My Boyfriend Used My Photos to Start an Online Relationship CH4
Le Chapitre 4: Are You Asleep?
Not bad, he's quite savvy. Zhou Mingyu curled his lips in satisfaction and unceremoniously clicked to accept the payment.
【Xiao Ci: That’s about enough.】
【Xiao Ci: I feel really bad making you spend so much.】
【.: It's nothing.】
After asking the other two for their opinions, Zhou Mingyu took a taxi to the hot pot restaurant he had scouted out.
Right before getting out of the car, he remembered he hadn't replied to Period Bro yet, so he perfunctorily sent a message.
【Xiao Ci: Mm-hmm】
【Xiao Ci: It’s getting late, so I won't disturb you further. I'm going to grab dinner now too.】
【.: Okay.】
Handled!
Seeing another 10,000 Yuan added to his account balance, Zhou Mingyu tucked his phone away. He stepped out of the car in high spirits and took a seat in a private booth at the hot pot restaurant.
Sang Ci hadn't eaten much at lunch, so she needed to eat more for dinner. Remembering Zhen Cheng’s words, Zhou Mingyu chose a split pot: spicy beef tallow and mushroom broth.
Sang Ci took the menu and paused. "Can't you not handle spicy food?"
Zhou Mingyu: "It's fine. I'll just stick to the mushroom broth."
"Alright."
Zhou Mingyu: "Order whatever you want, it's on me."
Sang Ci looked at the price list next to the dishes; her expression froze for a split second. In the end, she only hurriedly picked a few cheap vegetable dishes.
"Just these?" Zhou Mingyu raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll do the ordering."
Zhou Mingyu turned his head to look at Sang Ci as he ordered.
"Do you want seafood? ...Forget it, we had that at lunch."
"Lamb or beef... let's just get both."
"Do you want to try this 'Chilled Bird's Nest with Rock Sugar'? Let's give it a taste."
"What flavor juice do you want?"
.......
Chen Su, who had been silent the whole time, stared at the back of his bro's head, dumbfounded for two seconds. "Wait, brother, what about me?"
Only then did Zhou Mingyu turn his head as if suddenly remembering. "Ah, forgot about you."
"......"
Zhou Mingyu: "You order for yourself."
Taking the menu, Chen Su was about to call out some dishes when his eyes swept over the prices. His hand shook, and he snapped the menu shut. "Uh, let's just go with what's there."
This hot pot place is a total rip-off, why is it so expensive?
Chen Su quietly sent a message to Zhou Mingyu. Dividing the bill would cost each person a week's worth of living expenses.
【Chen Su: Bro, you didn't say we were eating somewhere this expensive?】
【Zhou Mingyu: My treat.】
"......" Chen Su had nothing left to say.
The dishes soon filled the table. Zhou Mingyu rested his head on his hand, watching Sang Ci eat. He thought to himself that his girlfriend indeed preferred spicy food.
"Is this good? Is it too spicy?"
Sang Ci: "It's good. It's not."
"Really not too spicy?"
"Mhm."
Zhou Mingyu glanced at Sang Ci’s bright red dipping sauce and suddenly laughed. "Baby, you can handle spice so well. What are we going to do after we get married?"
Sang Ci looked up from her bowl, a look of confusion surfacing on her beautiful features. "Huh?"
"My family doesn't eat spicy food at all," Zhou Mingyu explained.
Sang Ci looked even more bewildered. "And?"
"......"
A lump formed in Zhou Mingyu’s throat; he felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of powerlessness.
His girlfriend was cute and beautiful, but why was it so hard to create a romantic atmosphere? He didn't mean they were getting married now; he just wanted to use the topic to deepen the conversation.
Maybe she's just too young.
Zhou Mingyu stared into Sang Ci’s clear, clean eyes and gave a silent sigh.
After finishing the meal, Sang Ci put down her chopsticks. "How much? I'll transfer it to you. Including the money for the internet cafe and the milk tea."
Zhou Mingyu: "......."
Does this f*cking feel like a relationship?
This wasn't the first or second time. Sang Ci wanted to split the bill every single time, and he refused every single time. Why was she so obsessed with AA-ing the money?
Zhou Mingyu felt like losing his temper, but he patiently held it back.
