After Being Bent by Reader
Chapter 55: Pt.2

From start to end, Xu Chuanchuan never heard Murong Shi asking her about her relationship with Ange. It was as if Murong Shi didn't care who she went out to play with.

While Xu Chuanchuan knew Ange testing Murong Shi was something done for her own good, she still couldn't help but feel that it was cruel for Murong Shi.

When Ange heard Xu Chuanchuan's worries, she shook her head and sighed. Then, she said, "You say you two still aren't officially together, yet you're already so protective of her. Who are you trying to trick?"

"I just think this is too childish... Moreover, I really think she doesn't care much about these things."

"Doesn't care? If she doesn't care, then why would she be so eager to send me off to a hotel last night? She's just acting calm on the surface," Ange said. Then, placing her hands on Xu Chuanchuan's shoulders, she continued, "Tang'er, you've already fallen. Just accept your fate."

Ange said that she still had three cats and dogs waiting to be fed at home, so she couldn't continue staying in S City.

Before Ange left, Murong Shi treated her to another meal. This time, though, Ange accepted the offer with a smile before saying, "If you two happen to come to Shanghai, it'll be my turn to entertain you."

After the three of them shared a toast using fruit juice, Murong Shi put down her glass and said, "Won't you stay for a few more days?"

At Murong Shi's question, Ange turned to look at Xu Chuanchuan, who sat beside her. Then, she sighed and faking a look of grievance before saying, "I want to, but Chuanchuan has to go to work during the day and entertain me after she gets off work. I'm afraid she'll overexert herself."

Failing to realize Ange's intentions, Xu Chuanchuan smiled like a fool as she said, "I don't replace it tiresome at all."

Then, holding onto Xu Chuanchuan's hands, Ange said, "You might not feel tired, but it still hurts my heart seeing you running around like this."

Xu Chuanchuan got goosebumps when she heard Ange's pretentious voice, and she couldn't help but look at her friend as if asking, "Are you okay?"

Noticing Xu Chuanchuan's gaze, Ange quickly winked at the other party and said, "Hah... We just met, yet we're already separating. I really can't bear it."

Xu Chuanchuan: "..." At this point, even a fool could tell that something was wrong with Ange, so Xu Chuanchuan decided to ignore all of her friend's antics.

Meanwhile, Ange continued her act and said, "I'll miss you."

"..." Xu Chuanchuan originally intended to continue playing dumb. But when Ange cruelly pinched her thigh under the table, she had no choice but to cooperate and dryly said, "I'll miss you too."

Unfortunately, this still wasn't the end of Ange's act.

Right before going through the security checkpoint at the airport, Ange suddenly turned around and hugged Xu Chuanchuan tightly. Then, she said, "Actually, I've been waiting for you all these years."

Xu Chuanchuan's body stiffened as she asked, "W-Waiting for me for what?"

"Waiting for you to give me an answer."

"...What answer?"

Gently poking Xu Chuanchuan's forehead with her forefinger, Ange ambiguously said, "You get it."

Xu Chuanchuan: "..." I don't get it!

Ange reluctantly released Xu Chuanchuan from her embrace, though she still held onto one of Xu Chuanchuan's hands. Then, affectionately, she said, "Once you think things through, you can come to replace me at any time."

They had never planned for such an act beforehand, so Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but be stunned by Ange's current performance.

At this time, Murong Shi suddenly approached the two and indifferently said, "There are chairs over there. Do you want to go there and continue your conversation? You're blocking others here."

Xu Chuanchuan and Ange briefly exchanged looks with each other.

Murong Shi's words were seemingly effective at resolving the situation as Ange reverted to her usual self. Before letting go of Xu Chuanchuan's hand, though, she leaned into Xu Chuanchuan's ear and whispered, "Tang'er, I'm leaving now."

As Murong Shi was standing nearby, Xu Chuanchuan could only mutter her goodbye in her heart, Goodbye, Ange.

After readjusting her mood, Xu Chuanchuan smiled at Murong Shi and said, "Let's go."

However, Murong Shi did not move. Instead, she stared at Xu Chuanchuan and asked, "How did you and Tang Xin meet?"

She didn't ask me about this during the past few days, so why is she suddenly asking as soon as Ange left? Did she get triggered by Ange's parting act?

