My Online Lover Lives Next Door (GL) - Chapter 48

“You deserve someone better,” He Qing said after a moment of silence.

This wasn’t the first time she had told Gu Xiao these words. Every time, Gu Xiao never listened. He Qing didn’t expect her to listen this time either, but she still had to say it.

“I trust you to take care of her.” After saying that, He Qing waved at Jian Fanxing, and the two of them actually… left?

Gu Xiao stared at their backs in disbelief, fuming. “He Qing… you bastard.”

After cursing angrily, Gu Xiao turned to look at the drunk Lu Yao on the sofa. She slumped into a chair, rubbing her temples with her slender fingers. Thinking about He Qing saying she “trusted” her, she let out a cold laugh. “Trust? He Qing, oh He Qing, this is so like you.”

Not only had she broken her heart, but she even wanted her to willingly do things for her?

But what could she do? It was He Qing.

From the moment she was born, Gu Xiao had never failed to get anything she wanted—except for He Qing.

Gu Xiao looked a little dejected. Maybe it was because she couldn’t have her that He Qing had become her obsession, pulling her in deeper and deeper.

She felt that if she couldn’t have He Qing in this lifetime, she wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even after death.

Ignoring the still-sleeping Lu Yao on the sofa, Gu Xiao began thinking about ways to win over He Qing.

But when she recalled all the tricks she had used over the years—so many that she had lost count—none of them had worked.

Forget it. Maybe it was better to start by breaking He Qing and that Jian woman apart.

Just seeing them holding hands earlier had nearly suffocated her.

But how could she do that?

Gu Xiao pulled out Jian Fanxing’s file from her drawer and flipped through it casually. When she saw the section about Jian Fanxing’s parents’ occupations, her eyes suddenly lit up.

On the way home, Jian Fanxing was still a little worried.

“Sister, should we take Yao Yao home with us? I’m worried about Miss Gu…”

Thinking about how Yao Yao had insulted Gu Xiao earlier that day, Jian Fanxing couldn’t help but worry that Gu Xiao might take revenge. To be honest, if the same thing had happened to her, she wasn’t sure she could just let it go either.

Let alone someone as pampered and privileged as Gu Xiao.

“No need. Gu Xiao is actually quite reliable,” He Qing said while driving, rejecting the idea.

“Besides, Little Star, watching you being close to another woman makes me jealous.” He Qing didn’t hide her feelings and said it outright.

So that was the reason Sister left Yao Yao in Gu Xiao’s care! Jian Fanxing suddenly understood.

It turned out their hearts were connected. This realization made her so happy that she grinned from ear to ear. “Actually, Sister, I feel the same way.”

That was also why she hadn’t strongly objected when He Qing suggested letting Gu Xiao take care of Yao Yao.

It might seem like prioritizing her relationship over friendship, but Jian Fanxing trusted He Qing.

Since He Qing trusted Gu Xiao to take care of Lu Yao, why shouldn’t she trust her too?

——

Lu Yao had no idea she had been so easily abandoned by Jian Fanxing. When she woke up, she stared blankly at the unfamiliar surroundings for a moment before realizing she was in Gu Xiao’s office.

Last night, she had insisted on drinking with Gu Xiao.

As for what happened after she got drunk, she had no memory at all.

Gu Xiao was nowhere to be seen, and the office was empty except for her.

Holding her aching head from the hangover, she walked out of the office and ran into a bar staff member.

“Miss Lu, you’re awake?”

“Mm.” Lu Yao responded and then looked at the staff member. “Do you know me?”

The staff member nodded. “The boss told us you were sleeping in her office and that we shouldn’t disturb you.”

The boss? Gu Xiao?

Hearing that, Lu Yao suddenly felt that Gu Xiao seemed quite thoughtful.

“Where is your boss?” Lu Yao looked around. Since the bar was closed during the day, the place was dark and empty.

“The boss left early this morning. I don’t know where she went.”

“She left early?” Lu Yao’s expression was complicated. So, Gu Xiao had taken care of her all night?

She didn’t expect Gu Xiao to be not only considerate but also responsible.

Lu Yao suddenly felt a little guilty. Gu Xiao was actually a good woman, but she herself had approached with bad intentions. She did it for Fanxing’s happiness, but to Gu Xiao, this was extremely unfair.

Lu Yao hesitated.

Should she really stop Gu Xiao from chasing her own happiness?

Everyone has the right to pursue happiness, and Gu Xiao was no exception.

But the happiness Gu Xiao wanted meant taking away Fanxing’s happiness… People are naturally biased. After struggling for a while, Lu Yao still chose Jian Fanxing.

She had to stop Gu Xiao from going after President He again.

