My Online Lover Lives Next Door (GL) - Chapter 44

Early the next morning, after watching Jian Fanxing and Lu Yao leave together, He Qing drove to the company.

In the car, Lu Yao couldn’t hold back from teasing her friend.

“Fanxing, your relationship with Miss He is really good, huh? Did you see the way she looked at you when you left? So reluctant! Tsk tsk, before I met Miss He, I never thought she could be this clingy.”

It was truly an eye-opener.

Jian Fanxing didn’t say anything, but the smile on her lips showed that she was really, really happy because of Lu Yao’s words.

Seeing Jian Fanxing’s blissful expression, Lu Yao clicked her tongue twice but was genuinely happy for her friend.

Fanxing, you must be happy.

Then, thinking about how her friend was already in a relationship while she was still single, Lu Yao suddenly felt a little down.

“Fanxing, can you whisper to your Miss He for me? Ask her to introduce me to someone—preferably someone like her! I’ve been getting fed endless displays of affection, and my heart is growing more and more empty.”

Your Miss He? Hearing these words, Jian Fanxing smiled sweetly. “Sure! I’ll tell her when I get back.”

Lu Yao was satisfied, but after thinking about it for a moment, she changed her mind. “Never mind, Fanxing, forget it. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be good enough for someone your Miss He introduces.”

She knew He Qing’s status, and the people in her circle couldn’t possibly be ordinary. And if they weren’t ordinary, why would they be interested in someone like her?

It wasn’t that Lu Yao lacked confidence—she just knew she wasn’t as lucky as her friend. She could never do something like staying faithful to an online relationship for seven years, only knowing a name and a voice.

Her friend deserved her happiness.

But this conversation made her think of something. Lu Yao asked Jian Fanxing, “Your Miss He must have a lot of admirers, right? I believe she isn’t the type to mess around, but you never know—some people might take advantage of an opportunity. That’s why I think you should visit her company more often when you’re free. Let the people in her company know that their boss already has someone.”

After speaking, Lu Yao didn’t hear a response from Jian Fanxing.

At a red light, Lu Yao turned to glance at her friend, only to see her staring blankly ahead.

Something’s wrong.

Lu Yao blinked, then suddenly remembered that Fanxing was going to He Qing’s company for a photoshoot. Her eyes widened. “Fanxing, don’t tell me you ran into one of Miss He’s admirers there?”

Jian Fanxing was silent for a moment, then hummed in response.

That reaction? Lu Yao pressed further. “Is that admirer better than you?”

Otherwise, why would she be feeling down?

Better? Probably. Jian Fanxing recalled what she had learned from Lu Feng about a woman named Gu Xiao. She was a rich heiress, far superior in background alone.

Though she hadn’t met her yet, Jian Fanxing didn’t feel confident that she could surpass her in any way.

Even having been in an online relationship with her sister for seven years didn’t give her much of an advantage. After all, she had learned from Lu Feng that Gu Xiao had also been pursuing He Qing for years.

Both of them measured their efforts in years. The only difference was that she had spent a little more time.

And time was the most common and easily attainable thing in this world.

After a long pause, Jian Fanxing finally responded, “Yes.”

Lu Yao was about to comfort her when she suddenly saw Jian Fanxing smile. That smile was like the rising sun in the morning, bringing hope to everything it touched.

Lu Yao was stunned. She suddenly understood why President He liked her friend so much.

As she was lost in thought, Fanxing’s voice reached her ears.

“She’s very good, but I’m not bad either. I will work hard—hard enough that when I stand next to my sister, everyone will say we’re a perfect match.”

Jian Fanxing used to be someone who was easily content, without big ambitions. She just wanted to live happily. But now, she was different. She had a goal to strive for. She wanted to stand beside her sister. Even if she never became as outstanding as He Qing, as long as she took one step forward, she would be one step closer to her.

What else could Lu Yao say? As her friend, she simply made a fist and said, “Fanxing, I believe in you! You can do it.”

When they arrived at their destination, Lu Yao parked the car, and the two of them walked toward the café where their photoshoot was scheduled.

But maybe they were too early—the café wasn’t even open yet.

Lu Yao frowned. “Fanxing, do you think we got tricked?”

Jian Fanxing fell silent, her brows furrowed. Lu Yao had voiced exactly what she was thinking.

Taking out her phone, Jian Fanxing carefully reviewed her chat history with the person she had arranged to meet. The address was correct, the café name was correct, and the time was also correct. But the café was indeed still closed.

So was it really as Lu Yao said? Had she been tricked?

As she was thinking, the café door opened from the inside.

A woman in her thirties walked out. She was dressed casually, not very tall, slightly chubby, and her looks were neither outstanding nor unattractive—just like her height and figure, without any striking features but also without obvious flaws.

“Fanxing, is it her?”

Jian Fanxing’s eyes flickered. She was just about to step forward and ask when the woman spoke first.

“Are you the photographers our boss scheduled?”

“Your boss?”

