How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 40

Lu Wei’s heart skipped a beat. She froze for a few seconds, feeling her blood rush to her head. Ignoring the cold, she immediately broke into a run, chasing after Chen Yushu. “Chen Yushu, wait! Let me explain!”

Chen Yushu was consumed by anger and didn’t want to hear a single word from Lu Wei. She walked faster and faster, and when she sensed Lu Wei catching up, she broke into a light jog and dashed into the dormitory building.

Lu Wei followed closely behind.

In the hallway, they ran into Jiang Yuran, who was on her way to take a shower.

“What happened? Why are you so angry?” Jiang Yuran asked, puzzled.

Chen Yushu’s cheeks were flushed red, and her chest heaved irregularly. She was so furious she felt lightheaded. Just as she was about to speak, Lu Wei’s voice came from behind.

“I’ll tell you later,” Chen Yushu said quickly before hurrying back to her dorm. She gathered her toiletries and, just as Lu Wei knocked on the door, yanked it open. Without even glancing at Lu Wei, she strode forward with her eyes fixed straight ahead.

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Lu Wei said, turning sideways to keep up with her. Before she could even catch her breath, she rushed to explain, “A few days ago, I took it to the classroom to study, and a classmate saw it and asked to borrow it.”

Chen Yushu remained silent, her expression blank as she walked swiftly to the end of the hallway. She pulled open the bathroom door and went straight in.

“Hey, Chen Yushu!” Lu Wei quickly grabbed her arm, but Chen Yushu shook her off immediately. Before Lu Wei could follow further, the bathroom door slammed shut.

After her shower, the chill had dissipated, but the anger in Chen Yushu’s chest remained. As she stepped out of the shower area, she saw Jiang Yuran drying her hair.

“What’s going on? Still angry?” Jiang Yuran pushed aside a section of her hair and looked at her.

Chen Yushu grunted in acknowledgment, picked up the hairdryer next to Jiang Yuran, and scanned the code to start it. The loud noise filled the air instantly. After a moment, she recounted what had happened on the way.

Jiang Yuran leaned in, her brows furrowing as she listened, and couldn’t help but sigh. “Ah, Lu Wei really… With the exam just days away, this is… kind of a waste of your effort. Those notes are the essence, and it took a lot of time to compile them. If she had finished studying everything, it wouldn’t be a big deal to lend them to someone else.”

As she spoke, Jiang Yuran sighed again, put down the hairdryer, and patted Chen Yushu’s back soothingly. “But she should’ve at least told you, it’s just a simple matter. Don’t be angry. Maybe she just found it hard to say no, so she lent them to someone else.”

Chen Yushu was still fuming. “I get that she found it hard to refuse, and I understand that she forgot to tell me. But she lent it out for three whole days! If I hadn’t asked today, would she have waited until after the CET-4 exam to get it back?”

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on the edge of the table, breathing heavily. “If I’d known this would happen, I shouldn’t have bothered with her in the first place!”

Seeing this, Jiang Yuran quickly comforted her. “Alright, alright, just have her get it back as soon as possible. Don’t let this upset you too much.”

Chen Yushu closed her eyes and exhaled softly. After a moment, she finally calmed down and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go back.”

As they reached the bathroom entrance, Chen Yushu paused, took a step back, and said to Jiang Yuran, “Can you check if she’s still there? I really don’t want to see her right now.”

Jiang Yuran made an OK gesture, pushed the door open, and glanced outside. “I don’t see her. Curfew is almost here, she’s probably gone.”

“Mm.” Chen Yushu’s expression shifted slightly, a surge of anger flaring up inside her again. “Good. I never want to see her again!”

Jiang Yuran raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t dare say a word.

Back in the dorm, Chen Yushu opened her phone to find Lu Wei’s messages still flooding in from explanations of what happened to psychological self-analysis, all the way to apologies and promises. The sheer volume of words could have filled out a formal written pledge.

Yet, not one of them hit the mark.

