I Fell in Love With My Cold-Hearted, Flirtatious Roommate (GL) - Chapter 25

When Rong Ting went out with an umbrella to pick up Ran Jiu, she could see her from afar, standing at the entrance of the commercial building.

Outside, the rain and mist were hazy, and pedestrians hurried by.

She stood alone under the eaves, wearing white headphones and looking into the distance. She had obediently put on a white baseball jacket, but underneath, she was still wearing a knee-length smoky green skirt, completely unafraid of the cold. Her exposed calves were fair and straight, and she wore low-heeled sandals.

Sometimes raindrops would land on the steps and splash onto her feet. Ran Jiu would lower her head, playfully wiggle her toes, and then step back a bit. Her cheeks suddenly puffed up, and then she let out a sigh.

She looked a little displeased.

It was kind of adorable. Rong Ting couldn’t help but control her emotions and quickly walked forward a few steps.

Ran Jiu heard the movement and turned her head. She saw Rong Ting, and then pointed at her watch with displeasure: “Why so slow?”

Her tone carried an inexplicable hint of coquetry; perhaps she didn’t even realize it herself.

“What?” Rong Ting looked at her phone, a little stunned. It had only taken her less than 15 minutes in total from receiving the message to arriving.

Before she could figure it out, Ran Jiu walked towards her, “Forget it, let’s go.”

It was as if she was the one who decided not to pursue the matter further.

The umbrella in Rong Ting’s hand was a souvenir from when she volunteered for the Beijing Marathon last year. The canopy was small and gaudy, printed with a bunch of orange sponsor logos.

Ran Jiu seemed about to duck under her umbrella. Rong Ting let her in first, but then handed her another black umbrella: “You use this one. It’s big and can keep the rain off.”

The other person’s steps paused for a moment. Rong Ting felt the umbrella in her hand quickly pulled away. The umbrella ribs even scratched her palm.

Ran Jiu had already stepped out from under her umbrella and skillfully opened the black one.

The black umbrella was indeed large and sturdy. The massive curve of the canopy could block the rain from the crosswinds.

Ran Jiu was tall, and the umbrella fit her perfectly, yet she walked ahead, looking a little unhappy.

Rong Ting sensed something was wrong. She was about to follow behind her when Ran Jiu suddenly turned around: “I want to eat spicy rabbit head.”

“Mhm.” Rong Ting nodded, “I know.”

Ran Jiu still looked at her, “Did you find the place?”

“Found it.” Rong Ting pulled out the navigation to show her: “It’s near the overpass by our university.”

Ran Jiu glanced at her, “Lead the way.”

Later, Rong Ting walked beside her. Ran Jiu walked just one step ahead of her. The two were almost side-by-side, but neither spoke.

The drizzle grew heavier. Rong Ting’s umbrella was originally a sun umbrella. The canopy was soft and thin and was deflected by the rain.

She had just tried to adjust the umbrella edge when she felt a gust of wind carrying damp water vapour rush towards her.

She was about to turn her face to dodge when a large umbrella suddenly shielded her. Ran Jiu decisively pulled her in to share the umbrella and snatched the other one closed.

Ran Jiu put her arm on Rong Ting’s shoulder without ceremony, “You focus on the navigation, I’ll be responsible for the umbrella.”

“Oh.”

There weren’t many places to eat spicy rabbit head, but there was a winding alley north of U-University’s North Gate, where a Sichuan cuisine chain restaurant happened to be located.

On weekdays, many U-University students came here for a feast. Since it was a weekday and raining and windy, there were rare empty seats when they entered.

The waiter brought the menu. Ran Jiu took the pen and flipped the menu horizontally with her fingers so that both of them could clearly see the contents.

“What do you want to eat?” Ran Jiu asked her.

Rong Ting first pointed to the spicy rabbit head: “Aren’t you going to eat this?”

“Are you eating it?”

Rong Ting shook her head: “No.”

“Then two,” Ran Jiu marked the number concisely, “You watch me eat later, and if you want to try it, you can eat the other one.”

Rong Ting: “…”

The two then ordered dipping sauces. Rong Ting asked for the oily sauce, and Ran Jiu ordered the dry seasoning. There was no disagreement about the remaining dishes. Rong Ting was able to eat spicy food, and so was Ran Jiu. They ordered all the dishes with the signature label. After the menu was taken away, Rong Ting realized that they might have ordered too much and wondered if they could finish it.

