Chapter 6
Bo Chi’s sincerity softened even Yu Zhao’s cold heart.
Sighing inwardly, Yu Zhao resigned herself to filling a bowl with warm water, rinsing the spicy food in it before allowing Bo Chi to eat.
Bo Chi, surprised that Yu Zhao still reacted the same way even with amnesia, couldn’t help but feel a surge of sadness, eating the now significantly less flavorful food with a grievance-filled expression.
After the meal, seeing it was still early, they decided to take a walk to aid digestion.
A gentle breeze rustled the girls’ soft, black hair. Bo Chi, like a lazy cat, narrowed her eyes, enjoying the long-lost tranquility.
Yu Zhao walked beside her. Normally taciturn, she had unknowingly become more talkative after spending time with Bo Chi and was now softly recounting amusing incidents from the company. As she spoke, her voice gradually trailed off, her clear eyes resting on Bo Chi’s contented face, her expression gentle, no longer cold and indifferent.
Bo Chi, who had been listening attentively, noticed her sudden silence and tilted her head curiously. “Why did you stop talking?”
Yu Zhao froze, like a thief caught red-handed, instinctively averting her gaze.
After staring blankly at the trees lining the road for a moment, she regained her composure and casually changed the subject. “Are you free this afternoon?”
Bo Chi replied cheerfully, “Yes! Didn’t you ask me out today? I’ve cleared my entire schedule to spend time with you!”
Yu Zhao was startled, the words “entire schedule” echoing in her mind. As if possessed, she blurted out, “Including tonight?”
Bo Chi readily responded, “Yes, including tonight.”
Only after speaking did she ask in confusion, “Don’t you need to review your work at night? How would you have time to go out?”
Yu Zhao came back to her senses, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. Biting her lip, she mumbled, “I was just saying.”
And she hadn’t planned to ‘go out’ anyway.
Who would ask someone out late at night just to fool around?!
Thankfully, the little simpleton didn’t understand.
Yu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, then cleared her throat and brought up the real matter. “Since you’re free, how about accompanying me to the hospital this afternoon? My mother is having a checkup, and I want to take you… to meet her.”
Bo Chi didn’t notice Yu Zhao’s slight awkwardness, her focus entirely on the words “checkup.” She was familiar with the plot and knew Yu Zhao’s mother had a heart condition.
The original school beauty was a love-struck fool, indifferent to her mother’s illness. But Bo Chi knew Yu Zhao wasn’t like that. If any problems were detected, Yu Zhao would sell everything she owned to save her family.
But the problem was, Yu Zhao didn’t have anything to sell!
She was so poor that she couldn’t afford many pretty dresses for herself, her salary immediately split in two upon receiving it: one part for her mother, and the other entirely spent on treating Bo Chi to food and drinks.
If Bo Chi wasn’t operating under the principle of reciprocity, she would feel ashamed to go out with Yu Zhao, constantly feeling like she was exploiting the struggling girl.
In this situation, what if Yu Zhao couldn’t handle the pressure and was coaxed by that scumbag Lin Ye?
Alarm bells rang in Bo Chi’s mind. She stopped walking and turned to grab Yu Zhao’s hand, her face serious. “Your mother will be fine. Don’t be too nervous!”
Yu Zhao raised an eyebrow, looking at her anxious expression and thinking that she seemed to be the more nervous one. “I know. I’m not nervous.”
Bo Chi ignored her, continuing earnestly, “If something is wrong, don’t break down. No matter what happens, I’ll be there for you!”
Worried that Yu Zhao wouldn’t take her words seriously, she emphasized, “I will always, always be by your side!”
Yu Zhao lowered her eyelashes, her expression seemingly calm, but her eyelashes trembled like ripples on a spring pond.
Looking at Bo Chi’s hand tightly gripping hers, she softly hummed in acknowledgment.
Then, as if feeling her response was too casual, she lifted her face, her eyes filled with unreadable emotions, and said softly, “I know. Thank you.”
