I’m Dating My Big Brother’s Roommate Online and I’m Way Too Cute! - Chapter 22
“There are many positions, for example.”
Ji Yan didn’t believe in fate. Since they both had a mouth, how could he possibly lose to Zhuo Yu’ang?
He clenched his fists until they were as hard as iron, yet his voice came out in a soft, delicate “baby voice.” “What else has Brother thought about? Like, which ones specifically?”
His tongue slowly brushed against his back molars as if he had already tasted something delicious but remained unsatisfied. Zhuo Yu’ang’s eyes curved; even with his lids half-closed, he could not hide the mischief within. He said, “Many positions. For example, sitting and hugging, from behind, 69.”
“STOP!” Ji Yan’s ears instantly began to smoke. Seeing that five minutes had passed on the alarm clock, his face turned a dark shade of flushed red. “Brother, I am sleepy. I am exhausted. I am going to bed!”
“Mm, then you.”
The word “hang up” did not even make it out.
The only thing left on the phone was a “beep,” followed by silence.
Zhuo Yu’ang crossed his arms, leaning lazily against the railing and laughing uncontrollably in the night breeze.
The Next Morning
Ji Yan woke up with a tired, world-weary face.
He had a nightmare last night. He dreamed he met Zhuo Yu’ang in Nanhuai City. They walked into a coffee shop, but it turned out to be a “little black room.” His reflexes kicked in; he turned around and punched Zhuo Yu’ang. Afterward, his mind was too wired to sleep, and he only managed to doze off again around 4:00 AM.
His phone was filled with messages.
Around 6:00 AM, Chen Zhansen asked if he was asleep. Clearly, he had pulled an all-night gaming session and could not tell day from night. Ji Yan replied, “Just woke up.”
The rest were messages from the class group, ranging from college entrance exam scores to travel plans.
He swiped past them all.
He clicked on Zhuo Yu’ang’s profile.
Ji: “Good morning, Brother.”
The reply was instantaneous.
Zhuo: “Morning.”
Ji Yan continued the topic of meeting up from last night: “Brother, do you have time to meet up recently?”
After sending the message, several minutes passed without a response.
Ji Yan ate breakfast first and did not check his phone again until he reached the shop. The other party’s reply came at 7:50 AM.
Zhuo: “Ran into a professor at the cafeteria; he pulled me aside to chat for a bit.” Zhuo: “Does the little kitten really want to see me?”
The morning was quiet. Ji Yan changed into his work clothes and put on an apron. The straps tied behind his back, accentuating his sharp, lean waist. Only then did he reply: “I am not joking. I really want to see you, Brother.”
Ji: “Brother, do you know? I think about you every night. It has been 32 days and 16 hours since I last saw you. If I miss you for too long, I will get sick.”
Ji Yan remembered his persona’s background: a freshman management major. Therefore, the timeline had to start from when university let out for the holidays.
In front of the library, Zhuo Yu’ang had one hand in his pocket with his head down while typing. A classmate from his department passed by and craned his neck to peek. Without even looking up, Zhuo Yu’ang gave him three words: “Anti-peep screen.”
The other guy laughed it off and pushed the door open to go inside.
The message was sent successfully.
Zhuo: “Brother does not have time these next few days.”
Ji Yan sent three rapid-fire messages.
Ji: “Brother, are you really busy, or do you just not want to see me!” Ji: “Or do you have another girlfriend, so it is inconvenient!” Ji: “Hmph! ╭(╯^╰)╮”
Even though he knew Ji Yan was just acting spoiled, Zhuo Yu’ang still felt a slight headache, his heart tightening.
The little rascal.
Zhuo: “It is not that I do not want to see you.” Zhuo: “I do not have another girlfriend.” Zhuo: “No huffing, and no overthinking.”
He answered him point by point.
Ji Yan sent an emoji of a happy spinning character and continued to nag: “Brother, then shall we meet?”
Zhuo: “Okay, but you did not let me finish.”
