My Online Date is My Roommate - Chapter 13

Xiao Yuer’s character stood to the side, having just absorbed a wave of damage for My Sword is Very Sharp. My Sword’s health bar was down to half; if he hadn’t dodged in time, his character would likely have been toast.

Xiao Yuer’s explanation sounded perfectly reasonable. After that initial flicker of strangeness, the rest of the team felt nothing was amiss and continued their assault.

Fei Wenxu also noticed the comment. He stared at the line of text with a frown, then silently released his final skill. The sword’s special effects flashed as it slashed through the air, and the monstrous giant fell with a crash. The dungeon was cleared.

Shaking off the lingering discomfort, Fei Wenxu replied:

Fish: [It’s fine. I was careless.]

The team knew how strong Fei Wenxu was, and they still found it hard to believe their Leader would be careless enough to tank a Boss’s ultimate move. But since the dungeon was over, those minor details didn’t seem to matter anymore.

Jiang Mingbo, watching his rival’s blunder, nearly fell off his bed laughing.

Xiao Yuer: [Wow! I knew I was right to cling to your thigh! You’re amazing!]

Xiao Yuer: [Don’t worry, after today, I’ll definitely stay by your side and never leave you!]

Without any emojis or jokes, the statement sounded undeniably flirtatious. The teammates tactfully remained silent, opening their loot chests with their eyes fixed on their screens while secretly monitoring the chat window.

Fish: [No need. Focus on team synergy.]

Xiao Yuer: [No, you’re the most important.]

The chat interface felt like it was starting to brim with pink bubbles.

Xiao Yuer: [Protecting you is basically protecting the whole team. You can carry us all to a win by yourself!]

Jiang Mingbo shifted the topic seamlessly, acting as if he hadn’t just said something incredibly suggestive.

No one followed up. My Sword is Very Sharp was drowning in despair over the fact that all the good girls were being lured away by the Leader; Guanshan Nanyue was busy sorting his rewards (he’d luckily opened a gold chest); and Xiao Paomo felt the atmosphere was subtle but didn’t know how to butt in.

A minute later, Fei Wenxu replied.

Fish: [It’s 10:00. The limited-time Folklore quest is starting.]

The group realized it was indeed ten o’clock; they’d lost track of time.

Xiao Yuer: [Aw, what a shame I can’t join you!]

Xiao Yuer: [Waaaaah!]

Xiao Yuer: [Thanks for the carry, everyone.]

Xiao Yuer: [Mwah.jpg]

Jiang Mingbo’s messages flooded the screen. His words were vague, ending on a massive blowing-kiss emoji, leaving it unclear if he was thanking the whole team or someone in particular.

As soon as the party disbanded, he sent a private message to Fei Wenxu.

Xiao Yuer: [I’m sorry~]

Fei Wenxu was organizing a new team and didn’t reply immediately.

Xiao Yuer: [Are you ignoring me?]

Xiao Yuer: [I really know I was wrong. I’ll never leave your side again.]

Jiang Mingbo was in character, throwing out flirtatious lines without restraint. He didn’t believe for a second that Fei Wenxu was truly indifferent to what had happened earlier.

Fish: […]

Xiao Yuer: [I thought you were ignoring me.]

Fish: [I wasn’t.]

Xiao Yuer: [I really learned my lesson. I won’t do it again. Next time, even if everyone else’s health is at zero, I won’t go over! Please don’t be mad at me…]

Fish: [I’m not mad.]

Xiao Yuer: [Liar. You aren’t talking to me, so you must be mad.]

Fei Wenxu was speechless at the person’s pestering, yet he didn’t feel annoyed. The limited-time team had assembled; everyone was geared up and waiting for the Leader to enter the dungeon, ready to dominate. Yet, their Leader was standing at the entrance, motionless.

Fish: [Aren’t I talking to you right now?]

Xiao Yuer: [It’s not the same!]

In the party chat, Zhumi Needs to Lose Weight asked the ultimate question: [Leader? Is your internet okay? Why haven’t we started?]

Party: Guanshan Nanyue: [Yeah, I’ve been waiting so long the flowers are wilting.]

Fei Wenxu suddenly realized the team was full and waiting for him.

Fish: [Sorry, my network lagged for a second.]

Ah, I see. Everyone retracted their doubts and prepared for battle.

On his bed, Jiang Mingbo tossed and turned. When no reply came, he began to worry. Is Fei Wenxu getting bored? Did I mess up the persona? I should have gone with the ‘Gentle, Mature Big Sister’ type…

He fretted for two minutes before realizing he was being stupid. Fei Wenxu was sitting right there at the desk below him. If he wanted to know what he was doing, he just had to hop down and look.

