I'm Interested In Your Friend - Chapter 46
46
Time rewinds to the night when Yu Lili was having dinner at the International Finance Center with Jiang Ruofu and was seen by Tan Suran.
When Yu Lili spotted Tan Suran outside the glass door, she immediately put down her phone and chased after her.
She ran as fast as she could toward the sightseeing elevator carrying Tan Suran.
But the elevator doors closed mercilessly before she could reach them.
Yu Lili pressed her hands against the elevator’s outer doors, locking eyes with Tan Suran, who stood inside the cabin, her face expressionless.
By the time Yu Lili reached the parking lot and found the familiar Bentley, all she saw was its exhaust fumes billowing out.
Yu Lili stood there, fists clenched.
Yes, she had lied to Tan Suran.
She was just selfish, despicable, and didn’t want Tan Suran to meet Jiang Ruofu.
But why did Tan Suran look so angry?
Was it because of her deception, or because she didn’t want her getting close to Jiang Ruofu?
Yu Lili fell into a bizarre spiral of overthinking.
Somehow, she felt like she had messed everything up.
Buzz. Buzz.
Her phone rang.
It was a call from Jiang Ruofu.
Yu Lili hung up.
[Sorry, Sister Ruofu, something came up. I had to leave. I’ll make it up to you next time.]
In low spirits, Yu Lili went straight back to the Yu family’s old estate.
Yu’s mother was sitting on the sofa watching TV when she heard the front door open. “Oh, look who decided to show up.”
Yu Lili, looking dejected, didn’t bother retorting. She just mumbled an “oh” and went upstairs.
Yu’s mother and father exchanged glances.
Something was off with their daughter.
Yu’s mother put down the remote and followed her upstairs.
“What’s wrong?”
Yu Lili lay facedown on the bed. After a few vague sounds, she said, “Mom, I think I like someone.”
Yu’s mother: “Is she married?”
Yu Lili: “No…”
Yu’s mother: “Then is she dead?”
Yu Lili: “Ugh, no, no! Mom, have you been watching too many melodramas?”
Yu’s mother smacked her on the head. “If she’s neither married nor dead, why are you moping around like this?”
“I…” Yu Lili hesitated. “I don’t know if she likes me back.”
“Who cares if she likes you back? Just tell me, do you like her?”
Yu Lili nodded. “I do.”
“Then that’s that. If you like her, then take action. Even peacocks know to fan their tails when courting.”
Yu Lili sat up. “I have been taking action. I’ve been trying all along.”
Yu’s mother crossed her legs. “What kind of action? Confessing? Giving gifts? Or pinning her against a wall and kissing her?”
“…Just chatting and having meals together,” Yu Lili muttered. “Mom, that’s way too exaggerated. That’s practically testing legal boundaries.”
“I knew it. You’re just like your dad—can’t squeeze a word out of you. Back then, if I hadn’t gotten a male classmate to pretend to pursue me to provoke him, your dad would’ve taken the love letter he wrote me to his grave.”
Yu Lili sat cross-legged, suddenly struck by inspiration. “Then I’ll also find someone to pretend to pursue me… Ow! Mom, why’d you hit me?”
“I was the one being pursued. You’re the one doing the pursuing now. What do you need a pursuer for?”
Yu Lili looked at her mother pleadingly. “Then what should I do?”
Yu’s mother coughed lightly. “Well… to be honest, I’ve always been the one pursued. I don’t have much experience pursuing others…”
Yu Lili nearly rolled her eyes. Mom, you’re really something else.
Yu’s mother noticed her expression. “Ask your dad. He has experience.”
Yu’s father: “Huh? I don’t know how.”
Yu’s mother: “The fireworks on New Year’s Eve, the balloons and stars hung all over the school street for my birthday—weren’t those your doing? So much effort.”
“It wasn’t any effort at all.” Yu’s father chuckled. “I did it all subconsciously. No tricks, just pure feeling. I did it because I wanted to.”
Yu Lili let out a cold laugh. “You two… are you trying to destroy me, a single dog? If you want to flaunt your love, go do it outside.”
She thought her words would awaken her parents’ pity for their lovelorn daughter.
Instead—
Yu’s parents gazed tenderly at each other, held hands, and walked out into the courtyard. Under the moonlight, they began reminiscing about the past.
