GL My Goddess Best Friend’s Seduction (H) - Chapter 28

The next morning, I woke up with panda eyes, and Lin Yuqi’s eyes were swollen from crying.

After sitting up and meeting each other’s gaze, we both burst into laughter.

I used a compact powder to conceal my dark circles and got an ice pack from the fridge for Lin Yuqi to use on her eyes.

The three of us had breakfast together. Lin Yuqi gave Si Jingnian’s spring rolls a big thumbs-up.

She kept praising Si Jingnian and repeatedly expressed how lucky I was to live with her.

After breakfast, I went out to hang out with Lin Yuqi.

Just as we stepped outside, Lin Yuqi lost her composure and shouted, “Sister Si is so, so, so, so, so pretty! I was too sad last night to notice, but now I’m seriously amazed.”

I laughed and patted her head. Since I was shorter than her, the gesture felt a bit awkward.

“Of course. I don’t often post her photos on my feed. I call her a goddess for a reason. She really is gorgeous.”

“That’s not the same. These days, photos can be so deceptive. But Sister Si looks even better in person.”

She shook her head dramatically, as if disapproving of me.

“Right, right. Clearly, you’re the expert here.”

“But even though Sister Si is prettier, I still only love my girlfriend!”

I had just been emotionally ambushed by a high school student.

She even dared to show off her love life in front of me. Unbelievable.

“Even if you did love your Sister Si, she would never accept you. She’s as straight as they come.”

“Really? But my gaydar tells me she’s not straight.”

Her words stirred something in me. For a moment, I felt a glimmer of hope.

But then I remembered. Si Jingnian had once clearly said she did not like girls.

The ripples in my heart faded away again.

“She did say she doesn’t like girls.”

“Maybe she’s just in denial.”

“No way. I still trust Sister Si’s character. She wouldn’t lie.”

“Alright then. Still, it’s such a shame. A beautiful girl like Sister Si, and all the benefit goes to those boys.”

“Mhm.”

Originally, we planned to stay out until around 5 p.m., but around noon, Lin Yuqi got a call from her dad.

He had softened a bit. He said that if she got early admission to Columbia University this year, he would temporarily stop opposing the relationship. However, if they broke up later, she would have to compromise and try dating a boy.

It was still difficult. Columbia had high standards.

But for Lin Yuqi, this was already great news.

She jumped into my arms with joy and excitedly called her girlfriend.

The two girls practically exploded on the phone.

They were so excited they could barely form sentences and quickly made plans to meet up that afternoon.

I stood to the side, ditched as expected, but I genuinely felt happy for them.

Her parents were actually pretty open-minded, or perhaps among younger parents, some no longer strongly object to early dating. Usually, they just try to guide their children to understand self-respect and emotional boundaries.

Lin Yuqi’s parents seemed to be that kind. Even though they could not initially accept their daughter liking another girl, once they calmed down, they began to think things through. They did not just use their authority to crush her.

It was already very good. If only my parents were like that…

My parents were fairly tolerant about me not taking civil service exams or rushing into relationships. But if I brought a girlfriend home…

They probably would not even let me through the door.

A thought of Si Jingnian flashed through my mind.

Forget it. Better not think about it.

After watching the two lovebirds meet and giving them a few words of advice, I stepped away.

It was obvious they no longer had room in their eyes for me.

With nothing to do that afternoon, I went to the bookstore in the mall, got some coffee, and read a book. I spent the afternoon reading most of “Spring Breeze,” feeling moved by the characters’ fates and getting a little absorbed.

At 5:30, Si Jingnian called me.

She asked about dinner. I said I had not decided yet.

She asked if Lin Yuqi had returned to school. I said she probably had. She had gone off to hang out with her friend.

Si Jingnian said she would come out to meet me for dinner and asked for my location.

We met at a Sichuan restaurant in the mall.

She did not ask what was going on with Lin Yuqi, and I did not plan to tell her. After all, it was Lin Yuqi’s secret.

That’s the kind of person Si Jingnian was. She understood boundaries. She would never gossip about others.

She was different from me and all my other friends.

While eating the spicy boiled fish, I burned my tongue. Every hot dish after that was painful. I had to let each one cool before eating.

Si Jingnian sighed helplessly and slid her ice jelly dessert over to me. I pitifully scooped several spoonfuls of brown sugar ice jelly.

