I’m Dating My Big Brother’s Roommate Online and I’m Way Too Cute! - Chapter 3

Even a scammer in Northern Myanmar would not dare to be this blatant.

Zhuo Yu’ang turned back toward the lab. He really had to ask Ji Han what exactly was going on with his younger brother.

At that moment, Ji Han was deeply engrossed in a professional discussion with Ge Jiarui. Seeing Zhuo Yu’ang approaching, Ji Han began winking and making faces, clearly signaling for him not to be a third wheel and to leave them alone.

Zhuo Yu’ang pinched the bridge of his nose and decided to mind his own business first.

It was not until they were heading back to the dormitory around nine o’clock that he found an opening to ask, “That person you asked me to Photoshop earlier, is that really your brother?”

“Yes, why?” Ji Han paused with a look of realization dawning on him. “Are you worried my brother will use your edited photo to cause trouble? Relax, I can guarantee his character. He would not do something like that.”

Zhuo Yu’ang’s expression turned slightly odd, but he remained noncommittal. Without confirmation, it was hard to say anything. He asked, “Can I see your brother’s WeChat?”

“Sure,” Ji Han unlocked his phone and handed it over. “Take a look.”

Having been roommates for two years, Ji Han felt he understood Zhuo Yu’ang’s temperament perfectly. Zhuo always looked like he had a smile on his face and seemed easy to approach, but in reality, he was cold, cautious, and difficult to truly get close to. Without Ji Han’s constant, self-appointed enthusiasm and their two year history as roommates, they would not be friends at all.

Zhuo Yu’ang checked the WeChat ID. It was identical to the one with the puppy profile picture that had messaged him. Returning the phone, he said, “Ji Han, there is something I need to tell you. Your brother,”

Just as he was about to speak, Ji Han’s phone rang. it was a video call from his family. His parents were on the other end, asking how long he would stay at school and if he was coming home this break. The warm, mundane chatter continued all the way into the dorm building and back into their room.

It was rare for Zhuo Yu’ang to feel this helpless several times in one day over the same issue. Ji Han set his phone on a stand, clearly prepared for a long chat. He gestured for Zhuo Yu’ang to use the bathroom first, as he would be a while.

Zhuo Yu’ang nodded and walked behind him. He heard Ji Han’s mother calling out through the video, “Ji Yan, Ji Yan! Come out and talk to your brother. Mama knows you are not asleep yet!”

Zhuo Yu’ang’s footsteps faltered. He subconsciously glanced at the screen. Before the boy even appeared on camera, his voice drifted out first, “What is the rush? Is my brother dead?”

A short, sharp chuckle escaped Zhuo Yu’ang. He could not help himself. He thought the kid was quite interesting.

Ji Han immediately blew up, “You brat, how dare you talk like that? Do you think that because I am far away at school I cannot discipline you anymore? I am telling you,” Ji Han pointed at the screen, “I am coming back next month. You just wait.”

“Fine. If you do not come back, you are a dog.” The boy finally appeared on screen.

Zhuo Yu’ang was out of the camera’s frame, but from his angle, he could see the younger brother clearly. The boy had neat black hair in a slightly messy, layered cut. His skin was noticeably fairer than average, creating a sharp contrast with his dark hair. At first glance, he looked well behaved, but a second look revealed an untamed arrogance beneath the surface. He looked like a lazy, harmless black cat that was ready to pounce at any moment.

His parents scolded him jokingly in the video. The family atmosphere was very lively. Ji Han brought up the photo, “Xiao Yan, I have not asked you yet. Why did you want me to Photoshop that photo? Do not lie; give it to me straight.”

Zhuo Yu’ang did not leave. He pulled out his chair and sat down, opening Introduction to Algorithms to pretend to read. His parents also asked about the photo. Ji Han explained the situation but did not mention he had pawned the job off on his roommate.

Zhuo Yu’ang heard the boy respond in an incredibly calm, monotone voice that completely contradicted the admiration he was expressing, “Because I think my big brother is amazing. You got into university at such a young age and you are studying Computer Science. I want to learn a bit from you, starting with Photoshopping.”

