In the crowd.

Yang Sheng crossed his arms in front of his chest and coldly watched Cheng Xia.

At this moment, Cheng Xia’s face looked terrible, and all her previous pride and arrogance had disappeared; all she could think about was how to back out and avoid the situation.

Her friend jumped out, "When did you make a bet with him? Show us the evidence then!"

Cheng Xia thought that made a lot of sense. She said with a false bravado, "You said I should roll in the sand pit, and I should just do it because of you? Who do you think you are? Did I make a bet with you?"

Yang Sheng was indifferent, "Oh, so are you going to roll or not?"

Cheng Xia: "Show me the evidence first!" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Duan Shigang sneered; in the Jianghu world, integrity matters!

He hated people who didn’t keep their word.

Duan Shigang declared, "Yang Sheng, I have the evidence. If I present it, spare me three more times!"

"Okay."

Duan Shigang took out his phone and played a video, which turned out to be a clip of the bet between Yang Sheng and Cheng Xia.

Liu Chuandao was stunned, thinking, ’Damn, were you that prepared?’

Zhang Chi felt regret deeply; how could he miss such a good opportunity!

Cheng Xia, who had been squawking like an arrogant hen, suddenly fell silent when faced with the evidence.

She was full of regret inside, wondering why she had made the bet!

The talented high jumper, Yan Muen, noticed Cheng Xia’s embarrassment, and as her classmate, he naturally wouldn’t stand by idly.

Moreover, Yan Muen had a big dream. He aspired to become a sports student, not just an athlete but a star athlete!

During the New Year, one of his uncles, who was in the burgeoning MCN industry, told him that with the ubiquity of the mobile internet era, many online celebrities would emerge, with sports stars being one potential direction. His uncle also suggested that he post more on Weibo and KuaiShou, maintain fan engagement, and with enough exposure and strong fan loyalty, he could get more endorsements and event appearances...

Therefore, Yan Muen held himself to a high standard. Seeing a female classmate being humiliated, he thought that if he stepped up now, people would remember his good deeds in high school once he becomes famous.

Besides, Cheng Xia was one of his admirers!

’Let my sports journey begin at this moment!’

Yan Muen stepped forward and spoke righteously, "It’s normal for classmates to joke around, but you can’t bully a girl like this, can you?"

He felt exceptionally righteous.

The crude Zhang Chi cursed, "It’s none of your damn business, ever heard of ’a bet’s a bet’?"

Liu Chuandao: "Why didn’t you step up when the bet was made? Jumping in now, what are you trying to prove?"

The sharp words pierced his dignity.

Ultimately, Yan Muen was just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, and after being scolded, he immediately got heated!

His face turned red with anger, "How can you talk like that?"

Zhang Chi and Liu Chuandao pressed forward while Duan Shigang silently circled behind, boxing Yan Muen in tightly.

Yan Muen suddenly had a premonition that no matter what he did, he would be pinned down in two seconds.

This premonition was accurate, just like the moment before he jumped, he could foresee whether the jump would be perfect — a romantic feeling unique to sports students!

Zhang Chi eyed Yan Muen, cracking his knuckles. He hadn’t fought anyone so tall before!

"Are you going to roll or not?" Yang Sheng asked.

Faced with indisputable evidence, and even the person she admired being surrounded, Cheng Xia’s anger seemed to burn everything.

Yang Sheng remained indifferent.

Unwilling to see his female classmate humiliated, Yan Muen resolutely said, "I’ll roll!"

Cheng Xia was stunned, then deeply moved, "No, Muen, let me do it!"

"You’re a girl!"

Cheng Xia shook her head, looking at him sorrowfully, "This is my debt, and I should be the one to pay it!"

Yan Muen couldn’t bear it, "Cheng Xia!"

"Muen!"

As an observer, Yang Sheng was puzzled and said mockingly, "Why, weren’t you the one who agreed to the bet? Why are you acting all wronged now?"

Making it seem like she was the villain.

After making up her mind, Cheng Xia suddenly ran a few steps, then looked back with red eyes, giving Yan Muen a deep, heartfelt glance before throwing herself into the sandpit, rolling over twice like a donkey.

P.E. teacher Li Ying was shocked, "What are you doing!"

...

During the break.

Cui Yu and his group ran from the teaching building to the entrance of the playground, "It’s our turn to train this period."

All students registered for the sports meet could apply for one class period each day for training on the playground. The next class was Gao Heshuai’s, so they skipped it.

"By the way, we skip Fatty Gao’s class every day. Will our grades fall behind?" Guo Kunnan still had some concerns.

Cui Yu: "What are you afraid of? You’re not at the bottom of the class!"

Meng Gui fiddled with Buddha beads, "According to the law of academic balance, the rate at which Pang Jiao’s grades drop parallels ours."

"Then it’s fine." Guo Kunnan planned to go to the playground to check out the beauties and simultaneously strengthen his steadfast Dao Heart.

Using his innate instinct for selecting mates, he wanted to polish his loyal love!

"Look, isn’t that Xu Yan?" Guo Kunnan’s eyes lit up.

"Darn, your Xu Yan is being courted!" Cui Yu shouted.

Xu Yan was sitting at the podium, and a somewhat handsome boy was approaching her with two cans of drinks.

Ever since Gai Shixun’s debacle with a drag queen, he returned to the football team, enduring the odd looks from his teammates, which made him restless with resentment!

Finally, he set his sights on a new target, Xu Yan.

Xu Yan was very pretty, with a generous and exquisite appearance, undoubtedly making her a high-difficulty target.

