Beware Of The Best-Friend-Kiss Friendship Trap - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: You’re The One With Bad Technique!

“Yueyue, what are you thinking about?” Jiang Yiqiu’s excessively beautiful face magnified in front of her eyes.

Chu Weiyue suddenly snapped back to reality. The sudden breach of her safety distance made her instinctively want to push the person away. The moment she moved her hand, her brain registered that the person in front of her was Jiang Yiqiu. Startled, Chu Weiyue quickly changed her motion from a push to a pull, trapping her in a tight embrace.

Jiang Yiqiu was encircled by a woman’s soft, hot body, which provided a reassuring strength.

Chu Weiyue stammered: “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Jiang Yiqiu rested her chin on Chu Weiyue’s shoulder, actively reaching out to hug the warm body. Feeling her tense muscles, she curved her lips: “It’s okay.”

After a while, the two finally separated.

Chu Weiyue let out a long breath, her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest.

Jiang Yiqiu was calm and composed, with enough leisure to slowly raise her hand and tuck Chu Weiyue’s slightly sweat-dampened hair behind her ear.

Chu Weiyue’s thoughts drifted away. After a long pause, she remembered what they were doing: “Weren’t we going to practice the elbow strike? Why didn’t you move at all?”

Jiang Yiqiu’s eyes filled with apology: “I got nervous and forgot what I was supposed to do.”

Chu Weiyue frowned: “Next time, let’s not do such dangerous moves. Luckily, I didn’t use any force.”

Jiang Yiqiu didn’t follow up on the next-time topic. Instead, she asked again: “What were you thinking about just now?”

Jiang Yiqiu’s fingertips gently grazed her hot cheek. Her dark eyes fixed on her, as if they could see through her skin to her heart: “Why is your face red?”

Chu Weiyue seemed startled. She reflexively took several steps back, her speech beginning to stutter: “I-I-I wasn’t thinking about anything!”

Recalling the images that had suddenly popped into her mind in that one second, Chu Weiyue was utterly terrified of herself, her face flushed crimson.

I’m doomed. What kind of nonsense was I thinking! How could I think those things!

My thoughts are getting dirtier and dirtier!

Chu Weiyue was horrified, suspecting that she was being controlled by something.

Maybe it was a side effect left by the system.

Thinking through those images in her head again, Chu Weiyue simply dared not delve further.

Lewd. Too lewd.

It’s simply a desecration of Qiuqiu.

Jiang Yiqiu pressed closer: “Why? Can’t you say? Could it be that you…”

“I wasn’t thinking anything!” Chu Weiyue’s face was so red it looked ready to bleed. She dared not say such things even if Jiang Yiqiu dared to listen. She mumbled some random excuse, ditched Jiang Yiqiu, and fled as if her life depended on it.

She was afraid that if she stayed one second longer, the other person would eat her alive.

Jiang Yiqiu remained where she was, curling her lips into a smile as she watched Chu Weiyue’s frantic escape.

The last training session ended abruptly.

But having been pushed hard by the fitness enthusiast Chu Weiyue, the remaining two, who rarely exercised, couldn’t handle it. They barely managed to shower and change clothes before collapsing and remaining motionless.

Jiang Yiqiu maintained a cultured, elegant, and upright sitting posture, while Pu Tao had melted into a puddle of mud.

“Let’s go.” Chu Weiyue called out after her shower, feeling a bit guilty when she saw Jiang Yiqiu, her eyes darting away.

“So tired.” Jiang Yiqiu looked up at her, her eyes filled with exhaustion.

“Your constitution is too poor.” Chu Weiyue shook her head and started nagging again.

Jiang Yiqiu being tired was the top priority. Chu Weiyue set aside her discomfort, nagging as she bent down and gently hoisted the other person onto her back.

Pu Tao saw this and raised a hand: “Hey, I’m tired too…”

Chu Weiyue was cold and heartless: “Then you can stay here and keep the equipment company overnight. Save them from loneliness.”

Pu Tao: …

Blatant double standards! She’s not even trying to hide it!

Furious, Pu Tao angrily got up, ran out the door first, and squeezed into the back seat.

Leaving the driver’s and passenger seats for the two of them.

Carrying Jiang Yiqiu out, the other person’s soft body pressed against Chu Weiyue’s back.

Chu Weiyue relaxed.

Carrying Qiuqiu like this, with zero distance contact, she wasn’t having any weird thoughts at all.

