Actions

Work Header

Cellphone Love Story

Summary:

Group Chat: Xianzhou
[JL] @Jing Yuan
[Jing Yuan] Yes?
[JL] (File Attachment: worksheet 2.1.pdf)
[Ren] LMAO
[Feng] Lol.
[Foxian] this is bullying!
[Jing Yuan] (File Attachment: worksheet 2.1 answers.pdf)
[Ren] I bet it's all gibberish
[Jing Yuan] I would never!

Bringing the group chat back together 10 years after you all mostly ghosted each other:

Group Chat: Xianzhou Besties Reunited!!!
[JL] (Image Attachment: 927491649.jpg)
[Foxian] AWWW
[Ren] Haha
[Foxian] yanqing is so tall now
[Foxian] i remember when he was as small as mimi is now
[Foxian] jing yuan carried him in a backpack
[Jing Yuan] It was a baby sling.
[Jing Yuan] I did not put my child in a backpack.

Notes:

Hi everyone, it's Gwen! I also write for Genshin.

I have a confession: I don't like chatfics. I like them in theory, but to be perfectly honest I have so many pet peeves for chatfics that I end up disliking most I come across. I could probably go on and on about it... but I won't. lmao
Insane thing to admit given that I'm here, writing a chatfic.

Special thanks to Opal for beta-ing this fic and providing me with the title. We've written a couple of fics together, check out my dashboard.

 

Notes:

 

Foxian: Baiheng
The rest of the usernames should be pretty self-explanatory.
Pretend there's more people in the group chat: xianzhou and I just didn't write them in.

This fic does not contain 1:1 spoilers for canon content but will contain references to existing/leaked content for the High Cloud Quintet.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Jing Yuan] Yeah I go to Luofu High! (This message was deleted by Moderator [JL])

[JL] don’t post your school on an anonymous internet forum

[Jing Yuan] But you posted yours last week…

[JL] there’s like thousands of people in college but only a few hundred in high school

[Jing Yuan] Oh

[Jing Yuan] Sorry!

[Ren] For the record you shouldn’t be using your real name as your internet handle either

[Ren] It’d be very easy for people to find you

[Jing Yuan] Sorry…

[Foxian] stop scaring the kid!

[Feng] He needs to learn.

[Jing Yuan] I won’t do it again :(

[JL] but fr r u really still in high school

[JL] u did one of my uni engineering problems last week

[Jing Yuan] Did I do it wrong????

[JL] no

[JL] thats the worst part

[JL] you got it right

[Ren] LMAO

[JL] die

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Ren] Guess what?

[Ren] (Image Attachment: shard sword.jpg)

[Ren] Finally finished this baby

[Jing Yuan] Woah!!!

[Feng] It looks great.

[JL] good job

[Foxian] AAA i wish i could see it in person!!!

[Jing Yuan] How many more do you have to make?

[Ren] Just have Cloud Piercer and Starfell Reverie left

[Ren] Then I can finally graduate

[Feng] Will you hold an exhibition?

[Ren] All art majors have to have one by their last year

[Ren] So yeah, probably

[Jing Yuan] Can we come???

[Ren] You dont even know where in the world I am

[Jing Yuan] Well I know we’re in the same timezone!

[Ren] Shut up

[Ren] That could still be anywhere 

[Foxian] ahh no chance for me to be there then, i’m in a different timezone.

[Ren] I’ll pay for your plane ticket

[Jing Yuan] Wow we’re practically neighbors and I can’t come but she can?

[Ren] Minors aren’t allowed at my exhibition

[Jing Yuan] Rude!!!

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Foxian] i got a new PC today!!!

[Foxian] (Image Attachment: my baby.jpg)

[Jing Yuan] Congratulations!

[Foxian] Thanks!

[Ren] Girls will get a whole new gaming PC setup to play the sims

[Foxian] shit u right

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[JL] @Jing Yuan

[Jing Yuan] Yes?

[JL] (File Attachment: worksheet 2.1.pdf)

[Ren] LMAO

[Feng] Lol.

[Foxian] this is bullying!

[JL] die

[Jing Yuan] (File Attachment: worksheet 2.1 answers.pdf)

[JL] how tf 

[JL] are u so fast

[Ren] I bet it's all gibberish

[Jing Yuan] I would never!

