I'm Interested In Your Friend - Chapter 42

42

Du Tanyu: 【？？？】

Du Tanyu: 【Yu Lili, your train of thought is more twisted than the roads on the Himalayas.】

Du Tanyu: 【You really don’t mind?】

Yu Lili lay on her bed, typing happily: 【How could I possibly care! I don’t care at all.】

2 a.m.

Yu Lili’s eyes were wide open.

Not a hint of sleepiness.

She covered her mouth.

Her eyes drooped with grievance.

Someone actually had a crush on Tan Suran.

How could there be such a lucky person in this world?

Jealousy. Jealousy. Jealousy.

(Pain) (Twisting) (Crawling in the dark) (Wriggling) (Rolling around) (Crying violently) (Twisting)

She fished her phone out from under her pillow.

Started searching on Baidu:

【Is it normal to want to slap someone you have a crush on?】

【Can unrequited love ever have a happy ending?】

【Are crushes from school days important?】

The last search.

On Zhihu, a highly upvoted answer:

【Not important.】

Whew.

Yu Lili exhaled in relief.

Felt a bit relaxed.

Scrolled down.

After two blank lines.

Another answer appeared:

【How could that be?】

【They’re too important. Important enough to remember for a lifetime—both sour and sweet, unforgettable.】

!

!

Ugh!

Fake! Fake! Fake!

All fake.

…

The next day at the company.

Yu Lili was still feeling gloomy.

Then she remembered that while she was tossing and turning last night, Tan Suran was probably out having a grand old time, drinking and feasting.

Even more grievance now.

She typed out a WeChat message to Tan Suran:

【It’s all your fault.】

Tan Suran replied instantly: 【？】

Yu Lili poked at the screen: 【I was supposed to shoot a cover with Jiang Ruofu yesterday, but now the celebrity I had lined up got snatched away by you, and I got scolded by the boss.】

Another instant reply: 【So eager to work with Jiang Ruofu?】

【What does Jiang Ruofu have to do with me? Seems like you’re the one who wants to catch up with an old classmate.】

Tan Suran: 【My memory isn’t great.】

【So?】

Tan Suran: 【So, actually, I don’t even remember her being my classmate.】

Ahhhh!

Ahhhh?

Yu Lili’s little heart was hoisted up by a screaming chicken, galloping wildly in a marathon.

Fifty kilometers.

Non-stop.

After internally shrieking for a while.

Yu Lili transformed back into a calm, composed, and ladylike adult.

【Oh.】

【Then let me treat you to dinner tonight. I haven’t thanked you yet for last time.】

Tan Suran: 【Can’t do tonight.】

Yu Lili pouted and sighed.

Tan Suran: 【A bit earlier—how about lunch?】

Ah! Ah! Ah!

Yu Lili covered her face with her hands, shaking it wildly.

Tan Suran.

Next time, could you not leave such dramatic pauses in your sentences?

…

In the top-floor conference room at Huanyu.

“President Tan, President Tan.”

Tan Suran gracefully lifted her gaze from her phone, raising an eyebrow at her assistant, Lin.

Assistant Lin: “Manager Zhang has finished her report and is waiting for your feedback.”

Tan Suran’s eyes swept toward the podium.

Manager Zhang, clutching her folder, stood like a delicate little flower trembling in the cold wind, offering a fragile yet determined smile.

The others in the room kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact.

Old Zhang was halfway through her presentation when President Tan suddenly looked down at her phone.

And never looked up again.

Tsk.

Clearly a disaster waiting for a scolding.

Manager Zhang was also miserable. She admitted the proposal was a bit rough, with some unfinished details, but still…

Well.

It wasn’t her first time being criticized.

“Hmm…” Tan Suran glanced at her watch. “Good. Meeting adjourned.”

That’s it? That’s it? That’s it?

By the time Tan Suran swept out of the conference room like a gust of wind, the department managers—and poor Manager Zhang, who had braced for a storm—were still frozen in place.

Dumbfounded.

