We're Good Friends

"Cartethyia, over here, look here."

Cartethyia heard someone call her name, her body trembled slightly, and she looked in the direction of the voice.

Night fell over the street, and the streetlights cast long shadows of her. After realizing that it was Wuling waving at her, she paused for a moment, then walked towards the milk tea shop.

"Wuling, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here."

Cartethyia seemed a little unnatural in her speech, as if she was not used to being seen by an acquaintance on the street.

"I already told you not to call me classmate anymore. It makes us sound too distant, even between friends."

Wuling waved his hand.

"I came out to eat and picked up a few milk teas for someone. What are you doing here? Are you also out shopping?"

Upon hearing Wuling's question, Cartethyia's eyes darted away slightly. She didn't know how to answer him, and hesitated several times before finally deciding what to say.

To be honest, she didn't really want others to know that she was working part-time, probably because she was a bit timid and didn't want to be seen. Today was a special case.

Wuling saw her, she didn't answer for a long time, nor did she continue to ask questions. Instead, she patted the seat next to her.

"It's okay if you don't want to answer, I understand. Don't just stand there, come and sit down."

"Um."

Cartethyia agreed almost instinctively, but she regretted it as soon as she said it.

She should be going back to school now, but since she'd already agreed, she could only carefully sit down in the seat next to Wuling.

She sat very upright, her back slightly tucked in, her legs gently together, as if afraid of being impolite somewhere.

Wuling's gaze shifted to her ankle.

"By the way, how's your foot now? I haven't had a chance to ask since last time."

When asked by Wuling, Cartethyia stiffened slightly and instinctively pulled her ankles inward.

"It's... it's all alright now."

She dared not look into Wuling's eyes, her gaze fixed on the cracks between the floor tiles.

"I applied an ice pack, it'll be fine in a few hours, it's nothing serious... Thank you for remembering."

From childhood to adulthood, few people have taken the initiative to care about her minor injuries and pains, but Wuling still remembered.

"It's good that you're alright. I was worried that you wouldn't recover well and might have some long-term effects when I saw that you couldn't walk on either leg."

"No, it won't." Cartethyia quickly shook her head gently, afraid that her little matter would trouble him.

"I'm completely healed. It doesn't affect my walking or... my daily life."

A gentle evening breeze blew across the street, ruffling the fine bangs on her forehead.

She secretly glanced at Wuling, only to find him looking at her with a tender expression, which startled her so much that she immediately turned her head away.

"Thank you so much for what happened last time. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to get to the infirmary."

Cartethyia spoke, slightly flustered.

After all, without someone else around, she would have fallen face-first to the ground, which would have been much harder, and she wouldn't have known how to handle the situation afterwards.

"Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing."

Wuling waved his hand dismissively, seemingly unconcerned.

"Helping friends is what I should do. Well, I'll help even those who aren't friends, because I might need your help next time I run into trouble."

Wuling was serious when he said that you should never underestimate anyone. This was a lesson he learned after being solo-killed by someone with headphones while playing a game.

Although headphones aren't people, it's a person who puts them on the mouse.

Wuling still remembers that he was walking down the street when he saw someone and wanted to challenge them to a duel. He unleashed a flurry of powerful attacks, but ended up getting killed by the opponent's charged heavy attacks.

Actually, if that were all, it wouldn't be a big deal. The most important thing is that in less than half a day, he had already seen himself online with the caption. "From now on, the probability of a human being killed by headphones is no longer zero."

Upon hearing Wuling's words, Cartethyia's heart skipped a beat.

She had hardly ever had any friends in her life; if you really counted, you could count them on one hand. She was pleasantly surprised that Wuling was willing to treat her as a friend.

But when she thought about her own abilities, she suddenly felt a little lost.

"But... I don't have any special skills, so I probably won't be able to help you..."

No, no, no, how could you think that?

Wuling interrupted Cartethyia's answer, placed his hands on her shoulders, and pulled her slightly tilted body to the left, so that she was facing him.

A warm palm gently covered her shoulder; the pressure was a bit strong, but it was very gentle, instantly freezing Cartethyia's tense muscles completely.

This was the first time someone had looked at her so solemnly.

Her pupils dilated slightly, her long eyelashes trembled violently in panic, and she unconsciously slowed her breathing. She stood frozen in place, completely unable to look Wuling in the eye.

The warm touch penetrated the thin fabric, making her shoulders slightly hot, and even the tips of her ears instantly flushed red.

Seeing her helpless and self-doubting expression, Wuling realized that she might have been a bit too hasty, so she softened her tone a little.

"Everyone has their own strengths. Being useful isn't about having amazing skills or being able to do a lot of help."

"You are gentle, considerate, and sincere. You never trouble others or complain about life. These are qualities that many people lack, and that is your strength."

"Besides, friendships aren't about helping each other pay off debts; what's more important is companionship and trust."

From childhood to adulthood, all that everyone saw was her timidity, her ordinariness, and her insignificance. Everyone assumed she was weak, useless, unable to help anyone, and even more of a hindrance.

She herself had long since accepted all of this, feeling that she couldn't help anyone.

But there is no Wuling.

He earnestly told her that she was a good person, that she had good qualities, and that she deserved to be his friend.

A sudden pang of emotion shot through her nose, and a warm, aching sensation welled up in her eyes. Cartethyia bit her lower lip hard, desperately trying to suppress the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

She lowered her head slightly, her wispy bangs obscuring her reddened eyes, her voice choked and soft, filled with disbelief.

"Really... is that so? Can I really... be your friend?"

"Certainly."

Wuling released her shoulder, her tone firm. "I never lie. Besides, we've been friends for a long time, haven't we?"

Cartethyia's small hands, hanging by her sides, clenched gently, her fingertips trembling slightly. She nodded vigorously, her voice as soft as before, yet more earnest than ever.

"Yes, thank you, Wuling... I... I'll be a good friend to you."

Seeing her like this, Wuling breathed a sigh of relief.

That's right, don't always underestimate yourself.

He pointed with his thumb to the milk tea shop behind him.

"Want some milk tea? I'll buy you one. It's from your good friend, you won't refuse, right?"