Beware Of The Best-Friend-Kiss Friendship Trap - Chapter 24
Chapter 24: Are You Two a Couple?
Regardless of Peach’s thoughts, Chu Weiyue felt mentally invigorated and fired up by her own declarations. Recalling the system’s previous insinuations about “official matches” and “girlfriends,” she straightened her back even more.
The system was lying. They were just good friends.
The more it tried to mislead her, the more she had to prove that their bond was one of pure friendship, nothing more!
As for the things Peach said, she certainly wouldn’t believe them. She just assumed Peach was being dramatic and talking nonsense.
It was nearly 11 o’clock. Peach had met Ruoxi and now needed to go home to pack before leaving.
Before she left, she didn’t forget to seriously remind Chu Weiyue: “Don’t forget my 9999-times return visit reward. You hold onto it for me, and I’ll come get it when I have time.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t forget you.”
The household was left with two adults and one small person.
That “one small person” had been revolving around Jiang Yiqiu, completely forgetting who her real Little Auntie was, and who usually fed and took care of her.
At such a young age, she was already a severe beauty-connoisseur.
Normally, although Ruoxi was an outgoing child who got along with everyone, she was naturally closer to her Little Auntie and should stick by her side. However, this little one was completely disloyal. After less than half an hour, she had totally forgotten her Little Auntie and was wholeheartedly following Jiang Yiqiu.
Watching the child clinging to Jiang Yiqiu’s back and sweetly calling her “Sister,” Chu Weiyue couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.
She was jealous.
—Jiang Yiqiu, I never realized you were a fan of children. You only know how to coax the little one, you won’t even look at me!
Being young certainly had its advantages. A simple act of cuteness was enough to win Jiang Yiqiu over.
Chu Weiyue was very depressed, but she couldn’t actually compete with a child for attention, so she continued to stare intently at the NBA game on the TV. The basketball on the screen looked like it was about to catch fire under her gaze.
After getting enough of the NBA, she dutifully went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Ruoxi was originally playing with toys outside, but when she saw Chu Weiyue preparing food, she finally remembered who her “provider” was, and who could make her delicious meals, so she immediately followed her in.
The little girl was just tall enough to reach the sink. She tugged at Chu Weiyue’s clothes and asked in a sweet, childish voice: “Little Auntie, are you cooking?”
Chu Weiyue smiled inwardly, The little one is sharp: “Yes. What would Ruoxi like to eat? I’ll make it for you.”
Ruoxi’s eyes sparkled: “I want a big chicken drumstick!”
She deliberately added: “Don’t add any vegetables!”
Chu Weiyue was about to agree, but her eyes darted to a certain person outside the kitchen, and her smile froze.
After a moment of hesitation, she decided to give the child a heads-up: “Ruoxi, the chicken drumstick is possible, but the situation is special today. We might have to eat vegetables.”
Ruoxi frowned: “Why? Doesn’t Little Auntie hate vegetables?”
Chu Weiyue felt helpless and pointed to Jiang Yiqiu outside the door: “She insists we eat them.”
Ruoxi pouted and thought for a moment, then smiled: “Then Little Auntie, tell Yiqiu Sister I won’t eat vegetables.”
Chu Weiyue: …
I can barely save myself. How can I save you?
Chu Weiyue busied herself in the kitchen. Ruoxi stood obediently at the doorway, watching eagerly as Chu Weiyue took the chicken drumstick out of the fridge and put it in the air fryer.
Not only did she watch, but Ruoxi also thoughtfully provided conversation.
“Little Auntie, that’s strange. I think I’ve seen Yiqiu Sister before,” Ruoxi suddenly recalled, shouting excitedly, “And I’ve seen her more than once!”
Chu Weiyue poked her little head with a laugh: “You must be mistaken. This Sister was working out of town and just came back a few days ago. How could you have seen her?”
But no matter what Chu Weiyue said, Ruoxi insisted she had seen her. Children’s words are innocent, so Chu Weiyue didn’t argue, simply humoring her and moving the conversation along.
Jiang Yiqiu, however, heard her shout from outside and came in to join the conversation: “I also feel like I’ve met Ruoxi before. I really like her.”
“Hehe, I knew it!” Ruoxi immediately threw herself into Jiang Yiqiu’s arms, rubbing against her affectionately, her cheeks flushed, making her even more adorable.
After a while, Chu Weiyue took the golden-crisp “big chicken drumstick” out of the air fryer and plated it. The tempting aroma filled the air. Ruoxi’s eyes were glued to the dish. She swallowed hard and rubbed her tummy: “Little Auntie, when do we eat?”
