Online Love, Based on the Real Object - Chapter 55

When she heard “You,” Qi Ning’s heart skipped a beat, then immediately began pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird.

“What on earth?!!!???” she shrieked, her voice so loud it likely echoed outside the car.

Chu Yunjing couldn’t help but rub her ears. That decibel level was almost enough to send someone to an early grave. However, seeing such a dramatic reaction, the corners of her mouth instinctively dipped downward.

“What I wanted to say,” she paused, “was: You, what do you think?”

“Would you die if you didn’t pause for breath like that?” Qi Ning glared at her.

“I wasn’t finished and you started screaming. Is that my fault?”

“…” Fooled again.

Qi Ning turned her head away to face the window, deciding she didn’t want to speak to her for at least ten minutes.

The car pulled into the residential parking garage. After parking, Chu Yunjing turned to see that the other woman was still facing away, seemingly sulking. She switched on the overhead light and poked Qi Ning’s shoulder with her index finger. “Still mad?”

Qi Ning shook her shoulder, trying to shrug off the finger. “Don’t bother me. I don’t want to see you right now.”

Looking at her like this, Chu Yunjing couldn’t help but want to smile. She opened the glove compartment and pulled out a White Rabbit creamy candy.

“I’m treating you to a candy. Stop being angry, good girl.” Her voice softened involuntarily as she held the candy out.

“If you pat big sister’s head again, I’ll hit you,” Qi Ning turned back, her expression “fierce” in a way that was actually quite adorable.

“Go ahead then,” Chu Yunjing replied shamelessly, leaning her face closer.

Qi Ning couldn’t actually bring herself to hit her, but seeing that smug, fearless attitude was hard to swallow. She settled for reaching out and giving Chu Yunjing’s cheek a sharp pinch.

The fact that the other woman didn’t get angry but instead kept smiling was truly annoying. She even handed over the candy again. “Quick, eat a White Rabbit to calm your nerves.”

“Eat my foot,” Qi Ning huffed, turning to open the car door and stepping out.

Chu Yunjing shrugged helplessly, got out, locked the car, and followed her.

Qi Ning marched ahead with an aggressive stride for several paces. Feeling the person behind her catching up, she slowed down and finally muttered, “Where’s my candy?”

“You said you didn’t want it, so I ate it,” Chu Yunjing said matter-of-factly.

“…” Qi Ning felt a sudden surge of chest pain, staring at Chu Yunjing in wordless disbelief.

“Eh, mad again?” Chu Yunjing tilted her head and, like a magician, produced another White Rabbit candy in her hand.

“You lied to me again!” Qi Ning’s teeth itched with frustration.

Chu Yunjing caught the keyword. “Why did you say ‘again’? When have I ever lied to you?”

Qi Ning didn’t answer. Worried she was truly upset, Chu Yunjing hurried to unwrap the candy and held it to her lips. “Have a sweet. Getting angry causes wrinkles.”

Only because she was being fed did Qi Ning reluctantly take the candy into her mouth. She let out a haughty “Hmph” and stopped paying attention to her, walking straight ahead. Looking at her back, Chu Yunjing suddenly remembered an internet joke:

Why is the girlfriend angry? A girlfriend doesn’t need a reason to be angry.

After countless failures and finally making peace with her oven, Qi Ning had managed to produce a decent-looking cake. If she hadn’t succeeded this time, she would have seriously considered buying one from a shop.

On their birthday, many friends sent Qi Ning well-wishes, and some planned to host a party, but she turned them all down. Although they shared a birthday, they hadn’t celebrated together for several years since graduating and starting work, due to living apart and having separate social circles.

This year, since they had moved in together, they agreed it would be best to celebrate as a pair. No noisy friends—just the two of them at home with some home-cooked dishes and a bit of wine sounded perfect.

Her department had held a small birthday party for her in the afternoon, and Yu Man had even sent her a birthday “Red Packet” (digital gift money). When work ended, she didn’t linger, heading home with several delivery boxes containing gifts sent by friends.

