Chapter 37: The Ferryman of Friendship

“Tell me, how do you think those people see us? As friends, lovers, or sisters?”

Just as they exited the opulent golden gates, Qian Surou heard Jin Xiaoyue pose this question.

Her tone remained teasing, and a look that could only be described as cunning graced her serene, delicate face, which was as pure as an angel’s; the jarring contrast made Qian Surou’s heart skip a beat.

She did not know the answer, but the question itself was a trap, for it was only natural to feel curious upon seeing two beautiful girls intimately strolling through such a venue.

When a lone black sheep appears among a flock of white, visual appeal, rather than the reason for its presence, becomes the primary factor, much like a common theme in art appreciation.

“I won’t guess.”

“Then I’ll guess lovers.”

“Why?”

“—Because… Xiao Qian’s looks are simply too striking; she’d be pestered by strange people even just walking down the street, and if she had a sister, she would undoubtedly be just as beautiful.

And generally speaking, no one would bring a friend to a place like this, would they?”

Indeed, bringing a friend to such a venue would inevitably be perceived as a deliberate display of wealth, and even if that were not the intention, the other person would certainly not feel at ease.

Unless both individuals came from similar backgrounds, in which case they would undoubtedly choose a more relaxing environment.

“Xiaowan is being too modest.”

“Is that your way of calling me pretty?”

Qian Surou said nothing, merely nodding in response.

She dared not look at Jin Xiaoyue’s expression, though she already anticipated a captivating smile.

It was then that she realized ‘Qian Surou’ possessed not an aura of authority, but a subconscious resistance to intimacy, for she had never proactively sought closeness, neither in words nor in actions, thus inadvertently emitting exclusionary signals.

Before the river of friendship lay a distinctly marked boundary, and she stood on the other side, yet now someone had begun to ferry across.

This was not without similar past experiences, but the previous crossers had quickly proven their efforts futile.

She had already shown resistance in this relationship, yet Xiaowan seemed either oblivious or deliberately feigning ignorance, like a soldier who waits all night to launch an assault at the peak of their courage in the morning, completely disregarding her opinions.

From this, it was clear that she might be a person whose passivity was rather regrettable.

However, there was nothing inherently wrong with it; what she needed was not fleeting passion.

Confessing to Ji Yushu had already consumed a long-hoarded reserve of courage; if it were a game’s stamina bar, it would now be in a dangerous, red-flashing state, requiring time to recover.

Qian Surou was a woman of few words, and at this moment, she should have inquired about the way to their destination, but since Jin Xiaoyue had not brought it up, she presumed there were no issues.

The map application on her phone indicated the nearest bus stop, and the one for bus route 937 conveniently served Jingyuan Residential Area.

Recalling the stamped loyalty card in her shoulder bag, Qian Surou bypassed the supermarket with its prominent, single-character sign and stood beneath the blue bus stop sign.

Despite Jin Xiaoyue’s remarkably quiet demeanor, Qian Surou suspected this might be her first time riding a public bus.

While the interior of the bus was well-appointed to showcase the city’s image, most buses had been in service for over five years, meaning the cleanliness might not be entirely up to par.

Even if it were immaculate, it could hardly compare to a luxurious Lincoln.

Qian Surou preemptively switched her phone to the QR code interface, which Qian Xidong had helped her register, allowing her to bypass coin payment and use online transactions.

She inwardly resolved to refresh it and scan again, as she had no means of registering Jin Xiaoyue, nor did she imagine Jin Xiaoyue would ever ride a bus at any other time.

After practicing once, Qian Surou noticed her left arm felt a little sore.

Having kept their arms linked the entire time, and unable to simply pull away, Qian Surou had almost forgotten about it.

‘Do friends get this clingy?’

It was hard to gauge; Qian Surou had indeed seen many pairs of even more intimate friends.

Because the departments of Linhua Girls’ Academy were interconnected, many people had known each other since childhood and were close friends.

Playfully checking each other’s chest sizes was merely child’s play, and more intimate interactions were not uncommon, but for someone she had met only twice and been friends with for less than half a day, this level of closeness was certainly beyond the norm.

“I forgot to ask, Xiaowan, do you have any dietary preferences? I’ll try to match the ingredients as best I can.”

The wait for the bus was somewhat awkward, prompting Qian Surou to initiate conversation, both to survey for dinner and subtly hint not to mention overly fancy dishes whose ingredients she might not recognize.

Classic dishes would be manageable, but if it were the kind of deceptive cuisine found in scenic restaurants, neither information nor a home kitchen could satisfy the requirements.

After speaking, Qian Surou suddenly remembered to add a supplement, cautioning her not to utter phrases like, “I’ll love anything Xiao Qian makes.”

Jin Xiaoyue then sighed, wearing a cute, almost transparent expression of someone caught trying to be mischievous.

The phrase she had been preemptively blocked from saying was no joke.

Even if Qian Surou served up an indescribable blob of mush, she would swallow it without batting an eye.

However, with the availability of a cheat, such determination might seem a little cunning—she already knew how good Qian Surou’s cooking was.

She had confirmed it firsthand.

“Then I want tonkatsu sandwiches, heart-shaped fried eggs, stir-fried water spinach, and cold-dressed bamboo shoots.

And also little animal-shaped meatballs.”

Just like that time.

