After Being Bent by Reader

Many couples were seated at the restaurant's window seats, creating an enviable scene for those around them. Xu Chuanchuan also sat at a window seat, though she was currently by herself. And although the restaurant's environment was comfortable, every second she spent here felt like torture.

There was a small partition between each table. So long as one didn't speak too loudly, one could hardly be heard by the people seated at the neighboring tables. Meanwhile, Xu Chuanchuan's surroundings were so quiet that she had the illusion of being isolated.

There was a strong fragrance of food in the air. Yet, even though there were tempting coca-cola chicken wings and stir-fried shrimps set out on the table in front of her, Xu Chuanchuan did not take a single bite.

Murong Shi had gone to the restroom. This had given Xu Chuanchuan ample time to prepare what she wanted to say next. While inhaling and exhaling deeply several times, Xu Chuanchuan repeatedly muttered to herself, "Don't panic. Say it properly."

"What are you mumbling to yourself?"

At this time, a voice abruptly came from above her head, interrupting Xu Chuanchuan's subconscious muttering.

Xu Chuanchuan tensed her back and looked up. Then, pretending to be calm, she said, "I...I didn't say anything. That... The food is here."

Murong Shi did not probe further into the matter. Instead, after taking a seat opposite Xu Chuanchuan, she said, "Let's eat, then.'

The little courage Xu Chuanchuan managed to gather had dissipated instantly, and she couldn't help but feel vexed with herself. However, she also dared not make her thoughts too obvious, so she forced a smile onto her face and picked up her chopsticks.

"This place feels nice," Xu Chuanchuan said, bringing up a random topic to suppress the anxiety in her heart.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi took a bite of shrimp. Then, after finding its taste to be delectable, she picked up another shrimp, moved it up to Xu Chuanchuan's mouth, and said, "We can come here more often if you like this place."

Xu Chuanchuan absent-mindedly ate the offered shrimp. Then, after chewing superficially, she swallowed the shrimp without even tasting it.

Murong Shi couldn't help but smile at this sight. Then, she said, "You didn't refuse when I tried to feed you today. It seems you've gotten used to these things already."

It took some time for Xu Chuanchuan to react to Murong Shi's words. When she realized what Murong Shi meant, she immediately grew embarrassed and anxiously said, "Be more reserved when we're eating out."

"What are you afraid of? Nobody else is looking at you."

"..."

"You seem to be behaving strangely today. Are you feeling any discomforts?" Murong Shi asked as she scrutinized Xu Chuanchuan's face.

A brief gleam appeared in Xu Chuanchuan's eyes as she said, "No, I'm just too hungry."

To avoid exposing her thoughts to Murong Shi, Xu Chuanchuan grabbed a chicken wing, lowered her head, and started gnawing on it. Simultaneously, she thought to herself, Let's wait until after the meal. There are too many people around us.

After giving herself a suitable excuse, Xu Chuanchuan was finally able to relax and enjoy her dinner.

The restaurant's air conditioning was set a little too low, so Xu Chuanchuan had gotten goosebumps when she sat in the restaurant. Fortunately, after leaving the restaurant, she was finally able to warm up a little.

Looking at the crowd strolling on the street, Xu Chuanchuan thought of her unfinished "mission." Immediately, an idea came to her mind, and she took the initiative to pat Murong Shi's arm and said, "I don't think we've ever window-shopped together before."

"Where do you want to go?"

Xu Chuanchuan didn't plan this far ahead. She only wanted to find a secluded location and complete her goal. However, such places were also unsafe at night. After looking around for a moment, she said, "Let's just...walk around, then."

"Sure," Murong Shi said, casually holding onto Xu Chuanchuan's hand.

After being dragged around for a while, Xu Chuanchuan couldn't help but wonder to herself, How strange. Previously, she's been nagging at me every day to give her an answer. Today is the last day of the one-week time limit, so why hasn't she brought up the matter at all?

Did she forget?

It seems I'll have to say it myself.

After taking a deep breath, Xu Chuanchuan opened her mouth and said, "Mu— Wait, isn't this your car?"

Before Xu Chuanchuan could react, Murong Shi had already opened the door to the passenger's seat and urged her into the car.

Puzzled, Xu Chuanchuan asked, "Weren't we going window-shopping?"

"There are too many people here. Let's move to a new location," Murong Shi said before shutting the door.

After being interrupted again, Xu Chuanchuan found herself unable to speak up…

The car was moving relatively quickly. After taking a look at the scenery speeding by outside for a moment, Xu Chuanchuan curiously asked, "Where are you taking me?"

In a mysterious tone, Murong Shi said, "A beautiful location. You'll find out once we get there."

…

At a riverside…

Neon lights decorated the bridge across the river. Cars drove at the top layer while people strolled at the lower layer. The night breeze brought along with it cooling air. Coupled with the passionate singing of street performers, anyone who stayed here for more than a minute would find themselves reluctant to leave.

This was the perfect dating spot. The only problem it had was the large crowd of people here.

Xu Chuanchuan rarely went outside, so this was the first time she found out that there was such a scenic spot in the city. Moreover, although this place was bubbling with activity, it did not look gaudy at all.

Attracted by the beautiful scenery, Xu Chuanchuan instantly forgot what she wanted to say. While excitedly shaking Murong Shi's hand, she said, "It's so beautiful!"

