Chapter 3 The Premonition of a Smile

Everyone looked over and laughed heartily

She has once again undermined her own dignity. Zhang Yuan felt somewhat annoyed, nearly losing his grip on the racket during the serve. He watched He Luo come out of the teaching building, crossing the playground, laughing all the way as she said goodbye to familiar classmates

White Lotus

Good, thank you

His right hand fell into Zhang Yuan's large palm, his long and strong fingers gliding across her palm. "Look here, this is the dirtiest part, which indicates that she is completely controlling the ball with her palm. The correct method should involve holding the ball with all five fingers, allowing for flexibility and conforming to the curvature of the ball's surface." He adjusted He Luo's fingers, "Don't be so stiff; this is not the time to practice the Nine Yin White Bone Claw."

I also have the least regard for stingy men she said with a smile

"I can only break you if I concentrate, which is already quite good." Zhang Yuan held the basketball with one hand at his side and grabbed He Luo's wrist with his left hand. "You girls come over here." He stood side by side with He Luo, opening her palm.

As He Luo was in the midst of her actions, her eyes brightened for a moment as she quickly glanced at Zhang Yuan. Bai Lian took the notebook, smiling as she raised her hand, a charming dimple appearing at the corner of her lips. He Luo looked at her, then thought of him, feeling an inexplicable sense of grievance in her heart

"What about Tian Xin?" Zhang Yuan asked, "She is the one you personally brought to the stage."

Stopping under the bus stop, He Luo said: "I am waiting for the bus here"

Toothache! He Luo exclaimed, could it be that my face is swollen? She touched her cheek and put down the comic. How embarrassing, with no cracks in the ground to hide in, she hurried to catch the bus

Your home is not in this direction, is it? He Luo covered his face and looked up at him

Helo's white nose

What differences can there be

Class 6, Grade 1

"Here you go!" Zhang Yuan hurriedly stuffed the racket into her hands and quickly grabbed her backpack. She ran out of the school gate, standing at the intersection and looking around, but there was no sign of He Luo on any of the sidewalks. He stood at the street corner, hesitating for a moment, and very reluctantly turned back to the campus to get his bicycle. As he turned around, he saw He Luo standing by the book stall at the school gate, engrossed in a comic book.

"I ride my bike every day," Zhang Yuan said, also stopping at the bus stop. "You should remember to see a dentist. I know a good doctor; he used to be my neighbor. I'll give you his number another day!"

Five girls gathered around, chattering and teasing, making Zhao Chengjie feel overwhelmed in an instant. He angrily walked to the basketball hoop, thinking, "These girls are too arrogant"

In May, the northern country is filled with smoke and willow trees, with green peaches and forsythias blooming in the flower beds. The tender green, pink, and bright yellow hues all soften in the glow of the setting sun. The two individuals walk slower and slower, seemingly reluctant to part from the scenery along the roadside

This time, He Luo was serious in his shooting, the basketball "thudded" against the concrete ground, and the reddish-brown shadows almost formed a straight line

Ah, jealousy? He Luo was startled by his own thoughts. Indeed, Zhang Yuan is a smart and sunny boy, someone whom everyone likes to look at a little longer. But isn't jealousy rather petty and mundane?

What else did he say? He Luo does not remember much. She only remembers that Zhang Yuan's hands were large, warm, and although slender, they were very strong. She clenched her right hand, her palm damp.

"Painkillers, then," He Luo repeated his own phone number, "It's not acute appendicitis, so there's no need to be so serious."

"Uh, it's nothing." He was taken aback, wondering why he had chased her out. He had thought of many words to tease He Luo just now, but why had he forgotten all about the Zhaowa country? "Why do your cheeks look different on both sides?" It was evident that her right cheek was swollen.

"How loud! Good people will be scared into having a heart attack by you!" The girls in the audience were making a fuss, "This time doesn't count"

Zhang Yuan retracted his outstretched hand and said: "It's no wonder Gao Fang always criticizes you for lacking loyalty!"

Tian Xinle ran joyfully to the playground, "Finally finished sweeping! Who will share a racket with me?"

He Luo is more serious when playing ball than when attending class; she is more serious about eating than when playing ball. She peeled off the plastic top and licked the yogurt off the back clean. A little yogurt was stuck to the tip of her nose, yet she remained unaware, still immersed in the joy of victory, gesturing animatedly to describe her feelings during the match

by Hou Xiangting

Zhang Yuan rolled up his sleeves and walked to the center of the court, saying, "You come to shoot the ball, and I will intercept it"

Indeed, the other girls returned with ice cream and, upon seeing Bai Lian's pale face, they all came over to offer their comfort

He Luo couldn't help but laugh when he thought of it

The bus on Route 2 runs every three minutes. He Luo got on the bus and recalled Zhang Yuan's serious remark, "Then we need to find a butcher," which made her unable to help but laugh. Because of that careless comment, she didn't dare to look at him again, fearing that she might say something wrong and make him dislike her. However, he seemed unfazed and even chased after her, reminding her to take care of her teeth.