Jiang Mingbo’s eyes lit up. He sat up with a thud and vaulted down. He pretended to grab his cup to get water. The dispenser was on the balcony, and getting there meant passing right behind Fei Wenxu.

After filling his cup, he walked back, tilting his head to drink while trying to sneak a peek at Fei Wenxu’s screen. He saw the man was in the middle of a massive ultimate move and rolled his eyes, inwardly cursing him for being heartless. Can’t even take a second to reply to me?

Then, a searing, white-hot pain bloomed on his lips and tongue. Jiang Mingbo cried out. He’d been so distracted that he had filled his cup with boiling water.

The noise made Fei Wenxu spin his chair around to see what was happening. Because he gamed often, Fei Wenxu had a high-end, comfortable e-sports chair. His sudden turn startled the already guilty Jiang Mingbo. His grip on the handle slipped, and the cup of scalding water fell straight toward Fei Wenxu’s legs.

Jiang Mingbo’s heart leaped into his throat. His mind went blank. In a split-second reflex, he didn’t even think, he just felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his right arm and upper back.

He snapped back to reality.

He found himself kneeling, his body braced against Fei Wenxu’s chair, shielding most of the other man. Their combined weight had pushed the chair back against the edge of the desk.

The commotion brought Tan Rui and Yu Xuan’s heads poking out from their curtains. They saw Jiang Mingbo practically pounced on top of Fei Wenxu.

Tan Rui gasped. “Holy crap, what are you two doing?”

Is this dorm finally dating internally? Then he saw the mess on the floor and the cup still spinning on the tiles. “Oh no!”

Startled, Jiang Mingbo scrambled off Fei Wenxu’s chair. His right arm and back were screaming with a burning pain. He glared at Fei Wenxu.

“What’s wrong with you?! Why did you turn around so suddenly?”

Fei Wenxu didn’t look happy either. He stood up with a dark expression, grabbing Jiang Mingbo’s left arm. “I wouldn’t have turned if you hadn’t screamed.”

Fei Wenxu was broader and taller than Jiang Mingbo. Between that and the pain draining his energy, Jiang Mingbo was practically dragged along behind him.

“I got f***ing scalded! Am I not allowed to scream?” The more Jiang Mingbo looked at him, the more he hated him. Nothing good ever comes out of this guy’s mouth!

“What are you doing!?” Jiang Mingbo’s eyes widened as he prepared to curse. Getting burned was bad enough, why was this idiot dragging him to the balcony? Had he realized he was screen-peeking?

Fei Wenxu said nothing. He hauled him into the bathroom, flicked the faucet to the blue side, and aimed the showerhead directly at the burned area on Jiang Mingbo’s back.

The shock made Jiang Mingbo flinch and try to retreat, but he couldn’t move an inch. Despite being well-toned himself, he couldn’t break Fei Wenxu’s grip. He glared, trying to set the idiot on fire with his eyes.

Fei Wenxu held his right arm firmly, refusing to let him budge. His tone was stern. “Don’t move!”

The icy water meeting the burning pain created a bizarre sensation. Jiang Mingbo finally calmed down a little, but immediate regret followed. He shouldn’t have gone down to spy. Now he’d “lost the lady and the soldiers” a total defeat.

Tan Rui and Yu Xuan crowded around the bathroom door, sounding worried.

“Bo-er, is it serious?” “Are you okay?”

Fei Wenxu spoke calmly: “Go to the school infirmary and buy some burn cream and gauze. We’ll check it in twenty minutes. If it’s bad, we’re going to the Central Hospital.”

Tan Rui always trusted Fei Wenxu. Upon hearing the instructions, he grabbed Yu Xuan and bolted out the door, not even stopping to change out of his slippers.

The two left behind didn’t speak. The bathroom was filled only with the sound of splashing water and Jiang Mingbo’s gradually steadying breath. He stared resentfully at his pinned right arm.

The water had soaked through his thin white T-shirt, making it cling to his body and revealing his lean waist. Jiang Mingbo didn’t work out much aside from cycling, which left him with a straight back and lithe, defined muscles. He looked quite good.

Fei Wenxu realized this, glanced away quickly, and let out a cold snort at the defiant Jiang Mingbo. “I thought you couldn’t stand the sight of me. Why did you jump on me then?”

Jiang Mingbo looked up in disbelief. Though they both knew they disliked each other, they had never said it out loud. He scoffed. “I was afraid of being sued. If I burned you, I’d be drowned in everyone’s spit.”

