You are all bad women! Don't come over!

In the school basketball gym, the boys were sweating profusely on the court, their expensive sneakers squeaking against the floor from time to time.

This wasn't any formal match, yet the stands were filled with quite a few spectators, predominantly girls. Athletic boys with good figures always appealed to girls, especially when one of them was Zhao Yuji, the school heartthrob of First Middle School.

Zhao Yuji was undeniably handsome, with fair skin and a sharply defined face. His basketball skills were also impressive, serving as the core of the team; whether it was fast breaks or defensive plays, he executed them well.

Each of his shots prompted cheers from the stands.

Actually, he might not have been the most handsome boy in First Middle School. After all, beauty is subjective, unless someone possesses an unmatched dominance like Catherine. But Zhao Yuji was more than just handsome; he excelled in sports, was at the top of his class academically, and his family was foremost among the nobility in Gaotang State.

With so many factors, there was no other boy in First Middle School who could compete with him.

Moreover, with the title of "school heartthrob," Zhao Yuji's fame and prestige only grew, further distancing him from other boys.

"What's the matter, Gao Le? Not feeling it today?"

During the halftime break, Zhao Yuji, wiping sweat with a towel, smiled and patted the dispirited Gao Le on the shoulder.

He knew the reason; as a key member of their circle, he could quickly catch wind of any news in the school. But he just wanted to see the disappointed look on the other's face—observing others' misfortune was quite interesting.

"Hey, did you get rejected by Gu Yange?" teased a teammate nearby.

"Sorry, Brother Zhao, I..." Gao Le's face turned embarrassed, and he apologized in a low voice.

Zhao Yuji graciously waved his hand, "It's okay, Yange is just my cousin, and I've always seen her as a little sister."

Zhao Yuji, of course, knew that Gao Le liked Gu Yange, but he also knew it was a hopeless infatuation on Gao Le's part because Gu Yange was extremely particular about appearances; to her, a man's worth was his face.

Although Gao Le was quite good-looking, he could only be considered above average and was far from meeting Gu Yange's standards.

Gu Yange had eyes only for Zhao Yuji ever since they were children.

However, Zhao Yuji didn't harbor much affection for Gu Yange; although pretty, she wasn't uniquely so in his eyes. Moreover, although her family wasn't as well-off as his, pursuing her would come with too great a cost since she was his cousin.

"We all see how much effort you've put in. Next time I see her, I'll speak well of you," Zhao Yuji comforted Gao Le again, patting his shoulder, "Don't be too upset. Yange once said she didn't want to date anyone; it's likely not because she dislikes you."

"She probably just doesn't want to date others. If it were Brother Zhao, maybe she'd accept straight away!" someone laughed from the side.

Not everyone had a good relationship with Gao Le, and to them, being rejected was not a big deal but rather fodder for jokes.

Gao Le's expression darkened. He was all too aware of Gu Yange's feelings for Zhao Yuji, and he knew very well that he was blindly devoted to her.

But some things were better left unsaid; even if they were true, it spoils the fun to voice them.

Hearing what he wanted to hear, Zhao Yuji inwardly smiled, yet he gently scolded, "Alright, quit the nonsense, Gao Le is upset."

Gao Le looked at Zhao Yuji gratefully. Truly fitting the part of the school heartthrob—handsome, academically successful, and kind-hearted. When he first noticed Gao Le's crush on Gu Yange, he specifically instructed Gao Le not to feel pressured and even encouraged him to pursue her boldly.

"I'm okay, thanks, Brother Zhao," Gao Le said.

"Don't be too discouraged. The saying goes, 'A persistent suitor wears down the reluctant maiden.' Hearts are fleshly; if you genuinely like her, she'll eventually feel it, and I'll put in a good word for you with Yange," Zhao Yuji paused, then said, "Of course, I'd understand if you want to move on, just let it go then. If she loses you, it's her loss, and she will regret it one day."

With his cousin speaking like this, how could Gao Le give up? Besides, after pursuing her for two years, how could he willingly let all his efforts go to waste?

