I'm Interested In Your Friend - Chapter 29
29
Slender fingers ran through hair.
A faint jasmine fragrance diffused from the wrist.
The pressure was neither light nor heavy.
Then, slowly moving downward.
Touching the smooth skin exposed to the air.
The slender, fair nape of the neck.
The person in front closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying it, her breathing slowing down.
The hair that had been brushed over the shoulders lazily fell back, a bit prickly, a bit itchy.
Yu Lili reached back with her hand, pulled her hair tie down, and let her waterfall-like black hair cascade down.
Then she gathered Tan Suran’s brown long hair and tied it into a low bun.
Using her own hair tie.
With no more obstructions.
Warm, pale fingers traced the neckline, slowly crawling toward the shoulders, the ring finger pressing against the edge of the shirt collar.
The fingertips touched the skin, while the rest pressed against the fabric.
Yu Lili mimicked the motions of a full-body spa, pinching the delicate flesh on Tan Suran’s shoulders with a bit of force.
Unexpectedly.
This move.
Made Tan Suran let out a soft, uncontrollable gasp.
Yu Lili was doing this for the first time.
“Was that too hard?” She immediately retracted her hand.
“No.” Tan Suran’s voice was husky, carrying an indescribable sensuality.
“You can go harder.”
In the dimly lit lounge.
At some point, only an extreme silence remained.
Yu Lili gently let go of her hands.
Tan Suran seemed to have fallen asleep.
Her face rested against the back of the sofa.
Her skin was cold and fair, her eyelashes so long they looked almost artificial.
Her facial features were sharp and exquisite.
Beautiful in a way that was unrestrained and unbridled.
Yu Lili crouched in front of Tan Suran, slowly reaching out, wanting to touch her eyelids.
A hand pressed down on hers.
Like a signal to stop.
Tan Suran opened her eyes.
She only seemed dazed for about a second before reverting to her usual efficient, CEO-like demeanor.
“Let’s go out.” Tan Suran lifted her eyes, instructing without much emotion.
Before leaving the lounge, Yu Lili glanced back one more time.
Tan Suran was already standing by the window, talking on the phone, massaging her temples with some fatigue.
At that moment, Yu Lili thought.
Tan Suran seemed exhausted, yet she didn’t allow herself to be.
She kind of… wanted to tell her to get some proper sleep.
But this strange thought was swallowed by the boundaries of social interaction, flashing through her mind and then disappearing.
For a long time after that, Yu Lili’s life became orderly and peaceful.
Shooting, editing, selecting topics, planning proposals.
Occasionally, during late-night editing sessions, she would, with a feeling she couldn’t quite explain, turn on the TV to the financial news channel.
Like opening a blind box.
Hoping to get lucky and hear the news she wanted.
Of course, she could also just type those few words into a search bar.
With how powerful big data algorithms were these days.
Countless pieces of information would flood in.
But she didn’t want to.
That would be too deliberate.
And unnecessary.
Right?
Why would she… for no reason… want to know what Tan Suran was up to?
However, on the night Du Tanyu invited her to Bus for drinks.
Before heading out, Yu Lili finally saw, for the first time, the news related to the keywords she had preset on the LCD TV.
【June 8th—According to confirmed reports from our station’s journalists, Lihe Huanyu Technology Co., Ltd. has been listed in the “Abnormal Business Operations Directory” by the Lihe City Administration for Industry and Commerce. Huanyu is a rising tech company founded by Tan Suran, a well-known young entrepreneur in our city. As of the time of reporting, online platforms have already seen leaks that Huanyu’s newly developed AI language model product has faced financing failure, and rumors of broken capital chain are rampant. There are also widespread speculations about internal layoffs within the company. Next, our station will connect with a renowned economist…】
Because of this news, even after sitting in the private room at Bus, Yu Lili remained absent-minded.
Du Tanyu held a glass of wine, clinking with the other girls, and when she noticed Yu Lili in the corner, she squeezed over and pressed the cold glass against Yu Lili’s cheek: “What’s wrong? Post-work syndrome? The more you work, the dumber you get.”
“Yeah, not as carefree as you.”
Du Tanyu scoffed, then seemed to remember something: “Tan Suran hasn’t been bothering you lately, right?”
Yu Lili fiddled with the dice on the table: “How’d you know?”
“Her company’s in trouble, she’s got her hands full.”
Yu Lili tossed the dice back into the tray: “You know about it too?”
“Yeah, everyone’s talking about it.”
“What’s going on?”
“She stepped on someone’s toes, got screwed over.”
“And her family isn’t helping?”