Ji: “Dino-Question-Mark.jpg”
Zhuo: “The lab project is wrapping up, and there are many summary reports to write. I definitely will not have time this week. If I did, it would be at night, and I am afraid that is inconvenient for you. Is next week okay?”
Ji: “It is!” Ji: “Dino-Nodding-Vigorously.jpg”
Zhuo Yu’ang smiled and sent his number to Ji Yan: “157xxxxxx32. This is my phone number. Save it. Call me directly if you cannot reach me on WeChat.”
On his end, Ji Yan copied the number and pasted it into his contacts with the nickname: Scumbag.
Just as he finished, Zhuo Yu’ang asked: “Where is mine?”
Ji Yan did not catch on: “What do you want, Brother?”
Zhuo: “Your number. Courtesy demands reciprocity.”
Ji Yan thought for a moment. A phone number could be traced to a real name, but if the “Scumbag” really wanted to investigate him, he would not have waited until today. He sent his number over: “Here it is for Brother (^o^)/~”
Zhuo: “Mm, you only gave the number.”
Ji Yan: “Rogues!”
By now, he understood instantly.
Zhuo Yu’ang saved the number. It was also two characters, but his read: Wife.
Noon
At noon, the delivery person from their usual restaurant arrived. Shan Juncheng carried the meal boxes into the breakroom. Everyone took turns eating; Ji Yan had eaten a large breakfast and was not very hungry, so he let the others eat first while he watched the shop.
The label printer spat out a receipt. Ji Yan tore it off and, following the order, began grinding coffee beans, getting a cup, adding ice, and slicing a whole lemon in half. Just then, shouting erupted from the breakroom.
Xiao Ma: “Cannot you guys taste it? This food is spoiled!”
Xiao Hui: “Right? You tasted it too? I thought they just put too much vinegar in it, but it does not seem like it. I did not dare say anything.”
Shan Juncheng: “There is something wrong with this food. Let us not eat it.”
Xiao Ma: “Go ask the restaurant for an explanation! It was always fine before; what happened today?”
Ji Yan finished packaging the coffee and handed it to the waiting delivery rider. He walked quickly toward the breakroom, not noticing that as the rider left, his older cousin had just returned. She immediately heard about the food issue.
“What is going on?” Ji Yanyan bypassed Ji Yan and asked first.
Shan Juncheng put all the meal boxes into a plastic bag, preparing to throw them away.
Xiao Ma immediately said: “Sister Yan, the food the restaurant sent today is a bit rancid. We all tasted it.”
“Sister, let us handle this. You just got back from the hospital. How was the check-up?” Ji Yan changed the subject. Although his cousin’s condition was stable, it was best if she did not lose her temper.
“It was fine, do not worry,” Ji Yanyan reached for the plastic bag in Shan Juncheng’s hand.
Shan Juncheng said: “I will handle it.”
“Are you the boss or am I? Give it to me!” Ji Yanyan gave him a light glare.
Shan Juncheng had no choice but to hand over the bag.
Ji Yanyan had a fiery temper, but she was not unreasonable, nor was she someone who only listened to one side of the story. She opened the plastic bag, took out a portion, broke apart a pair of unused chopsticks, and took a bite.
With one taste, she spat it out.
“I am going to go settle the score with that boss!”
Ji Yan stood at the door, blocking her way: “Sister, I will go. I have got a slick tongue; I can solve it.”
“No, you look young; they will definitely bully you. I have to go myself,” Ji Yanyan insisted. “I know that boss; I only just started ordering from him. I want to ask him if he is taking advantage of me because I am an acquaintance!”
Ji Yan did not budge: “The more you argue, the more agitated you will get.”
“Ji Yan, I will go with your sister,” Shan Juncheng said. “I will stay with her; I will not let anything happen.”
Ji Yanyan put her hands on her hips: “Exactly who has a problem here?”
Shan Juncheng quickly corrected himself: “The boss is the one with the problem.”