Qi Ning arrived home laden with bags and boxes. Just as she pushed the door open to change her shoes, the phone in her bag rang.

“Hello, Mom,” Qi Ning said, wedging the phone between her ear and shoulder while setting her things on the shoe cabinet and bending over to change, she looked incredibly busy.

Chu Yunjing had finished work quite early today. By the time Qi Ning got home, she had already been busy in the kitchen for a while. Hearing the noise, she came out and quickly helped carry the boxes into the living room.

The voice of the person behind her drifted over in fragments: “I just finished work, haven’t eaten yet… I know, I have warm clothes… I’m not out with friends this year, just eating at home with Yunjing…”

“Yes, yes.” Qi Ning walked in after changing and sat on the sofa. Seeing her looking so flustered, Chu Yunjing turned to pour her a glass of water.

Qi Ning took it and drank to moisten her throat while continuing to chat with her mother. Chu Yunjing took the opportunity to grab a bottle of red wine from the coffee table to head back to the kitchen, but she was grabbed by the hem of her shirt just as she turned.

Chu Yunjing: “?”

Qi Ning mouthed the words “My mom wants to talk to you,” said something to the person on the other end, and handed the phone over.

“…” Chu Yunjing looked at the phone, was forced to set the wine back down, and sat beside Qi Ning.

Mother Qi loved to chat; this wasn’t going to be over quickly. Relieved, Qi Ning sat nearby, covering her mouth and giggling as she watched Chu Yunjing exchange pleasantries with her mother. As Chu Yunjing listened to the warm inquiries and birthday wishes, she felt a sense of warmth in her heart despite the long-windedness.

Chu Yunjing’s own parents knew it was her birthday, but the elderly couple was quite busy; they had sent a Red Packet in the morning along with two voice messages reminding her to eat red-dyed eggs for luck.

Qi Ning went to change into her loungewear and, seeing Chu Yunjing was still on the phone, dove into the kitchen herself. The rice was cooking in the steamer, there was half-cut meat on the counter, and a bowl of potatoes was soaking in the sink to remove starch.

Since she couldn’t help with the hot dishes, Qi Ning took out the cake base she had baked the night before. She had bought a mountain of equipment just for this cake: not just molds, but a rotating cake stand to make applying the cream easier. Chu Yunjing had teased her that the cost of the tools was enough to buy several professional cakes. Qi Ning had shot back, “Can a store-bought cake have as much heart as one I made myself?” That had shut her up.

The cake base had been made the previous night. Qi Ning was no longer satisfied with simple chiffon; she was challenging a full cream cake this time. Whipping cream was much easier than whipping egg whites. This time, she wanted it to look professional—complete with writing and patterns.

Chu Yunjing finished the call with Mother Qi and brought the wine into the kitchen, only to see Qi Ning whipping the cream with great focus. It actually looked quite professional.

“What did my mom say to you?”

“Your aunt said if you’re naughty, she’ll give you a thrashing when you go back.”

“Get out of here.” Qi Ning knew she was making things up and nudged her with her elbow.

Chu Yunjing didn’t mind, laughing twice before finishing the meat prep. Today she had prepared four dishes plus two red eggs, mostly consisting of the meat dishes Qi Ning loved. The only “vegetable” was the potatoes in the braised beef.

The beef required time to simmer. While it was on the stove, Chu Yunjing prepared the other ingredients but didn’t rush to cook them; instead, she stood by to observe “Master Qi’s” work.

The cream was ready. Qi Ning was using a spatula to spread it over the cake, smoothing the surface into a flat, glossy finish. Chu Yunjing glanced at the piping bags nearby and asked tentatively, “Are you going to do piping work too?”

“Of course,” Qi Ning said matter-of-factly. “Don’t all cake shops have piping?”

Chu Yunjing: “I feel like what you squeeze out will look like…” she didn’t finish the sentence, suddenly a bit afraid of the final product.

Qi Ning shot her a look. “Believe it or not, I’ll squeeze it right onto your face.”