“You forget, the Tan family made their fortune in manufacturing. Rumor has it, not only is her dad not helping, he’s cutting off other connections too, just to force her back into the family business.”
“Huh? What kind of person does that?” Yu Lili frowned.
“Any other news?”
Du Tanyu spread her hands: “My dad didn’t say much, just told me to stay away from the Tans.”
Du Tanyu took a leisurely sip of wine, noticing Yu Lili’s expression, and asked curiously: “What’s with that look?”
“What look?”
“Tan Suran’s in trouble, why are you moping?”
“I… I’m not.” Yu Lili averted her eyes, reaching for the fruit platter.
“Really?”
Yu Lili plucked a cherry and stuffed it into Du Tanyu’s mouth: “Try it, super sweet.”
“……” Du Tanyu chewed the fruit, eyeing Yu Lili suspiciously.
“Lili, how long has it been since you’ve hung out?” Thankfully, Jian Sijia came to her rescue.
Jian Sijia plopped herself between Du Tanyu and Yu Lili, affectionately looping an arm around Yu Lili’s.
“I…”
“Holy crap, this bracelet…”
“What about it?”
“It gives me PTSD. There’s this girl I hate who wears the same one. I donated all the similar bracelets at home to charity after that.”
Du Tanyu finally finished the cherry and chimed in with a laugh: “So, by extension, that girl you hate actually did a good deed.”
“Pfft, that karma’s on me, has nothing to do with her.”
Yu Lili asked: “Which girl? Who dares mess with our Miss Jian?”
Jian Sijia clicked her tongue: “You didn’t know? Tan Suran’s got a girl on the side.”
“Huh?”
“You weren’t there.”
Yu Lili frowned, suddenly feeling something was off.
“Du and I, we’ve both seen her. Face pale as a ghost, makeup probably thicker than this wall.”
“Right, Du?”
Du Tanyu also made a face.
“We ran into them at dinner once, they even tried to take our private room, but that was months ago.”
Yu Lili’s expression stiffened bit by bit.
Jian Sijia was talking about her alternate persona, Anna, which she’d accidentally created, wasn’t she?
“Ugh, I just glanced at her twice, and she accused me of staring at her chest.” Jian Sijia rolled her eyes. “As if her chest was anything special? If you ask me, it’s not even as nice as yours, Lili.”
Yu Lili instinctively hunched slightly, shrinking her chest: “No, no, mine’s not big.”
Jian Sijia crossed her legs: “You’re too modest.”
Yu Lili forced a laugh.
“Tell me, after hearing this, don’t you think that girl’s insane?”
“Uh, I think she’s…” Yu Lili hesitated, glancing at Jian Sijia’s expression, then said, “pretty insane.”
Whatever, calling herself names wouldn’t make her lose any flesh.
Better than Jian Sijia finding out she was right in front of her.
Du Tanyu, who knew the whole story, was laughing so hard she clutched her stomach.
Jian Sijia looked over: “What’s so funny? Mocking me?”
Du Tanyu: “No, haha, no, not at all. I just, hahaha, think, yeah, that girl’s the worst, totally scheming.”
Yu Lili shot Du Tanyu a glare while Jian Sijia wasn’t looking.
Du Tanyu wasn’t fazed and tossed the ball back: “Right, Lili?”
Jian Sijia’s gaze followed.
Yu Lili had no choice but to curse herself through gritted teeth: “Yep. Haha.”
“Having fun?” Du Tanyu held her wine glass, leaning back to whisper in Yu Lili’s ear from behind Jian Sijia.
“Thrilled.” Yu Lili smiled like she wanted to cry.
Someone who hadn’t been there that day asked curiously: “What did that girl look like? Tan Suran’s a tough nut to crack.”
Jian Sijia scoffed: “Like a ghost. Decent figure, kinda like…” Her eyes scanned the room before landing on her target, pointing dramatically, “kinda like Lili.”
Yu Lili’s scalp prickled: “Haha, I’m just average.”
Du Tanyu added fuel to the fire: “I think it’s not just the figure, their face shapes are kinda similar too.”
Yu Lili’s smile froze as she reached behind to pinch Du Tanyu hard.
Jian Sijia waved a hand: “Nah, not the face.”
Yu Lili was about to relax.
Jian Sijia suddenly thought of something, raising an eyebrow as she scrutinized Yu Lili: “But…”
She studied Yu Lili’s face intently.
Yu Lili panicked, poking Du Tanyu frantically behind her back.
Du Tanyu started to worry too: Crap, is Jian Sijia actually figuring it out?
