Limited First Love Chapter 3
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 3 Simp!
Several hours later, as Guo Wei sprawled in bed silently savoring the wonderful experiences of the day, he belatedly realized that he had let several golden opportunities slip through his fingers.
When Ruan Yiyun sent the address of that restaurant, he should have been a bit more proactive in extending an invitation. Perhaps the other person would have been willing to accompany him, right?
He hurriedly picked up his phone, but hesitated after opening the chat box. It was already too late, disturbing someone's rest wouldn't be good. It might be better to send a message tomorrow. Regardless of the outcome, it would provide an opportunity for another conversation, which was great.
Guo Wei mentally praised himself for his cleverness.
"Unbelievable, you're really something," Wang Tong remarked with a wry smile. "How can there be someone as clueless as you? A beauty took the initiative, and you rejected it outright. He clearly hoped you'd ask him out!"
Guo Wei was shocked. After a moment, he tried to raise an objection, "...Isn't your inference a bit too optimistic?"
"Holy sh*t, I never thought I'd hear you say something like that to me one day!"
Guo Wei, with a serious expression, crossed his arms and analyzed, "I do have some self-awareness. It's already quite rare that he's willing to give me a chance. There's no reason for him to be so proactive. Being positive is important, but blind self-confidence isn't good. It easily turns into narcissism."
Wang Tong shook his head repeatedly. "Fine, everything you said is right."
While Guo Wei wasn't entirely convinced by Wang Tong's theory, it secretly tickled him. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Guo Wei touched his nose and asked, "So... if I ask him today, the probability of him agreeing is still quite high, right?"
"Hard to say," Wang Tong, wearing a somewhat irritable expression, replied, "The success rate was definitely high yesterday, but now it's not necessarily the case after you made such a fuss."
Guo Wei remained skeptical.
"Unlike you, I'm not a mutai solo. I do have a significant other," Wang Tong said, "I'm at least a hundred times more knowledgeable in this aspect than you."
Guo Wei knew Wang Tong's significant other, a Beta girl with a charming dimple when she smiled. They were middle school classmates who confessed their feelings after the high school entrance exam, successfully maintaining their relationship through three years of attending different high schools. Despite their inspiring journey to the same university, they unexpectedly ended up in different campuses due to assigned majors, now separated by the entire city, farther than they were in high school.
Yet, their relationship remained blissfully sweet to this day. It seemed Wang Tong definitely knew how to navigate the ups and downs of love.
Guo Wei humbly sought advice, "So, what should I do now?"
After some thought, Wang Tong suggested, "Why don't you go to that restaurant today, buy the food he likes, and deliver it directly to his dormitory gate."
Guo Wei was surprised. "Isn't that too direct? But..."
"Are you too lazy to make the effort?" Wang Tong was angry at his lack of fighting spirit. "For someone as attractive as him, there are competitors hiding in every corner of the school. Can you afford not to simp a little?"
"No," Guo Wei shook his head, "He wanted noodles, but they clump together if you bring them back. It's not tasty anymore."
"That's not the point at all!" Wang Tong sighed in exasperation. He was about to say more, but he paused, his eyes widening as he pointed forward, "Look, who's that?"
They were walking alongside the road, with greenery on one side and the playground on the other. Wang Tong was pointing to a corner of the playground a bit away from them.
Guo Wei turned his head and, upon seeing the person Wang Tong pointed to, his pupils immediately dilated.
After two years of never encountering each other at school, they crossed paths unexpectedly two days in a row. What kind of fate was this?
A surge of surprise coursed through Guo Wei. Without a second thought, he called out across the distance, "Ruan Yiyun!"
Wang Tong was startled by his sudden outburst. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Guo Wei sprinting in the direction of Ruan Yiyun without looking back.
Ruan Yiyun was standing beneath a parasol tree at the corner of the small playground, head tilted upward. Upon hearing the shout, he immediately turned around.
When their eyes met, he was stunned at first, but then he quickly flashed a gentle smile similar to yesterday's.
"What a coincidence," he said to the breathless Guo Wei standing before him. "We seem to have a connection."
Guo Wei couldn't help but feel nervous. He subconsciously straightened his posture, his mind in disarray, uncertain of what to say. He just grinned foolishly at Ruan Yiyun.
"No morning classes?" Ruan Yiyun asked, taking the initiative.
"Hmm," Guo Wei nodded, then asked, "What about you?"
"PE." Ruan Yiyun looked back at the parasol tree. "The ball got stuck in the tree."
Guo Wei tilted his head up, carefully inspecting. After a while, he spotted a small grayish-white shuttlecock nestled among the green leaves.
"My classmate went to get a ladder, it's been quite a while," Ruan Yiyun sighed, "I'm afraid it's irretrievable."
Excitement surged inside Guo Wei.
This was a perfect opportunity to showcase his skills. How could he let it slip away? He quickly asked, "What about your racket?"
Ruan Yiyun pointed to the ground beside him. "Over there. We tried just now, but it's out of reach."
Guo Wei, skeptical, picked up the racket and stretched on tiptoes to demonstrate. It fell significantly short.
"It flew too high," Ruan Yiyun said, "People of normal height probably can't reach it."
Guo Wei slung the racket over his shoulder, circled around under the tree, tilting his head back and forth until he found what he considered the right angle.
He raised his badminton racket with confidence and threw it upwards with force.