I... I don't know how to respond, "Aren't you having a toothache? Why are you asking so many questions? Just say a little less." Zhang Yuan said with a smile

"Please tell me your home phone number," Zhang Yuan said, quickly adding, "I will ask my mom as soon as I get home and let you know right away, in case you can't sleep tonight due to the pain"

When did I start to become so anxious and uncertain? Writing in my diary, He Luo is laughing uncontrollably one moment, and then sighing the next.

Bai Lian said, "Zhang Yuan has really good eyes," not without a hint of teasing. She is the class's study committee member, diligent in her studies and rarely speaks loudly or laughs; however, on the competition field, she is decisive and agile, always seizing the opponent's openings. Today, she took off her framed glasses and transformed her usual braided hair into a ponytail, sweeping away her scholarly demeanor, revealing herself to be a tall and beautiful girl

You know this already. Zhang Yuan feigned seriousness, "Do girls often call out to you inappropriately?"

Bai Lian originally thought he would take it over, but as he loosened his hand, the workbook scattered all over the ground. The teacher usually used her work as a sample for grading, placing it on the top layer, and at this moment it fell miserably onto the floor just cleaned by the duty student, the cover quickly soaking up deep and light gray.

Zhang Yuan studied with his notebook for half a class, and with his fountain pen, he sketched a few lines on the cover. With the veins of the leaves and the flower stems, the mottled gray transformed into an ink painting of lotus flowers. Beneath the flower bud, there were two neatly written lines of text:

The girls from Class Six scored ten points, which is an overwhelming victory. The opposing team only managed to score a total of four points. Lin Shuzhen was beaming with joy and invited the female basketball team members and the practice partners to have drinks. Zhang Yuan went to run errands and chose a bag of black tea, green tea, cola, and Sprite. He stood in front of the refrigerator for a moment, then turned around and took two servings of strawberry yogurt from the shelf. "Boss, add this as well"

Zhang Yuan took Bai Lian's notebook and said, "I will buy you a notebook cover later"

"You all go ahead, I happen to be tired." He Luo handed the racket to Bai Lian and went back to the classroom to get his backpack

He is very satisfied with his masterpiece and passed the notebook along the way

"He Luo!" Zhang Yuan called out to her

Oh? Let's compare!" Zhang Yuan turned the rhythm and waved twice.

Why is there such urgency to clarify the relationship with Gao Fang? He Luo thought, taking a bite of the red bean ice, a line of coolness pierced through the last molar, causing a slight ache.

"Is there sugar here?" It looks like a squirrel with its mouth stuffed full of nuts

Also forgot about the toothache

He Luo, who prided herself on being cheerful and open-minded, could not understand. However, she immediately decided to stand by Bai Lian's side and bid farewell to the mentality of a petty woman.

Zhang Yuan retrieved the ball, saying, "I didn't get on the court, I scared myself to death first"

Sweet confusion, sour release

Zhang Yuan smiled, no longer speaking, leaning forward slightly and bending his knees. He Luo imitated his posture, lowering his center of gravity, shifting the point of impact from in front of him to the right side, yet still could not escape the fate of being intercepted repeatedly

After school, He Luo played badminton with several girls. Zhang Yuan dribbled a basketball over and said, "Are you playing well?"

"Haha, we should still tell Gao Fang!" Tian Xin's eyes twinkled, "Do you think he would go so far as to stab someone in the back for Bai Lian? However, it would be a stab in Zhang Yuan's back."

Watching women's basketball games is a form of entertainment! On the day of the match, Zhang Yuan cheerfully said, "The ball keeps rolling on the ground, doesn't it resemble catching a chicken to drink?"

Bai Lian writes an excellent semi-cursive script and is often called by teachers to engrave steel plates. Although Zhang Yuan excels in mathematics, physics, and chemistry, his English grades have always been sluggish, while his Chinese scores resemble a roller coaster. He is most troubled by various basic quizzes. Upon seeing Bai Lian returning from the office with a stack of homework books, he approached her and asked, "I heard there will be a test on Friday; could you give me a hint?"

Zhang Yuan knew that she had always cherished her books, and he repeatedly thought to himself how unfortunate it was

He stood so close, holding a dark brown basketball, his gaze moving back and forth along the black seams, beginning to feel nervous under his piercing eyes. After just two dribbles, the ball hit his foot and rolled away.

