Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 32

On the first day of the National Day long holiday, Qi Ning was woken up by a phone call while still in the middle of a dream.

She had stayed up far too late chatting with Yun Yu the night before, and then spent some time scrolling through videos afterward. As a result, she completely slept through her alarm. By 9:00 AM, Chu Yunjing had already driven to the curb outside her building. Seeing no sign of her friend, she called, only to find out the girl hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet.

 

“Were you out moonlighting as a thief last night?” Chu Yunjing looked at her coolly the moment the door opened.

 

Qi Ning offered a giggling, perfunctory excuse as she shuffled aside to let her in, then retreated further into the apartment.

 

“I’m going to brush my teeth first!”

 

“…You haven’t even brushed your teeth yet?!” Chu Yunjing’s voice trailed behind her, filled with disbelief.

 

Qi Ning, who had been lounging in bed just a minute prior, didn’t dare talk back.

 

Chu Yunjing had already eaten breakfast before coming over. While Qi Ning was in the bathroom with the door open, Chu Yunjing walked to the fridge and opened it. Inside, there were only two eggs; the rest was just soda and juice. There was also a small cream cake—likely bought for breakfast but left untouched.

 

Qi Ning was preoccupied with her personal grooming. By the time she had changed, finished her makeup, and was ready to go, she found Chu Yunjing in the kitchen starting the stove. She stood at the kitchen door, peeking in like a curious hamster.

 

“What are you making?” She could already smell the food from the doorway; it smelled delicious.

 

“Noodles,” Chu Yunjing replied as she added the instant noodle block to the pot.

 

Qi Ning walked in, already salivating, though she tried to act reserved on the surface. “There’s a small cake in the fridge. I’ll just eat that; you didn’t have to cook.”

 

Besides, they had planned to leave at 9:00 AM. It was already 9:30 AM; if they didn’t leave soon, the highway would be a parking lot.

 

Chu Yunjing put down her chopsticks and turned to look at her. “You’re eating something that greasy first thing in the morning?” She paused, her gaze instinctively dropping to Qi Ning’s midsection. “No wonder your stomach has grown a size.”

 

Qi Ning was wearing a loose chiffon top today. Hearing this felt like taking an arrow to the knee.

 

“I am not fat!” Indignant, Qi Ning lifted the hem of her shirt to reveal her fair, soft belly. “I’m so hungry my stomach is sticking to my spine!”

 

While she didn’t have a defined six-pack, it was perfectly flat.

 

“Oh?” Chu Yunjing arched an eyebrow, glancing at the pale little tummy. She said with interest, “But I only cooked a single serving of noodles.”

 

Then she changed her tone. “Do you want some?”

 

Qi Ning nodded like a chick pecking at grain. She saw a poached egg in the pot and noticed a drizzle of sesame oil; it smelled heavenly. Wouldn’t a simple, honest bowl of egg noodles be better than a fattening cake?

 

Chu Yunjing broke up the noodles with her chopsticks, put the lid on, and turned off the heat in one smooth motion. Only then did she turn back to her friend.

 

“Beg me.”

 

Qi Ning: “…” We both have beauty marks under our eyes, so why is the personality gap so huge? My Yun Yu definitely wouldn’t be as ‘black-bellied’ as her!

 

“Doesn’t your conscience hurt?” she asked, clutching her chest in mock agony.

 

“I don’t have a conscience.” Chu Yunjing carried the pot out. Qi Ning followed her like a lost puppy, complaining incessantly: “This is wrong. You used my pot, you used my eggs, and now you’re going to eat it all by yourself!”

 

Chu Yunjing let the nagging wash over her as she took out a single set of bowl and chopsticks, truly looking like she intended to eat alone.

 

Qi Ning: “…” She watched as Chu Yunjing calmly filled the bowl and stirred the noodles to let the steam escape.

 

Then, Chu Yunjing rested her hand on the edge of the bowl and pushed it across the table toward her.

 

Qi Ning: “???”