Just like always, her heart was only filled with peace and security.

Chu Weiyue’s internal conviction was firm: That must have been the system possessing me for a second!

There’s no way I would have any impure thoughts about my best friend!

True to her profession as a teacher, Chu Weiyue started her lecture-style nagging on the way back: “Qiuqiu, your constitution is really bad. You need to come with me when I work out from now on, understood?”

“Just exercising probably isn’t enough. How about drinking some traditional Chinese medicine to regulate your body?”

“Traditional Chinese medicine?” Jiang Yiqiu tilted her head to look at her, her expression a half-smile: “No, I only like iced Americanos.”

“Huh?” Chu Weiyue was utterly confused. What did drinking Chinese medicine have to do with iced Americanos?

She completely missed the hidden meaning.

She immediately added a rule about not drinking cold drinks, especially since her cold constitution couldn’t handle such abuse.

Pu Tao, in the back, who understood, was speechless.

Iced Americano? That Jiang Yiqiu is absolutely problematic, right?!

Combined with her previous observations, the evidence was overwhelming.

And Jiang Yiqiu’s WeChat name—she had always suspected that the name held a deeper meaning.

“MoonBender-Qiu.”

Why bend something, of all things? Why bend the moon, of all things? Heh heh heh heh, who knows if the “moon” she’s bending is the “moon” in the sky, or “Chu Weiyue’s” “Yue” (moon)?!

Don’t tell me it’s a couple’s name, chosen just to match Chu Weiyue. There are so many couple’s names, why choose this one?

And…

Pu Tao stared blankly at Chu Weiyue, whose face screamed “I’m so in love” and who looked ready to cling to Jiang Yiqiu 24 hours a day, cooking for her, warming her bed, and helping her bathe and change clothes. She suspected Jiang Yiqiu’s goal would soon be achieved.

Only one person was a complete idiot, counting money for her “best friend” after being sold out.

Truly a heinous crime!

Upon arriving home, Pu Tao was like a limp noodle stuck to the bottom of a pot. She collapsed onto the living room sofa and stopped moving.

Chu Weiyue scolded: “Your constitution is too poor. You got tired after just a few movements? You’re no good.”

Pu Tao raised her head indignantly and protested loudly: “You call that ‘just a few movements’?”

Chu Weiyue looked at her lifeless expression and shook her head: “Qiuqiu’s health isn’t great, and she didn’t get this way…”

Before she finished, she saw Jiang Yiqiu walk straight into the bedroom, drop onto the bed with a “thud,” and fall silent.

Pu Tao raised one eyebrow: Didn’t get this way like me?

Chu Weiyue’s voice trailed off. She amended, without missing a beat: “…Even with her poor health, she didn’t just lie around everywhere like you. She knows that to rest, you go to the bedroom, where it’s more comfortable to lie down.”

Pu Tao: …

Chu Weiyue’s stamina was indeed unmatched by the other two. While the other two played dead, Chu Weiyue prepared dinner as if nothing had happened.

Even while playing dead, Pu Tao didn’t forget to make requests, her voice soft and weak: “I want to eat shrimp paste with green peppers~”

Chu Weiyue: “We don’t have any shrimp at home.”

She turned to the bedroom and asked Jiang Yiqiu: “What do you want to eat?”

The person inside paused, her voice muffled: “How about shrimp paste with green peppers?”

Chu Weiyue didn’t even need to walk closer, and said resignedly: “Lie properly. Don’t bury your head in the blanket; you won’t be able to breathe.”

Jiang Yiqiu didn’t say anything, obediently rolling over.

Pu Tao was too lazy to move, but her voice was still active. Hearing the same “shrimp paste with green peppers” request, she yelled inside: “Change it! Yueyue said we don’t have any.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t hear. Then…”

Before she finished, Chu Weiyue interrupted: “No problem.”

Pu Tao: …?

She watched with resentment as Chu Weiyue calmly walked into the kitchen. The ‘dead’ Pu Tao suddenly resurrected: “I heard everything! Didn’t you say you didn’t have any?”

Chu Weiyue was a little embarrassed: “I just suddenly remembered there’s some in the freezer.”

You just suddenly remembered my foot! You just didn’t want to make it for me!

Since lunch was so rich, Chu Weiyue didn’t prepare any more heavy meat dishes. She reheated the leftovers from lunch and added the shrimp paste with green peppers that Jiang Yiqiu requested.

“Dinner’s ready.” Chu Weiyue called out after she finished.

