Chapter 11: Cohabitation and Online Romance

Another week passed in the blink of an eye. The campus had grown accustomed to seeing Fang Lian and Yan Xuan together, and the rumors about Fang Lian being pregnant at the start of the semester had been debunked after she completed a 1,000-meter run. People now viewed them simply as an ordinary young couple, and the initial gossip had largely faded.

"Godfather, the autumn outfits you asked me to buy are here. Do you think they look okay?" Inside the Bentley, Fang Lian pulled out two identical coats—one large and one small, in blue and pink—and watched Yan Xuan’s reaction nervously.

Yan Xuan picked up the larger blue coat and put it on; the fit was perfect. He nodded and said, "They’re fine."

Fang Lian felt a surge of secret delight. Yan Xuan’s reaction was a tacit agreement that they could wear matching outfits. Emboldened, she probed further: "Godfather, I’ve already been approved by my counselor to rent an apartment off-campus. Do you have any plans to rent a place?"

Yan Xuan shook his head. "Not for the time being."

"I see..." Fang Lian sighed, feeling let down. She realized she was being too impatient; it had been less than a month since the term started—how could she expect him to move in with her already?

"However, you can go ahead and find a place. I might come over to stay for a couple of days on the weekends."

"Okay!" Fang Lian’s face brightened instantly.

After they returned to their respective dormitories, Fang Lian told her roommates that she would be moving out soon. Li Li and the others were regretful but curious. "Xiao Lian, are you really planning to live with a man in your freshman year?"

Fang Lian replied bitterly, "I wish I could, but he hasn't agreed yet. He only said he might come over for the weekends."

"Hey, what is he acting so high and mighty for?" Li Li started to defend her. "He wears your clothes, eats your food, and when you bring up living together, he stalls? Does he think he's some big celebrity?"

Fang Lian wanted to defend Yan Xuan, but she didn't dare reveal that she was being "kept" by her godfather. She stood up and went to the mirror, asking, "Sister Li, do you think I'm pretty?"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Then, Sister Li, if you were a man..."

"If I were a man, let alone living together, I’d be dying to be with you!"

"Then why wouldn't he be happy about it?"

Li Li speculated seriously, "Xiao Lian, do you think he might have been traumatized?"

"Traumatized? What kind of trauma?"

"He had a girlfriend before, right? Maybe something happened when they lived together that caused him to lose interest in that area for now."

"That can't be it; he's in great health." Fang Lian was with Yan Xuan every day and they had plenty of physical contact. Occasionally, when she leaned into his arms wearing something light and revealing, she could clearly tell that Yan Xuan still possessed those desires.

"If there's nothing wrong with his health, then it must be psychological. Maybe he was hurt too deeply and hasn't stepped out of the shadow yet."

"But didn't they have a peaceful breakup?"

"That's what they said, but who really knows?"

Fang Lian looked at herself in the mirror again, lost in thought for a long time.

***

"Achoo!"

Yan Xuan, who was in the middle of a shower, suddenly felt an itch in his nose and sneezed. After turning off the water and getting dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom. Of his three roommates, two were playing games, and one was smoking by the window.

His roommate, Zhao Jie, turned around and said, "Old Yan, lend me your League of Legends account. I’m going to carry a girl to Silver rank."

Yan Xuan went over to Zhao Jie’s computer, scanned the code to log in, and heard a gasp.

"Damn, Old Yan, how are you already at 300 Master points?"

"A friend has been using my account. I didn't expect her to climb the ranks so fast..." Yan Xuan realized he had given his login to Mi Xiaoyue.

Zhao Jie said excitedly, "Looking at the match history, she’s slaughtering everyone in Master tier! Old Yan, you didn't tell me you had a friend like this. Get them to carry our squad!"

Before Yan Xuan could speak, a message popped up from "Cinderella" on the friends list.

Cinderella: Do you want to play yourself, Brother Yan?

Zhao Jie quickly used Yan Xuan’s account to reply: "Great God, I’m Brother Yan’s little bro, please carry us!"

Cinderella: ...

