Chapter 063: Motives and the Wager

The autumn air was growing heavier, and the gentle breeze of late season brought a faint chill. Yet, at the gates of No.1 High School, the fervent atmosphere easily drowned out any coolness. After countless admirers had failed, the goddess was once again pursued, and this time, moved to tears by the gesture.

Regardless of the outcome, many seniors at No.1 High, privy to the inside story, admired Wang Keming’s courage and grand gesture. After all, not everyone could drive a sports car worth over two million yuan. Not everyone could move the goddess to tears.

Yang Zhilin had always conducted herself with great modesty at school, but her radiance was impossible to conceal. That her father was a deputy mayor was no longer a secret to many; thus, few saw her as a Cinderella, but rather as a true princess.

Some believed that, if successful today, this would be the real-life union of prince and princess. Of course, others felt that the one riding a white horse was not necessarily a prince—he might even be the venerable Monk Tang. That was Lin Yu’s view.

Yang Zhilin’s silent sobs grew more intense, and both Lin Yu and Qi Yue felt a tightness in their chests. They both wished, with the same conviction, that the girl would not accept Wang Keming.

But romance is the lifeblood of students; they delighted in the prospect of something beautiful unfolding. With the instigation of a few, the calls of “Say yes!” grew ever louder.

Most who were swept up in the moment hoped that after longing and yearning, after the wild geese flew south in autumn, Wang Keming—leaning alone by the window—would finally win the beauty who stood where the lights shone brightest.

At this moment, the onlookers not only understood what it meant for a woman to be unforgettable for a lifetime, but also suffered the torment of waiting. Yang Zhilin’s silence gnawed at them, their hearts itching with impatience.

Yet Yang Zhilin kept on crying, so sorrowfully and so utterly, so unlike the serene, detached fairy she always appeared to be.

She wept, and Wang Keming’s heart was stirred as well; he seemed to see hope, to imagine the happiness of holding her in his arms. At first, he’d thought his chances of success were no more than twenty percent—no, just ten, maybe even less. Not from lack of confidence, but because the school beauty was simply too extraordinary.

“Could it be that heaven truly helps those who strive?” For a moment, his anxious heart brimmed with countless thoughts.

Finally, under everyone’s gaze, Yang Zhilin gently soothed her trembling chest and turned to face Wang Keming. Her eyes were filled with complexity, and the sorrow within them was plain to see.

Wang Keming could swear by the heavens that the moment Yang Zhilin looked back at him was the fastest his heart had ever raced.

Many facts prove that miracles do exist in this world.

But that very moment, as Yang Zhilin tore the envelope to shreds, then took Qi Yue and Lin Yu by the hand and hurried into the campus, Wang Keming’s heart shattered.

It isn’t just glass that’s fragile—so too is the heart.

He was rejected. Yes. As expected. Yet, there was still a trace of unwillingness in his heart. Yang Zhilin’s reaction had sparked a flame of hope within him.

In the end, Wang Keming was considered honorable in defeat. Many who had witnessed the scene believed he’d come closer to the summit than anyone else. Though it was regrettable, he could leave No.1 High with pride.

Yang Zhilin no longer seemed a legend; thus, some who saw hope grew restless. After all, winning the heart of the school beauty was akin to being admitted to the nation’s top universities—it would be remembered and envied for a lifetime.

Hand in hand, the three of them entered the campus. Only then did Yang Zhilin release Qi Yue and Lin Yu’s hands.

“Zhilin, if you really liked Wang Keming, why didn’t you just say yes?” Qi Yue asked, puzzled.

At that moment, Lin Yu’s gaze was fixed on the school’s sports ground.

During the lunch break, all four basketball courts were packed, yet the sprawling soccer field was completely empty. This, in a year when the national men’s football team had just qualified for the World Cup.

In that instant, Lin Yu understood why, ten years on—or even many years later—Chinese men’s football would continue to struggle. The sport simply lacked a popular foundation.

As he shook his head, lamenting for Chinese football, Yang Zhilin, now somewhat recovered, finally spoke, “Biyao… Biyao’s fate was too tragic…”

“Pfft!” Qi Yue, who had been worried about her friend, nearly swooned in exasperation.

“Is that why you were crying?” she asked, speechless.

“Yes! When I saw those camphor leaves picked from the trees, I remembered what Biyao said: ‘When I pick this flower, it is the flower’s blessing. If I smell its fragrance, it is the fortune earned by three lifetimes of cultivation.’ I just couldn’t hold back my tears!” Yang Zhilin replied, her eyes red and lips pouting.

After sobbing a few more times, she continued, “Then, when I saw the green leaves, I thought of that water-green dress, those delicate brows and clear eyes, that flawless skin fairer than snow…”

Hearing this, Lin Yu, too, was left speechless, silently marveling at how inexplicably sentimental women could be.

“Oh, don’t dwell on it. It’s just a story—let it go after you’ve heard it; don’t take it to heart.” Seeing her friend’s eyes swollen from crying, Qi Yue pulled her into an embrace and planted a sweet kiss on her delicate cheek.

Yang Zhilin, looking fragile and pitiful, lightly pecked Qi Yue’s face in return.

The scene was so tender that Lin Yu, envious, blurted out, “I want one, too!”

But the sharp looks from the two beauties nearly froze him where he stood, shattering his fleeting hope.

As they strolled toward the corner of the campus where the purple bamboo grove grew, noticing Lin Yu’s dejected air, Qi Yue suddenly smiled, “Lin Yu, if you can do one thing, both Zhilin and I will give you a kiss. A real romantic French kiss!”

“Oh? What is it? As long as it’s not murder or arson, I’ll do it!” Lin Yu joked, instantly energized by Qi Yue’s words.

“It’s simple—just beat Zhilin’s exam scores!” Qi Yue replied triumphantly.

“Oh, come on! Dream on! Even if you two teamed up to seduce me, I couldn’t surpass the number one student in our liberal arts class!” Lin Yu retorted, realizing he’d been set up.

Qi Yue responded with a playful punch and a kick.

All three understood that Lin Yu surpassing Yang Zhilin in grades was a zero-probability event.

Having experienced the events of the noon, Lin Yu felt that Yang Zhilin was, after all, a normal girl with feelings—not the coldly rational figure he’d once imagined.

In the end, he didn’t reveal the story’s conclusion: that the Four-Spirit Blood Array’s success would cause the collapse of Mount Fox Spirit, leaving only a corner of Biyao’s green robe behind as her body vanished.