However, Rong Ting quickly dismissed her doubts. With Ran Jiu there, it wouldn’t be a problem.

As expected, Ran Jiu ate a lot when the food arrived. Although Rong Ting tried her best to eat, her appetite wasn’t large in the evening, and she was almost full after a few bites.

Ran Jiu put two fennel fritters on her plate. As Rong Ting struggled to eat, she saw Ran Jiu finally pick up a spicy rabbit head that had been served a long time ago. She looked at it from left to right, seemingly studying where to start eating.

Rong Ting was stunned, “You don’t know how to eat rabbit head?”

Ran Jiu looked at her, frowning, in a matter-of-fact way: “Did I say I knew how to eat it?”

“Then why do you want to eat it?”

“I suddenly want to try it, is that a problem?” Ran Jiu was staring at the rabbit head bone, seemingly still hesitating where to begin.

Rong Ting couldn’t bear to watch: “Well, you should separate the rabbit head from the jaw first, then eat the two pieces of muscle on the rabbit’s cheeks and the tongue, and finally eat the brain.”

Ran Jiu glanced at her from the corner of her eye, “You know how to eat it?”

Rong Ting pressed her hand to her forehead: “…I’ve seen friends eat it.” Her hometown was near the Sichuan-Chongqing area, and people in her hometown also loved spicy food. Rabbit head was a must-order every time they ate out.

Ran Jiu then turned the bone in her hand: “Mhm… where is the jaw, and where are the cheeks?”

Later, the scene at their table became somewhat odd. Rong Ting, wearing plastic gloves, was responsible for dissecting the rabbit head, while Ran Jiu waited patiently beside her to be fed.

Usually, Rong Ting would put the meat in her small dish, and Ran Jiu would pick it up with chopsticks to eat.

Later, when she was dissecting the shredded rabbit meat, Ran Jiu simply opened her mouth and said, “Ah—”

Rong Ting: “…”

Ran Jiu opened her mouth for a long time but saw no one feeding her. She looked at Rong Ting unhappily: “Are you going to make me pick up that little bit of meat myself? Wouldn’t it be more convenient for you to feed me?”

Rong Ting had no choice but to bring the meat to her mouth. Ran Jiu bit into it flexibly. A few strands of meat got stuck on the plastic glove. In a moment of urgency, Ran Jiu grabbed Rong Ting’s wrist and licked the meat off the glove with the tip of her tongue.

Rong Ting withdrew her hand, her eyes blurred.

Ran Jiu licked her hand???

She lifted her hand. The plastic glove on it was already covered in oil, wrinkled and crumpled, but the index finger area was indented.

She could feel the warmth of the tongue through the thin layer of plastic.

Rong Ting did a mental set of Five Animal Frolics (a form of Qigong), trying to stay calm…

Ran Jiu next to her seemed to have found the essence of eating rabbit head and began to tear into the other one without wearing gloves.

Rong Ting had just taken a few breaths when her arm was suddenly poked. Ran Jiu jutted her chin: “My hands are dirty. I want to drink plum juice.”

Her look was so matter-of-fact, her voice carrying a hint of coyness.

Rong Ting had to take off the plastic gloves, pick up her plum juice, insert a straw, and bring it to her mouth.

The other person was busy eating enthusiastically, only sparing a moment to lean in and sip slowly and methodically, as was her habit.

Rong Ting: “…” She felt like she was serving a little mistress.

Because Ran Jiu kept wanting to drink, Rong Ting eventually held the plum juice in her left hand and expertly picked up food for herself with her right.

Occasionally, she observed Ran Jiu’s eating posture.

Her posture was always very refined. Her lip shape was also very beautiful. The corners of her mouth still curved into an elegant arc when she ate, and because her eating speed was fast, the delicate tip of her tongue was visible.

The dishes closest to her on the left were almost finished quickly, so Rong Ting timely moved the unfinished dishes from the right side over to her.

While waiting for Ran Jiu to eat, Rong Ting seemed to have nothing to do and opened Weibo to scroll through it.

She clicked on Ran Jiu’s profile, which had a few updates promoting audio dramas, mostly bai he (girl’s love) dramas.