Xu Chuanchuan dared not think too deeply into the matter. After letting her eyes wander for a moment, she answered, "We...used to be classmates."

"What kind of classmate?"

"University," Xu Chuanchuan said with a straight face.

Murong Shi's gaze remained on Xu Chuanchuan's face for a long time, so long that Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but wonder if her face had betrayed her. Fortunately, Murong Shi eventually said, "Let's go back."

The atmosphere in the car was cold and silent on the way back.

Xu Chuanchuan could vaguely sense that Murong Shi was in a bad mood, but she couldn't tell the cause. After careful deliberation, she said, "I bought a massager for Aunt Lian online. Help me bring it to her."

"Mhm," Murong Shi responded indifferently.

Xu Chuanchuan hesitated for a moment when she heard Murong Shi's response. Then, she said, "You don't seem to be happy."

"There's nothing to be happy about."

Xu Chuanchuan choked and stopped talking.

After a long while, Murong Shi suddenly said, "Let's get something to eat."

"Okay."

Xu Chuanchuan had already grown used to letting Murong Shi take the lead. However, now that Murong Shi was behaving indifferently, Xu Chuanchuan suddenly found herself reverting to her previous self, where she was nothing but a bewildered office assistant that would act fearfully in front of her superiors. This feeling made her very uneasy.

After another period of silence, Xu Chuanchuan finally couldn't hold it in anymore and said, "Forget it. Let's not eat."

Murong Shi grimaced at Xu Chuanchuan's words. Then, sending the shorter woman a glance, she asked, "Why?"

While rubbing her temples, Xu Chuanchuan hesitantly said, "I feel a little carsick. I want to go back and lie down." Of course, the motion sickness was an excuse, but Xu Chuanchuan wasn't faking her discomfort.

There was no place to park the car on a highway, so Murong Shi stepped on the accelerator and sped to the nearest gas station. After parking the car, she helped Xu Chuanchuan out of the vehicle.

After supporting Xu Chuanchuan to a stone pillar as support, Murong Shi lowered her head and noticed that Xu Chuanchuan's lips were slightly pale. Then, she asked, "How are you feeling?"

After swallowing some saliva, Xu Chuanchuan said, "My chest feels a little stuffy."

"Should I rub it for you?" Murong Shi offered.

Startled by the suggestion, Xu Chuanchuan hurriedly protected her chest.

Murong Shi broke into laughter when she saw this. Then, she extended a hand and gently patted Xu Chuanchuan's back before saying, "I forgot you get carsick easily. I should've prepared some water in the car. Also, stop licking your lips. They'll only get drier the more you do it."

Xu Chuanchuan would subconsciously lick her lips whenever she felt parched. While she resisted the urge to lick her lips again, she suddenly felt her chin being grabbed. Then, when she found herself staring into Murong Shi's dark and slender eyes, her mind instantly went blank.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi gently caressed Xu Chuanchuan's lower lip with her thumb. Then, focusing her gaze on a particular spot, she asked, "Is it alright now?"

It took some time for Xu Chuanchuan to realize that Murong Shi was referring to the small wound she had given herself previously. After understanding the question, she nodded in a daze.

Then, Murong Shi gradually shifted her gaze upward and indifferently said, "I feel that the relationship between you and Ange isn't an ordinary one."

Xu Chuanchuan's heart thumped when she heard Murong Shi's question, and she couldn't help but wonder, Did I get exposed?

After calming herself, Xu Chuanchuan said, "She is my closest friend."

"Just friends?" Murong Shi asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes. If not, w-what else?" Xu Chuanchuan said. Her mouth had become so dry that she started stammering.

Murong Shi stared straight into Xu Chuanchuan's eyes for a moment before saying, "Tang Xin likes you. I'm sure you can see that, right?"

Xu Chuanchuan abashedly smiled and said, "If she doesn't like me, how could the two of us become best friends?"

In response, Murong Shi said in a deep voice, "You know I'm not talking about the kind of liking that's only limited to friends. Tang Xin also likes women. Did you not get any of the hints she said to you at the airport?"

Xu Chuanchuan was shocked. She never thought Murong Shi could tell that Ange liked women.

Although Xu Chuanchuan did her best to remain calm, she inwardly shouted, That was an act! It was all an act to trick you!

At the same time, Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but curse Ange for leaving her with such a mess.

After racking her mind for some time, Xu Chuanchuan said, "She and I... We..."

