Chapter 9

An Youyu said nothing, tucked her book away, and walked toward the school. Lin Mo walked on the outer edge of the sidewalk with a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Little Yuer, I thought you would go to school by yourself. I didn't expect you to actually wait for me." An Youyu stopped, turned her head to glance at Lin Mo, said nothing, and continued walking forward. "Ding—" "Courage is the measure of the soul's greatness. Please participate in the class basketball game this afternoon and have An Youyu bring you water during the match." Hearing the task prompt in his mind, Lin Mo felt a headache coming on. Given An Youyu's shy personality, getting her to bring him water in full view of everyone was as difficult as reaching the heavens. Moreover, there would certainly be plenty of people at the class competition. An Youyu was the goddess in the eyes of every boy at No. 2 High School; her bringing him water? The very image was unimaginable! As Lin Mo followed behind An Youyu, he grumbled in his heart, "System, you can't just set me up like this." The System was arrogant and did not respond. Lin Mo had no choice but to accept the fact, his mind racing. They walked into the classroom. When Zhou Wenhao saw Lin Mo acting as if nothing had happened, his face was filled with astonishment. That shouldn't be right? As Zhou Wenhao looked at Lin Mo, Lin Mo was looking at him in return. He had suspected Zhou Wenhao was the mastermind behind the incident after school yesterday, and seeing Zhou Wenhao's expression now, he had his final answer. Lin Mo stopped by Zhou Wenhao's desk, leaned his hands on the surface, and laughed softly: "Are you very disappointed to see that I'm alright?" Having his thoughts read, Zhou Wenhao's eyes flashed with panic. "Y-you, what are you talking about? I don't understand." "You don't understand, do you?" Lin Mo sneered. "Those two thugs have already confessed. You don't need to keep pretending." "A study committee member hiring outsiders to harm a classmate—once this is made public, how do you think the school will deal with you? And what will your classmates think of you?" Zhou Wenhao stared at Lin Mo intently, his voice hysterical. "Do you have proof? If you can't produce proof, I can sue you for defamation!" Lin Mo raised a hand and tapped on the desk. "Do you think you're very clever?" Zhou Wenhao was stunned, not knowing why Lin Mo asked this. But before he could figure it out, Lin Mo’s voice continued. "Want proof, do you? Fine. At lunch, I'll call the two officers who handled the case yesterday to the school. They will give you your proof." These words completely shattered Zhou Wenhao's psychological defenses. If things really reached that point, he would be completely finished! For a moment, Zhou Wenhao’s complexion shifted uncertainly. "I—I didn't try to harm you, I just... told them to give you a beating." "Is there a difference?" Lin Mo shrugged. "Either way, you better prepare to have your reputation ruined." Seeing Lin Mo about to leave, Zhou Wenhao grabbed him in a panic and begged in a low voice, "Lin Mo, can we settle this privately?" "Privately?" "Yes, I'll give you money. Just pretend this never happened, okay?" Lin Mo smiled without a word. Zhou Wenhao grew anxious. "Name your price." "Is money omnipotent?" Lin Mo pulled his arm back and returned to his seat. Gu Fan nudged him. "Brother Mo, what's going on between you and Zhou Wenhao?" "Nothing." Lin Mo didn't tell Gu Fan about what happened yesterday. With Gu Fan’s mouth, telling him was the same as telling the entire class. Once this incident spread, it would utterly destroy Zhou Wenhao. Although Zhou Wenhao was wrong, it hadn't reached that point yet. Lin Mo had his own principles: if the other party wanted him dead, he would absolutely destroy them. Since Zhou Wenhao just hired someone to beat him up, he only needed to beat him back. During the last class of the morning, Lin Mo realized belatedly that Gu Fan had miraculously not goofed off all morning, listening intently the entire time. Such a situation was like a dead tree blooming. As class neared its end, Lin Mo kicked Gu Fan under the table. "What's going on?" Gu Fan scratched his head, embarrassed. "Nothing much. I have to provide some kind of answer for these three years. Ending in a miserable defeat would be unfair to myself, and even more unfair to my parents." Hearing this, Lin Mo bumped his shoulder against Gu Fan's. "Not bad. Keep up this momentum, at least..." Gu Fan looked confused. "At least what?" As he spoke, his gaze drifted involuntarily toward the front of the classroom, a beautiful figure reflected in his dark pupils. "At least I can't let my youth go to waste!"