The person reading the book beside him could not help but curl his lips upward. He was suddenly curious if the kid used this same cold expression when he typed, “Gege, I am super sweet!”

“I will believe you for now,” Ji Han said.

Ji Yan’s father chimed in, addressing his younger son, “Son, learning technology is fine, but you really should not use photos recklessly, even if they are your own. Understand? If you mess around with photos, Dad will not replace your guitar.”

“I know,” Ji Yan replied.

The family chatted for a few more minutes before ending the call. Ji Han turned around and said, “Whoa, are you crazy, Lao Zhuo? Are you still studying?”

“It never hurts to learn more.” Zhuo Yu’ang put the book down, rested his arm on the back of his chair, and looked up. “I accidentally overheard. What was your dad saying about not replacing your brother’s guitar?”

“Oh,” Ji Han said. “My brother loves playing the guitar. He saved up his allowance and New Year’s money for years to buy one himself. However, during spring cleaning last year, my dad had good intentions but messed up. He accidentally dropped and broke it while trying to wipe it down. The more expensive things are, the more fragile they seem.”

Zhuo Yu’ang asked, “How much was the guitar?”

“Over fifty thousand yuan.”

“That is not cheap. Your dad has not paid him back yet?”

“Not yet. At that time, my dad lost a lot of money on a bad investment, so he has been dragging his feet on buying a new one.”

“So, if your brother messes around with those photos, your dad really will not pay him back?”

“It is hard to say. Since money is tight, he might just use it as an excuse to delay it indefinitely.” Ji Han rubbed his chin. “I am thinking I do not have much time for my camera anyway. Maybe I will sell it second hand to help him out.”

Then, remembering something, he changed the subject, “You said you had something to tell me earlier. What was it?”

A silence fell over the room as their eyes met.

Ji Han asked, “?”

Zhuo Yu’ang knitted his brows, crossed his arms, and thought for a brief moment. Then, his expression relaxed, and he said, “I just wanted to ask if you want to go for a morning run together tomorrow.”

“No, no, no!” Ji Han waved his hands frantically. “It is the holidays. I must sleep until I wake up naturally every day. Otherwise, when I become a corporate slave in the future, I will definitely slap myself for wasting this time.”

“Alright,” Zhuo Yu’ang said. “You use the bathroom first. I will read a bit more.”

“You really are a God of Study. I cannot stand you.” Ji Han grabbed his change of clothes, but just as he opened the bathroom door, he was called back again.

Zhuo Yu’ang asked once more, “Is your brother named Ji Yan?”

“Yes.”

“How old is he?”

“He is nineteen. He just graduated high school. He is already as tall as I am.”

“Oh,” Zhuo Yu’ang suddenly urged, “Hurry up and get in there. Do not dawdle; I need to use it after you.”

Ji Han was speechless. “Why are you acting so weird today?”

Once the bathroom door closed, Zhuo Yu’ang took out his phone. An hour ago, the younger brother had sent a second message: “Gege, why are you ignoring me?”

After finishing the call with his brother, Ji Yan hurried back to his room. After showering, he picked up his phone while towel drying his dripping hair. The scumbag had not replied. There was only a message from Guo Jia asking about his progress.

He quickly dried his hair and sat on the edge of his bed. Looking at the guitar with the cracked neck hanging on the wall, he sent a voice message to Guo Jia: “He accepted my request and I sent the photo, but there has been no reaction.”

“That should not be. The photo is so good looking. If I did not know you were a guy, even I would be interested,” Guo Jia teased.

Ji Yan replied, “Get lost.” He then asked, “How is Guo Ying doing?”

Guo Jia sent a long voice note back, “She is still in a bad mood. I do not know if they contacted each other today, but since I got home, I have not seen her touch her phone. She said she is going to start memorizing English vocabulary tomorrow to prepare for college. I think as long as that scumbag stops targeting her, she will definitely be able to move on. Bro, I am counting on you!”

“I understand,” Ji Yan said. He knew the revenge had to be taken and the scumbag’s attention had to be diverted.

While chatting with his friend, he also messaged the scumbag. He chose a sticker of a crying dragon.

