How I Accidentally Bent My Best Friend - Chapter 8

Despite her reluctance, military training arrived as scheduled.

Before seven o’clock, alarms in the dormitory rang one after another. After a rustling commotion, silence fell once more.

Chen Yushu furrowed her brows, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Yet, it felt as if she had only just closed her eyes when someone’s alarm went off again. Soon, the dormitory residents began waking up one by one.

Chen Yushu stirred groggily but remained lying down, momentarily forgetting she was no longer in high school and instinctively waiting for Lu Wei to call her.

“Shushu, get up now!”

It was Jiang Yuran’s voice. Chen Yushu’s eyes snapped open. Above her was an unfamiliar ceiling. She sat up abruptly, saw that the others were almost done washing up, and hurriedly climbed out of bed. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and changed into her military training uniform at lightning speed.

The four of them left the dorm together and arrived at the training grounds just in time.

Since it was the first day, many were still unfamiliar with the location, and nearly half the class hadn’t shown up yet.

“Oh no, oh no, it really is that she-devil,” Jiang Yuran muttered from the middle of the group, discreetly pointing ahead.

Chen Yushu followed her gaze and saw a middle-aged woman in military uniform standing at the front of the formation. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her posture ramrod straight, her eyes scanning the area with a stern, imposing air.

Gradually, however, the female instructor’s brows knitted together, and an aura of impatience radiated from her, like a storm brewing on the horizon.

Seeing this, Chen Yushu thought grimly that punishment was probably unavoidable today.

Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she was met with an up-close face.

“Why aren’t you with your group? What are you doing here?”

Lu Wei was fanning herself with her cap in one hand while tugging at her collar with the other to cool off. “No rush. Half our class hasn’t even arrived yet.”

Chen Yushu gave her a quick once-over, her uniform was at least properly worn. “Put your cap on properly. Stop fanning yourself.”

“Ugh, I’m dying of heat,” Lu Wei complained with a pout.

“Here, I have these.” Chen Yushu quietly pulled a few cooling patches from her pocket. “Come here, I’ll stick them on for you.”

Lu Wei’s eyes lit up instantly. Overjoyed, she threw her arms around Chen Yushu. “Oh, Shushu, you’re the best!”

“It’s too hot get off me.” Chen Yushu pushed her away, peeled off one of the cooling patches, stood on her tiptoes, and carefully stuck it to the back of Lu Wei’s neck.

Lu Wei let out a long, satisfied sigh.

Chen Yushu handed her the remaining patches. “Do the rest yourself.”

“Aw, since you’ve already started, why not finish the job?” Lu Wei crouched slightly in front of her and pleaded, “My forehead needs one too.”

“You’re so”

Before she could finish, someone shoved her from behind. Chen Yushu stumbled forward, nearly crashing into Lu Wei. Though she managed to stop herself just in time, their faces were now mere inches apart, close enough to feel each other’s breath. At eye level, Chen Yushu found herself staring into a pair of clear, bright pupils and froze.

Lu Wei grabbed her arms to steady her and glared past her shoulder. “Who was that?”

Chen Yushu glanced at her profile, swallowed, and looked down. “I’m fine. It was probably an accident.”

“Over here.” Lu Wei pulled her to a slightly less crowded spot and crouched down again.

Chen Yushu sighed helplessly and applied the remaining patches for her. “Don’t you have hands of your own?”

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent whistle pierced the air, and the previously scattered crowd on the field swiftly ran to their assigned formations. In an instant, the vast grounds fell silent as a graveyard.

The female drill instructor remained standing in place, her thin lips pressed tightly together as her piercing gaze swept over the students with an overwhelming sense of authority.

Chen Yushu stood in the back row, her eyes slightly unfocused, not daring to meet the instructor’s gaze. She groaned inwardly, already dreading what was to come.

From the neighboring formation, another instructor’s booming voice echoed through a megaphone as he began reprimanding his students, the rough, thunderous tone making everyone’s ears ache.

Finally, the female instructor moved, walking slowly around the formation in a clockwise direction. Everywhere she passed, students held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

After completing her circuit, she stopped and barked, “You, you, and the one in the second row, third column step forward!”

Dozens of students who had been singled out all latecomers stood to the side.

Suppressing her anger, the instructor said in a low voice, “Did you not know the assembly time?”

One boy muttered, “I couldn’t find my formation.”

The instructor immediately fired back, “The positions were posted in the group chat yesterday. If you couldn’t find it, why didn’t you come early to scout the location?”

Silence fell over the group, and the boy who had spoken hung his head.

“Boys, one hundred squats. Girls, fifty. Count them yourselves!”

At this command, a few students in the formation gasped softly.

Chen Yushu was startled too, but then she secretly sighed in relief. That was close, she had almost been among them.

Yet before she could finish her silent celebration, the instructor turned and fixed her gaze directly on them, her expression just as severe.

“Did you come here to fool around?” she demanded.

“Some of you aren’t even dressed properly. Others are still holding breakfast in your hands!”

“And some of you even now can’t stop clinging to each other. Is this how you behave during military training?”

Hearing this, Chen Yushu instinctively looked up, only to meet the instructor’s icy stare.

Apparently, that last remark had been directed at her.

Two seconds later, the instructor shifted her gaze away, but Chen Yushu’s heart pounded wildly. She cursed Lu Wei’s name in her mind.

“Today’s training is extended by one hour!”

By then, those doing squats had finished and were ordered to rejoin their formation.

Once everyone was back in position, the instructor briefly introduced herself, her surname was Yan before moving on to the first exercise: standing at attention.

At first, it wasn’t so bad. But as time dragged on, the scorching sun beat down mercilessly, its rays burning directly onto their heads. The chirping of birds and insects buzzed incessantly in their ears, adding to the exhaustion, heat, and drowsiness.

