How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 31

Zhou Rongrong clicked her tongue in disbelief. “Damn, who’s the single one here anyway?”

Ran Qin joined in the teasing. “Little Shushu, hurry up and open it! With such a big box, it’d be so awkward if it’s all filled with raffia grass!”

Qi An: “Hahaha, judging by the cake earlier, it’s really hard not to suspect!”

What a bunch of troublemaking friends!

“Fine, I’ll open it. Do you think I’m like some stingy guys?” Lu Wei said deliberately, then urged Chen Yushu, “Hurry up and open it. Let these people see what real generosity looks like.”

For a moment, Chen Yushu found herself caught between laughter and tears. Amid the clamor, she untied the bow on the box and lifted the lid, it was packed full.

The three people on the video call gasped in unison.

Ran Qin: “Alright, alright, close it. I’m afraid I’ll turn green with envy if I keep looking.”

But Chen Yushu was curious about the contents. “Can I take them out to see?”

“Of course,” Lu Wei nodded. “They’re all yours.”

Chen Yushu first pulled out the largest item a rolled-up painting. Every year, there was one, usually a birthday celebration poster.

This year, however, the painting depicted her silhouette. Multicolored lights chaotically filled the space, with a purple beam just falling across her face, blurring her features.

What did this mean?

Chen Yushu looked up, puzzled, and met Lu Wei’s gaze.

Somehow, the moment their eyes locked, Lu Wei’s heart skipped a beat, as if she’d been caught secretly photographing someone. Flustered, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s different from previous years,” Chen Yushu stated directly.

“Is it?” Lu Wei responded woodenly before explaining after a pause, “It’d be boring if it were the same every year. Besides, this is your eighteenth birthday of course, it has to be special.”

“I see.” Chen Yushu rolled the painting back up. Good thing she hadn’t jumped to conclusions earlier.

Just then, Qi An suddenly spoke up, “So, um, can you paint one for me on my birthday too?”

Lu Wei: “What do you want it for?”

Qi An chuckled mischievously and joked, “So I can sell it off after you become famous, of course. Remember to sign it.”

Hearing this, Lu Wei’s eyes darkened for a second, her tone tinged with self-mockery. “Keep dreaming. That’s most likely never going to happen.”

The speaker may have been careless, but the listener took it to heart. Chen Yushu’s heart clenched with worry as she glanced anxiously at Lu Wei.

“Ugh, forget it if you won’t paint for me, but don’t jinx yourself!” Qi An exclaimed urgently.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Lu Wei quickly chimed in, “I just don’t want to paint for you.”

Qi An: “Screw you, you stingy jerk!”

Lu Wei stuck out her tongue playfully and turned to Chen Yushu. “Why did you stop looking?”

“I’m still looking,” Chen Yushu replied, hastily averting her gaze. She randomly picked out an exquisite box from the box and opened it was a set of skin care products?

“Is there a problem?” Lu Wei blinked in confusion. “There’s matching makeup underneath. You’ll definitely need it in the future.”

“My eyes are about to bleed!” Ran Qin couldn’t take it anymore and yelled, “Can’t you just open it in private?”

Chen Yushu shrank her shoulders slightly, appearing delicate and innocent. “I didn’t know she’d give me these things either.”

“This fake innocence tsk!” Zhou Rongrong gritted her teeth and said sinisterly, “Are we just part of your little game? I can’t take it anymore. Let’s go, baby!”

“Let’s go!” Ran Qin responded, and with those words, the two of them vanished in the blink of an eye.

“Xiao Wei, I deeply repent for calling you stingy just now.” Qi Yan remained glued to the video call, pleading, “Rich lady, how about considering sponsoring me? I can do anything!”

Lu Wei clicked her tongue in disdain. “Can’t you have a little self-respect?”

Qi Yan retorted, “But no one should give up a rich lady just for the sake of self-respect!”

Chen Yushu continued rummaging through the box until her fingers brushed against a cold bag. Opening it, she discovered it was a medicine box. Recognizing the words on it, she exclaimed in surprise, “Is this the HPV vaccine?”

“Mm-hmm,” Lu Wei nodded. “I figured your mom might not pay attention to these things, so I went ahead and booked it for you. I didn’t expect to get a sudden notification the day before yesterday.”

Chen Yushu had been reading the fine print on the back of the box, but at those words, her fingers stilled. The lingering chill from the medicine box seeped into her nerve endings, and a wave of emotion surged through her. Her nose tingled with the threat of tears, her eyes grew hot, and the small print on the box gradually blurred.

Distant memories flooded back in an instant.

She remembered how her mother had single-handedly shouldered the burden of making a living, leaving early and returning late every day. Though she provided them with ample food and clothing, she overlooked many of the details a teenager should pay attention to during puberty. Moreover, Chen’s mother was quite traditional and conservative, often evading or speaking vaguely about normal physiological topics. The school’s education on such matters was also superficial and unclear.

