He hadn't even taken a photo with his idol or that silver sports car he'd been longing for—why should she get to go first?
And besides, she hadn't taken a family photo with him and his little gold car either!
Hmph!
Bai Tang watched Zhang Xiaochu twist his neck, chin tilted skyward, and felt the urge to smack him.
"Zhang Xiaochu!!!" Bai Tang roared.
Zhang Xiaochu pouted and turned around reluctantly.
Sheng Qi, who had originally planned to refuse, saw the hostile glare Zhang Xiaochu was giving him and immediately dropped his hand that was about to pull Bai Tang's arm away.
Under Bai Tang's blatant, threatening stare, Zhang Xiaochu grumpily pulled out his phone and aimed it at the two people and the car, positioning the lens as much as possible on the vehicle, completely cropping the two of them out of the frame.
Bai Tang linked her arm through Sheng Qi's, beaming brightly.
Click—the photo was taken.
Zhang Xiaochu, feeling guilty, quickly closed the camera function and returned to the home screen.
"Done!" Zhang Xiaochu handed the phone back.
Bai Tang was about to admire it when a low voice sounded beside her: "Bai Tang, can we talk?"
Bai Tang turned and looked at Si Rui standing nearby, blinking lightly.
Was he here to settle scores with her?
Bai Tang let go of Sheng Qi's arm and walked over to him.
Sheng Qi, who had been about to step aside, suddenly felt his arm released, and an inexplicable sensation stirred in his heart.
By now, all the cars had reached the finish line, and Chu Yi came over with documents to find Sheng Qi.
Sheng Qi followed Chu Yi to the side, but his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Bai Tang and Si Rui.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaochu felt like he was about to explode on the spot.
"Damn it!!! Am I invisible or what?"
Zhang Xiaochu couldn't help but curse.
Seriously, he'd already put up with one Sheng Qi!
And now another Si Rui was coming to snatch her away?
As the school bully, a rebellious and cocky teen, did they think he had no temper?
Zhang Xiaochu fumed, stepping forward to grab her back, but Bai Tang glanced at him, and his fire instantly fizzled out.
Under Bai Tang's warning look, Zhang Xiaochu had no choice but to stay put, straining his ears to listen, but he couldn't catch a single word.
Si Rui watched the girl in front of him staring off in another direction, furrowing his brow slightly. He knew exactly who she was looking at.
"You blocked me earlier just for him, didn't you?" Si Rui said softly.
Even after losing the race, the boy didn't seem too upset—or maybe he was hiding it too well, not wanting to reveal his thoughts.
Bai Tang pulled her gaze away from Zhang Xiaochu and let it fall coolly on the boy before her.
Handsome, delicate features, a gentle, jade-like demeanor—a graceful young man, the undisputed school heartthrob of Nancheng High School.
He carried a steady, composed air, but also a subtle, elusive disguise that was hard to read.
Someone like him was too complicated!
Compared to someone like Si Rui, Bai Tang preferred Zhang Xiaochu.
Sure, Zhang Xiaochu had a volatile, explosive temper, but with him, you didn't have to waste energy guessing what he was thinking.
Because his face told you everything!
But the boy in front of her was too good at hiding his emotions.
She didn't like guessing games.
Bai Tang smiled and said, "He's my friend."
Hearing her answer, Si Rui pressed his lips together slightly. It was the response he'd expected, yet it still left a trace of... reluctance in his heart.
Even so, he showed no hint of displeasure on his face.
"Back then, you were deliberately hiding your true strength, weren't you?" Si Rui said quietly.