How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 6

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the cramped space grew thick with ambiguity. Fingertips seemed to catch fire, the flames spreading relentlessly across their bodies.

Seeing her remain silent, Lu Wei impatiently scratched her palm, resting her chin on Chen Yushu’s shoulder. Her warm breath brushed against the side of Chen Yushu’s neck as she coaxed, “Come on, Shushu, please?”

“No.” Chen Yushu’s shoulders tensed from the sensitivity, and she shied away from Lu Wei’s closeness. “Wash yourself.”

“I don’t have the strength.” Lu Wei’s voice was lazy as her hand suddenly slid into Chen Yushu’s palm, their fingers intertwining.

A shiver ran down Chen Yushu’s spine, electric and overwhelming.

“Lu Wei.” Her voice tightened slightly. Suddenly, she wanted to confirm whether Lu Wei was truly drunk or what her intentions were. Deliberate or accidental? She parted her lips, about to speak, when Lu Wei pleaded, “Shushu, I’m so tired. Just help me out, okay?”

Chen Yushu turned to look at her. Lu Wei’s cheeks were slightly flushed, her eyes closed, looking utterly drowsy.

Seems unintentional, then.

The ambiguous tension dissipated instantly. Chen Yushu exhaled, unable to name the emotion swirling inside her.

“I’ll wash your hair for you. The rest, you do yourself.” Without waiting to see if Lu Wei had even processed her words, Chen Yushu took off her hair tie and slipped it back onto Lu Wei’s wrist. “Come here. Bend down.”

Lu Wei immediately obeyed like a marionette, following every instruction.

Chen Yushu took down the showerhead, waiting until the water temperature was just right before wetting Lu Wei’s hair. She then scooped up some shower gel, working it into a lather before carefully massaging it into Lu Wei’s scalp.

Leaning against the wall, Lu Wei bent forward, clutching the hem of Chen Yushu’s clothes. Her head nodded slightly, as if she might fall asleep any second.

Chen Yushu had meant to remind her to close her eyes, but seeing her like this, she figured it wasn’t necessary.

Halfway through rinsing the lather, Lu Wei abruptly lifted her head. Suds mixed with water streamed into her eyes, and she immediately squeezed them shut, whimpering in discomfort.

“Don’t move.” Chen Yushu quickly grabbed a clean tissue, cupping Lu Wei’s chin as she leaned in to carefully wipe her eyes. “Better now?”

The next second, Lu Wei opened her eyes glistening, as if soaked in mist, bright as stars.

Caught off guard, Chen Yushu’s breath hitched. Her mind went blank, the damp haze seeming to blur her vision, making it impossible to discern the emotions in Lu Wei’s gaze.

Lu Wei stared straight at her and suddenly called her name.

Chen Yushu’s heart skipped a beat. Steadying her voice, she asked, “What is it?”

“Shushu, I like you the most.”

Chen Yushu’s grip on the showerhead tightened. She swallowed hard, afraid of revealing too much, and managed only a questioning hum. “Hmm?”

Lu Wei met her gaze, her tone utterly sincere. “You’re my best, best, best friend.”

Chen Yushu blinked slowly, trying desperately to ignore the last word. But her soaring heart still plummeted uncontrollably, aching and swollen.

Friend.

Her lips trembled slightly as she repeated the word silently.

Such a simple phrase, yet it felt like a sentence.

“This is my best friend, Chen Yushu.”

Lu Wei always introduced her that way to others. In their younger, oblivious days, Chen Yushu had been overjoyed, mistaking it for favoritism proof of her importance, her uniqueness. But gradually, those adjectives and nouns became an unchangeable identity, an inescapable cage.

Sometimes she would think, if only they were just ordinary friends, perhaps she wouldn’t have to worry so much. Even if she failed, she wouldn’t have to fear losing her best friend.

She had to admit, she envied Wen Yan for this, being able to express her feelings directly and boldly, without fear.

Not like her, hesitating and holding back.