Yan Xuan took out his phone and messaged Mi Xiaoyue: If you don't mind, you can play with them for a while.

Cinderella typed on the client: Okay.

Zhao Jie eagerly invited Mi Xiaoyue to join their group, fawning over her as a "Great God," but Mi Xiaoyue only replied with text.

After a three-game winning streak, Zhao Jie couldn't help but ask, "Old Yan, does your pro friend not have a mic?"

Yan Xuan tapped the back of Zhao Jie’s head and said crossly, "It's enough that she's willing to carry you. Why are you so talkative?"

"I was just worried it might be awkward for them."

"It's fine, I'm not awkward..."

Mi Xiaoyue’s voice suddenly came through the chat, soft and sweet, making Zhao Jie’s eyes light up.

"It's a girl!?"

"Yeah... the game is starting."

Out of respect for Yan Xuan, Mi Xiaoyue didn't stay silent afterward, though she still didn't talk much, focusing mainly on game communication.

As it neared midnight, the team disbanded. Zhao Jie walked over to Yan Xuan’s bed and asked curiously, "Old Yan, you don't usually play games. How did you meet that pro gamer girl?"

Yan Xuan shrugged, indicating he had nothing to say.

"Old Yan, don't say I didn't warn you. Ninety percent of women with beautiful voices online are 'tigers' (catfish)."

"Sounds like you have a lot of experience?"

"The memories are too painful to recount..." Zhao Jie pressed his palms together: "Old Yan, can you give me her contact info? I’ll treat you to a meal another day, you pick the place!"

Yan Xuan teased, "Not afraid of running into another 'tiger'?"

"If she can carry me in the rankings, then let her be a tiger!"

"..."

After sending Zhao Jie away, Yan Xuan’s phone vibrated.

Mi Xiaoyue: Brother Yan, could you please not give my contact information to others...

Yan Xuan looked over and saw that Zhao Jie’s computer still had the game client open, with the team status still active with Cinderella. This meant Mi Xiaoyue had heard their entire conversation through the voice chat.

Mi Xiaoyue: I'm sorry, Brother Yan. I didn't mean to eavesdrop.

Yan Xuan: Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of giving you away to anyone else.

Seeing that Mi Xiaoyue didn't respond for a long time, Yan Xuan added:

Yan Xuan: As a booster with such great value, of course I wouldn't want to let you go.

Mi Xiaoyue: Is that so...

Yan Xuan: What else did you think?

Mi Xiaoyue: (Sticker of a character hiding their hands in their sleeves.)

Yan Xuan imagined Mi Xiaoyue blushing, holding her phone in embarrassment, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Mi Xiaoyue: What are you laughing at, Brother Yan?

Yan Xuan: Still eavesdropping, huh? (Sticker of an angry character!)

Mi Xiaoyue: I'm sorry...

The next second, Cinderella went offline.

Yan Xuan: If you want to listen, we can just use voice chat. Video calls work too.

Mi Xiaoyue was silent for a long time. It wasn't until half an hour later that she replied: Brother Yan, get some rest early. I’m going to go grind some orders. Goodnight!

If it were any other woman, Yan Xuan would have assumed she was just being perfunctory. But Mi Xiaoyue would never do such a thing; she had likely spent the last half hour editing those dozen words back and forth before finally working up the courage to hit send.

Yan Xuan didn't disturb Mi Xiaoyue further. Instead, he opened a food delivery app and found the address from a week ago.

Forty minutes later, a delivery driver pushed open the door to the private room at the internet cafe: "Are you Ms. Mi Xiaoyue? Your stomach-soothing millet and pumpkin porridge is here."

Mi Xiaoyue took off her headphones, confused. "I... I didn't order any food?"

"I don't know about that, but the address is correct."

The driver dropped off the food and left. Mi Xiaoyue picked up the receipt and noticed a line of notes written on it:

"Try to get back to school and rest early. If you’re staying up late, drink the porridge to soothe your stomach. Remember to move around after sitting for a long time, and also..."

"No more Red Bull!"