To Get Married - Chapter 55

Chapter 55

“Lu Yudong, if you keep sending voice messages like a broken record player, this dorm won’t have room for you anymore!”

This was the official decree issued by Ye Liujing on behalf of the roommates. Of course, it was a joke; they would never actually kick her out—at most, they just caused a ruckus whenever she hit the record button.

Consequently, Yudong began retreating under her blankets to whisper her messages. Her voice was reduced to mere breathy exhales, so she stopped worrying about how she sounded and no longer felt the need to delete or withdraw them.

As a result, the messages Manzhu received every night changed. Instead of playful clips interspersed with “message withdrawn” notifications, they became intimate, secretive whispers that Manzhu had to press against her ear to hear clearly. Each one felt like a warm breath against her skin.

Manzhu had been curious about the constant withdrawals. Yudong simply grinned, pushing the blame onto her roommates without blinking: “The dorm is too noisy. Every time I finished recording, I realized you couldn’t hear me, so I had to redo it. That’s why I have to hide under the covers now.”

Manzhu just shook her head with a smile and gave Yudong’s cheek a playful pinch.

Since starting to use WeChat, Manzhu had muted everyone’s “Moments” except for Yudong’s. If that little notification dot appeared, she knew it was for her. However, she only watched; she never left a comment or a like.

Because of this, Yudong had no idea if Manzhu was actually looking. Driven by hope, she posted frequently to a private group containing only Manzhu, transforming herself from someone who rarely posted into the type of person who shared a photo of every milk tea she bought.

Sometimes, Yudong felt certain Manzhu was watching. Several times, she had casually mentioned a craving, only to find that exact dish waiting for her when she got home. Even though they were common items, Yudong refused to believe it was a coincidence and felt a secret thrill every time.

She began to believe more and more that Manzhu’s feelings weren’t just the care of a sister or the protection of a Soul-Binder. She thought Manzhu’s feelings might mirror her own… it was just that Manzhu hadn’t realized it yet. Yet, whenever Yudong tested the waters with words or touch, the result was always the same as before. Manzhu’s kindness was a constant that hadn’t wavered since childhood. That lack of change often shattered the confidence Yudong worked so hard to build.

Yudong had promised her roommates a 20% discount at Not An Old Friend. Mu Chenshan had even suggested that if they wanted to practice their stage presence, they could perform there. In reality, he was just trying to trick them into free labor to give the customers something new to look at.

He was too stingy to pay them—he probably felt he was doing them a favor by not charging a venue fee. But the lack of pay didn’t stop the girls from being interested. Every vocal student dreams of having a stage.

The acoustics and equipment at the bar were professional—not like the cheap sound of a KTV—and there was someone willing to manage the lighting for them. With handsome men, pretty women, discounted drinks, and an appreciative audience, it was much more exciting than a karaoke room. After a few tries, Chen Yang and Ye Liujing started heading to the bar more and more often.

The only one who didn’t go was Tang Qian. She was constantly either writing her novel or “cultivating” the state of mind to write. She lived on her bed like a meditating hermit, too lazy to even walk to the campus practice rooms, let alone a bar across town.

Manzhu’s easiest nights were when Chen Yang and Liujing visited. Since they were there for fun and didn’t charge a fee (and even bought drinks), Manzhu could sometimes sit back and collect her salary while the girls hogged the mic all night. Any loss in “song request fees” was usually made up by Chen Yang, Manzhu’s biggest fan, who would tip frantically whenever Manzhu finally took the stage.

Manzhu remarked: “Chen Yang is a good girl. I like her very much.”

Yudong, having rarely heard Manzhu praise anyone, mused that the power of money was truly formidable. No one dislikes money, not even demons. Fortunately, Manzhu only liked Chen Yang’s financial enthusiasm; otherwise, Yudong would have started plotting how to keep them apart.

Weeks passed, and it was now late December. While everyone had been busy giving Ye Liujing advice on her crush, they eventually discovered a “new continent.”

“Lu Yudong, you’ve been very weird lately.” Tang Qian was the first to point it out.

Yudong, who was daydreaming in bed, jumped in surprise. “Where am I weird?”

Chen Yang leaned over the railing of the adjacent bed, blinking. “Everywhere.”

Ye Liujing frowned from across the room. “Super weird. Even weirder than me!”

Chen Yang added, “Yudong, do you know what you look like lately?”

Yudong shook her head blankly. She thought she was being normal—classes, meals, practicing, chatting with Manzhu… that was it, right?

“You look exactly like someone in a relationship,” Chen Yang declared.