After dinner, I said I wanted a beer.

Her eyes filled with disapproval. She was probably remembering how I drank in Japan.

But I really needed a drink to build up courage.

I told her I would only have one can of beer and that I would take it home.

After much persuasion, she finally agreed.

We bought four cans of beer from the convenience store, and I pulled her up to the balcony to drink.

We lay on the deck chairs, looking at the starless sky.

Well, it was Beijing after all. The weather did not cooperate.

But breathing in fresh air still felt good.

“Ah, as expected, you can’t see stars in Beijing at night.”

“I kind of miss lying on your lap looking at the stars when we were in Japan.”

“I miss it too.”

Her words made my heart flutter. Was she missing the stars in Japan, or was she missing me lying on her lap?

I smiled bitterly to myself.

What a ridiculous thought.

I pulled the tab on my beer and took a big gulp.

Then I motioned for her to open hers too.

“Come on. Here’s to our beautiful friendship.” I clinked my can against hers.

She took a sip.

“Here’s to our still-youthful days.” I toasted again.

“Here’s to your pretty face.”

“Here’s to your alluring figure.”

“Here’s to my adorable student.”

“Here’s to…”

Before long, I had finished both of my beers.

Si Jingnian definitely noticed something was off about me. But she stayed silent and did not ask.

I lay back on the chair, dazed after drinking.

After a moment, I exhaled a breath of alcohol-laced air, then took a deep inhale of fresh air.

It was like psyching myself up. I asked,

“Jingnian, what do you think about homosexuality?”

I did not look at her. I was afraid I might see a look of contempt on her face.

She did not answer right away. Instead, she asked me,

“Why are you asking this?”

“Just answer first.”

“I don’t really think much about it. It’s other people’s freedom.”

I felt a little better. At least she did not despise it.

“If one of your friends were gay, would you treat her differently?”

“Yes and no.”

“What do you mean?”

“I would stay friends with her, but I would not let her get the wrong idea.”

“And if she misunderstood?”

“Maybe she overthought things. Or maybe I did something to mislead her. I would correct it immediately.”

When I heard that, the heat in my chest from the beer began to cool.

My eyes stung. I almost cried. But I held it in.

I understood what she meant.

I got it. Her kindness toward me, I had shamelessly mistaken for love.

How naive I was. And how disgraceful.

“Xiaoyu, why did you ask that?”

“Oh, just curious.”

“Really?”

“Yes. That’s it. I’m dizzy from drinking. I’ll go shower and sleep now.”

I scrambled to brace myself on the little table and tried to stand. I had to get away.

I had to get away from this place where I was deluding myself.

I had to get away from this person I was deluding myself over.

But I had no strength left after drinking. I slumped back into the chair.

Unfortunately, my shin hit the metal frame.

There was a sharp sound of bone against metal.

The pain made me grimace.

Si Jingnian jumped up in alarm, crouching beside me, asking where I had hurt myself.

Seeing her worried like that, how much I wanted to claim her.

How much I wanted to have her all to myself.

How much I wanted her to belong to me and only me.

My eyes heated up. I could not stop the tears.

I said, “It hurts. It hurts so much.”

But it was not my leg that hurt. It was my heart.

It curled up, clenched, and twisted in agony, like it had gone through a brutal spasm.

That kind of pain should have been just emotional, but it showed up on my forehead.

Sweat beaded at my temples.

Si Jingnian said she would take me to the hospital. I sniffled and told her no.

I used a tissue to wipe away my tears.

I told her it did not hurt that much. That it was just a reflex.

To prove it, I bounced on the spot a bit.

I told her not to worry and went to shower.

I did not even take off my clothes. I just stood under the shower and cried silently.

The water was loud. My crying was quiet.

I think I understood how Lin Yuqi had felt. One day apart, and we both had stood crying under the shower.

But it was different.

She had cried because her parents did not approve of her love.

I cried because my love had no end, no future.

I knew it was shameless of me. Si Jingnian not only did not like girls, but also had a steady boyfriend.

Wasn’t I just a creepy homewrecker?

I could not let this continue.

I could not destroy her relationship.

I had to stay away.

Far enough that I would not think of her.

Only then could we be friends.

I needed to move out.