The rain had just stopped. Dark clouds drifted west with the wind, leaving scattered puddles glistening on the ground. One by one, tall, restless boys rushed toward the basketball court, itching to jump into a match.
Mo Lü was among them, stretching eagerly. He might not excel in his studies, but this—the court—was his kingdom. Agile limbs, sharp reflexes—when he leapt, no one could touch him.
Just as he was warming up, ready to dominate the game, an annoying voice shouted across the court:
"Guo Chouzhou! Want to join our game?"
Guo Chouzhou and Zeng Shunxi happened to be walking by, still holding hands, their lovey-dovey display dazzling—and blinding—everyone around.
Mo Lü turned his head away with exaggerated disdain, his tone dripping with sourness.
"Please, he's the lone-wolf type. Doesn't play with ordinary people like us."
The jab hit home. Before Guo Chouzhou could react, Zeng Shunxi tugged on his arm, her voice sweet and coaxing.
"Come on, go play for once. Don't be alone all the time. I've never seen you play basketball—I'll cheer for you!"
She straightened his collar and raised a tiny pink fist to cheer him on. Just like that, Guo Chouzhou softened. He placed a quick kiss on her cheek and strode toward the center of the court.
The whole court burst into screams—girls shrieking, boys whistling.
This was about to become the most attractive showdown between the two top school heartthrobs in Pingyi's history.
Mo Lü's competitive spirit exploded. From the tip-off, he ran wild like an untamed stallion, sinking shot after shot. His team was on fire. They pulled ahead by more than ten points, confidence sky-high.
But the moment Mo Lü slipped for half a second, Guo Chouzhou snatched the ball cleanly, leapt, and drew a perfect arc through the air—nothing but net.
The court erupted.
Mo Lü panicked. He wanted to win too badly. His rhythm broke, his shots kept clinging to the rim only to fall out. Meanwhile, Guo Chouzhou's teammates fed him the ball nonstop.
Long strides, steady dribble, one leap—arm up, wrist down.
With that half-European height advantage, he sent in flawless swish after swish.
Halftime score: 41–35. Guo Chouzhou's team led.
He stopped while ahead, tossed the ball back to Mo Lü, and flashed a victorious smirk.
"I'm done. Going to have lunch with my girlfriend."
Under Mo Lü's murderous, jealous glare, Guo Chouzhou walked toward the cheering, bouncing Zeng Shunxi, slung an arm over her shoulder, and left sweetly with her.
Defeated in both the game and love, Mo Lü hit rock bottom. His grudge against Guo Chouzhou only deepened; wherever Guo was, Mo Lü was there to oppose him.
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Months later, the school finally finished its multimillion-yuan collaboration with a major fast-food brand: a three-story Western-style restaurant with iconic red-and-white decor and a huge glass façade overlooking a newly built outdoor pool.
Early autumn winds were chilly, but nothing stopped youthful hearts—after eating, boys and girls flocked out in swimsuits, sunbathing on loungers like peacocks in full display.
To stay trendy, Zeng Shunxi dragged Guo Chouzhou along.
"Don't eat in the cafeteria all the time! Junk food is a lifestyle!" she insisted, clinging to his arm.
"What's so special about it? All fast food tastes the same." he said, unamused.
"It's not! A new one is different from an old one. An on-campus one is different from an off-campus one! And one with a pool is different from one without!" she argued with complete confidence.
Unable to win against her logic, he followed her in, let her order, and sat by the window.
They barely took two bites when someone marched straight toward them. Guo looked up to see Mo Lü, tray in hand.
"Hey, mind if I sit here?" he asked, pretending not to know the answer.
Of course he just wanted to ruin their peaceful moment, like an overgrown kid resorting to mischief to demand attention.
Guo was about to tell him to get lost, but Zeng Shunxi beat him to it.
"Sure."
Mo Lü raised a brow in triumph, sat directly across from her, grabbed a drumstick, and took a huge bite.
"Tired of eating with him every day? Bet eating with me is way more fun."
He watched Guo Chouzhou simmer with barely contained anger, enjoying every second of it. Making Guo mad had become his life goal.
Zeng Shunxi saw right through him and replied lazily,
"We have plenty of time to eat together. You can join if you want."
One sentence. Enough to drop Mo Lü into the abyss.
She clearly drew the line—she and Guo Chouzhou were "we two."
Mo Lü? Just an optional third wheel.
Guo didn't need to say a word. Victory was already his.
After finishing her meal, Zeng Shunxi stretched her arms, eyes sparkling.
"How about I change into a bikini and go swimming?"
"No!"
"No!"
Both men said it at the same time.
Their eyes met—sparks flying again.
Both protective. Both possessive.
Everything about Zeng Shunxi tugged at their nerves.