Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 42

Shu Mingyao choked on her drink, immediately grabbing a tissue to wipe her mouth, her expression one of utter disbelief.

“What makes you think that? Didn’t I tell you? It’s just a ‘sugar baby’ arrangement.”

“An arrangement can also be a relationship,” Qi Ning countered, thinking of all the Yuri novels she’d read where the trope was always: Be my girlfriend, and I’ll take care of you.

Shu Mingyao let out a scoffing laugh.

“What are you thinking? Do you see high-ranking officials or CEOs having public relationships with their lovers? It’s always an underground affair—that’s why they’re called ‘lovers’.”

“The only difference between me and those people is that I happen to be single. That’s it.”

In truth, Shu Mingyao hadn’t planned for them to end up in a financial arrangement. It was just that one night she drank too much, and by the time she woke up the next morning, things were past the point of no return. Later, she offered the arrangement with a generous allowance, and the other woman hadn’t refused.

“Does that mean you’ll still get married eventually?”

“Of course.”

Qi Ning, ever the curious soul, continued her questioning: “What if you find someone? Will you keep the arrangement going?”

Shu Mingyao shrugged. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. We’re just together for mutual needs; it can end at any time.”

“…” For some reason, Qi Ning suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Ji Zhijing. Reality was far more cruel than the novels.

Footsteps echoed in the living room. Qi Ning turned and saw Ji Zhijing walking out with a dish. There was no telling how much she had overheard.

With two people in the kitchen, dinner was served quickly. Qi Ning caught a specific scent amidst the mouth-watering aromas: cheese.

“Is there anything else?” Qi Ning peered toward the table. Ji Zhijing set down the crawfish and replied, “The crab isn’t ready yet, but it’s close.”

“Ooh! I’m going to go check!”

Qi Ning dashed into the kitchen, hoping to see the state of the King Crab—and perhaps negotiate a little taste for herself. But when she got there, Chu Yunjing was already washing a pot, and there was no sign of the crab.

“Wait, where’s the crab?”

“In the oven.”

The oven light was on. As Qi Ning drew closer, she realized where the cheese smell was coming from. The baking tray held the disassembled King Crab, topped with melting cheese that was blending into the succulent meat. It looked incredibly appetizing.

Qi Ning reflexively swallowed. Just as she turned to say something, she found a face right in front of hers. Chu Yunjing had leaned down to check the oven at the exact moment Qi Ning turned her head.

They were inches apart. Her friend’s face was magnified before her, and that beauty mark was staring her right in the eye. Remembering how she had impulsively kissed that spot before, Qi Ning felt her ears grow hot. The boldness I had back then…

Even though the crab was cheesy rather than spicy, Chu Yunjing was still strict. Qi Ning was only allowed one small leg. The rich, cheesy flavor was a world away from the spicy dishes, and she was left craving more.

The crab stayed on Chu Yunjing’s side of the table. Qi Ning looked piteously at the remaining platter. “Give me just one more.”

“Eat your crawfish,” Chu Yunjing said, sliding the small bowl of plain steamed crawfish toward her.

Qi Ning looked at the crawfish, then at the plump crab legs, and suddenly her meal felt very bland. Across the table, Shu Mingyao found the scene amusing. “Your stomach just got better; take it easy for a few days. The recovery period is important.”

“I’ll bring you another one in a few weeks when you’re 100%, and you can eat your fill,” Shu Mingyao promised.

“Fine,” Qi Ning grumbled, snapping on her gloves to peel her crawfish.

Shu Mingyao wasn’t a huge fan of the effort involved in peeling, so Ji Zhijing peeled them for her one by one and fed them to her. It was the height of attentiveness. Watching them “feed” each other, Qi Ning felt a bit envious. She didn’t miss the gentleness in Ji Zhijing’s eyes, but unfortunately, her “Sister Shu” seemed completely oblivious.

The Mahjong Game

After dinner, the four gathered around the coffee table for mahjong. The sofa was too high to play comfortably, so they sat on the floor. The tiles were cool against the summer heat, but with the AC blasting, the bare floor eventually felt chilly.

Qi Ning was dressed casually in short shorts, leaving most of her legs exposed. Chu Yunjing brought out the mahjong set, along with a familiar yellow-duck patterned blanket draped over her arm. She set the tiles down and tossed the blanket onto Qi Ning’s lap.

Qi Ning: “???”

“Cover up,” Chu Yunjing said simply. Out of the four, Qi Ning was the only one in shorts. It was a thoughtful gesture.

As they played, they chatted about the upcoming Double 11 shopping festival.

“By the way, Yunjing, I tried your company’s masks and they’re great. Do you have any big promotions for Double 11?”

“We do,” Chu Yunjing replied. “If you like them, I’ll send you a few crates. No need to buy them.”

“No, that won’t do,” Shu Mingyao said, discarding a tile. “You’ve got a business to run. I can afford a few masks. What’s your target this year?”

“Sixty million.”

“Only sixty million?” Shu Mingyao exclaimed. “Total sales hit four hundred billion last year. Skincare should be aiming for a hundred million!”

Chu Yunjing smiled. “Then I’ll take your advice: secure sixty, aim for a hundred.”

