Chapter 15: Confession?

Class Thirteen was ecstatic—only four teams remained! Class One, Class Two, Class Seven, and Class Thirteen!

On the way back, everyone was talking about it:

“Class Thirteen is an advanced class! I always thought they were only good at studying, but who’d have thought their basketball skills were this impressive?”

“Their point guard is unbelievable—thirty points. He practically single-handedly destroyed Class Six.”

“And that tall, handsome guy, he stole so many balls,” a group of girls chimed in.

Yuhang was in high spirits, dribbling the ball and chatting with his teammates. “Let’s have a barbecue tonight!”

Everyone agreed enthusiastically.

“Let’s invite some girls from our class too,” Wang Chaoyang suggested with a mischievous grin. “That’ll really liven things up.”

“I’ll make it a challenge—everyone invite a girl. If you fail, you treat everyone tonight.”

“Deal!” The team agreed at once. After all, this was a golden opportunity to showcase their manly charm.

“Minghan, why don’t you invite Chen Li tonight?” Daxu said, trying to hide his shyness.

Seeing Daxu’s bashfulness, Minghan shot him a look of disdain. “Forget it, Daxu! You know what Chen Li’s like—she never joins in if there are boys involved. Last time, a guy from Class Ten even sent his family’s driver to pick her up for a birthday party and she still didn’t go. And they were elementary school classmates!”

“True,” Daxu sighed, looking crestfallen.

The sports day was over, and school was let out for the night. Regular classes would resume the next day, and the final two rounds of elimination matches would be held that weekend.

Minghan returned to the classroom to pack up and saw Zhang Xiaozhen chatting with Chen Li.

“Maybe I should invite Zhang Xiaozhen?” Minghan’s heart skipped a beat.

Just then, he overheard Zhang Xiaozhen say to Chen Li, “It’s my old classmate’s birthday tonight. Why don’t you come with me, Lili?”

Chen Li smiled. “I’ll see.”

With a wave, Zhang Xiaozhen slung her backpack on and left, leaving Minghan alone with his disappointment.

Chen Li noticed Minghan and smiled sweetly. “Back already? You were amazing today!”

Minghan was a little taken aback—he never expected Chen Li to compliment him. It felt strange.

“Why do you look so glum?”

Minghan slumped over his desk. “The basketball team is getting together tonight, and everyone has to bring a girl. But you know me, I’m shy by nature—there’s no way I could successfully invite a girl.”

Chen Li looked at him seriously. “Then invite me.”

“Huh?” Minghan was stunned. “But you usually don’t like hanging out in big groups.”

“That’s why you’ll have to buy me milk tea.”

“Alright, alright…” Minghan packed his things, barely able to contain his excitement. “But you just bought me milk tea the other day, and now you’re already asking me to return the favor. Chen Li, you’re so stingy!”

Chen Li watched Minghan practically dancing with joy, utterly helpless before his antics.

He went home, showered, changed into a hoodie and jeans, slipped on his canvas shoes, and looked quite dashing. Just as he was about to leave, his mother came home.

“Wow! My son looks so handsome—are you going on a date?” his mother teased.

Minghan rolled his eyes at her.

“By the way, when I was coming up, I saw a very pretty girl standing downstairs, waiting for someone. Is she waiting for you, son?”

Minghan glanced out the window—it really was Chen Li. “She’s a classmate. We’re having a group dinner.”

“This girl is truly beautiful, much prettier than your mom was at her age. Her eyes are like a doll’s, so adorable!”

“Oh.”

“Xiao Han, are you really not interested in her at all? Don’t tell me you like boys?”

“Mom, I’m leaving!” Minghan didn’t want to continue this conversation.

When he got downstairs and saw Chen Li, she looked stunning in her outfit that day—her shorts made her legs look even longer than usual. At 160 cm, she wasn’t exactly tall.

“Are you a pig, Chen Li? So eager to join a dinner party.”

Chen Li simply smiled, stayed silent, and gave him a look of disdain.

When they arrived at the barbecue place, everyone’s eyes widened—the goddess herself had come. Daxu grabbed Minghan’s arm. “Buddy, I owe you for this one. If Chen Li becomes your sister-in-law, dinner’s on me.”

Minghan suddenly remembered—Daxu had said he would confess to Chen Li after the midterm exams.

Seven girls showed up: four from their class and three from other classes.

“Tonight’s rule: girls can’t all sit together,” Zheng Yuan announced with a laugh.

It was a square table, and apart from a few who no one fought over, the rest were paired boy-girl.

The moment Chen Li arrived, Daxu shoved Yuhang aside. “Chen Li, there’s a seat open right here!”

Chen Li smiled and sat down next to Minghan, who had just taken his seat.

Daxu thought to himself, Chen Li is so shy—I like that!

They started eating, but only Daxu, Zheng Yuan, Wang Chaoyang, and Chen Bao drank any alcohol. The rest abstained—they were only sixteen, after all.

After two beers, Daxu was quite tipsy. He stood up. “Chen Li, I have something to say. I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

To be honest, Daxu was good-looking, but almost everyone present knew Chen Li would turn him down. She was, after all, the class goddess.

“I already like someone else,” Chen Li replied simply.

“Oh,” Daxu muttered, head bowed in dejection. He’d liked Chen Li for over a year.

The mood turned awkward all at once.