Chapter 1

[Contemporary romance] "A Place by His Side" by Banjie Baicai [Complete + extras]

Synopsis

Lin Yu liked Chen Lüli. From her initial, cautious

secret crush,

she slowly drew closer to him and eventually won his friendship.

They had known each other for years and had many friends.

The feelings between them were nothing special.

But after years of friendship, they did know each other to some extent.

She knew he wouldn't settle down so easily, and that the woman he would throw himself into danger for would return sooner or later.

She followed her usual routine: work, life, dating.

Who would have thought an accident would bring them closer? She covered her mouth to stifle the sounds escaping it, looked back at him, and said, "Can we just call this an accident?"

His palm pressed against the back of her neck as he bent down to look into her eyes. "Sure."

The taboo between friends

A friend becomes a lover

Tension pushed to the limit

A roguishly handsome male lead vs. a clearheaded female lead

-Paragraph comments are enabled

-The male lead's looks contrast with his personality: the more aloof he looks, the stronger his desire

-There will be a two-way crossover with "Burned Out" later on

-No need to announce that you're dropping the story. Thank you for reading this far. It's fate that brought us together, so please be kind with your words. Thank you, thank you, and may you be happy and get rich tomorrow!!

-If you don't like it, please drop it right away. Don't make yourself miserable and make us both miserable. I hope you find a story you love and have a happy time reading it.

Content tags: Strong leads, heaven's favored, industry elites

Sweet romance

Secret crush

Main characters: Lin Yu, Chen Lüli ┃ Supporting characters: Ming Yu, Jiang Zao, Jiang Yan'an, Li Yin, Tan Yucheng, Ji Ting

One-line synopsis: The taboo between friends: you and me

Theme: Cherish a romantic universe in your heart, and cherish everyday life too

Chapter 1

A faint aroma of coffee lingered in the air. It was afternoon.

Jiang Zao and Ye Xi pulled up chairs beside Lin Yu and leaned against her chair, grinning as they asked, "Are you sure he's the one? You're not going on any more blind dates?"

Lin Yu wore a white sweater that bared one fair shoulder. Leaning back in her chair, she smiled. "Since I like the look of him, why keep looking?"

"Ooh, let's see a picture."

They held out their hands to her.

Lin Yu picked up her phone and was about to open it when the doorbell rang and someone pushed his way in. The newcomer was dressed entirely in black: a black shirt and trousers, with the sleeves rolled up and a black T-shirt visible underneath. His long, narrow eyes and brows had a hint of coldness, as if a chilly breeze had blown in with him on that winter day.

Jiang Zao and Ye Xi paused briefly when they saw him. Even though they had been classmates for years, his looks could still dazzle them from time to time.

"Latte," he said to Lin Yu. With that, he walked over to a table.

Lin Yu came back to herself and signaled to the barista behind the counter, who nodded and got to work. Jiang Zao leaned close to Lin Yu, covered her mouth, and said, "Chen Lüli is still so handsome. I could look at that face every day and never get tired of it."

Ye Xi nodded beside her. Unlike Jiang Zao, she wasn't Lin Yu's classmate but her business partner, and she rarely came to the shop. Even so, she agreed with Jiang Zao.

After speaking, Jiang Zao turned to look at the man sprawled over the table. "Chen Lüli, have you been busy lately?"

"Obviously." His voice was lazy, and his eyes were a little bloodshot from staying up late.

"Oh, your company's newly launched game is pretty good. It's an IP I like. Oh, right, did you know Lin Yu has abandoned us and isn't single anymore?" Jiang Zao said.

Chen Lüli turned his head to look over.

Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat.

"When did that happen?" he asked.

Leaning over the back of the chair, Jiang Zao told him with a smile, adding that the man was a software engineer at Yousitu and spilling everything Lin Yu had just told them.

Lin Yu couldn't very well stop Jiang Zao from going on. Just then, the latte was ready, so she got up to fetch it. They had been close friends for years, and she had liked him for so long. Even though he didn't know, Lin Yu felt as if she were betraying him, which made her feel a little guilty. She set the latte on his table. Chen Lüli looked up at her and asked, "Your family pushed you into it?"

Lin Yu nodded. "I've reached that age, so they're getting anxious."

"Oh, so you like this one?" He sat up and picked up his coffee, drinking it with his eyes still on her.

Lin Yu felt like an idiot standing there, so she sat down beside him and replied somewhat casually, "Yeah, he seems pretty good."

"If he seems pretty good, hurry up and show us his picture."

Jiang Zao and Ye Xi rushed over and pressed Lin Yu to get out her phone. Lin Yu took it out. She hadn't closed the app after opening it earlier, so one tap brought her to WeChat.

She opened Li Yin's picture, but before she could get a good look herself, Jiang Zao snatched the phone away.

Jiang Zao exclaimed and huddled with Ye Xi to discuss it.

"Not bad. Pretty handsome, and he looks refined."

"Nice eyebrows, and he's not going bald."

"He and Lin Yu look good together."

The two of them discussed him with fiery enthusiasm.

Lin Yu could only lean back and let them talk. When Jiang Zao had finished looking, she handed the phone to Chen Lüli. "Here, this is the man who's going to date our Lin Yu."

Chen Lüli took a sip of coffee and reached out for the phone.

