Dong Jiaoyan's first reaction was to wonder if she'd heard wrong.
Xie Linchuan was breaking up with her.
Last time she'd gotten angry and threatened to break up, he'd been the one coaxing her to make up.
She was quite puzzled.
“Xie Linchuan, what's gotten into you?”
“Did you look carefully at the gift I sent you?” he asked.
“I picked up the package yesterday, baby, thanks for the gift, I really like it.”
“Really like it? What did I send?”
“Some face masks, a few blind box figurines, and a massage device.”
“And then?”
“And then what?” Dong Jiaoyan looked completely confused.
A couple of cold laughs came through the phone.
“Dong Jiaoyan, let's break up. I don't want to keep being played for a fool.”
“What's wrong with you! Xie Linchuan, you're the one who started gaming with other people behind my back. If you're going to find a reason to break up, at least make it a better one. What, do you want me to record an unboxing video and send it to you before you're satisfied?”
“Dong Jiaoyan, what were you doing last night on Valentine's Day?”
“Didn't I already tell you my club had an activity? What are you making a fuss about?”
“Yeh's Western Restaurant.” Xie Linchuan said each word deliberately.
Dong Jiaoyan's hand holding the phone froze, her eyes flickered.
Something wasn't right. How did Xie Linchuan know she was at that restaurant yesterday?
But he was in the northern city.
Could it be Class Monitor Chu Xubai who saw her?
She knew that Chu Xubai and Xie Linchuan were close brothers.
“Fine, I did have dinner with a senior yesterday, but it was to discuss club matters…” Dong Jiaoyan kept making excuses.
“Dong Jiaoyan, stop lying to me. I saw it with my own eyes. You even accepted his roses and the black swan necklace.”
Having been caught red-handed, Dong Jiaoyan no longer cared.
Her tone turned mocking as she replied, “So what if you saw it! What's the big deal? A senior I've only known for a week sends me gifts worth a few hundred, and what about you?”
“None of the stuff in that box was worth anything. How dare you even give it to me?”
Xie Linchuan went silent on the other end of the line, his breathing growing heavier.
He couldn't be bothered to tell her that at the bottom of the box were a thick stack of red bills and a gold bracelet. Even if he told her, what would it change? Even if Dong Jiaoyan changed her attitude, it would only be for the money.
“Enough said. I was blind. Don't contact me anymore. Blocked!”
Xie Linchuan hung up decisively and blocked her on every contact platform.
He also unbinded their relationship in the game.
After doing all that, he finally let out a relieved breath.
He never expected his first online relationship to end so abruptly and without resolution.
…
“Liuyue, there's a handsome guy downstairs looking for you.” The roommate came up carrying takeout, speaking in a teasing tone.
Qiao Liuyue had just finished a commission.
Since joining the companion gaming studio, she had a few regular clients, one of whom was a rich young lady who paid generously and gave great emotional support.
Everytime Qiao Liuyue jungled, this rich lady client would shower her with compliments.
She'd gone up five stars in one sitting.
Qiao Liuyue was about to rest when the roommate said this.
Dong Jiaoyan's bed was diagonally across from hers. After being dumped by Xie Linchuan that morning, she was still nursing her anger.
Hearing the roommate's words, she said in a sarcastic tone, “Oh! Neighbor Brother is here to see you again?”
Qiao Liuyue ignored her, nodded at the roommate to say thanks, and turned to go downstairs.
Seeing her cold attitude, Dong Jiaoyan's face darkened, and she followed along.
The roommate was confused. “Dong Jiaoyan, why are you going out? That handsome guy came for Liuyue, not you.”
Dong Jiaoyan waved her hand and said, “Liuyue and I are good friends. I'm just worried she might get deceived, so I'll go take a look.”
Watching her figure disappear from the dorm room, the roommate curled her lips and complained:
“Good friends? That's one-sided on your part. Haven't you noticed lately that Liuyue doesn't even bother with you!”
Qiao Liuyue initially thought it was Zheng Qingyuan coming to find her.
But when she saw the tall young man wearing a white hoodie and light blue sports pants, slightly startled, she was taken aback.
“Why are you here?”
Xie Linchuan felt a little guilty and touched his nose sheepishly.
“Um… I'm leaving tomorrow, so I wanted to treat you to a meal.” He paused, and then, as if afraid she'd refuse, added, “Little Fatty—uh, I mean Xubai—he's coming too. It's a meal for the three of us, mainly to thank you and also to see me off.”
Qiao Liuyue was about to respond.
Suddenly, Dong Jiaoyan's voice came from behind.
Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.
“Liuyue, who's this handsome guy? You're something else, aren't you? First Monitor Chu, then Neighbor Brother, and now another good-looking man?”
Xie Linchuan's expression changed sharply.
His jaw tightened, and his posture became defensive.
Dong Jiaoyan actually had no idea what Xie Linchuan looked like. Every time they video chatted, he never showed his face, and the only time it was just a blurry side profile when it accidentally slipped on screen and she screenshot it.
Moreover, Dong Jiaoyan could never have guessed that Xie Linchuan, who'd just broken up with her, would come looking for Qiao Liuyue.
So she naturally assumed it was another handsome guy Qiao Liuyue had snagged.
Her jealousy was undisguised.
“Could it be that Big Hammer, your in-game CP from last time?”
Xie Linchuan was baffled.
Big Hammer was Chu Xubai's gaming ID. Qiao Liuyue and Chu Xubai were game CPs? Nothing of the sort had ever come to his ears.
But remembering that last night Chu Xubai had told him he liked Qiao Liuyue, Xie Linchuan felt conflicted all over again.
It was probably one of those situations where you tell your brother he's a fool and that she's not worth it, only to discover that in reality, only you were the one who was blind—taking a fish eye for a pearl.
Qiao Liuyue curled the corners of her lips.
She hadn't expected Dong Jiaoyan to show up.
What a perfect opportunity.
So while Xie Linchuan was still stunned, Qiao Liuyue walked over to him, naturally looped her arm through his.
With a sweet smile, she said:
“Jiaojiao, let me introduce you. This is my boyfriend.”
Dong Jiaoyan was shocked, giving Qiao Liuyue an up-and-down look.
“What? Your boyfriend?”
And Xie Linchuan himself was even more dumbfounded—frozen, body stiff.
What what what?
Did he hear correctly?
What did Qiao Liuyue just say?
She said he was her boyfriend?!
Qiao Liuyue smiled and nodded. “That's right. We spent yesterday's Valentine's Day together.”
In truth, it had been the three of them together.
But since Xie Linchuan was also there, saying that wasn't entirely wrong.
Dong Jiaoyan glanced at Qiao Liuyue's boyfriend again. Sharp features, handsome brows, a high straight nose bridge, and bright, confident eyes.
He was one of those energetic, striking kinds of handsome.
Not gonna lie, he was exactly her type.
Damn, couldn't believe Qiao Liuyue had luck like that.
Dong Jiaoyan spoke with a hint of resentment, “How did you two meet? Liuyue, I'm your good friend, why didn't I know about this?”
Qiao Liuyue smiled.
And with layered meaning, she said:
“I found a boyfriend all thanks to you. In the end, I really have you to thank.”
“What do you mean?” Dong Jiaoyan was confused.
Qiao Liuyue tugged at Xie Linchuan's hand and said, “We met playing games, right?”
