After Saving My Possessive Best Friend, I Couldn't Escape (GL) - Chapter 35

“Thank you, I won’t wear a bra in the future,” Fang Zhile said with a fake smile. “I’ll bind my chest.”

“Binding your chest, short hair,” Ye Yu didn’t know what was wrong with her, but the words came out with a sharp, aggressive edge. “You are diligently trying to correct your growth trajectory.”

Fang Zhile blinked, then blinked again.

As a straight woman who had immersed herself in the adult world for years, Fang Zhile seriously wondered if she had misunderstood.

But her extensive experience and her clear understanding that this world was a melodramatic yuri novel told her: yes, she was right.

Her own best friend, the female protagonist Shou at this moment, had mocked her sexual identity.

Regardless of whether she was straight or not, Ye Yu’s remarks were dangerous. Her words were enough to kill someone with anger.

Fang Zhile remembered when she first found out about Ye Yu’s sexual orientation in college.

First came shock. After all, they had been best friends since childhood, growing up hand-in-hand.

It was completely unexpected that she had turned gay so suddenly.

Fang Zhile felt blind and clueless for not having noticed anything sooner.

But the shock only lasted two or three days. The initial overwhelming surprise boiled over and was instantly washed away by Fang Zhile’s innate “motherly” concern—she started worrying about Ye Yu’s personal life.

Ye Yu liked women. In a world where men accounted for nearly 3.5 billion people (half the population), Fang Zhile worried she wouldn’t find anyone suitable, let alone with the population suddenly reduced to five percent.

Because of this, Fang Zhile even secretly went undercover at a bar mentioned in her contacts list to gain some insight.

Afterward, she discussed it seriously with Ye Yu. “Let me tell you first, my initial feeling is that the overall queer population, specifically the female queer population, is much smaller, and there’s an imbalance of supply and demand. Your situation is even more critical.”

Ye Yu was confused and thought for a long time before her brain finally caught up to the correct conclusion. She burst out laughing.

Fang Zhile continued with her findings. “In reality, because most girls are more shy and introverted, combined with external factors, many people can’t find a partner. Even if they do, you might still end up attending your ex’s wedding as a friend… Don’t laugh!”

“Especially in a relatively closed environment like our country, if you want to find a high-quality partner, you need to plan ahead. You could consider exploring the international market…”

Ye Yu just kept smiling at her the entire time. In the end, she said something irrelevant. “Thank you.”

Fang Zhile didn’t think she deserved any thanks, so from then on, she paid close attention to which girls had good qualities.

If they seemed decent, she would secretly try to set them up with Ye Yu, for which Ye Yu often gave her a hard time.

To make her stop this “matchmaking,” Ye Yu often exaggerated her dating standards, from “can’t eat egg yolks” to “can’t like wearing revealing lingerie,” making her seem ridiculously picky.

Fang Zhile had an excellent memory and focused specifically on those requirements, which only made her try harder.

Now, Fang Zhile’s eyebrows knitted together in a trembling frown, but she quickly smoothed them down.

“I’ll go buy one tomorrow. Average size, student style, no underwire, the ugly and super-breathable cotton kind.”

The kind you absolutely hate, you know.

Ye Yu nodded noncommittally, the residual smile still lingering in the corners of her eyes.

As the two were bickering, Zhishu slowly walked over. Fang Zhile took a breath, then couldn’t help but make the introduction. “This is Sister Zhishu, my boss’s wife. My boss is that woman you saw before.”

Ye Yu choked on her own aggression. The boss’s wife? That pervert who was staring at her so intensely has a wife? Oh, Fang Zhile did mention that…

“That woman? Your tone is quite aggressive,” Zhishu shook her head helplessly. “You know, Wei Youqing didn’t lock you out deliberately. Why hold a grudge?”

Then she looked towards Ye Yu. A delicate, cool smile reflected in her clear eyes. She extended her hand. “Hello, I’m Zhishu. I’ve heard Wei Youqing mention you. I apologize on her behalf for the cost of that milk tea. We’ll treat you to a meal next time.”

Looking at her, the person in front of her certainly possessed the charm of a mature woman, and her demeanor suggested she wasn’t lacking female companionship.

Her appearance and aura seemed a perfect match for the person in the milk tea shop.

However, Ye Yu glanced at Fang Zhile. This person, who claimed to be straight since childhood, was mixing with a group of lesbians but had never shown any emotion other than calm composure.