"We need to discuss strategy." Zhang Yuan stood up, took off his school uniform jacket, and said, "To catch the thief, first catch the king!"

Bai Lian handed him the racket and said, "You may not necessarily be able to beat He Luo."

He Luo deliberately walked a step or so ahead of Zhang Yuan, slightly to the side. In silence, no one spoke.

Is there something? The tone is indifferent

No, it is your deskmate

No need for that. Bai Lian quickly tried to lighten the mood as it became heavy, saying, "Oh, it's not a big deal, forget it, forget it."

What a loud voice! In the past, when practicing bel canto, others could come over and shout 'outrageous'!

Because the wind can turn, there is a premonition of a smile

The lips that eat ice cream have a lemon fragrance

Such a girl, intelligent and reserved, with a beautiful face, who would not like her

But "I don't need you to look at me either," what does that count for? This sentence became a thorn, pricking He Luoxin. "Then who do you need to look at you? A white lotus?" I really want to ask a million times

"You met me for the first time today." Bai Lian never shows favoritism; she handed over the notebook and said, "Take it and let the class representative distribute it. I have only carved half of the steel plate."

Zhao Chengzhi asked Zhang Yuan: "What are you looking at?"

Do not speak carelessly! Bai Lian felt somewhat annoyed, saying, "Do not always associate me with Gao Fang!"

Duan! Zhang Yuanda shouted loudly, and in the next moment, the basketball was already in his hands

Just now, this statement was very cold and quite petty. He noticed He Luo's gaze shifting to the window, his lips drooping, and he was surprisingly distracted even while eating an ice pop

Zhang Yuan has already released his hand, demonstrating while explaining: "Look, when dribbling, the knee joint is slightly bent, and the center of gravity is lowered. He Luo has already noticed this; also, keep your eyes forward, do not just focus on the ball..."

Father He and Mother He exchanged a glance, and both understood what this meant

"Yes, extinguish the arrogance of your deskmate!" Zhao Chengjie raised his right hand, squinted his eyes, and made a gesture resembling that of shooting.

This issue lacks some confidence

I have high hopes for the girls in our class," Zhao Chengjie said, "Gao Tingting has an altitude advantage; Li Yunwei, the power forward, is quite fierce! Bai Lian plays very calmly and thoughtfully; He Luo is the most serious and dribbles very steadily.

"I don't need your approval either," Zhang Yuan said quickly, dismissing the matter. He had been wearing a smile all along, apologizing that it was not his intention. The four girls were like six thousand ducks, chattering noisily until it was over. But someone's words sounded harsh; what does it mean to be a petty boy? ... When has Zhang Yuan ever had a falling out with a girl, argued, or even spoken coldly to one...

"What butcher?" He Luo was taken aback, stamping his foot, "Only when you are getting your appendix removed do you look for a butcher!"

How could it not be stiff, even the skin on the back of the neck is taut, turning the head has become a high-risk maneuver with a difficulty level of 4.0. He Luo nodded mechanically, pretending to be eager to learn.

Have you gone to see the doctor?" Zhang Yuan caught up.

What is going on? She has a low opinion of herself. Bai Lian is also a new friend made in the past two months; shouldn't I be saying a few comforting words at this moment? Why is she being so jealous?

The undefeated queen of the bouncy ball at Hongxing Kindergarten—He Luo, remains as formidable as ever. In a dribbling competition against Zhao Chengjie, her speed surpasses his, and she maintains her stamina for a longer duration. As she gets into the rhythm, she even starts singing a nursery rhyme: "Little bouncy ball, kick with your feet, Malan flowers bloom twenty-one, twenty-five six, twenty-five seven, twenty-eight twenty-nine thirty-one"

I concede! My right arm is already sore, so it is better to obediently surrender

Hmph, the gentlemanly demeanor is all just an act!" Li Yunwei stuck out her tongue at him, "I'll draw the 38th parallel with you later.

"Elder sister, are you trying to make me bear the bad reputation of a miser?" Zhang Yuan said with a smile, glancing at He Luo. She remained indifferent, continuing to watch the sparrows hopping along the windowsill.

Zhang Yuan is indeed going to teach He Luo how to play basketball

At the end of April, the women's basketball competition for all grades began. Under the strong encouragement of Li Yunwei, He Luo reluctantly joined the class team. A group of boys happily took on the role of honorary coaches

"The appendix must be opened up." Zhang Yuan rested his chin on his hand, appearing deep in thought, "I am unable to assist with this, as I do not know the butcher."