My Unconventional Online Dating - Chapter 36

“You still don’t believe me, do you? Take a look at this,” Zhong Lirong sent over a file. “Listen to this first—it’s his voice processed through a voice changer. The latter half is what I had someone restore. The tone isn’t 100% accurate, but we can confirm it’s definitely a man’s voice.”

One piece of evidence after another came from Zhong Lirong, leaving Xiao Nianyuan no choice but to accept her judgment.

Now that it was confirmed the scammer was male, Xiao Nianyuan grew even more confused.

When had she ever offended a man? Ever since people realized she wasn’t easy to get along with, hardly anyone approached her—and when they did, it was mostly girls.

“That’s all I could dig up.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Nianyuan said. Zhong Lirong had already done an incredible job getting this far—she really hadn’t misjudged her.

Zhong Lirong asked cautiously, “So… you’re not mad at me anymore?”

Xiao Nianyuan smiled. “I stopped being mad at you a long time ago.”

After clearing up the misunderstanding, her anger had faded, leaving only mild irritation.

And when Zhong Lirong immediately agreed to help her afterward, Xiao Nianyuan’s resentment vanished completely. Even if Zhong Lirong hadn’t been able to assist, Xiao Nianyuan wouldn’t have blamed her.

“I’m really sorry,” Zhong Lirong said, her voice choking up as the words spilled out. “It was my first relationship. He treated me so well before—I never thought he’d cheat behind my back. I was so furious I lost my head and thought you were really the one behind it.”

“So you see him clearly now?” Xiao Nianyuan didn’t offer comfort. Though Zhong Lirong sounded tearful, her regret was more about impulsively lashing out at Xiao Nianyuan than about breaking up with her ex. Since she’d already moved on, there was no need for empty reassurances.

“You’ll find someone better.” That was the kind of blessing Zhong Lirong actually needed.

Zhong Lirong said earnestly, “I will. And I hope you can resolve your problem soon too.”

After a pause, she added, “Let’s not delete each other on WeChat.”

She’d grown quite fond of Xiao Nianyuan during their time together. Faced with such a huge ordeal, Xiao Nianyuan had remained so composed—her mental strength was incredible.

Most people were drawn to those stronger than themselves, and Zhong Lirong was no exception.

Xiao Nianyuan agreed not to delete her. In the past, she would’ve seen this as nothing more than a transactional relationship—once it ended, she’d cut ties without hesitation.

But now she thought differently. Maybe having more friends really did open more doors? Her roommate and even Lian Qiushui often told her the same thing—to make more friends.

Hanging up, Xiao Nianyuan turned around to find Tan Xialan pressed against the door, her face squished against the glass.

Du Xiaotong stood nearby, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

Caught in Xiao Nianyuan’s gaze, Tan Xialan startled and quickly straightened up, opening the door respectfully to usher her in. “I—I didn’t hear anything just now,” she stammered.

This was the first time they’d seen Xiao Nianyuan initiate a phone call.

She’d never made calls in front of them before—even when answering, it was usually just for deliveries or packages. Now, witnessing her reach out to someone, Tan Xialan couldn’t help but wonder if it was a friend. She was happy for Xiao Nianyuan, yet curious about who could’ve earned her approval as a friend.

She admitted to being overly curious, but the fact remained that she had eavesdropped on someone’s phone call. When Xiao Nianyuan caught her, guilt kept her from meeting his gaze.

Xiao Nianyuan looked at Du Xiaotong, who shrugged helplessly. She had warned Tan Xialan before—eavesdropping on calls would get her caught by Xiao Nianyuan.

The glass was transparent; one turn of the head would reveal everything. Yet Tan Xialan had brushed it off, insisting she was just looking out for Xiao Nianyuan.

Seeing her advice fall on deaf ears, Du Xiaotong gave up. Now, caught red-handed, she had no intention of defending Tan Xialan.

The more flustered Tan Xialan became, the more worried Du Xiaotong grew. Amused, Xiao Nianyuan asked, “You really didn’t hear anything?”

Tan Xialan nodded earnestly. “I wanted to, but I genuinely didn’t catch a word.”

The school dorm’s soundproofing was excellent. Despite the glass door, the insulation was no joke.

Xiao Nianyuan nodded in understanding. Seeing he wasn’t going to press the issue, Tan Xialan couldn’t resist asking, “Was that a friend of yours?”

After a pause, Xiao Nianyuan nodded hesitantly. “Sort of.”

Tan Xialan cheered. “See? I knew you could make friends if you tried! The more, the better!”

Tan Xialan was terrible at hiding things. If she had actually overheard anything, she’d still be hanging her head in guilt—not speaking so casually with Xiao Nianyuan.

Relieved she hadn’t caught the conversation, Xiao Nianyuan let out a quiet breath.

