GL My Goddess Best Friend’s Seduction (H) - Chapter 1

Friday night, 8:45 PM. I cleared my throat, holding the teaching notes in my hand. I spoke to the student sitting across from me at the small table. “That’s it for today. You need to submit one short essay and one long essay by next Saturday.”

“Oh, Teacher An. We’ve been so busy these weeks. So many activities! We can’t use computers or bring phones to school. How are we supposed to write essays?” Gao Ziqian complained, pretending to look pitiful.

“It’s not an oral assignment that needs phone recording. You can handwrite the essay and take a photo. I’ll print the short essay part for you. You can use MP3s for the listening part, right?”

My typing speed didn’t slow down. The back-and-forth with students about homework and time was always the same. I could guess what these kids would say with my eyes closed.

“Ughhh!” Gao Ziqian let out a dramatic wail, making students passing by my classroom turn to look at her.

“Hey, hey, everyone’s staring at you.” I helplessly patted Gao Ziqian’s head, hoping to quiet her down a bit.

“Boo-hoo, Xiaoyu, you don’t love me anymore.” Gao Ziqian fake-cried, covering her eyes with her hands, but her bright eyes peeked slyly through the gaps.

“No use, Gao Ziqian.” I pretended to be stern, typing with a serious face.

Gao Ziqian burst into laughter. “Teacher An, that baby face of yours really doesn’t suit a serious look. It’s totally useless!”

My serious expression collapsed, and I waved my hand helplessly. “Go, go, you’re annoying me.”

Gao Ziqian stuck out her tongue and bounced out of the room.

Watching her energetic figure, I felt a bit envious. I opened the app and sent today’s teaching notes. Then I noticed my WeChat flashing nonstop.

I opened it and saw three people had messaged me. I clicked on Jiang Yiyi’s chat first, seeing a dozen messages from her.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: You there?

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Where’s my beauty?

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Don’t play dead!

Yiyi Not Yiyi: I bought it!

Yiyi Not Yiyi: 5 AM train tomorrow morning!

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Are you staying at Zhengyu’s place tonight? Starry eyes, I remember his place is close to the train station? That’d make it easier for you to come.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Is Si Jingnian really coming?

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Shocked marmot scream

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Oh, right, you must tell her not to dress too nicely or wear makeup! Otherwise, she’ll steal the bride’s spotlight!

Peaceful New Year: Zhengyu’s on a business trip this week, not with me. I’m going with Si Jingnian. And how could I stay at his place? No premarital s*x!

Peaceful New Year: You didn’t buy Si Jingnian’s ticket, right?

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Oh, you’re still so conservative, picking your nose

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Ahhh, no, I don’t have her ID number or anything.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Won’t she get bored coming so early? You’re the bridesmaid, so you’ll be busy. She’ll have nothing to do.

Peaceful New Year: You refund your ticket. I’ll buy Si Jingnian’s together, get seats next to each other.

Peaceful New Year: I’m the spokesperson for fine Chinese traditions!

Peaceful New Year: It’s fine. She can go shopping during the day or read in the hotel.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Okay, any room on the 16th floor of the hotel for Goddess Si.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: Ahhh, I’m so nervous. I’m getting married tomorrow!

Peaceful New Year: Normal to be nervous. Sleep early tonight, look beautiful for your wedding tomorrow. Don’t play cards until 3 or 4 AM again.

Yiyi Not Yiyi: What cards until 3 or 4 AM? Nonsense! I was clearly joking with my husband until dawn. Gotta go, some arrangements aren’t settled yet. Bye-bye.

Peaceful New Year: What are you saying? Shameless. Bye-bye.

I exited Jiang Yiyi’s chat and opened the one with a profile picture of a stone alley.

Messages from 8:45 PM.

Si Jingnian: Are you off work? I’m at the supermarket across from your company buying daily necessities. Need anything?

Si Jingnian: Car’s parked in the underground garage, let’s go home together later.

8:52 PM

Peaceful New Year: Just got off work. We’re almost out of kitchen paper at home. Anything else?

Peaceful New Year: Never mind, I’m coming to the supermarket now. Wait five minutes. Check out the kitchen supplies first.

Si Jingnian: Okay.

I closed my laptop, stood up, and cleared the trash from my seat. I grabbed my bag and left the classroom.

On the way, I greeted colleagues getting off work and opened Qi Zhengyu’s chat.