Ye Yu pondered for a moment and decided that her friend shouldn’t be acting this way. Fang Zhile’s sexual orientation was still questionable.

Fang Zhile, unaware that Ye Yu had once again labeled her as a “closeted lesbian,” ran a hand through her hair and gave a mischievous smile. “Why wait for next time? Today is as good as any. You agree, right, Ye Yu?”

At that moment, Ye Yu desperately wanted to say, “Yes.” And then add that she had bad eyesight and Fang Zhile really was good-looking, and she didn’t need the student style.

Ye Yu looked down at the clothes she still hadn’t changed into, a look of immense internal struggle on her face.

“Xiaoyu, why haven’t you changed yet?” Zhou Meize, having finished swiping her card, looked back and saw Ye Yu standing still. Looking closer, she realized the person next to Ye Yu was a familiar face.

“Fang Zhile, it’s you again,” Zhou Meize pouted, stepping forward to stand in front of Ye Yu in a clear defensive stance. She wasn’t preventing her from looking at Ye Yu; she was preventing her from saying anything in front of Ye Yu.

Zhou Meize stood in front of Ye Yu. When Ye Yu wasn’t looking, she glared at Fang Zhile with a menacing look, warning her not to speak out of turn.

Fang Zhile narrowed her eyes. She had just warned Zhou Meize not to approach Ye Yu. How long had it been, and the two were already out shopping and buying clothes together? Had something happened in between that she didn’t know about?

Ye Yu took a step to the side, gently pushing Zhou Meize away. She said to Fang Zhile, “The elders arranged for us to have dinner together tonight, and Zhou Meize and I both asked for leave. Why aren’t you in class this afternoon?”

Fang Zhile realized the reason: Zhou Meize and Ye Yu were together because of the engagement. She immediately calmed down and explained casually, “I had something to take care of at home. I asked for a day off. I just finished and ran into Sister Shu, so we came to the mall to shop.”

The atmosphere between the few people was tense. Zhishu had observed for a while and now spoke up to intervene. “In that case, it seems today isn’t convenient. Next time, let’s have dinner when you both have time.”

Fang Zhile nodded, gave Zhou Meize a cold look, and smiled at Ye Yu. “That’s the only way.”

“Alright,” Ye Yu nodded, then winked at Fang Zhile. “See you next time.”

The two groups briefly gathered and then quickly separated. Ye Yu went to change, while Fang Zhile and Zhishu walked along the circular mall.

“Do you really not think that outfit is very suitable for Wei Youqing?” Zhishu couldn’t help but ask.

Fang Zhile was speechless. Is it really appropriate to ask me that question?

“I think, Sister Shu, you should appropriately seek the boss’s opinion,” Fang Zhile said dryly. “After all, she’s the one who’ll be wearing it, right?”

“You have a point,” Zhishu thought for a moment, then sent the photo she had secretly taken to Wei Youqing. Three seconds later, “She agreed.”

Fang Zhile’s eyes widened again. I never thought the boss was such a secretly passionate person.

“Thanks to your suggestion, Wei Youqing actually agreed,” Zhishu’s eyes shone with triumph.

Fang Zhile looked at her suspiciously. “What did you tell her?”

“I said the outfit was for me, and I asked her if it looked good,” Zhishu laughed, rubbing the tip of her ear. “She said it looked good and then immediately begged me to buy it, even sending the money.”

Fang Zhile: … How did my suggestion turn into that?

Zhishu seemed to sense her internal doubts and said matter-of-factly, “You said it yourself. She disagreed because she knew the clothes were for her. But if I suggest someone else, like me, she agrees, right? I wouldn’t have realized it without you.”

Fang Zhile: …

Zhishu, in high spirits, patted Fang Zhile’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll take your matter seriously and contact you as soon as there’s any news.”

Fang Zhile rubbed her cheeks, which were stiff from repeated shocks, and drew out her thanks. “Thank you—”

“Alright, I have to go back to the company,” Zhishu said. “You hurry back to school and study. You’re in your second year of high school; this is a critical time.”

Fang Zhile watched Zhishu leave, then stood at the bus stop waiting for the bus. She didn’t plan to return to school; she was going somewhere else.

From Fang Zhile’s understanding of Wei Youqing, even if she begged, pulled, or dragged her, she wouldn’t set foot outside her house tonight.

So Fang Zhile had plenty of time to go visit Wang Shan, the student who reportedly dropped out due to health issues.

