Marrying in-game? Totally unrealistic—just cringey. Not just Li Mo, even Tang Zhe felt it was too much. He’d only been joking anyway.

Besides, wedding props cost real RMB. They were broke students—who had spare cash for that?

But their gaming session didn’t last long. Li Mo’s mom hadn’t lied about checking in. Barely an hour in, right at lunchtime, her video call rang sharp as clockwork. Li Mo knew—if they caught them at the internet café, she’d get an earful. Tang Zhe might even get beaten.

So the moment the call came, they logged off, heads hanging, and slipped out. They called back later, claiming they’d missed the ring, busy finding lunch.

“Ugh… if only I’d known…”

Quitting halfway hurt worse than not playing at all.

After all that effort teaching button-masher Tang Zhe the basics.

“What now?”

Just past noon—lunch hour—but they’d barely eaten breakfast. Not hungry. Worst possible timing.

Going back to the café risked getting caught. And they’d already logged off. Rebooting meant paying again.

*Another startup fee!*

After weighing options, they trudged back to school.

As a boarding high school, the cafeteria stayed open weekends. They could eat there.

Mom had transferred a whole two hundred yuan! Eight bucks spent on baozi and soy milk. Two simple cafeteria meals later, she’d still have around a hundred fifty left for fun. *Sweet!*

Clever girl.

“Listen,” Li Mo said, walking back full-bellied, “come early tomorrow. If you sprint after class, you’ll snag the big maocai bowls.”

School meals were dirt cheap. For under ten bucks, they’d stuffed themselves. Li Mo let out a loud burp, then raved to newbie Tang Zhe about lunch specials: “That maocai’s insane—more meat than veggies, only eight bucks. And next stall’s got spare rib rice bowls, blah blah blah…”

Full and energized, Li Mo chattered nonstop. Tang Zhe smiled inwardly—*teaming up really loosened her up*.

“Wanna game later? I’m not even level 20 yet. My skills look lame.”

“Pfft. Your character’s skills *are* lame. Pink and fluffy. All limp.”

“Says the guy whose every skill’s pink and fluffy?”

“Wanna fight?”

Trading jabs, they almost recaptured old times. Li Mo realized—maybe she didn’t need to keep Tang Zhe at arm’s length. He seemed oblivious to her strangeness, carefree as ever.

“Yo! Mo-ge! Early today?”

Halfway across the basketball court between cafeteria and classrooms, Li Mo’s dorm buddies spotted them mid-game. No one else around.

*Pfft.*

They stifled laughs.

Weird as hell… but damn, these two had *couple vibes*.

“You guys still playing? Not dragged home yet?” Li Mo frowned. Why were they laughing?

After the court brawl months ago, they’d been banned from the courts except during PE.

“Ban’s long over,” Shen Yi clapped Li Mo’s shoulder. “Join? Team up with your childhood buddy. Three-on-three?”

“Nah. Still recovering. No intense exercise.” Li Mo waved off.

Joke’s on them—her stamina sucked now. And basketball meant crashing into sweaty guys. Not just losing… *exposure risk*.

What if someone bumped her chest—

*Wait.*

She glanced down.

Flat as a board. What was there to hide?

Unlike those cross-dressing dramas where girls bind their chests… she’d never bothered. Summer short sleeves showed a slight soft bump, but as a “boy,” she’d blamed it on being chubby.

*Damn. Why do I feel so pathetic all of a sudden?*

“Shame,” Shen Yi shrugged. Post-hospital, Li Mo seemed… softer. More delicate. Like they might break her. “You in, bro?”

Tang Zhe glanced at Li Mo. Seeing no objection, he peeled off his jacket, revealing a thin tee. “Sure.”

*Fit body.*

October’s chill bit deep today. Li Mo wore long sleeves.

*Oh right.*

She had that one… *child-sized* sports bra. Practically invisible.

*Ugh.*

Watching them battle fiercely—Tang Zhe’s skills surprisingly slick—Li Mo itched to join. But reality held her back. Sitting under the hoop, she felt like an outsider. A quiet frustration bubbled up.

*Wanna ditch. Play phone games in class.*

“I’ll head back—”

“HOLY SH—!”

As she stood, a curse ripped from the next court. Li Mo turned—just as a basketball rocketed straight at her face.

Instinct kicked in. Not to block. To *duck and cover*.

***THWACK!***

A sharp palm-on-leather crack. Eyes snapping open—Tang Zhe stood there, ball caught mid-air, scowling. “Watch where you’re throwing!”

“…”

Li Mo slowly straightened behind him. Heart hammering. Ears burning.

She spun to flee.

*So embarrassing!*

Ducking like that? She’d never live it down. Those guys would roast her forever.