"Cici, I'm your boyfriend," Zhou Mingyu said.
Sang Ci: "Ah, yes."
"So don't be so polite with me," Zhou Mingyu said with a trace of irritation. "Otherwise, I’m really going to get angry."
"But... it’s not good to spend so much of your money." Sang Ci belatedly sensed something, her beautiful eyes blinking.
"What's not good about it?" Zhou Mingyu grew a bit anxious, his voice rising. "I'm happy to spend money on my girlfriend. Isn't that perfectly natural? Why won't you take it?"
His voice was a bit loud, causing even Chen Su, who was focused on his phone, to steal a glance.
Are they fighting?
The cold war lasted for nearly an hour. It wasn't until Zhou Mingyu walked Sang Ci back to the girls' dormitory that she spoke. "Are you angry?"
"No," Zhou Mingyu grumbled.
"That's good." Sang Ci let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave. "Then I'll head back first."
"......"
Zhou Mingyu gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. "Don't you dare leave!"
Sang Ci turned around. "What is it?"
Zhou Mingyu originally wanted to scold her for being so dense—they’d been together for over a month and she didn't even know how to coax someone. But seeing the genuine confusion on Sang Ci’s face, he couldn't say a single harsh word.
Dammit, I chose this girlfriend myself, what else can I do? Just endure it.
"Is there anything else?" Sang Ci was anxious to go back and shower. Seeing him silent, she urged him.
"Nothing." Zhou Mingyu opened his arms. "Can I have a hug?"
Sang Ci refused without a second thought. "No, I smell like hot pot..."
Before she could finish, Zhou Mingyu had already leaned down on his own and pulled her into a hug.
"—Holy sh*t, is that couple down there Sang Ci and her guy?" Zhen Cheng, who was washing clothes on the balcony, cried out in surprise.
Ji Jiayao followed her gaze and saw the two of them embracing. Only for a moment, though; they separated quickly.
The girl had broken free from the hug.
"Those two are so sweet, truly in the honeymoon phase," Zhen Cheng remarked casually. "I just saw Zhou Mingyu’s Moments."
"What Moments?" Ji Jiayao asked.
Zhen Cheng: "Just photos of them eating and hanging out. Zhou Mingyu is a total Love-Brain; his Moments are nothing but photos of Sang Ci."
"Oh." Ji Jiayao: "You have him on WeChat?"
"Yeah, just added him at noon."
In the blink of an eye, Sang Ci was no longer downstairs. Zhen Cheng withdrew her gaze and continued washing clothes. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ji Jiayao gathering the trash, which surprised her. "You're going to take out the trash?"
Ji Jiayao: "Mhm."
Zhen Cheng raised an eyebrow. She was still surprised to see Ji Jiayao heading out with the dessert bag that held the trash.
Sang Ci was a germaphobe; she couldn't stand even a little trash or dirt on the floor and would clean it immediately. She often took out the trash for them as well.
Ji Jiayao was forgetful; eight out of ten days, it was Sang Ci who took out her trash. Despite being reminded many times, she always forgot.
Did she finally have a change of heart after eating those little cakes today?
* * *
8:00 AM, US Time.
Two nursing assistants figured Lu Wenzhou was likely awake. Carrying breakfast, they lightly pressed the doorbell.
There were bell devices throughout the room; they could only enter once the person inside pressed the return buzzer.
The assistants waited outside for a few minutes. There was no response from within.
They exchanged looks of confusion. According to Young Master Lu’s usual routine of sleeping at 10 PM and waking at 5 AM, he should have been up long ago. The assistants knew he had stayed up late last night—not sleeping until midnight—so they had waited until 8 AM to ring.
Is he still not awake?
This Young Master had lost his appetite since being hospitalized, rarely eating, and had thinned out significantly. Madam Lu had specifically reminded them that Lu Wenzhou must eat his meals on time.
Worrying that something might be wrong, the two assistants hesitated for a moment before swiping their card and pushing the door open.
In the room, the man lay flat on the bed with his eyes closed. His breathing was even, his chest rising and falling gently. One could tell at a glance he was sleeping soundly.
Seeing this, the assistants glanced at the data on the sleep monitor. Their expressions turned even more shocked.