Fang Zhile looked at the address on the slip of paper, quietly planned her route, and boarded the next bus that arrived.

When Ye Yu came out after changing, Fang Zhile and Zhishu had already left.

She was wearing an embroidered hoodie in berry pink, made of heavy fabric.

Her pants and shoes were the most plain, mass-produced style.

The quality was excellent, and the color was eye-catching, but the overall look was unassuming.

The two got into the car and hurried to the dinner location.

Uncle Xue’s name was known to almost everyone in Jing City’s upper class social circle. Many hoped to cling to the Ye family.

An invitation from Uncle Xue was no different from a ticket to wealth and honor in the eyes of Sun Li’s group of three, so they rushed over immediately after receiving the call, arriving half an hour earlier than Zhou Meize.

The dinner venue was a quaint, ancient-style courtyard.

Everyone inside was dressed in historical costumes.

Water flowed gently through winding paths, and the environment was tranquil.

The faint chirping of cicadas after getting out of the car made it seem even more peaceful.

“Sister Meize,” the three girls saw Zhou Meize get out of the car and quickly waved. “Over here.”

Their smiles didn’t last long. Ye Yu got out of the car on the other side.

Li Zi let out a strange sound and stood rooted to the spot. “Who is that? Who let anyone come in?”

Sun Li was more cautious but despised Ye Yu even more. She looked scornful, stepping forward to block Ye Yu. “Low-class trash. This isn’t a place for you.”

Then she folded her arms and scrutinized Ye Yu. Sun Li was a master of bullying tactics. The moment she posed with her hands on her hips and her head tilted to look down on someone, it was clear that reality inspired television—any Korean drama paled in comparison.

Ye Yu looked at them coldly, thinking, Did they treat Fang Zhile like this too?

In their eyes, she was someone with some family background, so they would only mock her from the sidelines. Although words can kill, they wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her.

But what about Fang Zhile? How would they treat her?

Was this pose of folded arms and tilted head a prelude to a slap? Would those manicured hands harshly scrape the girl’s innocent face?

A fissure cracked in Ye Yu’s hardened facade. She raised her hand to stop Zhou Meize, who had only just realized what Sun Li’s group had said, and stepped forward to stand in front of Sun Li.

Then, she poked Sun Li’s shoulder with a single finger.

It was a long, strong hand that had practiced calligraphy for years.

She seemed unwilling to touch the person in front of her but forced herself to endure the disgust, speaking slowly, poking her with each word. “Stay. Far. Away. From. Us.”

The statement was less a threat and more a final ultimatum, not an outburst of impotent rage.

In that instant, Sun Li felt a terrifying entity, like the grim reaper clad in black, raising a sickle high above her head. Fear coiled around her entire body like a poisonous snake.

At the same moment, a bodyguard waiting at the courtyard entrance rushed down with an umbrella, holding it over Ye Yu’s head. His attitude was careful and respectful.

“Why is he holding an umbrella for her…” Li Zi’s indignant question was cut short. Liu Mei quickly pulled her arm, signaling her not to speak carelessly.

Ye Yu’s expression didn’t change at all.

She seemed neither to have heard them nor seen the three people. She walked past them, completely ignoring their existence.

She walked with a steady, noble presence, remaining cool and aloof, just as she always had. She hadn’t acknowledged them at all.

Li Zi thought of something and murmured, “Ye Yu… Ye family. Could she, could she be a child of the Ye family…”

Zhou Meize had been standing far away. She only vaguely heard Li Zi and Sun Li provoke Ye Yu and didn’t clearly hear what Ye Yu said in Sun Li’s ear, so she hadn’t sensed Ye Yu’s fierce aura.

She simply expressed a mild sense of helplessness and impatience, calling out, “Stop standing around. I can’t explain much right now, but pay attention in the future. Don’t go near her. Ye Yu has a very good temper and is kind. Just be respectful, and you’ll be fine. Got it?”

The girls fell silent. Liu Mei was the first to recover, bowing her head in agreement. “We understand.”

Li Zi shivered. She had just been released from her family’s confinement and faced a long grounding period after this dinner.

If her father knew she had offended the host of this meal, he would probably confine her until the end of time.

Li Zi hesitated for a moment, then, following Liu Mei, she expressed her stance. “I understand. I’ll stay far away from her.”

With two people having expressed their understanding, Zhou Meize lifted her chin, signaling Sun Li to speak.

“Sister Meize, who exactly is she?” Sun Li avoided the question, gritting her teeth.

