Yuluo looked up with a bright smile, her short hair was dyed golden by the sunset, her eyes curved like crescents, sparkling with a pure, childlike glow.
One boy muttered “so cool” under his breath, and was immediately hit in the head with a ball by Fang Yuzhe.
After practicing for a while longer, the team captain called it a day, everyone threw the balls into a plastic frame, and two boys carried them into the teaching building.
“Let’s go eat,” Fang Yuzhe wiped his sweat, and Yuluo opened a bottle of mineral water and handed it to him.
“If I were a boy, I’d join your basketball team!” She was having too much fun.
The boys around her laughed, “You don’t qualify, you’re too short!” He used his hand to measure her height, barely reaching his shoulder.
“Miyagi Ryota is short too!” She argued.
“That’s right!” Fang Yuzhe supported her, “From now on, you’ll be our team’s external member, responsible for watching things and picking up balls. How’s this job?”
“What job?”
“I told you yesterday I’d find you a job.”
Xia Yuluo was surprised, “Are you joking? Who gets paid to pick up balls for teammates!”
The job Fang Yuzhe found for her was actually helping the team pick up balls and watch things. Although everyone said during dinner that this “job” was very important and only she could do it, Yuluo still refused.
“I know you all want to help me. If you really need it, I’ll help pick up balls every day, but not for money!”
“That won’t do, if you pick up balls for us, you can’t work, and without work, you’ll have no money, anyway, that little bit of money—”
“Enough!” Fang Yuzhe interrupted him, “If you don’t want to do this, I’ll find you something else.”
“Really, no need. Going back to the restaurant is fine. Maybe that little money seems insignificant to you, but it’s enough for me. I’m still a student, can’t be too greedy.”
“You’re too not greedy!” One guy was completely broken by her frugal labor.
After finishing dinner, everyone went home. Fang Yuzhe insisted on sending her home, but the restaurant was far from Xia Yuluo’s home and in the opposite direction from Fang Yuzhe’s, so Yuluo refused.
“If you meet bad people, you might not even be as capable as me!” Xia Yuluo boasted, not considering that the other person was over 180 cm tall and an athlete who could probably beat her with just one finger.
Fang Yuzhe was stunned, “Is that so? So you’re a hidden expert, I want to test how strong you are.” He stretched out a hand to her: “I’ll let you use two hands, can you beat me?”
“Wow, you’re underestimating me!” Xia Yuluo thought she could carry fifty pounds of potatoes, so how could she not beat his one hand? Without thinking much, she grabbed Fang Yuzhe’s hand. When he closed his fingers, her small hand became like a bird in a cage, unable to fly away.
Xia Yuluo tried her best to fight against that hand, using both hands and even standing on tiptoes, pressing her whole body. Despite her serious violation, the hand remained motionless, and Fang Yuzhe’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he hadn’t used any strength!
“You’re too strong, I surrender!” She took the initiative to admit defeat.
Fang Yuzhe smiled triumphantly, his eyes becoming slightly mischievous. He loosened the hand holding hers slightly, and just as she tried to pull away, he gripped it tightly again.
Xia Yuluo daringly challenged Fang Yuzhe to an arm-wrestling match, lost the competition, and now had her hand held captive.
“I lost,” she reminded the person who was too proud and “forgot” to let go, suddenly realizing how casually she had held a boy’s hand and was now being held, his fingers lightly tracing her hand, intentionally.
“Fang Yuzhe, let go,” Xia Yuluo whispered to him. She had never dated, of course never held hands with anyone, and although this was someone she liked, still—no, this definitely wouldn’t do!
Fang Yuzhe ignored her request, not only not letting go but pulling her hand behind her and switching to his other hand, then using his right hand to wrap around her shoulder.
“I just broke up recently, consider this a consolation,” he lied quite poorly, but it would work on Xia Yuluo.
“You broke up?” Her attention was immediately diverted.
“Yes,” Fang Yuzhe looked down at her, making his expression look slightly sad.
“How could that be? So many girls like you.”
He made his sadness look even deeper, “But the one I like doesn’t like me back.”
“Don’t be sad, for a great guy like you, she’ll definitely regret not cherishing you!” Xia Yuluo was about to feel sorry for that non-existent girl.
Fang Yuzhe was once again praised to the point of losing himself. Although he often heard compliments that were more specific and vivid than what she said, hearing it from her mouth felt completely different.
He decided to give something back.
“Xia Yuluo, has anyone ever complimented you on being beautiful?”
“Hm?” Yuluo raised her head. “My mom says I look good, and my dad says I’m pretty.” She laughed shyly afterward.
“Their opinions don’t count. I mean, have other boys complimented you? Have you ever dated?”
Xia Yuluo panicked and shook her head, “No, I’m still in school.”
“But I heard that you want me to be your boyfriend?”
“No, that was Xiaolin Yingzi forcing me to say it!” Yuluo was getting anxious.
Fang Yuzhe pretended to look dejected, “I thought I was heartbroken, and you could conveniently fill that gap.”
” Fang Yuzhe’s shocking statement immediately turned Yuluo into a wooden person.
Seeing how pitiful this silly girl looked, Fang Yuzhe finally let her go and made a helpless expression, “I’m just joking, you didn’t take it seriously, right?”
“Oh, you were joking?” Yuluo finally came back to life, otherwise she would have thought she was about to die.
“Do you hope I was telling the truth? Or joking?” He was clearly enjoying teasing her today.
“Of course it’s a joke, otherwise it would be—” —too embarrassing.
“So it’s a joke!” Fang Yuzhe stopped walking, already at her doorstep.
“Thank you for walking me home. Be careful on your way back,” Yuluo said goodbye to him.
“Don’t go to the restaurant to work tomorrow. I said I’ll help you find a job, and I definitely will find a suitable one.”
Yuluo neither agreed nor disagreed.
“Did you hear me!” His expression turned into a warning, quite intimidating.
“I know, I just don’t want to trouble you,” Yuluo pressed against the door, carefully looking at him.
They were about to part. Fang Yuzhe looked at Yuluo, wanting to do something, but felt she was so timid that she would run away if he got close.
Forget it, he’ll restrain himself.
He had boasted to those guys about being “kind,” not trying to take advantage of her, and couldn’t let others laugh at him!
“Goodbye.” Yuluo surprisingly waved the hand he had held earlier.
How could this be? A wolf facing a tender lamb, unable to pounce, and having to be purely friendly. Good heavens, isn’t this self-torture!
With each step he took forward, a massive force pulled his heart back. At least kiss her forehead? Otherwise, he’d be sleepless tonight!
He suddenly turned back. Yuluo was still standing at the door, smiling at him.
She said: “I can’t see you coming back in.”
Yes, if he rushed up and forcibly kissed her, wouldn’t he seem too beastly? He gritted his teeth and returned a slight smile, “Go back inside, see you tomorrow.”
Fang Yuzhe’s head was about to explode, really unable to find any job for her!
His father owned three top-tier nightclubs and a nationwide chain supermarket. Nightclubs were definitely out of the question. He could introduce her to work at his family’s supermarket, but she was a student with no time.
Moreover, supermarket part-time work was tough, standing for hours and constantly talking. He was somewhat reluctant.