Assistant Lin coughed: “Everyone, meeting’s over.”

Manager Sun from Risk Control walked up and patted Manager Zhang: “Lucky you. Picked the perfect time to present.”

“Tonight at 8, Yaya’s full-platform launch. President Tan must be in a good mood, granting amnesty to everyone.”

“Yeah, look at how cheerful President Tan was when she left.”

Manager Zhang belatedly patted her chest.

The next presenter, the Finance Manager, heaved a sigh of relief: “Rushed like crazy, still had two weeks of reports unfinished. Thank goodness the meeting ended early. Thank Yaya, thank Yaya.”

…

Tan Suran had just reached the elevator when her phone buzzed again.

Yu Lili: 【sobs qwq, got a last-minute assignment for fieldwork. Can’t do lunch. Are you free tonight?】

A few people in the conference room were still congratulating each other when footsteps echoed outside. The door swung open, and the crowd that had just left filed back in.

Manager Zhang: “Why are we back?”

“Meeting resumes.”

Finance Manager: “Huh?”

Before anyone could react.

Tan Suran strode back in.

Observing the President’s expression.

They shot Manager Sun a look—so much for ‘cheerful’ and ‘amnesty’!

“Next presenter?” Tan Suran’s cool voice rang out from the head of the table.

Assistant Lin, checking the agenda: “Finance report.”

Finance Manager: GG…

Manager Zhang wiped sweat from her brow. At least she’d caught the tail end of the good mood and barely scraped by.

“Oh, and Manager Zhang, email me your proposal. Meet me in my office at 3 p.m. for a one-on-one.” Tan Suran added.

Manager Zhang: GG BONG!

…

Yu Lili propped her chin on her hand.

Sigh. The planned dinner was ruined.

Missed a fortune!

“Lili, let’s go.” Li Mi called her from the office door.

“Coming.”

“We’re going to shoot the great actress Duan Zhixi! Why do you look so down?”

“I’m happy!”

“Then why that expression?”

“What expression?”

♂

Li Mi turned Yu Lili’s head toward the glass wall in the lobby: “A fish that failed to steal a cat.”

Yu Lili stopped in front of the glass wall.

On the TV beside her, the weather forecast cut to a news report:

【According to reports, at 8 p.m. Beijing time, the country’s first AI language model will officially launch. Our reporter interviewed Tan Suran, CEO of Huanyu Tech…】

Yu Lili’s ears perked up. She rushed to the TV. It was a phone interview—no video, just Tan Suran’s cool, clear voice talking about server capacity and memory pressure—things she didn’t understand, but it still made her happy.

The TV volume faded.

Yu Lili stepped forward and hugged the TV, pressing her ear against it.

“What are you doing?” Li Mi stared, baffled, at Yu Lili suddenly embracing the television.

“Charging.” Yu Lili’s tone was noticeably lighter now.

“Beep! Charging complete. Fully revived.”

As the news segment ended, Yu Lili robotically stepped away from the TV.

…

“Sis Duan is so captivating. I couldn’t take my eyes off her face,” Li Mi gushed after the interview, her eyes full of admiration for Duan Zhixi.

Then she glanced at Yu Lili: “What are you thinking about?”

“What to eat tonight.”

She’d invited Tan Suran to dinner, but Tan Suran said Yaya’s launch meant she’d likely be pulling an all-nighter.

“Oh, my boyfriend’s picking me up for dinner,” Li Mi smiled.

“Ugh, stop rubbing it in.”

…

Yu Lili walked home alone and absentmindedly turned on the TV.

After a couple of segments.

The news reported:

【The country’s first AI language model has received rave reviews since its launch. According to real-time data from Huanyu Group, user numbers have surpassed ten million and are approaching a hundred million.】

Wow, that’s impressive.

Tan Suran must be thrilled right now.

The news continued, but the person on the couch slowly dozed off.

…

Woken by the cold in the middle of the night.

She stumbled to the kitchen for hot water.

Took a sip.