A true case of “go flaunt your love outside.”
Yu Lili collapsed onto the sofa in despair, shedding tears for this heartless world.
Du Tanyu called. Before Yu Lili could even whimper “Du Du”—
Du Tanyu excitedly announced, “Lili, I’ve found true love!”
Yu Lili was speechless.
This world was unfit for single humans. It should just explode.
“Oh, and one more thing.” Du Tanyu’s voice paused. “Did you know Yu Mu made a movie?”
Yu Lili: “No.”
“I know you don’t like talking about her, but I watched this film. It’s short, about twenty minutes, but it’s devastating. It’s practically targeting your family. You should take a look. I suspect Yu Mu might not let this go. I asked around, and this film even got into some international youth film festival. It’s getting a wide release these days. You, your dad, and the rest should be careful.”
After hanging up, Yu Lili clicked the link Du Tanyu sent and watched the film at double speed.
The film itself wasn’t problematic—it was even well-crafted in terms of cinematography, color grading, acting, and script.
The problem lay in the character Yu Mu played: an orphan.
Adopted by a couple unable to have children, she experienced a life of happiness worlds apart from her previous one. But it didn’t last.
A year later, her adoptive mother became pregnant, and the family welcomed a new baby. Though they claimed to love both children equally, the protagonist visibly felt neglected.
Growing up twisted and lonely in a world of self-constructed lies, she ultimately buried herself in the blossoms of spring.
The short film was titled Buried in Spring. Apart from the final scene where the girl was buried in flowers, the rest of the film was shot in a muted blue-gray palette—oppressive and cold.
Yu Lili scrolled through the comments. Since the film hadn’t been promoted domestically, most were in English.
Many viewers were deeply moved by the film’s compact yet soul-stirring narrative.
Children who felt unloved found resonance in it.
In an instant, Yu Lili understood Du Tanyu’s concern.
She feared Yu Mu would use the film as a stepping stone, leveraging public sympathy and her character’s plight to attack Yu Lili and pave her way back into the entertainment industry.
Worried, Yu Lili called her parents back inside.
Yu’s mother raised an eyebrow as she finished the film. “Good script.”
Yu’s father nodded in agreement.
Yu Lili: “That’s it?”
Yu’s mother leisurely picked up the remote. “What else?”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“About what?”
Yu’s father said, “We’ve never mistreated her, so we have nothing to feel guilty about. The truth can’t be twisted into lies.”
“Exactly. Don’t overthink it. You had me all worked up for nothing.”
With that, Yu’s mother turned her attention back to the TV.
Oh.
So the real tough cookies were here all along.
Still, seeing her parents so relaxed, Yu Lili also set her worries aside and joined her mother in watching TV.
A melodramatic soap opera from the 10 p.m. slot.
On screen, the innocent female lead was being offered 5 million to leave. At her most vulnerable moment, the male lead appeared with a dramatic soundtrack, boldly declaring in front of everyone, “Woman, here’s 10 million. Marry me.”
Yu Lili was thunderstruck by the absurdity, her skin crawling.
Yu’s mother, however, said, “Classic melodrama is the unbeaten king of ratings. And in real life, things are even crazier than TV. Remember Uncle Zhang’s son? He took compromising photos with a minor celebrity, pretended to be a paparazzo, and sent them to Aunt Zhang, extorting money to ‘settle’ it. After paying up, Uncle Zhang found out the money was for the celebrity’s contract termination fee. And Aunt Dong’s daughter faked a pregnancy to marry a divorced man. The day before the wedding, she discovered all the valuables at home were gone, her bank account emptied, and her credit cards maxed out. The man was running a scam.”
Drenched in this absurdity, Yu Lili rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought—and suddenly had a brilliant idea.
—
“How much water has seeped into your brain for you to come up with such a terrible plan?”
Yu Lili grinned. “I learned it all from you, Mom.”
Yu’s father shook his head. “This won’t do. What kind of joke is this? And dragging the company into it?”
After some thought, Yu’s mother suddenly said, “I think it’s worth a try.”
“No.”
Yu’s father’s objection was utterly ignored. Yu’s mother continued, “The key is your acting has to be convincing. I’ll find you 10 classic ‘CEO falls in love with me’ dramas to study.”