[Ren] Why don't you do my homework Jing Yuan

[Jing Yuan] I'm not artistic like you…

[Ren] Art is a learned skill

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou 

[Jing Yuan] I have to start thinking about college applications soon…

[JL] baby

[Ren] Baby

[Feng] ?

[Feng] Baby.

[Jing Yuan] :(

[Foxian] just don't go

[Jing Yuan] What did you do?

[Foxian] a bunch of internships

[Foxian] look at me now!

[Foxian] debt free and employed

[Feng] Lucky.

[Feng] I turned down my parents' offer to join the business.

[Foxian] why?

[Feng] Didn't like it.

[Ren] My parents were so pissed when I moved away to study art lmao

[Ren] They haven't talked to me in 3 years 

[Jing Yuan] I'm sorry…

[JL] fuck em

[Feng] They don't deserve you.

[Foxian] oof

[Ren] It's okay, thanks

[Ren] I'm not bothered by it anymore

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[JL] @Jing Yuan

[JL] (File Attachment: worksheet 4.6.2.pdf)

[Ren] ?

[Ren] Lmao

[Ren] Do you even like your major

[JL] no

[JL] it sucks

[Foxian] Maybe you can change it?

[JL] i sank 2 years into this shit

[Foxian] bullying jing yuan isn't sustainable

[Jing Yuan] Sorry, I don't know this one…

[Foxian] rip

[JL] fuck

[JL] nvm

[JL] thx anyw

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Jing Yuan] Can I ask a personal question?

[JL] what

[Jing Yuan] I don’t know what to do…

[Ren] What is it?

[Jing Yuan] What do you do if your family member dies? (This message was deleted by Moderator [JL])

[JL] wtf

[JL] dont ask us ask your parents

[Ren] JL…

[JL] shit

 

 

 

Private Message: Jing Yuan and Ren

[Ren] Where are you?

[Jing Yuan] ?

[Ren] I’ll come pick you up

[Ren] We’re in the same city

[Jing Yuan] How do you know that?

[Ren] You posted your high school in the chat last time remember

[Ren] Give me your location

 

 

 

Private Message: JL and Ren

[Ren] Hey heads up I’m going to meet up with Jing Yuan

[Ren] We live in the same city

[Ren] I’m just going to help him out and be with him for now

[Ren] If he’s asking the group chat I don’t think he has anyone else he can contact right now

[JL] wtf

[Ren] Proof I'm not a creep 

[Ren] This is my school id

[Ren] (Image Attachment: yingxing.jpg)

[JL] oh

[JL] wait a min

 

 

 

Group Chat: JY

([JL] has added [Ren], [Feng])

[Ren] ?

[JL] @Feng are you free now

[Feng] ?

[Feng] I’m in class…

[JL] backread XZ

[Feng] You deleted the message. 

[JL] jy’s family member died

[JL] ren wants to meet him

[JL] i dont want him meet jy alone

[Ren] That’s fair

[JL] u go with him

[Feng] ?

[JL] same college

[Ren] Wait really?

[JL] skip ur class

[JL] poli sci isn’t real sci anyways

[Feng] Shut up.

[Feng] Ok.

[Feng] @Ren On campus right now?

[Ren] Yeah I’m in the Design building

[Feng] Be at the pick up point in 10.

[Feng] I'll drive.

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Foxian] ? did something happen

[Ren] later

 

 

 

Group Chat: JY

[Ren] (Image Attachment: selfie.jpg)

[Ren] (Image Attachment: sleeping jing yuan.jpg)

[Ren] (Image Attachment: feng driving.jpg)

[JL] k

[JL] who died

[Ren] His mom…

[Ren] Picked him up from the hospital

[Ren] Driving to the police station now

[JL] accident?

[Ren] Heart attack

[JL] condolences

[JL] will b back nxt wk

[Ren] Oh you live here too?

[JL] feng n i took an intro course tgt

[Ren] Cool

 

 

 

Private Message: Foxian and Jing Yuan

[Foxian] i saw some commotion in the group chat.

[Foxian] are you okay? do you need help?

[Foxian] you don’t have to answer if it’s something personal…

[Jing Yuan] Hello.

[Jing Yuan] Something happened, but Ren and Feng are with me.

[Jing Yuan] We live in the same city.

[Foxian] how do you feel about them? how old are they? where are you now? is there anyone who knows where you are?

