Chapter 35 Basketball Court Incident
Upon arrival at the restaurant, the sweet and sour pork ribs were served, and their aroma immediately filled the air.
The amber-colored sauce coats the tender ribs, making them glisten and look incredibly appetizing.
Xie Lin picked up the serving chopsticks, chose a piece of meat with a good balance of fat and lean, carefully removed the bones, and put it into Lin Mianmian's bowl.
His tone carried a hint of roguish pride: "Try it, this place has the most authentic sweet and sour flavor, I guarantee it'll suit your taste."
Lin Mianmian hummed in agreement, then lowered her head, picked up a rib, and put it in her mouth.
The sweet and sour taste spread on her tongue, which was indeed her favorite flavor, but the heavy emotions in her heart made her lose her appetite.
She chewed slowly, her gaze fixed on the window, lost in thought.
Xie Lin noticed her distraction and frowned slightly.
He put down his chopsticks, leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table, and stared intently at her face.
His voice was low: "What's wrong? Don't you like the ribs? Or are you thinking about something else?"
Lin Mianmian snapped out of her daze and hurriedly shook her head: "No, it's delicious."
"If it's delicious, why aren't you eating it?" Xie Lin reached out and gently hooked her chin with his fingertips, forcing her to look up at him.
The smile in her peach blossom eyes faded slightly. "You've been absent-minded ever since you got on the bus, Lin Mianmian. What on earth are you thinking about with that little head of yours?"
Lin Mianmian's heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously turned her head away from his touch, her tone somewhat evasive: "No, I'm just a little tired."
"Tired?" Xie Lin chuckled softly, then suddenly leaned closer to her, his voice magnetic and pleasant: "Are you tired from taking photos, or tired from having things on your mind?"
His fingertips slid down her cheek and gently pinched her earlobe.
His gestures were ambiguous and alluring: "Baby, when you were taking pictures just now, your eyes were clearly shining when you looked at me, so why did they turn so cold as soon as you turned your head?"
Lin Mianmian reached out and slapped his hand away, her voice tinged with reluctance: "Xie Lin, stop messing around, we're eating."
"I'm not making a fuss." Xie Lin grasped her wrist, his fingertips caressing her delicate skin, his tone suddenly becoming serious.
"I just want to know what you're really thinking. Do you think I was too arrogant at the photography studio, or do you think we're not a good match anymore?"
These words struck a nerve with Lin Mianmian, and she froze, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Looking at her like this, Xie Lin felt as if something had stabbed his heart, causing a dense, persistent pain.
He softened his tone, his voice carrying a hint of humility he himself didn't realize: "Mianmian, I know you have concerns. But so what?"
He leaned closer to her, his nose brushing against hers, their breaths mingling.
His tone was firm yet roguish: "I like you, and that has nothing to do with all that other nonsense."
Lin Mianmian bit her lip, wanting to say that she was afraid of getting involved and ending up heartbroken, but the words just wouldn't come out.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Xie Lin sighed softly and reached out to pull her into his arms.
He gently patted her back, his voice incredibly tender: "Don't think about it. No matter what you're thinking, I'll wait for you. Okay?"
"Three years, five years, even a lifetime, I'm willing to wait. But by then I'll be a gray-haired old man, so don't you have to look down on me." He hugged Lin Mianmian and chuckled.
Then he regained his flirtatious air: "But if you keep ignoring me like this, I can't guarantee I won't kiss you in the street next time."
Lin Mianmian's face burned even hotter. She reached out and punched him, but he grabbed her wrist and they intertwined their fingers.
The setting sun outside the window had completely disappeared, and the warm yellow light inside the shop shone on the two of them, creating a gentle and ambiguous atmosphere.
Before the sweet aroma of the sweet and sour pork ribs had even dissipated, Xie Lin pinched Lin Mianmian's fingers and shook them.
His tone held a hint of roguish anticipation: "There's a basketball game next weekend, wanna come?"
Just as Lin Mianmian was about to make an excuse to refuse, she met his bright, expectant peach blossom eyes.
He swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and could only nod vaguely.
On the weekend, as the competition approached, the stadium was bustling with activity.
Lin Mianmian found a seat on the side and sat down. She was wearing the pink support T-shirt that Xie Lin had prepared for her, which made her skin look as white as snow.
She was born with the features of someone raised in the water towns of Jiangnan, with curved eyebrows and eyes, a small nose, and naturally pink lips.
Her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied into a ponytail, revealing her slender, fair neck.
The moment she sat there, she resembled a budding gardenia, so pure and captivating that it was impossible to look away.
She wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, yet she managed to make them look charming and petite.
Her waist was so slender it could be encircled by a single hand, and her calves, peeking out from under her skirt, were thin and straight, yet perfectly proportioned with curves in all the right places, drawing frequent glances from the boys around her.
Lin Mianmian was looking down at the review materials on her phone when a shadow suddenly fell in front of her.
She looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes; it was a boy wearing a sports team uniform.
He was very tall and had a hearty smile: "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
Lin Mianmian shook her head and was about to move to the side when the boy sat down.
He struck up a conversation without any hesitation: "Judging from your outfit, you're here to cheer on Xie Lin, right? Are you his girlfriend?"
Lin Mianmian nodded.
His gaze fell undisguisedly on Lin Mianmian's face, with a hint of amazement: "You are so beautiful, like a clean little white rabbit, you make me want to protect you."
Lin Mianmian felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, so she shrank back to the side and said in a weak voice, "Thank you, I'll watch the game now."
The boy wasn't about to give up and wanted to say something more, when suddenly a deafening cheer erupted in the stadium.
Lin Mianmian looked up and saw Xie Lin wearing a red jersey, one hand in his pocket, slowly walking out of the player tunnel, his gaze fixed precisely on her.
A hint of jealousy flashed in her peach blossom eyes.
The male student from the sports academy didn't notice Lin Mianmian's resistance; instead, he moved closer.
With a hint of self-satisfaction in his cheerful tone, he said, "I'm here to compete too. After you watch Xie Lin's game, why don't you watch mine too? I'm super good at basketball."
As he spoke, he reached out to pat Lin Mianmian's shoulder.
Lin Mianmian was so frightened that she dodged to the side, her slender arms tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
Her face was slightly pale, and her large, watery almond-shaped eyes showed panic, like a frightened little white rabbit.
Just then, a cold, roguish voice pierced the air: "Where the hell are you putting your hands?"
Lin Mianmian froze, then turned around and saw Xie Lin standing not far away.
He was wearing a red jersey with the collar wide open, revealing his smooth collarbone. His silver hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, making his face look outrageously handsome.
His gaze was like ice, fixed on the hands of the sports academy boy, his peach blossom eyes almost overflowing with ferocity.
The cheers around them seemed to freeze instantly, and everyone's eyes were focused on this side.
The male student from the sports academy was stunned for a moment, but when he saw that the person who came was Xie Lin, he instantly became much more timid.
But he still stubbornly insisted, "I, I just wanted to say hello to your friend."
"Friends?" Xie Lin chuckled softly, his voice chilling enough to freeze a person to death.
He strode over, grabbed Lin Mianmian and pulled her into his arms, his hands gripping her slender waist tightly, with a force so great it felt like he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
He lowered his head, resting his chin on Lin Mianmian's hair, and his gaze swept over the male students from the sports academy.
His eyes turned cold: "Do you know this is my girlfriend?"
After saying that, he deliberately lowered his head and gently bit Lin Mianmian's reddened earlobe with his thin lips.
His movements were both seductive and provocative, causing Lin Mianmian to tremble all over.
A chorus of jeers erupted around them. The male student from the sports academy blushed and paled in turns, standing there, unsure of what to do with his hands.
Xie Lin ignored him completely, turned to look at the little girl in his arms, and the fierceness in his eyes instantly disappeared, leaving only an overwhelming doting affection.
He reached out and pinched her cheek, his tone slightly aggrieved and roguish: "My sweetheart is so lovable, your husband is feeling uneasy."
Lin Mianmian was charmed by his slightly aggrieved expression, but her face remained indifferent as she explained, "I ignored him."
"Whether it's right or wrong, I'm jealous, so you have to make it up to me."
Seeing that Lin Mianmian did not react, Xie Lin lowered his head and pecked her on the corner of her lips, a move so fast that it caught her off guard.
Lin Mianmian's pupils dilated in shock: "!"
He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the male student from the sports academy again, his peach-blossom eyes full of warning: "If I see you staring at my girlfriend again, I won't hesitate to cripple your hands."
The male student from the sports academy trembled with fear, too scared to utter a word in rebuttal, and slunk away.
Xie Lin then smiled with satisfaction.
The girls around him stared wide-eyed, whispering among themselves, "Oh my god, Xie Lin is so handsome! He's definitely a wife-protecting maniac!"
"His girlfriend is so pretty too, so pure and petite. She and Xie Lin look like a perfect match!"
Hearing these words, Lin Mianmian's cheeks burned even hotter. She reached out and punched Xie Lin, saying, "Why are you shouting so loudly? There are so many people watching."
Xie Lin lowered his head, his nose brushing against hers, their breaths mingling.
His tone carried a hint of smug arrogance: "I want everyone to know that you're mine. That way, no one will dare to mess with you."
As he spoke, he deliberately pinched her waist, causing Lin Mianmian to gasp and cover her mouth, her eyes filled with shame and indignation.
Xie Lin chuckled softly, his eyes filled with an intense, unwavering doting affection.
The referee blew his whistle in the distance; the match was about to begin.
Xie Lin ruffled Lin Mianmian's hair, his tone carrying a hint of domineering anticipation: "Let's go, wait until your man is handsome enough to show you."
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