Ran Jiu’s enthusiasm was evident from the title. The copy for each promotion never exceeded 10 characters.

Below were basically fans’ over-the-top compliments, such as “Please sing the theme song,” “Can you please take on a few more GL dramas to benefit humanity, jie jie [sister]?” “Jiu Bao’s voice is truly a gift from heaven,” and “Peerless beauty gong [top] voice, undefeated for a hundred years…”

Since the voice acting anniversary event ended, there had been more speculation about Ran Jiu.

One comment asked for her age.

Generally, female voice actors are sensitive about this matter, as revealing their age might affect the fans’ sense of immersion. But Ran Jiu replied generously. Coupled with the fact that her Weibo certification details were all real information, there were no inconsistencies found after extensive digging.

Then, people started pairing her up.

【Ting Daren seems to be six years older than Jiu Bao. Are we shipping the nian shang [older partner]?】

The comments below were a string of objections.

1L: 【Absolutely not necessary. Their styles are completely different, okay? Besides, they are both shining in their respective fields. Can we not force an official pairing?】

2L: 【Jiu Bao debuted with a female gong voice, and Ting with a male gong voice. They don’t match at all, okay? Isn’t the original poster afraid of anti-fans attacking them?】

3L; 【No matter what others think, it was very difficult for Little Jiu to achieve what she has today. I’m indifferent to the people at Tian Hai Company. Don’t privately put the two of them in a room together.**】

There were also other speculations: 【Isn’t Little Freesia about to collaborate with Tian Hai? After all, it is possible. Doesn’t a big-budget web drama make more money than an audio drama?】

【Agreed, don’t speculate, but don’t bind Jiu Jiu’s life either. If she can make big money by dubbing a web drama, I hope she takes the job.】

【Same here. The ceiling of the voice acting industry still needs to be broken. I hope Jiu Bao has more possibilities.】

Rong Ting could roughly understand the focus of their debate, and wondered, Is Ran Jiu too busy during this time, so her mood is also a little off?

She continued to scroll down. There were also speculations about Ran Jiu’s fashion style.

【Speaking of, I saw Jiu Bao at the voice acting anniversary event last time. How to put it, although Jiu Bao didn’t participate in the CV group photo at the end, I swear, I will never tell them that you are super beautiful.】

This comment, with over 300 likes, became a hot topic, with a flood of replies asking about Ran Jiu’s appearance.

1L: 【OMG, I’m so jealous of the original poster. Did you really go to the venue? The tickets are so hard to get, wu wu wu [sobbing].】

“Jiu Bao’s Little Fairy” replied to 1L: 【Yes, I also went. Jiu Bao was wearing a mask, but her eyes were super pretty. Her voice is actually very gentle, not as dominant as in the audio drama.】

“GL Literature Lover” replied to 1L: 【Yes, yes, when Jiu answered questions, she was super patient. She felt like a soft girl.】

“Labyrinth Consultant” replied to “GL Literature Lover”: 【What? A soft girl? Are you kidding me?】

2L: 【Urgently need more information about Jiu Bao, thank you.】

“Jiu Ge” replied to 2L: 【Jiu Bao isn’t a soft girl either, but her voice at the time was very gentle… very unique, I feel like she’s really not old.**】

“Bing Guo Jiu” uploaded a picture: 【I was at the scene and secretly took a photo. It’s not very clear.】

This picture was taken when Li Weilin was answering a question and Ran Jiu was standing quietly by.

Her eyes hidden behind the mask were clear and bright, showing a cool indifference. Her overall posture was also very relaxed. She wore a cool black jacket outside, a black sports bra inside, and black leather shorts and Martin boots below.

However, her hands were crossed below her chest, just covering the open lapels of the jacket. She held the microphone with one hand. Her fair legs looked highlighted, making her appear both aloof and sensual.

