"Ah, she should be... she's a little shorter than Qingqian, probably about ten centimeters."

"I'm nineteen centimeters shorter than you."

“…”

Precisely stating nineteen instead of twenty, this was probably the last bit of stubbornness on Bamboo Shoots' part.

Zhao Xun doesn't really care about her height, because even if she did, she couldn't grow any taller.

Besides, a person's value is not determined by things like height, appearance, or weight. But sometimes he would think, if only he could be as tall as Lu Yibei... oh no, as tall as Sha Jie.

At least she wouldn't look too out of place standing next to a big girl.

"Don't try to act cute with me," Lu Yibei said disdainfully. "You have a boyfriend/girlfriend. If you have a problem, go complain to her."

Zhao Xun clicked his tongue: "Get lost!"

He's a real man, he would never mention such an embarrassing thing to a big girl!

no way! !

…

"So, do you think I'm too short?" Zhao Xun asked.

Ma Jiaojiao: "...Huh?"

"Tsk, answer the question, don't look so stupid," Zhao Xun said.

It's not that I want to act cute or anything, or that I don't feel secure.

Zhao Xun simply felt that he had mentioned "timely communication" to the big girl before, and now that he had some grievances but didn't express them, he couldn't set a good example.

Ma Jiaojiao: "Pfft."

"What are you laughing at?"

Zhao Xun was somewhat embarrassed and annoyed: "...Never mind, if you don't want to answer, you don't have to."

Damn, I feel like he's just here to make us laugh!

Ma Jiaojiao quickly grabbed Zhao Sun's wrist as he was about to turn and leave.

*Smack*

Zhao Xun looked at the spot where the big girl was holding him and instinctively felt uncomfortable. He wanted to pull back, but after thinking about it, he gave up on the action.

"without."

Ma Jiaojiao shook her head vigorously.

"Stand at attention," Zhao Xun said.

Xiao Ma immediately stood up straight.

“Look at me,” Zhao Xun said again.

Ma Jiaojiao lowered her head: ...

Zhao Sun: ...

Ma Jiaojiao thought for a moment, then coughed twice, and with a serious expression, began to speak as if giving a speech:

"We are all ordinary people, very ordinary people—"

We'll drift with the tide, ah, rise and fall with the times—

"We're not the main characters—"

Zhao Sun: ...

Why does this sound so familiar?

…oh.

Isn't this the line he used to use to help this guy get out of his trauma? ... So much time has passed, and not only do he remember it, he can even recite it from memory!?

"Shut up! Shut up!!" Zhao Sun's toes were digging into the ground.

"So it's normal to be dissatisfied with yourself, I don't think it's a shortcoming."

Ma Jiaojiao laughed and said, "It's not that you're short, senior, it's that I'm too tall—but if you think that's not right, you can think of something else. Even if you're really short, it doesn't matter, because I'm tall. We can complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, so there's nothing to be afraid of."

Zhao Xun gave a soft "oh," her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Timely communication was indeed the right thing to do.

"What about me, senior?" Ma Jiaojiao asked. "Don't you think I'm too fat?"

Zhao Xun chuckled and followed suit: "It doesn't matter if you're fat, I'm thin anyway..."

Ma Jiaojiao's brows furrowed immediately: "Senior! You idiot!"

Zhao Sun: ...

Didn't we agree to learn from each other's strengths and make up for each other's weaknesses?

Just as Zhao Xun was completely bewildered, Lu Yibei drifted out from the distant fog:

"Qingqian~~ You don't think I'm too fat~~"

Following those words, Ji Qingqian floated out from behind him and said gently:

"Where am I fat? Not at all! I have a great figure!"

Lu Yibei: "Oh~~ You're so bad~~ I love you~~~"

Ji Qingqian: "Me too~~"

The two of them drifted away into the light mist.

Zhao Xun suddenly realized that this was the correct solution. Indeed, the art of communication is profound and complex.

……wrong.

"Damn it! What are you guys eavesdropping on?!" Zhao Sun shouted angrily.

On the other end came Ji Qingqian's clear and cold reply:

“I’ll listen to my horse—Jiaojiao.”

Zhao Sun: ...

Damn it!!