While Lu Wenzhou slept early and had a regular routine, he actually suffered from severe insomnia and usually had to take medication before bed. This was the first time they had detected such a high-quality sleep.
Witnessing this, one of the assistants immediately took a photo and sent the good news to Madam Lu.
There was no sign of Lu Wenzhou waking up. Not wanting to disturb him, the assistants prepared to leave the room quietly.
Ding-dong. A crisp sound.
It was a phone notification. It wasn't loud, but in the silent room, it sounded abrupt.
The two assistants instinctively turned to look. To their surprise, the man who had been sleeping peacefully was now awake. His thin, pale eyelids lifted, and a nonchalant gaze shot straight toward them.
"Master Lu... you're awake?"
Lu Wenzhou gave a faint "Mhm" and picked up the phone beside him, lowering his eyes to check the messages.
The assistants didn't know if it was their imagination, but they felt this usually cold Young Master’s movements were a bit hurried, as if he were anticipating something...
After placing the lavish nutritional meal on the table, the assistants quickly exited the room.
On the other side, Zhou Mingyu had just returned to his dorm when he received a message from Period Bro.
【.: Awake. Are you going to sleep?】
Zhou Mingyu didn't reply immediately. He casually scrolled through Ji Jiayao’s Moments, spotted a few photos of Ji Jiayao and Sang Ci together, and saved them.
It was getting late, and there was training the next day. Zhou Mingyu prepared to go to bed.
【Zhou Mingyu: Baby, I'm getting ready to sleep. You?】
【Sang Ci: I'm drawing.】
【Zhou Mingyu: Still drawing??】
【Zhou Mingyu: Exactly how many commissions have you taken? Don't work yourself into a collapse. Be good, go to sleep now, okay?】
【Sang Ci: You go ahead. I'm not tired.】
Zhou Mingyu sat with his phone, scratching his head in frustration, but he couldn't think of a solution. Sang Ci was an art student; she was incredibly focused when drawing and became more engrossed as the night went on. Once, Zhou Mingyu stayed up until 5 AM and messaged her—she was still awake! Knowing his girlfriend could out-pull an "internet-addicted youth" like himself left him momentarily stunned.
Forget it, let her draw if she wants.
Zhou Mingyu lay in bed, trying to fall asleep, but images of the game from earlier played in his head like a movie on rewind.
Sang Ci’s fingers were clean and slender, flying across the keyboard, using precise and practiced maneuvers to slaughter everyone in the game...
Unbelievable. Why the f*ck is my girlfriend better at gaming than me? Does this make any sense?
Zhou Mingyu replayed that match over and over in his mind until his sleepiness vanished completely. He got out of bed, turned on his computer, and opened PUBG.
It must be because I haven't played in a while, so I didn't perform well. I just need a few more practice rounds.
* * *
10:00 AM, US Time.
The assistants came in to clear the leftovers from breakfast and replace the fresh fruit and flowers.
An assistant pushed the cart to the dining table.
"?"
The breakfast from an hour ago was still sitting there untouched. Lu Wenzhou hadn't taken a single bite...
Although Young Master Lu didn't like to eat, he would usually manage a couple of bites to be polite. Why hadn't he touched anything today?
The assistant dutifully knocked on the study door to ask why.
No answer.
Is he not in there? The assistant’s gaze swept across the large suite, and they found the non-eating patient in the bedroom.
Lu Wenzhou was actually still lying in bed. The assistant's eyebrows shot up; there were just too many anomalies today.
"What is it?" A cold, nonchalant voice sounded. Lu Wenzhou’s face was expressionless; one couldn't tell if he was in a good or bad mood.
The assistant urged, "It's time to eat, sir."
If Lu Wenzhou thinned out any further, the entire hospital wouldn't be able to answer to the Lu family.
"Mhm," Lu Wenzhou said faintly. "Leave it there."
He didn't make things difficult for them. Soon after, Lu Wenzhou put down his phone—which hadn't received a reply in an hour—and headed to the washroom.
In reality, it was already very late for "Xiao Ci." She should have been asleep long ago, so it was normal not to get a reply.
Lu Wenzhou didn't know what he was expecting.
He just felt... like he could wait for a reply, but none came.
Chapter Notes:
Not bad, he's quite savvy. Zhou Mingyu curled his lips in satisfaction and unceremoniously clicked to accept the payment.