This post immediately exploded with dozens of comments:

【OMG, those legs are absolutely stunning. They’re too long and too thin. Are you sure there’s no filter?】

【Is Jiu that good-looking? Atmospheric beauty confirmed!】

【Reply to the above! This is Jiu’s unedited photo! Her waist is so thin, wu wu. Calling it the best waist in the world is not an exaggeration.**】

【And the hair colour!! I’ve been searching for a similar one for a long time, please ask about Jiu’s hair colour!】

【The black jacket Jiu is wearing is so stylish, but Jiu really has professional integrity, hahaha. Her little hands are always covering… quietly speaking, we want to see her waist.**】

25L; 【What is Jiu Bao’s usual clothing style? Is it also a small leather skirt and a black jacket? She’s totally a cool girl.**】

Ran Jiu replied to this one: 【My usual wear is very casual. Pyjamas at home, and outside, just an oversized T-shirt with jeans. When it’s cold, I wear a windbreaker.**】

1L replied to Little Freesia Jiu Disciple: 【Jiu Jiu can try the work clothes from Er Fan Xi brand. Their clothes are tall and slim, and I think they would look great on you.】

2L replied: 【Jiu Jiu also looks great in suits. They have floral suits and simple pure styles. Do you want to try them?】

3L replied: 【Jiu Bao has a great youthful look. I recommend a sports brand with a Taobao link. You can try it next time.】

4L replied: 【She looks good even in a school uniform!】

……

38L: 【This comment thread is already dozens of stories high. If we reply again, let’s just call it “Miracle Jiu Jiu.”】

39L: 【Hahahahahahahahahaha, so funny.】

40L: 【It’s not impossible.**】

Rong Ting scrolled down and chuckled when she saw Ran Jiu reply: 【It really is impossible.】

Ran Jiu next to her heard the noise and turned her face. Rong Ting didn’t have time to put away her phone, and Ran Jiu glimpsed the screen.

Rong Ting suddenly felt like she had been caught gossiping by the person herself.

Ran Jiu slowly wiped her hands, “Is it good-looking?”

Rong Ting coughed twice: “I was just casually looking.”

Who knew Ran Jiu would lean closer: “Looking at what? Wouldn’t it be better to just ask me?”

Rong Ting’s eyes lit up: “Really?”

Ran Jiu: “…” Why does she look so curious?

Rong Ting brought up those few comments, looking at her with a complicated expression: “Do you usually like to wear jackets and black short skirts?”

“Also, what does ‘shipping’ mean? Is it what I understand? Do you already have a pairing now?”

“Do you ship yourself with anyone? They have given you so many pairings. Who do you prefer to be with—”

Ran Jiu put the last piece of boiled meat in her mouth, finished eating it slowly, wiped her mouth, and turned her face away with a lack of interest: “I don’t ship anyone.”

Rong Ting: “…”

“I don’t like anyone who ships me randomly. If they insist on shipping, I wish them to be together.”

Rong Ting: “…”

Ran Jiu’s amber eyes flashed with a cool, pure light, “Besides, this is all their wishful thinking [self-yiyin].”

Rong Ting: Do your fans know you’re such a tease?

They had been eating for over an hour now. Since the place mainly focused on skewers, several groups of people had already left.

Ran Jiu glanced at the dishes on the table again. Seeing the situation, Rong Ting reminded her: “You’ve eaten a lot already. Eating too much at night is not easy to digest. Also, you shouldn’t eat too much spicy food.”

“I know, I will take care of myself when I get home,” Ran Jiu touched her lower abdomen and said very seriously: “When you go out to eat, you should eat well. Besides, my digestive system is very good.”

“So, can I have a bowl of soup, rabbit meat soup?”

Rong Ting was horrified: “You already ate the rabbit head, and you still want rabbit meat soup?”

Ran Jiu seemed somewhat puzzled: “Isn’t it the same when you eat Peking duck? You eat the duck meat and then drink the duck soup.”

Rong Ting took a deep breath, “There is no rabbit meat soup here, only pork knuckle soup.”

After drinking the pork knuckle soup, Ran Jiu finally didn’t order any new dishes. Rong Ting breathed a sigh of relief.

When the two went out, Ran Jiu paid the bill.

The rain had lessened a bit, and some couples were still lingering at the restaurant entrance, flirting.

Rong Ting held Ran Jiu’s arm as they walked. There was a Luckin Coffee shop nearby, and surprisingly, there were very few people inside. She asked her if she wanted coffee.

Ran Jiu looked somewhat disdainful: “Late at night, are you sure?”

Rong Ting’s eyes sparkled: “Their coconut latte is really great, super delicious.”

Ran Jiu hesitated for three seconds and followed her in.

