How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 27.1

The next day, Chen Yushu woke up and saw Lu Wei’s face magnified before her. As the memories of the previous night slowly returned, a surge of anger welled up inside her.

“Ah” Lu Wei jolted awake, the pain in her buttocks registering belatedly. She turned her head to glare at the culprit and muttered softly, “What did you do that for?”

Chen Yushu withdrew her foot and snorted, “You were lying on me. It was uncomfortable.”

“But you didn’t have to kick so hard,” Lu Wei grumbled, rubbing her buttocks with a resentful look.

Chen Yushu cursed inwardly, thinking she deserved it. “Hurry up and get out of bed. Don’t you have to go to school?”

“Ah, I’m so sleepy,” Lu Wei yawned, leaning into Chen Yushu. “Let’s sleep a little longer.”

Chen Yushu slapped her face not hard, but the insult was unmistakable. “Get up now.”

“Why are you still so mean to me?” Lu Wei pouted, touching her cheek pitifully. “What exactly did I do to you?”

After washing up, the two headed out, walking along the familiar route to school. The scenery remained the same, but the days they had once shared were now irretrievable.

At least the person by her side had never changed.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Lu Wei suddenly turned, took her hand, and smiled. “I’ll always come with you from now on.”

Chen Yushu hummed in agreement, unable to suppress a smile of her own.

The street buzzed with an endless stream of cars, fleeting in their peripheral vision, a reminder of time’s irreversible passage. Yet, when they looked at each other, time seemed to freeze as if they had returned to the very beginning, or as if they had glimpsed a lifetime in a single glance.

Just one look, one lifetime.

When they entered the campus, classes were still in session, and the school was quiet, filled only with the chirping of insects and birds.

They walked along the familiar tree-lined path, petals scattered on the ground, the scent of damp earth in the air, and dew soaking their feet, details once overlooked but now strikingly vivid.

“Chen Yushu, look! It’s like we’re up there together.”

It was a wall of honor displaying the college admission results. The two belonged to different classes one at the beginning of the row, the other at the end but from a distance, their names appeared side by side.

Almost simultaneously, they reached out, each pointing at the other’s photo.

Ding ling ling. The class dismissal bell rang. Curious, Chen Yushu turned her head toward the teaching building, while Lu Wei kept her eyes fixed on their hands. She gently brushed Chen Yushu’s fingertips, but the fleeting sensation she had hoped for was gone.

Soon, the noise of students filled the air as they began streaming downstairs. Groups of girls, hand in hand, dashed toward the snack shop, and heads popped out along the corridors.

“Look at those two don’t they remind you of us?” Lu Wei said suddenly.

Chen Yushu followed her gaze and saw two girls chasing each other playfully on the corridor, their ponytails bouncing and laughter radiating youthful exuberance.

“You’re just like the girl in white always itching to bother me if you get the chance,” Chen Yushu murmured softly, though a hint of nostalgia flickered in her eyes.

The high school building was shaped like a U, with their classrooms at opposite ends. Back then, Lu Wei would often gather her troublemaking friends to wait outside Chen Yushu’s classroom after class, always with some new antic.

One day, it was “Hail the young lady’s dismissal,” and the next, it became “Dear madam, your hard work in class is appreciated.”

Chen Yushu, already shy, would burn with embarrassment in front of her classmates, while Lu Wei stood by grinning, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Occasionally, if the mood struck, she’d even offer a comment or two.

Sometimes Lu Wei would sneak over alone, either dragging her to the school store or pulling her hair and pinching her waist, deliberately provoking her until she was furious and chased him down the hallway before he’d let it go.

Chen Yushu was lost in her memories, the scenes vivid as if they had happened just yesterday. Just then, Lu Wei’s voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.

“If I don’t bother you, you’d just hole up in the classroom every day, cramming your head off.”

Chen Yushu’s heart softened, sinking gently.

“Of course, teasing you is pretty fun too.” With that, Lu Wei stuck out his tongue and made a funny face.

“Lu Wei, do you have a death wish?!”

“Hahaha, see? I wasn’t wrong, was I?”

Restful moments were always fleeting, and before long, class started again.

Lu Wei said, “Come on, let’s see if Teacher Hu is around.”

Teacher Hu was Lu Wei’s homeroom teacher and had been a great mentor to him.

Chen Yushu replied, “Okay.”

As the two walked toward the office, they ran into someone coming from the other end of the hallway. Teacher Hu, who had initially looked angry, adjusted his glasses skeptically upon seeing them. Squinting to see clearly, he broke into a smile.

“Weiwei and Xiaoshu! I thought I was seeing things.”

