Another First Kiss

"Alright, speak up. What do you need me for?" Zheng Mo seemed to be walking out of the library, her voice growing clearer and more melodious as she spoke.

"Actually, it's nothing much. I just wanted to ask about that basketball game you mentioned. Maybe I can help out!" Su Ke leaned back on the living room sofa, finding a comfortable position.

"You? Haha, stop joking!" Zheng Mo's laughter left Su Ke feeling quite helpless; it seemed she didn't think much of his abilities.

"Hey! I'm a living Lei Feng, you know!"

"Fine! You're Lei Feng, happy now? Thanks for your concern!" Zheng Mo walked along the campus path while holding her phone. She stopped when she saw a bench by the side of the road, looking up as the moonlight spilled down, casting mottled shadows from the streetlights onto the trees on either side.

"What? You mean that guy is taking his anger out on your class just because you rejected him? And he even said he'd make you guys wish you were dead?" Su Ke's voice rose involuntarily, his tone filled with shared indignation.

"Exactly! Exactly! Do you think I've dragged my class down? The boys in our class are all pretty good at dancing and have decent vertical leaps, but basketball is a different story! Plus, he has a special connection with the sports department. Not only did he hire ringers, but he also put the word out that no one is allowed to help us!" The more Zheng Mo spoke, the angrier she became, gritting her teeth. Su Ke could hear her fury even from the other end of the line.

"I'll help you!" Su Ke thought for a moment. Although he didn't know exactly how good his Street Basketball Mastery (Intermediate) was, he trusted that anything produced by the Flower Picking System would be extraordinary.

"You? Are you sure?" Thinking of Su Ke's delicate features, his slender build, and his height of just over 1.7 meters, Zheng Mo couldn't help but feel discouraged.

"Hey! Big Sister, you don't have to be so blunt! I'm a living Lei Feng, at least!" Su Ke felt much more relaxed now. As he grew more familiar with Zheng Mo, his nervousness faded, and he became less guarded in his speech.

"I'm not trying to bring you down, but with your small frame, I'm genuinely worried. I appreciate the gesture, though!" Zheng Mo knew that the action on a basketball court could be intense; if he wasn't careful, he might end up bleeding on the court. Thinking of Su Ke's appearance, she shook her head and refused.

"Come on, if I can lead your class to victory, what will you give me as a reward?" Stung by Zheng Mo's repeated dismissal, Su Ke's stubborn streak was ignited, and he asked with his neck stiffened.

"What reward? What do you want? Should I offer myself to you?" Zheng Mo leaned back against the bench, looking up at the moonlight. She held the phone with one hand while resting her other arm across her chest, her long legs crossed and swinging back and forth, looking perfectly at ease.

"Uh!" Su Ke was defeated once again. Hearing her mention offering herself, he was rendered speechless. He couldn't help but sigh at the heavens—why was he born so pure that he always crashed whenever this topic came up?

He took a deep breath and looked at the receiver, as if he could see Zheng Mo covering her mouth to stifle a giggle. Unable to hold back, he blurted out, "I don't need you to offer yourself. How about a kiss?"

As soon as the words left his lips, the line went silent. Su Ke thought he had scared her, but just as he was about to speak, her voice returned.

"How would we kiss? Mouth to mouth?"

"Uh! I suppose so!" Su Ke felt like he was being teased back. After a pause, he nodded firmly and replied.

"And what if you lose?" Zheng Mo seemed interested, the question slipping out.

"Whatever you say goes!" Su Ke went all in. He couldn't let a woman look down on him like this, and of course, to complete his mission, he had to agree to these terms!

Just then, the mission notification chime rang in his mind. As soon as that mechanical synthesized sound played, he entered the Flower Picking System space as if by instinct. A new mission had refreshed on the electronic screen.

"Mission: Obtain Zheng Mo's first kiss; Reward: Piano Mastery (Intermediate)."

"This mission came fast!" Su Ke muttered to himself. Seven missions had popped up in just this short while today, bringing the total to twenty-one. It seemed he would soon be able to unlock the system's help options, though, in truth, the reward for this mission wasn't very tempting.

"Hey! Hey! You little pervert, you aren't backing out now, are you? I've already said it's a deal!" Zheng Mo's voice rang out, pulling Su Ke back to reality.

"How could I? Just you wait, and don't go back on your word when the time comes!" Seeing that the mission was quickly within reach, Su Ke felt great. He crossed his legs, a wide smile on his face, and spoke into the phone.

After all, with Street Basketball Mastery (Intermediate), even if he couldn't guarantee a win, he felt at least sixty or seventy percent confident.

As they talked, the door opened, and Su Youfu and Zhang Xue walked in together. Seeing Su Ke on the phone, they lowered their movements, pretending to be busy with their own things while straining their ears to listen.

When Su Ke caught his mother's gaze, he didn't know why, but he blushed like a thief. His speech became clumsy, and his palm holding the receiver began to sweat. He chatted with Zheng Mo for a few more moments, set a time and place to meet, and quickly hung up.

"Hehe, Su Ke, tell Mom, who was that young lady?" Seeing Su Ke hang up, Zhang Xue sat directly on the sofa opposite him, her eyes sparkling like stars.

Su Ke sensed trouble. His mother's gossip fire was burning brightly, and he immediately wanted to retreat. He gave a sheepish grin and started to stand up.

"Don't run! I heard that girl's voice just now. Not bad, she sounds like a beauty. Bring her home for Mom to see sometime!" Zhang Xue's eyes crinkled with a smile, the crow's feet at the corners becoming more pronounced.

"Mom!" Su Ke looked at his mother, red-faced and helpless. He had no choice but to use his ultimate weapon: acting spoiled. He sat down next to Zhang Xue and grabbed her hand. "Mom, she's just a friend. Don't guess wildly; I'm not dating anyone!"

Just then, Su Youfu poked his head out from the dining room. "Come on, let's eat first! Su Ke, don't say Dad didn't warn you—date if you want to, but you're in your final year of high school, which is a critical time. You need to be careful. Once you're in college, your mom and I won't bother you anymore!"

Su Ke lowered his head and followed his mother to the dining table. He didn't dare look up for the entire meal, listening instead to Su Youfu tell stories of his youth. He hadn't realized his parents had started dating back in high school.

It seemed that showing off his math skills last time had given his parents a lot of confidence in his ability to get into college, but being lectured about dating by them was still too awkward. It left Su Ke feeling like his meal had no taste at all.