018 Having a Female Friend
Perhaps it was the seriousness of her expression that made him inexplicably nervous.
Jiang Shiyu tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his Adam's apple bobbing as he rasped, "Go ahead."
Zeng Keqin fixed her jet-black almond eyes on him. "I'm actually not very good at getting along with people, whether male or female. When things happen, I just run away and retreat into my own world. But spending time with you lately, you're the first person who makes me feel..."
Jiang Shiyu met her gaze, his heart skipping a beat.
Could it be that she was thinking...
Since childhood, countless girls had expressed interest in him, but he'd turned them all down.
Firstly, he never had time to think about such things.
Secondly, he didn't want to start a relationship casually.
But this time, he hesitated, even felt a faint sense of anticipation.
He watched her clenched fists, his heart pounding like a drum, his throat dry.
Zeng Keqin took a deep breath, as if making up her mind. "Can we try being friends?"
Jiang Shiyu was stunned.
Zeng Keqin's expression was gravely serious. "I don't have any friends, especially male friends. But you're different. You're open and sincere with friends—things I lack. So I'm asking you, are you willing to be my first male friend?"
The car fell silent for a moment. Outside, car horns occasionally whizzed by.
A flash of disappointment and an empty feeling passed through Jiang Shiyu's dark eyes, but it was buried before he could examine it.
His hands, which had been resting on the steering wheel, loosened and fell.
"That's it?"
Zeng Keqin nodded, a hint of cautious probing in her eyes. "Are you willing?"
"If you're not, it's fine."
Jiang Shiyu's expression turned awkward. "I didn't say I wasn't willing."
Zeng Keqin's lips curved slightly. "So you agree?"
He gave a hum that wasn't a denial, then added, "Making friends is making friends. You made it sound like a confession. You scared me!"
"Then let's pinky swear. No backing out."
"Childish."
Even as he said it, Jiang Shiyu's gaze fell on the fair, slender fingers before him. He couldn't help but extend his hand and hook his pinky around hers.
Warm and soft, her fingertips cool.
They completed the ritual like two kids.
"Done."
Zeng Keqin's eyes curved like crescent moons, her round almond eyes sparkling with crushed starlight, clear and lively, revealing a hint of innocence.
Jiang Shiyu looked at her smile and found his own lips curving up.
This feeling... wasn't bad after all.
"Alright, go back now. It's late."
"Mm."
Zeng Keqin unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed open the car door, then paused. Softly, she said, "Good night."
Jiang Shiyu leaned back in his seat, the dim light making his red hair look much softer.
"Good night."
He watched her figure disappear into the distance, then looked down at his pinky and murmured to himself, "Male friend?"
Walking back to the dorm, Zeng Keqin could hardly contain her excitement. She had actually become friends with Jiang Shiyu.
It was unbelievable.
If this had been a month ago, it would have been impossible. Back then, they couldn't stand each other, grinding their teeth in irritation.
But after spending these days together, she found he wasn't as bad as she'd imagined. In fact, she saw her former self in him.
Back then, faced with a friend's questioning, she had chosen to run away, to close herself off, trying to punish herself that way.
But he was different. He chose to face things, never giving up even when rejected, and he made new friends.
These were things she envied and longed for.
So she wanted to get closer to him, to find the courage to move past her past.
The stairwell lights flicked on one by one, then off again.
Each step she took felt exceptionally solid.
*
Zeng Keqin treated her month-long internship at Bai Run'er as a valuable experience, reviewing and summarizing it point by point.