So-called friends

  "How was your time? Was it fun?"

  "It's kinda boring..."

  "Hehe, what... no playing with cell phones?"

  "Hmm, they say it's because of the fear of affecting medical equipment, but it's really inexplicable."

  ……

  In the hospital room filled with the smell of medicine, Ye Cai and Liu Youyou sat on either side of Su Xiaoqiu's bed, trying to find topics to cheer her up. The woman who had been left dry at the side seemed unable to bear such an atmosphere, taking advantage of a silent opportunity, stood up and forced a smile towards Su Xiaoqiu: "Xiaoqiu, I'll go buy you lunch."

  "Oh..."

  Under Su Xiaoqiu's slightly reserved and well-behaved gaze, the woman wearing a pleated skirt and short jacket left behind a capable yet elegant and slender back view as she hastily walked out of the hospital room.

  At this time, Ye Cai and Liu Youyou, who were both puzzled and curious, also withdrew their gazes. Liu Youyou glanced at Ye Cai and flicked her eyes to signal her to ask Su Xiaoqiu about the identity of that woman.

  Ye Cai smiled wryly and waited until Su Xiaoqiu finally turned her gaze over, only then asking: "That person, is your...?"

  Su Xiaoqiu shrugged and pouted, saying: "It's my cousin."

  Instead, she smiled wryly and said, "She's a difficult person to get along with, don't mind her."

  Ye Cai nodded and smiled, secretly guessing the personality of that woman, while Liu Youyou awkwardly laughed and said: "Nothing, nothing, just got to know each other."

  Su Xiaoqiu smiled reluctantly and nodded, then quietly raised the corner of her mouth, but fell into a silence.

  That woman seemed to have become an invisible obstacle in their communication.

  At this time, Ye Cai raised her eyes, and a curious and well-behaved smile hung on her small face, saying: "What is she doing? Your cousin."

  Shrugging her shoulders, Su Xiaoqiu seemed helpless and disdainful, saying: "At home, no work."

  "Huh?"

  Ye Cai was still in that awkward smile, while Liu Youyou was stunned and surprised with a slightly open small mouth, turning her head to look at the direction of the door, as if to find out the woman's figure, turned back and said: "I think she looks quite capable, doesn't seem like someone who is unemployed."

  Su Xiaoqiu let out a sigh, raised the corner of her mouth in a mocking smile, but her eyes were bitter and helpless. "You want to know? Well, it's a long story. She used to be an advertising model, how about that, impressive?"

  "And what about her now?"

  "I've resigned, there's no way I can continue working."

  "Why?"

  Su Xiaoqiu closed her small mouth, and her eyes gradually lowered, as if there was something difficult to say.

  Liu Youyou only felt a bit awkward atmosphere, and was met with a sideways glance from Ye Cai's eccentric white eyes.

  It was supposed to be a visit to comfort the patient and bring some cheer, but now the atmosphere has become awkward and oppressive, and even stirred up Su Xiaoqiu's bitter memories. This development made Ye Cai feel guilty.

  In silence, she pondered deeply, and suddenly her eyes lit up as she gazed at Su Xiaochun, whose expression was somewhat melancholic: "Hey, do you know? Saien has remade himself, now he's called the Undead War God."

  "Ah?" Su Xiaoqiu was stunned for a moment, then turned to smile happily and said: "Sayin', I've played it before. That big skill can rush half the map, right?"

  "Uh-huh, yeah, it's running really fast, such a big head, seems quite fierce..."

  With a hint of embarrassment and desolation in her sideways glance, Ye Cai started chatting with Su Xiaoqiu about League of Legends. In such a gloomy mood, she also wanted to join the lively atmosphere, but because she had little interaction with Su Xiaoqiu, she didn't dare to interrupt, and was afraid that if she suddenly chimed in, they would both fall silent and give her disapproving glances.

  Under her noble and cold exterior, she is actually very timid and afraid of getting hurt in the slightest.

  Ye Cai and Su Xiaoqiu had a lively and pleasant conversation about the revised version of Sain, talking about his equipment flow. Ye Cai casually mentioned a few words about meat shield equipment, but then said: "Actually, it can't withstand at all, last time sister Youyou played that Cinderella, and killed me in just a few moves."