As he said it, he couldn’t even explain to himself why he’d shielded the guy. He should have let the water scald him to death.

He thought for a second. He hated Fei Wenxu, sure, but if he had burned the guy, he would “owe” him something. He refused to let Fei Wenxu have that kind of leverage over him. He’d rather be the one burned.

Fei Wenxu studied the indignant man and smirked coldly. “Then you only have yourself to blame. What were you doing standing behind me like a ghost anyway? You didn’t realize you were being burned until it happened?”

Jiang Mingbo: “Don’t flatter yourself! I was just passing by!”

Fei Wenxu’s eyes narrowed. He stared at the furious Jiang Mingbo, then hung the showerhead back up on its bracket. As the water source moved higher, it drenched Jiang Mingbo from head to toe.

“You son of a—”

Before he could finish, Fei Wenxu’s free hand clamped onto his jaw. The words died in his throat. Jiang Mingbo blinked in shock, his eyes widening. What is this freak doing?

Fei Wenxu’s grip was firm, making Jiang Mingbo feel as if his jaw might actually be dislocated.

“Watch your language,” Fei Wenxu said, enunciating every word. “And don’t mess with me.”

“Psychopath!” Jiang Mingbo hissed back. He was about to kick the guy and use his left hand to pry the grip off when the dorm door swung open. The hand on his jaw vanished instantly. Fei Wenxu picked up the showerhead again.

Tan Rui and Yu Xuan were incredibly fast, returning in ten minutes. They didn’t notice anything wrong and looked worriedly at Jiang Mingbo’s arm.

Jiang Mingbo’s chest heaved with unvented rage. He wanted to tear Fei Wenxu apart piece by piece.

“Bo-er, don’t be mad, don’t be mad. It’s just a burn, it’ll be fine.” Tan Rui, rarely sensing an emotion correctly but misattributing the cause, tried to comfort him.

Fei Wenxu looked at the clueless Tan Rui with amusement, then added, “Yeah. Don’t be mad.”

Jiang Mingbo shot a glare at the mocking Fei Wenxu and swallowed his anger. “It was… an accident,” he forced out through gritted teeth.

Yu Xuan felt the vibe was off but couldn’t put his finger on it. He checked his phone. “How much longer does he need to soak?”

Fei Wenxu: “Thirty minutes is best.”

The thought of staring at this idiot for another half hour made Jiang Mingbo sick. He shifted his shoulder. “I can do it myself…”

Fei Wenxu’s grip remained unyielding. “Careful. Don’t move.”

Even Tan Rui nodded in agreement. “Bo-er, you don’t have eyes in your back. It’s fine, we’re all brothers!”

Jiang Mingbo nearly coughed up blood. He gritted his teeth and made a silent vow: Fei Wenxu, you wait. If I don’t destroy you, my name isn’t Jiang!

After Tan Rui and Yu Xuan cleaned up the mess on the floor, Jiang Mingbo finally escaped Fei Wenxu’s “clutches.” He rubbed his sore shoulder and stormed out of the bathroom.

Behind him, Fei Wenxu watched Jiang Mingbo’s dripping back and let out a mocking smirk.

Jiang Mingbo pulled off his shirt and grabbed a towel to dry his back and arm. As soon as the fabric touched his skin, the sharp, stinging pain flared up again, making him flinch.

The towel was suddenly snatched away. Fei Wenxu stood behind him, taking over.

With Tan Rui and Yu Xuan right there, Jiang Mingbo couldn’t make a scene. He bit his lower lip and endured it.

Fei Wenxu wasn’t being a “good samaritan” out of the goodness of his heart; he simply found the look of utter humiliation on Jiang Mingbo’s face entertaining and wanted to keep messing with him.

Once dry, the severity of the burn was clear. Jiang Mingbo had fair skin, and the areas usually covered by clothes were even whiter. The palm-sized burn on his back was a deep purple-red, looking like a strange birthmark.

Fei Wenxu inspected it. “The dorm water isn’t boiling; it looks like a superficial burn.”

Tan Rui chimed in, “Bo-er, want to go to the hospital?”

Jiang Mingbo snapped, “No need.” He’d been a wild kid and had survived plenty of scrapes; this was nothing.

Fei Wenxu took a cotton swab and the burn ointment, applying it abruptly to the wound.

Since he couldn’t see it coming, Jiang Mingbo gasped. “Hiss—gentle!”

This bastard is doing it on purpose! He fought the urge to turn around and slap the guy, looking away in frustration. His eyes landed on his phone screen the game had gone into standby mode from inactivity.

Jiang Mingbo gritted his teeth. He was going to make this guy pay.