Chen Yushu skimmed through them quickly, her anger barely subsiding. Flipping open a notebook with one hand, she was so furious her mind went blank, unable to summon the right English words. Instead, she scribbled down one Chinese term after another, only later looking up their English equivalents.

vilipend. To despise, to treat with contempt.

nitwitted. Foolish, thoughtless.

indolent. Lazy, slothful.

All the while, Lu Wei kept sending more messages.

【I was wrong. I shouldn’t have given your things to someone else without asking you first.】

【I won’t do it again. Please forgive me.】

【Shu-shu, are you still washing up? Talk to me, please, I’m begging you.】

The more Chen Yushu read, the angrier she got. Unable to hold back, she replied: 【Is that the only problem?】

Ding-ding-ding!

The next second, Lu Wei video-called her directly. Without a second thought, Chen Yushu hung up immediately. Lu Wei called again, and she hung up again.

Lu Wei: 【Please pick up my call.】

Chen Yushu: 【I don’t want to hear you right now.】

Lu Wei: 【Okay, I know I messed up. What else is wrong?】

Chen Yushu took a deep breath, bit her lip, and typed rapidly: 【Yeah, yeah, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that I’m too petty getting upset just because you lent my notes to someone else.】

Chen Yushu: 【That’s right, I’m just that petty. How could you possibly be at fault?】

Lu Wei: 【Don’t be like this. Let’s talk it out properly.】

Chen Yushu clenched her phone tightly, fuming. 【What’s wrong with me?】

Lu Wei: 【You’re scaring me. Let’s talk on the phone. I’m not very bright just teach me, okay? Please, my dear Shu-shu.】

As soon as the message was sent, Lu Wei’s call came through again.

Chen Yushu stared at the screen, hesitating to answer.

Just then, Ye Chiwan asked, “Whose phone is ringing? Is that a call?”

“Yeah, it’s mine.” Seeing that Lu Wei wasn’t giving up, Chen Yushu hesitated for a few seconds, then answered and held the phone to her ear without speaking.

A few seconds of silence came through the receiver before Lu Wei tentatively asked, “Heh, Shu-shu, are you still mad?”

Chen Yushu let out a cold hum. “Yeah, still upset over such a trivial thing. How unreasonable of me it’s all because I’m so petty.”

“Aiya, I never said that. You’re just twisting my words,” Lu Wei muttered under her breath before continuing, “I admitted I was wrong. Can’t we just talk this through properly?”

“What did you do wrong?” Chen Yushu snapped. “I don’t see you admitting anything.”

“Then what else is there? Tell me, please.”

Chen Yushu hummed coldly again.

“Aiya,” Lu Wei immediately whined, her voice soft and pitiful. “Do we have to act like those couples in dramas who can’t communicate? Let’s just resolve this properly. If you keep this up, I’ll be really hurt.”

“You’re still upset!” Chen Yushu couldn’t help raising his voice. “Fine, then let me ask you: First, couldn’t you have refused when she asked to borrow it?”

Lu Wei: “I did refuse at first, saying I needed it myself, but she kept begging and even said.”

Chen Yushu listened quietly. “Alright, you have a point. Then, second, why didn’t you take it back the next day?”

Lu Wei paused. “Because… she said she hadn’t finished reading it yet and asked me to…”

“Hah.” Chen Yushu couldn’t hold back a scoff. “By the time she finishes, the CET-4 exam will be over. You might as well just give it to her.”

” I know I should take it back.”

“Oh, really?” Chen Yushu pressed immediately. “If I hadn’t asked tonight, how long were you planning to wait?”

“Uh.” Lu Wei faltered. “Tomorrow! I’ll go get it back tomorrow! No, I’ll tell her right now!”

Then, the receiver fell silent.

“I don’t think you ever intended to get it back.” Chen Yushu saw right through him and began speaking sarcastically. “Then again, it’s my fault for meddling too much and even giving you the materials. I never thought you’d resent it. In that case, I should thank that classmate for lightening your burden.”