Chu Weiyue’s cooking was truly exceptional. Pu Tao smelled the food and sprang up from the sofa like a carp leaping from water, fully energized as she headed to the bathroom to wash her hands.

She went in with a joyful, drooling expression, and came out looking utterly stunned and perplexed: “Seriously, you two…”

Chu Weiyue: “What’s wrong? Did you see a cockroach in the sink?”

“No, I didn’t!” Pu Tao made a disgusted sound, showing her repulsion for the terrifying creature that could be big or small, crawl or fly. “I’m saying, you two! Do all your things have to be matching pairs? Even your toothbrushes are the same brand, one red and one blue. Are you two an ancient ‘Red and Blue make a CP’ pair?”

Chu Weiyue pointed out righteously: “What nonsense are you talking about? Please don’t slander our pure friendship.”

“I just found it easy to use and recommended it to Qiuqiu, that’s all.”

Pu Tao “oh’d.” I’ll believe you when I see it.

No matter how much she argued, this person wouldn’t admit it, so Pu Tao couldn’t be bothered.

These two—couple profile pictures, couple IDs, using each other’s photos as wallpaper, and their Q/Q Couple Space has been open for over ten years.

Using couple toothbrushes? That’s basic operation, right?

Then she recalled the past: when Q/Q first launched the Couple Space, Chu Weiyue immediately pulled Jiang Yiqiu into opening one, excluding her.

Pu Tao started dredging up old scores, making a mental note to debit them.

At the table, she saw the beautifully crisp-fried green peppers and the fresh, juicy shrimp paste filling that was almost spilling out. Pu Tao lifted her chopsticks to start eating, then watched as Chu Weiyue calmly picked up the plate and set the dish squarely in front of Jiang Yiqiu.

Facing Pu Tao’s bewildered and incredulous gaze, Chu Weiyue answered calmly: “Qiuqiu can’t eat leftovers.”

Pu Tao: …

She wanted to argue: “Then what about me…”

Chu Weiyue: “Look, you have meat and vegetables, plenty of delicious food. Are you still not satisfied?”

Pu Tao shut up, knowing she couldn’t win against a certain person, and angrily picked up her chopsticks to eat.

In the end, Jiang Yiqiu took pity on her and shared some of the shrimp paste.

Chu Weiyue’s conflict with Pu Tao ended, and her conflict with Jiang Yiqiu began.

Chu Weiyue tried to slip it past her while Pu Tao was present, rushing to eat all the meat dishes and being very careful, not daring to say a word for fear of being noticed by Jiang Yiqiu and getting scolded.

Jiang Yiqiu’s attention was completely absorbed in chatting with Pu Tao, and Chu Weiyue secretly rejoiced as she happily devoured the meat.

Pu Tao is truly a reliable best friend in crucial moments.

She was eating happily, reaching her chopsticks towards the sweet and sour ribs, when another pair of chopsticks intercepted her mid-air.

An alarm blared in her mind, signaling danger. Her movement stopped abruptly. She stiffened her neck and looked up after a three-second pause.

She saw Jiang Yiqiu staring at her with a cold expression.

More accurately, she was staring at her rice bowl piled high with meat.

Jiang Yiqiu spoke, her tone gentle, but to Chu Weiyue, it was like a demonic voice piercing her brain: “You look like you’re enjoying your meal.”

A massive red “SOS” flashed in Chu Weiyue’s mind. She managed to force a smile: “Of course I’m happy. Eating with Qiuqiu makes the food taste especially good.”

The next second, Jiang Yiqiu’s face turned cold: “At noon, with Pu Tao here, I figured I’d let you have a good meal and didn’t say much. You’re still not being mindful in the evening?”

Chu Weiyue muttered under her breath: “I worked out so much today. I need to supplement with high-quality protein.”

“Good,” Jiang Yiqiu picked up some food for her, “then you should also supplement with high-quality vitamins.”

“…”

The two started arguing, back and forth, neither giving an inch.

“Can’t I just eat it tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow comes tomorrow.”

“Just be lenient for today!”

“I promised Auntie I would watch you eat properly.”

Chu Weiyue’s eyes widened as she looked at the merciless Jiang Yiqiu: “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you! I…”

“Stop!” Seeing that the argument wasn’t going anywhere, Pu Tao, who had witnessed the whole thing, quickly intervened, calling a timeout: “I have a compromise suggestion.”

The two turned their heads simultaneously: “What?”

