How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 66

“What?” Chen Yushu’s ears twitched slightly, doubting if she had heard correctly, yet her mind involuntarily began to guess the meaning of those words. She couldn’t help but soften her voice and call out Lu Wei’s name.

The piano piece ended with a gentle melody, and the surroundings suddenly fell silent. Feeling the rhythm of Chen Yushu’s pulse near her neck, Lu Wei, as if possessed, pressed her lips against it.

The soft touch caused the surface temperature to rise abruptly. Chen Yushu’s mind exploded in a flash, and she called out hoarsely, “Lu Wei?”

Lu Wei’s heart skipped a beat, not daring to move further. “What about me? How would you describe me?”

“What do you mean, how.” Chen Yushu asked, somewhat puzzled, and the next moment, she saw Lu Wei lift her head to look at her.

Chen Yushu’s mind went completely blank, staring back at her in a daze.

Lu Wei licked her lips and repeated the question.

“You, how” Chen Yushu forced a stiff smile, her entire body feeling so uncomfortable that she desperately wanted to escape.

Lu Wei: “Is it that hard?”

Chen Yushu opened her mouth to retort, but a sudden surge of sourness rushed to her nose. She blinked, her heart aching.

How to describe it? Isn’t “like” enough?

“Chen Yushu.” Lu Wei called out pitifully, wanting to ask directly, “Do you like me or not?”

“What is it?” Chen Yushu replied stiffly. “Don’t you already know what you’re like?”

Lu Wei pouted and whined playfully, “Then tell me.”

“Fine.” Chen Yushu raised her fingers, counting them off one by one. “Smooth-talking, narcissistic.”

“Alright, alright, stop.” Lu Wei closed her eyes, let out a heavy sigh, and said gloomily, “I don’t want to hear that.”

“You brought it on yourself. Serves you right!”

By the time they left the restaurant and returned to school, it was almost ten o’clock. The refreshing cool breeze cleared Lu Wei’s head somewhat, but she was still brooding over Chen Yushu’s earlier assessment of her.

“Chen Yushu.” Lu Wei called out to the person in front, asking in a muffled voice, “Do you really dislike me that much?”

“Huh?” Chen Yushu turned to glance at her, confused. “When did I ever say that?”

“You didn’t say it, but you made it clear you don’t like me!” Lu Wei said indignantly, stomping her foot in frustration.

Chen Yushu looked at her with amusement, let out a faint “oh,” and leisurely enjoyed the sight of her furious reaction. “If you say so, then it must be true.”

“What’s so bad about me anyway?” Lu Wei took a few aggressive steps forward and demanded, “Why don’t you like me?”

“What are you doing?” Chen Yushu was forced to step back, but a smile played on her lips as she couldn’t resist teasing further. “Why should I like you?”

Lu Wei was left speechless, unable to respond for a long moment. “I But I really like you! I’ve never said anything bad about you, even though I do have some tiny, tiny flaws. But all these years.”

To cover up a certain statement, Lu Wei deliberately emphasized the latter part, boasting freely.

Chen Yushu made a disgusted sound. “Narcissist.”

Then you’re an idiot! Lu Wei retorted silently in her heart, deflating all at once. Fine, she’d take it slow.

The two walked into the small grove they had to pass through to get back to the dorm. It had rained during the day, and the moist air carried the mixed fragrance of soil and flowers.

At that moment, two voices came from a distance, growing closer and clearer. It sounded like a couple arguing.

“Want to break up? Fine! Then give back all the gifts I gave you during our relationship, plus the money I spent on meals and movies!”

“What? Have you no shame?”

Lu Wei hunched over, instinctively adopting an eavesdropping posture. Hearing such shocking words, she shook her head with a complicated expression.

“Getting addicted to listening, are you?” Chen Yushu turned back and urged, “Let’s go.”

“No, no, wait a little longer.” Lu Wei pulled her closer. As the argument between the two in the distance grew more intense, she suddenly had an idea and deliberately sighed with feigned distress, “Oh my, look at that this is what happens when you date someone else.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Yushu immediately rolled her eyes and ignored her.

“Oh heavens, what if I run into such a stingy man in the future? What should I do?” Lu Wei continued in a sarcastic tone.

Chen Yushu couldn’t take it anymore. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Lu Wei exclaimed in feigned surprise, then theatrically covered her mouth. “Dating men brings a lifetime of bad luck!”

Chen Yushu couldn’t help but laugh and pretended to be puzzled, “Really? I think it depends on the person.”

“Ah, you just don’t get it.” Lu Wei anxiously grabbed her hand and spoke earnestly, “Their baseline is like this. It’s easy to get tricked if you’re not careful.”

Suppressing her laughter, Chen Yushu remained stubborn. “Then wouldn’t it be fine if I just stayed cautious?”

Lu Wei choked up, why was it so hard to get through to her!

Just then, two figures appeared at the entrance of the path it was the couple.

“I never thought you were this kind of person!” the girl said angrily. “I must have been blind to fall for you back then!”