“What’s going on with her?” Ye Chiwan, in the neighboring bed, couldn’t help overhearing Chen Yushu’s phone call and whispered to Jiang Yuran, “Did Lu Wei upset her?”

Jiang Yuran nodded slightly and made a shushing gesture.

Ye Chiwan glanced over curiously. “Wow, this argument sounds just like some couples bickering.”

“My dear dorm head, have you memorized your vocabulary? Practiced your listening?” Jiang Yuran said. “If not, you’d better get to it.”

Ye Chiwan had no choice but to reluctantly look away.

After a while, Lu Wei spoke up. “See, you’re starting again. I told her I’ll get it back tomorrow morning.”

“Weren’t you just saying you’d get it back now? Hah.”

“Fine, I’ll go back to the dorm right now and find her.”

“Wait.” Chen Yushu sat up. “You’re not in the dorm right now?”

Lu Wei hummed in agreement and said slowly, “I’m in the hallway near your dorm.”

“What?” Chen Yushu quickly checked the time and realized curfew had long passed.

“Seems like I can’t get out now. What a shame.” Lu Wei sighed, though his tone didn’t sound regretful at all.

Chen Yushu immediately said, “I won’t let you sleep here!”

Lu Wei sighed again. “I’m a sinner who’s made a mistake. How dare I climb into your bed? It’s fine, I’ll tough it out in the hallway tonight. That way, I can apologize to you first thing in the morning. Don’t worry about me the hallway is quite warm.”

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Chen Yushu clenched her fist in anger, gritting her teeth. “Hurry up and go find the dorm supervisor, or she’ll be asleep soon.”

“No, if I leave this door, there’s another door. Swiping my card leaves a record, and calling the supervisor will get me scolded.” Lu Wei’s voice grew softer. “I’ll just make do here tonight. I messed up this is what I deserve.”

“Lu Wei, you!”

Her exclamation accidentally startled the others in the dorm. Chen Yushu quickly apologized, “Sorry, I got a bit worked up and lost control.”

“Whew, that scared me. Why are you so angry?” Ye Chiwan couldn’t contain her curiosity and seized the moment to ask.

Chen Yushu thought for a moment and explained that Lu Wei was stuck in the hallway.

“Hahahaha, you guys are hilarious. She actually chased me all the way here? And then ended up forgetting to go back because we were too busy arguing.”

Jiang Yuran was also laughing uncontrollably. “Let’s just call her over. We can squeeze in for one night.”

Chen Yushu: “Who wants to squeeze with her? I don’t care, let her figure it out herself.”

The person on the phone immediately chimed in, “That’s right, you don’t have to worry about me.”

Chen Yushu felt a surge of irritation and promptly hung up.

“You’re really not going to care?” Ye Chiwan asked, slightly surprised.

“Mm, she brought this on herself. Who else can she blame?” As she spoke, Chen Yushu lay down directly. “Let her sleep in the hallway by herself.”

“Exactly.” Jiang Yuran put on an approving expression, then winked at Ye Chiwan. “Later, when the hallway gets dark, with that eerie green light and some strange noises, it wouldn’t be a problem to scare her silly.”

“Right, right, right.” Ye Chiwan caught on and deliberately raised her voice. “Not just that, but when the temperature drops in the middle of the night, the cold wind will blow in through the window cracks brr, it’s freezing.”

Chen Yushu remained unmoved and turned over, though her grip on the blanket tightened slightly. A moment later, she couldn’t resist opening her phone and sending Lu Wei a message: [Go ask the dorm auntie to open the door, or you’ll freeze to death tonight. I won’t care!]

Lu Wei: [It’s fine, I’m okay right now.]

Then, Lu Wei sent a photo of herself sitting against the wall.

Chen Yushu stared at her phone for two seconds, then kicked the blanket in discomfort.

“How much longer until lights out?” Jiang Yuran asked. “Should we just turn off the lights and sleep?”

