I'm Interested In Your Friend - Chapter 53
53
The cold white light from the ceiling reflected in Tan Suran’s eyes.
She smiled faintly. “Why ask this all of a sudden?”
Yu Lili clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly.
Her curled lashes fluttered as she studied Tan Suran’s expression intently. “Because I want to know. Because you’ve never mentioned it before.”
She pursed her lips, her gaze full of anticipation as she looked at Tan Suran.
Tan Suran set down the glass in her hand and chuckled lightly. “What do you think?”
What do you think…
What a perfect answer.
The art of vague language—Tan Suran had truly mastered it.
Yu Lili pouted in dissatisfaction.
Tilting her head, she deliberately teased, “If I had to guess, you’ve been deeply in love with me for a long time, secretly plotting to make me yours, utterly unable to resist me.”
Of course, Yu Lili was just joking.
But after hearing her words, Tan Suran slowly stopped smiling and sat there in silence.
The atmosphere grew awkward.
Just then—
Tan Suran’s phone buzzed in her pocket. Without even glancing at the screen, she picked it up. “I’ll take this call.”
Watching Tan Suran walk away, Yu Lili visibly deflated, her head drooping as she trudged back to the pink-themed room.
Fine.
Maybe she was just shy.
After all, they’d only just gotten together.
Building a relationship took time.
Yu Lili puffed out her cheeks, giving herself a mental pep talk.
Lili, the road ahead is long—take it step by step.
Yu Lili tapped her fingers rhythmically on the desk in the room, bored. She casually picked up a book from the shelf and began flipping through it.
The books on the shelf, likely chosen to match the room’s theme, had pink covers, along with some pink hardcover notebooks.
Collecting all these must have taken some effort.
The designer had really put thought into it.
As she mused—
Plop.
Something slipped out from between the half-open pages.
A thin sheet of paper.
Yu Lili bent down and picked it up.
The faint blue-green handwriting was identical to the note left for her that morning.
It read:
[Little F, today I saw someone in Central Square who looked just like you.]
Yu Lili froze.
Before she could even process her emotions—
Creak.
The bedroom door opened.
When Tan Suran stepped inside, she saw Yu Lili crouched on the floor, holding the slip of paper, the pink-covered book tucked under her arm.
“What are you doing?!” Tan Suran’s voice was urgent. She strode over, swiftly taking the book and note from Yu Lili’s hands and carefully returning them to the shelf.
Then, standing with her back to Yu Lili, she said, “The other room is ready. You should sleep in the same one as yesterday.”
Yu Lili hadn’t felt particularly upset at first.
Everyone had a past.
But seeing Tan Suran react like this—
The accumulated grievances from earlier in the evening piled up layer by layer.
She swallowed hard.
Slowly, she spoke: “Tan Suran, can I ask you something?”
“Mm.” Tan Suran’s pale wrist rested against the bookshelf, her voice cool and unreadable.
“Who is Little F?” Yu Lili asked.
Her tone was noticeably subdued.
Silence. A long, heavy silence.
The atmosphere froze around them.
Finally, Tan Suran moved her lips and answered coldly, “You don’t need to know.”
After leaving the room, Yu Lili buried herself under the covers and cried.
She hadn’t planned to cry at first.
But lying alone in the empty room, waves of sadness surged uncontrollably.
She didn’t want to cry loudly, so she muffled her sobs under the blanket, heavy and stifled.
For a moment, she truly felt like she was the only one invested in this relationship. Every step she’d taken had been reckless, impulsive, without forethought.
But just as she was about to vent her frustration, she hesitated—she couldn’t bring herself to say anything harsh.
After letting out her emotions, she splashed cold water on her face to soothe her puffy eyes.
Once she looked presentable, she went out to get a glass of water.
Passing by Tan Suran’s room, she noticed the door was ajar.
There was a rustling sound inside.
Yu Lili clenched her fist, reminding herself to walk past with her head held high, aloof and unbothered.
But she couldn’t resist.
She peeked inside.
On the black-tiled floor lay an open suitcase.
Half-filled with clothes, half still empty.
Tan Suran was packing.
Tan Suran was actually packing.
Yu Lili bit her lip, hoping the pain would distract from the sting in her eyes.
She stopped at the doorway, her voice hoarse. “I can move out.”
Tan Suran immediately understood her meaning and explained, “I’m not moving out.”
Yu Lili said nothing, her gaze fixed on the suitcase.