Pu Tao suggested with a sincere smile: “Arguing won’t solve anything. You two should just kiss.”

All that flirting and sweet-nothings right in front of me!

Chu Weiyue glared at her: Aren’t things messy enough for you?

Jiang Yiqiu didn’t continue the argument. She asked one last time: “Will you eat it, or not?”

Chu Weiyue’s beautiful face was crumpled in a frown, filled with defiance. She suspected Jiang Yiqiu was seeking revenge for the gym session and deliberately targeting her.

Chu Weiyue was indignant, her face drawn. Pu Tao watched nervously, truly afraid she would throw down her chopsticks and leave, thinking of how to salvage the situation.

Quick, think, you blockhead!

Then, she saw Chu Weiyue pick up her chopsticks, reach for the vegetables Jiang Yiqiu had placed in her bowl, stare at them bitterly for three seconds, and then quickly eat them clean.

Pu Tao: …?

Chu Weiyue finished quickly, then spoke in a wronged, pouting voice: “Fine, I’ll eat it. You put it in my bowl.”

“Of course, no problem.” Jiang Yiqiu smiled and agreed, then put one vegetable after another into her bowl.

Chu Weiyue defiantly ate every single one.

She ate whatever was put in front of her, obediently.

Jiang Yiqiu maintained a smile the entire time, without getting angry at all.

Pu Tao was dumbfounded.

This isn’t a meal; it’s practically an obedience test targeting Chu Weiyue.

After two years, Jiang Yiqiu has leveled up to a Grandmaster.

Completely crushing the newbie, Chu Weiyue.

Chu Weiyue finally ate properly, and the dinner table became harmonious again.

Only one person remained sulky and silent.

Halfway through the meal, Jiang Yiqiu reached for the cup on the table to drink water, but Chu Weiyue immediately stopped her.

Pu Tao thought she was still angry about the previous incident, deliberately blocking Jiang Yiqiu from drinking water, and blurted out: “Don’t be so petty. You won’t even let her have a sip of water?”

Chu Weiyue didn’t say a word. She took her cup, poured out the water, and went to the kitchen to fill it with new water for her.

Realizing that things weren’t as she thought, Pu Tao was confused: “What are you doing? Is the water you poured different?”

Chu Weiyue glanced at her, mildly scolding: “Qiuqiu can’t drink cold water.”

Although she didn’t say more, her eyes clearly said: “You’ve known her for over ten years, and you didn’t even remember that.”

Pu Tao: …

The reason she’s suffered so much from these two over the years has a reason.

Her mouth just can’t be controlled.

Pu Tao decided that whenever she was with these two simultaneously, she would switch to robot mode. Answer only what was asked. If they didn’t actively ask her, she wouldn’t say a single extra word.

Also, next time, she must bring Meng Linchen along so she could share this suffering.

As for Chu Weiyue, she looked at Jiang Yiqiu drinking the warm water she had just poured, her face stern as she nodded in satisfaction.

The reason for the stern face was probably to remind others: I haven’t forgotten the humiliation of being criticized just now.

Pu Tao stopped talking, swearing that she wouldn’t open her mouth once more before the end of the meal, to save herself the trouble.

She couldn’t help but wonder to herself: with Chu Weiyue’s natural habit of caring for Jiang Yiqiu, which she did effortlessly and instinctively, she would probably still wash her underwear with a cold face, even if they had a cold war or broke up.

While they were eating, the phone rang.

It was her cousin, who had an urgent matter the next day and needed Chu Weiyue to look after her child.

Chu Weiyue’s grandmother only had two daughters: her aunt and her mother. The two families often visited each other. She had often helped look after her little niece since she was very young. Since she had nothing to do at home anyway, she agreed.

Pu Tao, who had resolved to shut up ten minutes ago, was already “backtracking”: “Ruoxi is coming? I have to see her before I leave.”

“Sure, she’s coming tomorrow morning.”

Then she explained to Jiang Yiqiu: “Ruoxi and her mother were living out of town before, and she was very young, so you haven’t met her yet. You can see her tomorrow. She’s especially cute.”

Pu Tao lay down on the sofa again after eating, casually scrolling through her phone: “Yueyue, that food blogger post I sent you is getting good data. A lot of people are asking where I found such a great cook. They’re praising your food for looking delicious.”