They were both keeping secrets, neither wanting the other to know they were working to expose the imposter pretending to be her.

But it would be resolved soon. Then her roommates wouldn’t have to worry about her getting bullied whenever she stepped out.

Checking the time, Xiao Nianyuan waited for Tan Xialan and Du Xiaotong to log into the game first before joining herself.

The moment she entered, Lian Qiushui excitedly pulled her close, half-draping herself over Xiao Nianyuan as she turned her toward the distance. “Look! Sky City is back!”

Xiao Nianyuan’s gaze followed, and sure enough, Sky City loomed in the distance. Her breath hitched, pulse racing uncontrollably. For a moment, she forgot just how close they were, staring dumbfounded at the floating fortress.

Sky City, which had vanished after the update, had finally reappeared!

Noticing Xiao Nianyuan’s excitement, Lian Qiushui didn’t pull away. Instead, she subtly wrapped an arm around Xiao Nianyuan’s waist, giving it a discreet squeeze. Frowning, she realized Xiao Nianyuan looked thin but felt even frailer—like a gust of wind could carry her off.

After a long daze, Xiao Nianyuan snapped back to reality, blinking at the fluffy head in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Lian Qiushui straightened instantly. “Thought I saw something on you.”

Xiao Nianyuan didn’t question it, glancing down briefly.

“Should we head to Sky City now?” Lian Qiushui knew how much it meant to her. She wasn’t entirely sure what Xiao Nianyuan was searching for up there, but if it mattered to her, Lian Qiushui would support her unconditionally.

Xiao Nianyuan was her little apprentice—her only one. She wanted to give her all the best things, fulfill every wish.

Just as she’d promised before: even if it meant climbing mountains of blades or braving seas of fire, though fear might give her pause, she’d ultimately agree—for Xiao Nianyuan.

“Wait a moment.” Xiao Nianyuan didn’t immediately agree to head for Sky City. Meeting Lian Qiushui’s puzzled gaze, she leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

Lian Qiushui nodded repeatedly in agreement, and the two returned to town one after the other.

In a modest house in town—spacious enough for one person with a small courtyard—Xiao Nianyuan let Lian Qiushui enter first. She scanned the courtyard to ensure no one had followed before stepping inside.

The moment she entered, Lian Qiushui covered her eyes.

Xiao Nianyuan patted her hand and asked, “What are you doing?”

Lian Qiushui replied with a bright smile, “Didn’t we agree on disguises? I’ll do yours first.”

Xiao Nianyuan wasn’t in a hurry to reach Sky City, wary of being recognized if they went as they were. A disguise might help—though she wasn’t sure if the system could detect it—but it was better than doing nothing and would offer some peace of mind.

For once, Lian Qiushui felt useful. No longer just wondering how she could assist Xiao Nianyuan, she finally had a role to play. Despite being content as an NPC, she still minded her own lack of strength, even though Xiao Nianyuan had assured her it didn’t matter.

Xiao Nianyuan might not care, but she did.

Lian Qiushui couldn’t quite explain it—she just didn’t want to embarrass Xiao Nianyuan in front of her friends.

Guiding Xiao Nianyuan to sit, Lian Qiushui faced the bronze mirror, where their reflections appeared crisp despite the mirror’s age, even their eyelashes clearly visible.

After a long pause, Lian Qiushui sighed. “What kind of look should I give you?”

Such a beautiful face—she couldn’t bear to mar it. That would be a crime.

“The more ordinary, the better,” Xiao Nianyuan answered promptly.

Lian Qiushui had expected this, but a flicker of regret crossed her eyes. She remembered seeing Xiao Nianyuan’s photo on the forums and thinking her in-game model wasn’t striking enough. Now, she had to make it even plainer. She couldn’t help frowning.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Nianyuan mistook her concern. “Anything you do is fine.”

Lian Qiushui stayed silent. It wasn’t about skill—she just hated the thought of making Xiao Nianyuan look plain.

But there was no need to explain. Picking up her brush, she lightly traced Xiao Nianyuan’s face with her fingertips.

Xiao Nianyuan frowned, and Lian Qiushui immediately smoothed her brow with cool fingers, the touch feather-light. Just as Xiao Nianyuan was about to open her eyes, Lian Qiushui murmured, “Keep them closed. Don’t move.”

Obediently, Xiao Nianyuan let her work.

With the final stroke done, Lian Qiushui suddenly brushed the back of her hand against Xiao Nianyuan’s cheek.

The cold touch made Xiao Nianyuan open her eyes—only to meet Lian Qiushui’s awed gaze. “No matter what, you’re still stunning.”

Turning to the mirror, Xiao Nianyuan wasn’t sure if it was intentional, but the disguise resembled her real face even more than her in-game model.