Chu Weiyue laughed: “Soon, wait a moment.”
Ruoxi pouted, her big eyes darting around: “Ah, but I’m hungry right now. What should I do?”
Her voice dropped several notches. She rubbed her stomach and bent slightly, as if she was about to faint from hunger.
Chu Weiyue knew the signs. A child’s little tricks were easy to see through, so she deliberately teased her: “You’re hungry?”
“Yes! I’m starving!” Ruoxi nodded emphatically.
“There’s some bread in the living room. You can eat a little of that first.”
Ruoxi’s little face immediately fell. With the crispy, fragrant chicken drumstick right there, who wanted to eat dry bread?
Seeing the smile on Chu Weiyue’s face, Ruoxi immediately realized she was teasing her. She frowned and scurried into the kitchen, clinging to Chu Weiyue’s thigh, batting her eyelashes and pleading: “Little Auntie~”
The height difference between her and Chu Weiyue was too great. She hugged her leg, strained to look up, and gazed at her with a pair of pitiful eyes: “I’m really hungry. Can I just have a little bit of the chicken drumstick?”
She held up her fair little hand, using her thumb and index finger to show a small gap: “Just a little bit.”
Chu Weiyue didn’t tease her anymore, laughing as she patted her head: “Alright, Little Auntie will get you some.”
Chu Weiyue cut a few pieces of chicken and put them in a small bowl. Ruoxi happily held the bowl and ran out of the kitchen: “Thank you, Little Auntie! I love Little Auntie the most!”
After all the hustle, three dishes and a soup were ready. The three of them sat down to eat.
Ruoxi clung to the chair, stretching her two short legs, desperately trying to climb onto the seat by herself. Unfortunately, her legs were too short, and after struggling for a while, it looked like she was just rubbing against the chair leg. Chu Weiyue saw her and walked over: “Come, I’ll help you, Ruoxi.”
She could lift Jiang Yiqiu effortlessly, and this little dumpling felt like lifting a leaf. She put her hands under her armpits and lifted her onto the chair.
Ruoxi clapped her hands and looked at her happily: “Little Auntie is so strong!”
This tender little girl was truly lovable. Jiang Yiqiu offered her food, and she held up her small bowl to receive it, politely saying, “Thank you, Yiqiu Sister.”
However, the child didn’t fully appreciate the gesture. She ate all the meat given to her, but didn’t touch the vegetables, frowning at the green food in her bowl.
She even considered the possibility of accidentally tipping over her bowl and letting all the vegetables fall to the floor.
Oh well, her mother said not to waste food.
Jiang Yiqiu guessed what was going on from her distressed expression: “Ruoxi, why aren’t you eating your vegetables?”
Ruoxi wrinkled her face into a small bitter gourd, shaking her head vigorously: “Vegetables are so gross! They’re bitter and rough, I hate them!”
Jiang Yiqiu instinctively glanced at a certain person next to her who also hated vegetables, smiled inwardly, and gently persuaded: “You are growing now, so you need to eat more vegetables.”
Ruoxi continued to frown, turning her pleading gaze toward Chu Weiyue, who was always on the same side and fighting the same enemy, calling out mournfully: “Little Auntie…”
Before Chu Weiyue could reply, Jiang Yiqiu acted first. After serving the child, she added several generous servings to Chu Weiyue’s bowl, then smiled and said, in Ruoxi’s astonished gaze: “Calling Little Auntie won’t help. Little Auntie has to eat them with you.”
The poor, suffering Little Auntie: …
Ruoxi’s eyes widened, and her small mouth formed an “O” shape. More than fear, it was admiration and shock—
Yiqiu Sister is so amazing! She can make Little Auntie eat vegetables! Even Grandma couldn’t control her!
Chu Weiyue tried to use her adult status to get a “lighter sentence”: “Ruoxi is growing and needs to eat more. I…”
Jiang Yiqiu consciously finished the sentence for her: “You are an adult and need to set an example, so you also need to eat more.”
Chu Weiyue: …
Struggling was useless. Chu Weiyue and Ruoxi, their faces wrinkled into a large and a small bitter gourd, silently ate their vegetables.
Watching the two of them being obediently tamed, Jiang Yiqiu picked up her chopsticks with satisfaction.
Ruoxi clumsily held her chopsticks, picking up the green leaves in her bowl. She endured the unpleasant taste and ate a few bites. The more she ate, the worse it tasted, and the more she felt like crying. She chewed for a long time, ate only a little, and her eyes turned red.
Jiang Yiqiu turned her head and saw her trying to hold back tears. Her heart softened: “Ruoxi, what’s wrong?”