Pu Tao had a side hustle online as a lifestyle blogger. She shared her daily life and had accumulated tens of thousands of followers, earning some extra cash. This time, she posted photos of Chu Weiyue’s rare home-cooked meal online, and the data was actually better than her usual posts.

“I usually post about my soul-crushing job. It’s the first time I’ve posted content like this. A lot of people are suspicious that I sold my account.”

Pu Tao had a new idea. She quickly ran over to Chu Weiyue, happily proposing: “I have a new idea.”

Chu Weiyue had a natural suspicion of this person: “What is it? Another wicked idea to harm me?”

“Oh, come on, why would you say that? How many years have we been best friends? Why would I harm you?” Pu Tao had a favor to ask. Although she internally rolled her eyes and wanted to scold her, she maintained a kind smile on her face.

Although that smile looked more like a smirk to Chu Weiyue.

“I have a thought. Just posting a photo of the food gets such high viewership. With a face like yours, if you showed it and created a ‘Beautiful Chef Goddess’ image, the traffic would be…”

Before she finished, Chu Weiyue rejected her, finding it too bothersome.

Pu Tao’s face immediately fell. She put away all her enthusiasm, not wanting to give her even a second of pleasant expression: “Waste of time.”

Pu Tao lay back down, stretching her aching arms. She muttered softly: “We finally got together, and I spent the whole time exercising with you.”

Chu Weiyue adopted the lecturing tone she used with her students, earnestly educating her: “How can you say ‘exercising with me’? You also gained a good body.”

Pu Tao said weakly: “So, should I thank you?”

Chu Weiyue waved her hand: “We’ve been friends for so many years. No need for thanks.”

“…”

Bickering aside, Pu Tao was still a bit envious of Chu Weiyue’s physique, which was far superior to hers: “The Taekwondo you learned and the exercise you did all those years weren’t for nothing.”

“Auntie was so far-sighted.”

Chu Weiyue had indeed studied Taekwondo and stuck with it for years. This experience was all thanks to her mother’s idea.

Years ago, a relative’s child was almost kidnapped by human traffickers. Because of the child’s strong physical fitness and quick reflexes, he seized the opportunity to punch the trafficker to the ground, ran away, and outran him by two streets, saving his own life.

It sounded incredible and quite legendary. The story quickly spread through the neighborhood. Mrs. Chu was deeply moved when she heard it. To ensure Chu Weiyue could also knock down a trafficker with one punch and outrun them by two streets in the future, she immediately enrolled her in a Taekwondo class.

At first, Chu Weiyue found it tiring and didn’t want to go, but her mother insisted it was a life-saving skill, making her stick with it for all those years. Whether her self-defense skills were good was unknown—she hadn’t encountered a trafficker yet—but her physical fitness was top-notch. This also developed her habit of exercising, which she had maintained over the years.

Unfortunately, Pu Tao could only be envious. She was too lazy and couldn’t stick with it. So, she continued to complain with a resentful look, saying their planned outing had turned into a gym session.

Chu Weiyue reassured her: “Qiuqiu is back. We’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future. How about the four of us go on a trip during the winter break?”

Pu Tao: “Winter break?”

Chu Weiyue suddenly seemed to realize: “Oh, right, I almost forgot. You don’t have a winter break. Only I, as a teacher, get a winter break. My apologies. I shouldn’t bring up such a sad topic when I get an extra month of paid leave compared to you.”

Pu Tao: …

Get lost, you dog!

Pu Tao grumbled and refused to leave the sofa, complaining that her body was falling apart from the strenuous workout Chu Weiyue dragged her to.

“I’m so bored. What should we play?” After lying down for a while, a bored Pu Tao rolled around on the sofa, starting to think of new entertainment.

“What do you want to play?”

“Three people can’t even play Werewolf. We can only play Fight the Landlord.”

“If Linchen were here, we could play Mahjong.”

Chu Weiyue shook her head: “Qiuqiu doesn’t know how to play Mahjong.”

In the end, the three took out a deck of poker cards and played Fight the Landlord.

They agreed that the loser had to stick paper strips on their face. Chu Weiyue and Pu Tao were full of energy, eager to cover the other’s face completely. Jiang Yiqiu, however, seemed distracted, lost in thought about something. She had to be reminded several times when it was her turn to play.

Halfway through the game, Chu Weiyue’s phone rang again.

“Teacher Chu is busy with work, I see.” Pu Tao teased casually.

“Do you want the pair of 2s?” Chu Weiyue threw out two cards, stood up to grab the phone, and also warned Pu Tao not to cheat while she was away: “Qiuqiu, keep an eye on her. Don’t let her steal cards.”

