Chapter 2

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the PE monitor walking over with a form. In a flash, my brain finally connected to what Lin Haoyuan and I had discussed on WeChat: "Basketball game. The basketball game this afternoon, could you please help lead the cheerleading squad?"
To prevent any misunderstandings from the word "cheerleading squad," I quickly added: "You just need to be there, you don't need to do anything!"
I was very worried Luo Zhuowei would refuse—after all, I really wanted to try Lin Haoyuan's supposedly amazing sports car. I couldn't help but stare at Luo Zhuowei tightly, trying to make my expression look pleading without being too awkward.
"It's a friendly match, right?" This request wasn't excessive, and Luo Zhuowei, being a good student, should have some sense of class honor.
She thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement: "Just being there is enough? Should I hand out water to the players or something?"
Sports car! Halfway there!
"That's up to you. If you find it tiring or heavy, you don't have to hand them out." Things were going surprisingly smoothly. I could almost feel the wind hitting my face when the sports car started moving.
I gave up on the posture of turning sideways to talk to Luo Zhuowei and directly straddled the chair backwards, propping my hands on the backrest and smiling as I joked with Luo Zhuowei: "Of course, if you're willing, the class team would be very happy."
"The team..." Luo Zhuowei was stunned for a moment, then smiled again, as if unconsciously, or as if playing along with my joke. "If I hand out water, wouldn't anyone be happy?"
Sure enough, when a beautiful girl like her smiles, it makes your heart flutter: "Well, that's true..."
"If you hand out water to the players, they'd be overjoyed."
I was still hesitating whether I should say this slightly flirtatious line, but then I thought, I don't need to earn any favorability points with Luo Zhuowei anyway. If anything, losing points might help Lin Haoyuan in a way.
"Is that so?" Unexpectedly, Luo Zhuowei gave me a smile, and for some reason I detected a hint of teasing.
?
"Sorry, I need to get some water." Then she averted her gaze, got up, and politely excused herself past the PE monitor who was talking to the class monitor at the next desk.
The conversation ended a bit abruptly, though in reality there probably wasn't much more to say anyway.
But I still felt a slight sense of discomfort.
Hope everything goes smoothly...
I scratched my hair—honestly, this kind of fluffy, soft hair only has the disadvantage of being hard to manage on non-handsome guys. I was thinking of going to Class 7 to find Lin Haoyuan and ask him about the details of how to shine at the basketball game and make Luo Zhuowei fall head over heels.
But I was blocked back to my seat by the PE monitor, who shoved a crudely hand-drawn form in front of me: "Pocari Sweat or plain water? The main forward can have two bottles."
Break was almost over. I was in a hurry to find Lin Haoyuan, so I just waved my hand casually. "Either is fine, my two bottles are up to you—"
Before I could finish saying "up to you to choose," as I was about to take a shortcut by climbing over the empty seat, I suddenly had a realization.
Water.
Players.
Happy, to death.
My foot slipped, and my knee directly hit someone else's desk. I fell with the desk, landing hard.
"..."
I propped myself up on my knees amid the cheers and laughter calling me an idiot. Thinking about what I said to Luo Zhuowei, and then thinking about Luo Zhuowei's smile before she left, I truly felt like an idiot.
...Recalling it and blushing made me even more of an idiot among idiots.
#3
On the day of the basketball game, Luo Zhuowei came as promised.
Just her standing quietly in our class's rest area was enough to make the guys from Class 7 next door envious.
Although the scene of Class 7's area being surrounded by girls from our class, other classes, and even some from our own class was also quite impressive.
I sat on a bench outside the court adjusting my wristband, glanced at Lin Haoyuan basking in the girls' gazes, and clearly he had also noticed Luo Zhuowei's arrival.
My phone, which I had placed beside the bench because it was in the way, buzzed.
[Lin Dog Yuan: You really have a way]
I naturally had to show off a bit, though this was all thanks to Luo Zhuowei being easy to talk to: [Your father will always be your father]
[Lin Dog Yuan: Back in first year, someone also asked Luo Zhuowei to come watch a game. She rejected them all directly]
I frowned, about to reply to Lin Haoyuan asking what the situation was, when something cold suddenly pressed against my cheek, a chilling sensation penetrating my pores.
I instinctively flinched, and when I turned around and saw who was playing the prank, I was so scared I immediately flipped my phone over on my thigh: "Luo Zhuowei."
"I came to deliver water to our main forward." Luo Zhuowei didn't pursue my flustered actions. She maintained that slight smile.
After seeing me look at her, she naturally placed two bottles of water on the empty bench beside me: "Here, I brought one Pocari Sweat and one plain water."
"Thank you." I was a bit embarrassed, and I didn't know if she had seen my conversation with Lin Haoyuan just now...
I guiltily placed my phone on that empty bench too, and my gaze involuntarily fell on the two bottles of water Luo Zhuowei had brought me. The bottles were still cold, water droplets quickly forming a small puddle on the bench.
I glanced at the several boxes of water piled in the rest area not far away. The drinks bought with class funds didn't get the ice treatment.
Bought separately?
This realization made me feel a bit at a loss.
For the first time, I hated myself for not being the kind of rough, carefree tough guy. I could only touch the earring on my right ear and pretend nothing was wrong: "Having something cold to drink on such a hot day is really a lifesaver."
"The class monitor had someone carry a box of water to the convenience store to exchange them one by one for ones from the fridge. I just brought two bottles for the forward first." Luo Zhuowei seemed to have guessed what I was thinking, explaining gently.
I wanted to slap myself for that one second of feeling elated.