From a nobody online dating to a top love brain - Chapter 34

Bei Yuye shook his head wildly. His senior had really lost it, making up anything just to avoid meeting up in person: “We’ve video-called before. I’ve seen his… you know.”

Yu Nan looked down. Was his really that small? He remembered what Kitty had scolded him about: “You seriously have no sense of online safety.”

Bei Yuye suddenly got shy: “Aww, senior, you just don’t get it.”

Yu Nan nodded in agreement. He really didn’t get it, because he also enjoyed video chatting. 

With righteous conviction, he said, “Anything can be fake in the online world. What if that thing you saw was a toy? Or had filters on? You wouldn’t be able to tell.”

Bei Yuye fell into deep thought. Could he really have been so naïve? His senior was coming up with all these wild scenarios just to discourage him from meeting in person. Maybe his senior wasn’t into his looks, but surely, his body was still appealing to him?

Did the senior value looks more than body?

Yu Nan noticed Bei Yuye’s serious expression, seemingly considering his words carefully, and quickly followed up: “Exactly, junior. The internet is full of lies and deceit. Haven’t you heard those stories where people meet in real life only to find out the other person’s gender was wrong?”

Suddenly, Bei Yuye had an epiphany. Pei Yunchuan had mentioned that Yu Nan was also meeting someone on Saturday, a high school senior whom Yu Nan was super into. So maybe, just maybe, Yu Nan had been talking to multiple people online and was now meeting them one by one.

Was the real reason he was avoiding him because his Saturday schedule was already full?

He wanted to say something, but it was too hard to put into words. Regardless, no matter what he said, it wouldn’t change the fact that Yu Nan had plans to meet someone else that weekend.

“Senior, can I come along to your meetup? Pei Yunchuan said he’s going to be part of the ‘vibe group’ too.” Bei Yuye forced a smile, trying to act casual as he made his request.

Yu Nan’s eyes flickered, and his smile became awkward. He nodded slightly, “Sure, you can come.”

How did things get to this point? Yu Nan had no idea. He went to the group chat and @Watch the sword: “Please, just help me fake this meetup. I’m begging you. I don’t know why things turned out like this. Why, oh why? Someone, please tell me!”

Kitty immediately jumped in: “What happened now?”

Milk Tea: “The love-struck guy said he’s coming with me tomorrow to watch your meetup. What exactly did you guys talk about?”

Yu Nan gave a quick summary and concluded: “I’m never doing online dating again.”

Saturday morning, he got up early to play the part of someone excited to meet his online crush. He still had to go pick up Watch the sword, who was playing the role of his younger high school boyfriend.

Dreams are everything had stayed up late the night before, writing a 3,000-word script outlining the whole online relationship, complete with everyone’s roles.

Yu Nan’s anxiety kept growing. People constantly regret things in life, and as he replayed yesterday’s conversation, he realized he should have just flat-out refused to let his junior come along to his meetup.

Watch the sword messaged him: “I’m almost at the station. Remember, pretend you don’t know me at first. Act like you’re looking for me for a bit.”

Watch the sword: “Though, with how handsome I am, it wouldn’t be surprising if you spotted me right away.”

Yu Nan kept glancing toward the station gates. Meanwhile, Bei Yuye felt like his heart was about to break—why had he signed up for this? Soon, he would be watching his crush happily interact with someone else.

When Watch the sword finally appeared, he immediately spotted Yu Nan. The two people standing beside him were tall, making them stand out from the crowd.

Watch the sword quickly typed: “Hey, Fish. The broad-shouldered guy to your left—is that Milk Tea or the love-struck guy? He’s got quite the build.”

Milk Tea, seeing the message, scanned the crowd, unable to pinpoint Watch the sword, so he silently dragged Bei Yuye to a new spot.

Watch the sword noticed the change: “Now that handsome guy is on the right.”

Pei Yunchuan quietly shifted positions again.

Watch the sword: “Okay, now I know that handsome guy is the love-struck dude. Milk Tea, stop moving around.”

Yu Nan finally saw Watch the sword, dressed in all black, casually walking over with a single-shoulder bag. His long, slanted eyes had a tired, aloof look, and his earrings and lip piercing were all in place, making him stand out with a distant coolness.

Bei Yuye’s heart raced when he saw him. All those piercings struck Yu Nan’s weak spot perfectly. He should’ve gotten seven or eight piercings himself to really grab Yu Nan’s attention back then.

“Wow, babe, you smell so good.” Watch the sword recited the line Dreams are everything had written, extending his arms, waiting for Yu Nan to embrace him.

Yu Nan froze, the situation beyond embarrassing. He stood there, not moving, and the scene grew increasingly awkward.

Watch the sword waved his arms in the air, waiting for Yu Nan to play along. He bit his lip and exaggerated the motion, continuing to wave.

“Practicing martial arts? Looks like the Great Roc Spreads Its Wings!” Doggo shouted from a distance, having spotted Yu Nan’s group.

As more familiar faces arrived, Yu Nan started to relax. He gave Watch the sword a quick, awkward hug and blushed as he recited his line: “You smell good too.”

But his conscience was gnawing at him. He didn’t want to go through with the meetup in the first place, but how had it spiraled into this? Ultimately, it was his own fault. He didn’t want to meet Bei Yuye in person, but he was still attracted to his body.

He quickly sent a message: “I’ve decided to end it with him. Plan B is in motion.”

