you before, I’ve been paired up with lots of people before. It’ll blow over once the novelty wears off.”

“Besides… I’ve never even liked a guy before. Unlike you, who knew your orientation from the start. I wonder who you liked to figure that out.”

Realizing her words sounded a bit bitter, Sang Shi’an was about to backtrack when Jian Chenyu suddenly pulled her into a hug.

The sudden closeness of his cool coat sent a shiver down her spine. Even though they were standing in the shadows by a tree, away from the streetlight, her heart raced.

“W-what are you doing…?” Sang Shi’an stammered, too afraid to push him away forcefully lest someone notice their unusual behavior.

“Getting tricked into being gay before even figuring out your orientation? I’m too excited. I just want to hold you,” Jian Chenyu said bluntly, his arms tightening around her.

Sang Shi’an gripped the hem of his coat, her pulse quickening.

After a moment’s hesitation, she didn’t push him away.

Jian Chenyu said, “You wanted to know how I realized I liked girls, right? It was Wen Yansheng, the senior sister you met. When I was in England, she noticed I was always alone and, being Chinese herself, occasionally invited me out.”

“One time, my relatives were causing trouble back in China again. I was in a terrible mood and wanted to drink, so she took me to a bar. Only when we arrived did I realize it was a lesbian bar.”

“That night, she comforted me for hours and shared her own family stories. As I watched the couples around us, I thought, ‘Having a girlfriend might not be so bad after all.'”

“I told her exactly that. Without even looking up from her drink, she continued reminiscing. When we left, she sent me a few films to watch in my free time.”

Sang Shi’an couldn’t help but laugh—at the thought of Jian Chenyu, this aloof, high-maintenance flower, drinking to drown his sorrows; at his first confession of his sexuality being completely ignored; and especially at the films he’d been given.

But after her laughter subsided, a pang of jealousy struck her. “Jian Chenyu, you remember all this so clearly.”

“Very clearly. That night, I watched all the lesbian films she’d sent. The next day, I went to see her again.”

Sang Shi’an’s shoulders shook with laughter. “Were any of them… R-rated?”

Jian Chenyu answered honestly, “Yes.”

Sang Shi’an pressed, “So you confessed to her the next day?”

Jian Chenyu shook her head, resting her chin on Sang Shi’an’s shoulder and tightening her embrace. “No.”

“Why not? Weren’t you the one who realized your sexuality because of Sister Wen?” Sang Shi’an asked, confused. After a moment, she exclaimed, “Wait, were you afraid confessing would ruin your friendship?”

Jian Chenyu explained, “At the bar, I just thought that if I had to find someone to keep me company in England, a girl would be more suitable than a guy.”

Sang Shi’an pushed her away. “Are you trying to fool a child, Jian Chenyu? Can’t you come up with a more convincing lie?”

Jian Chenyu grabbed Sang Shi’an’s arm. “I’m not lying. I really didn’t have romantic feelings for my senior sister.”

Seeing Sang Shi’an’s continued disbelief, Jian Chenyu had no choice but to reveal the truth. “I told you, I only confirmed my sexuality after watching those films. When I saw those explicit scenes, I had a physical reaction.”

Sang Shi’an, caught off guard by Jian Chenyu’s boldness, nearly tripped over a tree branch.

A hand swiftly caught her waist, followed by a voice that gradually lowered to a whisper in her ear: “And you… you’re the only person who can make me feel that way, even when you’re fully clothed.”