From a nobody online dating to a top love brain - Chapter 5

Suddenly, a strong sense of guilt washed over Yu Nan. His damn conscience.

He immediately sent Beibei a message: “Maybe you shouldn’t get that chest tattoo.”

Beibei: “Why?”

He hesitated for a moment before typing: “Just don’t get it for now. Wait until I have an idea about it.”

Beibei: “Alright.”

The afternoon passed with gaming as usual, and by evening, Yu Nan was getting ready to go out.

Two hours earlier, Chen Feng’an had asked in the dorm group chat if anyone wanted to go for barbecue. He mentioned he’d bring his girlfriend, and since Yu Nan usually went with the flow, if everyone was going, so would he.

Evening wasn’t as sunny as the day, but it was stuffier, with the cicadas’ constant buzzing.

Sure enough, he wasn’t suited to going out. After just a few steps, he was already tired, and each subsequent step was a struggle.

Luckily, the barbecue spot Chen Feng’an chose was close, just at the night market near the school.

“Nan Nan, over here!” Chen Feng’an waved at him from across the street.

The others had already arrived, and the food was being served. He sat down just in time to eat. Besides the four dorm mates, Chen Feng’an and Li Muyang had brought their girlfriends.

He was only familiar with Chen Feng’an’s girlfriend because Chen always brought her to dorm gatherings.

Li Muyang, on the other hand, was a typical player. His girlfriends changed so often that Yu Nan hadn’t even gotten familiar with the last one before he had a new one.

The two couples sat facing each other, and Bei Yuye, who didn’t bring a girlfriend, sat across from Yu Nan.

Yu Nan listened to their conversation while quietly eating the skewers in front of him.

“Yu Nan, do you have any plans to date? I have a friend who’s been smitten with you,” Li Muyang’s girlfriend suddenly asked.

Caught off guard, he quickly shook his head: “Not planning to date.”

Li Muyang’s girlfriend wasn’t discouraged and immediately shifted her target: “What about you Bei Yuye?”

Li Muyang spoke first, handing a skewer to his girlfriend: “Nan Nan probably won’t date throughout university, so let your friend give up. Our Xiao Ye already has someone, asking more would be impolite.”

As the meal progressed, everyone loosened up, chatting more freely. Yu Nan listened while eating.

“Remember that guy from our department who got scammed out of ten thousand yuan in an online relationship?” Li Muyang said animatedly.

“He willingly transferred the money, and later the other person blocked him.”

Yu Nan thought of his own online relationship and was grateful it was just pure love with Beibei, with no money involved.

Li Muyang’s girlfriend added with a laugh: “He went to the police not to get his money back but to find the person.”

Li Muyang clapped excitedly: “Yes, yes! He thought something must have happened to the person to suddenly block him!”

After everyone had their laugh, Chen Feng’an summarized: “Online dating is fine, but don’t be too infatuated.”

Yu Nan silently agreed, feeling he had a clear perspective.

Despite video chats, he never showed his face, and though names seemed insignificant, he guarded his closely.

That night, both Li Muyang and Chen Feng’an left with their girlfriends after the barbecue, leaving Yu Nan and Bei Yuye to walk back to the dorm together. The street was packed, noisy with people, and they soon got separated in the crowd.

“Do you have a regular team for dungeon runs in your game?” Bei Yuye’s voice was mixed with the background noise, making it hard to hear.

Yu Nan replied, “Yes, I do.”

Bei Yuye continued, “Would you like to meet them in person?”

What was going on? Was he trying to find something to talk about?

Yu Nan nodded, “I do have that thought.”

“And you? Are you hesitating about meeting your regular team?” Yu Nan suddenly understood.

Bei Yuye shook his head: “I want to meet them, but the other person doesn’t seem to want to.”

“Are you trying to meet just one person?” Yu Nan was puzzled.

Bei Yuye: “Yes.”

Yu Nan comforted: “Maybe they’re afraid. Online interactions aren’t always safe.”

It was surprising that Bei Yuye, who seemed to have a rich real life, also thought about meeting online friends. 

He looked deflated, his shoulders slumping: “Maybe.”

It was the first time Yu Nan had seen him like this. They weren’t close, and even when they first chatted in the dorm, it was mostly Chen Feng’an and the others talking to him.

His initial impression of him was good, clean-cut, tall, and strong. But later, Bei Yuye always had a stern face, making him somewhat wary, especially since he feared people taller and stronger than him.

Walking behind him, Yu Nan’s gaze shifted upward. Bei Yuye’s shoulders were broad, clearly from working out.

Nice shoulders, he thought. His back looked like it came straight out of a comic book.

Distracted, he pulled out his phone to message Beibei: “Baby, look at those shoulders.”