“I got a call earlier. There’s an urgent situation with the business down south. I need to leave now.”
“When I went to find you earlier…” Tan Suran paused, clearly reluctant to revisit their earlier disagreement. “I was going to tell you about this.”
Since they were on the topic, Tan Suran tried to explain further. “Lili, I wasn’t trying to hide anything. I just—”
“Never mind.” Yu Lili cut her off. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
She turned to leave, feeling hollow.
After a few steps, she stopped again. “Maybe it’s good timing. You can take these few days to think things over. If… if you regret this…” She didn’t finish, but the implication was clear.
Tan Suran understood.
She took two steps forward, standing in front of Yu Lili.
Gently, she reached out and took Yu Lili’s hand.
The warmth of their skin touching lasted only a second before Yu Lili pulled away.
Tan Suran lowered her gaze, staring at her now-empty palm.
Her lips pressed together tightly.
When she looked up, her eyes traced Yu Lili’s face.
Her voice was soft but firm.
“How could I regret it? Lili, I’m just worried… that you’ll regret it.”
Yu Lili met her gaze for a long moment before replying flatly, “Oh.”
Back in her room, Yu Lili pulled the covers over her head.
Smooth talker.
That just makes it worse.
Tan Suran left that same night.
The next day, before Yu Lili could wallow in her gloom for too long, she received news that Du Tanyu had returned to the country.
Ever the daredevil, Du Tanyu didn’t even take time to rest after her return. Instead, she invited Yu Lili to play golf—at the same Tushan Golf Club as before.
She also brought Jian Sijia along.
“Honestly, you’ve gotten so much paler since you went abroad,” Jian Sijia remarked, eyeing Du Tanyu in the rearview mirror. “Did you date any foreign girls?”
Du Tanyu propped her chin on her hand. “Don’t even ask. It’s a nightmare.”
Jian Sijia laughed. “What, did your flirting skills fail overseas?”
Du Tanyu waved her off. “Let’s talk about something happier, yeah?”
“Fine, fine. Let me think… What have you missed while you were gone?” Jian Sijia tapped the steering wheel. “Lili, why so quiet? Asleep?”
Du Tanyu glanced at Yu Lili, who was slumped against the car window. “Ignore her. She falls asleep the second she gets in a car, treating us like chauffeurs.”
Half-asleep, Yu Lili mumbled, “I didn’t get to bed until dawn. If it weren’t for you two, I wouldn’t be out right now.”
“Alright, alright, sleep then.”
“Wait, I just remembered something huge,” Jian Sijia suddenly said. “I’ve been sitting on this gossip forever, too scared to tell anyone else.”
“A massive, earth-shattering scoop. Firsthand, exclusive. Guaranteed to knock your socks off.”
Du Tanyu smirked. “What if it doesn’t?”
Jian Sijia grinned. “Impossible. If it doesn’t, I’ll eat this car right here.”
“Ha! Let’s hear it.” Despite her words, Du Tanyu’s expression remained indifferent. In their circle, few scandals could truly shock her anymore.
“Tan Suran got married.”
“What?!”
Jian Sijia smirked at Du Tanyu’s reaction. “See? No need for me to eat the car, right?”
“When did that happen?” Du Tanyu shot a glance at Yu Lili.
Sure enough, the previously drowsy Yu Lili was now wide awake.
“No way. How come I haven’t heard a thing?”
“Top secret. But I found out anyway. An old high school classmate of mine ran into Tan Suran at the marriage registry.”
As Jian Sijia rambled on, Du Tanyu’s attention shifted to Yu Lili.
No wonder she’d been so downcast today—her crush had gotten married.
Du Tanyu reached over and patted Yu Lili’s shoulder.
Yu Lili had snapped awake the moment Tan Suran’s name was mentioned.
Jian Sijia laughed. “See? Now that’s a bombshell. Even Lili’s awake now.”
“Wait, hold on. I don’t buy it. How could you keep gossip this juicy to yourself?” Du Tanyu steered the conversation away, knowing Yu Lili wasn’t in the mood to engage.
“I wanted to spill, but I was scared Tan Suran would come after me. She’s kept this under wraps so tightly—no one knows. If I blabbed and ruined her secrecy, she’d definitely come for me. Ugh, I only told you two because I trust you.”
“I bet even her parents don’t know. Getting married like it’s some illicit affair—who does that?”
“Do you know who her wife is? Arranged marriage? That seems more Tan Suran’s style.”
