388. The Battle of Dignity!
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The tutoring session was over.
Lin Nan had only used magic for less than half an hour this time. Although she still felt a bit dizzy, it was a far cry from the unbearable headaches of previous sessions.
Pan Maoxin trailed behind Lin Nan, looking thoroughly defeated, with a lollipop tucked away in his pocket.
He just couldn’t comprehend why Lin Nan thought a lollipop was an appropriate reward for studying hard.
It made him feel like a child!
Yet, glancing at Lin Nan, he thought his own appearance was a tad more mature.
“When you go to the community clinic to get bandaged, it’s best to buy some gauze and ointment too; you’ll need them later,” Lin Nan advised, sliding her foot into her sandals.
“I won’t need them, no way,” Pan Maoxin shook his head, his face pale.
This time, Lin Nan had gone easier on him compared to last time. Sure, he was still a bit puffy, but hey, a five-day break for Labor Day should do him good.
Just as long as he didn’t annoy the teacher again…
That last punch had left his face swollen for days, and he hadn’t dared to chew anything. When he went back to school, his friends had laughed at him for a whole month.
Let’s hope to keep this one under wraps.
He didn’t even know which word of his had triggered such a fierce reaction from the teacher. As he pondered the question, he concluded that the punch was all about the “tough love” approach.
“But honestly, I think you should try something like a part-time job or maybe spend some time in the countryside,” Lin Nan said, finally getting her sandals snug. She turned to face the lanky boy behind her. “If you don’t figure things out for yourself, there’s no way your studies will improve.”
It seemed she had never experienced a rebellious phase at all. Though she’d felt fed up with studying at times, every part-time job just reinforced her belief: she had to get into a good university and find a job that allowed her to sit in an office with air conditioning while making money.
“Part-time jobs, huh…” Pan Maoxin hesitated. “Not really interested, I don’t need the money.”
Lin Nan was speechless. Growing up with pockets always empty, she couldn’t understand why people were so different.
If her life was a high-difficulty level, becoming a girl had turned it into a hardcore mode.
Meanwhile, if Pan Maoxin’s life went without hiccups, it was basically an easy mode, right?
She thought it best not to dwell on such a jealousy-inducing topic, so she pulled a small mirror and some lipstick out of her bag to touch up her lips.
After munching on snacks at Pan Maoxin’s place, her lipstick had pretty much vanished.
“Going to meet your boyfriend?” Pan Maoxin leaned in curiously.
“Yup.”
“That big oaf?”
Lin Nan shot him a sideways glance, and Pan Maoxin quickly retreated a couple of steps, adding, “He looks a bit daft, but he’s handsome—pretty much as good-looking as me!”
His inflated ego always made him look down on others, so saying such a thing was more out of fear of getting punched back.
But Lin Nan couldn’t help but feel Chen Yao had been insulted.
What did Pan Maoxin even have to compare to Chen Yao?
“I remember you play basketball?”
“Yeah!”
“Then why not face off against my boyfriend later?”
As the elevator doors opened on the first floor, Lin Nan stepped out, saying, “If you win, you can have tomorrow free.”
Pan Maoxin’s eyes lit up: “Then I definitely won’t lose.”
“But if you lose, today’s expenses come out of your pocket.”
“Chump change!”
If only she had brought Lilith along for some extra backup; they could’ve made a killing!
Lin Nan’s smile grew brighter. She had no idea where this skinny little freshman was getting his confidence to challenge a grown man to a game of hoops.
Height?
Even if Pan Maoxin had been playing basketball since the seventh grade, that was only four years. Meanwhile, Chen Yao had at least seven years of experience and was swimming in talent on his university team.
Even if Chen Yao were ten centimeters shorter, he could probably use skill alone to pin Pan Maoxin to the ground!
As they exited the neighborhood, Lin Nan was still scanning for signs of Chen Yao when he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “I just looked online; there’s a restaurant with great reviews, but it’s over 200 per person—a bit pricey.”
Seeing him, Lin Nan instinctively leaned in, grinning, “No worries! There are pricier places. Today’s treat is on my student!”
Chen Yao playfully wrapped an arm around Lin Nan’s shoulders and lifted his gaze to Pan Maoxin, who now sported an even more noticeable bruise, instantly brightening his mood.
“Why is it only me treating? We haven’t even played yet.”
Pan Maoxin stuffed his hands into his pockets, nonchalantly bouncing his leg. Standing at over 180 cm, he towered over Chen Yao, yet was tilting his head with a smug grin: “I heard from Lin Jie that you’re really good at basketball. I don’t really see it.”
“Call me Teacher! Stand straight!” Lin Nan raised a foot as if to kick him, sending Pan Maoxin scuttling back, hurriedly extracting his hands from his pockets and standing at attention.
Chen Yao finally noticed that Lin Nan somehow appeared to Pan Maoxin as a really strict teacher.
In contrast, Lin Nan often resembled the friendly girl next door.
The massive difference in vibes left him a bit bewildered.
Looking down, he asked Lin Nan, “What’s this about treating? Basketball?”
“We’re betting! If he beats you, he doesn’t have to go to class tomorrow. If he loses, he pays for everything today.”
“You can’t lose, right?” Lin Nan furrowed her brows.
“That’s not the issue. I just don’t want to make him cry. What if you crush his spirit?” Chen Yao grinned at Pan Maoxin. “Why not play LOL instead? With that swollen face, you might struggle playing basketball.”
He had snagged second place in the department’s basketball tournament, and though he wouldn’t get to play in the inter-college competitions, his skills were still respectable.
As for gaming, Pan Maoxin, who thought he was at diamond rank in LOL, would have a hard time keeping up with Chen Yao.
“Just basketball!” Pan Maoxin declared confidently, “Wait here, I’ll be back from the clinic!”
With that, he turned and marched off towards the community clinic.
Chen Yao couldn’t help but laugh, then looked down at his quirky girlfriend. Though she often appeared a bit daft on regular days, when it came to money matters, she was incredibly sharp.
“What if I lose?”
“Then you lose! You can still sit back at home and get money—how fantastic is that?!” Lin Nan stifled a laugh, “I’ll tell his parents that Pan Maoxin wasn’t home this afternoon. I spent four hours traveling back and forth just to wait an extra hour at their door… Surely they’ll pay me for my trouble, right?”
No matter the outcome, Lin Nan would come out ahead; it was just a matter of big win or small win.
Chen Yao nodded, realizing that Lin Nan never failed to profit when it came to money.
“It feels like playing him at basketball is a bit like bullying a kid,” Chen Yao said earnestly. “It really feels like we’re just teaming up to make a quick buck.”
“Can betting be considered cheating?” Lin Nan retorted defiantly. “This is a battle of men’s dignity!”