 

Chu Yunjing shot her a glance. “Just eat, you talk too much.” With that, she pulled out her phone to check the news.

 

Happiness came so suddenly that Qi Ning blinked in surprise. She leaned in and hugged Chu Yunjing’s waist, feeling a surge of affection. “Aren’t you eating?” She stopped scolding her immediately.

 

“I ate before I came over.”

 

“Then why did you just—!!”

 

“I told you before: stop eating so much junk food. Your place is filled with nothing but instant noodles and snacks. Can’t you eat something healthy for once?”

 

“Oh, come on, it’s just quick and easy. Just add boiling water and it’s done.” Realizing she was in the wrong, Qi Ning lowered her head and started eating.

 

“Irregular meals and staying up late… your mom is going to worry about you again when you go home for New Year’s,” Chu Yunjing said earnestly.

 

Qi Ning’s chopsticks paused mid-air. She suddenly realized a fatal problem.

 

“When I move into your place in a few days… you aren’t going to try and control me, are you?”

 

Chu Yunjing gave a cold snort. “As if I’d waste my breath on you.”

 

“Hehe.” Qi Ning chuckled, her tone turning slightly sycophantic. “Once I move in, I’ll handle the grocery shopping and you handle the cooking. We’ll march together toward a beautiful life!”

 

Wait… she thought. If we live together, won’t I lose all my personal space? The fact that I’m dating Yun Yu will be exposed sooner or later.

 

“What are you thinking about? Eat before the noodles get cold.”

 

“Right, okay.”

 

Qi Ning finished the noodles quickly and washed the bowl. Before leaving, she grabbed the cake she had bought yesterday, intending to eat it on the road so it wouldn’t go to waste.

 

The city streets were clear, but the moment they hit the highway, the traffic grind began. Guiyue Bay was usually a two-hour drive from Chonghai City, but with the traffic, they likely wouldn’t arrive until 1:00 or 2:00 PM.

 

The constant stop-and-go, combined with the high temperature and the blazing sun, made everyone irritable. As the sun shifted, it began to shine through the side window directly onto Chu Yunjing’s face. This caused her to keep her brow furrowed, making her “keep away” aura even more intense than usual.

 

“Is it too bright?” Qi Ning, who had been playing on her phone, looked up at the gridlock and noticed the sunlight hitting Chu Yunjing right in the eyes.

 

Qi Ning reached out her hand to block the sun, and Chu Yunjing’s expression softened slightly. After shielding her for a moment, Qi Ning remembered she had sunglasses in her bag. She fished them out and slid them onto Chu Yunjing’s face.

 

They had been on the highway for two hours and it was nearing noon, yet they were only two-thirds of the way there. Qi Ning, who had eaten breakfast only two hours ago, was already hungry again. She looked at the cake in the back seat being chilled by the AC and turned to Chu Yunjing: “Are you hungry?”

 

Receiving a nod, Qi Ning reached for the cake, opened the box, and took a piece on a fork.

 

She asked mischievously, “Want a bite?”

 

Chu Yunjing: “…” This dialogue feels suspiciously familiar.

 

Hearing no answer, Qi Ning simply popped the piece of cake into her own mouth. Fortunately, the car was cool enough that the cream hadn’t melted too much.

 

After taking a bite, she added teasingly, “Oh~ what a delicious cake~ Vanilla flavored~ and it has fruit filling too.”

 

“Oh~ my dear Jingjing, do you want some? If you call me ‘Sister,’ I might give you a taste~”

 

“…” Chu Yunjing was silent for a few seconds before saying, “Just wait until I get out of this car. See how I deal with you then.”

 

“Sigh.” Qi Ning let out a long breath, sounding like an old mother. “Jingjing, with that attitude, you’re never going to find a partner.”

 

Having said that, she held a piece of cake up to Chu Yunjing’s lips—she didn’t actually want to get beaten up on the first day of vacation.

