Chapter 5: Five
On the phone screen, Chu Qingzi’s flawless face filled most of the view.
The first person Yu Jiang saw every day when she woke up was her, and the last person she saw before falling asleep was also her.
Whether it was Chu Qingzi without makeup or Chu Qingzi with makeup, her image was already deeply etched into the bottom of her heart.
Yu Jiang believed that even years after graduation, the moment she thought of the three words ‘Chu Qingzi,’ her charming appearance would still immediately surface in her mind.
The person so familiar to her was now on the other end of the screen, gazing at her with her usual gentle expression and a smile.
Yu Jiang’s ears grew inexplicably hot under Chu Qingzi’s doting gaze, and she couldn’t help but raise a hand to rub her left ear.
The small movement was easily noticed, and Chu Qingzi asked with concern.
“Is your ear uncomfortable, baby?”
Yu Jiang calmly put down her hand. “It was a little itchy, but it’s fine now. I’ll continue eating breakfast then.”
“Okay, go ahead and eat, baby. I’ll be right here with you.”
This video call continued until breakfast was over.
As she left the cafeteria, it was switched to a voice call.
Yu Jiang had completely forgotten about sending the photo to the nameless pervert, chatting with Chu Qingzi as she hurried to the classroom.
When she arrived outside the classroom door, the call was finally disconnected.
Yu Jiang had messaged the counselor in advance. As soon as she entered the room, the class monitor, who was nibbling on a rice ball with her roommates, spotted her and waved her over.
“The counselor told me. Here’s the leave request form. Just give it to me when you’re done writing it. I have to see her after class anyway, so I can hand it in for you.”
Yu Jiang took it with a word of thanks, her gaze sweeping around. As she looked toward the window seat in the second-to-last row, her eyes met with one of the girls sitting there.
The other girl waved at her, and by the time Yu Jiang got closer, she and her friend had already shifted over one seat.
“Qingzi took leave again?”
Yu Jiang understood her intention and didn’t refuse, taking the empty seat she had just made available.
“Yeah, she’s not feeling well today.”
Wang Yangnan also remembered that Chu Qingzi had just taken leave not long ago and said with concern, “It hasn’t been that long and she’s taking leave again. Did she not fully recover from last time?”
While filling out the leave request form for Chu Qingzi, Yu Jiang replied to her, “I’ll go with her to the hospital for another check-up this afternoon. We’ll see what the doctor says then.”
Wang Yangnan: “She should get it checked.”
She paused, then started a new topic. “I was originally going to ask Qingzi about this when she got here, but I didn’t expect her to be on leave today. Since she’s not feeling well, I don’t want to bother her. It’s a good thing you’re here, so I figured I might as well ask you.”
The teacher for this class happened to walk in just then.
Yu Jiang gestured for her to wait a moment, went up to the teacher to explain Chu Qingzi’s absence, and then returned to continue the conversation. “Okay, go ahead and ask.”
Wang Yangnan’s expression immediately turned grim. “Cheng Yan and I are planning to move out too. The two underclassmen who were assigned to our dorm this semester are more tormenting than the last. Do you know what I almost drank from my water cup when I got up in the middle of the night last night?”
Yu Jiang subconsciously wanted to say a cockroach, but then she thought that since Wang Yangnan had emphasized the presence of the underclassmen, the answer must be related to a person.
She really couldn’t figure it out and honestly shook her head.
Cheng Yan, who was eating crispy noodles for breakfast on the side, clearly knew how explosive the truth was going to be. Hearing this, she silently put down the half-eaten snack.
Wang Yangnan spoke, each word dripping with anguish, “There was a wad of her stinky socks that she’d worn all day and hadn’t washed yet stuffed inside! I had no idea at first and poured warm water right in. I only smelled it when I was about to drink. You have no idea how scared I was! I was this close to drinking water that had been steeped in foot-flavored socks!”
Yu Jiang: …
Wang Yangnan, in the middle of her indignant accusation against the underclassman, was at the peak of her excitement. Even though Yu Jiang’s confusion was only written in her eyes, it didn’t stop her from proactively explaining the whole story.
“She came back drunk last night. I was already in bed when she came in. She probably took them off and put them in there then. I don’t care if it was intentional or not, I really can’t stay in this dorm anymore. Do you know what the first thing I thought of was when I was about to have a breakdown last night?”
She whimpered pitifully, “If only you and Qingzi hadn’t moved out, then I wouldn’t have to suffer like this.”
Just as she finished whimpering, the class bell rang.
Wang Yangnan’s expression snapped back to normal, and she quickly threw out the question she wanted to ask, “Among the friends I know, only you and Qingzi are renting an apartment outside. So I can only ask you two. For the apartment you’re renting, including utilities, how much does it cost per person each month? If the price is right, Cheng Yan and I are thinking of renting a place in your complex too.”
The teacher opened the course presentation on the lectern.
Yu Jiang did two things at once, listening to the teacher’s lecture while answering Wang Yangnan in a low voice.
“Sorry, I can’t answer that question right now. Is there anything else you need to know? Otherwise, you can make a list and send it to me on WeChat. I’ll ask Qingzi for you when I get back and let you know.”
Wang Yangnan asked subconsciously, “Huh? Don’t you live there too? How can you not know the rent?”
The next second, she had a realization. “Oh! Qingzi pays for everything, right? Wuwuwu, I’m so jealous of you. When will I ever have such a rich bestie, ying ying ying.”
