Li Mo
Before the final exams, Yuehai Middle School's summer basketball tournament was held.
There is already an invisible competition between the top science classes, and this competitive atmosphere reaches its peak when Class 2 faces off against Class 4.
During the afternoon self-study period the day before the competition, the class monitor and the academic representative even suspended their routine of urging everyone to hand in homework, and instead mobilized everyone to cheer for the class basketball team.
"Our class can't lose in terms of spirit!" The class monitor stood on the podium, waving his arm vigorously. "Everyone has to go tomorrow! Let Class Four see what it means to be both academically and athletically gifted!"
Even the usually stern head teacher, Yuan Hai, unusually adjusted his glasses before the end of get out of class, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of encouragement: "The basketball game is also a manifestation of class cohesion. Everyone can relax and cheer for our class's athletes after studying. Of course," he changed the subject, habitually adding, "final exams are just around the corner, so after cheering, you need to get back to your normal routine."
During breaks, the boys surrounded Liang Xinchong, Lin Pengsen, and other key players, putting their arms around each other and brainstorming ideas.
"Chong-ge, it's all up to you tomorrow! Shoot a few more three-pointers and show off Class 4's arrogance!"
"Shusen, it's up to you for the rebounds!" The girls huddled together, whispering, "Should we get some cheering signs ready?"
"Should we all shout a slogan together?" A feeling of shared hatred and excited anticipation silently spread through Class Two's classroom.
Match day.
The atmosphere by the playground was so enthusiastic it was almost explosive.
Students from the two classes stood clearly on opposite sides of the field, cheering and shouting.
Li Mo was pulled by Tang Keqing and squeezed into the front row of Class Two's camp.
Beside them were classmates waving hastily made cards that read "Class Two Will Win," and several boys were shouting class slogans at the top of their lungs under the command of the class monitor.
The air was filled with youthful restlessness and a pure sense of collective honor.
"Wow, Liang Xinchong looks so handsome today!" Tang Keqing excitedly shook Li Mo's arm, pointing to the most dazzling figure on the field.
Liang Xinchong was wearing a red jersey with the flamboyant number "1".
He ran, jumped, tackled, and passed the ball on the field with fluid and powerful movements. His sweat glistened in the sunlight, and every goal he scored drew a frenzy of screams from Class Two.
He certainly has the looks to attract everyone's attention.
Li Mo's gaze involuntarily followed that figure.
She saw him receive a pass from his teammate, make a beautiful fake move to get past the defender, jump, and lightly press his wrist down—the basketball drew a perfect arc and swished through the net.
The three-pointer was valid, and the sidelines erupted in cheers.
"Ahhh, so cool!" Tang Keqing continued to express her excitement.
Just then, Li Mo heard a slightly complaining yet sweet voice beside her: "Hey, Song Feiran, keep it up! Class Four, keep it up!"
Li Mo turned her head and saw a very fashionable girl standing on the other side of Tang Keqing, nervously clenching her hands and her eyes closely following a slender and tall boy in the Class 4 line.
Tang Keqing immediately poked the girl with "dissatisfaction": "Qin Yue, you traitor, you're one of our Class Two members!"
Only then did Li Mo realize that this girl was Qin Yue, the deskmate Tang Keqing often mentioned, who had a crush on Song Feiran from Class 4.
Qin Yue blushed, but still held her head high and said in a slightly coquettish tone, "So what? I like him." Her gaze followed Song Feiran on the field, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration.
Tang Keqing teased her, "What's the use of just cheering him on from here? If you like him, be more proactive and brave. After the competition, go and give him a bottle of water!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yue shook her head vigorously, her voice tinged with fear: "I wouldn't dare, absolutely not. If I were rejected in public, I think I would die right here."
As Li Mo listened to their amusing conversation, a slight smile crept onto her lips.
That's what youthful infatuation is like—both bold and timid, full of contradictory charm.
Just as she turned her gaze back to the court, she noticed another particularly eye-catching figure on the sidelines.
