Accidentally Becoming a Green Tea Goddess Everyone Loves - Chapter 11

Shen Shirou didn’t wait for the next day. After tidying up the villa, she headed straight to Lu Yanwei’s house that same night.

Finding Shen Shirou at her door ahead of schedule, Lu Yanwei’s surprise was palpable. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow?”

It happened to be Saturday, meaning Lu Yanwei didn’t have to work the following day.

“I couldn’t wait to see you, so I came early,” Shen Shirou teased with a smile. “You won’t blame me, will you?”

“Of course not,” Lu Yanwei replied, her own face brightening. “You’re welcome anytime.”

“I have two movie tickets. Want to go catch a film together?” Shen Shirou invited. “What do you think?”

Thinking of the chocolates she was mid-way through making inside, Lu Yanwei lowered her eyes, appearing slightly flustered. “Give me a moment; I’ll be right out.”

She hurriedly tidied the kitchen and followed Shen Shirou to the cinema.

As it was the eve of Valentine’s Day, the ticket counters were swarmed with couples in pairs. Shen Shirou had picked out a horror movie.

They sat in the third row. Not long after the film started, Lu Yanwei felt a weight on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Shen Shirou leaning heavily against her.

Shen Shirou tugged at Lu Yanwei’s sleeve. “Yanwei, this movie is so scary.”

Lu Yanwei didn’t actually find it frightening at all, but that didn’t stop her from comforting her friend. “It’s all fake, just special effects.”

“Do you think I’m being silly?” Shen Shirou whispered. “Being too scared to even watch a horror movie?”

“What are you talking about?” Lu Yanwei couldn’t help but chuckle softly, gently patting Shen Shirou’s head. “I’m right here. Don’t be afraid.”

She simply thought Shen Shirou’s frightened reaction was incredibly endearing.

Shen Shirou spent the entire duration of the film leaning against Lu Yanwei. When the lights came up and they stepped outside, the night was late, yet the streets remained bustling with people awaiting the stroke of midnight for Valentine’s Day.

A young flower girl carrying a large bouquet approached Lu Yanwei. “Miss, would you like some flowers?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day in five minutes. Buy some for your girlfriend,” the girl said with a bright smile. “You two look so well-matched.”

Lu Yanwei stole a glance at Shen Shirou. Seeing that the other woman’s expression remained unchanged, she felt safe enough to explain, “Oh, we aren’t a couple.”

Even as she explained, her mind involuntarily drifted to the girl’s words. Do she and Shen Shirou really look well-matched?

The flower girl quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, I assumed.”

“It’s fine,” Lu Yanwei replied, her gaze lingering on the flowers.

Aside from the red roses meant for lovers, there were many other varieties—baby’s breath, tulips, and so on. Her eyes stopped on a bouquet of pure, spotless lilies.

“I’ll take the lilies,” Lu Yanwei said on a sudden impulse.

After paying, she checked her phone: exactly 11:59 PM.

She held the lilies out to Shen Shirou. “Shirou, you’re my most important friend, so, so I hope you get to receive flowers for Valentine’s Day, too.” Lu Yanwei lowered her head, feeling a bit anxious. “Do you mind accepting them?”

“If they’re from you, of course I’ll take them.” Shen Shirou accepted the bouquet and leaned in to catch the scent. “They’re so fragrant. I’ll put them in a vase and take good care of them.”

Seeing that Shen Shirou genuinely liked them, a warm smile spread across Lu Yanwei’s face.

“Yanwei, can I stay over at your place tonight?” Shen Shirou asked. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other; I want to talk more.”

In Lu Yanwei’s mind, any time spent with Shen Shirou felt incredibly fleeting. She would have preferred for the day to never end, so there was no way she would refuse.

She spoke from the heart: “You can stay as long as you like.” Truthfully, she was the one most excited about Shen Shirou staying the night.

Back at the apartment, Lu Yanwei suddenly remembered the chocolates she had hurriedly finished were still sitting on the sofa. The first thing she did upon entering was dash toward the couch, hiding the pink gift box behind her back.

Her odd behavior caught Shen Shirou’s attention. “Yanwei, what’s wrong?”

Lu Yanwei took two steps back, concealing the box more firmly. “It’s nothing. You should go to sleep first.” It was a clumsy lie; she couldn’t even meet Shen Shirou’s eyes.

Noticing Lu Yanwei’s hands were hidden behind her back, Shen Shirou stood on her tiptoes and leaned toward her. “Are you hiding something behind you?”

Just as the chocolates were about to be exposed, the living room lights suddenly cut out. The entire house plunged into darkness.

Due to the sudden blackout, Shen Shirou lost her balance and tumbled straight forward. She let out an instinctive cry, but instead of hitting the floor, she fell into a soft embrace.

A moment later, the power surged back on. Shen Shirou realized she hadn’t just fallen into Lu Yanwei’s arms, she had tackled her to the floor. Their posture was incredibly intimate, their faces inches apart.

They were so close, if Lu Yanwei moved even a fraction, her lips would touch Shen Shirou’s.

With Shen Shirou’s scent lingering at the tip of her nose, Lu Yanwei’s heart hammered against her ribs, her blood feeling as though it were boiling. Even so, she suppressed her rising impulses and tilted her head away to avoid accidental contact.

“Yanwei, are you okay?” Shen Shirou sat up and reached out a hand to Lu Yanwei, who was still on the floor. “I’m sorry, I dragged you down with me.”

Being pulled up, Lu Yanwei shook her head. “I didn’t have my footing either. It’s not your fault.”

The chocolates had been sent flying when they fell, scattering across the floor. But at that moment, Lu Yanwei didn’t care about the candy. She didn’t mind that an hour’s worth of work had gone to waste; she was only concerned that Shen Shirou wasn’t hurt.

Shen Shirou picked up one of the scattered pieces from the corner. “Yanwei, can I try one?”

“They fell on the floor, they’re dirty now,” Lu Yanwei tried to stop her. “If you want chocolate, I can go to the convenience store and buy some.”

“But it’s a waste to throw them all away.” Shen Shirou was faster, popping the chocolate into her mouth.

Lu Yanwei watched her, her heart racing with nerves.

“It tastes good, and the shape is very delicate,” Shen Shirou commented. “Where did you buy these? Were they meant as a gift for someone?”

“They, I.” Lu Yanwei stammered.

When no further explanation came, Shen Shirou asked, “What is it?”

They’re handmade, and the person I wanted to give them to, Lu Yanwei’s gaze rested on Shen Shirou. But she swallowed those words. She forced a smile. “I bought them at a candy shop I passed by. They were just for me, not for anyone special.”

Lu Yanwei only had one bed. As bedtime approached, she intended to give the bed to Shen Shirou and sleep on the sofa herself.

But Shen Shirou was adamant. “How could I let you sleep on the sofa?”

“The bed is huge,” Shen Shirou suggested. “Why don’t we share? Half for each of us, it’s a perfect fit.”

Unable to withstand Shen Shirou’s soft persistence, Lu Yanwei agreed.

After the lights were turned off, Shen Shirou soon drifted into a peaceful sleep. Lu Yanwei, however, tossed and turned, unable to find rest. She remembered what her friend had said when she visited during Shen Shirou’s absence: “Why have you been so distracted lately? You look like someone going through a breakup.”

A breakup, did she have someone she liked?

She loved chatting with Shen Shirou. She loved looking at her. She loved every incidental touch. Most importantly, her heart would race for a long time after even the smallest interaction.

Do I like Shen Shirou? Lu Yanwei asked herself in the quiet of the night.