Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 41

“……”

Chu Yunjing was caught completely off guard by Qi Ning’s sudden gossip. She looked utterly bewildered. “How on earth should I know?”

“Don’t they say everyone has a ‘Gay-dar’?” Qi Ning mused. “Besides, in ‘Girl Love’ novels lately, the ‘Sugar Mommy Bottom’ and ‘Loyal Dog Top’ trope is really popular.”

“Tsk tsk… though looking at Sister Shu’s domineering attitude, I feel like poor Xiao Ji is the one who’s going to suffer. My goodness…”

Chu Yunjing: “…”

The two subjects of the gossip were currently unaware that their positions were being debated.

After hanging up the phone, Shu Mingyao glanced at Ji Zhijing, who was sitting properly on the living room sofa watching TV. She looked at the dishes on the table, pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth, stood up, and sat down beside her.

“I’m having dinner with Qi Ning this weekend. You’re coming too,” Shu Mingyao said. It wasn’t a request; it was a command.

Ji Zhijing looked away from the TV and turned toward Shu Mingyao. Her throat moved slightly, and she remained silent for a few seconds before saying, “I have to work this weekend… I’ve used up all my time off for the month.”

Hearing the indirect refusal, Shu Mingyao frowned with displeasure. “I’ll speak to your store manager.”

Shu Mingyao wasn’t even sure why she had brought home such a “wooden block” who didn’t know how to act cute or spoiled and wasn’t even particularly cheerful. Maybe the coffee that day had gone to her head, or maybe her father’s nagging had finally pushed her over the edge.

After a brief, failed marriage, the Shu parents thought their daughter had finally settled down—only to nearly faint when they heard news of the divorce. Because she was their pride and joy, they didn’t scold her; instead, they began investigating if the man had character flaws. After all, it was a whirlwind marriage, and they didn’t know him well.

Shu Mingyao had managed to brush them off, thinking she could have a few days of peace, but then her father started worrying about her daily life. Worried that she lived alone with no one to talk to, he wanted to find her a housekeeper to look after her so the house wouldn’t feel so desolate.

She was naturally against it. Living alone meant she could do whatever she wanted. Housekeepers were usually older ladies; she wouldn’t have anything in common with them. But the family was persistent, acting as if they were going to hand-pick someone and ship them to her door.

On the day she met Ji Zhijing, Shu Mingyao had just finished a phone call with her family. She was drinking a coffee brought by the manager, preparing to review her latest assets.

The coffee shop door opened, the sound of the wind chimes pleasant in the summer heat.

“Hello, are you hiring?”

Sitting in a booth not far from the register, Shu Mingyao heard a girl’s voice—clear yet steady. She looked up and saw a tall, slender figure; even from the booth, her height and slim build were striking.

The manager attended to her, leading her to a seat further away so as not to disturb the boss’s work. Their conversation drifted over in fragments. Shu Mingyao couldn’t help but prick up her ears.

“Do you have experience with coffee?” “No, I only know how to make Western pastries. I can learn… here is my resume.” … “Ji Zhijing… you graduated from Nanli University??” The manager’s voice was full of shock.

Shu Mingyao thought for a moment. Nanli. One of the most famous universities in the country. Why would a graduate from a top-tier university be looking for work in a coffee shop? Moreover, Nancheng was far from Chonghai—at least a four or five-hour flight.

“…Yes.” “Why did you decide to work here?” the manager asked the question the boss wanted to know. “…” Ji Zhijing was silent for a moment, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “My ID and phone were stolen…”

Ah. Without an ID, no company would hire her. Without a phone, she couldn’t receive interview notifications. It was a desperate situation.

“Haven’t you contacted your family?” “…”

The manager realized she was asking too much, cleared her throat, and said, “We need a health certificate and an ID for employment. Without them, we can’t process your hiring.”

“Understood. Thank you.” Ji Zhijing sounded like someone used to being rejected. Her voice was calm as she stood up to leave.

“Come here,” the third person in the shop spoke.

The manager looked surprised, and Ji Zhijing looked confused as they turned toward the source of the voice.

“That’s our owner,” the manager explained. “She’s calling you. Go over; maybe she’ll let you work here.”

Ji Zhijing walked over. This was her first meeting with Shu Mingyao.

Shu Mingyao had such a strong presence just by sitting there that Ji Zhijing had noticed her the moment she walked in. As she got closer, that beautiful face became clearer. Seeing her approach, Shu Mingyao dropped her lazy expression and curled her lips into a faint smile, exuding the charm of a mature woman.

Ji Zhijing’s pupils involuntarily contracted.

The ringing of a phone in the dining room broke the invisible stalemate between them. Shu Mingyao got up to answer it, and a smile quickly lit up her face when she saw the caller ID.

“What’s up?” “My plans for tomorrow night…? Nothing planned. Why?” “Sure, come pick me up.”

Ji Zhijing listened to Shu Mingyao’s voice on the phone; every word reached her ears clearly. It was likely another suitor.

Ji Zhijing said nothing, her eyes fixed on the screen, but her gaze was out of focus. Her fingers gripped the remote so hard they turned white. No one noticed.

