Xie Zhuran had no idea that his two good roommates were squatting not far away, watching the show, almost holding sunflower seeds and munching as they watched.
He watched the two boys up ahead who were about to take Jiang Li away, clenching his hands, wanting to speak up to stop them, but unable to utter even half a word.
He couldn’t figure out what position he had to keep Jiang Li here.
After all, those two boys were Jiang Li’s classmates, Jiang Li’s friends, while he… was just Jiang Li’s brother’s friend.
Seawater kept washing up at his feet, wetting his feet and sandals.
The water surface reflected his current flustered and clumsy appearance, along with a sense of world-weariness that hadn’t been refreshed and was worsening.
He didn’t have the courage to speak.
The reasons were complicated.
But perhaps, more than anything, he simply didn’t see even a glimmer of opportunity from Jiang Li.
He didn’t want to become that clown.
He could find another girlfriend, but if he strained his brotherly relationship over a girlfriend, it wouldn’t be worth the loss.
Immediately after, the small-headed boy on the left laughed and said, “A Li, with you here, our team is sure to win. You’re so athletic, volleyball must be a breeze for you, right?”
“Yeah, who’d have thought we’d run into the President here. We’re really lucky, haha—” the big-headed boy on the right also laughed.
“There should be a prize, right?”
Jiang Li, who was always aloof and rarely smiled, showed a faint smile on her face. Her eyes were calm and rippleless, very serene, only faintly revealing a desire for victory, yet also seeming somewhat absent-minded.
“Of course there is! Everyone on the winning team gets a bonus of five thousand bucks!”
The big-headed boy spread his hands, emphasizing the words “everyone gets a bonus of five thousand bucks.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Li nodded lightly.
As she said that, she pretended to be casual and glanced back at Xie Zhuran, who happened to be looking at her too.
Their eyes met in the air, and in a daze, it was as if a low-voltage current zapped Xie Zhuran, forcing him to instinctively look away.
Then, he vaguely seemed to hear a short, low laugh, “Heh.”
Heh?
Xie Zhuran was startled. His mind suspected his ears might have misheard, but his eyes honestly looked back. However, Jiang Li had already withdrawn her gaze and was about to follow her two classmates to play volleyball.
Seeing this, he paused in his steps, then closed his eyes, took a breath, and when he opened his eyes again, his gaze was filled with determination.
To be honest, he couldn’t quite read Jiang Li’s attitude towards him. Although she always called him Zhuran-ge affectionately, perhaps because of the psychological shadow of almost being used before, he had long lost the initial feeling.
Plus, because of his relationship with Jiang Xiao, he always felt that she was just being polite.
Even when she helped pretend to be his girlfriend, it was most likely out of sympathy, or because of Jiang Xiao.
But Jiang Li’s laugh just now…
It might have been an illusion, but he really didn’t want to just watch Jiang Li be taken away like that. So he’d take a gamble, just one.
He had always been lucky.
“Heh…”
“A Ran!”
His flustered yet determined voice drifted into many people’s ears.
Three people immediately stopped in their tracks and turned to look at him.
A slight surprise appeared on Jiang Li’s face; obviously, she was somewhat taken aback.
Her two male classmates glanced at him in shock, exchanged a look, said a couple of words to Jiang Li, then turned and walked back.
Xie Zhuran frowned, watching them warily, without speaking.
“Jiang Xiao, is it really okay to leave Lao Xie alone?”
Song Qiuyu saw her roommate being led aside to talk by two boys, obviously whispering out of earshot of Jiang Li, and couldn’t help worrying.
“The beach is too crowded and noisy. We’re too far away, can’t hear clearly. Let’s move a bit closer!”
She craned her neck towards them, as if wishing she could become a rubber man, making her neck longer than a giraffe’s.
However, Lao Xie’s situation was indeed worrisome, and Jiang Li’s situation was also very concerning.
She stared intently at Jiang Li’s current calm demeanor, frowned, and her expression gradually grew unsettled.
Huh?
How had she never noticed before? Jiang Xiao’s little sister wasn’t simple at all. This wasn’t cold and proper; she was clearly secretly wild!
And the kind of secretly wild that was very pretentious.
This type of girl wasn’t easy to conquer; instead, she might be the one to lead you around by the nose.
Should she persuade Lao Xie to back off before anything developed?
“Don’t worry, if things go wrong, we’ll rush in immediately.”
Jiang Xiao, unaware that his girlfriend was analyzing Jiang Li’s character, kept his eyes fixed on his roommate’s situation and said.
Hearing this, Song Qiuyu gave a wry smile, wondering if Jiang Xiao knew his sister’s true nature.
At this moment, Xie Zhuran was being grilled by the big-headed boy and the small-headed boy.
“You…”
The big-headed boy stroked his chin and sized Xie Zhuran up and down several times. “Could you be A Li’s boyfriend?”
“Huh?”
Xie Zhuran was completely confused.
“Impossible. No way. How could the President have such bad taste?”
The small-headed boy shook his head and clicked his tongue.