Jian Sijia leaned in close, examining Yu Lili’s face up and down, left and right…
Yu Lili’s guilty eyes darted around as she shrank back.
Finally, Jian Sijia frowned and said slowly: “Lili, how do you not have a single blackhead?”
Whew.
Sigh of relief.
“I’ll send you the link to my face wash.” Yu Lili quickly signaled Du Tanyu to change the subject.
Du Tanyu got it immediately, clearing her throat and standing up with her glass: “Everyone, everyone, quiet down.”
“Tonight, we’re gathered here because I, Du Tanyu, have big news to announce.”
Jian Sijia cheered excitedly: “What, don’t tell me… ‘yes, we have a child’? Hahaha.”
Du Tanyu: “Yes, Jian Sijia, already on kid number three.”
Jian Sijia booed and rolled her eyes.
Du Tanyu walked to the other side of the room, where Qi Luo had been quietly replying to messages on her tablet, completely out of place amid the revelry.
“First, let’s celebrate eighteen years of friendship between me and Qi Luo.”
“Woo!”
“Cheers!”
The crowd erupted: “Kiss, kiss, kiss!”
Du Tanyu glanced helplessly at Qi Luo, worried she’d get upset from the teasing.
Qi Luo remained composed, though her eyes held a warmth when she looked at Du Tanyu.
Du Tanyu clapped her hands.
“Okay, okay, enough.”
“We’re just good sisters, good friends.”
“What’s wrong with good sisters kissing?” Jian Sijia kept egging them on.
Du Tanyu shot her a look.
Then quickly pecked Qi Luo on the cheek: “Happy now?”
Qi Luo pressed her lips together, her ears turning red.
Du Tanyu let go and walked to the center: “Now, for the second thing.”
She shook an unopened bottle of wine.
“I, Du Tanyu, am going to study in London.”
She slammed the bottle onto the table, the cap flying off as bubbles erupted like fireworks: “Come visit me sometime.”
“Tonight’s also a farewell party. My treat, everyone enjoy.”
For the rest of the night, Du Tanyu was surrounded by people toasting and chatting.
Drunk and flushed, she noticed Yu Lili sitting alone and waved her over: “Lili, why aren’t you drinking? Name your poison.”
Yu Lili’s mind flashed to the mess she’d made last time she got drunk and said cautiously: “Hot soy milk.”
The room fell silent for a second.
Jian Sijia: “Haha, want some steamed buns to go with that?”
“Sure, I’m not picky. Preferably lobster-filled buns.”
“……”
“……”
Du Tanyu couldn’t get soy milk but managed to scrounge up some non-alcoholic juice and soda.
A bit too cold.
Along with several plates of spicy crayfish brought by the staff.
“Dig in, everyone.”
Jian Sijia, also tipsy: “Hey, cold drinks and spicy food? Du Tanyu, are you trying to kill me? Make me live in the bathroom?”
Du Tanyu: “That’s just you being weak.”
Jian Sijia: “You—you’re the weak one! Remember when you stole my extra-spicy jerky and ended up in the ER?”
Yu Lili held up a soda, stepping between the two squabbling kids.
“Alright, enough, drink up!”
Glass after glass of icy soda.
Yu Lili slipped away from the two drunkards, settling with a plate of crayfish, peeling and eating.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the lone drinker in the corner.
Yu Lili brought over half the crayfish: “Qi Luo, it’s overflowing.”
Qi Luo snapped out of it, looking at the overfilled glass.
Silently, she wiped the rim with a napkin and downed it in one go.
Yu Lili returned to her seat as Du Tanyu flopped her head onto her shoulder.
Between bites of crayfish, Yu Lili ventured: “Do you know Qi Luo…”
The room was too loud. Du Tanyu asked: “What?”
Yu Lili sighed, glancing at Qi Luo. Some things didn’t need outside interference: “Never mind… Just be careful out there, don’t get scammed.”
Du Tanyu hiccuped: “Says you, naive little Anna.”
“……”
As the party wound down, Du Tanyu draped an arm each over Yu Lili and Qi Luo, stumbling outside.
Across from the bar, a slender figure leaned lazily against a lamppost.
White T-shirt, flat shoes, delicate ankles.
A cigarette glowed faintly between her fingers.
Someone approached to flirt, but she just shook her head coolly, saying little.
Not far behind her, a familiar silver-gray Bentley was parked.
Yu Lili’s grip on Du Tanyu loosened, nearly dropping her, but Qi Luo caught her just in time.
Even so, Du Tanyu’s forehead bumped against the car door. Dazed, she looked at Yu Lili with watery eyes.
“…Sorry.”
