Chapter 131: Fingers Entwined

"During the sports meet, all participants must gather and check in at the gym."

The PE teacher stood by the gym entrance, introducing the duties to the Grade 1 student council members and the sports representatives from each class.

"At that time, your class's sports representative will notify the participants about their events, while you'll handle check-ins and line-ups here."

"Let's simulate the procedure once here."

Li Luo stood to the side watching the PE teacher demonstrate, then turned to Zhao Rongjun from Class Three and asked curiously, "Aren't you the sports rep? Why are you here?"

"Our male sports rep sprained his ankle these past two days while practicing long jump," Zhao Rongjun said helplessly, pointing to Luo Jiajia beside him. "My desk partner is the female sports rep, and the other one can't come, so they dragged me here to listen in."

"... Is there any logical connection here?" Li Luo thought for a moment and asked. "Why not just have them listen, then go back and tell your sports rep?"

"That's true," Zhao Rongjun nodded, stealing a glance at Luo Jiajia over there, then hesitated, "So..."

"So what?"

"Promise you won't laugh at me."

"I promise not to laugh."

"And don't tell anyone else."

"I promise not to tell anyone."

"So..." Zhao Rongjun hesitated for a long time, then leaned close to Li Luo's ear and whispered, "Do you think Luo Jiajia likes me?"

"Pfft..."

"You bastard... you promised not to laugh!"

"No, I held it in," Li Luo let out one chuckle, then immediately schooled his expression, forcing himself into a serious, tense posture.

But he still looked slightly unable to keep it together.

Because he suddenly remembered—in his past life—Zhao Rongjun had gotten into Fuyi High, while he himself had been sent to Thirteenth High after his parents paid the school selection fee.

Since they'd just started high school, their friendship was still strong, and they'd made plans to play basketball during winter break.

Back then, Zhao Rongjun had shared with him his first failed crush.

It later became his psychological scar.

As a result, even after entering university, Zhao Rongjun never dared to date until he was nearly thirty, when he married through an arranged meeting.

Of course, it was just a small thing—she simply didn't feel that way about him, and it left Zhao Rongjun mortified.

"Go on," Li Luo pretended ignorance, nudging Zhao Rongjun to analyze it further.

In his past life, he hadn't attended Fuyi High and hadn't had firsthand information—he couldn't tell if Zhao Rongjun had exaggerated during winter break.

This time, he could observe up close the tender, awkward moment when Xiao Zhao's feelings first stirred.

"I don't even know if my feelings are right," Zhao Rongjun scratched his head, whispering. "It's just... she treats me completely differently from how other girls treat me."

"Luo Jiajia always talks to me cheerfully, and she doesn't speak to me as politely as other girls do."

"For example, when she needs to use the restroom, other girls might just nudge my shoulder and say something, but Luo Jiajia just slaps me or directly flicks my face."

"So do you think she's..."

"Into you?" Li Luo finished the sentence for him.

Hearing those three words, Zhao Rongjun turned beet red, embarrassed: "I wouldn't put it that bluntly... maybe just a little fondness?"

Watching Zhao Rongjun's posture, Li Luo nearly burst into laughter, his shoulders trembling—but he held it in.

"Could it be that Luo Jiajia is just like that by nature? If someone else were her desk partner, she'd act the same?"

"But there's more," Zhao Rongjun insisted. "She used to buy snacks and offered them to me. During military training, she bought me drinks. And when she went out on weekends, she'd ask if I wanted to come along."

"You went out on weekends together?" Li Luo's eyes lit up—he thought, you never mentioned this in your past life.

But Zhao Rongjun shook his head: "I didn't dare go."

Li Luo: "..."

"So what's your current thinking?"

"I don't really have any thoughts," Zhao Rongjun fidgeted. "I'm just worried I'm imagining things."

"You definitely are imagining things."

After all, according to what he knew, in his past life Zhao Rongjun had been infected by Luo Jiajia's warmth all semester.

Eventually, he couldn't hold it in anymore and confessed after the final exams.

But Luo Jiajia was awkward, because she already had a boyfriend—just not at the same school—and worse, he happened to show up right then to pick her up.

Zhao Rongjun had just been rejected when he saw Luo Jiajia walking away hand-in-hand with him—his heart took a ten-thousand-point critical hit.

As for Luo Jiajia's playful behavior with boys, it was simply her nature—she'd been raised like a boy since childhood, so she lacked boundaries when interacting with males.

This led Xiao Zhao to mistakenly believe she liked him.

"Li Luo, there must be quite a few girls who like you now," Zhao Rongjun leaned in and whispered. "Don't you think girls who like someone act just like Luo Jiajia?"

"No," Li Luo shook his head. "Every girl shows affection differently—you can't generalize."

"Someone like Luo Jiajia, if she truly liked a boy, would deliberately avoid any physical contact with him."

