After Being Bent by Reader

By the time Xu Chuanchuan and Ange had their fill of food and drinks, the sky had gradually darkened. As neither of them had much energy left, they decided to return to the hotel to rest.

While tugging at her sweaty T-shirt, Ange said, "I really can't stand this smell. Can I shower first once we get back?"

"Okay, you go first," Xu Chuanchuan said, thinking that she could use this time to organize the photos she had taken today.

Apart from photos taken for educational purposes, they had also taken many group photos with the leading actors today. This was the first time Xu Chuanchuan had gotten so close to a celebrity, so it was inevitable that she became a little nervous. Moreover, unlike Ange, Xu Chuanchuan found that she wasn't photogenic at all. She either smiled like an idiot or had her eyes closed in many of the group photos they took.

After browsing through the photos for some time, Xu Chuanchuan decided to select a few satisfactory ones and shared them on her WeChat Moments to show off. However, when she realized that there were only eight acceptable photos, she decided to include the selfie she took with Ange during lunch to bolster the number.

Xu Chuanchuan knew that Ange didn't like showing her face, so she made sure to censor Ange's face in every photo. Shortly after she published the photos, she received several likes and comments.

Chen Lina, one of Xu Chuanchuan's colleagues, commented: "How did you get group shots with so many celebs?"

Xu Xiaomei, another colleague, commented: "Are these really the celebrities we see on TV? Why do I feel as if these photos are photoshopped?"

Xu Chuanchuan: "..."

Then, Xu Xiangxiang commented: "Ahhh!!! What's this?!"

A second after Xu Chuanchuan saw her little sister's comment, her phone started ringing. Taking a look, she found that Xu Xiangxiang had sent her a video call request.

As soon as Xu Chuanchuan clicked the "Accept" button, Xu Xiangxiang's scream entered her ears. Then, her little sister said, "Sis! I just saw your social media! Where are you right now? Why didn't you bring me with you?!"

Xu Chuanchuan felt that she had made a mistake. Before making the post, she should've blocked a portion of the people on her contact list, such as Xu Xiangxiang and a certain someone...

Xu Chuanchuan felt her eardrums ringing from Xu Xiangxiang's screaming. While covering her ears, she guiltily said, "I'm out on a trip with a friend. It was an impromptu trip, and I was afraid you didn't have the time."

In response, Xu Xiangxiang bellowed, "I have plenty of time on the weekend! Did you go to a film studio?"

Gritting her teeth, Xu Chuanchuan lied, "It costs a lot of money for a trip. I'll go broke if I bring you along."

Xu Xiangxiang immediately grew unhappy when she heard Xu Chuanchuan's words. Then, she started clamoring and complaining about her elder sister for being "stingy" and "inhumane."

In the end, Xu Chuanchuan had to promise to give Xu Xiangxiang an additional 500 yuan in pocket money next month to assuage her little sister. Only then did Xu Xiangxiang stop complaining.

After disconnecting the video call, Xu Xiangxiang saw a new notification on her WeChat Moments. When she tapped on it to take a look, her heart thumped.

Murong Shi had seen the post Xu Chuanchuan made a minute ago, and she left a comment, saying: "Why did you have to censor the woman beside you? Afraid that I'll see her?"

Should I reply to this comment or not?

After mentally struggling for some time, Xu Chuanchuan decided to delete the entire post.

After this incident, Xu Chuanchuan learned that she should never recklessly boast about matters.

After changing her thinking, Xu Chuanchuan censored her face and published the photos on her Weibo.

Suddenly, a cheerful ringtone rang in the room. Xu Chuanchuan found that it was Ange's phone that was ringing. After sending a glance at the phone and seeing that it was an unknown number local to G City, she deemed it to be a spam call, so she ended up ignoring it.

However, Ange's phone rang for a long time. After the first call got automatically disconnected, another call came. While Xu Chuanchuan wondered whether she should tell Ange about it, Ange came walking out of the bathroom.

"Who's calling me?" Ange asked.

Shaking her head, Xu Chuanchuan said, "No idea. It's an unknown number. They've been calling non-stop for some time now. Could it be someone from the production crew?"