As a result, even though she had read some theoretical knowledge in textbooks, when she got her first period, she was still terrified. She crouched in the bathroom, her face pale, too afraid to step out.

Time dragged on slowly, and the class bell began to ring. Even now, she could vividly recall those fifteen seconds of the bell, how panicked and helpless she had felt as she stared at her blood-stained pants.

She would always remember the moment the bell stopped, and the voice that came from outside the bathroom. To her at that time, Lu Wei was nothing short of a hero descending from the heavens.

“Chen Yushu, are you in here? Class is about to start.”

Her voice trembling with tears, she replied, “Lu Wei, I’m here.”

“Chen Yushu, what’s wrong?” Lu Wei quickly made her way to the bathroom stall. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Miraculously, Chen Yushu calmed down instantly and explained calmly, “I got my period. There’s blood all over my pants.”

“Then don’t move. I’ll go buy you some pads.” With that, Lu Wei’s footsteps echoed outside, growing fainter as she hurried away.

Not long after, Lu Wei returned and knocked on the bathroom door, handing her the pads.

After changing, Chen Yushu still hesitated to come out, cracking the door open just a slit. Worried, she asked, “What about the blood on my pants?”

“Here, take my school jacket. Tie it around your waist to cover it,” Lu Wei said, immediately taking off her coat and handing it over.

“Won’t you be cold?”

Lu Wei shook her head emphatically. “I’m actually feeling too hot anyway. There’s only one class left before school ends. It’s fine.”

Hearing this, Chen Yushu took the jacket and could only manage a soft, “Thank you, Lu Wei.”

However, not long after they returned to the classroom and settled into their seats, she noticed the person beside her starting to shiver.

Quickly taking off her own jacket, she whispered, “Lu Wei, wear mine.”

Lu Wei refused, pulling away to avoid it.

“Xiao Wei, put it on quickly, or you’ll catch a cold.”

Lu Wei said nothing, took the draft notebook, and scrawled on it: Don’t you know you shouldn’t get cold during your period?

“Achoo!”

Her eyes immediately filled with worry, but she shook her head and insisted on draping the clothes over her.

Lu Wei’s expression turned cold as she pushed her away with a hint of fierceness. “Hurry up and put it on, don’t disturb my lecture Achoo!”

Later, Lu Wei told her many things that she shouldn’t engage in strenuous exercise during her period, that there was no need to feel ashamed of menstruation, that she shouldn’t care about others’ opinions.

Including everything she already knew and everything she didn’t.

“Hurry and put it in. This vaccine needs to be stored at a low temperature. There’s a small fridge in the living room, just perfect for.”

Lu Wei’s warm fingertips brushed against her back, awakening her senses. She lifted her head and realized her eyelashes were damp, and Lu Wei’s face was blurred through her tears.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Wei turned and saw Chen Yushu’s tear-streaked face, her amber eyes glistening with moisture. Her heart instantly felt as if pricked by needles, a sharp pain spreading through her. She quickly pulled her into an embrace. “Are you moved already? Chen Yushu, you’re so easily swayed someone could easily take advantage of you.”

It wasn’t the first time she had cried in front of Lu Wei anyway, so Chen Yushu let go, allowing her tears to flow freely. She couldn’t help but think: I’ve already been taken advantage of.

“Alright, alright, it’s just a nine-valent vaccine,” Lu Wei said, flustered. “The tears you’re shedding are worth more than that. Don’t cry, don’t cry.”

But unexpectedly, her words only made the person in her arms cry even harder, her whole body trembling.

Lu Wei nervously licked her lips and resorted to feigning fierceness. “This jacket of mine is expensive! If you ruin it with your tears, you’ll have to pay for it!”

“I can’t afford it. Just sell me off instead,” Chen Yushu said, her voice thick with tears and a nasal tone.

“Hehe.” Lu Wei broke into a smile and crouched down in front of her. “How could I bear to sell you?”

Suddenly meeting Lu Wei’s bright, laughing eyes, the past and the present overlapped. For a moment, Chen Yushu felt dazed, the thumping of her heart echoing loudly in her chest.

An incredibly clear thought flashed through her mind.

She was done for.

Her heart had long ago, at some unknown moment, quietly entered Lu Wei’s domain, completely beyond her control. And now, Lu Wei held the reins tightly, making her turn back again and again, a thousand times over.

“I bet you’re thinking right now, ‘How can she be so wonderful?’” Lu Wei grinned, showing all eight of her teeth. “And then you’ve decided you’re stuck with me for life, right?”

Chen Yushu looked at her, nodded slightly, and let out a soft “Mm.”

She had already met someone in her youth who was dazzling enough to last a lifetime. Though the road ahead was long, she knew clearly—there wouldn’t be another. No one else like this.

So wonderful, so deeply cherished.

Lu Wei looked at her in surprise. “Really? I thought you’d call me narcissistic.”

“You knew and still asked,” Chen Yushu chuckled softly. “Narcissist.”