Yu Lili: “No, no, the real test is for you and Dad. You have to play the ruthless villains forcing me into marriage.”
“I’ll be fine.” As a seasoned connoisseur of melodramas, Yu’s mother patted her chest confidently, then glanced at Yu’s father. “Your dad will manage too. I’ve got the acting chops, and your dad naturally looks like the scheming villain from TV shows.”
“I won’t go along with this.” Yu’s father spoke up again.
“What did you say?”
“What did you say?”
Under the combined glare of his wife and daughter: “I said… this is a fantastic idea.” Yu’s father surrendered.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll find a chance to invite Tan Suran over. Before she arrives, you two start acting—say the film has caused trouble for the Yu family, the capital chain is broken, the business is about to collapse…”
“Do we really have to curse our own family like this?” Yu’s father couldn’t help interjecting.
Under Yu Lili’s meticulously planned script, Yu’s father: “Fine. I’ll stay quiet.”
“Anyway, you’ll say you’ve raised me all these years, and now it’s time for me to repay the family. Then move to the next part—forcing me into an arranged marriage. Give me three options: Option 1, a domestic abuser who’s driven away three wives; Option 2, a gold-digger who’s widowed three husbands; Option 3… I can’t think of a third one. Any ideas?”
Yu’s mother said, “Just two options then. Why force three unlucky souls into this?”
Yu Lili nodded. “Good point.”
Yu’s mother hesitated. “Lili, I’ve discovered a new talent of yours. If you ever quit photography, you could be a screenwriter.”
“But are you sure she’d agree to marry you?”
“It’s a gamble. But last time, her dad and stepmom were pressuring her to marry too. All things considered, I’m not a bad candidate, right?”
Without the tragic backstory she’d concocted, sure. But now… who knew?
Over the next few days, the three of them quietly began rehearsing.
Meanwhile, with the Yu family’s tacit approval, Yu Mu’s new film gained unstoppable momentum.
The film sparked a wave of praise. On Douban, a hub for avant-garde and artistic films, it scored a staggering 9.8.
Discussions about Yu Mu, the lead actress, exploded. Who would’ve thought an idol drama actress could make such a splash in the film world?
[Yu Mu’s 20-minute performance outshines decades of work by some stars.]
In just one day, her name was back in the public eye, spreading like wildfire.
At the same time, an interview Yu Mu gave after the film festival went viral.
“Acting? I wasn’t acting.” On screen, Yu Mu shook her head, her figure frail, her eyes desolate. “Because… I am her.”
Netizens dug up the fact that Yu Mu was an orphan, adopted by a family that later dissolved the adoption soon after she came of age.
Even more telling—the couple had their own biological daughter shortly after adopting Yu Mu.
The audience’s emotions were ignited, projecting Yu Mu’s real-life experiences onto the film.
They began a massive campaign to uncover the identity of the family that had adopted Yu Mu, condemning and denouncing them.
Even Yu Mu was surprised. She’d expected the film’s promotion to face obstacles.
But now, the public outrage was a hundred times better than she’d hoped.
Within days, the Yu family appeared to be on the brink of collapse, teetering under the weight of scandal.
The situation was so dire that even Yu Mu began to doubt.
But countless signs suggested the Yu family had indeed been battered by the scandal. The patriarch, once grim-faced, had now retreated behind closed doors.
At the peak of the uproar, Yu Lili summoned her gloomy parents to her apartment for a final rehearsal of their plan to ensnare Tan Suran.
Yu’s father had been in a foul mood lately. His acting had been criticized relentlessly by his wife and daughter, and he’d been scowling even at work.
On his 108th attempt at delivering his villainous lines: “You will marry this person, whether you want to or not.”
“No, no, you need to sound fiercer, grit your teeth more.”
Yu’s father clenched his jaw. “Is it too late to hire a stand-in from film school?”
Looking up, he saw Yu Lili and her mother already moving to the next scene: “When we get to the part where I say, ‘Mom! Dad! Please don’t do this to me!’ should I kneel? Maybe cry while kneeling?”
“Isn’t that too much?”
“No, no, the more dramatic, the better.”
“You’re the director. Your call.” Yu’s mother sighed. “Alright, we’ve rehearsed for days. Time to call in the audience.”