Ye Chiwan thought for a moment. “Mm, is anyone else getting out of bed?”

Just then, Lu Wei sent another message: [It’s actually not bad here, but the spot is a bit hard to sit on, and there’s no place to rest my head. Also, the wind keeps blowing right into my face.]

“Serves you right!” Chen Yushu muttered under her breath. “Putting on an act.”

[If I’d known, I would’ve worn more tonight.]

[No, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have lent out the notebook so carelessly back then, and I wouldn’t have made Shushu angry.]

[Crying secretly jpg.]

Ye Chiwan craned her neck. “I’m turning off the lights, for real!”

Chen Yushu felt as if ten thousand ants were crawling inside her. After a few seconds, she couldn’t hold back any longer and resignedly sat up, her face stiff. “Wait, I have something to do. I’ll be right back.”

With that, she quickly climbed out of bed, put on her shoes, and hurried out.

Jiang Yuran and Ye Chiwan exchanged a glance and gave each other a virtual high-five.

Ye Chiwan: “We can’t do a good deed for nothing. We have to make sure Lu Wei remembers our kindness.”

“Hahahaha.”

Following the location Lu Wei had mentioned, Chen Yushu easily found her.

Lu Wei was sitting on the top step of the staircase, leaning her head against the wall. She had been looking at her phone but immediately put it down and pretended to be asleep the moment she saw Chen Yushu approaching.

“Ahem.” Chen Yushu observed her calmly for a while, then suddenly noticed her fingers, red from the cold. She couldn’t help but speak up.

Lu Wei’s eyelashes fluttered, and after two seconds, she opened her eyes and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Still pretending, huh? Then keep sleeping here.” With that, Chen Yushu turned around angrily, about to head back.

Immediately, the sound of hurried footsteps descending the stairs came from behind.

“You came to pick me up?” Lu Wei slowly followed, asking quietly.

Chen Yushu didn’t respond, simply walking ahead. Suddenly, she felt her pinky finger gently tugged, a chill spreading from the touch.

“I was wrong, I know I was wrong.” Lu Wei said with a hint of timidity, looking at Chen Yushu’s profile. “Forgive me, okay? I’m scared when you ignore me.”

Chen Yushu raised an eyebrow and snapped, “What do you have to be scared of?”

Lu Wei glanced at her quickly, then lowered her head and murmured softly, “I told you, I’m scared when you ignore me.”

“You.” Chen Yushu’s lips twitched slightly as she turned away, unconsciously muttering, “I really can’t stand it. How did I end up with.”

As soon as she led the person back to the dorm, Ye Chiwan couldn’t resist teasing, “So this is what you were talking about earlier? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t care about her and let her freeze outside?”

Lu Wei, however, grinned and said, “Sorry for troubling everyone tonight.” Then she leaned closer to Chen Yushu’s ear and added, “And you too, Shushu.”

“It’s no trouble,” Chen Yushu said coldly, giving her a glance. “You sleep on the floor.”

“Oh.” Lu Wei’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a pitiful, aggrieved expression. “Alright.”

Jiang Yuran laughed, “Hahaha, Dorm Leader, here’s a math problem for you: guess how many times Shushu is going to eat her words tonight.”

Ye Chiwan put on a profound expression, “Hmm, hard to say, really hard to say.”

“What are you staring at? Go wash up,” Chen Yushu directed her annoyance at someone. “My basin is in the second slot, the blue one. The towel is in.”

Lu Wei looked at her blankly, “That’s too much, I can’t remember.”

Chen Yushu patiently helped her get ready, and just as the dorm lights went out, she climbed into bed first. Then she saw Lu Wei standing by her bed, looking up at her with a pitiful expression, like a delicate, broken doll.

“What are you standing there for?” Chen Yushu averted her eyes, lowered her voice, and used her phone to cast some light. “Do I need to invite you?”

Lu Wei immediately broke into a smile, her eyes lighting up. “Hehe, thank you, Shushu. I’m coming up then.”