My Online Lover Lives Next Door (GL) - Chapter 24
Why does it feel like… she just ran away?
He Qing chuckled and shook her head before turning around and going inside her apartment.
She just wanted to spend more time with Jian Fanxing, that’s all.
Jian Fanxing rushed back home, leaning against the door while taking deep breaths.
That was close, so close!
He Qing liked her first, so she couldn’t let He Qing take the lead every time, right? She had to be the one to confess first!
Good thing she ran fast enough. A victorious smile appeared on her face.
“Fanxing,” Lu Yao suddenly spoke.
Jian Fanxing looked up and saw Lu Yao standing in front of her, looking hesitant.
“Yao Yao, when did you come over?”
Lu Yao: “While you were drowning in the overwhelming scent of love.”
“What overwhelming scent of love? I haven’t even confessed to He Qing yet.” Jian Fanxing said, but when she mentioned He Qing, her uncontrollable smile made her look like a complete fool in love.
Lu Yao’s expression became even more complicated.
She took a deep breath before speaking with difficulty, “It’s a good thing you haven’t confessed yet.”
“Fanxing, be honest with me. Are you… treating He Qing as a stand-in for your online ex-girlfriend?”
Jian Fanxing: “??? What?”
Lu Yao continued, “I heard He Qing call you ‘Little Star.’ I remember you once told me that your online ex-girlfriend used to call you that too. And when He Qing called you that, you didn’t even flinch—you just accepted it so naturally.”
“Fanxing, I’ve always thought He Qing is a better match for you, but if you’re only treating her as a replacement for your ex, then I think you should stop this relationship for now. It’s not fair to He Qing. And if she ever finds out the truth, she’ll definitely break up with you.”
“Even though we haven’t known He Qing for long and she’s never acted arrogant around us, I’m sure you can tell—she’s a very proud person. She would never tolerate being deceived in a relationship.”
Lu Yao spoke with deep concern, hoping that Jian Fanxing would realize her mistake and treat He Qing sincerely instead of using her as a substitute.
Jian Fanxing felt frustrated after hearing this.
Should she give Lu Yao a disappointed look?
Did Lu Yao really think she was like her ex—a heartless player?!
Seeing Jian Fanxing’s unhappy expression, Lu Yao sighed heavily, assuming she had hit the nail on the head. “Fanxing, I think you should put your confession plans on hold for now. As long as the deception hasn’t begun, you and He Qing can still remain friends.”
“As for whether your relationship should go further, let’s wait until you’ve completely moved on from that terrible ex of yours, okay?”
Jian Fanxing: “Of course not!”
“Yao Yao, I didn’t expect you to see me that way.” Jian Fanxing clutched her chest and pretended to be heartbroken. “And why don’t you ask who started calling me ‘Little Star’ first?”
Lu Yao hesitated. “Was it He Qing?”
Jian Fanxing nodded. “I was surprised too when she called me that.”
“You know what that name means to me. But she said it sounded more intimate. And besides, it feels different.” Jian Fanxing thought about how it felt when He Qing called her that—it was real. She could see He Qing’s emotions when she said it, whether she was happy or sad. Unlike before…
“And I can tell the difference.” Jian Fanxing started counting on her fingers. “Even if they have the same name, the same voice, and even call me the same way, they feel completely different. My ex is my ex, and He Qing is He Qing.”
Hearing this, Lu Yao finally relaxed. She waved her hand at Jian Fanxing. “As long as you can tell the difference, that’s all that matters. I was just worried… It’s good if it’s just a misunderstanding.”
“Oh, right, Fanxing, I’m moving back to my place.” Lu Yao said at the right moment.
She had mentioned this at the dinner table earlier—it wasn’t a joke. Originally, she moved in to keep an eye on her friend, but now that Jian Fanxing was about to start a new relationship, and with someone she personally approved of, there was no need for a single person like her to stay and be the third wheel.
It was time to focus on solving her own single status.
Lu Yao hooked an arm around Jian Fanxing’s neck and joked, “Don’t worry, even if I move out, you won’t be lonely. Your special someone lives right across from you. Maybe once I leave, you’ll move into her place, or she’ll move into yours, and you two can live together.”
Live together… Jian Fanxing suddenly remembered what He Qing said when she walked her home earlier.
If they lived together, that meant when He Qing showered, she’d be right outside the bathroom. And if He Qing ever felt lonely and asked her to join… could she resist the temptation?
If she couldn’t resist, then they’d be showering together…
Imagining the scene, Jian Fanxing’s face instantly turned as red as a tomato, but her heart raced with excitement.