The two passed by them one after the other. Once they were far enough away, Lu Wei couldn’t hold back her smugness. “See? If someone wants to trick you, being careful won’t necessarily save you.”

Chen Yushu pursed her lips in exasperation. “So you’re saying I shouldn’t date at all?”

“Ahem.” Lu Wei cleared her throat, thought for a moment, and cautiously replied, “Well, it’s not that you can’t date at all. You just have to you have to keep your eyes open and find the right person.”

Surprised, Chen Yushu raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

Lu Wei hummed in agreement, then hurriedly added, “But most men are unreliable. You absolutely shouldn’t date them.”

“Oh?” Chen Yushu smiled, feigning curiosity. “Then who should I date?”

Lu Wei grew nervous, her heart practically leaping into her throat. Under Chen Yushu’s gaze, the answer was on the tip of her tongue, swirling incessantly in her chest.

Me! Date me! I’m right here, ready and waiting!

Unfortunately, the tree branches stretched high, blocking the moonlight and streetlights. Her eyes blended into the night, making it impossible to see clearly.

“You should look more at, ” Lu Wei bit her lip repeatedly, pondering how to hint without being too obvious, “those who are good to you, enthusiastic about you, who take care of you”

Chen Yushu plucked a hanging leaf and chuckled, “Are you talking about yourself?”

It was just an offhand remark, but in the next moment, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

Chen Yushu’s heart tightened thankfully, she had said it in a joking tone.

Yet, strangely, Lu Wei didn’t respond.

In the silence, the sensitive question stirred both their nerves, and the atmosphere gradually grew ambiguous.

In an instant, Chen Yushu seemed to understand something. Startled, she unconsciously tore off the leaf in her hand, causing the branch to spring upward and shake off droplets that splashed onto both of them, carrying a refreshing chill.

Lu Wei let out a soft cry, shielding her head with one hand while grabbing Chen Yushu with the other, pulling her away from the spot. “So cold!”

Chen Yushu remained lost in shock, feeling as if her entire body was heating up, uncomfortable everywhere. She avoided the topic, asking, “What time is it? When does the dorm close? We should head back, right?”

“Mm,” Lu Wei hugged her arms, shivering from the cold. “Let’s go.”

Emerging from the small grove, they walked side by side, neither bringing up the unanswered question from earlier.

“You go back first,” Chen Yushu stopped, halting Lu Wei’s attempt to continue forward. “I’m leaving.”

With that, Chen Yushu didn’t look back at her, turning and jogging toward the dormitory building.

Over the few dozen meters, whether from exhaustion or something else, Chen Yushu felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Finally inside, she couldn’t hold back any longer, pressing her hands to her chest and breathing heavily.

“Ahhh, Shushu, you’re finally back!” Ye Chiwan’s eyes lit up at the sight of her, immediately focusing on the paper bag in her hand.

“Just some random cakes and pastries I packed. Here.” Chen Yushu handed her the bag, then went to wash up somewhat distractedly.

When she came out from the balcony, she saw the three of them sitting together, heatedly discussing something. Curious, she asked what was going on.

Ye Chiwan said, “Nothing much, just looking at the Weibo post Lu Wei shared.”

Hearing her name, Chen Yushu froze for a second, then slowly opened her phone. Nine photos were neatly arranged in a grid a clear blue sky, a courtyard full of flowers and plants, a corner of a piano…

And above the photos was a puppy and a bright red heart.

Chen Yushu’s heart tightened as if struck by something, but she immediately shook her head, her cheeks flushing red as if annoyed at her own wishful thinking.

Just then, a message popped up in their group chat from Qi Yan: [“Hey, you, is something going on? @Little Bookbag”]

Little Bookbag was Lu Wei’s nickname. Years ago, during a game, Lu Wei had been punished and had to change the contact name for the person at the top of her list to something that reflected their relationship, then post it on her social media.

At the time, Lu Wei had sneakily glanced at her, crouched by the door, and quickly tapped on her phone.

“Ahhh, I can’t take this, I’m going to be sick!”

“Lu Wei, you’re done for, haha! Chen Yushu is definitely going to kill you!”

Lu Wei clung to the doorframe, stubbornly insisting, “What nonsense? Little Book Treasure, Shushu’s sweetheart, how could she bear to hurt me?”

“Gag!”

Chen Yushu glanced at it, her fists clenching instantly, forcing a strained smile. “It’s fine, no big deal.”

“See, I told you,” Lu Wei patted her chest in relief, walking closer to the group. “Shushu wouldn’t dare”

Before she could finish, Chen Yushu grabbed her by the scruff of her neck, but Lu Wei remained unyielding, stubbornly declaring, “It’s true, aren’t I your sweetheart?”

“Hahaha, still so stubborn even when you’re doomed.” Qi Yan and the others watched with great amusement, while Chen Yushu was the only one fuming with rage.

Perhaps it was because of that embarrassing nickname, or perhaps it was the shame and anger of having such obvious favoritism exposed.

Later, after her strong protests, Lu Wei finally changed the name to the current one, attaching it to herself as if declaring something.

