Green Plum IslandCh30 - Making Other Friends

Sun Rui calls me out to hang with her on Nanpu Street, wanting to try a new shaved ice shop that just opened and neither of us have gone to yet.

The interior of the shop is all pink. Sunlight beams through the ceiling-to-floor glass window facing the street, brightening up the inside. Sun Rui orders herself a strawberry parfait, and after flipping through the menu, I finally settle on something that doesn’t sound so sickly sweet, grape oolong. GFmkx9

“So are you out of the game now?” Our waiter leaves. Sun Rui puts her elbows on the table, her fingers interlaced, propping her chin up. ”

I stare at the table, smiling bitterly. “He probably only likes me as the boy from next door.”

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Memories from last night flash before me.

“Say that again?” Yan Kongshan, who’d only had his head turned at first, had swiveled his entire body around by then. GydUe2

His reaction was so unexpectedly dramatic that I felt slightly perturbed, thinking I’d asked the wrong question. When he asked me to repeat myself, I was suddenly afraid of answering him.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Yan Kongshan’s face was completely void of any laughter, his tone cold. Over his head, his mood index was turning red.

Yet I had no idea why he was even angry. “C-Can’t I?” I held on tightly to the gate, preparing myself to slam it shut in case he decided to come hurtling towards me to hit me.

He laughed in a sullen sort of way. “You can try.” Before I could rejoice, he pressed on, “but once you do it, in my heart you’ll be no different from any of the rest that do it. Do you understand me, Yu Mian?”

e4D6LE

My entire body stiffened, and I clung tighter to the gate.

I understood. I understood that if I did this, I would become just another lover in bed whose existence didn’t matter at all to him. He would never permit me to randomly come to his house again, or light the road for me in the dark, or affectionately ruffle my hair.

I lowered my eyes, unsure of which one of those would be worst. Was it better to love him unrequited like this, or to possess his body without ever being able to enter his heart?

I heard Yan Kongshan sigh again, for the nth time that night. “Look, I think you shouldn’t come to the bookstore for now. Go hang out with Sun Rui, make some other friends. Forget these preposterous ideas of yours.” THSB6Z

Just a few minutes ago, I’d been thankful he didn’t make me stay away from him, but now karma was coming back to bite me. You really can’t count your chickens before they hatch.

He clearly turned yellow with desire for me multiple times, so what was the big deal about sleeping together once?

“Then at night, can I still go to your house?”

He didn’t reply. Many moments passed before he finally said, “Don’t come.” pzOeRI

With that, footsteps sounded, and then he was gone.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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And it irritated me.

“Shut up, you sound awful!” I screamed in frustration at the ignorant cicadas.

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“Never mind, forget Yan Kongshan.” Sun Rui seems to speak from experience. “Do you know the best way to deal with heartbreak?”

I shake my head. EDtkBc

“Start a new relationship!” she exclaims, slamming the table.

I jump, startled. It takes a while for her words to sink in, and I let out a belated “What?”

“Why are you so shocked? You can’t just hang yourself on one tree and die. At your age, with your looks, you think you won’t be able to find a second Yan Kongshan?” Sun Rui gets more fired up as she speaks. “Such a poser, how dare he think you’re too young? I’ve never heard of someone turning down an eighteen-year old puppy saying he’s too young! Is he even a man?”

She’s a good friend, everything she says is in support of me. But I know that in reality, sexual orientation and sexuality don’t just change. JmzP1H

“Alright, let’s stop talking about me. Have you gotten Wen Ying down yet?” I ask her.

All at once, Sun Rui’s expression turns smug. She twists her body over the table and says, “Who do you think I am? I’ve never lost at the courting game before.”

I have my doubts, considering last time when we went hiking, Wen Ying certainly wasn’t pink for her. At most, he had a good impression of her and wanted to test the waters. But in just these few days, she suddenly has him in her pocket? It’s a little too sudden for me to believe.

Sensing my misgivings, Sun Rui laughs and explains, “After the incident on the mountain, the sight of me saving everyone like a heroine gave Wen Ying the push her needed; I got him down just a couple days later. He asked me to be his girlfriend. I’m currently counting down the days–” mxed90

“To what?”

“To the day I eat him up.” She licks her lips, looking exactly like the female demons that want to eat Tang Seng’s meat in Journey to the West.

I shudder, internally praying for Wen Ying.

After we finish eating, she goes off to her new boyfriend, and I go home. zPwRYi

The second I walk in the house, my phone sends me a notification that I have a friend request. According to the info I get when I tap it open, the other person is male, his profile picture a husky dog. His username is a long string of English words, and he claims to be a friend of Sun Rui’s.

Afraid that something has happened to her, I quickly accept the request. He sends over a polite “hello” with a cutesy husky emoji. The whole thing strikes me as strange, so I go ask Sun Rui what is going on.

