Chapter 3: A singing duel and these passing years
The students from Waihai Middle School all followed Que Junhao's lead and knew he had plenty of ideas. At his suggestion, they naturally shouted their approval, each trying to outdo the others.
Li Lumei was unafraid, and a few of them started playing Fight for the Lead. Tang Wu waved a hand and declined; she probably did not know how to play cards. Li Lumei thought that since Que Junhao had challenged her outright, she could hardly lose her nerve. Besides, his willingness to take her on at anything made it plain that he thought nothing of her. Fine, then. Bring it on.
Fight for the Lead, also known as Run Fast, was a very popular card game. Under its rules, whoever played all their cards first won. Anyone left holding only one card was safe and escaped punishment. Anyone with two or more cards had to drink a glass, while anyone who had not played a single card had to drink three.
Several Waihai boys gathered around Li Lumei and began playing. Chen Lingshan tugged discreetly at her clothes, but Li Lumei gave her a confident look, and Chen Lingshan left her to it. When Li Lumei boarded at school, she had been one of the best card players in the girls' dorm. Thanks to her parents, she was proficient in board games, cards, and mahjong, making her a formidable player among the girls, though they did not gather to play as often as the boys did.
A round of Run Fast was short. One glass might not seem like much, but after so many rounds, it became hard to bear. Li Lumei played steadily at first, frustrating the Waihai boys. After drinking a couple of glasses now and then,