Kitty: “Really? Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”

Yu Nan solemnly patted Pei Yunchuan on the shoulder, hoping Milk Tea could pull this off. Then he turned to his junior and pointed at Milk Tea: “Junior, Milk Tea has something to tell you.”

Pei Yunchuan dragged Bei Yuye away, leaving behind only their tall, solitary figures.

“Let’s go get breakfast together.” The moment Bei Yuye was out of Yu Nan’s sight, he relaxed completely.

Doggo stroked his chin: “Only we could turn a simple meetup into something so complicated.”

The four of them found a nearby place to sit down. Yu Nan, in good spirits, ordered a bowl of wonton soup and waited patiently for good news from Milk Tea.

“Milk Tea’s sent a voice message,” Kitty said, putting it on speaker for everyone to hear.

“Actually, I’m your online crush.”

Milk Tea’s voice came through first. Even though he was cleaning up the mess Yu Nan had left behind, Yu Nan couldn’t help but laugh. He found it all the funnier because he wasn’t the one stuck dealing with the fallout. Just hearing Milk Tea’s voice made him want to laugh.

This was the final plan they had all agonized over until the morning—Milk Tea would take the fall.

“Stop messing around,” came the junior’s voice.

Yu Nan instinctively clenched his hands, listening closely.

“All you ever say is that I’m messing around, messing around, messing around! Every time I try to get close, you push me away! So, the only way I can sneak into your life is like this!” 

“You’re Bei Bei, I’m Nan Nan—we’re meant to be together.” Pei Yunchuan kept his head down, refusing to look at Bei Yuye’s face as he recited the lines.

“The ring you’re wearing right now—I gave that to you. Why would I engrave your online username on it? Of course, I knew your real name, that’s why I gave you the ring.”

“The first letter ‘B’ on the ring stands for ‘Bei’ in your name. The second letter ‘B’ is for ‘Baby,’ because you’ll always be my baby.”

“But you never pay attention to these kinds of details, do you? Whatever, I’m tired. Let’s just end it here.”

“Let’s break up. Maybe you never even considered this a real relationship in the first place!”

“But remember, there was once a Nan Nan who loved you for… a long, long time.” Pei Yunchuan covered his mouth with one hand, trying not to laugh.

Watch the sword couldn’t help but comment, “He definitely giggled on that last line.”

Yu Nan’s expression darkened as he waited for his junior’s next words.

“Do you see that café up ahead?” Bei Yuye asked, his gaze fixed forward.

Pei Yunchuan replied, “I told you, we’re breaking up.”

“You idiot, bring him to me. I’ll be waiting there today. I recorded everything, and if you keep playing along, I’ll send it to your brother.” Bei Yuye raised his phone to show Pei Yunchuan, then walked away without looking back.

“Someone else needs to go to that café,” Yu Nan’s heart tightened as he looked around at everyone sitting there. He could sense Bei Bei was a bit angry—rightfully so. He would be, too, if he were being messed with like this.

Which is why he was too scared to go. Someone, save him!

Dreams are everything, who had rushed in late, listened to the entire exchange and handed over the final script.

“You, go as a decoy,” he pointed at Yu Nan.

Yu Nan shook his head frantically—he really couldn’t pull it off.

Dreams are everything insisted, “You have to give Affectionate guy a decoy today. Didn’t Kitty say that when you wear a dress, you look like a completely different person? Just dress up and go.”

“If he doesn’t recognize you, great. If he does, well, just accept your fate. You’ll recite Milk Tea’s lines to him from earlier.”

Dreams are everything clasped his hands together in mock prayer: “Amitabha, we’ll all be rooting for you.”

Yu Nan stared at the message Bei Bei had sent him on his phone but still didn’t reply.

Doggo laid out the key point of their dilemma: “You have to go. Otherwise, Affectionate guy and Milk Tea are going to get into a fight. Affectionate guy already knows who his online crush is, yet Milk Tea went along with the prank.”

Yu Nan and Pei Yunchuan both hung their heads over the table. One was the supposed online lover who refused to meet in person, and the other was the friend helping prank Affectionate guy.

Kitty, who loved seeing Yu Nan in skirts, had even brought several cute dresses that suited him.

That whole afternoon, everyone gathered around Yu Nan, giving him pep talks, while Kitty helped him put on his usual chestnut-colored wig, brushing it smooth with a comb.

Doggo felt like a parent sending off their child. As everyone buzzed around Yu Nan, he got into the spirit, saying, “If that man doesn’t treat you right, you better tell us.”

He was nearly in tears from fear, though he knew he had brought this upon himself. Bei Bei must be so mad—he’d probably yell at him, right?

By evening, they escorted him to the café’s entrance, but his feet clung stubbornly to the ground, refusing to move forward. He turned back, crying, “I’m scared!”

Dreams are everything pushed Milk Tea out as well: “You two go together. Don’t worry, just remember the story—you love cross-dressing but were afraid Affectionate guy wouldn’t like it, so you sent Milk Tea as your stand-in for the meetup.”

“Even though he might not recognize your voice, don’t speak just in case. What if he suddenly figures it out?”

Yu Nan, eyes filled with tears, looked back at everyone, pleading, “I really don’t look anything like my normal self, right?”

He was so afraid of being recognized, which would only make the situation more embarrassing. After getting reassurances from everyone, he crouched behind Milk Tea, cautiously following him inside.

He was wearing a Lolita-style dress, a white one, though it was more casual than the last time he wore one. Kitty had even added a hairband to complete the look. However, this dress was shorter, just barely covering his thighs.