“Go already! I, Pu Tao, am honest and upright! Would I do such a despicable, shameless thing?”

“Yeah, right,” Chu Weiyue rolled her eyes. “I remember that time in the eighth grade when we played Fight the Landlord. I drew the small joker, and you still stole a four-of-a-kind. I haven’t forgotten.”

A vein pulsed on Pu Tao’s forehead: “It only happened once in all the years we’ve played! It was eight hundred years ago, and you still bring it up every day!”

If the difference in their physical strength wasn’t so vast, she would have flown up and kicked her twice.

Chu Weiyue refused to let her off the hook: “That’s called having a criminal record. Why shouldn’t I mention it?”

Jiang Yiqiu watched them with an amused expression.

“It’s an unknown number…” Chu Weiyue placed her cards face down on the table and answered the call: “Hello.”

The person on the other end said something, likely asking a few questions. Chu Weiyue answered them one by one. Then, the person said something else. Chu Weiyue’s lazy slouch on the sofa instantly straightened up, her eyes shining with excitement. She was just short of cheering: “Is that so? Really?”

The person on the other end said something else. Chu Weiyue looked slightly hesitant, her eyes instinctively drifting toward Jiang Yiqiu: “This…”

After a moment of hesitation, the person on the other end urged her. She looked like she had made up her mind, nodding emphatically: “That’s right, we are.”

The person said a few more words. Chu Weiyue could barely contain the smile on her face: “Okay, okay, no problem.”

Pu Tao was consumed by curiosity and quietly asked: “What is it? Why are you so happy?”

Chu Weiyue was overjoyed: “Qiuqiu and I went shopping two days ago and liked two sweaters, but they were too expensive, so we didn’t buy them. The saleswoman called for a follow-up, saying I was the 9,999th lucky follow-up customer, and they’re going to send us those two sweaters for free. That’s worth several months of my salary!”

Pu Tao also started smiling: “No way, something this good actually happens?”

Chu Weiyue’s smile suddenly faltered: “Wait, I didn’t leave her my phone number.”

The room went silent for a moment.

Jiang Yiqiu spoke up: “It was me. The saleswoman asked me, and I left yours.”

Chu Weiyue smiled again: “So that’s it. Luckily you left your number.”

Pu Tao: “Did she ask you anything else? Why were you so hesitant just now?”

Chu Weiyue’s face flushed slightly, looking a bit awkward: “Well… she said this event was only for couples and asked if the two of us were a couple. She rushed me, and I was afraid the prize would slip away, so I…”

“Huh?” Pu Tao’s mouth dropped open. Then, remembering the price of the two sweaters, she gave her a thumbs-up: “That was worth acting like a couple for.”

Chu Weiyue: …

She looked at Jiang Yiqiu: “Sorry about that. I only said that to claim the prize. You don’t blame me, do you?”

Jiang Yiqiu smiled and shook her head: “Why would I? I can certainly understand doing that for a prize, and I’m happy to.”

“Hehe, that’s good. She’s compiling the data and said we can pick up the prize tomorrow afternoon.”

Pu Tao was still a little worried: “Is this… could it be a scam?”

“They’re such a big brand. Probably not,” Chu Weiyue said. “We’ll know whether it’s real or not tomorrow.”

“Good point. Then you two should go check it out tomorrow. Since it’s an in-store transaction, you don’t have to worry about fraud or anything.”

Chu Weiyue: “I hope it’s real. I’ve never won such a big prize in my life.”

Pu Tao was genuinely happy for her, but although she didn’t say anything, Chu Weiyue noticed the envy in her eyes.

Right, and Pu Tao.

Even though they often bickered when they got together, she still had to think of her good friend in matters like this.

Chu Weiyue was just about to ask the saleswoman if she could exchange the prize for three items of equal value when Jiang Yiqiu suddenly spoke: “Yueyue, can you give me the phone? I have a few questions for her.”

Jiang Yiqiu was always meticulous in her dealings, likely wanting to confirm details to prevent fraud. Chu Weiyue handed over the phone: “Wait a moment. She said she’s verifying the bill.”

After about two minutes, a female voice rang out again: “Miss, are you still there?”

“Hello.” Jiang Yiqiu put the call on speaker.

The person on the other end was clearly surprised by the sudden change to a gentle female voice: “You are…”

“I’m the person who visited the store with Ms. Chu that day. I wonder if you remember me.”