“That’s the spirit.” Shu Mingyao nodded, then added a warning: “Make sure your inventory is ready. I had a friend lose tens of millions because a competitor sabotaged their shipping line. People can be ruthless when you reach a certain height. You’re still new to this, so be careful.”

The room grew a bit somber as they listened. Qi Ning shot Chu Yunjing a look that said: Be extra careful.

To lighten the mood, Qi Ning turned to Ji Zhijing. “Xiao Ji, you’re so quiet. Is this too heavy for you?”

“No, it’s fine. You guys chat,” Ji Zhijing shook her head.

Qi Ning, wanting to include her, asked, “Where are you from, Xiao Ji?”

“Nancheng.”

“That’s pretty far. Why move all the way to Chonghai?”

Shu Mingyao realized she had never actually asked about Ji Zhijing’s family. She had never seen her call home or mention her parents.

Ji Zhijing just offered a small smile. “I thought there would be more opportunities in a big city.” Nancheng was a developed city itself, so the answer was clearly a way to deflect. The group took the hint and changed the subject.

Shu Mingyao eventually grew tired and leaned against Ji Zhijing, finding a comfortable spot. Sensing her fatigue, Ji Zhijing looked at her and whispered, “Want to go home?”

Before Shu Mingyao could decide, Ji Zhijing spoke to the others: “President Shu is tired. We’ll be heading out now.”

Since it was late and Shu Mingyao looked exhausted, Qi Ning didn’t push them to stay. She walked them to the elevator. As the doors closed, her last sight was of their interlaced hands. “Sigh, they really have a good relationship,” she remarked.

Chu Yunjing just said coolly, “Let’s go back inside.”

Once back, Chu Yunjing started clearing the table. There were still a few King Crab claws left. As she reached for the plastic wrap, Qi Ning shouted, “Wait!”

“Hmm?”

“This crab… it won’t taste good if it sits overnight.”

“And?”

“And I think we should finish it now! Don’t let it go to waste!”

Chu Yunjing saw right through her. She sat down and played along. “But I’m so full. What should we do?” She knit her brows in mock distress.

“Waste is a sin,” Qi Ning cleared her throat. “Fine, I’ll take one for the team and solve the problem.”

She reached for the plate, but Chu Yunjing pulled it away. “No, no. Waste is fine. Your health is more important.”

Qi Ning went silent for thirty seconds. “Fine. I want the crab legs.”

Chu Yunjing started to refuse, but Qi Ning blurted out, “If you don’t let me, I’ll tell my mom you’re mistreating me!”

“Your conscience?” Chu Yunjing asked, shocked. “I wake up early every day to make your lunch.” Since the gastroenteritis, Chu Yunjing had been packing balanced meals for Qi Ning to take to work.

“…” Qi Ning felt a pang of guilt. Threatening didn’t work, so she switched to drama. “I know you care, but can’t I have one tiny wish? You all ate your fill… do you know how it felt to watch? Oh, the tragedy…”

“I give up.” Chu Yunjing took the legs to reheat them.

As Qi Ning happily ate her crab, Chu Yunjing prepared the ingredients for the next day’s lunch. She set the rice cooker timer so they’d have fresh rice in the morning.

Qi Ning brought her plate to the sink and watched Chu Yunjing’s skilled knife work. “What’s for tomorrow?”

“Stir-fried pork, greens, and tofu.”

“I’ll help!” Qi Ning rolled up her sleeves. “What do you need?”

Chu Yunjing gestured to a block of tofu. “Cut the tofu into cubes.”

Qi Ning grabbed a knife and was about to use her palm as a cutting board when Chu Yunjing cried out, “Stop!”

“What?”

“Use the cutting board. That’s dangerous.”

Qi Ning reluctantly agreed. When Chu Yunjing finished her own task, she turned back to see Qi Ning struggling. One corner of the tofu was missing—cut into a jagged square. It looked like she was playing with clay rather than cooking.

“Why did you cut the corner?”

“It was too hard. It’ll ruin the texture.”

“And the skin?”

“Too tough.”

“…” Chu Yunjing sighed. “You have no idea how to cut a cube, do you?”

“I do!” Qi Ning laughed defensively.

“Show me then.”

The atmosphere went still. Chu Yunjing sighed, “You’re hopeless.” She walked over, placed her hand over Qi Ning’s to guide the knife. “Think of a Rubik’s cube. Cut across, then down, then flip.”

Chu Yunjing was standing very close. Her deep, mature voice was right by Qi Ning’s ear, giving gentle instructions. It reminded Qi Ning of the “ice queen” voices in her audio dramas.

Dammit, she thought. This is too much. Her imagination started running wild.

“What are you thinking about?” Chu Yunjing nudged her with an elbow when she didn’t respond.

“Ah? Oh, nothing!”

By the time they finished, it was 10:00 PM. After showering, Qi Ning lay in bed and reflexively opened Zuire. She didn’t respond to any winks, but she clicked on Chu Yunjing’s profile.

There was a new post: a photo of the dinner they just had. No filters, but it looked delicious.

There was a comment. Qi Ning scrolled down and saw the same person had commented on the previous post too. Last time it was the scenery; this time it was the food.

Qi Ning narrowed her eyes and clicked the commenter’s profile.

Status: “Single and looking.” Photos: Several “sexy” selfies, some showing a hint of cleavage.

Hmph, Qi Ning thought. This one is definitely hunting.

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