“…” Chu Yunjing had no desire to turn into a “calico cat,” so she coughed and looked for something else to do.

After opening the red wine, she poured a small glass into the beef stew and took the rest out to the living room. She poured it into a decanter; with the matching stemware set on the table, the atmosphere immediately felt more upscale.

In the kitchen, Qi Ning tried to pipe a flower, but the patterns were all ugly. After a few attempts, she gave up. She settled for piping some borders around the cake. Though she couldn’t make flowers, she was confident in her “hand-painting” on the top of the cake. The squeeze bottle wasn’t very ergonomic, but the nozzle was small, and she got used to it after a few strokes.

She drew two chibi characters, one on the left and one on the right. Qi Ning studied the drawing carefully, then added a single beauty mark to the face of the character on the left.

There, now it looks right.

Once the beef was braised, the other dishes didn’t take long. At 7:00 PM sharp, the two sat down to start their meal. Qi Ning was very satisfied with her birthday cake and didn’t forget to brag: “Let me tell you, the cake I made is super beautiful!”

The cake was being saved for a late-night snack. Qi Ning had put it in a box as soon as it was finished, so Chu Yunjing didn’t know what the final product looked like. Hearing her constant boasting, she could only nod and give noncommittal replies.

They drank some red wine during dinner. Qi Ning’s cheeks were slightly flushed, though she wasn’t drunk yet. Normally, they would shower and rest after eating, but since today was special, they sat in the living room after clearing the dishes.

The gifts from friends were laid out on the table. Qi Ning noticed a gift bag tucked among the delivery boxes; she didn’t remember bringing that one home.

“Is this yours?” she asked.

Chu Yunjing nodded. “A gift from a friend.”

“Oh, right!” Qi Ning remembered something, immediately jumped off the sofa, and scurried to the bedroom in her slippers. She emerged a moment later with both hands hidden behind her back. Seeing her like this, Chu Yunjing knew she was hiding something again.

“Here, your birthday present,” Qi Ning said, bringing out the gift she had prepared and presenting it to her like a precious treasure.

It wasn’t large—just a small, square box. She couldn’t very well only make a cake, after all.

 

Receiving a gift was quite a surprise for Chu Yunjing. She opened the box to find a pair of stud earrings inside. At the center was black onyx, surrounded by a ring of pavé diamonds that shimmered under the light.

 

“I heard black onyx attracts wealth and brings good luck.” Qi Ning glanced at Chu Yunjing’s ears. Although she had considered buying those “bling-bling” dangling earrings, seeing her now, she felt these studs suited her perfectly. “Think of them as a protective talisman. I hope they really bring you good luck.”

 

“Then help me put them on.” Chu Yunjing pushed her luck, leaning her cheek toward her. Qi Ning looked at the curve of her lips and laughed, scolding her, “So high-maintenance!”

 

Despite her words, her hands were honest as she carefully put the earrings on for her.

 

“They look good.” Qi Ning nodded with satisfaction, looking at her with a grin as she began to demand her own gift. “Where’s your present for me?”

 

“Hmm…” Chu Yunjing feigned deep thought, ruminating for a long while before saying, “I didn’t know what to give, so I didn’t buy anything. I’ll just give myself to you.”

 

“Tch.” Qi Ning naturally didn’t believe her. She rolled her eyes and sat down beside her. “Fine then. Owning you is equivalent to owning a multi-million dollar fortune.”

 

Since this person had finally stopped bickering, President Chu felt quite satisfied. Her eyes curved into a smile as she magically pulled a box from the corner of the sofa.

 

Chu Yunjing had gifted her a dress suitable for more formal occasions. “Didn’t you say last year that you had nothing to wear for the annual gala? Now you do.”

 

As Qi Ning opened the box and saw the beautiful dress inside, a memory suddenly flashed through her mind, and the corners of her mouth twitched imperceptibly.

 

“What is it? Do you not like it?” Chu Yunjing asked quickly, sensing the shift in her mood.

