Chapter 32: Just being friends

Walking side by side with Bai Yun, the two threaded their way along the bustling roadside.  

The summer evening darkened slowly, time passing gently, with brilliant sunset clouds drifting on the distant horizon.  

The last rays of the sun stretched the shadows of the pedestrians long, the red-green light changed continuously, and the cars followed the rhythm of stop and go.  

The city operated as usual, no different from any other day. 

Watching the crowds and vehicles, Lu Weizhu’s mood remained unchanged.  

The bustling city was not a place for someone like her, who had to hide in the shadows.  

Bai Yun stayed silent, sensing Lu Weizhu’s low spirits, and squeezed the girl’s hand tighter.  

Warmth and pain surged together, making it hard for Lu Weizhu to accept kindness with peace of mind.  

“Xiao Lu, are you facing some trouble again?”  

She asked.  

“Ah…it’s nothing, just don’t know what exactly I’m living for.”  

Living only for others never seemed like a problem before, but after the conflict with Lu Weiyu, she suddenly felt a bit pitiful.  

Although the conflict was quickly resolved, the rift was still hard to mend.  

“Huff…”  

Lu Weizhu exhaled.  

If only her sister could be more forgiving towards her.  

Taking out her Mobile Phone, Lu Weizhu glanced at her contacts.  

She still couldn’t figure out how to explain another night out without coming home to Lu Weiyu.  

“Wei Yu, remember to eat. Your stomach isn’t good; don’t order anything spicy.”  

After hesitating for a moment, she sent a text to Lu Weiyu.  

There was Cash left in the ward, so Lu Weizhu wasn’t worried that Lu Weiyu would be short of money for meals.  

“You care about your sister a lot. Why don’t you go back and keep her company?”  

Beside her, Bai Yun saw the message Lu Weizhu sent.  

“…I don’t know how to face her.”  

Lu Weizhu put away her phone.  

“Not coming home last night, she must be mad at me again. Seeing her angry and being ignored by her is not a good feeling.”  

Lu Weizhu lowered her head.  

“I clearly care about her, but I don’t dare to apologize face to face. I must be ridiculous, right?”  

Walking with Bai Yun, Lu Weizhu’s mood didn’t improve at all.  

Knowing that avoiding problems only makes things worse, Lu Weizhu still chose to do exactly that.  

Bai Yun stayed silent.  

She didn’t know what to say. 

Should she scold Lu Weizhu? 

Obviously not—

Lu Weizhu had already suffered a lot.  

But was what Lu Weizhu doing right? 

Should she run away from problems?

Her instincts told her no as well.  

After all, she was an outsider, with no right or standing to criticize Lu Weizhu.  

“You’re just too tired. Relax and have some fun. Put the things you can’t figure out aside for now, and go with the flow.”  

Bai Yun said some empty words.  

“Thank you.”  

Lu Weizhu closed her eyes after expressing her gratitude.  

Walking shoulder to shoulder, after some time, they reached a nearby park.  

Crossing the pebble path through a greenbelt, what came into view were various exercise equipment and a small lake.  

Two wooden bridges led to an artificial mountain at the lake’s center, where young girls were playing through the holes of the rockwork.  

Lu Weizhu sat on a bench by the lake, quietly watching the water’s surface.  

Under the sunset, the lake reflected a warm yellow glow, with ripples spreading intermittently.  

On the water, Lu Weizhu saw her blurry reflection.  

The figure in the lake slowly shrank, growing shorter and smaller until it became a cat trapped inside a cage.  

Bending down, Lu Weizhu stretched out her hand, her fingers trembling as if trying to touch the water’s surface from a distance.  

The reflection changed back; she was still herself.  

Beside her, Bai Yun had disappeared without her noticing.  

Lu Weizhu fell silent.  

What was it that she truly wanted?  

“I really want…”  

“I really want someone I can rely on.”  

Muttering to herself in a daze.  

She wanted to be comforted, to have someone to act spoiled toward, to lean against someone’s embrace.  

When was her birthday?  

Lu Weizhu only remembered she was not yet nineteen. 

Her birthday…seemed to be in autumn? 

But the exact day was already forgotten.  

Lu Weizhu stood up and walked to the lake’s edge, resting her hands on the low railing.  

For a moment, she thought about jumping into the lake.  

“Xiao Lu.”  

A voice called from behind.  

Lu Weizhu turned around.  

“Here, have this.”  

Bai Yun held a hot dog in her mouth, with one in each hand.  

She offered one hot dog in front of Lu Weizhu’s eyes.  

“If you’re feeling down, just eat more.”  

With curved eyes, Bai Yun’s mouth holding the hot dog looked a bit ridiculous, yet deeply warm.  

The outstretched hand touched the girl’s heart, etching Bai Yun’s image deeply into her mind.  

Lu Weizhu was momentarily stunned.  

“Thank you, how much is it? I’ll pay you back.”  

Lu Weizhu took the hot dog.  

“It’s just a few bucks, no need to be polite.”  

Bai Yun frowned.  

She patted Lu Weizhu on the shoulder and sat down beside her, quickly finishing the hot dog she held in her mouth. 

Bai Yun gazed distantly at the artificial mountain.  

There was no more conversation, and Lu Weizhu sat down too.  

She bit into the hot dog.  

The aroma of the meat spread in her mouth, bringing a wave of warmth. 

Lu Weizhu closed her eyes.  

Though it was only an employment relationship, Yun Jie treated her so well…  

Receiving warmth made her want even more.  

Lu Weizhu thought about relying on the people around her, but the thought vanished as quickly as it came.  

She wasn’t worthy.  

“Yun Jie.”  

Lu Weizhu called softly.  

“Hmm? What’s up, Xiao Lu?”  

“Can we be friends?”  

Friends, yes, just friends would be enough, just friends.  

Lu Weizhu once had friends long ago, but after her parents died and she dropped out of school, she hadn’t been in contact with them for a long time.  

They probably had forgotten her by now.  

“Friends, huh…”  

Bai Yun blinked.  

“Xiao Lu, you’re not just saying that because you’re afraid I’ll dock your pay, right?”  

She smiled slightly, clearly not serious.  

“I…no, absolutely not, Yun Jie. If you don’t want to…it’s fine.”  

Lu Weizhu became flustered. 

Even if she was rejected, she didn’t want to be misunderstood.  

Hurriedly waving her hand, the bamboo skewer in her hand slipped and fell into the grass.  

“…I’m joking. Friends, of course we can.”  

Bai Yun nodded.  

“…Yeah, thank you so much, Yun Jie.”  

Feeling somewhat better, Lu Weizhu picked up the skewer and threw it into the nearby trash bin.  

Being friends was enough.  

To be honest, Lu Weizhu didn’t know how much longer she could maintain her role as a café employee.  

With Ning Wan and Bai Lu pressuring her, she would inevitably be forced to resign.  

If it was just between employees and the store owner, she probably wouldn’t have any contact after quitting.  

Her eyes flickered as she touched her chest.  

Her heart fluttered, and she felt joy.  

“Hey…don’t thank me over every little thing.”  

Bai Yun threw the hot dog stick precisely into the trash bin.  

“Silly Weizhu.”  

Their relationship had improved, and Bai Yun no longer called Lu Weizhu “Xiao Lu.”  

Blurred vision from tears, Lu Weizhu nodded silently.  

“Sitting all the time isn’t good either. Let’s go, let’s play too. You should exercise, skinny arms and legs — don’t end up collapsing before your sister even has a problem.”  

Lightly tapping Lu Weizhu’s back, Bai Yun teased.  

She stood up and headed toward the exercise equipment not far away.