Teasing Her Archrival at the Gymnasium

In the martial arts classroom on the first floor of the Gymnasium, the teacher stood at the front of the group and began leading everyone through Simplified 24-Form Tai Chi.

Lu Xiaoxiao wore a white tracksuit. At 171 centimeters tall, she had a graceful figure, a high ponytail, and a beautiful face as bright as spring.

She stood toward the back of the group, her gaze on the teacher as she tried to keep her movements in time.

But there were always a few gazes resting on her.

As she performed White Crane Spreads Its Wings, she shifted her weight onto her right foot and extended her left foot half a step forward, touching her toes to the floor. She raised her right hand in front of her forehead and pressed her left hand down beside her hip.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boys beside her exchanging glances.

"Lu Xiaoxiao, are you free tonight? Come sing karaoke with us. Our treat." One of the boys stepped closer.

She didn't respond and continued into Left-Hand Play the Pipa. She shifted her weight back, planted her right foot firmly, extended her right hand forward to shoulder height, and drew her left hand back in front of her chest.

"We're all classmates. Don't be such a wet blanket," another boy chimed in. "We'll just have a meal and sing a few songs. We'll drive you back afterward."

As she performed Brush Knee and Twist Step, she finally stopped, turned her head, and swept her gaze over their faces. Her tone was indifferent. "My dad's in his office on the ninth floor. Go tell him, and if he agrees, I'll go."

The boys exchanged glances.

"You're already an adult..."

"Let's add each other on WeChat. I won't bother you while you study."

The last boy didn't say anything, but his gaze slid from her shoulder to her waist and lingered there. Lu Xiaoxiao had just finished Cloud Hands, and as she drew her arms back, she shot him a warning glance.

The boy quickly looked away in a panic.

The entire training session lasted less than six minutes, and Lu Xiaoxiao was pestered with questions for nearly five.

She didn't lose her temper or go to the teacher.

She had done those things in her previous life, and the boys had held a grudge against her. After class, they had become even more relentless. Later, she had gotten her parents involved, and the principal had punished them.

But to her surprise, they had also been forced to take a leave of absence afterward. Once, when she saw them at a milk tea shop, they had fled at the sight of her as if she were the plague.

It seemed that this time, she could only use Shao Enci's identity to intimidate them.

"My boyfriend is Shao Enci," she said as she performed Single Whip, without stopping. "He's petty and won't let me add other guys."

The boys looked at one another.

"Aren't you his archrival?"

"You even said you'd rather date a girl than date him..."

"Oh." Lu Xiaoxiao drew back her arms, straightened up, and raised an eyebrow. "That was before. I kissed him on the day of the basketball game. Didn't you all see?"

Lu Xiaoxiao said it without blushing or missing a heartbeat.

The boys glanced at one another, and no one said another word.

For the rest of the session, no one tried to chat her up again.

When the Tai Chi class ended, Lu Xiaoxiao changed and walked out of the changing room. Almost everyone had already left.

037's voice popped into her head:

[Task 23: Tease your archrival at the Gymnasium and leave a hickey on his neck. 12 minutes and 27 seconds remaining.]

The system's countdown made her nervous and panicky.

Lu Xiaoxiao took out her phone and called Shao Enci directly.

The phone rang for five seconds before he picked up.

"Hello?" His voice came through the receiver, low and a little lazy, as if he were standing somewhere windy.

"My PE class is over." She gripped her phone. "Why haven't you come yet?"

The line went quiet for a second. Then a voice came from the doorway not far behind her, several meters away, lowered as if he were deliberately waiting to see her reaction.

"Are you that eager to have an affair with me?"

Holding her phone, Lu Xiaoxiao turned toward the voice.

A slender, elegant figure appeared in the Gymnasium's side doorway. The young man looked languid and aloof, his beautiful phoenix eyes fixed on her.

Shao Enci had changed into a black short-sleeved shirt with a white mock collar. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing part of his sexy wrists. He stood there with one hand casually tucked into his pants pocket, looking thoroughly languid, cool, and relaxed.

Lu Xiaoxiao hung up and strode toward him.

She no longer cared whether anyone was around. She hurried forward, ready to wrap her arms around his neck and suck on it to complete the task.

When she ran close, the young man stepped back, putting his hands behind him and leaving a person's width between them.

Lu Xiaoxiao looked utterly bewildered. "You're dodging me?"

He had actually learned to resist this time?!

"If I don't dodge, am I supposed to let you take liberties with me?" Shao Enci raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint, teasing smile curving his lips. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Two seconds later, he added, "Besides, I'm not your boyfriend."

"..."

037's countdown was still ticking in her head. Less than six minutes remained.

Lu Xiaoxiao was getting anxious.

Shao Enci usually went along with her obediently, letting her do whatever she wanted to him.

Besides, the two of them had shared a passionate kiss in the Small Woods that morning. How had he turned against her so suddenly that afternoon?

No, she had to coax him and hurry to complete the system task.

Lu Xiaoxiao took a step forward, and Shao Enci took a step back.

She stepped forward again, and he retreated again, until his back hit a locker door by the changing room entrance. Shao Enci had nowhere left to retreat.

The lockers in the changing room were narrow. Their feet touched, and their bodies were pressed so close that she could smell the mint and pagoda-tree blossoms on the young man.

Those images, frame after frame, of their lingering kisses and French kisses made Lu Xiaoxiao swallow involuntarily.

"Shao Enci," she said, looking up at him, a hint of confusion in her clear, starry eyes. "You weren't like this before."

"I've always been like this. I've warned you many times: until we've established that we're boyfriend and girlfriend, you're not allowed to take advantage of me. But you..."

With a little over a minute left on the countdown, Lu Xiaoxiao could no longer spare the attention to listen to Shao Enci.

She rose on tiptoe, leaned close to his fair neck, pressed her lips to it, and sucked hard. She did it swiftly and decisively, without hesitation.

A short, muffled groan escaped Shao Enci's throat.

037's voice rang out in her head:

[Congratulations on completing Task 23.]

Lu Xiaoxiao let go of him and glanced at the red mark she had left on his neck. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she prepared to turn and run.

She had barely raised her arm when the young man behind her grabbed it firmly.

He braced one hand against the door beside her ear and turned the lock with the other.

With a click, the door was locked, keeping anyone outside from coming in and leaving only the two of them in the changing room.

The atmosphere became charged and dangerous.

Shao Enci bent down, his thin lips almost brushing her ear, and lowered his voice. "You take advantage of me and then run away? How could you have it so easy?"

"You're so unwilling," Lu Xiaoxiao said, her fingertips clutching the hem of his shirt, her breathing slightly uneven. "What would I stay for?"

"You were the one who asked me to come to the Gymnasium." The young man's sharply defined eyes fixed on her. His thin lips parted, and after a moment's silence, he said, "I came an hour early, only to see you chatting with several guys during class."

He pulled back a little. A sour, tingling wave of jealousy rose in his heart, and his breathing grew heavier, but his tone was as mild as water. "Lu Xiaoxiao, you're so charming that guys flock around you wherever you go."

After hearing him out, Lu Xiaoxiao felt her heart skip half a beat, and she could hardly catch her breath.

Shao Enci watched her with an unreadable look in his dark eyes. Emotion welled up, and his voice was low and husky as he said, "Then why did you ask me to come? Do you think I'm easy to fool, that I'm willing to let you toy with me without even giving me a proper place in your life?"