How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 25.2

By the time they reached the school, the sky had darkened. Lu Wei followed her to the dormitory building but showed no intention of leaving. Chen Yushu could feel the gaze behind her, its presence growing stronger with each step, impossible to ignore.

“Jiangjiang, you go ahead first,” Chen Yushu said at the staircase corner, her hand gripping the tiled edge as she couldn’t hold back any longer.

Jiang Yuran turned around, a bit worried. “Are you okay?”

Chen Yushu smiled faintly. “It’s not like I’m heading into battle. I’ll be fine.”

Stepping out of the dormitory, Lu Wei was indeed still standing there, watching from a distance. Her eyes seemed misty, her face obscured by the night.

Chen Yushu stood in the light, her gaze calm, her breathing soft.

“Why haven’t you left yet?” Chen Yushu walked over and stood on the steps, a hint of deliberate questioning in her tone.

Lu Wei lowered her eyes, her thick lashes covering her eyelids. After a moment, she reached out, hooking Chen Yushu’s pinky, and looked up. “Stay with me.”

Chen Yushu’s heart tightened. They were separated by one step, connected only by a single finger. If she wanted, a slight tug would break the link.

Yet, the initiative had never been in her hands.

“Okay.”

A smile slowly bloomed on Lu Wei’s face, like spring flowers gradually unfurling in March.

“Let’s take a walk on the field,” Lu Wei said, releasing her hand only to grab her wrist and turn forward.

Chen Yushu’s pinky curled slightly, her palm feeling empty, yet she still felt tightly held by something.

The evening field was especially lively, the bright moon hanging high, its clear light undiminished. The two walked side by side on the rubber track, silent for a while.

Occasional glances fell on her face from beside her. Chen Yushu looked up at the moon, then at the stalls selling flowers and star-shaped lights along the track.

A guitar sound came from the bleachers, and Lu Wei turned curiously to look.

Chen Yushu also turned her head, but her gaze didn’t settle on the bleachers.

As singing began, the crowd gradually gathered in that direction. Lu Wei turned back and saw Chen Yushu still staring that way, so she suggested, “Come on, let’s go take a look.”

Chen Yushu withdrew her gaze, nodded, and said, “Okay.”

They arrived right below the bleachers, where many people were already standing, waving flashlights to the music.

Tired from standing, Chen Yushu found a spot to sit. The next second, she felt someone beside her.

Lu Wei leaned in, linking arms with her, resting her head on Chen Yushu’s shoulder, and asked in a muffled voice, “Have you been hanging out with Jiang Yuran lately?”

Chen Yushu responded with a puzzled “Hmm?”

“You’ve been getting pretty close to her,” Lu Wei stated, pausing for a second before muttering softly, “Closer than with me.”

The last sentence carried a hint of sourness, far from the earlier calm.

Chen Yushu understood it was that strange possessiveness among friends acting up again.

She gave up on testing the waters and said bluntly, “She’s my roommate. If I don’t stick with her, who should I stick with?”

Lu Wei immediately got up from Chen Yushu and blurted out the question that bothered her the most, “You two are still being all lovey-dovey in front of me! What’s that supposed to mean?”

In an instant, Chen Yushu’s mind flashed to the scene of Lu Wei casually draping her arm over someone’s shoulder, and the corner of her mouth curled up slightly. “Isn’t that how friends usually are?”

“Really?” Lu Wei stared at her, stunned for a few seconds. Someone’s waving flashlight illuminated Lu Wei’s pupils, like moonlight shimmering on a lake.

“But you never used to be like this before.”

Lu Wei murmured softly, her voice so faint it seemed to dissolve into the wind, the last syllable almost inaudible.

Chen Yushu glanced sideways at her expression, and a sudden, almost vengeful sense of satisfaction rose in her heart. She even deliberately pressed further, “Did I?”

“Chen Yushu!” Lu Wei withdrew her hand from her as well, her chest beginning to heave irregularly. “Why haven’t you?”

“Have I?” Chen Yushu’s tone deepened slightly, as if she genuinely had no idea.

“You!” Lu Wei grew increasingly agitated, counting off on her fingers. “You don’t even ask me to have lunch with you anymore.”

Chen Yushu replied, “I already told you, I have too many classes and no time.”

Lu Wei pressed on, her tone growing more urgent, “What about evening self-study? You don’t even wait for me after evening self-study ends!”