Lin Yu's girlish pink phone landed in his hand, his knuckles clearly defined. He looked at it for a few seconds, then handed it back to her.

Lin Yu took it.

"Well?" Jiang Zao asked.

Chen Lüli said, "He's all right."

Lin Yu held the phone. It had only passed through his hand, but it seemed to carry his warmth and scent. She turned it over, as if trying to cover up his warmth.

"Just all right? Well, with a face like yours, I suppose you can look down on anyone," Jiang Zao said with a laugh.

Chen Lüli clicked his tongue softly.

Customers gradually began coming into the shop at that hour. Since Ye Xi was there for once, she turned to greet them. Jiang Zao couldn't stay long either; she had to go back and prepare for her evening

livestream.

Noticing the bloodshot veins in Chen Lüli's eyes, Lin Yu asked, "Do you want to rest in the break room?"

"No need," Chen Lüli said. "I'll sit here for a while."

"Okay."

Lin Yu got up and went to greet the customers too.

The seat was still too close to the front and rather noisy, and quite a few people who came in would instinctively glance his way. Chen Lüli moved to a seat in the farthest corner, spread his long legs, leaned back, and closed his eyes to rest. His face was attractive even with his eyes closed, a few wisps of hair falling between his brows.

Lin Yu bustled about, and sometimes when she looked up, she saw him.

The shop was warm in winter, but they ran the air conditioner a little to keep the air circulating. After a moment's thought, Lin Yu went around to the back and fetched a red scarf. She approached him carefully, unfolded the scarf, and covered him with it. Up close, she could see his fine features more clearly and catch the faint scent of cedar on him.

Once Lin Yu had covered him, she took the coffee cup from the table as she left. Back in the kitchen area, she washed it while she was there.

Ye Xi came over and asked her, "Does he have a girlfriend?"

Lin Yu's hands paused as she washed the cup. She shook her head. "Not at the moment."

"At the moment?" Ye Xi asked, puzzled.

Lin Yu wiped the cup and raised a hand to put it on the shelf above. "He has a

childhood sweetheart

."

"A childhood sweetheart? Oh." Ye Xi immediately shook her head in disappointment. "Is he waiting for her?"

"Probably."

Lin Yu wasn't sure either. Ming Yu had been by Chen Lüli's side ever since Lin Yu met them. The two were already inseparable in high school. At the time, Lin Yu had been in class three, and her grades were good.

He and Ming Yu were in class one, and their grades were always first and second. Many girls liked him then, and Lin Yu was one of them. After school, he would be on the basketball court, Ming Yu would wait for him in the front row, and Lin Yu would watch from the last row, holding an English book and pretending she was there to read.

When the game ended and the streetlights came on, he would take the water Ming Yu offered and open it for a drink. Lin Yu would hurry to her feet, close her English book, walk down the steps, and follow behind them as if by chance, watching him talk to Ming Yu until they left the school gates and went their separate ways.

Back then, there were countless girls like her.

Sometimes she even ran into a few going the same way she was. He wasn't just good at his studies; he had also won numerous awards in high school and gained direct admission to Huaqing.

What made her luckier than those girls was that Jiang Zao was in their class, shared a desk with Ming Yu, and sat directly in front of or behind him. Jiang Zao became friends with Ming Yu and brought Lin Yu into their circle, and Lin Yu carefully became friends with them. But the college entrance exam marked a parting of ways, and Ming Yu's family sent her abroad.

Lin Yu and Jiang Zao just managed to catch the tail end of the Huaqing train and got in too. Since they had all come from the same high school, they had gatherings from time to time. As a result, Lin Yu grew closer to him and came to know him better.

Because they were close, she could see his contact with Ming Yu and their relationship more clearly.

"That childhood sweetheart of his must be beautiful, right?" Ye Xi was curious what kind of woman could make him wait like that.

Lin Yu fiddled with the shelf above her head. "She was already a goddess in high school."

"Damn, I knew it." Ye Xi marveled. "I should've known better than to get my hopes up."

Lin Yu smiled and wiped the droplets of water off the shelf rail.

Ye Xi left to get a customer some cake. "But you're beautiful too, Lin Yu," she said.

"Thank you."

Lin Yu also left the counter. The kitchen pass-through opened, and the salad a customer had ordered was pushed out. She glanced at the order, picked it up, and carried it out to the customer's table.

Lin Yu's shop was in the old district and got plenty of customers. Office workers from the new district liked to eat there too, and they were all regulars. The customer who had ordered the salad drew Lin Yu into conversation.

She praised the crab sticks and asked Lin Yu to show her the Butterfly Dance ring on her hand.

Chen Lüli woke just as the setting sun slanted through the courtyard, falling on the flowers and plants there and shining through the glass into the shop.

At once, he saw Lin Yu in her white, off-the-shoulder sweater, holding out her hand to show the customer. There was a faint smile on her lips, and the sunset danced between her brows.

He watched for a few seconds, then stirred.

The scarf slipped off him, and he caught it as it fell. It was soft to the touch, with a faint, familiar fragrance. He glanced at it and recognized it as Lin Yu's scarf.

Lack of sleep had left his head foggy. Holding the scarf down, he shifted into another position, leaned back, and closed his eyes again to clear his head a little.