 

“It’s fine.” Qi Ning waved her off, not wanting to continue the topic. She reached for the delivery boxes from their friends. “Let me see what they sent.”

 

They opened the packages one by one; there was quite a variety. Finally, they reached the last one. It was unusual, wrapped in a black delivery bag with no description on the label.

 

Filled with curiosity, Qi Ning tore it open.

 

…It was an eyesore.

 

Qi Ning: “…”

 

Chu Yunjing: “…”

 

Looking at the items inside labeled “long-lasting,” “climax-delay,” and “ultra-thin,” Qi Ning was so angry she wanted to laugh, though she felt incredibly embarrassed.

 

“I want to see which little idiot sent this!” There was a greeting card tucked inside, and she grabbed it aggressively.

 

Another year older, stop being single! I hope these condoms get put to good use. Love you! 🙂

 

There was no signature. However, looking at the handwriting, she seemed to know exactly who had sent it.

 

Chu Yunjing stared at the box of items, momentarily at a loss for words. She felt strangely uncomfortable. It would have been one thing to open this alone, but sitting next to someone else, Qi Ning felt like she was going to explode from embarrassment.

 

Setting the items aside, she tried to change the subject. “What’s in that bag of yours?”

 

“I don’t know.” Chu Yunjing took the bag she had received that day. She hadn’t opened it yet and had no idea what was inside.

 

She opened the box to find a pair of earrings.

 

Ha. A duplicate gift idea.

 

The earrings were very “bling-bling.” Qi Ning glanced at the earrings in the box, then at the studs on Chu Yunjing’s ears. She crossed her arms, assuming an air of interrogation.

 

“Those earrings are quite pretty,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

“…” Chu Yunjing quickly snapped the lid shut. “I still prefer the studs,” she said, her survival instinct kicking in.

 

“Who sent them?”

 

“A friend.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Qi Ning didn’t ask further. They put the gifts away and sat in the living room to watch a movie. The red wine wasn’t finished, so they kept drinking.

 

Chu Yunjing thought she would keep pressing, but she didn’t. During the movie, she checked on the person beside her from time to time. Finding nothing wrong, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Qi Ning drank quite a bit. By the time Chu Yunjing realized it, she had finished nearly half a bottle. She quickly stopped her from pouring more. “Stop drinking. Red wine has a strong kick; you’ll have a headache when you wake up tomorrow.”

 

“Don’t touch me!” Qi Ning frowned, snapping at her.

 

“…” Chu Yunjing didn’t dare move. Looking at her, she realized Qi Ning was truly drunk. Her eyes were blurry and her cheeks were flushed crimson.

 

Ever since seeing those earrings, Qi Ning had been wondering who sent them. Anyone with that taste in gifts was definitely a woman and why was this the only gift Chu Yunjing had brought home? The more she thought, the more her head throbbed, so she drank more.

 

Her head was buzzing. Finally, she gave up on thinking and asked directly, “What kind of ‘friend’ sent those earrings?”

 

“Huh?” Chu Yunjing froze, instinctively avoiding her gaze. She didn’t reply for a long time. She was a bit afraid that this person would use the alcohol as an excuse to make a scene.

 

Seeing this reaction, Qi Ning knew it wasn’t a “normal” friend. The hesitant behavior made her angry, and she reached out to grab Chu Yunjing’s collar. “Tell me! What friend!”

 

“Uh…” Chu Yunjing rubbed her nose. Seeing she couldn’t avoid it, she had to tell the truth. “The one I mentioned to you online before… the person I was supposed to meet offline.”

 

So, it was.

 

A nameless resentment rose in Qi Ning’s chest. She pushed the person in front of her to get up from the sofa, but just as she stood, her knee slammed into the coffee table. A wave of excruciating pain surged through her.

 

She collapsed onto the floor, clutching her knee, tears nearly pricking her eyes.

 

Chu Yunjing’s heart tightened. She quickly knelt in front of her, anxiously trying to check the injury. “Where did you hit it? let me see.”