Zhou Meize glanced at Ye Yu’s retreating back and gently shook her head. “Forget it. You’re the most stubborn among us. Just go inside. You’ll find out later.”

Sun Li wanted to refuse to go in, but her remaining rationality told her that the host was Uncle Xue, the second-in-command of the Ye family, and she couldn’t afford to be willful.

The three entered the building with anxious and uneasy hearts. Their excitement from before had completely vanished.

Uncle Xue and the elders hadn’t arrived yet, which made the three girls sigh in relief.

Ye Yu walked to the fourth seat on the left, directly across from the entrance, and Zhou Meize sat in the fourth seat on the right, directly opposite Ye Yu.

Sun Mei looked left and right, her gaze thoughtful as she looked at Ye Yu. A moment later, she and Li Zi’s group sat at the table closest to the door, near the serving area.

“Sister Meize,” Li Zi couldn’t contain herself and immediately asked, “What is going on?”

Sun Li also looked at Zhou Meize again. She wasn’t afraid of Ye Yu. Zhou Meize had always had Ye Yu following her.

They all assumed she was some hanger-on, an admirer of Zhou Meize, and nothing to worry about. Sun Li had always held herself to a high standard, believing she was the most suitable match for Zhou Meize and that no one could threaten her position.

This arrogance and narcissism were so extreme that she could even push Sun Yangyang toward Zhou Meize for amusement, confident that she would have the last laugh.

But if Ye Yu was the daughter of the Ye family, and the Ye and Zhou families were dining together, it clearly foreshadowed an unacceptable truth: all her chances of winning had vanished.

A hint of impatience flashed in Zhou Meize’s eyes. She hadn’t noticed it before, but Li Zi was talking too much, wasn’t she? And Sun Li, questioning Ye Yu the moment she got out of the car. It was one thing for her to be arrogant and look down on others normally, but Uncle Xue had arranged this dinner. Couldn’t she just be quiet and not cause trouble?

“I told you not to ask,” Zhou Meize reprimanded coldly, her face hardening. “Didn’t you hear me?”

Meeting Zhou Meize’s cold, warning gaze, Li Zi shuddered and silently lowered her eyes.

Liu Mei noticed Ye Yu and Zhou Meize’s clothes. She stood up, saying she needed to step out for a moment. When she returned, she had taken off her expensive jacket, leaving only the thin, solid-colored base layer underneath.

At the same time, Uncle Xue and the elders walked in, laughing and chatting. Everyone stood up, smiling to greet them.

The man in the center was Uncle Xue.

He must have just finished some business; he was formally dressed in a suit, looking as if he were attending a luxurious banquet.

The parents of the Zhou and Ye families next to him also seemed dressed to the nines.

To be precise, they were all people who had been navigating the adult world of power and fame for years, and their attire naturally suited the occasion.

In contrast, Ye Yu looked strikingly out of place. Although she wasn’t wearing her school uniform, she still exuded the youthful air of a student.

Her outfit was a silent yet strong reminder: Ye Yu was always obedient and always followed the rules.

Compared to the frivolous Zhou Meize, who was covered in luxury brands, Ye Yu’s appearance was more appropriate for her age and more likely to please the elders.

Uncle Xue’s gaze, framed by his rimless glasses, fell on Zhou Meize. The bright light reflected off the frames, showing sharp, clear edges.

“Xiaoyu, why are you so thin again?” Zhou’s mother’s eyes landed on Ye Yu the moment she entered. At a glance, she saw that Ye Yu had lost weight. “Oh, my sweet girl, you barely had any flesh on you to begin with, and now your little face is all sunken in.”

Uncle Xue followed Zhou’s mother’s gaze and nodded slightly. “She is indeed thinner.”

“I told you so. Young girls care about their looks, which is understandable. Who hasn’t been young?” Zhou’s mother continued.

Then she noticed the other people in the room.

She glanced at her own daughter and shook her head.

Then her eyes brightened, resting on Li Zi. This is the one. She ran off to that shady place and tried to lure my future daughter-in-law there too.

Li Zi smiled and stepped forward to introduce herself. “Auntie, I’m Li Zi…”

“Yes, Li Zi,” Zhou’s mother used Li Zi as an example to lecture Ye Yu.

“She’s quite plump, like a little piglet. You and Xiaowei have always been thin. You should learn from her and build yourself up for good health.”

Li Zi’s smile instantly froze on her face.