“I have to rush back to shower,” Chen Yushu’s voice lifted slightly at the end, her explanation tinged with an exaggerated innocence. “If I’m late, I won’t get to shower. Not all of us have private bathrooms in our dorms like you do.”

Chen Yushu deflected the questions effortlessly, handling them with ease. The more Lu Wei asked, the more stifled she felt, until she finally fell silent altogether.

Chen Yushu turned her gaze back to the bleachers, catching a glimpse of Lu Wei in her peripheral vision, head bowed as she plucked at the artificial grass on the ground, looking thoroughly dejected.

As the night deepened, the temperature dropped, and the evening breeze grew gentle and cool, tangling their hair together like a lover’s tender caress.

Chen Yushu couldn’t help but close her eyes, savoring the sound of the wind and the music, feeling completely at ease inside.

The patch of artificial grass was nearly stripped bare, but Lu Wei still felt a tightness in her chest. Occasionally, she glanced up and saw Chen Yushu’s calm profile, which only added to her irritation.

“I don’t have to help my senior tomorrow,” Lu Wei said stiffly. “Come with me to check out the other clubs.”

After speaking, she didn’t look at Chen Yushu, instead gripping the artificial grass tightly. Only when she heard Chen Yushu say “Okay” did she suddenly release her grip, a burst of joy exploding in her heart.

Maybe it really was all in her head.

“Let’s go, it’s time to head back,” Chen Yushu said, glancing at the time.

“Okay,” Lu Wei’s voice lightened. She stood up and hugged Chen Yushu from behind, burying her face in her hair and inhaling deeply, feeling a sense of steadiness and comfort.

Chen Yushu’s shoulders tensed for a moment before she forced herself to relax and continued walking calmly.

Lu Wei still held onto her, stepping precisely in her footprints.

When they reached the bleacher stairs, Lu Wei suddenly let go and said, “Wait for me a second,” before running off in a certain direction.

Chen Yushu followed her retreating figure with her eyes, but Lu Wei soon disappeared into the crowd.

After waiting for a while and seeing that Lu Wei hadn’t returned, Chen Yushu climbed the stairs and stood on the bleachers, looking down but still not spotting her.

She must have been whisked away by some random friend, Chen Yushu thought to herself.

The next moment, she looked up, and a smiling face suddenly appeared in her line of sight. Lu Wei was holding a bunch of colorful, shimmering balloons, sprinting toward her.

She was the only animation in the entire silent world, and even the wind seemed to pause and stand still for her.

“Chen Yushu!”

The name scattered on the wind, carried to Chen Yushu’s ears. She leaned over the railing, hands resting on it, and looked down. Lu Wei stood beneath the streetlamp, bathed in orange-yellow light, a small stage that belonged to her alone.

Suddenly, she produced a bouquet from behind her back, holding it up high. Wrapped in kraft paper, it contained a single white rose.

The language of white roses speaks of romance, purity, and innocence.

They symbolize beautiful, pure love.

They also represent sincere, genuine friendship.

Ten thousand butterflies took flight in Chen Yushu’s chest, silent yet fluttering fiercely.

“Chen Yushu.” Lu Wei called her name, slightly breathless, her bright eyes like stars.

“What is it?” Chen Yushu called back softly, her hands unconsciously tightening on the railing. The ten thousand butterflies lingered in her chest, wings poised to take flight.

Lu Wei didn’t answer. Instead, she turned and climbed the stairs, one hand holding the flowers, the other clutching a balloon, until she stood before her. “Here, this is for you.”

Chen Yushu hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take the bouquet. “Why are you giving me this?”

“Of course.” Lu Wei drew out the words, and though the viewing platform was dim, her eyes seemed even brighter than before. “It’s to cheer you up. I saw you staring at the flowers earlier and thought you liked them.”

Chen Yushu froze for a second, unable to put a name to the feeling in her heart. She simply lowered her head to look at the white rose in her hand and couldn’t help but think, So it didn’t mean anything else after all.

She had to admit that the feeling was disappointment because she had hoped, she was disappointed.

Just like how, when she looked at the flowers, what she wanted wasn’t the flowers themselves.

“I wasn’t unhappy.” Chen Yushu turned and started up the stairs, the hand holding the bouquet hanging limply at her side.