On the other side, Zhuo Yu’ang had just laid down. The lights in the dorm were out. He rested his head on one hand and adjusted his position, holding his glowing phone with the other to read the message. His lips curled into a smile that was both amused and helpless. Since he had decided not to expose him for now, he might as well play along.

Shortly after the sticker was sent, Ji Yan received a reply.

Zhuo: “Did you not say you were my mentor?”

Ji Yan’s eyes instantly lit up. He sat up straight, his wet bangs falling over his face. A drop of water nearly hit his eye, but he did not care. He had already prepared his excuse: “I lied because I like Gege. I am sorry, but I had no other choice. I like Gege too much.”

Zhuo: “Are you sure you know who I am?”

Ji: “I know.”

Zhuo: “Tell me then.”

Ji: “Zhuo Yu’ang. Sophomore. Studying Computer Science. From the day of freshman registration, Gege has been firmly living in my heart.”

Zhuo: “So you are also at Nanda?”

In Ji Yan’s eyes, Zhuo Yu’ang was a total scumbag. Why would he need to tell a scumbag the truth? Playing a girl and acting spoiled caused him zero psychological burden. He would be as seductive as possible.

Ji: “Yes! I am a freshman and a Management major. I often go to watch Gege play basketball.”

In the pitch black dormitory, a soft chuckle rang out. The voice was low and attractive. “Watch me play ball? You are lying.”

Zhuo: “Why did you not come find me in person?”

Ji: “Because I am very shy.”

Zhuo: “But you were not too shy to ask for an online relationship the moment we connected?”

Ji Yan fell silent for a moment. He was not afraid of a scumbag’s tricks, but he feared a scumbag with strong logic.

Ji: “I have been waiting for Gege to accept my request for so long. I was so nervous that I forgot everything. The only words left in my mind were ‘I like you,’ so,”

Zhuo: “Then what is your name?”

Ji: “I cannot tell Gege yet.”

Zhuo: “Why?”

Because if he gave a name, it would be too easy to check if such a person existed in the Management department. The lie would be exposed instantly.

Ji: “My real name is not very pretty. I am afraid Gege will laugh at it, and I would be embarrassed. I do not want Gege to recognize me so quickly.” Ji Yan quickly came up with a nickname for himself. “But Gege can call me Tiantian. That is what my family calls me.”

Zhuo: “So, how sweet are you?”

Ji: “My friends all say I look very sweet and my voice is very sweet too. Gege, I also know how to act spoiled, provide emotional value, and I can even act like a kitty for Gege!”

The man’s tongue slowly brushed against his back teeth. Not a single word was the truth. Zhuo wrote: “Act like one for me then.”

Ji Yan was already sitting cross legged on his bed, holding his phone with both hands. Upon seeing the reply, he immediately typed, “Meow! Meow! Meow meow meow meow! Meow meow meow meow meow!”

Ji: “Did it sound good, Gege? If Gege likes it, I can meow for you every day. Meow!” He followed it up with a blushing cat sticker.

A moment later, the scumbag replied.

Zhuo: “It did not sound good.”

This little bit of effort was not enough to tempt Zhuo Yu’ang.

Zhuo: “Little cat, go to sleep. Gege is tired.”

Ji Yan’s face went cold. He thought, Pretending to be noble and wanting to play hard to get, huh? He continued to send, “I do not want to! I still want to talk to Gege. Does Gege not like me? Do you not want to date me?”

Zhuo: “You want to date that badly?”

Ji: “Yes! But I only like Gege. I only want to date Gege!”

Zhuo: “What do you like about me?”

Praising people was easy for Ji Yan. “I like that Gege is handsome and excels in every aspect. Every time I see you, I am subconsciously drawn to your charm.” Then he added something that any man would be proud of. “And Gege is the biggest!”

Zhuo Yu’ang burst out laughing. No matter how big he was, he was not as bold as this younger brother who dared to praise a man like that in the middle of the night. After that message was sent, there were a few minutes of silence. Just as Ji Yan thought the other person might have fallen asleep, the scumbag replied.

Zhuo: “You have praised Gege right where it counts.”

Ji Yan remained silent. Truly shameless.

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