"Maybe," Ange said. Then, she answered the call and placed her phone by her ear. After quietly listening to the phone for a moment, she suddenly frowned and said, "Is that any of your business?"

After saying so, Ange ended the call and blacklisted the other party's number without hesitation.

When Xu Chuanchuan saw this, she asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

After tossing her phone aside, Ange blankly said, "It's Citrus."

"Huh? Why is it her?"

"She says that she is in G City and that she saw my Weibo post. Then, she asked which hotel I'm staying at and said that she wants to come to see me."

"That..." Xu Chuanchuan's eyes wandered for a while before she asked, "Did she chase after you all the way to G City? Why do I feel that she's very attached to you? Are you two..."

Then, Ange suddenly sneered and said in a cold voice, "I don't blame you since you don't understand her, but Citrus is a person who loves only money and herself. If she is like you described her to be, I wouldn't have broken up with her back then."

Xu Chuanchuan indeed lacked understanding about the person known as Fragrant Citrus. She had only heard Ange briefly mention her relationship with Fragrant Citrus before, so she didn't find it appropriate for her to comment on the situation.

In reality, Ange hadn't told Xu Chuanchuan about the whole conversation she had with Fragrant Citrus. To be precise, she had left out a question Fragrant Citrus asked, which was, "Are you together with that white lotus now?"[1]

Ange had no intention of telling Xu Chuanchuan about this matter. However, when she sensed that her tone sounded a bit aggressive, she faked a calm smile and said, "Let's not talk about her. Hurry up and go wash up."

"Mhm."

As luck would have it, while Xu Chuanchuan was taking a bath, her phone had ended up ringing instead. As there was only a door separating her from her phone, she could hear the ringing loud and clear. When the ringing didn't stop, she raised her voice and said to Ange, "Pick it up for me first."

When Xu Chuanchuan came out of the bathroom, she found Ange wearing a strange expression, so she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Who's Murong?"

As if realizing something, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Murong was the one who called me just now?"

Ange nodded.

Xu Chuanchuan's expression changed slightly at this answer.

Ange roughly guessed the situation. Then, she said, "Sorry, I didn't know it was her. When I told her you were in the bath and couldn't answer the phone, she seemed quite upset as she hung up without saying another word."

After saying so, Ange passed the phone to Xu Chuanchuan.

Meanwhile, Xu Chuanchuan accepted it in a daze.

Let alone Ange, even Xu Chuanchuan herself did not expect Murong Shi to call her at this late hour.

After wetting her lips, Xu Chuanchuan said, "It's okay. I was the one who asked you to answer it for me."

"She might be upset. Shouldn't you call her back and give her an explanation?"

"She... There's no way she's upset. I still haven't reached that step with her."

Xu Chuanchuan might've said so, but she still ended up calling Murong Shi with an uneasy heart.

Meanwhile, Ange sat at a side looking at Xu Chuanchuan with a playful smile. And finding the situation awkward, Xu Chuanchuan turned her back toward Ange.

When Xu Chuanchuan heard a low "hello" entering her ear, her body subconsciously tensed up as she quickly said, "I'm sorry, I was in the shower just now."

"Your friend already told me that just now," Murong Shi said, her voice not containing any emotions.

"That... It's quite late now. Have you eaten yet/"

"I haven't. You?"

"I ate already. Uh, why haven't you eaten yet? Aren't you hungry?"

"It's too hot, so I don't have much of an appetite."

Is it really because of the hot weather? Xu Chuanchuan dared not think too deeply into the matter. She also wasn't used to having casual conversations with Murong Shi on the phone, so she couldn't help but feel as if she was speaking nonsense. "Your stomach will suffer if you don't eat. Even if it's hot, you should eat something."

No reply came from the other side.

While Xu Chuanchuan was at a loss on what to say, Murong Shi nonchalantly asked, "Did you have fun today?"

"It was quite fun. I gained a lot of experience. The only problem was the hot weather."

Then, Murong Shi changed the topic and said, "I saw your Moments."

Xu Chuanchuan's heart tensed up.

"You deleted your post as soon as I commented on it. It seems you're afraid of letting me see it," Murong Shi added.