"Brother Mo, why have you started talking like a scholar? This isn't like you!" As he spoke, he pulled Lin Mo up and spun him around. "Did someone possess you? If so, blink." "Ding-ling—" The bell for the end of class rang. Lin Mo kicked Gu Fan, annoyed. "Get lost." "You got it." Gu Fan didn't mind, trotting off toward the cafeteria. A few minutes later, when most of the students in Class 2 had left, Zhou Wenhao gathered his courage and went to the back row. "L-Lin Mo, I really know I was wrong. I promise I will never do such a stupid thing again. I won't hide it from you—I didn't sleep a wink last night, terrified that those two thugs might have been too ruthless..." As he spoke, he actually began to tear up in front of Lin Mo. Lin Mo remained unmoved; to him, Zhou Wenhao’s "pity play" was too immature. He had seen exactly how Zhou Wenhao reacted when he walked into the classroom this morning. Nothing about that reaction looked like he was worried about him. Did he really take him for a fool? Ridiculous! Seeing that Lin Mo stayed silent, Zhou Wenhao grabbed his arm, snot and tears running down his face, his expression full of desperate pleading. "Lin Mo, don't be like this. We're all classmates, you can't ruin me!" An Youyu, seated in the front row, stole glances at the scene. The two were speaking in hushed tones, and she couldn't catch the content. However, from Zhou Wenhao's demeanor, she had a vague guess. Lin Mo smiled mockingly. "I ruined you? What nonsense are you spouting?" He moved his right arm, shaking off Zhou Wenhao’s hands. "You were the one who hired outsiders to harm me, and now it's me ruining you?" "Don't you feel ashamed saying that? Why don't we go find the homeroom teacher and let him judge who is right?" Zhou Wenhao shook his head like a rattle. "No, no, we can't find the teacher!" "Lin Mo, I'll agree to whatever conditions you set, just don't make this public." Lin Mo’s voice was cold. "Then what if I demand that you never speak a single word to An Youyu again?" "Fine!" Zhou Wenhao didn't hesitate for a second. Lin Mo’s face was filled with irony, his gaze laced with disdain. "There is one more condition." "Alright, no problem!" At this moment, Zhou Wenhao had only one thought: to suppress yesterday's incident. As long as it could be kept quiet, he would do anything! Lin Mo slowly stood up. "Come to the warehouse on the north side of the school." Having said that, he walked out the back door of the classroom. Zhou Wenhao didn't dare to delay and quickly followed. Soon, a stream of rhythmic... jingles and miserable wails echoed from the No. 2 High School north warehouse. "Left hook! Right hook! Uppercut! Downward swing! And a slap to the face for good measure!..." Half an hour later. Lin Mo returned to the classroom, feeling refreshed. It had been a long time since he had exerted himself so freely; the feeling could only be described in two words. Satisfying! Noticing Lin Mo walking back into the classroom, An Youyu wanted to ask what he and Zhou Wenhao had been doing. Limited by the presence of others in the room, she had to abandon the thought. Until the afternoon classes began, Zhou Wenhao did not return. This situation made An Youyu even more puzzled. The third class of the afternoon was a long-awaited physical education session. As soon as the bell rang, the students of Class 2 swarmed out of the classroom. Gu Fan tapped the table excitedly. "Brother Mo, you're the main force in the class match. Those guys in Class 1 have been arrogant lately, and I've been annoyed by them for a long time." Lin Mo closed his book and revealed a profound smile. Gu Fan felt his hair stand on end and swallowed with difficulty. "B-Brother Mo, if I remember correctly, you said your orientation was normal, right?" Lin Mo slapped Gu Fan on the head. "What are you thinking?" Gu Fan held his head with both hands, grimacing. "I was just joking, you’ve got a heavy hand, haven't you?" Lin Mo gave him a cold look, and Gu Fan immediately settled down. "I have a task for you, and it must be completed." "What task?" "During the basketball game later, you must let..." ... "Achoo!" An Youyu sneezed, puzzled. She scratched her head in confusion. "It's so hot, I shouldn't be catching a cold." Just as the girl was wondering, Lin Mo’s voice came from behind her. "Little Yuer, time to go to the playground." An Youyu realized then that besides her and Lin Mo, the classroom was empty. Meeting Lin Mo’s gaze, she pointed at the thick ancient texts in front of her. "I want to stay in the classroom and read, can I skip P.E.?" Lin Mo shook his head in