【Xiao Ci: That’s about enough.】
【Xiao Ci: I feel really bad making you spend so much.】
【.: It's nothing.】
After asking the other two for their opinions, Zhou Mingyu took a taxi to the hot pot restaurant he had scouted out.
Right before getting out of the car, he remembered he hadn't replied to Period Bro yet, so he perfunctorily sent a message.
【Xiao Ci: Mm-hmm】
【Xiao Ci: It’s getting late, so I won't disturb you further. I'm going to grab dinner now too.】
【.: Okay.】
Handled!
Seeing another 10,000 Yuan added to his account balance, Zhou Mingyu tucked his phone away. He stepped out of the car in high spirits and took a seat in a private booth at the hot pot restaurant.
Sang Ci hadn't eaten much at lunch, so she needed to eat more for dinner. Remembering Zhen Cheng’s words, Zhou Mingyu chose a split pot: spicy beef tallow and mushroom broth.
Sang Ci took the menu and paused. "Can't you not handle spicy food?"
Zhou Mingyu: "It's fine. I'll just stick to the mushroom broth."
"Alright."
Zhou Mingyu: "Order whatever you want, it's on me."
Sang Ci looked at the price list next to the dishes; her expression froze for a split second. In the end, she only hurriedly picked a few cheap vegetable dishes.
"Just these?" Zhou Mingyu raised an eyebrow. "Then I'll do the ordering."
Zhou Mingyu turned his head to look at Sang Ci as he ordered.
"Do you want seafood? ...Forget it, we had that at lunch."
"Lamb or beef... let's just get both."
"Do you want to try this 'Chilled Bird's Nest with Rock Sugar'? Let's give it a taste."
"What flavor juice do you want?"
.......
Chen Su, who had been silent the whole time, stared at the back of his bro's head, dumbfounded for two seconds. "Wait, brother, what about me?"
Only then did Zhou Mingyu turn his head as if suddenly remembering. "Ah, forgot about you."
"......"
Zhou Mingyu: "You order for yourself."
Taking the menu, Chen Su was about to call out some dishes when his eyes swept over the prices. His hand shook, and he snapped the menu shut. "Uh, let's just go with what's there."
This hot pot place is a total rip-off, why is it so expensive?
Chen Su quietly sent a message to Zhou Mingyu. Dividing the bill would cost each person a week's worth of living expenses.
【Chen Su: Bro, you didn't say we were eating somewhere this expensive?】
【Zhou Mingyu: My treat.】
"......" Chen Su had nothing left to say.
The dishes soon filled the table. Zhou Mingyu rested his head on his hand, watching Sang Ci eat. He thought to himself that his girlfriend indeed preferred spicy food.
"Is this good? Is it too spicy?"
Sang Ci: "It's good. It's not."
"Really not too spicy?"
"Mhm."
Zhou Mingyu glanced at Sang Ci’s bright red dipping sauce and suddenly laughed. "Baby, you can handle spice so well. What are we going to do after we get married?"
Sang Ci looked up from her bowl, a look of confusion surfacing on her beautiful features. "Huh?"
"My family doesn't eat spicy food at all," Zhou Mingyu explained.
Sang Ci looked even more bewildered. "And?"
"......"
A lump formed in Zhou Mingyu’s throat; he felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of powerlessness.
His girlfriend was cute and beautiful, but why was it so hard to create a romantic atmosphere? He didn't mean they were getting married now; he just wanted to use the topic to deepen the conversation.
Maybe she's just too young.
Zhou Mingyu stared into Sang Ci’s clear, clean eyes and gave a silent sigh.
After finishing the meal, Sang Ci put down her chopsticks. "How much? I'll transfer it to you. Including the money for the internet cafe and the milk tea."
Zhou Mingyu: "......."
Does this f*cking feel like a relationship?
This wasn't the first or second time. Sang Ci wanted to split the bill every single time, and he refused every single time. Why was she so obsessed with AA-ing the money?
Zhou Mingyu felt like losing his temper, but he patiently held it back.
"Cici, I'm your boyfriend," Zhou Mingyu said.
Sang Ci: "Ah, yes."