She hesitated, then mustered her courage, taking Bo Chi’s hand and kissing it as Bo Chi stared at her, dumbfounded. Her cheeks flushed as she lowered her head, whispering, “No matter what happens in the future, no matter how our families react, I will always tell you as firmly as I am now—”
She gazed at Bo Chi, each word deliberate, “I won’t leave you, just like you, never.”
Bo Chi stared at her blankly, then at her own hand.
Then back at Yu Zhao, and then at her hand again.
Finally, she concluded—Ah, this… this must be the legendary, touching, soul-stirring friendship!
Bo Chi once had the chance to be best friends with Yu Zhao. However, when she happily visited Yu Zhao’s home, a fat, flying cockroach had greeted her with extreme arrogance.
Young Bo Chi had been so terrified that she burst into tears, fleeing the dilapidated old house without even saying goodbye to the anxious Yu Zhao, who was tugging at the corner of her shirt.
By the time she recovered from the fever caused by the fright and returned to school a week later, Yu Zhao had reverted to her initial gloominess, even colder than before.
Bo Chi felt guilty about this, even now, believing she had done wrong. Yu Zhao grew up poor and was often ridiculed for it. Inviting Bo Chi to her home must have taken all her courage.
Yet Bo Chi had run away so unceremoniously…
But… but it really wasn’t her fault!
She was young then. How could she have handled such a fat and ugly cockroach?
And it could fly!!
That had been a childhood trauma, okay?!
After that, Yu Zhao became even more withdrawn, prickly towards outsiders, but towards her, she was still okay, as if she had retracted her thorns. This made Bo Chi feel both guilty and uneasy, while also reinforcing her belief that she was special to Yu Zhao—she didn’t even get angry. Wasn’t this what best friends were like?!
It wasn’t until they grew up, on the verge of graduation, that Yu Zhao tore down the facade of harmony, calmly and decisively stating she had never considered Bo Chi her best friend. Bo Chi’s heart had completely chilled then.
So it had all been her wishful thinking.
She was never special to Yu Zhao.
Thinking about it now…
Wasn’t it better this way?!
Why would best friends kiss each other’s hands?!
Although they hadn’t kissed anywhere more inappropriate, kissing her hand was still strange!
And saying such ambiguous things that made her heart race inexplicably…
Damn.
It was fortunate she hadn’t become best friends with Yu Zhao when she was young and naive. Otherwise, what if she had unknowingly become gay?
Bo Chi felt both relieved and unnerved, completely dazed. She didn’t even snap out of it as Yu Zhao led her by the hand to the hospital.
It wasn’t until she saw Yu Zhao’s mother that she pulled herself together, greeting politely, “Hello, Auntie. I’m Yu Zhao’s classmate, Bo Chi.”
Yu Zhao was always reserved and independent, never telling her mother about being bullied at school. Therefore, Yu Zhao’s mother warmly welcomed Bo Chi, making her sit down and asking about Yu Zhao’s performance at school with a smile.
Bo Chi didn’t think too much and replied casually, “She’s always been a top student. She’s the first to arrive at school every morning. Sometimes, when the weather is too cold, she even turns on the heating in the neighboring classroom beforehand.”
“She also skips breakfast and is a picky eater. She finds oily food disgusting and salty food too strong, but to avoid wasting food, she always finishes it with a frown and then drinks a cup of warm water.”
“Fighting? Uh… of course not! Ah Zhao is a lady, a lady… Am I covering for her? No way! We’re not close!”
As the most pampered daughter in her family, Bo Chi always had an advantage when talking to elders. She was good at acting cute and speaking sweetly, easily making Yu Zhao’s mother beam with joy, holding her hand throughout the conversation.
As the actual daughter, Yu Zhao sat by the bed with a gentle expression, peeling fruit for them while listening to Bo Chi talk.
She had long noticed Bo Chi’s subtle observations.
But she hadn’t expected the other girl to cherish her so much, remembering even the smallest, unnoticed actions as precious treasures.
Truly adorably silly.
It made her want to reward that sweet mouth… with a prize.
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