So What If the Pretty Campus Belle Loves Money? (8)
Su Qingqing also jerked her head up, a trace of nervousness and hope on her face.
She hoped Hua Jinchen would at least save her some face. After all, she had just been defending him.
Hua Jinchen was taken aback when he was forcibly dragged into it.
Then the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably, and he nearly laughed out loud.
Far from feeling offended, he found it fascinating.
It was truly fascinating.
One made no attempt to hide it, while the other kept it concealed.
Each had her own thoughts.
In keeping with his usual manner, he rarely embarrassed girls to their faces.
On the surface, he always maintained basic gentlemanly manners toward women, no matter how much he disagreed with them.
But now, Hua Jinchen looked at Shi Zheng with even greater interest.
She really knew how to toss trouble onto someone else while sitting back and watching from a safe perch.
She had even taken the initiative to muddy the waters further, daring to drag him in.
Shi Zheng was the first to do that.
"To be honest, I don't feel too bad about it."
At his words, a smile appeared on Su Qingqing's face.
Before she could finish smiling, Hua Jinchen's next words froze the smile on her face.
"It's my honor to be the subject of our campus belle Shi's jokes."
He smiled, charmingly and with a hint of mischief.
The flippant, self-absorbed remark drew a round of quiet laughter from his cronies.
Feeling the looks from their classmates turn subtly different in an instant, Su Qingqing felt her face burn.
She clenched her fists, her fingertips digging deep into her palms, but she couldn't utter a word in retort.
Shi Zheng: System, what's Hua Jinchen's current favorability?
System: "Hua Jinchen's current favorability: 10."
Shi Zheng: Tsk, how stingy.
"Young Master Hua is certainly magnanimous," she said softly, in a tone that could have been sincere or sarcastic.
Hua Jinchen caught the sarcasm in Shi Zheng's words.
He raised a brow. The interest she had sparked in him didn't fade; instead, it was as though a feather had brushed against it, leaving him a little itchy.
After leaving the corridor, Hua Jinchen savored the scene that had just played out and said casually, "This Shi Zheng... is a little interesting."
Huang Siyuan said, "What, have you changed your mind, Young Master Hua? Interested in Campus Belle Shi now?"
"If you're not interested, Young Master Hua, I'm planning to pursue her. Hahahaha."
Hua Jinchen didn't answer directly, merely giving a lazy smile.
Was he interested?
Perhaps.
As for whether she was a gold digger?
Hua Jinchen licked the corner of his mouth.
He had seen plenty of gold diggers, but Shi Zheng was the first to speak so boldly and confidently about being one.
She seemed not to care at all what others thought of her.
Interesting.
Hua Jinchen's current favorability: 20.
The basketball court.
The stands beside the court were still packed.
The center of attention on the court was undoubtedly Hua Jinchen.
Sweat soaked his jersey, plastering it to his heaving chest.
When he turned to get back on defense, the hem of his jersey lifted for a moment, revealing a sliver of his lean waist and abs and the sharply defined lines leading down from his hips.
The screams from the stands nearly pierced the sky.
Shi Zheng sat relatively far back in the stands.
She held a bottle of mineral water and watched the game quietly.
She had to admit that Hua Jinchen had an astonishing appeal on the court.
The way he immersed himself in the sport and let himself go completely was somewhat different from his usual image as a carefree playboy.
The halftime whistle blew, and Hua Jinchen caught a towel tossed to him by a teammate and casually wiped his face.
The teammate nudged him with an elbow and pointed in Shi Zheng's direction.
Hua Jinchen looked up and met Shi Zheng's gaze.
When she saw him look over, the corners of her mouth curved up slightly in greeting.
Hua Jinchen paused.
He raised a brow and looked away.
In the second half, he went on the offensive even more fiercely, like a lion deliberately showing off his strength. Several beautiful drives and layups sent the whole crowd into a frenzy.
When the final whistle blew, Hua Jinchen pushed past the girls crowding around him with water and towels and headed straight for the back rows.
As he approached, the surrounding noise grew louder at first, then fell strangely quiet.
Everyone's eyes followed him and landed on Shi Zheng.
Shi Zheng could feel those gazes piercing her like needles.
But she didn't move, merely watching Hua Jinchen walk up to her.
Hua Jinchen stopped in front of her. "Did you come all this way just to see me?"
Shi Zheng held out the bottle of mineral water to him. "That's right. I also came to thank you."
Hua Jinchen took the water, unscrewed the cap, and tipped his head back to gulp down several mouthfuls.
His Adam's apple bobbed sharply. A few drops of water slid down his chin and neck before disappearing into the collar of his jersey.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, an amused glint rippling in his peach-blossom eyes. "You're thanking me with one bottle of water?"
"It's the thought that counts," Shi Zheng teased. "You don't need this bottle of water, Young Master Hua, but my heart is in it."
"Also, there's something I'd like to discuss with you in private. I wonder if you'd be willing to give me a little of your time, Young Master Hua?"
Hua Jinchen stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly smiled.
He turned and jerked his head toward the players' locker room. "All right, follow me."
Amid countless envious and jealous gazes, Shi Zheng got up and followed him.
As they crossed the court, several teammates who were packing up made faces at them.
Hua Jinchen didn't look back, merely waving a hand lazily.
The locker room door closed, shutting out the clamor outside.
Hua Jinchen walked over and sat down on a bench, his long legs stretched out casually and his back against a locker. His gaze burned as he watched Shi Zheng follow him in.
"No one's here now," he said casually. "Go on. What is it?"