Ji Yanyan: “Let us go. Do not throw the evidence away; take it over and make them eat it themselves.”
The two left the shop. Ji Yan, Xiao Ma, and Xiao Hui stayed to mind the store.
The phone buzzed.
Ji Yan could guess who it was without even looking. Before, he was the one actively flirting with Zhuo Yu’ang, calling him “Brother” all day long, but now half the conversations were started by Zhuo Yu’ang.
According to his cousin, the more “useless” the content of the chat, and the more you lingered on those meaningless topics, the deeper the feelings were becoming. Therefore, he answered every one of Zhuo Yu’ang’s messages.
Zhuo Yu’ang asked if he had eaten.
Ji Yan typed: “Not yet, Brother.”
He added a crying face: “o(╥﹏╥)o”
Zhuo: “What is wrong? Why have you not eaten?”
Ji: “It is not that I do not want to eat; it is that there is no food to eat.”
Zhuo: “I thought you were looking for another scolding.”
Ji: “No.”
Zhuo: “Be specific.”
Ji Yan told him everything but omitted the name of the restaurant and the location of his coffee shop. On a whim, he acted pitiful to gain sympathy: “Brother, I do not know when the boss will be back to order again. I am so hungry; I want to eat, waah.”
Zhuo: “How many people are in your shop?”
Ji Yan did not think much of it: “Five people, quack.”
Zhuo: “Understood.”
Ji: “Brother, have you eaten?”
Zhuo: “Brother has eaten.”
Ji: “What did you have? Tell me so I can satisfy my cravings through you.”
Zhuo: “The food at the North District Dining Hall is pretty good. I ordered the Sweet and Sour Mandarin Fish today.”
Ji: “Ugh. Brother, I miss our school’s cafeteria too. I want to go back to school early so I can eat with you.”
Zhuo Yu’ang also remembered his persona. He laughed when he saw the message “our school,” even though the little rascal had only just graduated high school.
Zhuo: “Okay, Brother is looking forward to your arrival. We will eat together then.”
Ji: “Mm~(@^_^@)~”
Time flew while chatting. Before he knew it, twenty minutes had passed. The wind chimes jingled, and a man wearing a uniform with “Hang’s Food Time Restaurant” printed on it walked in carrying two large bags. He smiled: “Your lunch is here. Where should I put it?”
“Thank you. Give it to me,” Xiao Hui stepped forward to take them.
Xiao Ma followed eagerly: “I am starving. I thought we would have to wait at least another hour to eat. I am telling you, Sister Yan is the best boss ever!”
“Xiao Yan,” Xiao Hui called out to Ji Yan. “The two of you eat first. I already ate half my previous meal, so I am not that hungry.”
Ji Yan said: “It is okay, Brother Hui. I am fine waiting a bit.”
“Do not be like that; I am serious. I am not just being polite,” Xiao Hui pulled Ji Yan over.
As the bags were unpacked, the large meal boxes stunned all three of them. Xiao Ma gasped: “One portion is as big as a washbasin at my house. My god.”
They opened the containers.
“Wow!” Xiao Ma exclaimed again. “It is so lavish! Deep-fried prawns, Teriyaki chicken legs.”
Ji Yan’s eyes lit up too: “Mine has garlic chicken wings, mushroom beef, and sliced Peking duck. It is all my favorites.”
Gulp. Xiao Hui heard the sound of his own mouth watering.
In the other bag, there was a hearty portion of Pork Rib and Taro Soup for each person.
When Ji Yanyan and Shan Juncheng returned, they pushed the door open only to hear Xiao Ma and Xiao Hui burping in satisfaction. Ji Yanyan slapped her forehead and cried out, “I was so focused on arguing with them that I forgot to re-order food for you guys!”
“Sister, did you not order it? We already finished eating.”
Xiao Hui pointed toward the breakroom: “There are two portions left for you guys.”
Ji Yanyan was bewildered: “Did I order that?”
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