Shen Ci chased after me and grabbed me, his handsome face filled with panic. "I'm sorry, Nian Nian, I forgot, I..."

"It's okay," I interrupted him. "It doesn't matter, just forget about it."

Panic appeared on Shen Ci's face, his tone softened. "Nian Nian, I really made a mistake this time... in the basketball game... I... I promised to win first place with them."

"Is that so?"

"Really, please forgive me this time..." He hugged me. "I'll take you to see your idol during the summer vacation, no matter what."

"One dance score isn't that important."

"For families like ours, what difference does it make without that award? You can have whatever you want, it's within your grasp, right?"

I looked at him silently, suddenly feeling that the familiar features of his face were somewhat blurry.

This was the first time he lied to me.

I didn't expose him, I just nodded lightly.

"Understood," I withdrew my hand. "I'm going to have hot pot with my friends, so I won't accompany you tonight."

Shen Ci looked at me tentatively. "Then should I come pick you up?"

"We'll see when the time comes."

He touched his nose and fell silent.

As we walked away, Lao Si was still grumbling while pulling on Lao Er's arm. "Damn it, why did you stop me? Why didn't you let me ask that bastard whether he's really playing for the glory of the club in this competition or for himself?"

"Stop talking," Lao Er glanced at me. "Nian Nian doesn't want us to talk about it. We should respect her."

This wasn't the first time I had seen Su Ran and Shen Ci interacting.

She was a year younger than us. On the day of the freshmen orientation, while other girls had long flowing hair and fluttering skirts, Su Ran had long hair and was wearing a number 24 jersey, standing out among the girls.

But she caught Shen Ci's attention at a glance.

He went up to her and asked, "Do you like Kobe?"

Su Ran gave a hearty laugh and replied, "Is there anyone in this world who doesn't like Kobe?"

That's how they got acquainted.

Later, Su Ran joined the basketball club as well, but unlike the others, she formed a women's basketball team. She said the women's team was no less inferior to the men's team.

Shen Ci excitedly told me about all this. "She's really different, like a real-life Akagi Haruko."

While talking about all this, Shen Ci didn't forget to peel the crab for me. He carefully picked out the meat from the crab claws, patiently separated the crab roe from the meat, and finally placed them in a small lid, drizzled with vinegar, and handed it to me.

This was a meticulous and patient task. From childhood to now, every crab I had eaten was peeled by Shen Ci like this.

Perhaps I shouldn't be so petty. Over the years, with so many people liking Shen Ci, he had always been wholeheartedly devoted to me. At this moment, I shouldn't waver because of the carefree Su Ran.

So I said, "That's great, it's not easy to meet like-minded friends of the opposite sex."

Su Ran was very popular and could get along with anyone on campus. She always dressed in a neutral style, with long hair flowing freely, sometimes giving off a beauty that couldn't be distinguished as male or female.

There was even a poll on the campus forum once, asking who was more suitable to be my girlfriend, me or Su Ran.

I won by a slight margin.

Shen Ci happily told me that it was thanks to his vote that I came out on top.

But that night, he stayed out until late drinking with Su Ran because she was in a bad mood.