When she said this, her tone was one of pure envy, not the kind of passive-aggressive sarcasm laced with sourness.
Yu Jiang didn’t expand on the topic, just offered a faint smile in response.
How well Chu Qingzi treated her had always been plain for all to see.
Although many girls had confessed their feelings to Chu Qingzi, from beginning to end, no one had ever suspected that Chu Qingzi’s gentleness towards her held any meaning beyond friendship.
Because Chu Qingzi was good to everyone.
As her closest cohabiting roommate, it was only natural that Yu Jiang received a little more than the average person.
Perhaps if one day, a person appeared who could make Chu Qingzi lose her composure, people might start to suspect that this person must be the one who could finally make Chu Qingzi’s heart flutter.
After all, the emergence of love is often accompanied by the phrase “special treatment.”
Wang Yangnan ended the currently unresolvable topic. “Then I’ll just ask Qingzi directly later. That’ll be more convenient.”
“Okay.”
Yu Jiang was about to focus on the lecture when her phone, lying next to her open textbook, lit up.
Before hanging up the voice call, Chu Qingzi had explicitly said she wouldn’t be messaging her again.
Therefore, the WeChat notification displayed on the screen was most likely from the nameless pervert.
Yu Jiang had no intention of paying it any mind. She hadn’t forgotten the condition the other person had agreed to. As long as she ate her breakfast—
Her face instantly turned as white as if the teacher had ground chalk into dust and smeared it all over her.
It’s over.
She was so busy chatting with Chu Qingzi just now that she had completely forgotten about taking a photo to check in.
Yu Jiang hurriedly unlocked her phone.
【Nameless Pervert: Wife, wife, wife, wife, I’m here to check if you’ve been a good girl and eaten your breakfast~ (puppy peeking.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Wife, are you not done eating yet? (poking cautiously.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Wife, if you don’t finish eating soon, you’ll be late for class! (anxious puppy.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Wife, wuwawa! Don’t tell me you forgot about me? (pouting puppy.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: I’ve decided to hate you for one second, wuwuwu. All you think about is calling that hateful Chu Qingzi, you completely forgot about me, wuwuwu.】
【Nameless Pervert: If you still don’t remember me before you get to class, I’m going to get really angry! Hmph! (pouting lips.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: One second has passed, and I’m in love with my wife all over again~ (puppy spinning in circles.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: You really did forget all about me, wife. Wife! I’m very angry now, and the consequences will be severe!】
【Nameless Pervert: I’ll give you one last chance, wife. If you still don’t remember me by the end of class, then I’m really going to have to punish you harshly!】
The messages stopped there.
Yu Jiang’s actions were, in a way, a breach of contract. Seeing this, she subconsciously started to type—
Sorry, something unexpected came up, I forgot to take a picture.
Just as she typed the word “unexpected,” the text in the chat box was selected and cleared.
Yu Jiang remembered the nameless pervert’s threatening behavior and decided to try her best to lower her moral standards when dealing with her.
She suppressed the urge to apologize and typed again.
【You were nearby just now?】
Yu Jiang could now be considered “battle-hardened.” Knowing that the damn pervert had been spying on her from the shadows just a few minutes ago, her emotions remained relatively stable.
【Nameless Pervert: You finally remembered me, wife, wuwuwu! I’m so aggrieved!!!】
【Nameless Pervert: Hmph! Don’t think that just because you’re deliberately changing the subject, I’ll forget that you didn’t send me a photo just now!】
【Nameless Pervert: Even though you obediently finished your breakfast, I’m still very jealous! So your punishment is still unavoidable!】
Yu Jiang’s breath caught in her throat.
Her heart, which was about to leap out of her throat from not knowing what kind of punishment she would face, plummeted back down with a whoosh when she saw the “content of the punishment.”
【Nameless Pervert: [User has transferred 1314 yuan to you]】
【Nameless Pervert: I was originally going to send you a reward red envelope of 5200 after you obediently finished your breakfast, hmph!】
【Nameless Pervert: Now, because you made me unhappy, the 5200 is gone! (puffy cheeks.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: If it were any later! My anger would have been even greater! Then you wouldn’t even get 1314!】
【Nameless Pervert: When I’m angry, I’ll only give you 520! (puppy roaring.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Now, to answer your question! (puppy sitting obediently.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Hehe, you’re finally interested in me, wife. I’m so happy, so happy~】
【Nameless Pervert: You’re amazing, wife. Such a clever wife~ You guessed right~】
【Nameless Pervert: I was indeed just in a place you couldn’t see, openly watching you, wife~】
【Nameless Pervert: You were especially cute and beautiful today, wife. I especially, especially loved it~ (big kiss.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: (New version of a candid photo of Yu Jiang.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: Thank you for appearing on camera, wife. My exclusive collection wall prepared just for you is about to get a new photo of you. So happy!】
【Nameless Pervert: [User has transferred 5200 yuan to you]】
【Nameless Pervert: It must have been hard on you being secretly photographed by me, wife. This is your hardship fee. Looking forward to secretly photographing you again next time!】
Yu Jiang: “…”
She felt that in this lifetime, she would probably never meet a second person as utterly baffling as this damn pervert.
【Nameless Pervert: Now, I need my wife to fulfill a new wish for me again. (expectant face.jpg)】
【Nameless Pervert: You’re not allowed to refuse, wife. Otherwise, I can’t say for sure whether you’ll be able to accompany that hateful Chu Qingzi to the hospital this afternoon~】