“Lili, the car hit me…” Before she could finish apologizing, the drunk Du Tanyu pointed at the car frame, complaining, “Beat it up for me.”
“……”
Yu Lili smacked the car frame twice to appease her, then stuffed the troublemaker inside: “Qi Luo, take care of her.”
“Aren’t you coming?”
“I… need to buy something. You go ahead.” Yu Lili’s attention was on the figure across the street.
“Be careful.”
Yu Lili stood by the roadside, waiting for the car to leave before crossing. Then she realized—
She wasn’t wearing makeup today.
“Wait, don’t go yet.” Yu Lili stopped Du Tanyu and Qi Luo’s car.
Five minutes later, Yu Lili crouched by the car door, using Du Tanyu’s makeup to touch up her face in the side mirror: “Just a quick touch-up.”
Thankfully, Qi Luo was sober, not Du Tanyu, so no one asked: “Going all out with the makeup—shopping or shoplifting?”
The fully made-up Yu Lili waved goodbye to the departing Porsche in the mirror.
After a cautious glance across the street, she cleared her throat and started crossing.
Her mind raced—how to casually bump into her, how to greet her in the best possible way.
“What are you doing here?”
—Would that sound like she was annoyed?
“Hey, what a coincidence.”
—Too deliberate?
Maybe a staged accident, stepping on her foot: “Oops, sorry… Oh, it’s you?”
—What if it hurt her?
Yu Lili’s thoughts spun like a roulette wheel.
By the time she reached the other side.
She looked up.
And froze.
The lamppost was empty.
Where’d she go?
Tan Suran was gone?
Just like that?
Yu Lili spun in circles, scanning the area, but saw no trace of Tan Suran.
Hesitation leads to defeat.
Sigh.
Yu Lili exhaled tiredly.
Pulling out her phone to call a ride home.
Suddenly—
“Not going home yet?”
A cool voice brushed her ears.
Carried by the summer night’s breeze.
Yu Lili looked up.
The hazy moon cast a soft glow, the night deep and quiet.
A tall, elegant woman stood before her.
Yu Lili blinked.
And blinked again.
Tan Suran raised an eyebrow, holding an iced Americano from the nearby 24-hour convenience store: “What? Don’t recognize me?”
Yu Lili froze.
Tan Suran spoke again.
Calling her: “Miss Anna.”
Her heart fizzed like a shaken soda, happiness bubbling up uncontrollably.
“Yeah.” Yu Lili, now a bundle of tiny bubbles, said, “Yeah, I do.”
“What are you doing here?” Yu Lili asked.
Tan Suran took a sip of coffee: “Just out for a walk.”
“Didn’t expect to run into you.”
Yu Lili turned away, a bit coy: “Sounds like you didn’t want to see me.”
Tan Suran chuckled softly: “What do you think?”
Yu Lili lifted her chin: “How would I know? I’m not you.”
“I can tell you what I was thinking when I saw you.”
Yu Lili pretended not to care, though her heart was pounding: “What?”
“Fallen blossoms fill the southern mountains.” Tan Suran looked up, meeting Yu Lili’s eyes.
Yu Lili blinked, not quite getting it.
Tan Suran: “Or, to put it simply…”
She took a step closer. Slightly taller, she leaned down slightly to meet Yu Lili’s gaze, lips parting slowly: “I’m happy to see you.”
Tan Suran’s cool voice lingered in Yu Lili’s ears.
A shy blush crept up her ears, her heart fluttering like ants were crawling inside—restless, incessant.
The night breeze was gentle.
Tan Suran’s beautiful eyes held hers, as if filled with tiny stars.
The mood was just right.
Yu Lili’s lips curved slightly, about to say something.
Then her stomach cramped sharply.
A wave of nausea surged up from her gut.
Yu Lili frowned.
The next second.
The discomfort crawled up her throat.
She quickly covered her mouth, doubling over.
“Ugh…”
Tan Suran had just finished her poetic line.
And here she was, retching.
Yu Lili clutched her stomach, hastily explaining: “I’m not… ugh.”
The night’s icy drinks and spicy crayfish had teamed up in her stomach, staging a violent rebellion.
Cold sweat broke out on her forehead, pain twisting inside.
Yu Lili curled into a shrimp.
Tears welling from the pain.
Gasping: “Wait…”
Tan Suran: “Wait for what?”
Yu Lili could barely speak: “Not wait… it’s pain… stomach hurts…”
—
When Yu Lili woke up.
The smell of disinfectant hit her nose.
White sheets filled her vision.
She tried to rub her eyes.
A sharp sting on the back of her left hand stopped her.