Exposed skin turned red under the sun’s glare, sweat trickling down their foreheads and cheeks. Every now and then, someone would call out a report some adjusting their glasses, others pulling up their pants.

Chen Yushu’s vision blurred in one eye as sweat stung it, and her calves ached unbearably. She silently chanted in her mind, When will this end?

But Instructor Yan remained stern, not even glancing at her watch. Chen Yushu’s expression gradually twisted in agony as she internally lamented the pointless suffering of this military training.

After what felt like an eternity just as Chen Yushu felt her legs were about to cramp Instructor Yan finally checked the time and called out, “Five-minute break!”

The moment the words left her mouth, a chorus of groans erupted.

Chen Yushu could hold on no longer. Her legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed onto the ground.

“Are you okay?”

“You alright?”

Jiang Yuran and Ye Chiwan rushed to her side, one on each side, helping her up.

“I’m fine,” Chen Yushu waved them off.

The three of them moved to a shaded spot to sit down. Xia Ke approached, cradling four bottles of water in her arms, and handed one to each of them.

Chen Yushu had just unscrewed the cap and taken a small sip when the water bottle was snatched from her hand.

“Lu Wei! You’re at it again!” Recognizing the intruder, Chen Yushu shot her an annoyed glare and reached out to grab the bottle back.

Lu Wei sidestepped, blocking her with one hand while tilting her head back to gulp down the water in large, noisy swallows.

Jiang Yuran, watching from the side, burst into laughter. “Shushu, want to drink from mine instead?”

“It’s fine, there’s still some left.” By then, Lu Wei had drunk her fill. She wiped her mouth and handed the bottle back to Chen Yushu.

Chen Yushu stared gloomily at the half-empty bottle. “Why don’t you stay with your own class instead of always coming over here?”

“What, you’re already sick of me after just a few days?” Lu Wei bumped her shoulder in protest.

“Hahaha, was the instructor talking about you two just now?” Jiang Yuran asked curiously.

Lu Wei leaned in. “What did he say?”

“Ahem.” Jiang Yuran cleared her throat, mimicking the stern tone of their instructor. “‘Some people here still can’t stop being all lovey-dovey even now. Is this how you behave during military training?’”

“Pfft HAHAHAHA!” Lu Wei immediately doubled over, slapping her thigh in amusement. “Your instructor’s got good taste, huh.”

Chen Yushu gritted her teeth, glaring at her furiously.

Lu Wei’s laughter gradually froze under her gaze. She lowered her head, pressing her lips together to stifle her giggles, shoulders trembling.

“Get lost and go back to your own spot!”

“Hmph! Fine, I’ll go. No need to be so mean.” Lu Wei stood up, dusted herself off, and took a couple of steps before turning back to stick out her tongue. “I’ll be back later, though.”

Chen Yushu let out a short laugh. “So annoying.”

As she watched Lu Wei walk away, Chen Yushu realized that Lu Wei’s formation was actually diagonally across from hers just blocked by the back row, which was why she hadn’t noticed earlier.

Ye Chiwan checked the time. “We’re about to assemble. Everyone rested up?”

Jiang Yuran: “Let me take one more sip of water.”

Chen Yushu was also a little thirsty, but as she looked at the bottle’s mouth, she hesitated.

Just then, the whistle blew.

With no time to overthink it, she quickly took a big gulp straight from the bottle and hurried back to her position.

“At ease!”

“Attention!”

“Right, dress!”

“Dismissed!”

By the time the sun was nearly setting, the grueling military training session finally came to an end.

“Someone save me, my legs are dead.”

“I’m starving. Is there still food at the cafeteria? Oh, Shushu, are you waiting for Lu Wei?”

Chen Yushu stood in place, scanning the crowd for that familiar figure in blue. “You guys go ahead. I’ll wait for her.”

“Alright, see you later.”

As the crowd dispersed in all directions, Chen Yushu rose onto her tiptoes and finally spotted the familiar figure jogging toward her.

At the last moment, Lu Wei sped up and threw herself forward. The momentum sent Chen Yushu stumbling back a few steps before she quickly wrapped her arms around Lu Wei to steady them both.

Lu Wei slumped against her, panting heavily like an exhausted puppy.

“You’re all sweaty. Stay away from me, you stink.”

Hearing this, Lu Wei released her, tugged at her own collar to sniff it, then leaned in closer to Chen Yushu. “Where? Smell again.”

“Get lost. Let’s go eat.”

“Let’s go. I’m exhausted gotta treat myself to something good today.” Lu Wei slung an arm over Chen Yushu’s shoulder. “We’re eating out.”

“No, it’s too far.”

“It’s just near the east gate, not far at all. Come on, let’s go.”

“Alright, stop dragging me.”

Seeing her agreement, Lu Wei let out an excited “Yes!” and pulled out her phone, saying, “Let me check how to get there.”

The next second, Lu Wei’s expression changed as she hissed, “Help! Why isn’t this over yet?”

“Hmm?” Chen Yushu looked over in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Lu Wei handed her the phone. “Wen Yan confessed to me yesterday, remember? I was drunk at the time and passed out, so I didn’t reply. Now she’s asking me again.”

Chen Yushu glanced at the screen, and the lingering smile on her face vanished instantly. Her hands and feet turned cold. “So, how are you planning to reply?”

Lu Wei swiped through her phone, her frown deepening. “I don’t know.”

Chen Yushu silently studied her expression, her heart pounding like a drum.

Lu Wei was as unpredictable as the wind, what she said one moment might change the next. If she had refused in the morning, who knew if she might change her mind now?

What if she suddenly decided to give Wen Yan a chance?