Recalling this memory, Chen Yushu’s face darkened, and she gritted her teeth in frustration, wondering how she had managed to endure it all these years.

Lu Wei hadn’t replied to the messages, so Qi An turned to ask Chen Yushu: 【Xiao Shushu, do you know?】

After all this time, Chen Yushu felt a subtle unease whenever such topics came up and couldn’t help but evade: 【How would I know about her affairs?】

Qi An immediately sent a shocked emoji: 【What? Lu Wei is secretly dating behind your back! How can you stand that?!】

The question made Chen Yushu inexplicably guilty. 【It’s none of my business.】

Behind the screen, Lu Wei clutched her phone tightly, unable to hold back any longer, and retorted to Qi An: 【Stop talking nonsense, we’re not even dating yet.】

Unexpectedly, Qi An caught the drift: 【Oh ho ho, so you haven’t succeeded yet? How was today’s progress?】

Lu Wei didn’t refute it, just stated the facts: 【Are you okay? I went out with Chen Yushu today.】

Qi An: 【…】

What did that mean? Lu Wei pouted in dissatisfaction. Why not keep teasing? It was bad enough that Chen Yushu was too dense to notice, but now even Qi An was being clueless.

Chen Yushu scrolled through the chat history, her heart filled with a strange sensation. Something indeed felt different.

The topic, started by Qi An and ended by Qi An, left the other two restless.

Just before midnight, Lu Wei suddenly sent a message: 【Qi An was just talking nonsense. I’m not secretly dating behind your back!】

Chen Yushu stared at her phone screen, puzzled for a long time.

Why did it feel like a case of “protesting too much”?

Then, Lu Wei sent another message: 【Of course, I won’t in the future, either.】

Soon, the message was retracted. The chat interface intermittently showed “typing.” but no new message appeared.

Having accidentally glimpsed this moment, Chen Yushu stared curiously at her phone, as if she could already discern many unspoken thoughts through the screen.

Her heart felt like a balloon filled with air, lifting her higher and higher, giving her an unreal sensation.

After a long silence, Chen Yushu pursed her lips and deliberately said something contrary to her feelings: 【I don’t care if you date or not. What does it have to do with me?】

After sending it, she turned off her phone and closed her eyes, intending to sleep. It wasn’t hard to imagine how furious the person on the other end would be.

Chen Yushu couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile. Her heart was so full that her soul, which should have drifted lightly into dreams, was weighed down by too much emotion, unable to part with the joy just yet.

Her nerves grew excited, stretched taut like a string, as countless scenes flickered through her mind.

What had happened? How had Lu Wei suddenly become.?

Tossing and turning, Chen Yushu couldn’t figure it out. Alone, she felt even more how absurd such thoughts were.

She wouldn’t have dared to dream that there could ever be a second possibility between her and Lu Wei.

“One more minute, ahhh, I’m so nervous!” Jiang Yuran clutched her phone tightly, praying fervently. “Bodhisattva above, please let me pass the CET-4 with a high score. In return, I vow to balance meat and vegetables in my diet for life.”

Hearing this, Ye Chiwan, who was beside her, burst into laughter.

Chen Yushu suppressed her laughter with great effort, holding back the chuckle that was about to escape.

“It’s here, it’s here!” Jiang Yuran whispered urgently, typing in her information to check the results the moment the time came. “Ahhh! Why did the webpage crash?”

Ye Chiwan: “It’s normal for it to crash with so many people checking at once. Just wait a bit and try again.”

After class, the group sat in the classroom, holding their phones with serious expressions on all four faces.

“I passed, I passed!” Ye Chiwan was the first to exclaim. “I barely studied for it, so I’m pretty satisfied with 570!”

The others’ results soon came out as well. Their foundations were solid, so their scores were all decent.

Chen Yushu’s score was about what she had expected, so she felt indifferent. She turned to remind Lu Wei.

Soon, Lu Wei sent a screenshot of her results, followed by a voice message: “Chen Yushu, did you see that? How impressive is that? I just asked around, and my score is the highest!”

“Showing off.” Chen Yushu clicked her tongue in disdain, but her eyes unconsciously lit up with a smile, bright as the moon.

Lu Wei: [Hehe, of course. For achieving such excellent results, the one I should thank the most is my dearest Shushu.]

Chen Yushu: [And you have the nerve to bring that up.]

Lu Wei: [Sheepish emoji. Let’s just let the unpleasant things stay in the past. By the way, Senior Jiang’s friend opened a restaurant. How about we go there to eat this weekend?]

Chen Yushu thought for a moment and replied: [Xiao Jiang and I already have plans this weekend. How about I bring her along? If that doesn’t work, then forget it.]

Jiang Yuran happily agreed when she found out. “This is the perfect opportunity! Watch me give you some on-the-spot advice!”

When did they make plans? How come I didn’t know?

Lu Wei stared angrily at her phone, fuming inwardly. Fine, if you’re bringing someone, don’t blame me for not holding back!