Qi Zhengyu: 5 AM train tomorrow? Take care when getting a taxi. Send me your location later. I’ll be back the day after tomorrow. Let’s watch a movie that night, and I’ll treat you to a big meals.

Peaceful New Year: Yep, I’m with Jingnian, so no worries.

Peaceful New Year: Take care on your business trip.

Qi Zhengyu: Got it. I love you, wifey.

Seeing this, I locked my phone and stepped into the elevator. I chatted briefly with colleagues about students’ situations and their small mistakes. Everything felt friendly.

Outside the building, early March nights were chilly. I tightened my coat and walked toward the nearby large supermarket.

The warmth inside was a relief for this old lady. I’m not that old, but lately, my students going abroad are getting younger, from high schoolers to middle schoolers and even elementary schoolers. It makes me feel ancient. Especially with elementary kids that one class is so draining. I really admire their teachers.

I turned right past a few sports brand stores and stepped onto the escalator. This escalator was painfully slow. Mornings, when I buy fresh milk, I stride up, but tonight, being Friday, it was crowded. I had to a standstill.

When I found Si Jingnian, she was in the daily necessities aisle, browsing kitchen supplies. Tall and slender, she wore a classic dark green long coat and a dark shirt tucked into trousers. The outfit looked stylish on her. Her black hair was simply pinned up, her profile glowing under the fluorescent lights. She stood straight, pushing a shopping cart with her left hand, holding a supermarket spoon in her right as if studying a precision instrument.

My heart skipped a beat. Even after knowing her for years, her beauty still stunned me.

I crept forward, planning to scare her. Before I reached her side, she sensed me and looked up, a faint smile on her face. Her subtle phoenix eyes curved in a captivating arc.

“I’m late…” I checked my phone and stuck out my tongue. “Three minutes.” I reached for the cart, but Si Jingnian smoothly moved it away. “Let me make up for it.”

“No need,” Si Jingnian replied coolly.

Knowing her for years, I knew she valued punctuality and didn’t tolerate tardiness. Her former assistant was fired for being late often.

But I could tell from her steady tone that she wasn’t upset. Giving up on the cart, I changed the topic. “Why shop at this supermarket?”

“Isn’t there a big one by our neighborhood? It’s cheaper too,” I asked, puzzled.

“That supermarket was out of some things,” Si Jingnian answered calmly.

“Oh, okay.” I was a bit confused. The neighborhood supermarket was much larger and cheaper, more convenient for residents. I loved shopping there. Well, people’s preferences are hard to guess. If Si Jingnian liked this one, so be it.

“Next time, tell me what’s missing. I can grab it on my way home. Saves you the trip. It’s not even on your way.”

Si Jingnian paused for a second before saying, “Next time.” But that next time never came.

After buying essentials, I dragged Si Jingnian to the snack aisle. “I want Oreos, jelly, chips, pineapple, chocolate wafers, spicy strips, jerky, ahhh!”

Si Jingnian didn’t eat snacks, but I couldn’t live without them. That’s probably why, despite a 10-centimeter height gap, we weighed the same. I’m 165 cm, she’s 175 cm, both 49 kg. My 49 kg was weighed naked; hers was fully dressed, ugh.

Luckily, my small frame didn’t make me look bulky, but my thighs were so thick, sob.

I’d read that the cheapest supermarket items are on the bottom or top shelves. I checked, and it’s true. So, Si Jingnian and I had a system: I crouched for bottom-shelf snacks, she reached for top-shelf ones. Our teamwork was flawless.

After our sweep, the cart was stuffed with my snacks.

I stood and grinned proudly at her. “Jingnian, you’re awesome!”

Si Jingnian glanced at me, her calm expression unchanged, but I was sure she got what I meant.

“High five?” I asked, excited, raising my palm toward her.

“Childish,” Si Jingnian said, looking at me with disdain, though her eyes held something like fondness. I shook my head, telling myself I was overthinking.

I started to lower my hand, but her soft, cool palm lightly tapped mine.

“Hee hee,” I giggled. “You’re pretty childish too, Jingnian.”

“Sure, sure,” Si Jingnian said with a slight smile, teasing, “I’m influenced by you.”

“Hmph.” I rolled my eyes dramatically at her and strutted toward the checkout in my heels.

I glanced back secretly and saw Si Jingnian speed up to follow me, which made me feel much better.