Ruoxi’s eyes were filled with tears. With a soft blink, a tear rolled down: “Yiqiu Sister, vegetables, are yucky.”
Anyone who didn’t know better would think the adults had bullied her.
Chu Weiyue copied her, except she had no tears, so she just tried hard to blink: “Qiūqiū, vegetables, are yucky.”
Jiang Yiqiu first comforted Ruoxi with loving eyes, promising her a piece of meat after two more bites of vegetables. Then she turned a stern look on Chu Weiyue, giving her a plan: “You have to eat them even if they are yucky. This half plate is all yours.”
Chu Weiyue: …
Chu Weiyue: !!!
Chu Weiyue was filled with disbelief, doubting her own ears: “Why are you showing favoritism?”
Jiang Yiqiu said calmly: “How old are you, and how old is she?”
Chu Weiyue fell silent, grinding her teeth as she chewed the vegetables in her bowl, as if she had an ancestral grudge against them.
Ruoxi saw her Little Auntie being put in her place, and her tears stopped. She giggled.
Jiang Yiqiu coaxed her: “Eat two more bites, and I’ll give you a chicken drumstick, okay?”
Ruoxi put down her chopsticks, stretched out her chubby little hand, gripped Jiang Yiqiu’s finger, and asked pitifully: “Then, Yiqiu Sister, if I finish all the vegetables nicely, will I get a reward?”
Jiang Yiqiu was utterly charmed by her: “Of course.”
Crying children get the milk. Chu Weiyue said bitterly: “I want one too.”
Jiang Yiqiu: “You don’t get one.”
Chu Weiyue was furious: “Why not?”
Jiang Yiqiu was helpless: “Comrade Chu Weiyue, you are 24, not 4. Do you need to be coaxed to eat?”
Compared to Chu Weiyue, Ruoxi, who had secured a reward promise, became even more smug. She stuck her tongue out at Chu Weiyue and imitated her: “Little Auntie, you’re so old. Do you need to be coaxed to eat?”
Chu Weiyue nearly slammed the table. This little brat! She’d only been here a little while. Half an hour ago, she was begging her for a chicken drumstick and saying she loved her the most.
It had only been a short time, and she was already completely disloyal!
Chu Weiyue furiously ate a mouthful of vegetables, looked at Ruoxi’s smug smile, and secretly planned that the next time Ruoxi visited when Jiang Yiqiu wasn’t around, she would absolutely make an “all-vegetable feast” and make her finish every bite.
Tears wouldn’t help!
With Jiang Yiqiu’s promise, Ruoxi quieted down for a moment, slowly but steadily progressing through the vegetables.
As she ate, her eyes kept darting back and forth between Jiang Yiqiu and Chu Weiyue, clearly plotting something else.
Suddenly, she spoke: “Little Auntie.”
Chu Weiyue picked up her cup to drink water, her face sour: “Hmm? What is it?”
Ruoxi smiled, asking openly: “Are you and Yiqiu Sister dating?”
“Cough, cough…” Chu Weiyue nearly choked on her water, coughing violently. “Ru… Ruoxi, don’t say silly things.”
“Oh,” Ruoxi replied. “I have another question. Are you and Yiqiu Sister a couple?”
“…”
What’s the difference between those two questions?
Chu Weiyue still answered seriously: “We are not a couple.”
“Oh, I see.” Her tone sounded a little disappointed. Then she blinked her eyes again, asking expectantly, “Then are you living together?”
Chu Weiyue opened her mouth, speechless for a moment.
This child was so young, yet she knew all these terms.
She wasn’t sure if Ruoxi’s “living together” meant the same as the conventional understanding of “living together.”
Jiang Yiqiu spoke first: “Of course, we are. I live with Little Auntie, so isn’t that living together?”
Chu Weiyue didn’t overthink it, assuming a child this age wouldn’t have complex thoughts, and agreed: “Yes, we’re living together.”
Ruoxi nodded in realization: “So that’s it.”
“Alright, eat first. The food is getting cold,” Chu Weiyue instructed.
“Okay~” Ruoxi nodded obediently and focused on her meal.
With Yiqiu Sister’s promise, Ruoxi stopped crying and slowly but steadily finished all her food.
After a long effort, Ruoxi put down her chopsticks, proudly showed her clean little bowl to Jiang Yiqiu, her face finally free of frowns and filled with the joy of a job well done: “Yiqiu Sister, look! I finished everything!”
Jiang Yiqiu smiled and accepted: “Mm, you’re a good girl.”
She then looked up and saw Chu Weiyue’s murderous expression.