"So don't be so polite with me," Zhou Mingyu said with a trace of irritation. "Otherwise, I’m really going to get angry."
"But... it’s not good to spend so much of your money." Sang Ci belatedly sensed something, her beautiful eyes blinking.
"What's not good about it?" Zhou Mingyu grew a bit anxious, his voice rising. "I'm happy to spend money on my girlfriend. Isn't that perfectly natural? Why won't you take it?"
His voice was a bit loud, causing even Chen Su, who was focused on his phone, to steal a glance.
Are they fighting?
The cold war lasted for nearly an hour. It wasn't until Zhou Mingyu walked Sang Ci back to the girls' dormitory that she spoke. "Are you angry?"
"No," Zhou Mingyu grumbled.
"That's good." Sang Ci let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave. "Then I'll head back first."
"......"
Zhou Mingyu gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. "Don't you dare leave!"
Sang Ci turned around. "What is it?"
Zhou Mingyu originally wanted to scold her for being so dense—they’d been together for over a month and she didn't even know how to coax someone. But seeing the genuine confusion on Sang Ci’s face, he couldn't say a single harsh word.
Dammit, I chose this girlfriend myself, what else can I do? Just endure it.
"Is there anything else?" Sang Ci was anxious to go back and shower. Seeing him silent, she urged him.
"Nothing." Zhou Mingyu opened his arms. "Can I have a hug?"
Sang Ci refused without a second thought. "No, I smell like hot pot..."
Before she could finish, Zhou Mingyu had already leaned down on his own and pulled her into a hug.
"—Holy sh*t, is that couple down there Sang Ci and her guy?" Zhen Cheng, who was washing clothes on the balcony, cried out in surprise.
Ji Jiayao followed her gaze and saw the two of them embracing. Only for a moment, though; they separated quickly.
The girl had broken free from the hug.
"Those two are so sweet, truly in the honeymoon phase," Zhen Cheng remarked casually. "I just saw Zhou Mingyu’s Moments."
"What Moments?" Ji Jiayao asked.
Zhen Cheng: "Just photos of them eating and hanging out. Zhou Mingyu is a total Love-Brain; his Moments are nothing but photos of Sang Ci."
"Oh." Ji Jiayao: "You have him on WeChat?"
"Yeah, just added him at noon."
In the blink of an eye, Sang Ci was no longer downstairs. Zhen Cheng withdrew her gaze and continued washing clothes. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Ji Jiayao gathering the trash, which surprised her. "You're going to take out the trash?"
Ji Jiayao: "Mhm."
Zhen Cheng raised an eyebrow. She was still surprised to see Ji Jiayao heading out with the dessert bag that held the trash.
Sang Ci was a germaphobe; she couldn't stand even a little trash or dirt on the floor and would clean it immediately. She often took out the trash for them as well.
Ji Jiayao was forgetful; eight out of ten days, it was Sang Ci who took out her trash. Despite being reminded many times, she always forgot.
Did she finally have a change of heart after eating those little cakes today?
* * *
8:00 AM, US Time.
Two nursing assistants figured Lu Wenzhou was likely awake. Carrying breakfast, they lightly pressed the doorbell.
There were bell devices throughout the room; they could only enter once the person inside pressed the return buzzer.
The assistants waited outside for a few minutes. There was no response from within.
They exchanged looks of confusion. According to Young Master Lu’s usual routine of sleeping at 10 PM and waking at 5 AM, he should have been up long ago. The assistants knew he had stayed up late last night—not sleeping until midnight—so they had waited until 8 AM to ring.
Is he still not awake?
This Young Master had lost his appetite since being hospitalized, rarely eating, and had thinned out significantly. Madam Lu had specifically reminded them that Lu Wenzhou must eat his meals on time.
Worrying that something might be wrong, the two assistants hesitated for a moment before swiping their card and pushing the door open.
In the room, the man lay flat on the bed with his eyes closed. His breathing was even, his chest rising and falling gently. One could tell at a glance he was sleeping soundly.
Seeing this, the assistants glanced at the data on the sleep monitor. Their expressions turned even more shocked.
While Lu Wenzhou slept early and had a regular routine, he actually suffered from severe insomnia and usually had to take medication before bed. This was the first time they had detected such a high-quality sleep.