A "snap" echoed as the branches shook vigorously. The badminton racket soon fell to the ground, and the shuttlecock, previously wedged in the leaves, swayed forward slightly. Just as it seemed about to fall, it abruptly stopped.
Guo Wei, brimming with confidence, picked up the racket. "One more time, I'm sure it'll work!"
After finishing his sentence, he tossed the racket once again under Ruan Yiyun's gaze.
The racket swiftly flew into the gap between the leaves, causing the branches to shake. The white shuttlecock moved forward a bit more and smoothly descended.
The ball bounced on the ground twice, rolled half a circle, but no one paid it any attention.
Guo Wei and Ruan Yiyun still stood, heads raised in unison, gazing at the badminton racket lodged among the branches.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.
After all, the shuttlecock was disposable. Once it was gone, it was gone. But the racket was a different story.
"What are you guys doing?" Wang Tong, who had been observing from a distance the entire time, couldn't resist walking over, questioning the situation.
Ruan Yiyun nodded to Wang Tong as a greeting, and bent down to pick up the shuttlecock. "Thanks, it really came down."
Guo Wei swallowed hard.
Nervously, he scraped his foot on the cement floor twice, his gaze drifting to the other racket still lying on the ground.
"Trust me," he picked up the racket, "I guarantee success this time!"
Ruan Yiyun hesitated for a moment, then smiled at him. "Give it a try."
Guo Wei walked to the base of the tree, took a deep breath, and with all his might, as if throwing a javelin, forcefully tossed the racket upwards.
"Plop," the racket crisply inserted itself between the branches.
The air crackled with silence.
Ruan Yiyun lowered his head, glancing at the shuttlecock in his hand.
Guo Wei's face flushed crimson. He briskly walked to the tree trunk and gestured to Wang Tong, "Come help me!"
Wang Tong, expressionless, walked to his side, joining him in hugging the tree trunk and attempting to shake it.
Unfortunately, it had no effect.
"It's okay, let's forget about it," Ruan Yiyun suggested, "My classmate went to borrow a ladder. Don't torment this tree any further."
This was a significant loss of face. Guo Wei stopped, but he remained undeterred, contemplating what else he could throw to salvage his image in the eyes of the beauty.
Soon, he had a brilliant idea.
"Why are you taking off your clothes?" Wang Tong asked in surprise.
Guo Wei held his jacket and, like a herdsman on the grasslands with a lasso, vigorously swung it around twice. "I'll give it another try."
"No, no, no," Ruan Yiyun hurriedly intervened, "This would be problematic if it gets caught up too."
Guo Wei looked at him with a pitiful expression. "Give me another chance!"
Seeing his woeful and anxious expression, Ruan Yiyun seemed like he wanted to laugh. However, with a sense of resignation, he hesitated and took a step back, making a gesture as if to say, "Do as you please."
Wang Tong held his forehead in silence.
Guo Wei pumped himself up in his mind, shouted loudly, and took a bold step forward. He vigorously swung the jacket towards the tree branch holding the rackets.
After the "swoosh" sound, the jacket hung on the tree, swaying along with the branch and rackets.
Wang Tong burst into laughter, slapping his thighs.
Guo Wei ran over, kicked him, and loudly declared, "Clearly, it worked!"
After saying that, he positioned himself directly under the jacket, raised his hand, jumped twice, and successfully grabbed the lowermost hem.
The jacket hung conveniently, slightly higher than the location of the racket. Most of it drooped, making it just within his reach.
Gently swaying the hem back and forth, the branches followed suit, and soon, the two rackets successively fell to the ground.
"Look, look at this!" Guo Wei triumphantly shouted, then forcefully pulled the jacket back.
Upon looking down, he felt a cold chill in his heart.
The collar had a big tear.
Seeing Ruan Yiyun picking up the rackets and approaching him, he quickly bunched up the clothes and hid them behind his back.
"Thank you, you really saved me." Ruan Yiyun glanced behind him. "Is the jacket okay?"
"No problem, just a bit dirty." Guo Wei grinned foolishly at him. "I'll wash it when I get back!"
Ruan Yiyun didn't inquire further. He continued looking at his face, his expression thoughtful.
Just as Guo Wei had escaped the embarrassment a moment ago, being stared at like this made him nervous again.
"Uh, you can go back to class. I'll just..." he said, sidestepping as if intending to leave the scene.
"Wait." Ruan Yiyun took a half-step forward. "You helped me so much. I should express my gratitude somehow."
"What's this? It was just a small favor, no need to be so polite." Guo Wei hastily waved his hand, accidentally dropping the jacket on the ground. He quickly bent down to pick it up. "Don't worry about it."
As he spoke, he raised his head, but inattentively stepped on the sleeve, causing another awkward pause.
At this moment, Ruan Yiyun said, "Let me treat you to a meal."
Guo Wei's eyes widened.
"How about the restaurant I told you about yesterday?" Ruan Yiyun asked with a smile.
Guo Wei was dumbfounded. "Um, not... not great, I guess!"
Perplexed, Ruan Yiyun asked, "Why? Too far?"
"It's not like it was a big favor, and that place is quite expensive!" Guo Wei, holding his dirty and torn jacket, stood up, waving his hand vigorously, "How can I accept it? You don't need to be polite with me!"
Ruan Yiyun shifted his gaze away, pursing his lips.
Soon after, he looked back at Guo Wei and said, "Then, after the meal, how about treating me to a movie to make it up to me?"