refusal. "I don't think that's possible." "But... P.E. is such a waste of time." "Learning requires balance. If a string is stretched too tight, it will snap. You should understand this logic without me saying it. You can't just have studying in your head every day. If you clear your mind occasionally, you might get unexpected gains." As he spoke, Lin Mo leaned over the desk. Once he was close to An Youyu, his nose was filled with her light fragrance. He blew a breath against her earlobe. "There's a basketball game later, do you want to go watch?" An Youyu’s body went rigid, and she immediately stood up and hid in the aisle. "Y-you..." Lin Mo slapped the desk. "You must go. No refusing." "You're being unreasonable!" Hearing this, Lin Mo almost laughed out loud and happily nodded in agreement: "Oh? You know that, do you?" "..." An Youyu clearly didn't expect Lin Mo to respond that way, and she stood there stunned. Lin Mo took a step forward. "You must go, no more bargaining!" An Youyu instinctively stepped back, her dark hair slipping down from her shoulders to cover most of her cheeks. "Don't be fierce, I'll go." "Listen to me, and I won't be fierce." The reason Lin Mo wanted An Youyu to attend P.E. did involve the task. But the task was only a small part of it; he mostly wanted her to relax. Her string was pulled too tight! Her lifestyle was too exhausting! Even an outsider would feel a pang of heartache just looking at her. If it weren't for this, Lin Mo would never have forced her to go to P.E. An Youyu remained silent. After a minute or so, she cautiously pointed to the classroom door. "I'm going to the playground." "Good." Lin Mo watched her departing back and smiled genuinely. On the way to the playground. An Youyu gathered the courage to ask, "Was it Zhou Wenhao who did that thing yesterday?" Lin Mo’s footsteps paused, a sense of emotion rising within him. From afar, this girl was as clear as the sun rising in the morning glow; approaching her, she was as radiant as a lotus emerging from green waves; close at hand, she was as intelligent as a lotus breaking through the mud—she seemed not of this world. After a moment of reflection, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Not of this world? Then... I'll drag her down!

"Yes." Meeting An Youyu’s clear gaze, Lin Mo nodded. "But the matter is handled, just know that and don't go telling everyone." An Youyu nodded slightly. "Where is Zhou Wenhao? You... what did you do to him?" "Nothing much, I just beat him up." Lin Mo didn't hide it. "Zhou Wenhao hired someone to beat me up, so as a return gift, I had to beat him up. As the saying goes, treat others the way they treat you." "As for why he wasn't in class this afternoon, it's likely because I beat him into a pig’s head and he’s too embarrassed to show his face." An Youyu looked up. "Then are you alright?" Lin Mo couldn't help but laugh. "Are you silly? I was the one who hit him, how could I be the one hurt?" Hearing that he was fine, An Youyu lowered her head again. Nearing the playground, she suddenly stopped. "In the future... don't use violence so easily. It's not right. There are many ways to solve problems, you don't have to use force." Seeing Lin Mo didn't speak, she thought he was angry, and her tone became noticeably hurried. "I—I'm just speaking objectively. No matter the reason, hitting people is wrong, and it's easy to get hurt..." Her voice grew quieter toward the end. "Are you worried about me?" "N-no." Seeing her deny it, Lin Mo narrowed his eyes. "If you're worried about me, then I'll listen; if you're not, then I won't." "You..." Such shameless words left An Youyu at a loss for how to respond. Lin Mo was in no hurry and waited quietly for her answer. "Yes." The moment the word left her lips, An Youyu’s face flushed red. "It's just concern between classmates, don't read too much into it." Lin Mo’s eyes filled with mirth. "Many thanks for your concern, classmate An. In the future, if I don't have to use my fists, I certainly won't." Hearing his promise, An Youyu murmured an "Mm" and walked quickly toward the entrance of the playground. "She’s quite cute when she’s shy," Lin Mo muttered to himself, stepping up to follow. The sides of the basketball court were packed with students from Class 1 and Class 2. Lin Mo originally intended to take An Youyu into the crowd, but she quickly found a spot in a corner filled only with girls. It clearly wasn't appropriate for a boy like him to crowd in there, and as soon as he looked up, he felt countless hostile glares. Lin Mo didn't react at all, but he couldn't help