Tang Tianman was pretty lucky. When Ruan Ruan called Zheng Xiyu, she wasn’t training or in class—she was just hanging out with some free time.
It was an emergency, so Ruan Ruan didn’t have time to explain the whole story. She just said, “Tangdou, come to the Comprehensive Plaza!”
“Got it.” Zheng Xiyu agreed without hesitation.
“Hurry, hurry…” Ruan Ruan couldn’t help urging her.
“Got it.” Zheng Xiyu hung up the phone.
Then Ruan Ruan straightened up, took a deep breath, put on a smile, and walked back to Tang Tianman’s side. She glanced toward the figure with the dragon on her back.
At a normal person’s pace, Xiao Ji had already crossed half the plaza by now.
The two sides stared straight at each other. Ruan Ruan nudged Tang Tianman’s arm. “Isn’t our intention a bit too obvious?”
Tang Tianman’s gaze didn’t waver. She looked downright fierce, like a little leopard poised to pounce. “That’s on her for making her intentions so obvious.”
The male classmate piped up, “Senior Sister, why do I feel like a fight’s about to break out?”
Ruan Ruan said, “Stop shaking. If it comes to blows, you don’t need to fight—just run and get a teacher.”
The male classmate looked like he was about to cry. “Senior Sister, why is it that now we’re finally in college, we still have to call a teacher for a fight?”
Tang Tianman said, “If you throw the first punch later, we won’t call one.”
The male classmate replied, “I’ll call the teacher. I’ve got the campus security number.”
Ruan Ruan rolled her eyes.
Xiao Ji had covered another quarter of the distance. She must have gotten tired of staring, because she finally looked away and started checking out the stalls on either side.
But Tang Tianman didn’t let her guard down. To her, every glance Xiao Ji threw at something else was part of some scheme.
Xiao Ji slowed her steps, veered off, and stopped in front of the Baking Club’s stall to buy a small cake.
Ruan Ruan tsked.
The male classmate exclaimed, “Is she gonna smash that cake in our faces?!”
Xiao Ji turned again and grabbed an unopened bottle of mineral water from the club’s supply area.
Ruan Ruan went, “Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
The male classmate yelped, “Is she gonna dump that water on our heads?!”
Ruan Ruan couldn’t help kicking him. “Can you act normal for once? Read what’s on the sign right in front of you.”
The male classmate read, “Love Hug…”
Ruan Ruan ignored him.
The male classmate added, “So it’s just a hug. Why are you all so tense? She looks pretty good, doesn’t she?”
Tang Tianman scoffed. “Tch~”
Now, as Xiao Ji walked toward Tang Tianman, she had a smile on her face.
She didn’t hide the things in her hands either—the small cake cradled in one, the water bottle tossed up and down in the other.
Tang Tianman stared so hard her eyes ached, and she blinked.
Xiao Ji’s smile widened. For the last few meters, she strolled leisurely, as if savoring Tang Tianman’s panic.
Finally, she was right there in front of them.
Tang Tianman gripped the acrylic board tightly. Xiao Ji glanced away at the nearby display stand and asked knowingly, “What’s this event about?”
The male classmate, caught up in the tension, blurted out, “Can’t you read?”
Ruan Ruan: !!!
He was pretty bold in the clutch. She gave him a mental thumbs-up.
Xiao Ji didn’t explode and smash anything into his face. She just lifted an eyelid to glance at him. “Some info isn’t on the board, right? Like…”
She pointed at Tang Tianman. “Why does this classmate need a Love Hug?”
The male classmate said, “Because she’s so short that normal hugs never reach her, so she’s got an inferiority complex.”
Ruan Ruan thought: Shut up already.
“Ooooh~~~~” Xiao Ji drew out the sound, stepping up to Tang Tianman and bending down to look at her. “How long have you been standing here?”
Tang Tianman snapped, “None of your damn business.”
Xiao Ji didn’t mind her language and kept smiling. “How many people have hugged you so far?”
Tang Tianman started, “None of your—”
“My business.” Xiao Ji cut her off. “I want to be the first to hug you.”
Tang Tianman’s eyes widened in shock. She whipped her head toward Ruan Ruan. “Has she read too many domineering CEO novels?”
