Healing the Black Lotus Female Supporting Character (Transmigration into a Book - ABO) - Chapter 26

As soon as Bian Chengyi arrived, Hua You’s three roommates exchanged a few polite words with her, then shot Hua You a series of knowing looks before fleeing the room like a pack of mischievous little devils.

“We finished setting up your things! Good luck tonight!” they sang in unison—clearly delighted with themselves.

Hua You waved her fists at them behind Bian Chengyi’s back, wishing she could chase them down. But the moment Bian Chengyi turned her eyes on her, Hua You immediately felt… weirdly guilty.

I didn’t even do anything wrong! Why do I feel like I did?! Ughhh.

While Bian Chengyi calmly started folding her clothes, Hua You collapsed face-first onto her bed, rolling around in embarrassment, trying to burn off the shame that still clung to her like static.

Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Sister Bian…” she mumbled. “How long were you standing outside the door just now?”

Bian Chengyi gave a soft laugh, slipping a shirt onto a hanger.
“Only a few minutes. But someone’s voice was very… captivating. I couldn’t help but listen a little longer.”

Hua You groaned and buried her face in the bed.
“That’s called eavesdropping! You know that’s illegal, right? That’s—immoral!”

“Mmm.”
Bian Chengyi looked over at her, a teasing glint in her eyes.
“I suppose, in your eyes, I’m not a very moral person.”

Hua You immediately sat up, flailing her arms in denial.
“No no no! In my eyes, Sister Bian is the most moral, most kind, most wonderful person in our entire class!”

That made Bian Chengyi chuckle, her mood clearly lifted. She went back to folding her clothes with renewed energy.

“I’ll… choose to believe that.”

Then Hua You suddenly straightened up with a mischievous grin.

“Okay, then let’s be fair. What kind of person am I in your eyes, hmm? You’ve never told me!”

What kind of person?

The kind who makes this whole world feel alive again.

But of course, Bian Chengyi couldn’t say that. So she simply turned her head, thought for a moment, and replied:

“What part are you asking about?”

“Any part!” Hua You said cheerfully. “Personality, looks—you can say I’m pretty. I won’t get mad, promise!”

“You are pretty,” Bian Chengyi said with a perfectly straight face.
“As for the rest… like I said before—you’re like a cat.”

Hua You huffed and crossed her arms.
“What does that even mean? You always sound like you’re teasing me when we talk.”

Bian Chengyi’s lips curved just slightly.
“Maybe a little.”

There were so many things Bian Chengyi didn’t dare say out loud.

Like how Hua You’s almond-shaped eyes were always so bright and clear—soft like a kitten’s, but glowing with starlight. They were like whirlpools, slowly pulling her in.

Sometimes, Bian Chengyi found herself completely lost in those eyes.
Other times, she was afraid to even look at them—because they were too pure, too honest. They made her feel like her own messy thoughts might taint something that beautiful.

She knew.
Hua You probably likes me now.

And sometimes, she told herself to take a step back.

But in the end, she always took one more step forward.

Just like when she agreed to that crazy idea of getting married.

Everyone else said it was for academics—for the sake of tutoring, for university prep.

But what she really thought?
Only Bian Chengyi knew.

While Bian Chengyi was lost in her thoughts, Hua You had already moved on from the “cat” conversation.

“By the way, I haven’t seen Foggy in a while. I hope I run into her at lunch tomorrow!”

When Bian Chengyi finished unpacking, it was just about time for Sunday night self-study.
The moment the two of them walked into the classroom together, it was like someone dropped a match into a pot of oil.

“Congrats to the newlyweds!” one of the boys yelled.

“Hey, Class Rep! Demon Queen! Got any wedding candy? We’re starving!”

“Aww, so when’s the wedding?”
A few girls—ones who were fairly friendly with Bian Chengyi—gathered around her.
“After the college entrance exams?”

Meanwhile, Hua You was surrounded by a crowd of classmates all begging for wedding candy.
“Slow down, everyone, I promise there’s enough for all of you!”

Just as someone almost bumped into her, Bian Chengyi calmly slipped her arm around Hua You’s waist, pulling her in to protect her from the chaos. She cleared her throat and said with gentle authority:

“The wedding hasn’t been planned yet. It might not happen for a long time… And as for you lot—once you get your candy, back to your seats.”

Even Qin Jing, who had kept her distance from everyone since that incident, shyly came over for candy.

After what happened, nobody really interacted with Qin Jing anymore. No one openly bullied her—but no one went out of their way to talk to her either. She’d grown noticeably thinner, quieter. And when she came up now, she simply said:

“Congratulations.”

There was no confrontation, no attempt to make a scene.

Hua You narrowed her eyes slightly and said,
“Sorry. I only give candy to people I like.”

Qin Jing froze, words caught in her throat. Her voice shook as she asked,
“So just because I made a mistake once, there’s no way back? Hua Hua… we used to be such good friends…”

“Forgiveness for what you did is Fang Jinyu’s choice,” Hua You replied calmly.
“But for me personally… I just don’t like you. Still, don’t worry—I’ll treat you like a regular classmate in daily life. But this candy represents joy, and I only share that with people who I feel deserve it.”

It was a harsh moment.
Qin Jing stood there, stunned. Her eyes welled up, and her voice cracked again.