“This is my old coworker from back when I was a lifeguard. He’s a third year in university, a sunny little wolf dog. He’s okay being 0 or 1. I didn’t know you liked men before so I didn’t have any connections for you, but now that I know, naturally I’ve gotta share the best with my own people.” She sends a flirtatious winking emoji. “Don’t worry, I asked around. He’s skilled in bed.”

“…” Hold on, I don’t even know this guy, why would I care whether he’s good in bed? M0tEu7

I switch back to the chat with the little wolf dog. He’s already introduced himself: 21 years old, 185 cm, athletics student, Luo Feilang.

“18 years old, 175 cm, incoming college student, Yu Mian.” For whatever reason, I follow suit and introduce myself, and then remember the most important thing, to make things clear to him: “Actually I have someone I like, and for now I’m not interested in other relationships.”

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“I know, Sun Rui told me. But don’t worry, you’re welcome to come find me anytime you feel like starting something up.”

Is Sun Rui positive this guy is an ocean lifeguard and not a pirate? Because he sure talks like one. dpxac5

I send a random nodding emoji, ending our chat.

I get another text from Sun Rui, who informs me that her family’s orchard is hosting a Family Day and needs volunteers, asking if I have time. As it stands, I have plenty of free time lately, so I tell her I’ll do it.

When the weekend comes, I let Grandpa know where I’m going, then head over to Sun Rui’s family orchard. This time, the event is taking place in their peach orchard, as July is peach season. Plenty of delicious fruits dangle from every tree in the Sun family’s peach tree forest, and the sweet scent of ripe peaches spreads in the air.

【Welcome, parents, teachers, and children of Green Plum Island’s Sunny Preschool to our pick-your-own-fruit event!】 DxS6UT

As I read the banner strung across the orchard’s entrance, a thought suddenly strikes me and I stand there dazed. Isn’t Sunny Preschool Yan Wanqiu’s preschool? This is a family event, so does this mean Yan Kongshan is going to show up?

“Why didn’t you tell me it was Sunny Preschool?” I ask Sun Rui.

“What about it? Is there a problem with that?” She blinks innocently. “My dad arranged this event, how was I supposed to know which preschool is coming today?”

Resisting the urge to sigh, I wave a hand at her, letting her know that of course it’s fine, nothing’s wrong, except when Yan Kongshan comes with Yan Wanqiu later, it’s going to be real awkward. ZUcVC9

Sun Rui sucks in a breath, concerned. “Is it really?”

Her mood index is green — she really is a good friend, I think. Even she is embarrassed for me.

Suddenly, an outgoing and sunshine-y voice sounds from behind me. “Sun Rui!”

I look over to see a dark, tanned young man with a splendid figure coming our way from beyond the orchard. He’s wearing a basic T-shirt and jeans, and at the sight of me, his eyes brighten and he flashes a row of white teeth in a smile. 0P51Nd

I assume him to be a friend of Sun Rui’s, but unexpectedly, he walks up to me. “Hello, Yu Mian. I’m Luo Feilang.” He sticks out his hand.

So this is the real reason Sun Rui asked me to come volunteer for her, to play matchmaker?!

While shaking Luo Feilang’s hand, I slap a fake smile on my face and stare at Sun Rui. “I didn’t expect us to meet so soon.”

Sun Rui avoids my gaze, then makes up an excuse and leaves. 8N6HgK

“You’re just as Sun Rui described.”

The two of us are stationed outside the orchard behind a long table, upon which are fruit baskets for the children and sign in sheets.

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“What did she say?” I ask disinterestedly.

He turns around, leaning his hips against the table. His eyes sweep across my entire body appreciatively. “That you’re delicious.” GSHf7s

Alright, this is killing me.

Thankfully, a swarm of parents and children arrive, and we’re too busy helping them sign in for the pirate to find a chance to flirt with me.

After nine, there are less people trickling in and nearly everyone has signed in. As I’m preparing to clean up, I hear Yan Wanqiu’s voice from around the corner. “Ah Shan, hurry up, we’re late!”

“It’s because you kept lagging around in bed.” WAFNt4

“You should’ve woken me up earlier!”

I grip the sign in pen nervously, eyes searching in the direction of their voices. In the very next second, their silhouettes, one tall and the other small, come into view.

Yan Wanqiu is tugging on Yan Kongshan’s arm, trying to get him to walk faster, but he maintains his steady pace. No matter how hard she pulls, it’s futile.

Even though it’s just been a few days, I feel as if we haven’t seen each other in ages. d60Db1

Suddenly, Yan Wanqiu catches sight of me and stops blankly for a second before releasing Yan Kongshan and coming charging towards me, crying, “Mian Mian! It’s Mian Mian!” She flies into my arms like a cannonball. “Mian Mian, how come you haven’t visited me in so long? I’ve missed you!”