“Ahhh, why did I even ask you!” Lu Wei stood up in frustration. “Forget what I just said! You’re stuck with me for life! Got it?”

Chen Yushu’s lips curved into a smile, though her eyes were still moist. “Childish.”

“I don’t care, it’s decided. Let’s pinky swear.”

Chen Yushu lowered her head and let out a soft laugh. “Alright, pinky swear.”

Lu Wei’s eyes instantly lit up. “Pinky swear, a hundred years no changes, sealed with a stamp.”

Chen Yushu stared at their heavily pressed thumbs, her throat tightening. She quickly averted her gaze upward and blurted out, “I’m going to the bathroom to wash my face.”

“Mm, okay.”

By the time Chen Yushu had composed herself and stepped out of the bathroom, the living room lights were all off, leaving only the decorative lamps glowing softly just enough to illuminate her path.

As she approached, she noticed Lu Wei crouching by the table, her back turned, fiddling with something.

Hearing her footsteps, Lu Wei glanced back and said, “Watch your step, be careful.”

When Chen Yushu reached the table, she saw a small cake with an unlit candle on it.

Her heart softened instantly, and she broke into a smile through her earlier tears. How could Lu Wei forget something so important?

According to Chen Sinan, before their father left, their family had been happy. She, like any ordinary child, was doted on by both parents.

But on her third birthday, after her father bought her a small cake as usual and her mother prepared a table full of dishes, he vanished completely the next morning.

She had almost no memories from before she turned three, only recalling how her once gentle and kind mother gradually turned bitter and sharp-tongued afterward. Her mother blamed Chen Sinan for not bringing her a younger brother and resented Chen Yushu for being a girl.

She held both of them responsible for their father’s departure.

Although he had left them the house and all his money, their lives soon grew strained, struggling even for basic necessities let alone celebrating birthdays.

Having gone so long without a birthday, she gradually forgot about it altogether.

Then, one day, her mother returned home, locked herself in the bedroom, and wept bitterly while cursing their father for a long time. When she finally emerged, her attitude toward them shifted completely. She kept apologizing, promising to treat them well from then on.

From that day on, her mother poured all her energy into them, and Chen Yushu’s birthdays were celebrated again even more lavishly than before.

Yet, that day remained a thorn in her heart, and in her mother’s as well.

She despised the date, yet deep down, she envied the unique happiness that came with it.

The turning point came on little Lu Wei’s birthday.

As Lu Wei’s only friend, Chen Yushu was invited by Wang Zhizhi to their home across the hall.

Candies, cake, balloons… the atmosphere was filled with birthday cheer, but little Lu Wei at the dinner table didn’t seem very happy.

“I’ve been too busy in the past and always forgot your birthday,” Wang Zhizhi said with a bitter smile. “I promise I’ll remember from now on.”

“You say that every year. If Grandma hadn’t reminded you, you’d have forgotten again,” little Lu Wei pouted, poking at the cake on her plate.

Wang Zhizhi fell silent, her eyes tinged with sorrow.

After they finished the cake, Wang Zhizhi let Chen Yushu stay and play in Lu Wei’s room. Lu Wei sat in the corner, still looking upset.

“Weiwei,” Chen Yushu called out worriedly, walking over and crouching beside her. After a moment’s thought, she shared her own story and added, “Weiwei, don’t be sad. I’ll remember your birthday. I have a good memory I won’t forget, okay?”

But little Lu Wei was already captivated by her story, staring wide-eyed and saying, “Chen Yushu, how can you be so pitiful?”

He genuinely felt sorry for her.

“It’s okay, I don’t really care about celebrating birthdays anymore,” she quickly replied.

Little Lu Wei immediately furrowed her brow. “How can you not celebrate your birthday? If she won’t celebrate it for you, I will.”

As she said this, little Lu Wei’s eyes were bright and resolute.

Touched, she nodded slightly. “Alright, Weiwei, thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Lu Wei replied, breaking into a smile. “Hmph, if they won’t celebrate with us, we’ll celebrate on our own. From now on, I’ll remember your birthday, and you’ll remember mine, okay?”

She smiled and nodded in agreement.

The following year, Chen’s mother bought her a cake again and prepared many dishes. However, upon seeing the guilt in Chen’s mother’s eyes, all the unpleasant memories from the past flooded back, and she immediately lost her appetite. After hurriedly eating a little, she retreated to her bedroom.

That evening, someone knocked on her door.

“Chen Yushu, today is your birthday I didn’t forget.” Lu Wei held a small cake in both hands, as if seeking praise.

“Mm!” she nodded emphatically, her eyes lighting up with joy.

Since Chen’s mother was home, the two of them sat on the steps of the stairwell, placing the cake between them. Little Lu Wei inserted the candles and lit them.

The motion-sensor light dimmed just in time. The younger Lu Wei said, “Chen Yushu, blow out the candles quickly!”

At the same time, the grown-up Lu Wei also said, “Chen Yushu, blow out the candles quickly!”