“Hey, Fanxing, what are you thinking? It better not be something inappropriate!” Lu Yao narrowed her eyes at her friend, then attacked her ticklish spots. “You traitor! I haven’t even moved out yet, and you’re already fantasizing about your little love nest! If you keep this up, I won’t leave—I’ll stay and be the biggest third wheel ever, shining so brightly that you two can’t ignore me!”
The next day, Lu Yao kept her word and moved out.
As usual, Jian Fanxing took her camera and went out to take pictures. But no matter where she went, her mind was filled with thoughts of He Qing. She was also thinking about how to photograph He Qing on their upcoming outing.
Time flew by quickly, and soon, it was the night before their trip.
He Qing had been busy for the past two days, probably to clear her schedule. She left early and came home late, so every night, Jian Fanxing only heard the sound of her neighbor’s door opening and closing at around 11 PM.
Knock, knock, knock.
Jian Fanxing was lying on the couch, scrolling through videos and reading comments on her Douyin account when she suddenly heard knocking.
“Who is it?” she asked as she sat up and put on her slippers, heading to the door.
Before she reached the door, a familiar voice came from outside.
“It’s me, He Qing.”
Hearing that cool, familiar voice, Jian Fanxing blinked. Instead of opening the door, she turned toward the bathroom.
“He Qing? Give me a second, I’ll open the door soon.”
Standing in front of the mirror, she made sure her face looked perfect and that her makeup hadn’t smudged. Only then did she rush over to open the door.
“He Qing!” The moment she saw her, Jian Fanxing’s face lit up with a bright smile.
He Qing also smiled slightly. “Little Star, do you have time?”
“I do!” Jian Fanxing replied instantly. Looking at He Qing, she asked, “Do you need something?”
He Qing pointed at herself and gently reminded her, “You said you’d help me pick out clothes for tomorrow’s trip.”
Jian Fanxing blinked, remembering their conversation. She glanced at He Qing’s open apartment door. “Then… should we do it now?”
He Qing nodded and explained, “I’ve been busy at work these past two days, so I got home late. I didn’t want to disturb you if you were already asleep.”
“Are you done with work now?” Jian Fanxing followed He Qing into her apartment without even changing her slippers.
“Yeah, I’m done.”
Jian Fanxing nodded. She never asked much about He Qing’s job, but when she stepped into He Qing’s walk-in closet, she immediately noticed something.
“You like wearing suits, don’t you?” She saw that half of the wardrobe was filled with suits.
He Qing nodded. “It’s necessary for work, and it’s convenient.”
Jian Fanxing understood and nodded. She thought He Qing left something unsaid—wearing suits made her look powerful. She guessed that Sister He was probably in a high-ranking position at her company.
Thinking about it, Jian Fanxing suddenly scolded herself for being slow. When He Qing first moved in, there was a man helping her with everything, calling her “President He,” wasn’t he?!
“Then… Sister He He, let’s bring one suit tomorrow and another more casual outfit,” Jian Fanxing suggested. She thought He Qing looked incredibly attractive in a suit—the type of woman the internet would call “husband.” Even though she hadn’t taken the pictures yet, she could already imagine the comment section going wild after she posted them.
Just the thought of so many people calling He Qing “husband” made Jian Fanxing suddenly want to keep her all to herself.
She turned to He Qing and asked, “ Sister He, can I visit your company sometime?”
Little Star wants to visit my company? He Qing was briefly stunned but quickly nodded without hesitation. “Of course.”
“But why do you suddenly want to visit?” He Qing was curious. Just moments ago, they had been picking clothes, and now this request came out of nowhere.
“No reason, I just want to take a look,” Jian Fanxing replied casually. Of course, she wouldn’t tell He Qing that she wanted to check if He Qing had too many admirers at work.
He Qing could easily tell Jian Fanxing wasn’t being completely honest, but she didn’t expose her. In her opinion, if Little Star wanted to visit her company, it was a good sign—she was taking the initiative to learn more about her.
“Just let me know when you want to come, or you can go with me when I head to work,” He Qing offered.
“Okay!” Jian Fanxing agreed immediately, without a second thought.
Going with Sister He would make their relationship look even closer, wouldn’t it?! The thought filled Jian Fanxing with excitement.
With the outfits chosen, Jian Fanxing should have left, but instead, she followed He Qing back to the living room without any intention of going home.
“Sister He, have you ever had someone take pictures of you before?” Jian Fanxing asked, looking for a topic to continue the conversation.