Chen Yushu bit her lip, pushing aside those complicated emotions, avoiding Lu Wei’s gaze as she pressed her head back down. “It’s not rinsed clean yet, don’t get up.”

“What about you? Am I your best friend too?”

Chen Yushu nodded, then realizing Lu Wei couldn’t see, she let out a soft “Mm,” her voice carrying a barely noticeable tremble.

“Then we’ve agreed no matter how many friends you make in the future, whether or not you date, I’ll always be your best friend in your heart. Got it?”

“Okay.” Chen Yushu continued rinsing her hair, tears silently mixing into the water.

It felt like heartbreak before it had even begun.

They had booked a twin room, each sleeping in their own bed. The hotel’s air conditioning was strong, and even buried under the thin blanket, Chen Yushu still felt cold.

Though it had only been a day since they returned to school, it felt like an eternity, with so many things happening, piling up in her mind, gnawing at her nerves and emotions.

Lying in bed with her eyes closed for a long time, Chen Yushu couldn’t fall asleep. Then, a faint sound came from the side. She listened carefully, but it soon faded.

Sleep seemed even further away now.

She turned onto her side, eyes wide open, staring at the faint outline in the darkness close enough to touch, yet impossibly distant.

What should I do?

The question surfaced in her mind, but no answer came, leaving only confusion, as endless as the night.

She didn’t know when she finally drifted off, but in her drowsy state, she heard the sound of slippers shuffling across the floor. Moments later, she felt the bed dip, the blanket lifting as cold air rushed in only to disappear just as quickly.

Then, a warm, soft body pressed against her, a long arm wrapping around her waist, holding her intimately close.

Half-asleep, the familiar scent lulled her into deeper drowsiness.

But just then, the person beside her suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Chen Yushu, I like you the most.”

“Actually, I never really thought of you as just a friend.”

She struggled to make sense of the words, but her muddled mind couldn’t grasp their meaning. She tried hard to open her eyes, to ask what she meant.

Yet the moment she did, something soft and slightly damp pressed against her lips. Only when warm breath brushed her skin did she snap back to awareness but before she could react, a nimble tongue slipped into her mouth, stealing her breath, her warmth, her very soul.

It was like floating in midair, a dense net closing in from all sides, tightening around her limbs, squeezing until oxygen drained away.

On the verge of suffocation, Chen Yushu jolted awake, her face buried under the blanket, chest tight. She quickly threw the covers off, gasping for air.

The suffocating pressure on her chest came from someone’s arm, lying straight across her.

When had she climbed into her bed?

Fragmented scenes flickered intermittently in her mind, blurring the line between reality and illusion. Chen Yushu’s already feverish body grew even more restless. She swallowed hard and turned her head to look at the person beside her, only to find both of them fully clothed, nothing like the heated scenes in her visions.

So it was just a dream after all.

Daytime thoughts become nighttime dreams.

Chen Yushu closed her eyes, her suspended heart finally settling, though a faint, almost imperceptible disappointment lingered.

Just then, she felt someone blowing softly against her eyelashes. The moment she opened her eyes, she caught the culprit red-handed.

Lu Wei showed no trace of guilt. Instead, she stuck out her tongue playfully.

Despite being mentally prepared, seeing Lu Wei’s face this close still made Chen Yushu’s heart skip a beat. She furrowed her brows and spoke stiffly, “Get your pig hands off me!”

“If you want to call me a pervert, just say it outright.” Lu Wei didn’t budge. Instead, she draped a leg over Chen Yushu and snuggled in comfortably, murmuring, “Xiao Shushu, you’re so soft everywhere.”

“Let go of me!” Chen Yushu gritted her teeth, pried Lu Wei’s hands away, rolled herself in the blanket, and turned her back to her, scooting to the edge of the bed.

Lu Wei’s laughter immediately followed. “I wasn’t talking about that place. You’re the one who misunderstood.”

Chen Yushu fumed silently, refusing to engage.

