Chapter 136: The Angry Little White

"So you cried your eyes swollen over a popsicle?"

Li Baixiu stared at Jiang Zao's red, puffy eyes, looking completely incredulous. At these words, Jiang Zao felt like crying all over again. Her entire body was heavily swollen; after shedding just a few tears last night, her eyes had puffed up like walnuts. She hadn't wanted to go out today, but after Zhou Lichuan returned, he insisted on taking her out to clear her head. Being in the late stages of pregnancy made her feel hideous, and had it not been for Zhou Lichuan’s insistence, she wouldn't have stepped out for anything.

Li Baixiu placed a peeled pomelo into Jiang Zao's hand. "Sister, you look beautiful no matter what, really. Just a moment ago, a classmate even asked me about you."

Zhou Lichuan listened from the side, amused. "Oh? And what did they ask?"

Jiang Zao silently ate her pomelo, remaining quiet.

Li Baixiu thought for a moment. "Well... they asked when I suddenly got an older sister, and some even suspected you were my... uh... anyway, I shut them down. Don't worry, Sister, they wouldn't dare say anything."

After meeting up with Li Baixiu at the university, the three of them went straight to a café-bookstore nearby. Enjoying the spring sunshine and desserts, Jiang Zao was finally free from her strict diet and indulged in a full serving of ice cream. The sweetness in her mouth made the pomelo taste sour and astringent afterward.

"It doesn't taste good," Jiang Zao frowned, seeking help from Zhou Lichuan.

Zhou Lichuan picked up a napkin and held it out naturally in front of her, catching the pomelo residue she spat out.

Li Baixiu put down the remaining pomelo segments and said, "The season for pomelo is over; it’s not really the best time for it. Sister, is there anything else you’d like to eat? Managing the hotel these past few days has given me access to quite a few fruit and produce supply channels."

Jiang Zao shook her head. "I just like citrus fruits."

Li Baixiu suddenly laughed. "It seems Zhou Jiayan hates citrus fruits the most. He’s like a cat—he runs away the moment he sees an orange."

Zhou Lichuan raised an eyebrow. "You two are that close now?"

Li Baixiu was quite frank. "Brother Du told me. Someone sent me a set of citrus-scented women's perfume, and I tried to be clever by regifting it, but I hit the wrong note."

Jiang Zao scratched her head. "Oh, Zhou Jiayan gave it to Meng Qiaoyuan. I know about that."

Zhou Lichuan took a sip of his coffee, his expression indifferent, and said nothing. The café was bustling with people coming and going. The three of them sat in the conspicuous main hall, surrounded by people whispering and gossiping. From the moment they sat down, several groups had been secretly filming or eavesdropping. He believed that by midday, the news online would achieve the effect they desired. They had come today specifically to be seen, and the conversation among the three was nothing more than casual small talk over snacks.

When the topic turned to the story of Zhou Lichuan making milk tea for Jiang Zao, Jiang Zao laughed for a long time.

Only Li Baixiu was confused. "Doesn't my sister have lactose intolerance? Is it really okay for her to drink milk tea?"

Zhou Lichuan cleared his throat awkwardly, rubbed his nose, and looked down at his coffee with a guilty conscience. After finishing the last of it, he quickly raised his hand to summon a waiter for a refill.

"Sister, does brother-in-law not know you're lactose intolerant?"

"He knows," Jiang Zao said. "Sister Hui found out he made me milk tea the next day and scolded him so fiercely that he finally realized."

Li Baixiu sounded helpless, tinged with a hint of anger. "But the cook must have known, right? Didn't the cook remind him?"

Jiang Zao spread her hands. "I didn't let her say anything."

Since he couldn't be angry with Jiang Zao, Li Baixiu directed his frustration at the man sipping coffee beside her. "Brother-in-law, how is your basketball game?"

Zhou Lichuan had been working in the morning and hadn't changed before going out. He was dressed in a sophisticated grey suit, dark leather shoes, and a long trench coat, looking every bit the image of an ascetic "suit-clad thug." This appearance didn't seem to have anything to do with basketball.

Zhou Lichuan set down his coffee cup and met Li Baixiu's gaze. "Not bad. I can play a round with you."

The atmosphere became charged with tension. Instead of dissuading them, Jiang Zao kept fanning the flames. "Play a game, play a game! I remember there’s a court nearby. Find a spot and compete; I’ve never seen Zhou Lichuan play!"

Li Baixiu continued the provocation. "An indoor court is boring. How about the school’s outdoor basketball court? Do you dare?"

Zhou Lichuan smoothed his lapels. "Let's go and soak up the youthful atmosphere."

After paying the bill, the luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom drove straight to the entrance of the basketball court. University students, free from classes on the weekend, were busy pouring out their youthful sweat. Seeing the high-profile luxury car pass by, they stopped in their tracks. Li Baixiu stepped out of the car, and then he and Zhou Lichuan stood on either side to help Jiang Zao out.

Passersby pulled out their phones, whispering and pointing.

As they walked toward the court, Li Baixiu muttered under his breath, "If I hadn't known beforehand why you two were coming, you couldn't have paid me to get into that car."

Jiang Zao chuckled. "There are nearly a thousand students here—how flashy! Give these jaded college students a little stimulation from the 'stench of money.' Plus, they’ll have something to gossip about after their meals. You’re graduating in less than two months; leaving behind a legend at the school can be seen as a good deed for your juniors."

Zhou Lichuan kept his arm around Jiang Zao’s waist, signaling with his eyes to the bodyguards trailing behind them from another vehicle.

University basketball courts all seemed to look the same. Tall green iron fences enclosed a large open space, with rows of hoops delineating small basketball territories. The crowded outdoor court was filled with young people; one only needed to use a little force for their basketball to fly into someone else's game.

Jiang Zao was settled onto a bench beside the court, with a bodyguard standing in front and behind her to ensure her safety. Zhou Lichuan took off his long trench coat and draped it over Jiang Zao’s lap for warmth, then stepped onto the court in his suit vest and plaid tie.

Li Baixiu found a basketball from somewhere, and the two stood under the hoop to set the rules. Jiang Zao didn't understand basketball, so she only gathered that they had agreed on forty minutes, and whoever scored the most would win.

Li Baixiu was still in his casual sportswear, with clean white sneakers, neat short hair, and a handsome face—a truly youthful and vibrant sight. If no one said anything, who would guess that Li Baixiu, who looked so detached and unworldly, could be so ruthless and vicious that even Zhou Lichuan had to be wary of him?

The two stood face-to-face, similar in height and matching in aura. Zhou Lichuan leaned into his age advantage, appearing more robust, while Li Baixiu was slender and agile, not losing a step.

As the makeshift referee blew the whistle, the two men on the court flashed away in an instant, both eager to claim the first point of the day. Soon, Li Baixiu snatched the ball from Zhou Lichuan, jumped incredibly high, and dunked it directly into the hoop to take the lead.

Zhou Lichuan retrieved the ball Li Baixiu tossed back, dribbling it on the ground while asking incessantly, "You’re this angry because I ignored Jiang Zao?"