Suddenly, something furry brushed against his foot, startling him into taking a few more steps forward. He looked down to see a dog without a leash running through the crowd.

When he saw the dog coming towards him again, he quickly patted Bei Yuye, urging him forward: “Move faster, there’s a dog behind us.”

Bei Yuye glanced back and saw Yu Nan curling up nervously, looking around anxiously.

He shifted to walk behind him, reassuring him: “The dog is going the other way now.”

Yu Nan cautiously looked back but couldn’t see the dog in the crowd anymore, exhaling in relief.

He liked dogs but was afraid of those without leashes. He’d been bitten by one in elementary school, leaving him with stitches on his leg and a lingering fear.

“Senior, he keeps asking for photos.”

Yu Nan was shocked: “he keeps asking for your photos?”

With fewer people ahead, Bei Yuye quickened his pace to walk beside him: “Yes, does that mean he likes me?”

Yu Nan remained silent, feeling Bei Yuye was being scammed but not daring to say it.

He wanted more details: “Has he sent you any photos?”

Bei Yuye: “He doesn’t send photos, but we do video chat.”

Yu Nan was stunned, silently distancing himself from Bei Yuye.

Knowing Bei Yuye had a girlfriend, plus a gaming friend he wanted to meet, and now video chatting with someone else, did his girlfriend know?

Probably not.

Initially, Yu Nan worried Bei Yuye might be scammed. Now, he realized Bei Yuye was the one playing around, asking if being asked for photos meant the person liked him. As expected, good-looking guys played games well.

Yu Nan: “I haven’t video-chatted with my gaming friends.”

He’d known his gaming friends for six years, never once video-chatting.

The more he thought, the less he trusted Bei Yuye, silently distancing himself again.

But this time, Bei Yuye grabbed him, pulling him into his arms.

An electric scooter zoomed past where Yu Nan had been standing, the rush of air brushing by his ear, making his heart race.

“Be careful, senior,” Bei Yuye reminded.

Yu Nan nodded, still shaken, realizing his wrist was still held by Bei Yuye.

Bei Yuye had pulled hard, causing him to stumble. He shook his hand, indicating Bei Yuye could let go.

Bei Yuye returned to the previous topic, sighing: “At least he still thinks of me, asking for my photos.”

Yu Nan appreciated his save but couldn’t agree with his view on relationships.

Back in the dorm, as Bei Yuye went to shower, Yu Nan immediately opened his phone to vent to his friends.

Yu Nan: My new roommate is tall and handsome, has a real-life girlfriend, and flirts online.

Yu Nan: He even asked if someone asking for his photos meant they liked him.

Mengmeng: What the hell???

Mengmeng: World’s handsome guys are all players!!!

Milk Tea: Don’t include me in that.

Mengmeng: You’re not included; you’re not handsome.

Milk Tea: ??? Include me!

Milk Tea: But I have to mention my friend, whose online date seems not to plan on meeting. He keeps asking me why.

Milk Tea: @Yu Nan, do you want to meet your online date?

Yu Nan replied instantly: Just dating, no meeting.

Milk Tea: Kudos to our Yuyu, clear goals, never lost!

Milk Tea: I’m off to scold that love-struck fool again.

Yu Nan switched accounts to check if Beibei had messaged him.

There was a notification, and he carefully admired the new photos Beibei sent, imagining pink marks on that neck.

He shamelessly asked: Can I lightly but firmly squeeze your neck, pretending I’ve sucked on it?

Beibei quickly sent another photo. He hadn’t expected such efficiency. Beibei was very fair, and the red marks stood out on his neck. If only there was a chain? The more he thought, the more he liked it.

Beibei: Lightly rubbing it made it red. The color’s gone now.

Yu Nan wished he could’ve made those marks himself. He typed: Does Teacher Bei take commissions?

Beibei had mentioned he was studying art, and the set of puppy stickers he often sent Yu Nan was drawn by himself because Yu Nan once said golden retrievers were cute. That night, he created a set of golden retriever stickers and sent them to him every day.

Beibei: What do you want?

Yu Nan typed: A set of expression stickers, like me buried in your chest muscles, or me sucking on your abs.

But then he remembered Beibei had just started school and must be busy.

He corrected: But since you are busy with the new semester, I’ll take on the task of creating this set of stickers.

Beibei: I can draw them at night.

He quickly refused: Teacher Bei might not know, but I was also an art student back then.

Bei Yuye should have finished his shower by now, but he kept replying to Nannan’s messages instead. Nannan felt sorry for him starting school, not wanting him to draw.

Meanwhile, Pei Yunchuan kept sending messages, scolding him for being a love-struck fool and warning him to be careful of being scammed.

Bei Yuye, just comforted by Nannan, immediately typed back: He cares about me. You don’t understand.