Ruan Ruan coughed. “Ahem, yeah.”
Xiao Ji said, “Little girls like you love those novels, don’t they?”
Tang Tianman clutched tighter. “I don’t li—”
Xiao Ji spread her arms and drew them in toward her. “Whether you like it or not is for later. Who knows?”
The person inches away, the one standing ramrod straight, the bold yet flustered one, that adorable little tiny one… wasn’t hugged as she’d hoped.
Someone yanked Tang Tianman’s arm, pulling her out of Xiao Ji’s reach. Xiao Ji turned her head and watched as Tang Tianman tumbled straight into someone else’s arms.
It was Zheng Xiyu.
The Zheng Xiyu whom almost everyone had to crane their necks to see, her face somewhat blurred against the bright light shining down from above.
The move was so sudden that Tang Tianman let out a tiny squeak.
Even as her body moved without her control, she sensed a familiar presence—one that could envelop her completely, gentle and dependable.
Even in this awkward position, she knew entrusting herself to Zheng Xiyu was the right call. So she relaxed completely, letting herself fall.
Sure enough, it was right. The spot where her cheek landed was the softest part of Zheng Xiyu’s body.
There was a faint, clean scent, and an unexpectedly slim feel.
Zheng Xiyu held her tight, one hand still gripping her arm, the other now cradling the back of her head.
Her hands were huge—Tang Tianman felt like her head was just a volleyball in that palm.
She stayed still, letting her secret weapon handle things.
Secret weapons always delivered surprises. Zheng Xiyu said, “The first from anywhere isn’t yours to claim.”
“Ah!!!!” That Mary Sue line hit different depending on who said it.
Ruan Ruan couldn’t hold back a squeal and pinched the male classmate’s arm.
The male classmate yelped, “Ow, ow, that hurts!”
Xiao Ji stared at Zheng Xiyu for a long moment.
Zheng Xiyu showed no sign of letting go of Tang Tianman. It was possessively intense, like as long as she was there, she wouldn’t release her hold.
“Okay.” Xiao Ji raised a hand. “I concede. Let her go—she’s about to suffocate.”
Zheng Xiyu released her abruptly and looked down. Tang Tianman lifted her head from her chest but didn’t hurry to leave the embrace. “I’m not suffocating.”
She beamed, her big eyes crinkling into crescents as she blinked up at her, full of the pride of a mission accomplished together.
Zheng Xiyu smiled too.
Tang Tianman tousled her hair and slowly straightened up, putting just a bit of distance between her and Zheng Xiyu.
Just a bit—the kind Zheng Xiyu could close with a flick of her fingers.
She lifted her chin and shot Xiao Ji a look of triumphant superiority.
Xiao Ji still held the things she’d bought, and she handed them over quite naturally. “You’ve been standing a while. Tired? Have some water.”
Tang Tianman was almost impressed by her mental fortitude.
“I’m not thirsty, thanks.” Tang Tianman turned her down.
“Wanna keep playing?” Xiao Ji’s gaze fell on the Red Heart Acrylic Board still clutched in Tang Tianman’s arms.
Tang Tianman tossed the board to the male classmate like a hot potato. “My wish came true. I’m done.”
“Alright.” Xiao Ji started to set down her stuff but glanced around and realized the booth was pretty bare—no table in sight.
So she just shoved everything into the male classmate’s hands. “Thanks for your hard work. Take a break.”
The male classmate: “…”
Ruan Ruan jumped in smoothly, rushing over to Tang Tianman and Zheng Xiyu. “It’s almost lunchtime. Shall we…”
“Zheng Xiyu.” Xiao Ji cut her off, turning to Zheng Xiyu. “Wanna compete?”
“In what?” Zheng Xiyu rested a hand on Tang Tianman’s shoulder.
Xiao Ji tilted her head toward the area behind her. “Pick any machine here.”
Tang Tianman wasn’t having it. “Why should she compete with you? How childish can you get?”
Xiao Ji shot back, “You knew I was coming to hug you and didn’t ditch that board. Who’s childish?”
Tang Tianman: “…”
Zheng Xiyu frowned slightly.
Tang Tianman grabbed the hand on her shoulder. “We’re not competing with her.”