Witnessing this, one of the assistants immediately took a photo and sent the good news to Madam Lu.
There was no sign of Lu Wenzhou waking up. Not wanting to disturb him, the assistants prepared to leave the room quietly.
Ding-dong. A crisp sound.
It was a phone notification. It wasn't loud, but in the silent room, it sounded abrupt.
The two assistants instinctively turned to look. To their surprise, the man who had been sleeping peacefully was now awake. His thin, pale eyelids lifted, and a nonchalant gaze shot straight toward them.
"Master Lu... you're awake?"
Lu Wenzhou gave a faint "Mhm" and picked up the phone beside him, lowering his eyes to check the messages.
The assistants didn't know if it was their imagination, but they felt this usually cold Young Master’s movements were a bit hurried, as if he were anticipating something...
After placing the lavish nutritional meal on the table, the assistants quickly exited the room.
On the other side, Zhou Mingyu had just returned to his dorm when he received a message from Period Bro.
【.: Awake. Are you going to sleep?】
Zhou Mingyu didn't reply immediately. He casually scrolled through Ji Jiayao’s Moments, spotted a few photos of Ji Jiayao and Sang Ci together, and saved them.
It was getting late, and there was training the next day. Zhou Mingyu prepared to go to bed.
【Zhou Mingyu: Baby, I'm getting ready to sleep. You?】
【Sang Ci: I'm drawing.】
【Zhou Mingyu: Still drawing??】
【Zhou Mingyu: Exactly how many commissions have you taken? Don't work yourself into a collapse. Be good, go to sleep now, okay?】
【Sang Ci: You go ahead. I'm not tired.】
Zhou Mingyu sat with his phone, scratching his head in frustration, but he couldn't think of a solution. Sang Ci was an art student; she was incredibly focused when drawing and became more engrossed as the night went on. Once, Zhou Mingyu stayed up until 5 AM and messaged her—she was still awake! Knowing his girlfriend could out-pull an "internet-addicted youth" like himself left him momentarily stunned.
Forget it, let her draw if she wants.
Zhou Mingyu lay in bed, trying to fall asleep, but images of the game from earlier played in his head like a movie on rewind.
Sang Ci’s fingers were clean and slender, flying across the keyboard, using precise and practiced maneuvers to slaughter everyone in the game...
Unbelievable. Why the f*ck is my girlfriend better at gaming than me? Does this make any sense?
Zhou Mingyu replayed that match over and over in his mind until his sleepiness vanished completely. He got out of bed, turned on his computer, and opened PUBG.
It must be because I haven't played in a while, so I didn't perform well. I just need a few more practice rounds.
* * *
10:00 AM, US Time.
The assistants came in to clear the leftovers from breakfast and replace the fresh fruit and flowers.
An assistant pushed the cart to the dining table.
"?"
The breakfast from an hour ago was still sitting there untouched. Lu Wenzhou hadn't taken a single bite...
Although Young Master Lu didn't like to eat, he would usually manage a couple of bites to be polite. Why hadn't he touched anything today?
The assistant dutifully knocked on the study door to ask why.
No answer.
Is he not in there? The assistant’s gaze swept across the large suite, and they found the non-eating patient in the bedroom.
Lu Wenzhou was actually still lying in bed. The assistant's eyebrows shot up; there were just too many anomalies today.
"What is it?" A cold, nonchalant voice sounded. Lu Wenzhou’s face was expressionless; one couldn't tell if he was in a good or bad mood.
The assistant urged, "It's time to eat, sir."
If Lu Wenzhou thinned out any further, the entire hospital wouldn't be able to answer to the Lu family.
"Mhm," Lu Wenzhou said faintly. "Leave it there."
He didn't make things difficult for them. Soon after, Lu Wenzhou put down his phone—which hadn't received a reply in an hour—and headed to the washroom.
In reality, it was already very late for "Xiao Ci." She should have been asleep long ago, so it was normal not to get a reply.
Lu Wenzhou didn't know what he was expecting.
He just felt... like he could wait for a reply, but none came.
Chapter Notes:
- AA-ing (AA制): A common term in China for splitting the bill.
- Love-Brain (恋爱脑 - Liàn'ài nǎo): A person who prioritizes their romantic relationship above everything else, often to a foolish or obsessive degree.
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