Chapter 1, The movement of heaven is strong; a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement
Unfortunately, due to extensive exercise combined with his growth period, his height began to increase dramatically. In the second year of junior high, his height grew from 156 centimeters to 175 centimeters, and naturally, his weight could not decrease at all, still weighing a substantial 190 pounds. Xu Liao noticed that basketball players were particularly "thin and weak," and foolishly joined the school basketball team in the second year of junior high. Of course, this was of no real use; it only led to him growing even taller in the third year, reaching 183 centimeters. Although he lost over 30 pounds, he still weighed 160 pounds, far from Qu Lei's requirements. Even though Xu Liao had developed an eight-pack of abs under his clothes, due to his naturally round face and large bone structure, he still looked like a chubby little boy.
A group of young people cheered and applauded, creating an extremely lively atmosphere, as if a multitude of stars were surrounding the handsome man who was treating them, with shouts and praises filling the air. There were also food enthusiasts continuously calling out the names of dishes, insisting on indulging in a hearty feast.
Xu quickly turned back, a simple smile reappearing on his face, and chuckled, "I need to go home early today. I originally had no way to join you for dinner, so I will take my leave now"
A handsome young man clapped his hands and shouted with a smile: "Our performance this time was quite good. Later, we will go to Wanghailou, and I will treat everyone. No one is allowed to make excuses to leave early."
This time, he also came to join the fun with a shameless face, busying himself for several days and putting in a lot of effort, yet he was still ostracized by the members of the Qu Lei Society
The things we once admired, once obsessed over, and once yearned for seem to gradually fade away, yet they can never be erased. They merely lie hidden in the depths of our hearts, protected by stubborn walls, unwilling to be invaded by reality. That is our garden of illusions, splendid, bizarre, absurd, yet filled with joy and vitality
As one grows older, one becomes increasingly aware of the world, and the dreams and fantasies once held will be shattered one by one by reality
Xu Liao had intended to grit his teeth and return to ask the club to give him a ride, but he saw the van speeding past him. He didn't even have time to call out, only the swirling dust left behind intensified the bitterness on Xu Liao's face
The venue for the event is at the exhibition center, which is extremely far from Xu Le's home. As he was calculating how to take the subway and then transfer to the bus, he reached into his pocket and his expression suddenly changed drastically, his entire face contorting in distress.
He waved at everyone, but soon realized that no one was looking at him. His efforts were in vain, and he could only awkwardly lower his hand and reluctantly leave the group.
He gazed for a while longer, slightly lowering his head, but in the next moment, he suddenly felt that something was amiss. He hurriedly raised his head again to look at the night sky, only to see the stars twinkling like brilliant fireworks of a festival, the Milky Way stretching across the sky, and the constellations arranged in formation
However, in cities where air pollution is extremely severe, how is it possible to see such a flourishing starry sky
Qu Lei did not explain to everyone and left in a hurry, even without having the time to change her clothes
Hearing this, Qu Lei, who was playing the role of Huang Er, slightly furrowed her brows and said somewhat displeased: "I have no relationship with Gao Wenhui, so please do not randomly pair us as a couple. I have something to attend to, so I will leave first and cannot join everyone for dinner."
He wiped his hands and felt a bit stuffy. He and Qu Lei were classmates in middle school. When they first entered school, he was unconsciously attracted by the girl's temperament. However, their personalities were too different, and due to being overweight, he found it difficult to fit into the world of cosplay. In the eyes of Qu Lei, who had a certain preference for looks, no matter how hard he tried, he still could not capture the attention of the goddess.
Anyone who is slightly familiar with popular elements can tell that this group of young people is engaged in cosplay and has a deep understanding of pop culture. It is also evident that they are portraying characters from a currently popular novel
More than four hours later, the sky had completely darkened, and Xu was still trudging along the way home. Fortunately, his physical strength was not bad, thanks to his regular exercise.
Someone started the conversation, and immediately someone else chimed in, laughing, "With his bear-like appearance, he's as fat as Zhu Bajie, how could Qulei possibly like him! Qulei is meant to be with our squad leader!"
A group of young people is diligently loading items onto a van, dressed in very extravagant outfits, each one beaming with joy and exuding a cheerful atmosphere
The Wandering Toad
In the first year of middle school, he pursued Qu Lei, who said, "I don't like chubby people. If you can lose weight to 120 pounds, I will consider it." He then worked hard to exercise and embarked on a three-year weight loss plan.
Having rubbed my hands together, I found myself helpless, and could only embark on the long journey home
Running every morning and evening, doing push-ups and pull-ups during breaks, and even jumping up all the stairs, I have never wavered despite being mocked by my classmates
On the round and plump face of Xu Liao, the honest smile slightly stiffened as he glanced at the actress playing Huang Er, who remained distant from the crowd, her expression devoid of any emotion. The actress, Qu Lei, seemed completely oblivious to this side, her starry eyes half-closed, leaning against a large tree, seemingly resting
It seems that the only option is to walk back; it appears to be over 20 kilometers from here to home. I wonder if I can make it back tonight.
The girl dressed in a small lotus outfit has a round face, lacking the queenly demeanor of the original character, instead appearing quite adorable. Among this group of young people, she is the most lively, and anyone who sees her would exclaim how cute she is. In contrast, the second female lead, Huang'er, originally a noble fairy, possesses a serene and graceful aura, yet carries a hint of coldness. Her extraordinarily beautiful face is almost devoid of expression.
After Xu Li left, a burst of laughter suddenly erupted among the group of young people. Someone shouted loudly, "That little fat boy actually has a crush on Qu Lei and is persistently pursuing her, even coming to hang out with us in the club. He probably doesn't even know what role we are playing today"
Xu Le smiled innocently, making an effort to load the last box of props onto the vehicle. Just as he was about to get on and find a seat, the handsome gentleman who was supposed to treat them noticed him. With a slight lift of his lips, he parted the crowd, walked over, and stopped him, saying gently: "Xu Le! Thank you for helping our club with the heavy lifting. We should have invited you to dinner tonight, but there are too many people and too much stuff in our vehicle, and there is no more space. You should leave first, so you won't have to squeeze in with us."
Exhausted, he gazed at the countless stars in the sky, the brilliant starlight lifting his spirits considerably. Since childhood, he had enjoyed looking up at the starry sky; every time he saw the stars scattered across the heavens, he felt much better. However, with urbanization, such night skies have become increasingly rare.
The handsome guy who was supposed to treat everyone to a meal, Gao Wenhui, the leader of this COS club, immediately turned pale and said nothing as he got into the car. The atmosphere became somewhat oppressive for everyone, and soon someone blamed Xu Le for this situation, muttering a few curses under their breath, speaking in extremely unpleasant terms
Oh no! I actually forgot to bring money when I went out, so I can't take the subway!