The person paused for a second. The originally polite formality was replaced by a barely concealed enthusiasm: “Oh, it’s you. I remember, I remember, of course! How may I assist you… with your questions?”

“Well, since we’re lucky customers, can we apply for a little more benefit? I have another friend here.”

Chu Weiyue’s eyes widened. She thought: Jiang Yiqiu is so bold! It’s already free, and it’s so expensive. They’re being generous already. At most, they could exchange it for three items of similar total value. Why is she outright asking for more?

However, what happened next made her eyes widen even further. The person on the other end didn’t hesitate, immediately agreeing, her tone sincere and enthusiastic: “Of course, ma’am. I just checked. Besides being the store’s 9,999th follow-up customer, the two of you were also the 999th customers to visit that day, so you qualify for an additional benefit. I can add another identical sweater for you…”

Before she could finish, Jiang Yiqiu smiled and said: “No need for an identical one, right? The two of us and that friend are not a couple.”

Although Jiang Yiqiu’s tone was very gentle, Pu Tao suddenly shivered.

Chu Weiyue heard the word “couple” and lowered her head in embarrassment again.

She secretly reminded herself: They are doing this for the clothes! For tens of thousands of dollars!!!

The saleswoman on the other end also reacted immediately, realizing her mistake: “My oversight. We will arrange a different style of clothing for that lady. Does that work for you?”

Pu Tao muttered to herself: It’s like they’re afraid I’ll accidentally end up with a couple’s outfit with one of them.

She suspected it was intentional, but she had no evidence.

Then she thought: What would I do wearing couple’s clothes with those two, anyway? Remembering the image of herself interrupting their pairing, Pu Tao vigorously shook her head. Forget it, forget it. Why would I want to be a third wheel?

At the same time, she suspiciously glanced at Jiang Yiqiu. Gaining such a huge benefit with just a few sentences? Could she have set a trap in advance?

But she only worried for a second before relaxing.

Then again, even if it was a trap, it was a trap that dropped money from the sky. In any case, the person being fooled was Chu Weiyue, not her, and she should actually thank Jiang Yiqiu.

After communicating with the saleswoman, the phone was returned to Chu Weiyue.

The saleswoman gave a few final instructions, then concluded with a smile: “Ma’am, you are very lucky to have won such a big prize. You should participate more in similar activities in the future.”

The words were almost too proactive, as if she was hoping she would win again. The implication: We can’t wait to send you more great prizes.

Pu Tao quietly scrutinized Jiang Yiqiu again.

But since it was only suspicion and there was no evidence, Pu Tao quickly stopped thinking about it and became excited about the massive windfall.

Chu Weiyue’s admiration for Jiang Yiqiu grew another level. Look at Qiuqiu. If she hadn’t said those few extra words, Pu Tao wouldn’t have gotten that prize.

Indeed, one must be brave and actively strive for what they want.

They played until around 10:30 PM. The card game ended, the excitement of winning the prize subsided, and the three retired to their respective rooms to rest.

Jiang Yiqiu came out after her shower wrapped in a towel. Chu Weiyue immediately walked up and reached out to her.

Jiang Yiqiu was caught off guard and pulled closer, their bodies almost touching.

Looking at the person inspecting her body, Jiang Yiqiu stiffened: “W-what’s wrong?”

“Helping you check if there are any injuries.”

Chu Weiyue’s hands didn’t stop moving. Ever since the last time she roughhoused with Jiang Yiqiu and left suspicious marks on her neck, she had been extra careful about this.

First, she couldn’t keep hurting Jiang Yiqiu. Second, if these marks were misunderstood by others, it would look like they were doing something inappropriate!

Fortunately, apart from the red marks on her neck, no other injuries were found.

The marks on her neck were the ones she had pressed onto her. By now, they were subtly turning bluish. If Jiang Yiqiu’s skin wasn’t so pale, they wouldn’t be this obvious, but at this moment, the marks still had the same visual impact as usual.

If seen by someone uninformed, they might think the two were engaging in some strange, unspeakable play.

After confirming there were no other marks, Chu Weiyue applied ointment to her.

The skin on the neck was fragile and easily bruised. Chu Weiyue applied the ointment as gently as possible.

She knelt behind Jiang Yiqiu, pressing on her thin, delicate back. Before she could rub for long, Jiang Yiqiu’s body started to tremble slightly.

