Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 24.4

Ever since Qi Ning shared a colorful joke she found online, every time she mentioned “Wushan,” Yun Yu would tease her by calling her “Wushan,” and it seemed this joke was here to stay.

70: Where am I being dirty! (ノ=Д=）ノ┻━┻

Yun Yu: Hmm?

Qi Ning: “……” Alright, she had already read the meaning Yun Yu was trying to convey from that word.

The chat paused for two minutes while Qi Ning pondered what to say, and then Yun Yu proactively tossed a topic her way.

Yun Yu: Have you sorted out your friends’ situation?

Qi Ning was taken aback for a moment, thinking for a while before recalling what Yun Yu was referring to.

She had a couple of friends who had recently been on the verge of breaking up. The guy was a friend Qi Ning had known first, and they had a decent relationship, while the girl often went shopping with her, and they were also close.

The tricky part was that she was friends with both of them. The guy felt the girl had a bad temper and wanted to break up but was reluctant to let go of their long relationship and wanted to salvage it. The girl was determined to break up but was also easily swayed, constantly hesitating.

As a result, both of them came to Qi Ning for help, leaving her with a headache. Once a relationship showed cracks, no matter how much she tried to mend it, there would still be a gap. She worried that if they reconciled, they might end up breaking up again and blame her for being indecisive.

At that time, she was troubled about whether to help the guy win the girl back or to let the girl go through the pain of a breakup. While chatting, she had mentioned this to Yun Yu.

Now, she was surprised that Yun Yu still remembered this matter.

70: I don’t know, I haven’t been involved in their situation anymore.

Qi Ning had given them a heartfelt lecture, urging them to think clearly before deciding, meaning she had said her piece and it was up to them to decide without dragging her into it. After that, she hadn’t interfered again.

Yun Yu: A wise judge can’t resolve family matters; let them decide for themselves, so you don’t offend either side.

Qi Ning found Yun Yu’s words very insightful. As she replied, she took an ice pop out of the fridge, preparing to eat it.

Before she could even open the packaging, her hand froze upon seeing Yun Yu’s message.

Yun Yu advised her: You’re on your period these days, right? Don’t eat cold or raw foods.

Qi Ning looked at the ice pop in her hand and suddenly remembered that her period was due in the next couple of days, so she had to put it back.

She returned to the sofa.

70: How did you know I’m on my period?

Yun Yu: You mentioned it last week.

Qi Ning couldn’t recall, so she scrolled back through their chat history.

To her surprise, she had indeed mentioned it. It had been a hot day, and she couldn’t resist eating three ice creams in a row. Yun Yu had even told her not to eat so many as it wasn’t good for her stomach.

At that time, she had joked that her period was coming next week, so she should eat a few more while she could.

She hadn’t expected Yun Yu to actually remember that…

Qi Ning felt a warmth in her heart.

To be honest, none of her previous boyfriends or suitors had shown such meticulous concern.

70: I didn’t eat it~ （￣▽￣～）～

70: How come you’re so familiar with this? Do you care for every girl like this? Hmph! (￣へ￣)

Yun Yu sent two innocent emoticons.

Yun Yu: No, just you.

Upon reading that, Qi Ning couldn’t help but feel happy inside, her lips curving into a smile.

She believed Yun Yu was different from others; she wasn’t the type to flirt. Most of the time, her replies were quite serious, and Qi Ning certainly believed her when she said she only cared for her.

However, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy about Yun Yu’s past relationship with someone else.

Even though she knew their relationship was merely that of ordinary online friends, or perhaps something more than friends but not quite lovers, she still felt a bit possessive.

Qi Ning decided to leave it at that and shifted the conversation to the embarrassing incident involving her colleague’s online dating experience. Yun Yu quietly listened, and once Qi Ning finished, she shared her sympathetic thoughts.

70: Did you also meet your ex and have a disastrous experience? [Cat Head]

She still wasn’t satisfied and began to probe indirectly.

Yun Yu: No.

Qi Ning: “!!!”

So, they still had contact?!

Qi Ning frowned, feeling a mix of emotions.

Consciousness bit her finger as she typed a reply: Still in touch?

The other end took a moment to respond.

Yun Yu: We occasionally grab a meal together. We live pretty close by.

Qi Ning: “!!!!!!!!!!”

Her eyes widened, and suddenly, her heart felt heavy. If they still had meals together, did that mean they had parted on good terms and had a pleasant relationship before? Or were they in an ambiguous phase where they could reconcile at any moment?

Then what did that make her? Just a simple online friend?

But Qi Ning knew her feelings for Yun Yu had already changed, undergoing a qualitative transformation with every nightly conversation.

Feeling stifled, Qi Ning didn’t want to continue the chat. She hastily bid Yun Yu goodbye and logged off without waiting for a reply.

She told herself that she was just an online friend and shouldn’t overthink things. Yet, she couldn’t deny that she had genuinely developed feelings. Even though they had never seen each other, it didn’t stop her from growing fond of Yun Yu on the other side of the screen.

Humans were strange creatures. Qi Ning had always been particular about looks when it came to choosing a partner. But now, she felt that Yun Yu, whom she had never met, was just fine. As long as they got along well, appearance wasn’t that important. She could sense the other person’s authenticity through their conversations.

Yun Yu was gentle, considerate, and attentive. She could share little things about her life without worrying about real-world complications. Yun Yu was a great listener and could offer mature advice.

But now, she was beginning to feel lost.

As her colleagues often said, the internet was ultimately a virtual space. Behind the screen, people could pretend even kiss someone else after saying goodnight to you.

After all this time chatting, they had almost never discussed each other’s romantic lives. To Qi Ning, being together had seemed like a natural progression.

But now, it appeared that wasn’t the case.

There was so much she didn’t know about Yun Yu like what kind of feelings Yun Yu truly had for her. Or whether her own feelings for Yun Yu were just a beautiful illusion crafted by the distance of the internet.

If she stripped away that illusion, what would remain of her feelings for Yun Yu?

She needed to cool down.

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