Jiang Yiqiu’s brow twitched: “You…”
Before she could ask, Chu Weiyue angrily spoke: “You called her sweetie?!” (t/n: The term 宝贝, ‘bǎobèi’, meaning darling/baby/sweetie, often implies affection.)
Jiang Yiqiu choked, momentarily stunned: “I…”
Chu Weiyue lowered her head, looking utterly lost, her face full of grievance: “You’ve never called me that.”
Jiang Yiqiu opened her mouth, momentarily speechless. But looking at the little girl watching her expectantly, she really couldn’t use certain pet names in front of a child, so she could only say: “Let’s just eat.”
Chu Weiyue was even more upset, burying her head and refusing to speak.
Human joys and sorrows are not always shared. After eating, Ruoxi remembered her reward and openly asked Jiang Yiqiu for it.
Although the reward was promised on a whim, Jiang Yiqiu was likely unprepared and couldn’t produce it instantly. Chu Weiyue intended to step in and buy her a toy or something, but Jiang Yiqiu was already prepared. She went to the room and retrieved a box, holding it out to Ruoxi.
Ruoxi opened it and saw the sparkling necklace lying in the velvet middle. Her mouth dropped open: “Wow, so pretty!”
The little girl was bold and friendly, but she was also meticulously dressed and beautiful, clearly having loved beauty since childhood. Jiang Yiqiu’s gift of a necklace was perfectly suited to her taste, and she loved it.
Chu Weiyue was highly sensitive now and asked coolly: “Was that necklace originally meant for me?”
Jiang Yiqiu was helpless: “Even if I gave it to you, could you wear it?”
“When did you buy it, and why do you carry a child’s jewelry with you?”
If it were an adult’s necklace, it could be a coincidence, but Jiang Yiqiu didn’t know Ruoxi was coming. How could she have prepared a child’s gift in advance?
Jiang Yiqiu explained casually: “I accidentally bought the wrong one before. It wasn’t expensive, so I didn’t return it.”
The reason sounded plausible, and Chu Weiyue fell silent.
Ruoxi took the necklace out of the box and held it up to the light. The child didn’t understand the value, only that it was pretty: “Yiqiu Sister, the necklace is so beautiful!”
Jiang Yiqiu bent down: “Shall I help you put it on, Ruoxi?”
The little girl nodded vigorously.
The pearl necklace was placed on Ruoxi’s slender neck. Jiang Yiqiu looked at it, then pinched her little cheek: “Ruoxi looks so pretty wearing it, like a little princess.”
No one dislikes compliments. Ruoxi was rare to be slightly shy, her face lightly flushed. She rushed into Jiang Yiqiu’s arms, affectionately hugging her arm: “Thank you, Yiqiu Sister, I love it!”
After lunch, it was nap time. Her cousin had specifically instructed that the child should nap.
Ruoxi was an extrovert, active and restless. She had hated naps since she was little. Her cousin had complained to Chu Weiyue that the child was difficult to handle, and making her nap was like asking for her life.
Ruoxi protested loudly that she didn’t want to nap and wanted to watch cartoons. Chu Weiyue felt a headache coming on, remembering her past experiences with the little one.
In the beginning, she seriously tried to coax the child, persuading her to sleep with her so she’d have energy for the afternoon. But the child wouldn’t listen. The moment her back was turned, she would secretly run off.
Chu Weiyue would call her name, and she’d pretend to be deaf.
The worst time was when she and Ruoxi were lying in bed. The little one lay with her back to her, perfectly still. Chu Weiyue thought she was asleep and relaxed, but Ruoxi had immediately run off to watch TV. She got so absorbed she forgot to return and pretend to sleep before Chu Weiyue woke up, and was caught red-handed.
Today, Ruoxi still didn’t want to nap. She sat in the living room watching TV, constantly glancing at Chu Weiyue, on guard, worried that the Little Auntie would force her to sleep at any moment.
Chu Weiyue sighed and looked to Jiang Yiqiu for help.
She told Jiang Yiqiu about Ruoxi’s situation and asked the all-powerful Jiang Xue Ba (top student) what they should do.
Jiang Yiqiu thought for a moment, then smiled brightly: “Leave it to me.”
Chu Weiyue had an instinctive trust in Jiang Yiqiu. If she said she could handle it, she definitely could. She didn’t ask further, just waited, curious to see what Jiang Yiqiu would do.
She couldn’t help but tease: “If you ever feel like quitting your job, you could easily become a preschool teacher and just coax children. The money would be a cinch.”