Glanced out the window.

Her eyes widened.

Under the dim yellow streetlight stood a figure.

In the soft glow.

A tall woman in a black wool coat, with brown curls.

Leaning against the lamppost.

Holding a thin orange cigarette between her fingers.

Exhaling smoke lazily, eyelids drooping.

Instinct overrode thought.

Yu Lili rushed downstairs.

“Tan Suran? What are you doing here?”

Tan Suran slowly lifted her head, tilting it slightly. “Hmm?”

Yu Lili noticed something odd about her expression.

Stepped closer.

A strong scent of brandy hit her.

“You’ve been drinking?”

“Mmm, a little.”

Tan Suran raised her cigarette hand, moving sluggishly toward her mouth—missing several times, tapping her chin instead.

Annoyed, she tossed the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out.

A little?

More like a lot.

But…

A drunk Tan Suran delivered to her doorstep.

A heaven-sent opportunity.

What was she hesitating for?

…

Yu Lili helped Tan Suran upstairs, took off her coat, wiped her face, and tucked her under a blanket.

Sat beside her on the couch.

“Tan Suran.”

“Hmm?”

Yu Lili propped her chin on her hand, inching closer: “Let’s play a game.”

“W-what?”

“I ask, you answer. No lying.”

“Reward… reward?”

“What do you want?”

Tan Suran’s eyes, hazy with alcohol, studied her before she slumped back against the couch: “Never mind.”

“Then let’s begin.”

Yu Lili rubbed her hands together: “Did you… ever like anyone in high school?”

“Mhm.”

“Boy or girl?”

“Girl.” Drunk Tan Suran was alarmingly compliant—so much so that Yu Lili briefly considered asking for her ID number and bank PIN.

But curiosity about who won out.

“Who?”

“Little F.”

Little F, Little F, Little F.

Even a nickname?

Yu Lili pouted.

Leaned in closer, coaxing: “What’s Little F’s full name?”

Tan Suran pushed herself up, raising a finger: “It’s… it’s… it’s…”

Yu Lili leaned in.

Thud—

A warm head dropped onto her shoulder.

Lips brushing her neck.

Soft.

Wet.

Nibbling lightly.

Yu Lili’s lips parted.

Ears burning.

Frozen in place.

Inside, little fireworks of excitement burst.

But her voice was shy: “What are you doing?”

Warm breath tickled her neck.

Itchy. Tingly.

Yu Lili’s face flushed: “Don’t think you can get away with acting drunk and not taking responsibility!”

The lips against her neck moved again.

Yu Lili squeezed her eyes shut.

Waiting…

Only to hear steady breathing.

Huh?

Huh?!

She turned.

Asleep?!

…

Resigned, she helped Tan Suran to bed and tucked her in.

Gazed at her peaceful sleeping face.

Long, curled lashes.

Rosy, plump cheeks.

Yu Lili grinned mischievously.

Summoned her courage.

Extended a finger.

Slowly moved closer.

Poke.

Poked Tan Suran’s cheek.

Her eyes drifted lower.

Landed on Tan Suran’s soft, pink lips.

Yu Lili swallowed.

Heart pounding.

Her fingertip grazed Tan Suran’s lips.

Bouncy. Soft.

Looked so kissable.

She moved her finger aside, inching toward Tan Suran’s face.

The room was silent.

The sheer curtains fluttered in the breeze.

Mwah.

In the secret darkness.

Light as a feather.

On the corner of her crush’s lips.

She left a fleeting, butterfly-soft kiss.

…

Yu Lili did a full set of shadowboxing in the living room to calm her excitement after the successful sneak kiss.

Tiptoed to the closet for a spare blanket, planning to sleep in the guest room.

But a soft whimper came from the bed.

Yu Lili suddenly remembered their first few encounters in the hotel room.

A sly fox-like grin spread across her face.

A plan formed.

She put the blanket down.

Stood by Tan Suran’s bed.

Stripped down to her camisole in three swift moves.

Slid under the covers.