Yaxi's body was remarkably flexible; even in such a cramped space, she could bend her leg high and press forward.
She leaned in so close that Lu Ziyang's eyes burned with heat—her lower body was inches from his face.
Then, abruptly, Yaxi grabbed his shoulder and yanked him toward her.
His eyes widened as the seam of her pants filled his vision, and Lu Ziyang's nose pressed into the soft, plump mound beneath the fabric.
His first instinct was raw desire.
After a workout or a soccer game, he usually stank of sweat.
But this girl's lower body, even through her pants, seemed to give off a sweet fragrance.
Yaxi's roughness snapped Lu Ziyang out of two weeks of pent-up longing.
His heart trembled as he seized the moment, inhaling her scent deeply and dragging his tongue across the fabric, spinning a web of fantasies for later that night.
Yaxi took it further, gripping his hair and shoving his head into her crotch, grinding against his nose and mouth through the pants. In a slow, deliberate tone, she laid out her plan:
"Go back and keep eating meals with Xu Xiaoyi. Next weekend is Christmas Eve—take her to that mall where we were in the fitting room last time. Get some chocolates and a ring, and dress up as Santa Claus. It won't snow that day, so rent a snow machine. Then, in the middle of the square, confess your love to her in front of all the passersby, handing her the candy and the ring."
Lu Ziyang's head twitched slightly in her grasp, shaking faintly in refusal.
"I'm busy today, so I can't keep you company. Tomorrow at noon, finalize everything with Xu Xiaoyi. Once that's done, come to the infirmary. I'll fulfill your request."
By the end, Yaxi's voice softened like a gentle stream.
Lu Ziyang froze.
Yaxi released him, straightened up, and turned to leave without another word.
Stunned, Lu Ziyang watched her walk away, unable to believe she could abandon him so callously after leading him on.
He had been certain her directness signaled something far bolder—either here or in the equipment room.
"Hey, Ziyang, you just ran under three minutes. Why do you look so frustrated?"
A group of boys loitered near the entrance to the equipment room, soccer ball in hand.
"The homeroom teacher's absent today. Rare opportunity—wanna play a match?"
Lu Ziyang had barely slipped into his school jacket when he spotted them, swaggering forward with disdain: a bunch of immature brats.
Then it dawned on him: This was a rare chance!
He grabbed one boy by the collar and hoisted him up. "Tell me—where did Yaxi go?"
Towering over everyone, Lu Ziyang's muscular arms rivaled the thickness of the nearby tree trunk.
"Hey, hey… Ziyang, calm down. She went that way," the boy stammered, pointing.
"Got it." Releasing him, Lu Ziyang sprinted off in that direction, his jacket billowing behind him. Girls on the bleachers whispered among themselves, asking, "Who's that?" while blushing furiously.
Left behind, the boys exchanged glances, pitying the universally disliked Yaxi.
"Did Yaxi upset Lu Ziyang?"
"No clue. Looks like he's planning to teach her a lesson."
"Let's stay out of Lu Ziyang's business. Even if we're not scared of him, we should fear his dad. Besides, who cares about Yaxi? If he wants to deal with her, fine by us."
With unanimous agreement, they shrugged off Yaxi's plight and headed to the field to play soccer.