Under the illumination of the neon lights, Murong Shi's dark pupils looked as if they contained stars within them. Then, brushing her cold fingers across Xu Chuanchuan's face, she smiled and said, "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Xu Chuanchuan yelled without restraint. "How did you find this place?"

"I would take my car out for a drive whenever I argue with my dad before, and I came across this place by accident."

The smile on Xu Chuanchuan's face gradually faded. Then, in a lowered voice, she asked, "Do you have a bad relationship with your father?"

Murong Shi tilted her head and pondered for a moment. Then, she answered, "It's neither good nor bad. It's mainly because he and I share similar personalities; both of us have bad tempers. After factoring in our differing views on life, our conversations frequently end up into arguments."

"Then, you..."

"Let's not talk about those today."

Since Murong Shi intended to avoid this topic, Xu Chuanchuan naturally wouldn't be so insensitive as to continue probing. Then, Xu Chuanchuan put on her smile again and said, "Let's take pictures!"

"Mhm." Murong Shi cooperatively took out her phone. "I'll take it for you."

There were a lot of people taking pictures on the bridge. There were couples and whole families consisting of both young and old. Passersby would end up in someone's photo if they were the slightest bit inattentive. However, Murong Shi was very patient and kept trying to find the perfect angle for Xu Chuanchuan.

Xu Chuanchuan's anxiety grew, and her confidence fell as she looked at Murong Shi's leisurely expression. Then, she let out a sigh and said, "Let's pass on the photo.'

"What's wrong?"

Scratching her head, Xu Chuanchuan said, "I'm not photogenic anyway. Nothing good would come from taking a photo."

Amused by Xu Chuanchuan's words, Murong Shi said, "Don't worry. I'll photoshop it for you."

Many people were walking past them, and Xu Chuanchuan started growing irritated by the noise. Then, she grabbed Murong Shi's wrist and said, "It's so crowded here."

Murong Shi continued smiling, making it seem as if she had invested all of her patience into this night. She let Xu Chuanchuan lead her by the hand for a while. Then, when they were crossing the middle point of the bridge, Murong Shi suddenly stopped walking.

"Why did you stop?" Xu Chuanchuan asked, tugging at Murong Shi's hand.

However, Murong Shi remained standing. Then, she put some strength into her arm, dragging Xu Chuanchuan toward her and embracing the shorter woman.

Caught off guard by this sudden action, Xu Chuanchuan subconsciously yelped and held her breath. Then, she asked, "What are you doing? A lot of people are watching!"

Ignoring Xu Chuanchuan's complaints, Murong Shi turned Xu Chuanchuan's body around.

Xu Chuanchuan was a little surprised when she noticed her vision darkening. In her daze, Murong Shi slowly spoke beside her ear, "It's okay. It's dark here, so no one can see us here."

Upon hearing these words, Xu Chuanchuan finally noticed that Murong Shi had dragged her into a delicate location. Located on their right was a huge steel beam. Coincidentally, this beam was in the way of a nearby street lamp, so the steel beam had cast a long shadow over them. 

With how dark this area was, it was only natural that nobody came here to take pictures.

Meanwhile, the two of them were currently standing in this shadow while maintaining an ambiguous posture. Murong Shi's chest was stuck close to Xu Chuanchuan's back, with nary a gap between them.

Xu Chuanchuan gave up on struggling, though she still couldn't help but straighten her back out of anxiety.

"You..."

"It's so beautiful here, and we just arrived. Are you willing to leave so soon?" Murong Shi interrupted in a wistful tone.

Of course Xu Chuanchuan felt reluctant to leave so soon. However, she still had something important to say to Murong Shi, and she thought that this public place wasn't suitable for those words. Instead, she wanted to go someplace where only the two of them were present.

Xu Chuanchuan wasn't sure if she was being oversensitive, but she kept getting the feeling that Murong Shi's lips were repeatedly making contact with her cheeks. Growing flustered, Xu Chuanchuan gently shook her head left and right.

Meanwhile, Murong Shi started lightly sniffing Xu Chuanchuan like a puppy, her warm breath hitting Xu Chuanchuan's neck. Xu Chuanchuan stifled her breathing. Then, she struggled a little while complaining, "You're making me itchy."

"Shh— Don't move."

"..." Xu Chuanchuan stopped moving immediately.

Murong Shi freed up a hand and gently slid her cold fingertips across Xu Chuanchuan's cheek. Then, she said, "You're wearing makeup today."

"I didn't sleep well last night, so I used that cushion foundation you gave me last time," Xu Chuanchuan said, her face heating up.

"Is it useful?"

"Mhm."

Murong Shi let out a soft laugh. Then, in a bewitching voice, she asked, "Did you have trouble sleeping last night because you missed me?"

Xu Chuanchuan was genuinely grateful that they were standing in such a dark and hidden location. Otherwise, Murong Shi would've had a full view of her face that was as bright as a tomato. Then, without caring whether Murong Shi could see her actions, Xu Chuanchuan nodded.

On one side, there was the calm river. On the other side, there was a lively flow of people. When Xu Chuanchuan recalled that the person stuck to her back was none other than Murong Shi, she couldn't help but be at a loss on what to do. Even so, she didn't feel afraid at all.

It's now or never!