An IV was attached.
Fluids dripping.
She panicked, checking the IV bag hanging above.
Thankfully.
Not empty yet.
As a child, she’d once fallen asleep during an IV, only to wake up to bl00d flowing back up the tube. She’d screamed for the doctor, traumatized.
Calming down.
She pieced together what happened.
So… Tan Suran had brought her here.
Yu Lili scanned the room—a small private ward, easy to see she was alone.
Growing up, her parents were busy building their careers, and she was often sick, so she’d spent a lot of time in hospitals alone.
Waiting for whichever parent was free to pick her up.
She was used to being alone in hospitals.
Logically, she knew Tan Suran wouldn’t stay to keep her company.
But it still stung.
The call button by the bed glowed red.
The IV drip fell steadily.
Outside, elm leaves rustled in the wind.
Yu Lili grabbed her phone from the nightstand.
[2:08 AM]
She sighed.
Leaning back against the headboard.
No new messages.
Her mood sank.
Her lower abdomen ached dully.
She needed the bathroom.
Yu Lili sighed again.
Pushing the IV stand with one hand, she carefully shuffled toward the bathroom.
The door swung open. Harsh fluorescent light from the hallway spilled in, framing a slender figure in the doorway: “Where are you going?”
Yu Lili froze: “You didn’t leave?”
“Did you want me to?”
Yu Lili didn’t answer.
Tan Suran held up a bag: “Need something? I’ll get it for you.”
Yu Lili stayed silent, pushing the IV stand forward.
Tan Suran blocked her path: “What’s wrong?”
Nothing.”
……
“Move, please.” Yu Lili said to Tan Suran.
“Where are you going? Tell me, I’ll get it.”
Yu Lili’s face burned: “I need the bathroom. You gonna pee for me?”
“……”
Five minutes later.
Yu Lili emerged.
Tan Suran waited by the door.
Taking the IV stand: “Almost done. I’ll call the nurse to remove it.”
“Thanks, sorry for the trouble.” Yu Lili’s voice was heavy.
“Since when are you so polite?”
Yu Lili pressed her lips together, silence thickening.
Finally, she mumbled: “You left, why’d you come back?”
Tan Suran: “Went to grab something.”
After a pause, she added: “I didn’t leave.”
“Oh.” Yu Lili responded softly.
Sitting back on the bed with the IV stand.
Tan Suran checked the time on her phone.
Then heard a clear, steady plopping sound. Like water dripping.
Or…
Tears falling.
Tan Suran looked up to see the girl with her head bowed, eyes red, crying.
“Crying already?”
Yu Lili had been biting her lip, refusing to make a sound.
Tan Suran’s tone broke her.
She sobbed: “I, I, I, I—”
Tan Suran knelt beside the bed, meeting her eyes: “This upset?”
Yu Lili turned away, hiccuping: “What if I woke up and the IV was empty, sucking my bl00d?”
“I checked the timing. I’d have been back before then.”
“W-what if a killer came in and murdered me?”
“…This private hospital’s security is all ex-military.”
“But I woke up clueless, moved my hand, and almost yanked the needle out.”
Tan Suran’s eyes snapped to Yu Lili’s hand: “Does it hurt?”
Yu Lili jutted her chin: “No.”
“I’m sorry.” Tan Suran stepped closer, ruffling her hair like comforting a child. “That’s on me.”
“And I left to get you some congee. For when you’re hungry.”
Mollified, Yu Lili’s tears stopped.
Tan Suran called the nurse to remove the IV.
The nurse gave post-care instructions, especially avoiding cold, spicy foods. Yu Lili nodded along.
Once the nurse left.
Yu Lili sat cross-legged on the bed.
Only then feeling embarrassed.
But also… kinda good.
Living in the adult world for so long.
Sometimes she just wanted to be unreasonable.
To cry without holding back.
“You can do it next time too.” Yu Lili fiddled with her hands, toes wiggling, shyly offering.
Tan Suran raised a brow: “Do what?”
“Act spoiled with me.”
Tan Suran looked up: “Oh, so… you were acting spoiled just now?”
Yu Lili turned away: “No.”
“Hmm?”
Yu Lili dug in her heels: “Just no.”
“Okay. If you say no, then no.” Tan Suran smiled. “So, forgive me? My little crybaby.”
Yu Lili’s face flushed: “Mm, barely.”
As it got later, drowsiness set in. Yu Lili suddenly thought of something: “Where are you sleeping tonight?”
Only one bed in the room.
Tan Suran sat in a chair, scrolling through her phone, leaning back lazily: “With you. How’s that?”