Chapter 398: Breaking the Rules

In the past, because of the birthmark on her face, Yu Shiqing had always felt inferior. She didn’t have any friends, and no one wanted to play with her. That sense of isolation had shaped her into someone quiet and withdrawn, her self-esteem buried beneath years of subtle avoidance and stares that lasted a beat too long.

Even though the birthmark had now vanished and her appearance had transformed—gaining her looks that could rival campus beauties—those deeply ingrained insecurities hadn’t vanished completely.

Some things linger, carried by habit more than logic.

When she heard Qin Yunhan’s question, Yu Shiqing didn’t dare give a direct answer. After all, Wang Haoran was the school heartthrob, the golden boy of Qingling University.

Saying his name out loud felt like exposing a fragile dream to ridicule. If anyone found out, would they laugh? Would they think someone like her didn’t deserve someone like him?

So she hesitated, lowered her voice, and asked softly, “Can I keep it a secret?”

“There’s nothing to hide,” Qin Yunhan frowned slightly, puzzled by her reluctance. She didn’t press for a name, though. Seeing Yu Shiqing’s unwillingness, she curbed her curiosity—but not entirely.

The gossiping heart is hard to still. She leaned closer, eyes glinting, and asked, “Is it someone from school or outside?”

Yu Shiqing considered that harmless enough. “He’s from school,” she replied honestly.

“Is he handsome?” Qin Yunhan grinned, her voice teasing.

A faint blush colored Yu Shiqing’s cheeks. Her lips curved into a shy smile, and her voice grew soft with warmth. “He’s the most handsome guy I’ve ever seen. He’s kind too. Even back when I was… ugly, he never looked down on me.”

The sincerity in her tone made Qin Yunhan and Xu Muyan exchange glances. There was definitely a story there, and probably a complicated one. As for her saying he was handsome? Well, love always paints beauty where outsiders may not see it.

They couldn’t help but wonder. If her boyfriend was truly as good-looking as she claimed, would he really have fallen for a girl with a disfiguring birthmark back then? It seemed unlikely.

More probably, he wasn’t much to look at either. Perhaps the two had bonded through shared misfortune, through understanding only those who have been overlooked could share.

Still, even if that’s what they suspected, they kept it to themselves. Voicing that would be too rude.

“Do you two have boyfriends?” Yu Shiqing, unaware of their thoughts, was starting to feel more comfortable in the conversation and tilted her head curiously toward them.

“I do,” Qin Yunhan answered first, quick as ever.

“I have one too,” Xu Muyan added, though there was a flash of something—tension, challenge—in the glance they exchanged.

A spark passed between them, not quite a smile, not quite a frown.

“You’re both so beautiful,” Yu Shiqing smiled, genuinely admiring, “Your boyfriends must be incredibly handsome too.”

“Of course,” Qin Yunhan lifted her chin proudly. “Mine’s the most handsome man in the world.”

“My boyfriend’s better-looking than hers,” Xu Muyan huffed, giving Qin Yunhan a pointed look.

She was tired of always being half a step behind.

Neither of them mentioned that their boyfriends were actually the same person—Wang Haoran.

That secret had been kept tightly under wraps. If word got out, people would gossip. They will start assuming they were both chasing after Wang Haoran’s money and they’ll be called shameless, gold-diggers.

No matter how beautiful a girl might be, the world always finds something to criticize. And they, proud as they were, wouldn’t let themselves become tabloid rumors in the mouths of classmates.

Yu Shiqing, oblivious to the undercurrents between the two, simply thought they were playfully competing, each showing off their beloved.

A small part of her wanted to join in, to say,

My boyfriend’s the most handsome of them all.

But she swallowed the thought, pushing it down into the quiet space where her shyness still lived. She wasn’t the type to say such things aloud.

Suddenly, Qin Yunhan’s voice cut through the air. “The players are here.”

Yu Shiqing and Xu Muyan both turned toward the basketball court.

Five young men stepped onto the court, dressed in matching uniforms. Yu Shiqing immediately recognized four of them—they were her classmates. But she wasn’t here to cheer for them.

Lin Mo scanned the crowd with surprise and excitement in his eyes. There were people everywhere, packed in the stands and along the sidelines. The more spectators, the better.

The more people watching, the greater the impact of showing off his basketball skills. The recognition would flood in like a wave, and he couldn’t wait to ride it.

“Isn’t that the two freshman beauties, Qin Yunhan and Xu Muyan? Damn, they’re gorgeous. But who’s the girl sitting next to them? I’ve never seen her before.”

Lin Mo’s eyes locked onto the trio of girls sitting together. His blood started pumping faster. The sight of three stunning women in one spot made his heart race, and the desire to perform surged through him.

He could already picture it—the cheers, the shrieks, the awe.

“Looks like we’re about to embarrass ourselves big time,” muttered one of the 112 Class players beside him, his scalp tingling at the thought of the crowd’s eyes.

“Is it too late to back out?” another one whispered, his legs starting to tremble.

After all, Class 113 had called in reinforcements from the school’s official basketball team. The game hadn’t even started yet, and it already felt like a public execution.

“Since we’re here, let’s just face it,” Lin Mo straightened up and tried to rally the others. “Class 113’s move is shameless, sure, but that doesn’t mean we’ve already lost. Pull yourselves together!”

His age and identity as a teacher gave his words weight. The other four players tried to muster some semblance of resolve, even if their hearts weren’t fully in it.

“They’re here—those shameless bastards!” one player hissed, pointing toward a new group entering the court.

“Wait, that’s not the school team,” someone said in confusion. “And there are girls on their team? What’s going on?”

All eyes followed to where the Class 113 team approached.

Lin Mo’s fighting spirit flickered and dimmed as he caught sight of them.

“Isn’t that Zhaozhao?” Qin Yunhan blinked in surprise, recognizing the girl walking with the 113 team.

“Jingjing’s there too,” Xu Muyan added, equally stunned.

The five-person team from Class 113 slowly made their way to center court.

“I don’t even know how to play basketball,” Mu Zhaozhao mumbled to Wang Haoran, worry showing in her eyes. “I’m just going to drag everyone down. Don’t blame me later.”

Just carrying her two big burdens was tiring enough. Running around the court? That was torture.

“I don’t know how either,” Wen Jing whispered beside her, her tone soft.

“It’s fine,” Wang Haoran laughed, completely relaxed. “If you weren’t both hopeless at basketball, I wouldn’t even let you on the court.”

Beside him, Lu Ming and Wei Zhihang’s expressions darkened.

Soon, Wang Haoran led the team onto the court, his confidence undisturbed.

“Hey, this guy looks a little old, doesn’t he? Are you sure you’re a student in Class 112?” Wang Haoran’s gaze landed on Lin Mo, whose older face stood out like a sore thumb among the teens.

His voice was laced with mockery.

“We agreed on a class match. Why are you bringing outsiders? Can’t take a loss?” Lu Ming snapped.

“We didn’t even have enough boys. We had to pull in girls just to fill the team. You’ve got enough people and still dragged in outsiders? What’s that supposed to mean?” Wei Zhihang chimed in, his tone harsh.

The four boys from Class 112 looked at each other, then turned as one to face Lin Mo.

His face, under all those stares, was stiff with awkwardness.