A girl in a pretty dress was standing closest to the rest area of Class Two, clutching a bottle of ice water that was emitting cold air, her eyes fixed intently on Liang Xinchong, who had just finished his break and was wiping his sweat with a towel.
That girl was very beautiful and had an outstanding temperament; she stood out in the crowd.
Tang Keqing noticed it too, leaned close to Li Mo's ear, and whispered, "Look, do you see that? That's Tian Naiyan, the arts and literature representative of the liberal arts class. She's been pursuing Liang Xinchong for a long time, but the young master Liang has never given her a kind look."
As if to confirm Tang Keqing's words, Tian Naiyan, amidst the cheers and stares of those around her, mustered her courage, walked up to Liang Xinchong, and smiled as she handed him the ice water in her hand.
For a moment, the sidelines seemed to fall silent as many eyes were focused on this side.
Liang Xinchong paused in wiping his sweat, without even lifting his eyelids, and simply waved his hand, his tone distant and brief: "No need, thank you."
After saying that, he walked straight past her, picked up his water bottle from the bench, and took a few gulps.
Tian Naiyan's hand, which was holding the water, froze in mid-air, and the smile on her face instantly turned into an embarrassing blush.
She finally withdrew her hand reluctantly, and amidst the various meaningful gazes around her, she lowered her head and quickly left the sidelines.
"My God..." Qin Yue, who witnessed the whole thing, gasped and patted her chest, saying to Tang Keqing with lingering fear, "Did you see that? I told you! Tian Naiyan is so pretty, yet... I admire her courage, but... this is so embarrassing! If it were me, I would really want to find a crack in the ground to crawl into!"
Li Mo watched this scene quietly, observing Liang Xinchong's indifferent and even slightly impatient demeanor. She recalled how he awkwardly drew the curtains in the studio or carefully handed over the earphones.
The same person can have such two completely different sides.
She couldn't explain how she felt.
Just then, the short break ended and the whistle blew.
Liang Xinchong put down his water bottle, casually draped a towel over his shoulder, and turned to go back on stage. His gaze swept across the crowd seemingly unintentionally, and he accurately spotted Li Mo's position.
The moment their eyes met, the last trace of coldness on his face melted away instantly, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, revealing a bright smile that only she understood, tinged with a hint of self-satisfaction. He even winked at her quickly.
It's as if to say: Look, I didn't take water from anyone else.
Li Mo's heart skipped a beat unexpectedly. She subconsciously looked away, pretending to look at the situation on the field, but only her slightly flushed ears betrayed her turbulent emotions.
Tang Keqing took in everything, nudged Li Mo lightly with her elbow, and gave her a sly look that said, "I understand."
Standing to the side, Qin Yue looked at Liang Xinchong's smile that changed instantly and his eyes that were clearly directed at Li Mo. She then looked at Li Mo, who was standing quietly beside her, and seemed to understand something. A hint of understanding and envy flashed in her eyes.
The game continued, and the cheers were still deafening.
But on this sweltering summer afternoon, certain subtle feelings and unspoken secrets are slowly beginning to sprout.
The basketball game ended in victory for Class 2.
Liang Xinchong was undoubtedly the most dazzling MVP of the entire game. Surrounded by excited boys, his sweat-soaked jersey clung to his body, outlining the vigorous muscle lines of the young man.
Cheers and praises surrounded him like a tide, but his peripheral vision kept searching for the figure that quietly left the crowd.
That evening, as soon as Li Mo logged into the QQ group, her personalized cartoon wolf avatar eagerly started jumping around.
Liang Xinchong: Did you see that?! Our class won!
Liang Xinchong: [Spinning around triumphantly.jpg]
Liang Xinchong: Did you see my three-pointer today? Wasn't it cool?
Even through the screen, Li Mo could almost picture him looking like this—like a large dog that had just completed a beautiful hunt and was now wagging its tail, waiting to be petted by its owner.
She smiled, pursing her lips, and deliberately typed slowly.
Li Mo: Yes, I saw it.
The other end immediately displayed "Typing..."
Liang Xinchong: That's it? ???