...Although that was indeed the case, Xu Chuanchuan refused to admit it even if it killed her.

Also, for some reason, Xu Chuanchuan could vaguely sense a hint of unhappiness in Murong Shi's calm voice. Is it because I deleted that post? Or is it because I had Ange answer the call just now?

Clearing her throat, Xu Chuanchuan said, "Many people started asking me about it after seeing the photos. It was annoying, so I ended up deleting the post. I wasn't deliberately targeting you."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm…"

A long silence ensued once more. Finally, after a while, Murong Shi let out an audible sigh and said, "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me today."

Xu Chuanchuan: "..." Why is she suddenly apologizing?

"Rest early if you're tired. I'll stop disturbing you two now, bye-bye," Murong Shi said.

Xu Chuanchuan instinctively responded with her own "bye-bye."

Wait, what 'bye-bye'? That's it?

However, by the time Xu Chuanchuan snapped out of her daze, Murong Shi had already disconnected the call.

Afterward, when Xu Chuanchuan recalled Murong Shi's last few words, she couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

What did she mean by "I'll stop disturbing you two"?

Meanwhile, after looking at Xu Chuanchuan dazedly holding onto the phone for some time, Ange walked over and waved her hand in front of Xu Chuanchuan's eyes while saying, "Wake up."

Xu Chuanchuan stared at Ange in a daze.

Retracting her smile, Ange asked, "Did she get angry?"

"I don't know." Xu Chuanchuan started getting goosebumps after Murong Shi's words started settling in her mind. Then, she retold their entire conversation to Ange.

When Ange was done listening, she fell silent for a moment before saying, "Even a fool can tell she's jealous."

...Doesn't this mean I'm worse than a fool? Xu Chuanchuan thought. Then, she frowned and said, "Wouldn't a person only feel jealous when it is something that involves someone they like? But I feel that her fondness for me still hasn't reached such a level. Also, we still haven't confirmed our relationship…"

Looking at Xu Chuanchuan with interest, Ange asked, "How far have you two gone so far?"

Xu Chuanchuan's face heated up at this question. Then, she lowered her head and timidly said, "We only kissed a few times."

"How many?"

"If it's mouth to mouth…t-three times."

"Mouth to mouth?" Ange held back a chuckle. "Are you talking about a French kiss?"

Xu Chuanchuan blushed so hard that even her ears had turned red. Then, she nodded her head slightly.

"Fuck!" Sending a palm planting onto Xu Chuanchuan's shoulder, Ange excitedly said, "Aren't you two progressing too quickly?! You haven't even confirmed your relationship, yet you've already French kissed! Once you're at the stage of confirming your relationship, wouldn't you be rolling on the bed already?!"

"What nonsense are you saying?!" Xu Chuanchuan shrank her neck, wishing she could hide like a turtle.

Ange started laughing loudly. After she stopped laughing, though, she put on a straight face and said, "I dated Citrus for half a year. We only held hands throughout that time. We've never even touched each other's lips. You, on the other hand, have already kissed three times, so why haven't you confirmed your relationship yet?"

In response, Xu Chuanchuan muttered, "I just think that it's strange…"

"What's strange?"

"I think that everything is happening too quickly. We've never gone through any of the steps people usually experience before entering a relationship, so I can't help but doubt if I might be a casual fling for her…"

"What do you feel about her, then?"

"I… I don't know."

Xu Chuanchuan indeed didn't know how she felt about Murong Shi. Just like Murong Shi had said, during the intimate moments they shared previously, she had always remained on the passive side. Murong Shi always took the initiative to kiss her, while she only passively accepted her approaches. When Murong Shi suggested for them to try dating, she had also passively accepted the suggestion. Sometimes, Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but wonder whether she was actually bent or not.

Ange was also troubled by this situation, so the two of them ended up staring at each other for a moment.

Eventually, Ange hooked an arm around Xu Chuanchuan's shoulders and confidently said, "Don't panic. I'll go meet with her for you."

TL Notes:

[1]white lotus: this is a Chinese slang used to refer to someone who is pure in appearance but opposite on the inside.