“Impressive,” Chi Xingyu said with a smirk that made Tong Sui feel a bit flustered, the corners of her mouth instinctively curling up. Her tone was filled with an unconscious fondness, “Let’s go play something else.”
“Okay.”
Tong Sui jumped off the motorcycle and was quickly drawn to the nearby basketball shooting machine.
“Can we play this?”
Fortunately, both machines were unoccupied for the moment, igniting Tong Sui’s competitive spirit. “Let’s have a match?”
Surely, she couldn’t be that bad compared to an online game?
Chi Xingyu raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure?”
Tong Sui lifted his chin, “Come on, the loser buys ice cream over there.”
“Deal,” Chi Xingyu replied.
Confidently, Tong Sui started the game, initially managing well until the hoop began to shift side to side.
“??? What’s going on?”
He felt a bit flustered as he feared losing and couldn’t help but sneak glances at Chi Xingyu’s score.
Seeing Chi Xingyu’s smooth movements, her toned arm sending shot after shot successfully through the hoop, Tong Sui realized his confidence was seriously misplaced.
How could Chi Xingyu be so good at everything?
As the countdown ended, Tong Sui predictably lost, his cheeks slightly flushed as he frowned at his dusty hands from handling the basketball.
“Let’s go wash up.”
Chi Xingyu led Tong Sui to the restroom on the same floor. After carefully washing his hands, Chi Xingyu dried Tong Sui’s hands with her own.
After playing basketball for a bit, his palm felt even warmer than usual.
So delicate.
“I lost, so I’ll buy you ice cream,” Tong Sui said.
“Your face is all red; don’t walk around. You sit here while I go buy it,” Chi Xingyu indicated towards a nearby bench.
“Alright.”
It wasn’t very far, just across from where they were sitting.
Chi Xingyu walked briskly and soon reached the shop.
Tong Sui sat on the bench, about to check his phone when suddenly, a woman dressed entirely in black stumbled in front of him and fell.
Startled, Tong Sui quickly stood up to help. “Are you okay?”
As he reached out to the woman, he felt a tremor—clearly, the woman was frightened of him.
“No, I’m fine,” the woman hastily replied, glancing up at Tong Sui before quickly looking down, as if she was trying not to be discovered.
Frowning, Tong Sui was about to ask more when the woman unexpectedly shoved something into his hand and fled towards the crowd.
“Hey!”
Tong Sui wanted to chase after her but was blocked by several people.
“Hey, I noticed you earlier. Want to grab a drink tonight?”
The woman spoke while staring directly at Tong Sui, as though she could see through his mask and glasses.
“Sorry, I don’t know you.”
The rejected woman raised an eyebrow; confident in her looks and outfit, she showed no sign of backing off. “Not knowing each other is fine; you’ll get to know everyone once you come. We’re all just here to have fun; there’s no need to be so rigid.”
In addition to being a famous tourist city, City S had a lively nightlife filled with flirtations, chance encounters, and one-night stands skirting the edges of legality.
“I really don’t want to.”
Tong Sui glanced towards where the woman had left, quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Not wanting to get involved with these people, he attempted to sidestep them.
However, this action seemed to provoke them. “Being noticed by someone like you is a stroke of luck; who knows what you look like under that mask?”
As the woman reached for Tong Sui’s mask to pull it off, a tall figure stepped in front of her, looking far younger yet towering over the others, with an expression colder than her ice cream.
“What do you want?”
The group was taken aback by the assertive presence, stuttering, “We… just wanted to be friends with him.”
Chi Xingyu narrowed her eyes, “Perfect! I’m here with him too; I also want to make friends.”
With a stern face, she stepped forward.
As she raised her fist, a soft hand suddenly grasped her arm.
Chi Xingyu froze.
Tong Sui clutched her arm and said to the group, “I already have a girlfriend, you should leave.”
The group was momentarily stunned but scrambled away, afraid they would be pursued.
Chi Xingyu stood in shock, finally processing, “Did you just say I’m your…?”
Her voice had an uncharacteristic caution, as though confirming something immensely significant with Tong Sui.
No matter how daring she was, she had never imagined she would hear such words come from Tong Sui’s lips.
Had she misheard?
Tong Sui replied, “Girlfriend?”
Chi Xingyu’s heart raced as she felt a strong reaction, thudding in her chest, as her face uncontrollably heated up, a blush creeping up behind her hair. “Isn’t that a bit too fast?”
“That was for them to hear.” Tong Sui blinked and asked, “You don’t really want to be my girlfriend, do you?”
Chi Xingyu nodded earnestly.
“Is that even possible?”
“Of course not.”
Tong Sui withdrew his hand and lowered his gaze to unravel the letter that had been slipped into his palm.
The handwriting on the paper matched the one from the letter he had received earlier, and the content made him uneasy.
[Why don’t you listen to me? Why don’t you use the money I gave you? Why are you getting so close to the other guests?]