novelraw Chapter 23 Li Man: Being the eldest sister isn't easy.
Chapter 23 Li Man: Being the eldest sister isn't easy.
Of the five best friends, Li Man is the most composed and rational. Moreover, she has the best relationship with Xu Yueqing and should understand Xu Yueqing's true thoughts the most.
Most importantly—Li Man keeps her mouth shut!
Having made up her mind, Bei Weiwei glanced at the time; it was only 10:30 p.m.
It's a bit late to call at this hour, but given Li Man's workaholic nature, she's probably still awake.
She dialed Li Man's number.
The phone rang seven or eight times, and just as Bei Weiwei thought no one was answering and was about to hang up, the call was connected.
"Hello, Weiwei?" Li Man's voice was tired but clear-headed, with the sound of typing in the background. "So late, what's up?"
"Manman, are you still working overtime?" Bei Weiwei greeted her first.
"Yes, there's a merger and acquisition deal that needs a report tomorrow," Li Man said succinctly, then changed the subject, "You rarely call me at this time, what happened?"
Bei Weiwei rolled up the lace trim of her nightgown with her fingers: "I just... I just wanted to ask you, how did you feel about Yueqing's condition yesterday at Lingyan's house?"
The keyboard clicks stopped on the other end of the phone.
After a few seconds of silence, Li Man's voice came through: "Weiwei, when did you become so concerned about the war between Yueqing and Lingyan? Aren't you always annoyed by their constant fighting?"
Bei Weiwei's heart tightened, but she forced herself to remain calm: "No, I've always cared about my sisters, okay? It's just that Yueqing seemed a bit off. Her walking posture was strange, and her complexion wasn't good. When I asked her if she was injured, she wouldn't say."
She asked casually, "Manman, you said Yueqing and Chen Bo broke up, is it really a clean break?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
This time, when Li Man spoke again, her tone carried the sharpness of a lawyer interrogating a witness: "Weiwei, what exactly are you trying to ask after going through all this trouble? Is there something going on between you and Chen Bo?"
Bei Weiwei's heart skipped a beat.
Oh no, Li Man is too shrewd!
She gritted her teeth and decided to confess half-truths—since she would find out sooner or later anyway, she might as well give Li Man a heads-up.
"Manman," her voice trailed off, tinged with shyness and a defiant, reckless courage, "I...I like Chen Bo."
On the other end of the phone, there was a "click" sound from the keyboard.
Li Man's voice was filled with disbelief: "What did you say? You like Chen Bo? When did that happen?"
"It's been three years." Bei Weiwei closed her eyes, going all out. "I've liked him since not long after he got together with Yueqing."
"..." Li Man fell into a long silence, so long that Bei Weiwei thought the signal had been cut off.
"Manman? Are you still there?"
"I'm here." Li Man's voice sounded a little dazed, as if her worldview had been shaken. "Three years... So for these three years, every time you brought food for Chen Bo at gatherings, helped him out of awkward situations, and the way you looked at him... wasn't it all just me overthinking?"
Bei Weiwei blushed: "You...you noticed?"
"I used to think you were just a nice person, kind to everyone." Li Man's voice became complicated. "Now that I think about it, you really cared a lot for Chen Bo. That time he had a cold, and Yueqing was filming out of town, you rushed over with medicine overnight; on his birthday, the gift you gave him was even more thoughtful than the one Yueqing gave him; even the backpack he used for three years was a limited edition that you had someone bring back from abroad..."
The more Li Man spoke, the redder Bei Weiwei's face became.
Was she really that obvious?
"Does Yueqing know?" Li Man suddenly asked.
"She probably doesn't know," Bei Weiwei said uncertainly. "If she knew, why would she let me go to her house so often? Besides... and Chen Bo and I have never met alone, nor have we said anything inappropriate."
"That's because Chen Bo always considered you a friend, and back then, he only had eyes for Yueqing," Li Man pointed out. "But things are different now. He's single, and you can't hold back anymore, right?"
Bei Weiwei, realizing her secret had been exposed, muttered softly, "I've liked him for three years, and he's single now. What's wrong with me pursuing my own happiness..."
"That's true." Li Man sighed, "But Weiwei, have you considered Yueqing's feelings?"
"Manman," Bei Weiwei interrupted her, her tone hardening, "It was Yueqing who rejected Chen Bo first, she was the one who initiated the breakup, she was the one who went to find Lu Ze! Since she chose to give up, she should accept the fact that Chen Bo will have a new life and new relationships. Does she expect Chen Bo to remain celibate for her for the rest of his life?"
Li Man fell silent again.
After a long silence, she finally said, "So you called me today to find out if Yueqing still has feelings for Chen Bo? If she still likes him, you'll back down? If she doesn't, you'll go for it?"
Bei Weiwei honestly said, "I want to know if she's really moved on. If she still likes me, I'll... I'll be in a difficult position. But Manman, even if she hasn't moved on, I won't give up easily. When it comes to feelings, there should always be a fair competition."
"Fair competition?" Li Man sighed. "Weiwei, we're best friends, not rivals in love. If this isn't handled well, we might lose our friendship."
"I know." Bei Weiwei's voice lowered. "That's why I've been enduring it for three years. But now I don't want to endure it anymore. Chen Bo... he deserves to be treated sincerely, not used as a tool by Ling Yan, or summoned and dismissed at will by Yue Qing."
On the other end of the phone, Li Man rubbed her temples.
She was working overtime today, hoping for some peace and quiet, but she never expected to receive such a bombshell.
The superficial sisterhood of the five best friends is already on the verge of collapse due to the antagonism between Xu Yueqing and Zhou Lingyan.
Now, the story of Bei Weiwei having a crush on Chen Bo for three years has surfaced again...
"Weiwei," Li Man said calmly, "I understand how you feel, but I think you need to talk to Yueqing about this yourself. If you go after Chen Bo without telling her, she'll be even more hurt if she finds out later."
"I dare not..." Bei Weiwei said honestly, "I'm afraid she'll get angry, and I'm afraid we won't even be able to be friends anymore."
"So you think she won't be angry if she finds out from someone else?" Li Man countered. "Especially if she finds out from Ling Yan—given Ling Yan's personality, if she finds out you also like Chen Bo, she'll definitely use it as a weapon to provoke Yue Qing."
Bei Weiwei felt a chill run down her spine.
Indeed, what wouldn't that little devil Zhou Lingyan do?
"Manman, could you ask Yueqing for me?" Bei Weiwei pleaded. "Just subtly inquire and see what her attitude towards Chen Bo is now. If she has truly let go, I'll find a chance to be honest with her."
Li Man sighed again: "I really owe you all... Fine, I'll try. But Weiwei, you need to be mentally prepared. You know Yueqing's personality; she's proud and strong-willed. Even if she regrets it, she might not admit it."
"I know, thank you, Manman!"
After hanging up the phone, Bei Weiwei rolled around on the bed with her pillow, feeling both uneasy and relieved.
I've finally said it.
Meanwhile, Li Man stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in her office, looking at the city's night view, her feelings complicated.
She took out her phone, found Xu Yueqing's number, hesitated for a moment, and then dialed it.