  Then she turned around and said with a smile: "Right, sister Youyou, do you still remember? The last time we had a one-on-one match."

  "Huh?"

  Liu Youyou was stunned and dazed, she had just been self-pitying, so at this moment she completely didn't react, noticing Su Xiaoxiao's curious and confused eyes, as well as Ye Cai's clever and cute appearance, seemingly without any hostility. She smiled awkwardly and said: "Hmm, I remember, I remember. That day, you were playing... Sein, right?"

  "Hey, you were playing Diablo that day, one big move and half of my blood was gone, hum, so cool."

  Ye Cai smiled sweetly and looked at Su Xiaoqiu, who had a slightly surprised expression, pointing with her white and tender fingers at Liu Youyou, who was a bit awkward and shy, saying: "Actually she's very good at playing AP, I'm not good at anything, just like to play something exciting, hum..."

  Under Su Xiaoqiu's suspicious gaze, Liu Youyou hastily explained: "No no, don't listen to her nonsense, she plays ADC very well, I usually play support for her."

  Ye Cai smiled awkwardly, but didn't explain anything. Su Xiaoqiu, however, seemed to have developed a sense of reverence for the word "auxiliary", and with a curious and admiring expression on her face, she looked at Liu Youyou and said: "Auxiliary, that position is actually very important, wow, so your operation must be very good, right?"

  Liu Youyou blushed and shrugged her shoulders with a smile, saying: "It's okay, that's it."

  "Don't say that." Su Xiaoqiu rolled her eyes and smiled mischievously: "Excessive humility is just pride, you know."

  Instead, he looked at Ye Cai with a sly smile and raised an eyebrow, saying: "You said so, didn't you? Cai Hua Jie."

  "Mmm... "

  Ye Cai nodded repeatedly, echoing the ambiguous smile, and glanced at Liu Youyou who was embarrassed and awkward, saying: "That's right, she is obviously very capable, but she doesn't admit it."

  Liu Youyou felt embarrassed and tense being stared at by the two of them, and mustered up the courage to ask: "T-then what do you like to play?"

  Su Xiaoqiu shrugged and said, "Top lane, Riven."

  But couldn't hide the pride, confidence and self-esteem in those dark eyes.

  "Speaking of the highly controversial Ruiwen, Liu Youyou instantly found a topic and lowered her posture in surprise: "Ruiwen? I heard that you can answer questions at the speed of light, can't you?"

  "Hmph, just a small trick..."

  Ye Cai quietly watched the two negotiate, her heart warm and fuzzy, her plump and delicate lips slightly pursed, her eyes shining with a gentle and comforting smile, just like an ordinary-looking silly loli on the outside but actually a deeply sentimental and sensitive Mary Sue.

  Suddenly, the phone rang. She left a puzzled expression for Liu Youyou and Su Xiaochun, got up lightly, pointed to the vibrating phone in her hand, smiled mischievously, as if saying that another blind guy had called again.

  "My sister called..."

  She turned to look at the phone screen, raised a helpless smile, and quietly exited the ward, unknowingly letting Liu Youyou and Su Xiaochun relax their vigilance, returning to the atmosphere of continuing to chat happily.

  It wasn't until she reached the window far away that she furrowed her brow, and the phone was not a call from her sister, but an inexplicable call from her father Ye Changhu.

  The moment the phone rang, she realized that it was probably to ask or inquire about the whereabouts of the transforming cigarette. Thinking of the strange return of the transforming cigarette, she couldn't help but feel tense and nervous.

  "Hey, Dad, what made you think of calling me?" she asked in a playful and slightly quirky tone.

  It seemed that she was pondering something in her tone, and after a long silence on the other end, she said, "Xiao Cai, where are you now?"

  "Uh, I'm at the hospital... Huh? What's wrong? Is something going on?"

  "Hehe, nothing much, by the way, Dad, I've found a potential boyfriend for you."

  "Huh?"

  This time Ye Cai was truly shocked, her eyes wide with wonder, her tongue stuttering: "B-boy... b-boyfriend?"

  "Stand-ins, stand-ins, don't be so nervous. It's just a stand-in. I think he should also be in the hospital right now, and you've met him twice before, you might know him, his name is Shen Yixuan."