“No clue. My classmate isn’t from our circle. She only recognized Tan Suran from financial magazines.”
As the conversation lulled, Yu Lili, who hadn’t contributed, took a deep breath. “Actually…”
“Oh!” Jian Sijia suddenly exclaimed, cutting her off. “Could it be that woman? You know, that little fling… Ugh, if it’s really her, I’ll lose it.”
Du Tanyu shot Yu Lili a look. “No way. Definitely not.”
Not wanting to upset Yu Lili further, Du Tanyu smoothly changed the subject. “Honestly, if I ever settle down, I won’t sneak around like that. I’d give you at least a month’s notice. You better do the same for me, or we’re not real friends.”
Jian Sijia laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll book your schedule six months in advance.”
Yu Lili, who had been trying to figure out how to gently break the news to her friends that she was the wife in question, swallowed her words.
Fine. I’ll find a better time.
And figure out how to soften the blow.
At the golf club, Jian Sijia went to the restroom, leaving Yu Lili and Du Tanyu alone in the lounge.
Sitting on the sofa, Yu Lili debated whether to tell Du Tanyu now.
Her fingers twisted nervously until Du Tanyu suddenly said, “Just spit it out. I know you want to.”
Yu Lili looked up guiltily, rubbing her jawline. “You know what I want to say?”
Du Tanyu plucked a gold-wrapped candy from the snack tray and handed it to Yu Lili. “Sweet things help in times like these.”
Yu Lili bit her lip, clutching the candy, her gaze dropping. “I just didn’t know how to bring it up. Even now, it doesn’t feel real—like I’m living in a dream. I meant to tell you earlier, but things have been so hectic… Please don’t… be mad at me.”
Before she could finish, Du Tanyu pulled her into a hug.
“Lili, don’t be sad. I know Tan Suran getting married hurts. But you can talk to us, okay? Don’t bottle it up. Even if I’m not in the country, if you’re upset, I’ll fly back in a heartbeat. No hesitation.”
Huh? Wait—
“That’s not what I— I was trying to say…”
Du Tanyu’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, then back at Yu Lili. “There are plenty of fish in the sea. Forget about her. I never saw the appeal anyway. Bet she’s the type to have s3x, like, once a year.” She lowered her voice on the last part.
“…”
“…”
“Du Du… Actually…”
“I’m back!” Jian Sijia announced before she even reached them.
Du Tanyu turned to greet her, then asked, “What were you saying, Lili?”
Jian Sijia was already there.
“Nothing. I’ll tell you later.”
“Guess what I just saw?” Jian Sijia grinned, pointing down the hallway.
“What?”
“This is hilarious. I think this place is rebranding as a matchmaking service. The decorators just wheeled in this tacky, wedding-style display. Straight out of my parents’ era.”
Du Tanyu snorted. “Bold choice.”
Yu Lili frowned. “Your parents’ wedding… Were you even born then? How would you know what it looked like?”
Jian Sijia gave her a thumbs-up. “Lili, you’re really… silent until you’re not, huh? Calling me out like that. Sisters for life.”
The club manager, who’d been waiting nearby, stepped forward with a smile. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen you three together.”
Jian Sijia sighed. “Yeah, these two are always busy now. Hard to pin down.”
The manager chuckled. “Only real friends talk like that. You must be very close. We’ve got a new promotion today—interested?”
“What kind?” Jian Sijia asked.
“There’s a blessing board up front. Just sign your name, and you can play here for free for the next month.”
“Pass.”
The word “free” held no appeal for them.
But Jian Sijia, ever the instigator, asked, “Why the promotion?”
This golf club had always been VIP-only. Promotions were unheard of.
“The owner has happy news to share, so she’s giving back to the members.”
“Who’s the owner again?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Du Tanyu remembered—the owner of this golf club was Tan Suran.
Happy news.
Meaning her marriage.
No more secrecy—now it was public.
And not just quietly public. This was a full-blown celebration across her businesses.
What was Tan Suran thinking?
“I’ll prepare your usual half-course setup. The cart’s ready outside. Would you like to change first?” The manager gestured toward the locker rooms.
A blazing red display board stood squarely in their path.
Impossible to miss.
Even Du Tanyu, who currently held Tan Suran in contempt, couldn’t help glancing at it.
Gaudy red “double happiness” characters adorned the board, as if someone had convinced Tan Suran that the more symbols there were, the longer her marriage would last.