“You don’t get it. Didn’t A Li say she doesn’t like guys her age? She thinks they’re all immature monkeys.”
The big-headed boy sneaked a glance at Jiang Li’s direction and lowered his voice, whispering.
“In my opinion, A Li likes mature men, the uncle type!”
“?!”
Xie Zhuran was even more bewildered. This ‘uncle’… Could he mean me?
“The Vice President is wise!”
The small-headed boy nodded as if suddenly enlightened.
“Uncle, honestly, if you’re dating A Li, don’t stay silent! We thought you were just some irrelevant passerby.”
The big-headed boy hooked his arm around Xie Zhuran’s shoulder and pointed at him.
“No, first of all, I’m not an uncle, second, I’m not a passerby, and third, we’re not dating…”
Xie Zhuran immediately clarified.
“We’re not even close. You’re really too carefree, just letting us take the President away? Aren’t you afraid of getting cucked later, and double at that?”
The small-headed boy even blushed in embarrassment. Speaking of the President, she really was something—why didn’t she say anything? Too mean!
Good thing the Vice President and himself were smart enough to catch on in time, or else they’d have made fools of themselves.
“Alright, you should start acting like a boyfriend. Protect your lover!”
The small-headed boy assumed the uncle beside him was the type who was hard to wake up, and with a sense of frustration, he raised his hand and smack hit the other’s head.
“Ah, that hurts…”
Suddenly hit on the head, Xie Zhuran didn’t think of getting angry or hitting back. He simply covered the spot that was hit and let out a suppressed cry of pain.
Beside him, the big-headed boy was also cheering him on, saying, “Don’t make us look down on you, uncle!”
Xie Zhuran: “…”
“President, you two talk. Make sure to come for the volleyball match later!”
The small-headed boy said this to Jiang Li, then the two boys, wiping away tears, walked shoulder to shoulder towards the direction of the hottest sun.
Their most rule-abiding Student Council President was secretly in love.
Damn it.
She didn’t allow others to date, but here she was dating herself.
Just because she was dating off-campus, she could be fearless?
Watching the two retreating figures, Xie Zhuran rubbed his head, feeling bewildered. What was up with high schoolers these days? Not a single one of them listens to what people say!
“Zhuran-ge, are you okay?”
At this moment, Jiang Li walked towards him, her expression still indifferent.
“Uh, no… I should be fine, just my head hurts a bit.”
Xie Zhuran rubbed his head a couple more times, accidentally catching a glimpse of the snow-white, plump curves wrapped in her pale yellow swimsuit, and quickly turned his face away in fright.
If he had known Jiang Li would be even more beautiful than he imagined, and that there really was a possibility between them, he should have listened to his mom and tidied up.
At least shave his beard.
“Then, Zhuran-ge, what was that just now?”
Jiang Li’s voice lowered a little.
Xie Zhuran was stunned, somewhat confused.
“I mean, the thing about suddenly calling me A Li just now…”
Jiang Li’s voice dropped even lower.
“…”
Seeing the girl’s cold white cheeks gradually flush with a thin red, Xie Zhuran was completely dumbfounded.
Until Jiang Li slowly raised her eyes.
Xie Zhuran unexpectedly met those peach blossom eyes that looked affectionate even at a dog, slowly realized, and after a few seconds, his old face burst into red.
So that’s what this was about!!
“Uh, uh, it’s because they suddenly took you away, little sis. As your brother’s friend, I was a bit worried, and I blurted out—”
Xie Zhuran explained in panic.
For some reason, after he said this, the little sister’s face suddenly darkened, as if she was angry.
“They’re my classmates, my friends, my colleagues in the Student Council.”
Jiang Li’s face was gloomy.
Why did this sentence feel a bit familiar?
Xie Zhuran was puzzled, but he didn’t have the energy to think about it.
He saw that, for some reason, she was closing in on him. Her proud, fair skin was almost touching his chest. He backed away repeatedly, his brain already crashing, and quickly said:
“No, what’s the big deal? Whether I call you little sis, or Jiang Li, or A Li, it’s all the same to me. I don’t mean anything else, really, little sis, don’t misunderstand!”
After saying this, he sighed inwardly. If he confessed now, the situation would only get worse. Better to back off a few steps and see how things go.
“So that’s how it is…”
Jiang Li, lost in thought, lowered her head, her expression slightly improved.
“Right, I was just worried about you, so—”
Xie Zhuran nodded his head frantically, like a rapid-clicker.
‘Then…’
Jiang Li lightly bit her lip.
The hem of his blue swim trunks was gently tugged. Xie Zhuran’s body stiffened slightly, afraid to move.
Smelling the jasmine fragrance emanating from her, he frowned and silently prayed that his little brother of nineteen years would not salute her.
“Say it once more?”
Jiang Li looked up at him.
“What?”
Xie Zhuran’s pupils contracted.
“Zhuran-ge, say it one more time, please?”
Jiang Li’s face was full of expectation.
At that moment, Xie Zhuran clutched his heart that felt like it was about to explode, his eyes wide open, staring at her without blinking, forgetting to breathe.