Jiang Yiqiu walked over to Ruoxi, opened her arms, and smiled at the little girl: “Ruoxi, shall we go to sleep?”
Facing Jiang Yiqiu, she was noticeably more hesitant than when facing Chu Weiyue, mumbling softly: “I don’t want to sleep.”
Jiang Yiqiu didn’t force her. She tried to bargain: “How about this? I won’t insist you sleep, but I’ll give you a task. If you finish it, you don’t have to sleep. Okay?”
Hearing she didn’t have to nap, Ruoxi’s eyes lit up. She nodded emphatically: “What task?”
Jiang Yiqiu: “Sister has trouble sleeping. I lie down for a long time and still can’t sleep. Can you coax Sister to sleep first, and then go watch your cartoon?”
Ruoxi was already happy about not napping. When she heard Jiang Yiqiu often had trouble sleeping, she felt very concerned and immediately accepted the task: “Okay!”
She sprang off the sofa, ran to Jiang Yiqiu, stretched out her two short arms, hugged her beloved Yiqiu Sister, and patted her soothingly: “I’ll coax Yiqiu Sister to sleep.”
She glanced back at the TV and added: “Then I’ll come back and watch cartoons.”
Jiang Yiqiu readily agreed: “No problem. Once I’m asleep, you can watch for as long as you like.”
If it were before, if Chu Weiyue or her cousin wanted to put her to bed, Ruoxi would definitely run away, shouting that she didn’t want to sleep, hated sleeping, and would fuss for over half an hour before settling down. But with Jiang Yiqiu, the matter became easy and simple.
Perhaps Jiang Yiqiu’s smile was too gentle, or perhaps Ruoxi was completely charmed by her beauty. In any case, the little girl blinked her dark eyes, looked at the long arms opening for her, and threw herself into her embrace without hesitation, being carried toward the bedroom.
Jiang Yiqiu smiled: “Thank you, Ruoxi, for being willing to help me.”
Ruoxi snuggled into her neck, closing her eyes comfortably: “Yiqiu Sister gave me a gift. I’ll coax Yiqiu Sister to sleep.”
Chu Weiyue watched silently from the side, starting to feel jealous again.
Children had all the advantages.
She didn’t even have to ask; Jiang Yiqiu willingly carried her.
Ruoxi’s big eyes darted around. Since she was close, she could easily touch Jiang Yiqiu’s cheek and even see the fine downy hair on her face.
Ruoxi stared at Jiang Yiqiu’s profile, a little lost in thought, then let out a “Wow”: “Yiqiu Sister, your skin is so white! Like cream.”
Then she reached out a tiny finger and gently poked her.
It left a small, soft dimple.
Jiang Yiqiu smiled, instinctively drawing her cheek back: “That tickles.”
Ruoxi’s gaze shifted down, still observing closely. Yiqiu Sister’s skin is so fair, Yiqiu Sister’s eyelashes are so long…
When she saw her neck, she frowned slightly: “What’s wrong with your neck? It’s all red. Are you hurt?”
Her voice was sweet, but full of genuine concern. She reached out her small hand and gently touched it, her tone soft: “Does it hurt?”
Jiang Yiqiu’s eyes were full of amusement. She turned to look at the culprit, who promptly stuck her tongue out.
Jiang Yiqiu didn’t give the actual reason to avoid giving Chu Weiyue more trouble, explaining simply: “No, it doesn’t hurt. I accidentally bumped it. It’s fine now.”
Ruoxi didn’t think so. She frowned, looking distressed: “You say it’s fine, but look, it’s turning purple.”
Being cared for by such an adorable little dumpling warmed the heart. Jiang Yiqiu curved her brows, wanting to say a few more words of thanks, when the little dumpling suddenly acted again.
She leaned in slightly, pouted her rosy lips, and kissed the red mark.
That wasn’t enough. Ruoxi then looked up, and the next kiss landed on her cheek with a soft “smack.”
The subtle, soft touch startled Jiang Yiqiu. She instinctively looked down and saw the little dumpling smiling at her, saying in a childish voice: “I gave Sister a kiss, so it won’t hurt anymore.”
Jiang Yiqiu’s heart melted. Just as she was about to thank the little girl, she suddenly felt a wave of icy coldness approaching—
Oh no.
She turned her head and saw the 24-year-old adult staring intently at them, her expression filled with unspeakable grievance.
She kissed you too?!
Chu Weiyue’s eyes were wide. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She was about to transform into a missile and launch herself right there.
Sixteen years! They had known each other for sixteen whole years! She had never kissed her, yet this little brat had stolen the first move!
—Xu Ruoxi, get down here!