but sigh. It’s just coming to the playground, do they have to be like this? If these people knew An Youyu had been tutoring him over the weekend, wouldn't they want to kill him? Gu Fan ran over. "Brother Mo, you're finally here." Lin Mo scanned the corner where An Youyu was. "Did you arrange the task I gave you?" Gu Fan patted his chest. "You can trust me with anything." Then, he added with a look of extreme pain, "Zhao Tiantian and Xiao Yu are asking for a huge price. As for the expenses..." "Don't worry, the expenses are covered." Hearing this, Gu Fan grinned and pointed to the half-court where the five from Class 1 were standing, warning, "Watch out when the game starts. I walked by just now while getting water and vaguely heard them discussing how to deal with you." "Are they even qualified?" In his previous life, basketball had accompanied Lin Mo for nearly thirty years. Before the college entrance exam, after An Youyu’s accident, he suffered from insomnia. Whenever he couldn't sleep, he spent his time on the basketball court; only by sweating profusely could he temporarily forget the pain. Over time, he had mastered all sorts of basketball techniques to perfection. His skill was comparable to semi-professional level! Hearing such an arrogant declaration, Gu Fan felt his blood boil. "Brother Mo is mighty! Try to beat these scumbags in Class 1 by 20 points!" "Get a grip." Lin Mo spat out the words and walked leisurely into the half-court where Class 2 players were warming up, picking up a basketball. Gu Fan scratched his head in confusion. "Even though 20 points is a bit high, there's nothing wrong with setting high goals. When it comes to vision, Brother Mo is still not as good as me!" Gao Hang, the class monitor of Class 1, beckoned to the other four, who gathered around him. Gao Hang pointed at Lin Mo, who was warming up in the distance, and whispered his strategy. "It’s that kid. Don't have any scruples later. Use whatever tricks you have. The referee is from our class, don't be afraid!" "Understood!" The other four exchanged smiles, rubbing their hands together. As the whistle blew, the class competition officially began. Due to time constraints, the match consisted of only three ten-minute quarters. Gu Fan was responsible for the jump ball, and Lin Mo served as the point guard. Gu Fan’s opponent was Gao Hang, and they were evenly matched in height and build. Glaring at each other, the atmosphere ignited instantly. Gu Fan used a small trick: after the referee blew the whistle, he didn't grab for the ball immediately, waiting a second before jumping. Taking advantage of that one-second gap, just as Gao Hang caught the ball and was descending, a sudden burst of force came from beneath the basketball, and he lost possession instantly. Gao Hang was annoyed but had no choice but to retreat for defense immediately. Crossing half-court, Gu Fan decisively passed the ball to Lin Mo. As soon as Lin Mo received the ball, all five members of Class 1 charged at him. Such behavior was equivalent to abandoning all defense. At this moment, he only needed to pass the ball to another player from Class 2 to score easily. And that was exactly what Lin Mo did. He performed a fake move to the left, followed by a back-pass, sending the ball to Gu Fan, who was charging ahead. Gu Fan received the ball, looking at the undefended basket, his mouth curling into a grin. These idiots! With a smooth layup, Class 2 took the lead. As he retreated, Gu Fan whistled, mocking, "You guys keep bragging with this kind of skill level? How embarrassing!" Gao Hang’s face darkened, and he shouted to the other team members: "Fast break!" In-bound the ball, cross the court; it took less than five seconds. Gao Hang, like an arrow, broke through into the Class 2 formation. Just as he stood firm, the basketball flew toward him. Lin Mo narrowed his eyes, appreciation rising in them. A very good fast-break rhythm! Too bad... Gao Hang jumped, and the moment he was about to touch the ball, he saw darkness. Then, the basketball vanished from his line of sight. After landing, Gao Hang stood there in a daze, a giant question mark carved onto his forehead. Where was the ball? "Monitor, retreat!" Gao Hang looked up, his pupils constricting. By then, Lin Mo had already dribbled across mid-court. What happened next shocked him so much he nearly popped his eyeballs out. Seeing Lin Mo attacking with the ball, the four players from Class 1 scrambled to surround him. The rest of Class 2 were all behind Lin Mo. Logically, facing a quadruple team, Lin Mo had only one choice. Pass it back!