"Because her cheerful, outgoing nature makes her see most boys as just friends, so she doesn't think twice about touching them."

"But when she truly falls for a boy, she'll finally see him as a member of the opposite sex—and then she'll become very sensitive about physical contact."

After Li Luo's detailed analysis, Zhao Rongjun froze, then stammered: "So... I'm imagining things?"

"Not exactly," Li Luo comforted him, then suggested, "Why not just ask her if she has a boyfriend?"

"How could she possibly have one?"

"Asking won't cost you anything," Li Luo gave him a look.

"Then I'll find a chance to ask."

"That's the spirit," Li Luo slung an arm around Zhao Rongjun's neck, grinning. "But I never thought you, Zhao Rongjun, with your rugged looks, would ever want to date? Aren't you usually too scared to even talk to girls?"

"Luo Jiajia's different," Zhao Rongjun grumbled. "I don't feel nervous talking to her."

"So you two are really brothers now," Li Luo said, looking utterly unimpressed.

"What are you two talking about?"

After demonstrating the sign-in procedure, the PE teacher dismissed them. Yan Zhusheng walked over, noticing Li Luo and Zhao Rongjun whispering to each other, and asked curiously.

"Nothing, nothing," Zhao Rongjun chuckled awkwardly, pulling away from Li Luo and waving his hand. "I'll head off first."

Then Yan Zhusheng tilted his head toward Li Luo.

"Guys' stuff—girls shouldn't ask," Li Luo said, loyal to his brother and unwilling to betray Zhao Rongjun; after all, it wasn't anything important.

After this minor interruption, Li Luo had planned to return to the classroom with Yan Zhusheng.

But Ying Chanxi ran over, calling out to Li Luo, holding a camera in her hand: "It's already halfway through lunch break—going back won't let you sleep much. Come with me and film some MV footage."

"Where are we filming?"

"Right here on the playground."

"But we've filmed here dozens of times already."

"This time is different!" Ying Chanxi pointed to the clouds overhead. "Look at that cloud—doesn't it look like a heart? Perfect for framing."

Li Luo looked up and barely made out a faint heart shape in the cloud; he could only think: girls' imaginations really are vivid.

"You go back first," Li Luo told Yan Zhusheng. "I'll stay with her for a bit."

"Oh, can't I watch too?" Yan Zhusheng asked.

Li Luo blinked, then turned to look at Ying Chanxi.

Ying Chanxi held the camera and instinctively avoided Yan Zhusheng's gaze, but then smiled and said, "If you're interested, you can come watch too—but filming's kind of boring. I'm afraid you'll get bored."

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng clearly sensed something, so he nodded. "Then I'll go back to sleep."

"Mm-hmm, bye then."

After seeing off Yan Zhusheng, Ying Chanxi pulled Li Luo out to the playground.

The playground was empty at noon.

With November arriving, it was no longer as hot as the past two months. After Ying Chanxi pushed him onto the grass, Li Luo enjoyed the gentle breeze—it felt quite refreshing.

Ying Chanxi, holding the camera, found a good angle and began filming Li Luo relentlessly.

She occasionally stepped forward to personally guide him, instructing him to pose exactly as she envisioned.

"You're the pursuer in your song, okay? Show more longing in your expression—don't look like you're already sure you'll win!"

Ying Chanxi crouched beside Li Luo, pinching his cheek, and said irritably, "Your expression is way too arrogant."

"Where's it arrogant?" Li Luo looked innocent. "I'm not a professional actor—your standards are too high."

"Just imagine," Ying Chanxi said. "You're the male lead, I'm the female lead. You want to pursue me, but I keep saying no. How would you feel?"

"If you keep saying no, fine—I'll find someone else?"

"Are you trying to die?" Ying Chanxi narrowed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and pinched his waist.

"Stop! Stop!" Li Luo quickly grabbed her hand and moved it away. "I get it, I get it—I'll try harder. I'll buy you milk tea, write love letters, stare at the light in your classroom during breaks, and imagine holding your hand after class to walk you home."

"You really understand," Ying Chanxi smiled, clearly pleased. Then, pretending it was accidental, she extended her hand and intertwined her fingers with Li Luo's. "Like this—if you can't imagine it, just feel it. Got it?"

"... Got it." Though her palm was soft and the touch lasted only seconds before she pulled away, Li Luo still savored the sensation.

"Yes—this expression!" Ying Chanxi said quickly, watching Li Luo's thoughtful look. "You've got real insight. Keep it like this—film it."

"All thanks to Director Ying's excellent teaching."

"Hmph, smooth talker."

Ying Chanxi stood up again, her lips curled high, camera in hand, skipping lightly back to her original position. After forcing her expression to calm, she turned and aimed the lens at Li Luo.

"Three, two, one—action!"