Chapter 62

Qiao Yingzi slapped the ground a few times to vent, then collected herself, stood up, picked up the microphone, and said to her mother: “Mom, go enjoy yourself!”

She then walked straight to her room, locked the door, and ignored her mother.

Song Qian knocked but couldn’t get in, so she muttered, “What a great idea,” and temporarily gave up forcing her daughter to turn the house into an observatory, lock herself in, and stay away from He Chen.

Hmm!

Let’s think of another way!

Over there.

Fang Yifan trudged home dejectedly with his cousin Lin Lei.

“Cousin, are you okay?” Lin Lei asked with concern.

“I’m fine,” Fang Yifan replied listlessly, then remembered something and warned: “Lei’er, don’t let anything slip when we get home—don’t tell my mom about today!”

"Got it," Lin Lei nodded obediently, adjusted his glasses, opened his mouth, but couldn't hold back: "Cousin, you shouldn't have gambled with Aunt Xiao's reputation!"

“I didn’t want to either—it just slipped out, and it’s not the first time…” Fang Yifan was deeply regretful.

If he’d known this would be the result, he’d never have agreed to such a bet—even if you dragged him kicking and screaming.

That’s right!

He’d previously joked around with others, betting things like “loser calls the winner Dad,” never thinking much of it—it was just like cursing “f*** your mom,” mostly said without real intent.

Pure idle talk.

No one ever thought such a thing would actually happen!

But who knew He Chen not only won, but won in such a disgusting way!

He kept twisting the phrase “loser calls the winner Dad,” even dragging in nonsense like “traitor serving three masters, daughter Fengxian”—even he thought it was unbearably crude.

Imagine how furious his mom would be if she found out!

Even worse, that bastard He Chen said this bet was just “dreaming too big,” implying his mom wasn’t good enough for him.

If you really felt that way, then stop saying things that make people think that!

Bastard!

Now he couldn’t even look at the phrase “loser calls Dad” the same way—he even felt a flicker of guilt toward his own father…

They got home.

Tong Wenjie immediately stopped Fang Yifan from slipping into his room: “How’s Yingzi? Is she holding up?”

“She’s fine,” Fang Yifan sighed in relief—his mom was asking about Qiao Yingzi, so he dared not mention how much she’d changed, because that would inevitably lead to He Chen, and he couldn’t risk it.

Otherwise, if he slipped up, this “greatest filial son” might get chased around the neighborhood by his mom late at night.

“Yingzi is Song Qian’s daughter, your childhood friend—you need to pay attention and care for her!” Tong Wenjie, though anxious, wouldn’t spell out her hidden agenda, fearing her son might develop unnecessary thoughts that would ruin his studies—and if it affected Qiao Yingzi’s Gaokao, his future mother-in-law would never approve.

So she only hinted.

“Don’t worry, I know what to do!” Fang Yifan was irritated, no longer his old confident, carefree self.

But his mom’s words stirred up unease and discomfort over the drastic change in his childhood friend’s attitude.

“Did anything happen today?” Tong Wenjie asked casually: “Did you have any trouble with He Chen?”

Just as her son didn’t want to mention He Chen, she didn’t want to either—afraid he’d find out he’d been “cuckolded,” with consequences too terrible to imagine.

But she still needed to probe He Chen’s movements.

When his mom mentioned He Chen, Fang Yifan’s heart skipped a beat—he quickly brushed it off and retreated to his room.

Tong Wenjie sensed Fang Yifan was off, but she had her own worries—like two people afraid of a wolf with a stick—so she didn’t press further.

After returning home with Lin Miaomiao and Qian Sanyi, Ruan Liuzheng’s mind was still dazed, replaying Lin Miaomiao’s endless praise of He Chen, her insistence on becoming his disciple, and Qian Sanyi’s refusal to downgrade from disciple to disciple’s disciple, arguing with Lin Miaomiao over her intention to challenge her master.

She’d also gone to watch the basketball match on the playground after school.

And she’d been seriously impressed!

She felt even more pressure now.

Why is he so handsome every day—and getting even more handsome?

It made her increasingly worried someone would steal him away and turn her backyard green.

The red apricot branch hangs high!

Thinking she might soon become the wronged party, her heart ached.

After barely fending off the energetic Lin Miaomiao, she greeted her mom doing yoga and prepared to join her.

No matter how stressful or exhausting her studies were, she’d stick to yoga—it’d become her daily routine, and she’d master it!

She’d figured it out!

Compared to Immortal Crane Qi or Turtle Breathing, as a girl, yoga was far more useful for her!

But when she went to the balcony to change into her yoga clothes, she saw a huge object there—one that clearly wasn’t cheap—and she gasped in shock, asking her mom, only to learn it was He Chen’s, given to him by Qiao Yingzi’s father—her head felt heavy, and her heart grew heavier.

What’s going on?

Is her dad helping him court her?

She never thought Qiao Yingzi was this unprincipled!

She’d known Qiao Yingzi’s sudden request for help wasn’t innocent—now it was obvious she was trying to move in!

“Mom, you’ve got to talk to He Chen! First he sends stuff from Shanghai, now a classmate gives him such an expensive telescope—what’s this supposed to mean?” Ruan Liuzheng couldn’t help complaining to Ruan Lu.

“I told him!” Ruan Lu didn’t scold her this time; while doing yoga, she replied: “He said he understood, won’t do it again.”

“Won’t do it again?” Ruan Liuzheng pouted.

Though she didn’t know the internet meme “next time for sure,” she knew “next time” probably meant “again”—but since her mom had finally supported her, she didn’t push further.

The next morning, after waking up, she walked to the balcony, glanced at the telescope, peered toward the pine tree, and saw Lin Miaomiao standing beside He Chen, clumsily copying his movements—unlike the onlookers laughing, she couldn’t smile at all.

Like the Monkey King, she just found it utterly annoying!

On the way to school, she kept hinting for He Chen to explain, but he acted as if he’d say nothing unless she said it outright—making her grind her teeth in frustration.

Class 3-7.

As soon as He Chen sat down, a circle of classmates gathered around him, excitedly discussing his incredible performance on the playground the previous afternoon.

Suddenly, the crowd parted, allowing a tall boy to walk straight up to He Chen, meet his gaze, and extend his hand: “He Chen, join the school basketball team?”

Everyone erupted in shock.

Though everyone knew He Chen was phenomenal at basketball, seeing Lin Xiaoran—the class’s sports prodigy and official captain of the school team—publicly extend the invitation was still a huge deal.

This was official recognition.

Everyone hoped He Chen would accept.

That way, they could watch him play basketball again, maybe even represent Chunfeng Middle School against other schools—virtually, it’d be like they themselves were dominating the field—just thinking about it was thrilling.