But Gai Shixun wasn’t afraid; to restore his dignity, he bravely stepped forward to chat her up.

Gai Shixun squeezed out a carefree smile and went up to Xu Yan, "Are you here alone?"

Xu Yan was not against making friends, so she replied politely, "Yes, why?"

Hearing the feminine voice, Gai Shixun inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, feeling an unspeakable excitement.

He gestured behind his back, indicating ’Brothers, she’s real!’

Gai Shixun laughed, "I saw you earlier when I was playing soccer, and thought you were quite pretty."

Xu Yan did not display the usual shyness of a girl being complimented. She had received too many praises, and she herself had been the class leader for Class 11 for a year and a half!

Unlike Xin Youling from Class 8 who was like a temp.

"Thank you," Xu Yan accepted the compliment calmly, her mindset was strong.

Gai Shixun passed her the canned drink in his hand, "So, I’d like to get to know you. Do you have a boyfriend?"

Xu Yan, "Huh? No."

Gai Shixun was secretly pleased, "Take it, please have a drink. I saw you were out in the sun during the class as well."

"Thank you," Xu Yan didn’t refuse. She could handle Guo Kunnan’s awkward chatting, so this kind of encounter was easy for her.

"Can we add each other on QQ? I’m on the soccer team, maybe we can help each other in the future," Gai Shixun was very smooth.

While speaking, he took out his phone.

Guo Kunnan panicked, "Brother Yu, Brother Quan, my Yanzi!"

Cui Yu, "Damn!"

He made a ghostly move, appearing beside the two, and shouted, "Yanzi, what are you doing?"

Gai Shixun was about halfway successful when suddenly someone jumped in, scaring him as well.

"Who are you?" Gai Shixun asked.

Cui Yu glared, "I’m her boyfriend, what are you doing?"

Then he scolded Xu Yan, "Yanzi, what are you doing behind my back?"

Gai Shixun was stunned at first, then he snatched the canned drink from Xu Yan’s hand and turned to leave.

Xu Yan was dumbfounded. After Gai Shixun had walked a distance, she suddenly questioned, "Cui Yu, what are you doing?"

Due to Cui Yu’s craftiness, he had made many enemies in the grade, and many people knew him.

Cui Yu grinned slyly, "What am I doing? I’m causing trouble!"

Saying this, Cui Yu quickly ran away.

Dan Kaiquan, "Brother Nan, you’re buying barbecue tonight, no escape."

Guo Kunnan felt relieved and waved his hand, "Sister Ma’s Barbecue Restaurant!"

...

After the long jump, Jiang Ning received a call from Chen Siyu, comforted Tongtong, and then walked outside the crowd where Pei Yujing stood waiting on the grass.

Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, covering her waist and hips, and under the sunlight, it presented a faint reddish-brown color.

Her face was as cold as always, making many boys reluctant to approach.

However, many did not know the awkward soul beneath the cold exterior.

"Thank you for earlier," Pei Yujing took out a bottle of drink, very seriously.

Jiang Ning glanced at it and said lightly, "Grape juice, huh."

Pei Yujing, "Yes."

"What about the other bottle?"

Pei Yujing took it out; it was still grape juice.

"Both bottles are grape juice?" Jiang Ning asked.

Pei Yujing, "Yes."

Jiang Ning, "Why did you buy this for me?"

Pei Yujing tilted her head slightly and said, "I saw you drinking this just now, so I guessed you might like it."

"So you bought two bottles?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Yes."

Actually, there was one bottle, and the other was meant for herself, but Jiang Ning took them both.

But she was afraid Jiang Ning would be upset, so she didn’t say it.

Jiang Ning looked at her and remembered their few short past encounters; Pei Yujing was a good person.

Even in the future societal climate of gender antagonism, in their few meetings, Pei Yujing, a city public servant, would always bring Jiang Ning a milk tea.

Letting Jiang Ning, a man from the countryside working a private job with no house or car, feel a bit of warmth in a cruel world.

In this life, Jiang Ning remembered Pei Yujing not solely because of her beauty, but because of the respect she showed despite their vast differences.

However, every time they met, she always bought the same kind of milk tea.

Jiang Ning snapped back to reality and asked curiously, "If you buy drinks next time, would you still get me grape juice?"

Pei Yujing thought for a moment, "Yes."

"Why?" Jiang Ning asked again, commanding, "Say a few more words."

Pei Yujing was bewildered at first; it was her first time encountering such a request.

She spoke hesitantly, "Because when I was little, I loved grilled green beans. My mom would always prepare extra beans to grill for me, ones that didn’t sell."

"Your mom is a great person," Jiang Ning rarely praised.

At the time, he was very poor, yet Sister Ma was willing to introduce her daughter to him without any disdain for poverty. She even said, if they ended up together, Jiang Ning could learn her grilling techniques to take over her barbecue store when she retired, or he could continue to work at a company if he didn’t want a life flipping day and night.

Sometimes, in the late night dreams, Jiang Ning wondered what kind of life it would have been if he had gotten along with Pei Yujing?

Pei Yujing, "Yes."

Jiang Ning stared at her and suddenly said, "So, are you trying to be my mom?"

Pei Yujing was immediately a bit flustered and quickly denied it, feeling as if the communication barrier had vanished, "I’m not trying to be your mom. I think my mom is amazing, I just want to be like her towards you..."

At the end, she realized her logic was off and got so flustered her face turned red, feeling even more lost.

Jiang Ning watched her embarrassed look and couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

He said, "You’re actually quite cute."