The young woman making coffee inside had already started yawning. She suddenly sneezed as the cold air rushed in with the two girls.

Both girls were very attractive. One was elegant like a chrysanthemum, with a gentle and comfortable demeanor.

The other had clearer, more striking features, with an aura that suggested she was not to be trifled with.

The employee closed her yawning mouth, put on her mask, and listlessly asked what they wanted.

Rong Ting’s voice was clear: “Two iced coconut lattes.”

Ran Jiu, who had been trying to speak for a while, finally tugged carefully at Rong Ting: “Can we add extra ice?”

The young woman looked at Ran Jiu’s actions in astonishment, and then kindly reminded her: “Regular ice tastes the best.”

Rong Ting agreed: “Yes.”

Ran Jiu compromised.

Later, the two walked out with two lattes. Rong Ting was still checking the navigation, and Ran Jiu had already inserted the straw and started drinking.

The iced latte tasted great. It wasn’t particularly bitter, with a mellow flavour and a faint, sweet aftertaste.

It was difficult to orient themselves at night. Rong Ting was at a loss, unable to distinguish directions, but the person next to her was calm. Ran Jiu took a big sip and said casually, “Stop checking. Just follow me.”

At this moment, her phone screen was constantly getting wet from the rain, and Rong Ting was starting to get frantic. Hearing this, she was skeptical: “Do you really remember the way back?”

Ran Jiu looked down at her scornfully: “Of course. My intuition is very sharp.”

Later, the two circled around the restaurant entrance and walked for about 20 minutes. Rong Ting felt increasingly uneasy until she saw a signpost indicating they were over one kilometre past the northwest.

She stopped and sighed: “We seem to have been walking west the whole time. Relying on intuition to find the way won’t work.”

Ran Jiu: “…”

Later, Rong Ting told her not to wander off. She opened the navigation app again and continued to check the shortest route.

As a result, following the shortest route, they walked back to the same coffee shop…

The employee at the door, who seemed to have a deep impression of them, happily waved at them when she saw them.

The two were silent at the same time.

Ran Jiu: “So, relying on maps to find the way, is that okay?”

Rong Ting: I’m a little angry, but I can’t find a reason to refute.

Ran Jiu added another stab: “Is this what reading and studying does to change your trajectory?”

The two looked at each other. They burst into laughter, and Ran Jiu held the half-drunk latte, laughing so hard she couldn’t stand straight.

Rong Ting laughed until she was almost out of breath before stopping.

The night was perfect now. The rain had stopped and stars were visible.

She closed the umbrella, and the moonlight sprinkled over them.

Ran Jiu’s hair color was not very vivid, but it had a dark green flowing sheen. Her ears looked a little sharp, like a very beautiful elf.

Rong Ting helped her adjust the hair that was almost reaching the corner of her mouth. Ran Jiu looked up, belatedly asking: “What are you doing?”

Rong Ting withdrew her hand: “The moon fell on your head. I was catching the moon.”

Ran Jiu: …Is this the romance of studying Chinese?

Later, the two of them finally returned home after a long ordeal, too tired to even greet each other. They took turns washing up and went to sleep, too exhausted to even say “good night.”

The sound of cars driving by outside was clear, and there was the sound of water leaking from the eaves. Rong Ting turned off the light and lay in bed. She was very, very tired, but couldn’t sleep.

She was a little excited.

She had actively touched Ran Jiu, and at least she hadn’t refused.

She opened her eyes, picked up her phone, and planned to browse Weibo.

The feed showed a user update. The time was three minutes ago. It was Ran Jiu.

The update only showed half a sentence: “On a street full of sixpence…”

Rong Ting naturally picked up the second half of the quote: …I picked up the moon?

However, the image below was unclear. She guessed that Ran Jiu was promoting an audio drama again. She was truly dedicated, not letting go even in the middle of the night.

When she clicked on the full update, she almost died on the spot.

Ran Jiu had rarely shared her daily life, posting pictures from their dinner, which she had taken who knows when.

There were three pictures in total.

The first picture showed the dishes they had just eaten. The second picture was the pork knuckle soup she drank. The third picture was a bottle of plum juice, but the hand holding the bottle was clearly Rong Ting’s.

The caption was also very much Ran Jiu: “On a street full of sixpence, I got lost, and picked up a big pig knuckle.”