Chu Weiyue leaned her head over from behind: “Why are you trembling?”

Jiang Yiqiu’s lips still held a trace of an unfinished smile: “It tickles a little.”

Chu Weiyue opened her mouth, wondering if the pressure was too light: “Then, should I use a little more force?”

Jiang Yiqiu’s body paused, then she nodded: “Just use force. I’m not that delicate.”

And you’re not delicate? You bruise easily with just a slight touch. Chu Weiyue thought to herself, subtly increasing the pressure.

She applied the medicated oil again, rubbing it onto her skin.

Her fingers applied force.

“Mm…” Caught off guard, Jiang Yiqiu nearly cried out. A soft moan escaped between her lips.

The groan rang right beside Chu Weiyue’s ear, instantly overwhelming her and sending a subtle shiver of sensation straight up to her head.

Chu Weiyue was startled. She immediately withdrew her hand, her speech beginning to stutter: “W-w-what’s wrong? Does it hurt?”

Jiang Yiqiu turned her head, a light blush on her face. Her eyes seemed misty, whether from pain or something else. Her voice was incredibly soft: “A little lighter.”

Chu Weiyue’s eyes were fixed on her neck. The smooth, pale skin, slick with medicated oil, shimmered with a watery sheen. It seemed to have dyed the small red mole on the side of her neck, making it sparkle enticingly.

Chu Weiyue nodded repeatedly, practically unsure how to control her hands: “Okay, I’ll be gentler.”

The neck is one of the most sensitive and vulnerable parts of the human body. Coupled with Chu Weiyue’s nervousness, she couldn’t gauge her strength. Too light, and it tickled Jiang Yiqiu; too hard, and she risked hurting her. It took considerable effort.

She finally finished applying the ointment after immense effort.

Chu Weiyue felt exasperated: Why has applying the ointment been so complicated and difficult these last few times? I never had this much trouble applying ointment for Qiuqiu before.

But no matter what, it was finally done. Chu Weiyue put the items away, preparing to go to sleep.

Seeing Jiang Yiqiu’s flushed and pitiful expression, Chu Weiyue felt apologetic. It was all her unskilled hands’ fault, causing her so much pain. She said regretfully: “My technique isn’t very practiced. Did I hurt you?”

By the look of her, Jiang Yiqiu seemed uncomfortable, but she forced a smile, afraid of making Chu Weiyue feel sad or guilty: “No, it felt very comfortable. Thanks to you, it would have been very inconvenient to apply it myself.”

Her obvious forced cheerfulness made Chu Weiyue feel even more guilty. She pursed her lips, her tone slightly downcast: “You don’t need to comfort me. I know I didn’t do a good job this time and I hurt you.”

Jiang Yiqiu still wanted to comfort her, but Chu Weiyue insisted: “You don’t need to worry about my feelings. Tell me where I went wrong. Just say it directly.”

Jiang Yiqiu hesitated for a moment: “Directly?”

Chu Weiyue: “Directly. Only by pointing out the problem can I improve. We encourage each other and progress together, for a better experience next time.”

Jiang Yiqiu couldn’t help but smile, lowering her lashes as she spoke softly: “Then I’ll say it.”

Chu Weiyue was still earnest: “Go ahead.”

Jiang Yiqiu spoke, her tone half-resigned and half-amused: “I think your technique this time really has regressed. Um… it was just a little bit bad.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Weiyue’s eyes immediately widened, filled with indignation: “What did you say?”

…

While the two were struggling over the red marks on the bed, Pu Tao, who had been completely exhausted by the gym, was getting ready for bed in the next room. Just as she was about to lie down, she realized she had a blanket but no pillow. This bedroom had been unused, so there wasn’t much in it. Pu Tao searched the closet but couldn’t find one. She sent a message to Chu Weiyue, asking if she had an extra one.

There was no reply for a while.

Since they were in the same house, just a few steps away, she simply got up and went to the adjacent bedroom. Seeing the light on and the door not completely closed, she didn’t stand on ceremony and pushed the door open.

She pushed the door open, and the sight before her made her eyes widen in shock—

Chu Weiyue rose in a fury, promptly tackling Jiang Yiqiu onto the bed.

All Pu Tao heard was Chu Weiyue’s indignant voice: “Who has bad technique? You’re the one with bad technique!”

Pu Tao froze for a second, turning into a statue on the spot.

??? Why are they doing that with the door open?!

You two have clearly been sleeping together for a long time, haven’t you?!