Yu Lili, who’d been composed moments ago, suddenly grew nervous. “Now? Isn’t it too sudden…?”
“Then when? Later?”
Yu’s father: “If we wait any longer, my phone will explode from all the calls from old friends.”
“Give me your phone. I’ll dial.”
“No—”
“Wait…”
“I’m not ready—”
Before she could finish, Yu’s mother had already found Tan Suran’s contact and dialed.
All three held their breath.
But…
“Why isn’t it going through?” Yu’s mother asked.
Yu Lili rubbed her nose. “I just remembered… I’ve been getting a lot of spam calls lately, so I put my phone on airplane mode…”
“……”
“……”
Yu’s mother tossed the phone back. “Message her on WeChat.”
“I…” Yu Lili tried to resist.
“Now.” Yu’s mother was firm.
Yu Lili sighed, opened WeChat, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath and clicked the voice call button.
In her mind, she counted down: 3… 2… 1…
After twenty counts, Yu’s mother lost patience. “Just press it already.”
Yu Lili clenched her fists, her face crumpling. “I’m really nervous. Maybe tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow never comes.”
Yu Lili swallowed, raised a trembling hand, and pressed the call button.
Ring, ring, ring—the phone rang.
Yu Lili looked up. Huh?
She hadn’t even pressed it yet.
“Mine, mine. Forgot to mute.” Under their murderous glares, Yu’s father hastily hung up.
Another deep breath.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door sounded.
Yu Lili and her mother exchanged glances. Who could it be at this hour?
Had netizens tracked them down?
Probably not.
Yu’s father had already taken precautions. The leaked information was vague, with no key details exposed.
The three of them stared at each other.
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocking came again.
“Hello, your food delivery is here.”
Oh, just a delivery.
Wait.
“I didn’t order anything. Did you?”
“No.”
As Yu Lili frowned, the deliveryman outside muttered, “This isn’t 301? Wrong place.”
Footsteps faded away.
Yu Lili relaxed.
“No, no, no. This is too much. Today’s really not the day. I need another night to prepare. My acting’s all off now. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I’ll definitely go all out and bring her home.”
Yu’s mother looked helplessly at her daughter, who was shaking her arm and whining. “Fine.”
Just then—
Knock, knock, knock.
The door sounded again.
Yu Lili was about to say, “No delivery,” when she heard Tan Suran’s voice.
“It’s me.”
The moment Tan Suran spoke, Yu Lili’s jaw dropped. She tugged at her mother’s hand, whispering, “What do I do? What do I do? She’s here.”
“Xiao Tan?”
Yu Lili nodded frantically, lips pressed tight.
Yu’s mother: “You can’t let her in now. The timing’s wrong. Find a way to send her away.”
When Yu Lili opened the door and saw Tan Suran in the flesh, her first thought was—
I miss her. So, so much.
She wanted to hug her, cling to her.
But then she remembered her parents hiding behind the door. She couldn’t give herself away, so she blocked the doorway, shielding Tan Suran’s view inside.
As time passed, her nerves skyrocketed. Her heart pounded so hard it might burst.
Her ability to speak teetered on the edge of collapse.
She feared one extra glance, one extra expression, would betray her.
So she had no idea what she was even saying.
Tan Suran’s sudden appearance had shattered the entire plan. She scrambled to make her leave.
But after closing the door, the memory of Tan Suran’s hurt expression lingered in her mind.
Yu Lili’s heart ached.
Behind her, Yu’s mother said, “She’s gone? Good. We’ll stick to the plan.”
Yu Lili didn’t respond.
She leaned against the door.
She began to think—Tan Suran had rushed over in such a hurry because she cared, because she was worried about her.
Head bowed, ignoring her parents’ calls, a single thought bubbled up in her heart.
She couldn’t let her leave like this.
She couldn’t let Tan Suran leave like this.
She wasn’t even sure if Tan Suran was still outside, if she could hear her.
But she didn’t dare open the door.
With the thinnest shred of courage, separated by a door, she pushed forward.
Her heart raced at an unbearable frequency.
Her legs trembled.
So she decided to ask.
Nervously, fearfully, she asked.
“Tan Suran… will you be my wife?”