  Three words and two sentences described a serious matter, and also easily controlled her life. The discontented Ye Cai suddenly wanted to argue back, but thinking that it was for her own good, her momentum and impulsiveness weakened slightly. She frowned, forced a smile and said: "Oh, then I'll talk to him later if I have the chance... Prepare!"

  She seems still unwilling to give up.

  "It's just a suggestion, don't worry about it. I'm not forcing you to accept." The thick and hoarse man's voice said with a helpless smile.

  "Hmm, a kiss, hehe, Dad is the best." Upon learning it was not mandatory, she felt an indescribable joy.

  "Cough cough, remember to return to school on time later, take care of your body, okay? Bye."

  "Uh-huh, Dad too, take care of your body." She hurriedly reminded him, only to realize that the other end was already a cold beeping sound. She gently put down her phone and sadly pursed her lips.

  Turns out it's all right then, should still be busy anyway.

  She comforted herself with a smile.

  Bouncing back to the ward, Su Xiaoqiu is now discussing with Liu Youyou about the fragmented and no longer majestic WE team. The two sisters are sighing and lamenting, with an unspoken bond between them.

  With a sweet and weak smile, Ye Cai sat down gently, watching the two of them discussing with a gentle and quiet expression, without saying anything. Her eyes were filled with a warm and peaceful feeling, like a bamboo forest and a quiet pond, as if seeing the two of them getting along was already making her feel happy and content.

  When leaving the ward, it was Liu Youyou who expressed her reluctance to part with a lingering look, while Ye Cai stood at the door with a sweet and gentle smile, waving goodbye with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

  In the corridor, Ye Cai was silently thinking about Su Xiaoqiu's current condition and her future rehabilitation plan. While Liu Yiyi chattered on about the unfinished topic of WE earlier, furrowing her brow in regret and complaint, as if the connection between her and Su Xiaoqiu was carried by that very topic.

  Perhaps, sometimes, the symbol of friendship between friends is not to find topics and talk loudly, but to maintain a calm and gentle attitude even in silence.

  Being able to stay together with each other, even without any topics, can still feel satisfied and warm.

  Just as she was about to walk out of the hospital gate, Ye Cai was caught up by a possible boyfriend who might have been informed by Ye Changhu.

  Breathlessly, her eyes shone with a lively sparkle, and her facial features were not sharp like those of most men, but instead presented soft and charming lines.

  Just like a girl.

  Ye Cai and Liu Youyou both pouted, staring at the rascal in front of them who was panting with his hands on his knees, feeling very puzzled and speechless.

  It's already late autumn, yet he's wearing such a thick down jacket, as if trying to hide something, it's very strange.

  "Leaf, leaf picked, what a coincidence."

  The young man slowly caught his breath, lifted his head, and with a sly smile, said in a street-smart tone.

  "Hmm, what a coincidence." Ye Cai smiled and said, "We'll head back now, how about you?"

  "Go back?" Shen Yixuan's eyes wandered thoughtfully, as if calculating time.

  But neither of them realized that Shen Yixuan had a natural and easy way of communicating with girls, which was not the mindset that a high school boy should have.

  Taking this opportunity, Liu Youyou gave the man in front of her a look of annoyance and impatience, pouting her mouth, and whispered to Ye Cai's ear: "Do you know him?"

  "Let's just say we know each other." Ye Cai also awkwardly pursed her lips, raised her eyes to Shen Yixuan and said: "Then, let's catch up again sometime, we're heading back now."

  She then pulled her skirt and signaled for Liu Youyou to leave quickly.

  The two girls quickly turned around, straightened their waists and hurried away with quick steps, both quietly paying attention to the man not far behind them.

  Then they both stared at each other in shock and panic, only to see Shen Yixuan quietly calculating for a moment before hastily chasing after them.

  "Hey, wait a minute, let's go together, we can save some money that way."

  "Hmm..."

  Just as they were about to turn back, Ye Cai and Liu Youyou both pouted at the same time.

  ……

  So, in the back seat of the taxi, Ye Cai sat in the middle, with Liu Youyou, who was pouting on her right side, and Shen Yixuan, who was smiling happily on her left side.

  Ye Cai naturally felt constrained and awkward, and being with someone who seemed like a fake girl made her even more uncomfortable than being with a pure man.

  （……）