My Online Crush Turns Out to Be My Roommate
He didn’t even come back to the dorm that night.
This absurd farce, it seemed, had finally ended.
My vision blurred as tears fell onto my screen. I sniffled, hands trembling as I typed out five words:
“Let’s break up, for real.”
Those five words took me longer to type than I’d ever imagined.
I didn’t dare wait for his reply.
Switching to my main account, I sent a leave request to my advisor.
The next day, Jin Hao didn’t show up to class. He’d been skipping more and more, but the teachers didn’t seem to care anymore.
I stared at his empty seat, my heart hollow.
We’d been together for a year even if it was just online. Breaking up so suddenly, my chest ached.
I couldn’t focus in class, kept zoning out, got scolded by the professor several times.
When my leave was approved, Meng Yu came back to find me packing.
“What’s going on? Jin Hao came back yesterday, packed a couple things, and left without a word. Now you’re leaving too?”
“Yeah. He came back furious, grabbed some clothes, and stormed out. Didn’t say a thing.”
“Where’d he go?”
“How would I know? He looked like he’d kill anyone who spoke to him. I was afraid to even ask.”
Meng Yu looked genuinely worried. “Did something happen between you two?”
I forced a smile. “What could possibly happen?”
Do I look like someone who’d get heartbroken over love?
These days, people with romance brain rot should just go forage for wild herbs.
Even before I realized Jin Hao was my online boyfriend, I’d already planned a trip to Yunnan.
I’d watched a drama called “To the Place with the Wind” and suddenly longed for that kind of free, easy life.
Life’s too short not to be happy.
So I booked a ticket on impulse.
I never got the chance to tell anyone before everything blew up.
Now, there was no need.
No way I was wasting a plane ticket over this.
I’d just treat it as a break to clear my head.
Right before my flight, Jin Hao called.
I stared at the screen for a long time, but didn’t answer.
Maybe he’d realized the truth and wanted to confront me.
But what could be more important than my own happiness?
Why let anything ruin my trip?
As the plane soared above the clouds, I whispered to myself
"Jin Hao, I’m going to forget you".
I tried to disconnect from my phone, carrying only my camera and some cash.
I spent a full seven days in Yunnan, far from the digital world.
It was wonderful.
The locals were warm and genuine, and I felt free to leave all my troubles behind.
The trip was great. Along the way, I met a senior named Gu Kaiming.
We were on the same flight, though headed to different destinations.
We parted ways, but bumped into each other again at Erhai Lake.
It felt like fate, so we walked along the lake together and shared a meal.
But we didn’t exchange contact info. Some connections are best left in the moment.
On my way home, by coincidence or maybe not Gu Kaiming was on my return flight, too.
I grinned at him. “Third time’s the charm, huh?”
He smiled back, “Not a coincidence. I bought this ticket on purpose.”
He was always so direct.
I’d mentioned my return date in passing, and there was only one flight back to Huaxing City that day.
He pulled out his phone, showing me a QR code. “Can I add you now?”
I couldn’t refuse, so I reinstalled WeChat.
The moment I logged in, I was bombarded with 99+ messages.
I barely glanced at them before adding Gu Kaiming.
I transferred some photos, picked nine for my Moments, posted them, then put my phone away and napped.
After days of travel, I was exhausted.
I slept until the flight attendant woke me for landing.
Gu Kaiming suggested we share a cab back to campus I agreed. Why not split the fare?
In the cab, I finally checked my messages.
Most were from Jin Hao, but there were also texts from my other roommates, my parents, and a handful of club notifications.
I messaged my parents to say I was safe and sent them some photos.
Then I opened Meng Yu’s chat about a dozen messages.
“Jin Hao’s back in the dorm.”
“He’s been acting weird lately.”
“He drank a lot today.”
“Jin Hao asked where you went.”
“He keeps bugging me about you. I’m going crazy”
“Did you have fun on your trip?”
“Remember to bring souvenirs.”
I replied: “Almost back at school.”
Next, I checked Lin Chen’s messages.
“Did you go traveling?”
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Did you get kidnapped?”
“Is Jin Hao losing it? He’s actually going to class and drinking every day.”
“He got wasted again last night.”
“He crashed on your bed, but at least he didn’t puke this time.”
“He called you a bunch of times, but you never picked up.”
“Is your signal bad?”
“When are you coming back? I’m losing my mind here”
“Bring souvenirs”
Again, I replied: “Almost back.”
Jin Hao was asking about me?
Did he really need to beat me up to get over this?
I’d been gone a week, but the fallout was still waiting for me.
I took a deep breath and opened Jin Hao’s chat.
I scrolled and scrolled, finally reaching the first message.
“Sorry”
“Where are you?”
“Can we talk?”
“Message me when you see this.”
He’d deleted a lot, so I couldn’t see everything.
“Some things are too hard to explain in text.”
“Let’s talk in person. Please reply when you see this”
He’d sent the same few lines over and over.
Gu Kaiming glanced at my phone. “Who is that? Looks like they’re desperate to find you.”
I closed my eyes, leaned back, and sighed, “Just a friend.”
We parted ways at the teaching building. He reminded me not to forget dinner tonight.
Back at the dorm, Meng Yu and Lin Chen were both there, but Jin Hao’s bed was empty.
They rushed up and hugged me. “You’re finally back!”
I laughed and pushed them off. “I brought souvenirs, they’re in the bag.”
They immediately let go and grabbed the bag.
“You didn’t have to bring gifts”
I rolled my eyes.
“Who’s the handsome guy in your Moments?” Lin Chen asked.
“Yeah, did you spend all seven days with him?” Meng Yu chimed in.
“New love interest?” Lin Chen grinned.
Meng Yu patted my shoulder. “Jin Hao saw your Moments too. He looked like thunder.”
I glanced at Jin Hao’s empty bed. “Where is he?”
Meng Yu licked his fingers, finishing a rose pastry. “No idea. He left after seeing your post.”
Lin Chen put on his best “elder brother” voice. “We’re all in the same dorm for another year. You two should sort things out.”
Meng Yu, always loving the drama, added, “Guys just need to fight it out.”
I valued my life too much to risk it.
I didn’t answer, just grabbed my things and headed out.
They shouted after me.
“Really going to fight?”
“Need backup?”
I wasn’t that reckless.
I remembered how I’d helped Gu Kaiming out of a jam once.
I’d seen him at a busy street stall, struggling to pay for a cup of roasted milk tea because the signal was bad. The line behind him was getting impatient.
I stepped in and paid for him, saving him from embarrassment.
He’d tried to pay me back, but I refused, so he insisted on treating me to a meal.
I didn’t want him to spend too much, so we ate at the campus cafeteria.
While we were eating, I spotted Jin Hao standing in the doorway, glaring at me with a storm brewing in his eyes.
His gaze was icy, his whole presence screaming “keep away.”
He started toward me, but I shook my head.
I did have things to say to Jin Hao, but not right then.
He gave us a long, meaningful look, then stormed out.
After dinner, Gu Kaiming walked me back to the dorm.
As I was about to go upstairs, a group of people approached, their faces set and determined.
“Ye Wenxu.”
They didn’t look friendly.
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