 

Chu Yunjing ate the cake and then said unhurriedly, “How do you know I don’t already have one?”

 

“…”

 

The car fell into a deathly silence. After a long while, Qi Ning finally spoke.

 

“You’re in a relationship?!!??!” Her voice jumped several octaves, ringing out loud and clear in the cabin.

 

Chu Yunjing took in her shocked expression, bit her lip, and then said, “No.”

 

“Confess right now! Secret underground romances are forbidden!” Qi Ning ignored the cake and set it on the dashboard. “I want to see which pig is trying to root up my cabbage!”

 

“…” Qi Ning’s reaction was so intense that Chu Yunjing didn’t dare say more. She quickly denied it: “I was just speaking casually. Did you actually take it seriously?”

 

Chu Yunjing looked perfectly calm, showing no signs of guilt or nervousness. Qi Ning studied her profile for a long time before tentatively believing her.

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…Okay then.”

 

A false alarm. Qi Ning ate a few more pieces of cake until she felt full, then fed the remaining half to Chu Yunjing.

 

By the time the cake was finished, they had cleared the congestion. The GPS showed the road ahead was clear. Half an hour later, they exited the highway and drove through city streets for another thirty minutes before finally arriving at their destination.

 

They had booked a one-bedroom sea-view suite with a king-size bed. While Qi Ning was checking in with her ID, Chu Yunjing stood behind her, slightly dazed.

 

Back in the car, she had intended to use the moment to reveal the truth about 70. But seeing Qi Ning’s extreme reaction, she worried it would ruin the entire trip and decided against it.

 

If she reacted like that to the idea of a “boyfriend,” she’d probably blow the roof off the car if she found out it was a “girlfriend.”

 

Since the “cold war” incident, things with 70 had been very pleasant. Although she had somewhat reluctantly accepted the “girlfriend” title, they still hadn’t met in person. Chatting happily online didn’t always translate to a good real-life experience. Most people have two sides, and she was worried that the real 70 might be too different from the image she had in her mind.

 

“What are you thinking about? Let’s go.” Qi Ning finished the paperwork, got the key card, and nudged Chu Yunjing. She grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the elevator.

 

As she walked, she looked around the hotel. “Hey, the decor here is pretty nice. They even have a fountain.”

 

Since it was a holiday, the hotel was packed. The elevator was crammed with people, and the mix of smells inside—heavy perfume and sweat—was unpleasant.

 

What a mess, Qi Ning thought. She frowned and leaned closer to Chu Yunjing, lowering her head to rest her nose against her shoulder. Smelling the familiar, subtle scent of sandalwood, her expression relaxed.

 

However, their posture caused a young man nearby to keep glancing at them. His gaze was strange, though not as offensive as some.

 

The elevator climbed floor by floor as other guests got off. Their room was on a high floor, and it seemed the young man was heading there too, as he remained inside.

 

With only the three of them left, Qi Ning finally spoke up. “What are you looking at?”

 

“Uh…” The young man awkwardly withdrew his gaze. “Sorry.”

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

After another moment of silence, as the elevator approached their floor, the young man spoke again.

 

“I thought you two were a couple…”

 

“???” Are teenagers these days really this open?

 

Ding—

 

The elevator doors opened.

 

“Sweetheart!” Qi Ning suddenly hooked her arm into Chu Yunjing’s and reached out to hold her hand, interlacing their fingers in front of the young man. She said in an overly dramatic voice, “We’re here.”

 

The young man was stunned, and so was the other party involved.

 

The two walked out of the elevator. Only after the doors closed did Chu Yunjing speak. “Why did you call me that all of a sudden?”

 

“Hahaha…” Qi Ning let go of her, laughing so hard she was doubling over. The shocked look on the young man’s face was just too funny. The spur-of-the-moment prank gave her a sudden spark of inspiration.

 

“Jing.” Qi Ning stopped laughing and rested a hand on her shoulder, saying seriously, “Starting today, you are my girlfriend.”

 

“…”