Lu Wei said, “It’s us, Teacher Hu. We’re on break and came back to see you.”

Chen Yushu followed with a greeting.

Teacher Hu nodded contentedly. “That’s great. College life must be treating you well.”

Lu Wei asked, “Teacher, why did you look so angry earlier?”

“Ah, don’t even mention it. Those kids they’re already in their third year of high school and still acting so carefree!” Teacher Hu said with a heavy tone.

Lu Wei chuckled reassuringly, “Don’t worry too much, Teacher. There’s still time. I was the same last year.”

“And you have the nerve to say that,” Teacher Hu retorted, poking Lu Wei’s forehead with his finger. “Causing trouble yourself is one thing, but dragging Xiaoshu into it? Tsk, tsk. Back then, Teacher Zhang absolutely despised you, afraid you’d ruin her prized student.”

Teacher Zhang Ping was Chen Yushu’s homeroom teacher. The more she adored Chen Yushu, the more she “detested” Lu Wei. Whenever he was around, she’d practically want to chase him off with a broom.

Lu Wei bent slightly, lowering his head so Teacher Hu could reach him, his expression nonchalant. “Well, Chen Yushu was willing.”

“Who said I was willing?!” Chen Yushu immediately retorted. “Thank goodness Teacher Hu and Teacher Zhang kept you in check, or I’d have been driven crazy by you.”

Teacher Hu laughed heartily. “You two, still the same as ever.”

Lu Wei pouted slightly and linked arms with Teacher Hu. “Teacher, do you have any more classes later? If not, let’s have lunch together.”

“Alright, we should celebrate,” Teacher Hu agreed, taking Chen Yushu’s hand. “Let’s go.”

They chose a restaurant not far from the school and reserved a small private room.

When the food arrived, they didn’t eat much, instead chatting and laughing nonstop about high school and college life.

Halfway through the meal, Chen Yushu’s stomach felt uncomfortable, so she excused herself to find a restroom.

With only the two of them left in the room, the relaxed atmosphere gradually cooled. Teacher Hu asked seriously, “Lu Wei, be honest with me. Why did you end up at Yun University?”

Lu Wei’s eyes flickered briefly before he joked, “Teacher, are you doubting my abilities?”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Teacher Hu chided, giving him a reproachful look. “I remember your entrance exam and school test scores were quite good. Logically, you should have…”

“Oh, teacher,” Lu Wei held Teacher Hu’s arm, coquettishly saying, “What’s done is done. Why bring it up now? Are you trying to hurt my feelings on purpose?”

Teacher Hu: “I don’t see any sign of you being hurt.”

Lu Wei straightened up slightly and said seriously, “Teacher, don’t worry. I wouldn’t joke about my own future. Yun University isn’t bad either. Besides, when something can achieve two goals at once, a little regret is nothing.”

The two continued their conversation, unaware that the door had closed again.

Chen Yushu leaned against the wall and slowly crouched down, still dazed by what she had just overheard, unable to snap out of it.

Back then, Lu Wei hadn’t said it like that.

Chen Yushu hugged her arms, her nails digging into her flesh, yet it did nothing to ease the shock in her heart.

“Besides,” Lu Wei said, “I’m a piece of gold wherever I go, I’ll shine.”

“Stop being cheeky,” Teacher Hu lightly tapped her hand. “But this is good too. With you two together, I feel at ease.”

Lu Wei nodded unconsciously. Yes, she would be with Chen Yushu, always together.

Without a second thought, so certain.

Returning to the dinner table, the topic had already shifted. Chen Yushu glanced at Lu Wei out of the corner of her eye, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

After the meal, the two escorted Teacher Hu back to the school and took the opportunity to visit a few other teachers.

The afternoon passed quickly, and as night deepened, they had a meal in the school cafeteria before aimlessly wandering around the campus.

In their memories, high school was all about that classroom and those desks, but now, strolling leisurely, they realized the campus was filled with traces of the past, not as dull as they had imagined.

Before they knew it, they reached the playground. The streetlights were still as dim as ever, barely illuminating the rubber track beneath their feet.

“It’s really nice,” Chen Yushu couldn’t help but sigh.

Lu Wei hummed in agreement and suddenly pointed to a spot. “Do you remember that time over there when you got sand in your eye, and I blew it out for you? The discipline head was cracking down on early romance and happened to see us. He chased us in his patrol car, and I pulled you along to run. The more he chased, the more excited he got, but when he finally caught up, he realized hahahaha!”

“And you have the nerve to bring that up!” Chen Yushu suppressed a laugh and scolded, “I almost ran out of breath back then!”