After climbing a few steps, there was no sound from behind her. Chen Yushu paused, unable to help but clench her fist, inwardly mocking her own wishful thinking.

The atmosphere sank into an eerie silence. After a moment, Lu Wei’s muffled voice broke through.

“Is that so? But I’m unhappy.” Lu Wei paused, then suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Chen Yushu’s hand. “Can’t you really tell? I’m jealous!”

Hearing this, Chen Yushu’s emotions didn’t fluctuate much, only because she remembered something Lu Wei had said not long ago.

“So what if I’m jealous? It’s just possessiveness between friends. It’s normal.”

Chen Yushu’s throat tightened slightly, and she didn’t speak.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Lu Wei looked at her back and gently shook her hand. “Do you really not care about me at all?”

Even though Lu Wei was the one standing below, looking up at her, Chen Yushu felt like she was the one being scrutinized.

Lu Wei’s feelings were open and unburdened, so she could speak her mind freely, while Chen Yushu’s love was awkward and hidden, every word she uttered afraid of being exposed.

Chen Yushu let out a soft sigh. “Lu Wei, don’t be so childish.”

“I’m not.” Lu Wei climbed one step higher, meeting her gaze directly. “It’s just that you’ve been getting too close to her. I’m unhappy, very unhappy.”

“She’s just an ordinary friend.”

“Really?” Lu Wei’s eyes brightened slightly, pausing for a moment. “Then what about me?”

Chen Yushu’s eyelashes trembled faintly. “You’re my best friend.”

Hearing this, Lu Wei visibly brightened, her brows relaxing and the corners of her lips curving upward.

Chen Yushu smiled faintly in response, but the next second, she lowered her gaze, her long lashes veiling the emotions in her eyes.

Lu Wei cared only about the modifier, while she cared about the noun that followed fixed, unchangeable

“What’s all this? Balloons and flowers?”

The moment Chen Yushu stepped into the dormitory, the items in her hands instantly drew everyone’s attention. Ye Chiwan was the first to voice the question on their minds.

“Did someone confess their feelings to you?” Xia Ke couldn’t resist asking as well.

Chen Yushu released the balloon string, letting it float up to the ceiling, then casually placed the bouquet of flowers on the table and replied, “No, Lu Wei bought them. If you like the balloons, you can take them.”

Ye Chiwan asked, “Why did she buy these? I saw them at the field earlier these balloons aren’t cheap.”

Chen Yushu ignored the first question and instead asked, “Really? How much are they?”

“I forgot, probably around ten to twenty yuan each.” Ye Chiwan counted all the balloons and couldn’t help but gasp. “What extravagance! Did she buy out the vendor’s entire stock?”

Chen Yushu shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Ye Chiwan and Xia Ke ran off to pick out balloons, and the topic ended there.

Jiang Yuran had been observing her expression without saying a word. Now, she pulled a chair over and squeezed in next to Chen Yushu, asking cautiously, “Shushu, she didn’t do anything to you, did she?”

Chen Yushu tilted her head thoughtfully and said nonchalantly, “Just a little trick from my niece.”

“Not bad!” Jiang Yuran patted her shoulder encouragingly. “Congratulations on having the same sharp eye as me.”

Chen Yushu smiled, her gaze quickly sweeping over the white roses on the table.

Jiang Yuran followed her gaze and quickly caught the fleeting gloom in Chen Yushu’s eyes. Her heart tightened, but she didn’t press the issue, changing the subject instead. “By the way, Senior Jiang just added me.”

“Huh?” Chen Yushu couldn’t hide her surprise. “Your love interest responded so quickly?”

“No,” Jiang Yuran said dejectedly. “She just told me to go for an interview next Thursday. She probably messaged you too.”

“Really?” Curious, Chen Yushu opened her phone and indeed saw that Jiang Yunxi had added her.

“See, I knew it.” Jiang Yuran leaned in to look. “Why did she send you a sticker too?”

Chen Yushu blinked innocently, both amused and exasperated. “I don’t know either.”

Jiang Yuran immediately clutched her phone, pretending to collapse in despair.

“Hahaha.” Chen Yushu laughed, comforting her, “You barely talked to her today, so she’s not very familiar with you. Just be a little more proactive.”

“That makes sense. I’ll go get familiar with her right now!”

“Mm, go ahead.”

Jiang Yuran stood up, dragging her chair to leave, but the next moment, she suddenly leaned down and hugged her.