Liang Xinchong: Teacher Li, is it so hard to give a compliment?
Liang Xinchong: I shed blood and sweat for the honor of my class today! (Although I didn't bleed)
Liang Xinchong: [Puppy-eyed pleading.jpg]
Li Mo seriously doubted whether this Liang Xinchong was the same person who spiked the ball fiercely on the court and who coldly refused the ice water offered by other girls.
Could it be that it was possessed by a husky?
Seeing him start acting like a scoundrel, Li Mo shook her head helplessly.
She opened the emoji list, paused on one emoji for a moment, and finally, with a mischievous smile, clicked send.
Li Mo: [Patting the little puppy's head.gif]
It was an adorable animated emoticon: a fair hand was gently stroking the head of a fluffy corgi, which comfortably squinted its eyes.
The moment the message was sent, Li Mo felt a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushing slightly.
On the other end of the network, in the spacious bedroom of the Liang family, Liang Xinchong was lying on the soft carpet in a "spread-eagle" position, the light from the phone screen illuminating his face.
When he saw the meme of patting a dog's head, he sat up abruptly, his eyes wide open.
He stared at the emoji three times to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Then, an indescribable feeling, a mixture of ecstasy and shame, surged up his head, making his ears turn red, but his lips couldn't help but curl up wildly.
His fingers flew across the screen.
Liang Xinchong: Li Mo!
Liang Xinchong: You're treating me like a dog?!
Liang Xinchong: [Shocked to the point of being blurry.jpg]
Li Mo: Actually, you look quite a bit like me.
Liang Xinchong was silent for a while, but quickly accepted the situation and sent over a husky emoji with a wide grin and a crazy tail wagging.
Liang Xinchong: [Husky wagging its tail wildly.gif]
Liang Xinchong: ...Well, it's fine too.
Liang Xinchong: [Puppy lying down, let me pet it.jpg]
Looking at this series of schizophrenic replies, Li Mo finally couldn't help but chuckle at the screen.
Liang Xinchong, you're such a child.
Outside the window, the city lights of Yuehai City shone at night, while in front of the computer, the girl's gentle smile carried a hint of indulgence and sweetness that she herself was unaware of.
She could almost hear a "large dog" on the other end of the internet, rolling around in its room with joy because of an emoji.
The senior students have long since finished their college entrance exams, and their graduating juniors have become the real "prospective seniors," and the school's main focus.
A few days before the final exams, the school held a mobilization meeting with the theme of "being down-to-earth and looking to the future".
School leaders spoke on the stage, while students sat below, listening in the sun.
Li Mo felt like her head was about to explode from the sun.
Suddenly, a shadow fell.
Li Mo sat in the shade, and when she turned her head to see Liang Xinchong sitting next to her, she asked, "Why did you come up here?"
As is customary at Yuehai meetings, each class is arranged in two rows, one for boys and one for girls.
Liang Xinchong was tall, so he was usually ranked last.
At that moment, he appeared beside her without her noticing, holding a book next to his head as if he were afraid of getting sunburned.
But he shielded her from most of the sunlight, leaving her in the shade.
He didn't answer, but instead asked her, "Are you still hot?"
"It's not hot anymore."
Am I good to you?
"..."
Am I okay?
"..."
Liang Xinchong continued to nag in her ear.
Li Mo remained silent. On this afternoon filled with the chirping of cicadas, she couldn't hold back any longer and asked him, "Liang Xinchong, I've had a question for a long time."
"What?"
Li Mo looked up at him and asked directly, "Do you like me?"
Liang Xinchong suddenly choked, turned his head and coughed violently, his whole face turning red.
Li Mo was startled and was about to ask him, "Are you alright?" when he stopped coughing, looked up at her, his eyebrows and eyes were deep and handsome, with a touch of gentleness, and he said very softly, "Yes."
His face turned even redder after he finished speaking.
The two locked eyes. It was as if time had stood still at that moment.
The voices of the school leaders seemed very, very distant at that moment.
The world suddenly became very quiet, with only the sound of heartbeats remaining.
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