Zheng Xiyu didn’t respond.
Tang Tianman tugged that hand and started walking away. “Ruan Ruan, let’s go eat.”
“Sure thing.” Ruan Ruan would always hustle to follow when food was involved.
Xiao Ji wasn’t giving up. “Zheng Xiyu, don’t you want to know what the bet is?”
Tang Tianman kept dragging Zheng Xiyu along without looking back.
Xiao Ji called out, “If I win, Tang Tianman lets me hug her. If you win, I stay away from her for a month.”
Zheng Xiyu stopped in her tracks.
Tang Tianman: !!!
Xiao Ji taunted, “Scared? You in or not?”
Tang Tianman whispered urgently, “Xiyu, don’t fall for it. She’s no good—we don’t even know what she’ll challenge you to…”
Ruan Ruan chimed in softly, “Yeah, yeah. What if it’s singing?”
Xiao Ji jogged to one side, where the Technology Department’s homemade basketball shooting machine sat. She pulled out a basketball and spun it on her finger. “I won’t take advantage. We’ll do what you’re good at.”
Zheng Xiyu turned around and cracked her knuckles.
Tang Tianman clung to her wrist. “Xiyu, I know you’d win no matter what ball game it is, but aren’t you kinda hungry?”
Zheng Xiyu bent down and murmured in her ear, “Wait just a sec. It’s fine.”
She stepped up to one side of the machine. Xiao Ji dribbled and jogged a short warm-up loop. “Simple—whoever scores higher.”
Some kids from the Technology Department cheered, “Break today’s record, and we’ve got a little gift for you!”
Xiao Ji smiled faintly. Without saying much, she flicked her wrist and sank a shot. “Begin.”
Her speed was blistering, her shooting form textbook perfect. Few girls could handle a basketball with such finesse—especially not someone dressed like her, who clearly wasn’t from the Sports Institute.
Xiao Ji drew plenty of stares. Word of the challenge spread quickly, and a crowd soon gathered around.
She breezed through the first stage with near-perfect accuracy before moving on to the second.
Ruan Ruan clung to Tang Tianman’s arm, whispering in her ear. “How do you always end up in these messes?”
Tang Tianman sighed helplessly. “Guess everyone’s got a little chuunibyou in them.”
Ruan Ruan tilted her head up toward Zheng Xiyu. “A’Yu, you good?”
Zheng Xiyu gave a light, easy smile, utterly relaxed. “No problem.”
Xiao Ji kept at it for a good while, shattering not just the daily record but the machine’s all-time high score.
The classmates could hardly believe their eyes. They burst into applause. With time still on the clock, Xiao Ji finally stopped. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. “All right. Your turn.”
She carried herself with the effortless poise of a champion.
The crowd erupted in applause once more.
Zheng Xiyu smiled and stepped up to the basketball shooting machine. Every eye in the place locked onto her.
She didn’t bother with warm-ups or practice shots. Instead, she grabbed a ball and strolled right out of the shooting zone, straight over to Tang Tianman.
Tang Tianman blinked in confusion, unsure what was happening.
Zheng Xiyu handed her the ball. “Hold this.”
“Huh?” Though baffled, Tang Tianman took it anyway.
She cradled it securely in her arms. Then Zheng Xiyu dropped into a half-squat and scooped her up by the legs.
“Ah…” A soft yelp escaped Tang Tianman’s lips.
Zheng Xiyu hoisted her upright with steady, powerful arms. Tang Tianman’s rear settled firmly onto her shoulder.
“Ah!!!” The onlookers exploded into excited cheers.
Just like that, Zheng Xiyu carried Tang Tianman over to the side of the machine.
“Shoot,” she said.
Tang Tianman lobbed the ball toward the hoop.
It dropped through clean and true. The machine blared out the score.
“Two points!”
Zheng Xiyu set her down gently. “Let’s go get some food.”
Xiao Ji’s face darkened like a storm cloud. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Zheng Xiyu met her gaze, her expression calm and even. “It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just letting you know I have no interest in humoring your little challenge.”
The crowd drew in a collective gasp. Ruan Ruan slapped a hand over her face in disbelief. “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit—why’d Airhead Junior suddenly snag the male lead script?”
Holy…!!! 🔥