“Huh?” Yudong’s heart raced, her eyes darting nervously. Her roommates knew Manzhu; two of them were even her WeChat friends. If they figured out her secret, wouldn’t Manzhu find out next?

Tang Qian nodded. “Totally in love. And it’s that early ‘honeymoon’ stage, too.”

“I… I’m not…” Yudong stammered guiltily.

“Yes, you are,” Chen Yang countered. “For the past month, you’ve been distracted. Even in the practice room, your phone never leaves your hand. Every time a notification pings, your smile is so wide it could touch the sun.”

“Is it that exaggerated?”

“Yes!”

Yudong started to stutter. “I, I, how could I be in love? Don’t be silly… I just, I just chat with my sister every day.”

“That’s exactly why you’re weird!” Chen Yang’s eyes glinted with gossip. “Yudong, tell the truth. What is your actual relationship with Sister Manzhu?”

“Just say it,” Tang Qian added. “It’s the modern age; love is free. We get it.”

“No, I—”

“Still denying it? You two are not ‘normal.’ That voice chat dialogue, tsk tsk…” Chen Yang teased. “Every time Little Leaf and I go to the bar, we see you two being all lovey-dovey—holding hands, leaning on arms, pinching cheeks, and making eyes at each other.”

“We do not ‘make eyes’ at each other!”

“What are you afraid of? Just tell us. We aren’t big mouths; we’ll keep your secret,” Chen Yang pressed. “How far have you and Sister Manzhu gone? Do you sleep in the same room? One bed or two?”

Tang Qian chimed in: “You run home every chance you get. Be honest: is it ‘Sister’ during the day and… ‘Sister’ at night?” (Implying a different tone of voice)

“No, no!”

“Did I get the dynamic wrong?” Tang Qian mused. “Is it an age-gap thing? ‘Little Sister’ during the day and… ‘Little Sister’ at night?”

“What are you even saying?!” Yudong was too shocked to argue. She certainly had those intentions for Manzhu, but they were nowhere near that stage yet!

She was so overwhelmed by the interrogation that it took her forever to find her voice: “Does my relationship with my sister… really look that abnormal?”

Chen Yang and Tang Qian nodded in unison. “It’s too obvious!”

“The first time I went to your bar, I knew something was up,” Tang Qian said with a snicker. “It’s only been a month and you’ve made such progress, Lu Yudong.”

“So envious,” Chen Yang sighed.

Only Ye Liujing watched Yudong silently, a look of worry in her eyes. How can a human be with a demon? Their identities, their lifespans… someone is going to get hurt.

Yudong was stunned. “It’s not what you think. My sister and I aren’t together.”

“Stop pretending,” Chen Yang said. “Everyone sees it.”

“Everyone?” Yudong laughed nervously. “You’re just ganging up on me.”

“It’s more than us three! Go ask Boss Mu, or Xiao-Yan-ge, or anyone else. I bet they all think you’re a couple!” Chen Yang teased. “Yudong, your acting is terrible.”

This is crazy, Yudong thought. Nothing has even happened, yet they’re acting like the whole world knows.

She made a “stop” gesture and opened a private chat with Mu Chenshan to ask if there was really such a misunderstanding. But as she faced the empty text box, she froze. After a moment of hesitation, she switched to Yan Zhaomu. She typed “Little Master,” then immediately deleted it and backed out.

She looked at every name in the “Not An Old Friend” group. She couldn’t ask them.

Yudong frowned and looked up. “I admit it. I like Manzhu.”

Tang Qian clapped her hands. “There we go!”

“But… but Manzhu and I really aren’t together. It’s… unrequited,” Yudong said. “Everyone at the bar knows Manzhu too well. If I ask them about this, she’ll definitely find out.”

The room went silent. Chen Yang and Tang Qian were stunned.

“You… you really aren’t together?” Tang Qian broke the silence.

“Really…” Yudong whispered. “I’ll tell you the truth. I’m the one who’s had a crush for years. I’m the one who shares her bed and kisses her cheek… it has nothing to do with my Uncle or Master.”

“Wait, so those stories were about you and Sister Manzhu?!” Chen Yang gasped.

Yudong shrunk back guiltily. “Yeah.”

“Lu Yudong!” Tang Qian was exasperated. “How are you not together yet?!”

“I… I’ve been trying to learn from you guys!”

“Learn what?!” Tang Qian cried. “You’ve been standing at the gates of heaven for so long the Buddha is falling asleep! Just take a step forward!”

“But you said to take it slow, or I’d scare her off—”

Tang Qian let out a long, frustrated sigh. “I beg you, trust me. In your situation, if you just play it straight and confess, you’re guaranteed to score!”