After a brief thought, she added playfully, “I’ll love anything Xiao Qian makes.”

“I told you not to say that.”

“That’s precisely why it triggers a rebellious streak in people, you know.”

‘Why does she have to be so adorable?’ Qian Surou involuntarily pinched the second joint of her index finger with her thumb’s nail, a self-admonishment to curb her habit of overthinking.

The ultimate delusion in life, without a doubt, was ‘she likes me.’

Having fallen for it once with Ji Yushu, Qian Surou was determined not to make the same mistake.

Yet, upon reflection, a character like her, whether in a game or a literary work, was always the type to fall in love first, then succumb completely, unable to extricate herself.

Truth be told, Qian Surou was not even sure if she had ever truly extricated herself from Ji Yushu.

“Forget the sandwiches.

Since we’re at home, tonkatsu with rice will do.

But, why are all these dishes like convenience store bento meals?”

“I suddenly felt like having them.”

Jin Xiaoyue’s answer was a little perfunctory, but Qian Surou had merely asked casually, bringing the topic to an end.

The truth was, it was nostalgia.

Though countless words welled up in Jin Xiaoyue’s heart, she could say none of them, for those words belonged to the past, and the future had not yet been successfully forged.

‘Maintain proper boundaries,’ she thought.

She had once made a grave mistake by failing to do so, and therefore, she absolutely could not repeat it.

Behind them was a telecommunications carrier’s storefront, its exhaust fan humming incessantly, so loud that it drowned out the sound of passing cars.

The setting sun streamed in from beyond a cobweb-laden partition, only to be blocked by the bus’s body.

The bus doors hissed like an air gun, the temperature difference between inside and out being the decisive factor.

It was then that Jin Xiaoyue remembered how hot it was outside, and she felt a sudden pang of embarrassment about whether she smelled of sweat.

She hadn’t showered after her indoor workout, and in the high temperature, the resulting fermentation was easily imagined; to have clung to Xiao Qian like a sticky candy in such a state, not being disliked was nothing short of a sacred grace.

‘Perhaps I even smell of alcohol,’ she thought.

Following Qian Surou onto the bus, the QR code scanner emitted two beeps.

‘I clearly have the filter of an innocent young lady of wealth,’ Jin Xiaoyue suddenly thought, recalling her childhood when their roles had been reversed.

However, Jin Xiaoyue was now captivated by the sensation of being led by Qian Surou.

Thus, she obediently grasped Qian Surou’s wrist with both hands and buried her cheek against the slightly damp back of her dress.

Catching sight of the faintly outlined bra clasp, she murmured softly, ‘It’s quite tight.’

She had clearly been the taller one back then.

“So, riding a bus for the first time makes you nervous, huh?”

It was not actually her first time.

But Jin Xiaoyue still feigned being caught out, burying her head even deeper.

“It’s… a little shaky.”

The driver, well-versed in saving time, saw no one getting off and only two people boarding, so he began to drive before the announcement could even finish a sentence.

The initial acceleration was so swift it felt like a race, and while the turns were limited by road conditions and lacked drifting, they were certainly no more stable than a drift.

Caught off guard, Jin Xiaoyue’s excellent non-slip shoes ironically became the cause of her instability.

Just then, Qian Surou found a seat and turned, causing Jin Xiaoyue to tumble directly into her soft embrace.

Her cheek, instead of her hands, experienced the vast expanse of the world.

‘I wish I could just suffocate in here.’

She suddenly wanted to thank herself for having forgotten what ordinary public transport was like.

“It seems being good at tennis doesn’t necessarily mean strong balance.”

“—Eh, Xiao Qian, that’s so mean, to think I fell on purpose!”

Jin Xiaoyue caught the underlying meaning in Qian Surou’s words.

“I just have a feeling Xiaowan would do something like that.”

“—If I were going to do it, it wouldn’t be to this extent.”

“I’m not trying to encourage you! Also, haven’t you buried yourself enough already? It’s precisely because you’re maintaining this posture that makes me misunderstand that I’m making such guesses.”

Qian Surou poked Jin Xiaoyue’s forehead with her index finger, urging her to sit up.

Having been caught off guard, and with her balance already precarious, Qian Surou naturally hadn’t emerged unscathed; however, through a combination of habit and quick reflexes, she had managed to lean against the seat’s armrest, which left her lower back aching.

Simultaneously, Xiaowan was still clutching her groin tightly.

“Since it was an irresistible force, just let me lean on you a little longer.”

Slightly raising her head, she moved towards Qian Surou’s alluring, slender earlobe and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

“Get up and sit properly; my appendix is starting to hurt.”

Qian Surou subtly mocked Jin Xiaoyue’s clinginess.

However, she genuinely felt uncomfortable from being gripped so tightly, and combined with the cold drinks she had consumed earlier, her stomach had begun to ache.

To attribute an appendicitis attack to being squeezed too hard by a female friend and thus occupy public medical resources would surely make her the laughingstock of the medical community.

With a slight force, she pushed Jin Xiaoyue into the inner seat, and Qian Surou finally sat down as she wished.

Although she wore a displeased expression, she wasn’t actually angry.

Upon catching a whiff of the accumulated sweat odor on the seat, she began to reconsider.

‘Would it have been better to take a taxi?’ She felt she was being overly petty, causing her friend to have a bad experience.