Shu Mingyao continued her conversation, her laughter ringing out occasionally. She was clearly enjoying herself. Ji Zhijing knew this was an attitude Shu Mingyao never showed when they were alone.

A few days before the weekend, Qi Ning came down with acute gastroenteritis. Likely due to spoiled ingredients in a takeout lunch, she ended up with vomiting and diarrhea that required an IV drip at the hospital.

They had originally planned to have Hunan cuisine, but because of the incident, Qi Ning was restricted to a bland diet. Spicy food was out, and they worried about the hygiene of eating out, so they decided to buy groceries and cook at home. It was more effort, but healthier.

The two went out and bought some meat and vegetables, along with several pounds of crawfish, intending to make spicy crawfish. Back at home, Qi Ning was tasked with cleaning them. As the water turned from clear to murky, she began to question her life choices after scrubbing her fortieth crawfish.

Chu Yunjing was chopping vegetables nearby. Seeing she hadn’t started on the garlic yet, Qi Ning reminded her, “Should I peel the garlic for you?”

“Why peel garlic?” “Aren’t you making Garlic Butter Crawfish?” “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’m making them spicy.”

“???” Qi Ning stopped moving. “So after all my hard work, I can’t even eat them?”

“Not exactly.” Chu Yunjing pointed to a few eggs in a bowl. “I’ll make you a steamed egg custard. You can have that with some rice.”

“??????”

Chu Yunjing sounded so serious that Qi Ning actually believed her and began bargaining for her rights. “I don’t want eggs! I want crawfish, or I’m going to throw a tantrum!”

“…” Chu Yunjing looked helpless. “Even if I made them with garlic, you couldn’t eat them. The doctor said you need to stick to a bland diet for a few days.”

“I’m already better!” Qi Ning argued. “I’ve finished all the medicine!”

Unable to win the argument, Chu Yunjing eventually set aside a few crawfish in a separate bowl to be steamed plain. Even though she gave in, she was strict about the quantity: “You can only have eight.”

“Make it ten.” Qi Ning looked at her piteously, her voice tired from haggling. She cursed that takeout place in her head. If not for the gastroenteritis, she wouldn’t be in this “subordinate” position.

Just as Qi Ning sneaked two more crawfish into the large bowl, the doorbell rang. The guests had arrived. Before leaving the kitchen, she muttered one last time that she wanted ten crawfish—not a single one less.

Chu Yunjing watched her leave and looked at the extra crawfish in the bowl, shaking her head with a sigh. She didn’t take them out.

Qi Ning opened the door, greeted the two women warmly, and welcomed them in. Ji Zhijing was carrying a large foam cooler.

“We went out to sea with some friends last night and had a good catch. I brought it over so we can all eat together.”

Qi Ning’s eyes lit up. She took the box and asked curiously, “What is it?” She opened the cooler and gasped in delight at the sight of a King Crab. “This is huge!”

Shu Mingyao laughed. “We got lucky. We caught a King Crab yesterday, and I made sure to take it.”

“You went with President Yan, didn’t you?” Qi Ning winked and teased. “Someone’s trying to impress you, aren’t they?”

Qi Ning invited them to sit and carried the crab happily into the kitchen. Not long after, she emerged with a dejected face. Shu Mingyao noticed the change. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Qi Ning sighed. “Yunjing won’t let me eat it.”

She claimed that since it was seafood, Qi Ning couldn’t have it—even though she was allowed crawfish! But then again, if the King Crab was stir-fried with chili, she definitely couldn’t touch it.

“How did you suddenly get gastroenteritis anyway?”

Qi Ning scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. The dirty food was one thing, but the doctor also said she’d caught a chill. The night before, she’d been greedy for the cool air and slept without a blanket; she woke up to find it on the floor. It left her a bit weak, and combined with the bad takeout… it was bad luck.

Shu Mingyao burst out laughing. “How old are you, sleeping without a blanket? You youngsters really aren’t afraid of the cold.”

“You kick the blankets off too,” Ji Zhijing suddenly interjected from the side.

Qi Ning froze. Then she burst out laughing too.

Suddenly having her secrets exposed, Shu Mingyao’s face reddened. She turned and gave Ji Zhijing a mock-glare. “Nonsense. Every morning I wake up perfectly covered.”

“That’s because I cover you back up.”

“…” Shu Mingyao was suddenly speechless. No wonder she always felt like someone was tucking her in.

“If you’ve got nothing to do, go help in the kitchen.” This wooden block, she thought, she’s quiet until she decides to turn against me.

Ji Zhijing was shooed into the kitchen to help, leaving the other two in the living room. Qi Ning found Shu Mingyao’s speechless reaction hilarious. It seemed their relationship was much closer than Shu Mingyao had let on. Even the “wooden block” was taking shots now.

“Sister Shu, you and Xiao Ji seem to be progressing quite well lately.”

Shu Mingyao took a sip of water and shot her a look. “What exactly do you mean by ‘well’?”

“Are you two together?”

Pfft—

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