The woman nodded. “I’m the manager of this café. Yesterday, the boss called and told me to come early because guests were arriving. The guests were photographers, carrying cameras, so they’d be easy to recognize.”

Jian Fanxing glanced at the camera bag slung over her shoulder. Indeed, her identity was obvious.

“Where’s your boss? Hasn’t she arrived yet?” Lu Yao asked curiously.

“She’s behind you.”

As soon as the woman finished speaking, Lu Yao and Jian Fanxing turned around at the same time.

Standing behind them was a tall woman wearing a form-fitting dress that perfectly accentuated her figure. She had a slim waist, curvy hips, voluminous wavy hair, and bold red lips. Any one of these features alone would be striking, but on her, they blended harmoniously, making her look effortlessly captivating.

Lu Yao was stunned.

She had always embraced a sexy style herself and often attracted attention when walking down the street. But in front of this woman, she was completely overshadowed.

Jian Fanxing was also momentarily dazed. Was this the person she was scheduled to photograph? After the initial surprise, she felt a restrained excitement.

From a professional perspective, the woman in front of her was the kind of subject that would make any photographer instinctively reach for their camera.

“Boss.” The café manager’s voice from behind pulled Lu Yao and Jian Fanxing back to reality.

Jian Fanxing composed herself, took a step forward, and politely extended her hand. “Hello, I’m Jian Fanxing.”

“I’m Lu Yao,” Lu Yao quickly added, following behind Jian Fanxing, a hint of eagerness in her tone.

She didn’t even know why she felt the need to introduce herself to this woman, but she just wanted to. She couldn’t help it. After thinking about it for a moment, she blamed it on the woman’s overwhelming allure—even as a woman herself, Lu Yao couldn’t resist sneaking a few extra glances.

“Nice to meet you.” Though the woman addressed them both, Jian Fanxing clearly felt that her gaze lingered on her longer.

Moreover, the slight tilt of her chin gave Fanxing the distinct impression that this woman was looking down on her.

But before she could dwell on it, the woman spoke again.

“No rush for the photos. Let’s go inside for a drink first.”

Jian Fanxing nodded. “Alright.”

The woman walked ahead of them into the café and instructed the manager, “Three Meteor Lattes.”

She didn’t ask what Jian Fanxing or Lu Yao wanted to drink—she simply decided for them.

This kind of dominant attitude made Jian Fanxing a little uncomfortable. She leaned close to Lu Yao and whispered, “Yaoyao, if I can’t reach an agreement with her later, find an excuse for us to leave.”

“Leave?” Lu Yao didn’t quite understand why Jian Fanxing said that, but she still nodded in agreement.

The woman led them to a window seat. Jian Fanxing and Lu Yao sat on one side, while she sat across from them.

Once seated, the woman finally spoke. “I haven’t introduced myself yet. My name is Gu Xiao.”

Gu Xiao?

Just as Jian Fanxing settled onto the couch, she abruptly stood up.

Her reaction immediately caught Lu Yao’s attention. She tugged on Fanxing’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”

Jian Fanxing took a deep breath and glanced at Gu Xiao.

Gu Xiao smiled at her, a smile filled with hidden meaning.

“So, Miss Jian, you’ve heard of me?”

Jian Fanxing’s mind flashed back to what Lu Feng had told her yesterday. She hadn’t expected it to be confirmed so soon.

She pressed her lips together and stayed silent. Yes, she knew.

Lu Yao glanced between Jian Fanxing and Gu Xiao, blinking in confusion.

This woman—Gu Xiao—could she be Fanxing’s love rival?

Lu Yao’s guess was quickly confirmed.

Gu Xiao was even more direct than Jian Fanxing had expected. Seeing Fanxing remain silent, her smile grew even brighter.

“Miss Jian, since you know who I am, you must also know that I like He Qing.”

Jian Fanxing’s hand clenched into a fist at her side. She was silent no longer. She raised her head, met Gu Xiao’s gaze directly, and said firmly, “So what? I am her girlfriend.”

“I am her girlfriend.”

Jian Fanxing wasn’t just saying this to Gu Xiao—she was saying it to herself, as if to give herself strength.

She would not back down. She reminded herself of that.

Then, she saw Gu Xiao’s face darken in an instant.

The woman who had just been smiling moments ago now had a stormy expression. She was angry.

Gu Xiao had always seen herself as He Qing’s rightful partner. No one had ever told her otherwise—until now. Jian Fanxing had just done exactly that.

She was very displeased. Extremely displeased.

She looked at the woman in front of her, the one who dared to meet her gaze without fear. Slowly, she said,

“You say you’re He Qing’s girlfriend? Do you even know what kind of person He Qing is? Do you know what she truly needs? What can you offer her? Comfort after a long, exhausting day? Is that all?”

“Miss Jian, you should know that you are of no help to He Qing’s career. He Qing fought desperately to protect and grow the He Corporation. What she needs is someone who can support her, someone who can help her business thrive.”

“And that person… is not you. It’s me.”