At the center was a white panel for signatures, captioned:
[Wishing the happy couple a lifetime of love and harmony.]
At the bottom, in gold lettering:
[Thank you for your blessings.]
The effect was clear—signing the board meant endorsing the marriage.
Yu Lili glanced at it.
Hmph. Bribery.
She looked again.
Her cheeks warmed.
Her lips twitched upward.
Turning her back to the others to hide her smile, she missed Du Tanyu’s next move.
Du Tanyu stepped forward.
Okay, it’s a little tacky, she thought.
But not as bad as Jian Sijia made it sound.
The red board had a modern touch—an LED touchscreen embedded in it.
Bored, she tapped the screen, which currently displayed a luck-themed image.
The next second—
The screen changed.
Du Tanyu’s lazy gaze sharpened in disbelief.
Jian Sijia, who’d been chatting with the manager, turned and gasped. “What?”
“Yu. Li. Li.”
Du Tanyu gritted out the name of the person standing with her back to them.
“Huh?” Yu Lili schooled her expression and turned slowly, feigning innocence. “What’s wrong?”
Du Tanyu’s glare could have frozen hell. “Care to explain why the other person on this marriage certificate has your name and your face?”
Marriage certificate?
Yu Lili blinked up at the screen.
At some point, the LED display had switched to show Tan Suran and her wife’s marriage license.
Key details were blurred, but the photo was enlarged, framed by a heart.
Yu Lili stared at her own face on the screen.
“…”
Well.
This is…
They even posted the marriage certificate?
Under the weight of her friends’ icy stares, Yu Lili wondered: Is it too late to run?
—
After nearly groveling her way through the afternoon, Yu Lili finally placated Du Tanyu and Jian Sijia.
Saying goodbye to them, she hesitated before returning to Tan Suran’s villa.
The winter night was pitch black.
So was the villa.
Of course.
Tan Suran was away on business.
No one was home.
Yu Lili pushed open the wrought-iron gate and stepped inside.
She froze after one step.
The person she hadn’t expected to see was standing there.
A familiar suitcase sat at her feet.
Tan Suran wore a brown overcoat, tall and elegant, her features sharp in the dim light.
Hearing the noise, she looked up.
Their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
Just as Yu Lili resigned herself to breaking the silence—
Tan Suran said,
“Lili, did you see?”
The question was vague, but Yu Lili understood.
Today, every one of Tan Suran’s businesses had “celebrated” in some way, offering promotions and freebies to mark the owner’s “happy occasion.”
Naturally, it had trended everywhere.
By now, all of Lihe probably knew.
Yu Lili nodded. “Mm.”
Then, not wanting to seem too easily appeased, she added with a haughty hum, “You made such a big deal out of it. Weren’t you the one who said you were afraid I’d regret it? What if I do regret it? Now that the whole world knows, wouldn’t that just cause trouble?”
Tan Suran took a step forward, bowing her head slightly. “I regret it.”
“Regret what?” Yu Lili kept her eyes on the ground, feigning indifference, though a hint of vulnerability seeped into her voice.
“Regret giving you the chance to regret.”
“No matter what you decide, now that you’ve married me, you’re staying by my side.”
“Oh? You don’t even like me. Why keep me by your side?” Yu Lili’s heart was blooming, but her words remained contrary.
Tan Suran took another step.
Now they were close enough to touch.
The scent of bitter lemon enveloped Yu Lili.
Snowflakes began to drift down, melting as soon as they touched the ground, only to be replaced by more.
“Lili, close your eyes.”
Tan Suran wrapped her arms around Yu Lili, pulling her into an embrace.
Pressed against Tan Suran’s shoulder, Yu Lili noted that her clothes were cold, but her face felt warm.
Her hands twitched at her sides, resisting the urge to return the hug.
As much as she loved being held…
“What are you doing? Don’t think a hug will make up for everything,” she grumbled, though her tone hinted that a little more coaxing might just do the trick.
Tan Suran’s breath tickled her neck.
A slender hand cradled the back of Yu Lili’s head, holding her close, right over Tan Suran’s heart.
The branches rustled.
The snow fell silently.
The sky stretched endlessly black.
Hexagonal snowflakes danced in the air, crystalline and weightless.
Under the amber glow of the streetlamp, their intertwined shadows stretched into the distance.
“Lili.”
“Don’t ask.”
“Just listen.”
“Listen to my heartbeat.”