Assistant Jiang, holding Yu Lin's coat, glanced subtly at He Mingxiao.
The latter gave an appreciative look and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Bonus in hand! Assistant Jiang suppressed her barely contained smile, gave Nan Xian a slight nod of demure respect, and stepped out of the frame.
Nan Xian saw the subtle exchange between the two and understood that He Mingxiao was behind it. Although he seemed to be trying to curry favor, he had at least helped her out, so she gave him a grateful look.
Yu Lin watched helplessly as the opportunity to get closer to Nan Xian slipped away. He gritted his teeth in frustration as he stared at Assistant Jiang's back, clenching his fists even tighter. He vowed to himself that he would make He Mingxiao lose miserably later.
"I'll be the referee!" Lang Zhu volunteered. "We're just having some fun, friendship comes first, competition second. Let's settle this in one round, no cheating, no fouls, we'll accept who wins and who loses, okay?"
Yu Lin rolled up his sleeves, showing off his well-defined arm muscles to the camera, looking confident and determined: "Of course!"
He wasn't blindly confident, and his claim of exercising every day wasn't an exaggeration. A young man full of energy, yet unable to win the heart of his beloved, inevitably felt distressed and melancholic. With nowhere to vent his sorrow, he could only release it all through exercise.
He especially loved boxing, and would often mischievously use the punching bag as a rival's face, feeling a sense of satisfaction with each punch.
Although he couldn't openly play a game with He Mingxiao right now, the thought of winning against him in front of the camera made Yu Lin's blood boil, and he could hardly wait.
In contrast, He Mingxiao remained calm and unhurried, as if he were visiting an art exhibition rather than arm wrestling.
"Pretending, putting on airs." Yu Lin scoffed inwardly.
The two men clasped their right hands on the table and, with Lang Zhuo's command of "Start," exerted force simultaneously.
Yu Lin exerted all his strength, trying to pin He Mingxiao's hand down immediately. This was a move he often used, and it worked nine times out of ten. But this time—
He had just made a move when He Mingxiao's hand struck first, pinning him down and then firmly planting itself on the table like a rock.
Yu Lin's confident smile vanished instantly. He quickly glanced at He Mingxiao, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
He Mingxiao looked back at him calmly, even managing a slight smile.
Yu Lin felt humiliated. He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, and used almost all his strength. His face turned red, the veins on his forehead bulged, and he even sweated.
He Mingxiao's calm face gradually turned serious. He lowered his head slightly, his brows furrowed, and a strand of hair slipped from his meticulously styled slicked-back hair, falling to his forehead and trembling slightly due to the tension and effort in his body.
The two were evenly matched, their hands on the table swaying back and forth, but neither could completely suppress the other.
The spectators seemed even more nervous than the participants themselves, barely daring to breathe, their eyes glued to the two men's hands.
After a stalemate of about two minutes with no clear winner, Lang Zhuo was about to step forward and declare a draw when he saw Yu Lin suddenly raise his head and look behind He Mingxiao. He then stared wide-eyed as if he had seen a ghost, looking confused.
His momentary lapse in concentration gave He Mingxiao the opportunity, and with a forceful movement, He Mingxiao immediately pressed his hand down onto the table.
"Congratulations on your victory!"
Yu Lin was stunned for a moment, then his face turned red. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Lang Zhuo suddenly pinched his arm gently.
He understood his implication, and although he was slightly unwilling, he wisely kept quiet and retreated silently.
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