Chapter 14: Before the Games Begin
That day, the usually docile Jingyi suddenly slapped Lu Li, tears welling up in her eyes. After putting her clothes back on, she ran away, crying. Since then, Silly Goose seemed to be angry. She hadn’t spoken a word to him at school, even when Lu Li apologized. The silly girl would just turn her head away haughtily, pretending not to hear him.
Lu Li admitted that he had gone too far, pushing the little lamb too hard.
During PE class that day, the students were practicing on the field, preparing for the spring sports meet next week. Lu Li found a shady spot and squatted down, secretly watching Silly Goose warm up. Chu Jingyi had signed up for the high jump and was now stretching, a look of anticipation on her face. A girl beside her suddenly leaned in and whispered something, then Silly Goose noticed Lu Li squatting in the shade. She raised her head and snorted at him disdainfully.
An Baili was working in the logistics group, her task to write encouraging letters to the athletes. The letters, barely thirty words each, were all copied from the internet. An Baili pouted, holding a pen between her nose and lips, looking around boredly. However, since she was close to Chu Jingyi, no one gave her a hard time.
As Lu Li was observing the scene, the golden-haired angel descended upon him once again.
“Teach me how to play table tennis,” she said.
“You don’t know how to play table tennis?”
“Not really.”
“Then why did you sign up?”
“I heard you’re very good at it.”
Lu Li’s table tennis skills were average, honed from practicing with Sister Yameng. He looked up, squinting against the bright sunlight, and saw Wen Hupo’s breathtakingly beautiful face. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her face with light and shadow, making her look like a model from a magazine.
“Come on.” Lu Li stood up, grabbed a pair of paddles, and found an empty table with Wen Hupo. “Do you know the rules?”
“I know a little.” She seemed a bit surprised. “I thought you would refuse me again, so as not to upset Jingyi.” Her tone was a mix of teasing and self-pity. Lu Li tried his best not to overthink it. “Why would I do that? That would be too deliberate. We’re still friends, aren’t we?”
His words were actually quite heartless, and Wen Hupo noticed. The corners of her lips drooped slightly. She wasn’t happy.
Wen Hupo’s table tennis skills were at the beginner level, the kind of girl who was holding a paddle for the first time, bouncing the little yellow ball on the table once before serving with her paddle in an awkward grip, like she was flipping a pancake. The ball flew high, not even clearing the net.
You’re completely clueless… How are you going to play doubles like this?
Lu Li picked up the ball. “That won’t do. You have to learn from the basics, from how to hold the paddle.” Wen Hupo’s hand-eye coordination was terrible. Lu Li explained for a long time, but she still couldn’t figure out how to grip the paddle or serve properly. He had no choice but to stand behind her, guiding her hand, showing her how to play.
Wen Hupo suddenly asked, “Have you taught anyone else before?”
“…” Lu Li’s hand paused. “No.”
Wen Hupo hummed in response, her expression unreadable.
By the end of PE class, Wen Hupo had finally learned how to serve, at least she wouldn’t embarrass herself too much at the sports meet.
“Why are you so insistent on this?” Lu Li bought a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Wen Hupo. “You could have just waited for the arts competition in September. Your paintings will definitely be a hit.” That’s what happened in his past life. Wen Hupo rose to fame during the arts competition in the first half of her senior year. Her paintings were even featured in the Chuanhai Daily. Back then, Lu Li could only admire her from afar.
“I want to win a sports competition.” Wen Hupo’s tone was firm. “I have to win. I have to.”
Come on, you barely exercise. You’re as fragile as a flower in early spring, how can you compete with others? Lu Li shook his head.
“Let’s practice the three-legged race then. That’s the only event that requires more teamwork than physical strength. It’s also the event I have the highest chance of winning.” Wen Hupo said.
Lu Li shook his head decisively. “No.” This event required two players to tie their legs together and run. Physical contact was unavoidable. It wasn’t that he was being a gentleman, but he didn’t want to upset the girls who liked him. Girls were always like that, getting upset over trivial things. If you asked them what was wrong, they would shake their heads and say nothing. Then one day, during an argument, they would bring up all those buried grudges. To avoid this situation, Lu Li made the most conservative choice.
The first time he rejected Wen Hupo, he felt conflicted and pained. The second time, he felt relieved. The third time, he was numb. Now, he felt nothing but indifference.
The bell rang for the end of class, and Lu Li left without hesitation, jogging towards Chu Jingyi. He needed to appease his Yi Bao. He couldn’t let his little white tiger run away, could he?
Wen Hupo watched Lu Li’s retreating figure, an inexplicable tightness in her chest. The most cruel thing in the world wasn’t having nothing, but having something and then losing it. Perhaps Lu Li was a scumbag in love, but in friendship, he was a friend unlike any other she had ever had. She didn’t want to lose him.
Lu Li was the one who had smiled at her under the osmanthus tree on the rooftop and asked, “Need any help?” He was also the one who was now avoiding her and rejecting her. Which one was the real him…? Wen Hupo hugged her knees and squatted down by the table tennis table, a bitterness rising in her heart.
Was this… the regret of youth?
“What are you doing? I have to go back to class.” Chu Jingyi glared at Lu Li, who was blocking her way. The other students tactfully avoided them, leaving Silly Goose with no escape route.
“Yi Bao, there’s a new horror movie coming out next month. Want to go to Hengdian to watch it?”
“Who’s Yi Bao? Don’t call me that!” Chu Jingyi pouted, her lips forming a perfect “o.” If it weren’t for the other students around, Lu Li would have kissed her right then and there.
“Okay, okay, I was wrong last time, I didn’t lift my leg on purpose…”
Chu Jingyi’s face flushed crimson. “Don’t even mention it—you pervert—” Her most private place, the place where she peed, had been touched by this pervert! And the most embarrassing thing was that when she changed her underwear that night, she found a faint wet spot. The flustered Silly Goose didn’t dare to ask her mother, so she searched online for “Is it normal to wet your pants at seventeen?” and “Home remedies for urinary incontinence.” Then she realized, did Lu Li also know that she wet herself?
Feeling seven parts embarrassed and three parts annoyed, Silly Goose decided to ignore Lu Li for the next week. Of course, just a week. She wouldn’t be able to stand it for any longer than that.
Seeing the pitiful and innocent look on the boy’s face, Chu Jingyi’s resolve crumbled. She clasped her hands behind her back, her fingers intertwined, her gaze darting around. “Anyway, anyway, I don’t want to talk to you…”
Leave a Reply