 

“Go away, you jerk,” Qi Ning pushed her again. The sudden, sharp pain in her knee made tears stream down her face. She was already on the verge of crying, but seeing Chu Yunjing’s face made her sob with anger.

 

“How am I a jerk now…” Chu Yunjing felt utterly helpless. Knowing the other was drunk and talking nonsense, she didn’t take it to heart. She moved closer again. “Let me look, otherwise it’ll be bruised tomorrow.” Her brow was furrowed, her concern practically overflowing.

 

“I don’t care if it’s bruised! Go find your online dating ex instead!”

 

“…” Chu Yunjing was silent for a while. She looked up at her and said, “Wasn’t my online dating ex you?”

 

“Then the one before that!” Qi Ning barked through her tears. “I’m so mad at you. You upset me online, and now you’re upsetting me in reality!”

 

“When did I upset you?”

 

“Then what’s the point of accepting a gift from your ex-ex-girlfriend!”

 

“She…” Chu Yunjing was about to explain that she wasn’t an “ex,” but seeing her crying with red eyes and looking so aggrieved, she suddenly understood.

 

“Are you jealous?” The corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up, a look of tenderness filling her eyes. She reached out to wipe Qi Ning’s tears, asking in a coaxing tone, “Do you like me?”

 

Qi Ning let her wipe the tears, staring at Chu Yunjing for a long time, but she could only see a blurry, swaying face. She sniffled, not forgetting who her “girlfriend” was even while drunk. “Who likes you? I like Yunyu.”

 

Her beloved Yunyu. Ever since the failed meeting, she hadn’t dared to look back on that time, locking Yunyu away in a small box in her heart. Over time, she had gotten used to not thinking about it, but it had been brought up again tonight.

 

“Chu Yunjing is a total bastard. She puts romance over friendship.” Thinking of the meeting, her tears started falling again. She cursed while crying, “I bought that little dress for her to wear when we went out, and she lied to me, saying she didn’t bring it! But she was willing to wear it to meet her girlfriend! Our years of friendship don’t even compare to an online dating partner!”

 

Chu Yunjing froze, feeling an indescribable mix of emotions. Seeing her cry made her heart ache. She said softly, “But, you are her girlfriend. How can someone be jealous of themselves?”

 

“I don’t care!” Qi Ning wiped away a tear, her grievances surging in her throat. She was going to let it all out tonight. “I finally found someone I liked, and Yunyu… damn it, she turned out to be my best friend! I…” She started wailing again. “It’s so hopeless! Even a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass around its burrow! Wah! My Yunyu, boohoo!”

 

Chu Yunjing stared at her fixedly. After a long silence, she said, “A rabbit can’t, but you can.”

 

Qi Ning ignored her and continued her rambling curses. Chu Yunjing sighed softly and reached out to cup her face, forcing her to look into her eyes. Those eyes were so red, she really did look like a little rabbit.

 

She gently wiped away the tears with her thumb. “Since you like Yunyu so much, she is standing right in front of you.” Her beautiful brows drew together slightly. Her eyes were full of pity, but even more so, a sense of “being jealous of herself.” She could finally understand what that felt like.

 

“I am Yunyu,” she repeated.

 

Qi Ning momentarily forgot to cry, asking blankly, “You are Yunyu?”

 

“I am.”

 

“You’re Yunyu?” she asked again.

 

“Yes.”

 

Qi Ning squinted, trying to retrieve information from her chaotic mind. Finally, she merged the beauty mark with the information she had retrieved.

 

Yunyu. Her girlfriend.

 

Suddenly, she grabbed Chu Yunjing’s collar.

 

Chu Yunjing didn’t know what kind of reaction she would get, but she just didn’t want her to cry anymore. Since she wanted to see Yunyu so badly, then she would be her.

 

She felt the other woman grab her collar, then watched as that face zoomed in. The next second, when soft lips pressed against her own.

 

She was completely stunned.