—-

With no scheduled photoshoots, Jian Fanxing had nothing to do at home. So, she took out Zhang Jiangyuan’s information.

She still hadn’t received a reply to the resume she sent. Normally, she wouldn’t have minded, but after what happened with Gu Xiao yesterday, she was getting impatient.

Should she accept Zhang Jiangyuan’s offer?

Jian Fanxing hesitated.

But accepting it would mean using her sister as a stepping stone. That made her feel like she was taking advantage of her own girlfriend.

Feeling uncomfortable, she stared at her phone for a while before sighing and putting it down.

She couldn’t use her sister, nor could she let anything taint their love.

If she really couldn’t find a good office… she could start her own studio.

It might be small at first, but she could grow it over time.

Thinking about this, Jian Fanxing felt much better.

Ding-ling-ling.

Her phone rang. Jian Fanxing looked at the caller ID and answered, “Mom?”

“Xingxing, are you busy?” Her mother’s gentle voice came through the phone. “Did I interrupt your work?”

“No, I’m free.” Jian Fanxing’s tone was relaxed. “Mom, why did you suddenly call?”

She usually called home once every two weeks to reassure her parents. It was the perfect gap—not too often to bother them, but frequent enough to keep them from worrying.

“It’s because of your aunt. Your cousin is getting engaged. The groom is supposedly a manager at some big company. Your aunt is thrilled and wants to have a formal engagement banquet, like people do in the city. She asked me to invite you back to celebrate.”

Then, her mother sighed. “Xingxing, your cousin is two years younger than you, and she’s already getting engaged. What about you? Do you have a boyfriend?”

No boyfriend, but she did have a girlfriend. Jian Fanxing thought to herself.

She wasn’t sure how her parents felt about same-s3x relationships, so she hesitated and said, “Mom, I’m still young. The government encourages late marriage and late childbirth now. Besides, love depends on fate, and you can’t rush fate.”

“I know that, but you’re already twenty-five.” Jian’s mother understood that relationships couldn’t be forced. She didn’t want to pressure her daughter, but in their village, almost every girl her age was already engaged or married.

Whenever she went out, people would stop her and ask if her daughter had found a partner yet. When she said no, their looks made it seem like her daughter was unwanted.

Everyone kept urging her to push her daughter to find someone.

Some even tried to introduce their nephews. One neighbor even went too far—trying to set her daughter up with a divorced man in his thirties who had two kids! That had made Jian’s mother so angry she could barely work in the fields.

“Me?” Hearing her mother’s tone, Jian Fanxing knew that village gossip had gotten to her again.

Maybe she should tell them about her sister?

She considered it and decided she could at least test their reaction by saying she was in a relationship.

“Mom, actually… I’m dating someone.”

“You have a boyfriend? Really? How old is he? Where is he from? Is he an only child, or does he have siblings? Does he treat you well?” Jian’s mother asked excitedly.

Her frustration from dealing with nosy neighbors vanished, replaced by pure joy.

Who said her daughter was too old to find someone? Who said no one wanted her daughter? She had found someone long ago!

Thinking of this, Jian’s mother playfully scolded her, “If you already have a boyfriend, why didn’t you tell me sooner? I couldn’t even argue with the village ladies properly!”

Jian Fanxing fell silent. Did her mother want her to date just so she could win arguments?

And her mom kept saying ‘boyfriend.’ If she found out it was actually a girlfriend…

Jian Fanxing sighed deeply. This was going to be tough.

“Xingxing, when will you bring your boyfriend home? How about during the May holiday? It’s a long break, so you two can stay for a few days.”

Her mother didn’t even give her a chance to reply before making the decision.

And before Jian Fanxing could say anything, her mother hung up, as if afraid she would refuse.

Jian Fanxing stared at her phone in a daze for a long time. When she snapped out of it, she looked completely overwhelmed.

May holiday? That was in three days.

Was she really going to take her sister home then?

What if her parents disapproved and tried to chase her sister away?

Suddenly, Jian Fanxing regretted telling them so soon. Maybe she should’ve waited.

What she didn’t know was that her mother hadn’t hung up because she feared rejection.

Instead, a black luxury car had stopped in front of their house.

Many families in the village had cars, but none as expensive-looking as this one.

Curious, Jian Fanxing’s mother went outside.

She saw a fashionable young woman step out of the car and walk straight toward her.

“Hello, is this Jian Fanxing’s home?”

Hello? The girl was quite polite. Jian’s mother quickly walked over.

“Yes, I’m Xingxing’s mother. Young lady, are you a friend of Xingxing’s?” she asked cautiously, mentally blaming her daughter for not telling her in advance.

“Friend? No,” the young woman said as she took off her sunglasses, smiling faintly.

“I’m her love rival.”