I like long legs

Wen Ce looked at him. "Where did she study before?"

"Abroad, I think. Something art-related, apparently. I heard them talking about it before." Lin Fan thought for a moment, looking puzzled. "Why would she suddenly switch from art to management? Kind of strange."

Wen Ce thought it was pretty strange too.

He handed the completed form to Lin Fan. "Done."

Lin Fan chuckled. "All right, bro. You're so good at basketball, but you hardly ever play."

Wen Ce smiled without saying anything.

In fact, if Lin Fan hadn't happened to see him playing basketball alone before, he really wouldn't have known Wen Ce was so good.

"Look at you. You're handsome and good at basketball, so why don't you like showing off? You'd definitely have a girlfriend by now." Lin Fan was still yapping when something occurred to him. "Though I feel like you're only single because you want to be. That's different from someone like me, who doesn't have anyone to stop being single with..."

Lin Fan was something of a chatterbox. Usually, Wen Ce would reply once for every ten things he said, but he never found it boring.

Only when someone finally came over to discuss the basketball tournament with Lin Fan could Wen Ce safely escape the noise of that yap machine.

But he had barely left the classroom when someone called out to him. "Wen Ce."

Wen Ce sighed and turned to look. Sure enough, it was Qin Yanran.

She ran up in a couple of steps and offered him a bottle of yogurt. "Want some?"

"No, thanks," Wen Ce said quietly.

Qin Yanran withdrew her hand and stared at him before suddenly asking, "Do you hate me?"

They were standing at a turn in the stairwell, with hardly anyone around.

Wen Ce felt awkward. The scene he dreaded most had happened after all. "No, I just..."

"If you don't hate me, why do you keep avoiding me?" Qin Yanran didn't let him finish. Her pretty puppy-dog eyes were filled with hurt. "You can tell I like you, right?"

Wen Ce exhaled, his tone helpless. "Then you should be able to tell that I don't actually want to date, right?"

He hadn't put it too harshly.

But Qin Yanran's eyes still reddened. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No. It's just that when it comes to liking someone, that feeling matters a lot." Wen Ce was afraid she would cry. This was really awkward. "Don't overthink it."

His dry words made it hard not to overthink.

Standing on the other side of the stairwell's turn, Luo Lianqing felt rather awkward. She had already been there earlier. She was the one who had told Lin Fan and the others to hand in the basketball tournament forms ahead of time. After finishing, she had only taken a few steps outside when her shoelace came undone, so she stepped aside and was just about to fix it.

Then this scene had unfolded.

How awkward would it be if she stepped out now...

And for some reason, hearing Wen Ce's voice made her even less willing to step out.

She hadn't expected him to be so popular.

Qin Yanran was quite pretty, too.

"Do you not like my type? I can change my style and things." Qin Yanran struggled to take a deep breath and held back the tears threatening to fall. "I can become the type you like. Girls change styles all the time these days. I can do it."

With that, she looked at Wen Ce like pear blossoms bathed in rain.

Wen Ce was inwardly going crazy. He really didn't know how to handle situations like this. Most girls would usually leave in embarrassment after being rejected.

But very few kept insisting on asking why the way Qin Yanran did.

"It's not about your style. Everyone has their own preferences, and you're not my type." Wen Ce sighed. "Quite a few guys in our class like you."

Or you could find someone else to like.

Wen Ce prayed she wouldn't keep asking. He had already made himself clear enough. If she kept going, he wouldn't know what else to say.

"Then what's your type?" Qin Yanran clearly hadn't heard his inner prayers and looked ready to crack the pot and question it to the very bottom.

Although Luo Lianqing really hadn't meant to eavesdrop around the corner, this still caught her attention.

Looking at the relatively petite Qin Yanran before him, Wen Ce opened his mouth and said, "I like long legs."

Qin Yanran, Luo Lianqing: ...

Both glanced down at their own legs at the same time.

Qin Yanran's tears immediately spilled over.

Luo Lianqing's first reaction was, My legs are pretty long.

Then she wanted to shake her head to check whether water had gotten into her brain. What did it have to do with her?!

Seeing that she had indeed started crying, Wen Ce felt troubled. "Please don't cry. It's really not your fault. I'm sorry."

Qin Yanran sobbed. "You really, really won't consider me? My legs might not be long, but my boobs are pretty big!"

Wen Ce felt awkward and didn't dare let his gaze settle on her. "Uh..."

"Long legs... so you like someone like Teacher Luo too, right?" Qin Yanran continued. "Long legs, a slender waist, big boobs, and she's pretty..."

Her words came in an unbroken stream, giving Wen Ce no chance to interject.

Meanwhile, Luo Lianqing couldn't help touching her waist and glancing down at her chest.

Wen Ce just wanted to leave quickly. Otherwise, it would be very awkward if people came by. He nodded. "Most guys probably like someone like Teacher Luo. So, I'm sorry. But plenty of guys like your type too."

Qin Yanran: ...

That didn't make me feel any better, thanks.

In the end, she ran off crying.

Wen Ce breathed a sigh of relief, then looked toward the concealed side of the stairwell's turn.

Someone was over there. He had noticed earlier.

But that person hadn't come out, and Qin Yanran had launched into that whole string of words as soon as she arrived, so he hadn't had a chance to say anything.

Wen Ce hesitated, then walked over anyway.

He was afraid it would be awkward if word spread that he liked Teacher Luo.

But Wen Ce hadn't expected to find Luo Lianqing standing there, looking just as awkward.

Her face was a little red, too.

When she saw Wen Ce approach, her eyes widened, filled with embarrassment and shyness.

Wen Ce: ...

What breed of awkwardness was this? Could he return it?

"Teacher..." he began hesitantly. "Just now..."

"I didn't mean to. I was crouching here tying my shoelace, and you two came over and started rattling away. I was afraid it'd be even more awkward if I came out." Luo Lianqing spoke first to seize the initiative, afraid he would think she had been eavesdropping.

Wen Ce sighed. "I know. That's not what I meant. Just don't take what I said earlier seriously. I was worried she'd feel embarrassed."

Luo Lianqing: ...???

"Don't take it seriously? Which part?" Looking at the awkward Wen Ce before her, she suddenly remembered her own previous moments of social death, which still made her afraid to face him. Now, seeing him in this rare state of embarrassment, even his ears seemed a little red.

An impulse stirred in her, and she suddenly leaned a little closer, seemingly on purpose, a teasing smile appearing in her eyes. "The part where you said you liked long legs, or the part where you admitted you liked me?"

A delicate fragrance drifted into Wen Ce's nose. Before he could think, he took a small step back. Looking at the pretty face that had drawn close, his Adam's apple bobbed uncontrollably.