“Jinyu said she doesn’t blame me… so it’s you who still holds it against me?”

Hua You sighed, her tone not cruel—just steady.

“What’s the point of pushing this? Let’s keep it civil. We didn’t break up—we just stopped being friends. Friendship isn’t a prize to be won. If you have to beg for it, it was never real in the first place.”

With dozens of eyes on her, Qin Jing took a deep breath, said nothing more, and quietly walked back to her seat.

After evening self-study, Hua You and Bian Chengyi strolled back to their dorm together, the hallway lights washing everything in a soft yellow glow.

They talked a little about Qin Jing.

“To be honest,” Hua You said with a small sigh, “if she’d just come to me in private, I might’ve gone easier on her. But she tried to use the crowd to pressure me, and I guess that made my rebellious streak kick in.”

Bian Chengyi rubbed her fingers gently along the back of Hua You’s hand.

“You don’t need to waste too much energy on her. I knew what she was like even back when I was close to Xiaoyu… She’s the kind of person who wears you down slowly with guilt. A soft blade, not a sharp one.”

Then Bian Chengyi’s pace slowed a little.

“Have you always been this bothered by what I used to think of you?”

Hua You scratched her head, looking sheepish.

“Honestly? I’m already grateful you never told your mom anything bad about me. The past is the past. What really matters is… what you thought of me after that first time you marked me.”

“Oh?” Bian Chengyi gave a light chuckle.

“Well… at first, I really did think you were a bit foolish—always being used by others without realizing. But from that day on, I don’t know why… I just started seeing you differently.”

She glanced sideways at Hua You.

“And honestly? From that day on… my world started changing, too.”

Of course, Bian Chengyi didn’t say any of that aloud—didn’t want Hua You getting too full of herself. And Hua You, completely pleased with the response she did get, grinned with pride.

“People change! A lot of things change!” she said brightly.
“Like how I used to be at risk of not even making it into a regular college… but now? After three rounds of weekly tests, even the teachers say Yeda is basically in my pocket!”

She puffed out her chest, proud of her speech.
“That just proves it—nothing is impossible! The world is full of hope! We have to face tomorrow with open arms!”

Looking thoroughly impressed with her own “deep wisdom,” Hua You marched forward, dragging Bian Chengyi by the hand back toward their dorm.

The day had been packed from start to finish, and neither of them had gotten a chance to shower at home. When they returned to their room, Hua You noticed Bian Chengyi had already pulled out her workbook and started to study.

She hesitated for a moment.
“Um, Sister Bian… if you’re not showering right now, I’ll go first, okay?”

“Alright.”
Bian Chengyi didn’t even look up—she just flipped to a fresh page and replied simply.

The sound of running water soon filled the air.

Bian Chengyi’s breathing, however, became increasingly uneven. After misspelling the same simple word three times in a row, she reached for correction tape—and accidentally tore the page.

With a sigh, she set her pen down altogether.

Instead of forcing herself to focus, she let her gaze drift toward the bathroom door.

It was just a regular, solid door. Nothing special about it. But as she listened to the sound of the water, her mind refused to settle.

Maybe sharing a dorm with someone of a different secondary gender…
…is going to take more time to get used to than I thought.

Or maybe—just maybe—it wasn’t about adjusting.

Maybe she had feelings she was trying not to admit.

Bian Chengyi let out a soft, self-deprecating chuckle and shook her head.
What am I even thinking?

Not long after, Hua You stepped out, her damp hair clinging to her cheeks. She wore an oversized, cozy pajama set with a little brown bear on the front, making her look soft and cuddly from head to toe.

“Sister Bian, I’m done! You can shower now.”

“Mm.”
Bian Chengyi stood up and glanced at the clock.

“It’s pretty late. I wonder if the downstairs blow-drying room is still open.”

“Eh, it’s fine,” Hua You said as she wrapped her hair in a towel.
“It should dry naturally before bed.”

“That’s not a good habit.” Bian Chengyi’s tone was firm as she grabbed her jacket.
“This is a co-ed dorm now. Go put on your shoes—I’ll go with you. It’s too late to go alone.”

Hua You thought about it. Since Bian Chengyi already understood her concerns and even offered to go along, she figured—why not check?

Downstairs, they were pleasantly surprised to find that the hair-drying area still had power. The blow dryers were working and no one else was there.

“Oh yay,” Hua You grinned. “That means I won’t wake up with a headache tomorrow!”

She’d only blown her hair a little when suddenly—Bian Chengyi reached out and took the dryer from her hand.

“Sit down. I’ll do it.”

Before Hua You could stop her, Bian Chengyi had already grabbed a towel and was gently patting her hair dry. Then she placed the towel aside and plugged in the dryer.

“I—I can do it myself,” Hua You said quickly, flustered.
“You don’t have to…”

“That’s what you call blow-drying?”
Bian Chengyi gave her a small, disapproving smile.
“Just sit still.”

She leaned down a little, as if adjusting the dryer, but in truth… her face was much closer to Hua You now—close enough to take in the subtle mix of her shampoo and her sweet, natural scent.

And in a voice so soft it tickled the skin behind her ear, Bian Chengyi whispered:

“If you don’t behave…”

“I will kiss you.”