Noticing this, Lu Wei nudged her foot against Chen Yushu’s backside. “Hey, Chen Yushu, don’t be like this. You’re acting like I actually did something to you.”

“Shut up. I never should’ve gone to pick you up last night.”

“Oh, come on, that’s a separate matter. Don’t lump them together.” Lu Wei grinned and pressed closer, wrapping her arms around Chen Yushu blanket and all resting her cheek against hers. “Alright, I didn’t mean it. Besides, didn’t you already see everything when you helped me shower yesterday?”

“Who looked at you?!” Chen Yushu bristled, nearly shoving her off the bed. “I only washed your hair!”

Lu Wei arched a brow and tugged at her own collar. “Well, if you feel shortchanged, you can take a look now?”

Chen Yushu yanked the blanket off and threw it at Lu Wei’s face, her voice tinged with irritation. “Lu Wei, you’re always like this!”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Wei blinked, taken aback by her reaction, then mumbled sheepishly, “Fine, I won’t go out drinking anymore.”

Chen Yushu stared at her for a few seconds before sighing in resignation.

“Besides, I was the victim this time too. If it weren’t for Wen Yan…” Lu Wei’s words abruptly cut off as her eyes widened in horror. “Oh crap, I almost forgot about that.”

Noticing her sudden shift in demeanor, Chen Yushu asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Shushu, listen.” Lu Wei turned serious, grabbing Chen Yushu’s hand. “Yesterday, I ran into Wen Yan, and she dragged me ”

“Skip the buildup. Get to the point.” Chen Yushu frowned impatiently.

“Don’t rush me.” Lu Wei patted her hand reassuringly before continuing, “I was just going to sing one song with her and leave, but after we finished, she suddenly said she likes me you get it? Not the normal kind of like, but that kind of like!”

To emphasize, Lu Wei drew a heart over her chest, eyes wide with expectation, hoping Chen Yushu would understand.

At those words, Chen Yushu’s heart lurched a long-anticipated panic rising. But meeting Lu Wei’s gaze, she forced herself to remain composed.

“I understand.”

“Phew.” Lu Wei immediately let out a sigh of relief, her entire face drooping. “You have no idea. Right after she confessed, all her friends started cheering. I was completely stunned.”

“So, did you say yes?” Chen Yushu held her breath as she asked.

Lu Wei instantly rubbed her arms, wearing an indescribable expression, shaking her head repeatedly. “Say yes to what? Look at my face, do I look like someone who likes women?”

“Is that so?” Chen Yushu murmured, then nodded as if suddenly realizing something. “Right.”

“Luckily, I was tipsy at the time, or I really wouldn’t have known how to handle it,” Lu Wei said with relief.

“Oh.” Chen Yushu lowered her head, masking the fleeting odd look in her eyes, and replied flatly, “But you don’t need to be so shocked, do you? I’ve heard there are quite a few queer people among art students.”

“But I’ve always seen her as just a friend,” Lu Wei said, her brows furrowed tightly. “It’s just too weird.”

“Is it really that weird?” The words slipped out before Chen Yushu could think, and she immediately regretted it, but she had no choice but to act casual.

“Of course it’s weird!” Lu Wei blurted without hesitation. “Just imagine, what if I suddenly confessed to you one day? How would you feel?”

Chen Yushu stared into her eyes for a moment before wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Ew.”

Seeing this, Lu Wei took offense and shoved her shoulder lightly. “What’s with that look? What’s wrong with me? What exactly are you dissatisfied with? If I confessed to you, shouldn’t you be secretly thrilled and jump at the chance to say yes? Hesitating for even a second would be disrespectful to me!”

“What if I ” Before the words fully left her mouth, Chen Yushu regretted it. Her heart pounded wildly. Was this too obvious? What if Lu Wei noticed?

In those brief seconds, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. Chen Yushu felt as though a sword of Damocles hung over her head, the tension so thick it made her nauseous.