[Jing Yuan] They seem like nice people I think.

[Jing Yuan] They’re both in college. Ren is 23 in his third year and Feng is 20 in his second.

[Jing Yuan] We’re at the police station…

[Jing Yuan] They helped me call my aunt, but she lives in another city.

[Jing Yuan] JL also knows… they all study in the same college.

[Foxian] police station? oh dear

[Foxian] i hope everything turns out alright

[Jing Yuan] Thank you.

 

 

 

Private Message: Feng and Ren

[Feng] So, Yingxing, huh?

[Ren] Yes, Dan Heng?

[Feng] You left something in my car.

[Ren] Shit, what is it?

[Feng] A date.

[Feng] Want it back?

[Ren] You’re so cheesy.

[Ren] Sure.

[Feng] Also, please never tell Jing Yuan I hit on you after his mother passed.

[Ren] I’ll be sure to never mention it.

 

 

 

Private Message: Jing Yuan and Ren

[Ren] Hope you’re settling into your aunt’s place okay

[Jing Yuan] She’s very nice but I’m not used to being away from home…

[Ren] When I first moved to Luofu I was really homesick. I think it’s normal to have an adjustment period, especially since you’re dealing with a lot

[Ren] If you ever feel like visiting Luofu me and Feng can host you

[Ren] If your aunt doesn’t think we’re two creepy men

[Jing Yuan] Don’t worry, she said you two were nice!

[Jing Yuan] She’s calling me, I’ll talk to you later.

[Jing Yuan] Thank you again.

[Ren] Anytime.

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

([JL] left the group)

Ren: ???

Foxian: Is she alright?

 

 

 

Group Chat: JY

[Ren] @JL are you alright?

[Feng] What’s wrong?

[Ren] She left the XZ group.

[Feng] I’ll text her.

 

 

 

Private Message: Feng and Ren

[Feng] She says she’s alright, she’s just dealing with a lot now and she would rather be offline.

[Ren] Good to hear she’s okay

[Feng] I wouldn’t say okay…

[Ren] ?

[Ren] Did something happen

[Feng] Final year 

[Ren] Ah

 

 

 

Group Chat: Xianzhou

[Jing Yuan] But I can't decide which college I should apply for.

[Jing Yuan] There are so many…

[Foxian] well, you still have a while to think about it!

[Foxian] do you plan to go abroad?

[Jing Yuan] Only if I can get a scholarship.

[Foxian] that should be no issue for you!

 

 

 

Private Message: Foxian and Jing Yuan

[Foxian] have you heard from ren and feng in a while?

[Foxian] i’m used to all five of us being online at the same time and now the chat seems so lonely…

[Foxian] apart from everyone else but idk them

[Foxian] just wondering since you know them in real life

[Jing Yuan] We only really met that one time…

[Jing Yuan] And I haven’t been online that often too since my finals are coming…

[Foxian] no, no, it’s alright

[Jing Yuan] But you’re right, it’s been a while.

[Jing Yuan] I’ll text Ren

 

 

 

Private Message: JL and Ren

[Jing Yuan] Hey Ren, how have you been?

[Ren] Hi.

[Ren] I’m alive, don’t worry.

[Ren] Sorry I haven’t been online as much.

[Ren] Something happened to both me and Finn. 

[Ren] F***.

[Jing Yuan] ?

[Jing Yuan] Who’s Finn?

[Ren] I’m using text to speech. It doesn’t register properly.

[Jing Yuan] You mean Feng?

[Ren] Yes.

[Ren] Listen, we both got in an accident. A bad one.

[Ren] I can’t use my hands.

[Ren] Finn hasn’t woken up.

[Ren] We won’t be online for a while.

[Jing Yuan] Oh no!

[Jing Yuan] Is there someone with you two?

[Jing Yuan] Is there anything I can do?

[Ren] Relax, we’re adults, we’ll be fine.

[Ren] You don’t have to feel obligated to return the favor from last time.

[Jing Yuan] It’s not an obligation, I’m worried about the both of you!

[Ren] It’s okay. 

[Ren] I just have a lot to deal with right now, I’m sorry.

[Ren] I’ll talk to you when I can.

Notes:

(Covers the rise and fall of the HCQ in one chapter) bye everyone thanks for coming

Timeskip! We're not going to fast-forward 700 years. just 10