On the court, the battle was in full swing, thick with the hormone-fueled aura of youth. Outside the lines, the onlookers were either gasping in surprise or locked in heated discussion; the atmosphere was incredibly fervent.
In the midst of the crowd stood a young girl holding a shopping bag, looking nervous. Her gaze was fixed on a swift figure, following his every move. The elegant young man was drenched in sweat, his momentum seemingly unstoppable, every motion drawing her eyes.
From time to time, Lin Xinyuan overheard the exclamations of those nearby, causing her mood to rise and fall along with them.
Hmph… her Brother Feng is the best, obviously! Do they even need to say it? Lin Xinyuan thought secretly, feeling a deep sense of shared pride. Her eyes sparkled, and even the stinging pain in her fingers from the heavy plastic bag handles seemed to fade away.
Li Tang and the other two stood beside her, also watching the gridlocked battle on the court. Different reflections danced in each of their eyes, their expressions varied. Though they wore masks that concealed their faces, their grace was undeniable—each with a distinct style, forming a beautiful line of scenery. This sight naturally drew the gazes of many nearby boys, who couldn’t help but steal glances at them.
On the court, Qin Nanfeng’s gaze inadvertently flickered toward the sidelines. Seeing the girl standing there so prettily, watching him with such nervous intensity, a faint curve touched the corner of his mouth. However, his movements didn’t slow for a second. With a leap, he ruthlessly intercepted the ball.
Thump, thump, thump…
The basketball hit the ground with a heavy, rhythmic thud, the sound fading until it stopped completely.
Qin Nanfeng high-fived Xiong Wei, with whom he had just coordinated perfectly, and tilted his chin toward the others. “Let’s call it here for now? Take a break, I’m thirsty.”
“Sure,” Sun Ce was the first to agree. His eyes were already fixed on the sidelines, his expression seemingly a bit urgent. Seeing this, the others naturally had no objections and dispersed to rest.
However, as they walked off the court, Zeng Yan couldn’t help but vent: “My god… blocked again!”
Zeng Yan was now thoroughly depressed. Usually, he had a good temperament and didn’t complain, but this time was different. Although Qin Nanfeng was highly skilled, the skill level on Zeng Yan and Sun Ce’s side was more balanced overall, and the score had been neck-and-neck. By all logic, this kind of evenly matched game should have been exhilarating…
Yet, as if he were haunted, Zeng Yan had been blocked by Qin Nanfeng more times than he could count today. It got to the point where his teammates were almost afraid to pass him the ball. Zeng Yan suspected Qin Nanfeng was targeting him on purpose, but he had no proof…
“Just an accident, maybe you just weren’t feeling it today?” Qin Nanfeng’s expression showed nothing out of the ordinary as he gave a light laugh. After speaking, he stopped looking at Zeng Yan and quickened his pace toward the sidelines.
In the end, Zeng Yan could only let out a stifled sigh and scratch his head as he headed toward his girlfriend. Forget it… maybe I really am overthinking things?
“Aah! Ayuan, is your man toxic? He’s blocking shots every single day!”
Off-court, Li Tang was quite annoyed, grabbing the girl’s shoulders and shaking her vigorously. She had watched most of the game, and the whole time, she felt like she was watching her “Brother Yan” get shut down by Qin Nanfeng. It felt targeted.
How could it be such a coincidence? She and Liu Qingyan had only just finished teasing the girl a moment ago, and now her Brother Yan was suffering like this!
Something’s wrong, definitely wrong!
Li Tang recalled the way the girl had curled into the young man’s arms earlier, and then thought about how she herself had made a face to provoke Lin Xinyuan. In an instant, she was certain: Ayuan was definitely getting revenge! She stared at the girl resentfully, determined to get a proper answer out of her.
“I didn’t… I… I’m not as bored as you are!” Seeing the pair of them frustrated made Lin Xinyuan feel incredibly happy inside, but she was still a bit guilty. Never being one for hiding her emotions, her speech became a bit stuttered.
Hearing this, Li Tang clearly didn’t believe her. She glared “viciously” at the girl and reached out her “wicked” hands to tickle her: “Still denying it! I’m going to tickle you!”
“Eek… get away!” Lin Xinyuan hurriedly hugged her arms to her sides, glaring weakly at the one who had started the bullying in the first place.
“You’re not talking?”
“It wasn’t me! Why… why should I say anything!”
“Then accept your punishment! Little Ayuan!”
“Ah… you stinky Tang!”
The two girls rolled around playfully, their fragrant scent drifting in the air. This lively, charming scene nearly made the surrounding boys’ eyes pop out of their heads. Beside them, Liu Qingyan and Yu Xiaowei couldn’t help but find the bickering duo amusing.
Liu Qingyan was about to let out a soft giggle, but her eyes caught sight of something. The curve of her lips vanished instantly, replaced by a stiff expression. She took a step back, beginning to retreat slowly. Even though she had prepared herself, when she actually had to face that person, she still wanted to run…
Liu Qingyan tightened her grip on her unopened water bottle, preparing to leave quietly. While the playing girls might not have noticed, Yu Xiaowei caught it immediately. Looking at the hesitating girl and then at the sturdy man rushing toward them anxiously, she seemed to understand something. She shook her head, choosing not to interfere.
After all, she wasn’t that close to them, and she wasn’t one for meddling. Thinking this, she spotted a certain guy running toward her like a puppy. Her mouth twitched involuntarily, and she considered turning around to leave.
So embarrassing…
Whatever… I asked for this. Who told me to actually agree to him… She curled her lip helplessly, yet a hint of a smile flickered in her eyes.
“Don’t… stop…” Lin Xinyuan struggled, trying to flee. But with less strength than even Li Tang, she couldn’t break free once her hands were caught. She could only twist her body fruitlessly to escape.
“Ayuan, just surrender~” Li Tang’s smile was downright “evil,” almost like an old witch about to let out a cackle.
Seeing her defenses about to be breached, Lin Xinyuan felt a surge of desperate indignation. Stinky Tang, always picking on people…
But at that critical moment, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure walking toward them. Her eyes lit up with joy. She quickly said to the girl holding her, “Your Brother Yan is coming, let go of me!”
Upon hearing this, Li Tang jumped in surprise and looked toward the court. Sure enough, her Brother Yan was walking her way. Now Li Tang didn’t care about “revenge”; she grabbed the bag of snacks and drinks from the ground, wanting to run over.
However, in that split second, she didn’t expect to get poked right in the ribs. The sudden tickle made her let out a little shriek. Before she could react, the culprit had already darted away.
“Hey! You hateful Ayuan!” Li Tang watched the silhouette fleeing toward the tall young man with annoyance. She almost stamped her feet, but managed to restrain herself for the sake of her image.
The girl grumbled to herself, feeling quite stifled. But there was nothing for it—with Qin Nanfeng standing over there, she couldn’t exactly go over to “retaliate.” In the end, she could only look back three times with every step, reluctantly jogging toward her own boyfriend.
Ugh, seriously, Ayuan has gone bad!
Hmph… just you wait! Hehe, I’ll take care of you, you little vixen, once we get back to the dorm!!
For now… Brother Yan is more important.