How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 1

Late at night.

In an old residential building, the sound of footsteps suddenly echoed through the empty, narrow hallway. The sluggish motion-sensor light remained unlit for a long time.

Chen Yushu stomped her foot, and only then did a dim light flicker on in the dark corridor.

A muffled groan came from her shoulder Lu Wei was leaning half her weight against her, the heat of alcohol-laced breath brushing against her neck. Their skin pressed together, scorching and sticky.

The sweltering heat of midsummer had accumulated in the stuffy hallway, and the sweat on her skin seemed on the verge of evaporating the next second.

With half of Lu Wei’s weight pressing down on her, Chen Yushu’s face flushed crimson, as if she had just stepped out of a sauna.

Struggling up to the fifth floor, she fumbled for the keys, unlocked the door, stepped inside, and locked it behind her.

Guided by memory, she groped her way into the bedroom.

The curtains were left open, allowing the glow of streetlights to seep in, casting a faint illumination.

After settling Lu Wei onto the bed, Chen Yushu could hold on no longer and collapsed beside her.

The cool breeze from the air conditioner drifted over, so soothing that she couldn’t help but close her eyes.

“Shu-Shu.”

Just as Chen Yushu tried to get up, her wrist was caught. The searing heat from the palm against her skin felt like a brand.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, Lu Wei’s voice was slightly hoarse, unbearably alluring, tugging straight at her heartstrings.

Waiting for the fluttering in her chest to subside, Chen Yushu slowly turned around and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The streetlight streamed in through the open window, casting its glow directly onto Lu Wei’s profile.

One hand propped on the bed, Lu Wei’s cheeks were tinged with red, her eyes glistening with moisture bright at first, then gradually hazy and unfocused.

The summer night was silent. As Chen Yushu gazed at her, she could feel the thudding of her own heartbeat reverberating in her chest, so loud it seemed the whole world could hear it. Nervous sweat pooled in her palms.

Then, the person on the bed suddenly fell backward, the force pulling Chen Yushu down with her. Luckily, she managed to brace herself against the bed in time, preventing herself from collapsing fully onto Lu Wei.

The distance between them abruptly closed, and her breath hitched. Staring down at the face beneath her, she found it so beautiful it seemed dusted with a shimmering, dreamlike glow.

Whether it was the scent of perfume or the fragrance of shampoo lingering in her hair, the sweet aroma of fruit-infused liquor wove into her senses, sending warmth spiraling upward.

Chen Yushu swallowed hard and turned her head away, but the heat of Lu Wei’s breath against her neck only heightened her sensitivity, sending tingling ripples through every nerve ending.

Panicked, she tried to pull away, only to realize that at some point, a hand had settled on her waist, holding her in place. Then something soft and warm pressed against her lips, light as a dragonfly’s touch, fleeting as a dream.

Her senses dulled for a moment. It took her a while to register what had happened, but the heat on her lips deepened, threatening to ignite.

“Shu-Shu, your lips are so soft.”

Something in her mind exploded with a bang. Mechanically, she lowered her gaze Lu Wei’s pink lips glistened, her eyes intoxicating.

Suddenly, Chen Yushu felt parched, her throat so dry it seemed to burn, desperate for something to quench it.

Her eyes remained fixed on the face beneath her, tracing from the arch of her brows to the curve of her lips, then lingering.

Something long buried timidly surfaced, growing clearer. As if guided by unseen forces, she leaned closer.

The faint fragrance grew richer, flooding her senses. Her consciousness blurred, as though sinking into the depths of the sea, wrapped in warm currents, slowly descending.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the aircraft is experiencing turbulence due to air currents. Please fasten your seatbelts…”

The plane’s jolting and the flight attendant’s careful reminder jolted Chen Yushu awake.

Then, she found herself staring directly into a pair of bright eyes. Lu Wei was leaning in, her face almost touching hers, so close that even the fine down on her skin was visible. “Little Shushu, what were you dreaming about? You kept calling my name. Hmm?”

Chen Yushu’s heart skipped a beat, and every hair on her body stood on end. “W-what?”

“What’s with that expression? Did I actually guess right?” Lu Wei draped an arm over her shoulder, resting her chin there, her breath warm against Chen Yushu’s neck.

The plane jolted again, sending Chen Yushu lurching forward. At the same time, Lu Wei swayed to the side, her teeth accidentally bumping against Chen Yushu’s jaw. Chen Yushu winced, covering the spot with a soft gasp of pain.

The next second, Lu Wei’s hand covered hers, her palm dry and warm. “Let me see. Ouch, it’s all red. Poor thing, no wonder you nearly chipped my tooth.”

For a moment, Chen Yushu forgot the pain, staring at the face before her. The dream’s lingering, intimate scenes replayed in her mind, making her ears burn. She shifted uncomfortably. “I’m fine. Sit properly.”

“What’s wrong? So cold?” Lu Wei played with a strand of her loose hair, unfazed. “If it really leaves a mark, I’ll take responsibility.”

“How exactly would you take responsibility?” Chen Yushu’s pulse quickened, an inexplicable flicker of anticipation rising in her chest.

“Hmm, of course, I’d be responsible for your lifelong happiness.” After a pause, Lu Wei ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry, I’ll find you a good match.”

At those last words, Chen Yushu’s heart sank, a suffocating tightness gripping her. Unable to suppress her irritation, she snapped, “Get lost.”

Lu Wei straightened up, shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter.

Chen Yushu turned away, her emotions a tangled mess.

The warmth on her skin gradually cooled, sticky with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to her clothes under the plane’s chilly air conditioning.

Noticing her discomfort, Lu Wei touched her forehead and took her hand. “Get some more sleep.”

Chen Yushu glanced at her, then at their intertwined fingers. Suddenly, her eyes stung. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes, trying to steady her racing heart.

When had things started to change?

There were too many memories, too muddled to sort through. But she remembered clearly, that night had shattered her composure completely.

It was the last gathering after their college entrance exams. Lu Wei had been making rounds between tables, drinking until she was drunk, waiting for Chen Yushu to take her home. The summer night breeze was stifling, and the cramped, stuffy corridors of the old apartment building trapped the heat. By the time she’d hauled Lu Wei up to the fifth floor, she was drenched in sweat.

They barely made it into the bedroom before collapsing onto the bed, too exhausted to even turn on the light. The moon that night was unusually bright. Just as Chen Yushu closed her eyes to rest, a shadow fell over her. Their gazes locked, sparks crackling between them then suddenly, Lu Wei leaned down, pressing cool lips to hers for just a second before pulling away.

“Shushu, your lips are so soft.”

From then on, those words became her nightmare, spawning countless tantalizing fantasies.

She never brought up that night again, so she never knew what Lu Wei had meant whether it was just drunken recklessness or a careless, meaningless tease.