"I don't care what kind of thoughts she has toward you. I only want to know what you think of her," Murong Shi interrupted.

Murong Shi's words were akin to salvation for Xu Chuanchuan, and she secretly heaved a sigh of relief. Initially, Xu Chuanchuan wanted to smile when she realized her troubles had disappeared. But when she saw the stern look on Murong Shi's face, she quickly suppressed her emotions and said, "She will forever be my best friend."

"Really?" Murong Shi asked in an eager tone.

Pretending to be calm, Xu Chuanchuan said, "Of course. I've known her for six years. If I'm going to have feelings for her, I would've long since had them."

Murong Shi's tensed eyebrows relaxed upon hearing Xu Chuanchuan's answer. Then, she revealed a happy smile and pinched Xu Chuanchuan's chin, saying, "Hearing that eases me."

The two stood by the stone pillar for a while. After breathing in the smell of tar for a time, the awkward silence between them gradually disappeared. Though, because of how close they were to each other, a hint of ambiguity also began appearing in the atmosphere surrounding them.

When Xu Chuanchuan sensed a sudden increase in the pressure on her chin, she promptly came back to her senses and broke free of Murong Shi's restraint. Then, she timidly said, "I'm fine now. Let's go."

After getting back into the car, Murong Shi pulled out a pack of chewing gum from her bag and handed it to Xu Chuanchuan. "Chew on this. It should make you feel better."

Xu Chuanchuan pulled out a stick of gum, unwrapped it, and put it into her mouth. While chewing and stretching the gum, she asked, "So you bring gum with you? But I've never seen you chew on any before."

A gleam flashed across Murong Shi's eyes as she watched Xu Chuanchuan's little tongue looming between her lips and teeth. Then, in an ambiguous tone, she said, "I didn't have this habit before, but I'll probably bring it often in the future."

"Do you get carsick as well?"

Murong Shi didn't know whether she should laugh at Xu Chuanchuan's dullness or say that the woman was simple-minded. Then, she extended a hand to Xu Chuanchuan and said, "Give me a piece."

In response, Xu Chuanchuan decided to provide the complete service, unwrapping the chewing gum and stuffing it straight into Murong Shi's mouth.

Xu Chuanchuan had only heard of people enjoying cigarettes or drinks in a car; never had she heard of people enjoying gum in a car. Nevertheless, Murong Shi had parked the car outside the gas station, and the two stared at each other while chewing gum. No matter how one looked at this scene, it was undoubtedly a strange one.

It was mentioned that chewing gum could relieve stuffy chests and shortness of breath. While Xu Chuanchuan didn't know if it was only a psychological effect, she indeed felt better after she started chewing the gum. After Xu Chuanchuan had chewed her gum to the point that it had lost all taste, she spat it out onto a piece of tissue paper.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi was still chewing hers, the expression she showed making it seem as if the gum was some delicacy. However, Murong Shi's eyes were so focused on the person in front of her that Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but wonder if the thing in Murong Shi's mouth wasn't gum but Xu Chuanchuan herself instead...

A misconception. This must be a misconception.

Just when Xu Chuanchuan was about to turn away, Murong Shi grabbed the tissue paper in her hand and spat out the gum in her mouth. Then, she bundled the tissue paper and threw it into the hanging trash can in the car.

Seeing this, Xu Chuanchuan straightened her back and quietly waited for Murong Shi to start the engine. Yet, instead of doing so, Murong Shi had leaned closer to Xu Chuanchuan and gently blew into her ear instead.

"..." Xu Chuanchuan instinctively shrank her neck while her sensitive ear quivered slightly.

Seemingly having found something interesting, Murong Shi flicked the lobe of Xu Chuanchuan's red ear and smiled, saying, "Why have I never noticed this cute thing before?"

Xu Chuanchuan widened her eyes and hurriedly covered her right ear.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi's smile grew even wider upon seeing this. Then, after forcefully moving Xu Chuanchuan's hands away, she looked at the shorter woman's embarrassed expression and said in a low voice, "We'll have a piece of gum whenever we're about to kiss now on."

Xu Chuanchuan widened her eyes and quickly covered her mouth. Then, she said in a muffled voice, ”I'll puke if you kiss me now!"

"..." Murong Shi's smile gradually disappeared.

TL Notes:

A moment of silence for Ange.