Gao Le shook his head vigorously, hastily pledging his loyalty, "No no, I really like her, how could I give up over this little thing! I believe I'll touch her heart one day!"

Zhao Yuji smiled slightly, his gaze approving, "Hmm, he's a real man!"

Gao Le nodded solemnly. He felt that Zhao Yuji was entrusting his cousin to him. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, he was determined to fulfill the agreement between two men.

Zhao Yuji opened his water bottle and took a small sip, his eyelids drooping, a cold smile on his lips. People are truly foolish, always thinking that by abandoning their own dignity and groveling, they could gain someone else's genuine feelings.

If emotions could be begged for, why would there be so much unrequited love in the world?

The emotional touch that bootlickers seek is nothing more than temporary pity from the other party.

But this was fine too. Zhao Yuji would continue to encourage him, support him, and then watch him struggle more and more, suffer, and despair. The laughable loser he would become was sure to be very interesting.

Zhao Yuji and Gao Le had no grudges, but Zhao just liked to look down from his height and enjoy the ugly states of others.

If there was anyone to blame, it could only be Gao Le for not understanding himself. Life was inherently unequal, and only he was the universally adored Zhao Yuji.

"Princess didn't come today."

Someone, looking at the women's basketball team training not far away, lamented subconsciously.

"Princess doesn't come every day," another person said.

Catherine was not just a study nerd; she also excelled in sports among the girls, especially in physically demanding sports like martial arts and basketball.

Though not an official member of the school's women's basketball team, Catherine often played with them, usually as a small forward. She had even helped the First Middle School girls' team win the Gaotang State High School Students' League championship as an external player for the women's basketball team.

"Speaking of which, with the Princess being so strong, I really wonder what kind of man would be worthy of her," one remarked.

"Why do you care so much? It's not like it affects you, and isn't Boss Zhao right here?"

"Hahaha, indeed, probably only the great high school hunk Zhao can match up to the Princess!"

"A prince and a princess, sounds quite fitting!"

Zhao Yuji grinned nonchalantly and waved his hand dismissively, "Stop joking about me; what status does Princess have? Besides, I'm not interested in dating right now."

Talking about romance openly would only cause his popularity to drop, something Zhao Yuji never showed publicly. He thoroughly enjoyed how the girls currently adored him like stars around the moon.

Of course, he wasn't truly uninterested in Catherine; few men could assert that so boldly. Those who complimented him likely harbored some improper thoughts about Catherine as well.

Zhao Yuji also desired Catherine, the more powerful a woman, the more he wanted to conquer her. But for now, he didn't feel confident enough, and he had to wait for the right moment, or he'd end up like any ordinary confessor, breaking down in front of her.

Catherine had made it clear she wasn't interested in dating anyone, and Zhao Yuji wasn't in a hurry since he was the one closest to her.

If there was only one male student in the whole school who could be worthy of Catherine, it would be him.

At that moment, Gao Le, who had been silent for a while, bit his lower lip, clenched his fist, and suddenly spoke, "Brother Zhao... is Gu Yange well-acquainted with Shen Mochen?"

Zhao Yuji paused while drinking water, "Who is Shen Mochen?"

Another boy from Class A spoke up, "Oh, the guy who transferred to our class before. He has hair covering his face, pretty weird. His family doesn't have much background, seems he could only transfer here because of a proponent. This afternoon, Gu Yange called him out of our class and even asked if he had a girlfriend."

"Just because of a proponent?" Zhao Yuji frowned slightly, then suddenly felt he misspoke and smiled, "I don't know this Shen Mochen. Yange might have something else in mind for looking for him. I'll ask her for you, don't worry, it definitely won't be what you're worried about!"

"Yeah!" Gao Le nodded vigorously.

He also felt he might be overthinking. Others didn't understand Gu Yange, but as a forever bootlicker, how could he not understand her? She was the ultimate face-lover who liked handsome guys like Zhao Yuji; how could she fall for someone like the dark and unknown Shen Mochen!