Precipitous Drop to First Place

After finishing their meal, the two walked down the road.

At this moment, Fang Jun remarked, "Seems like that Qi Tao really isn’t a good guy."

Lin Mo nodded.

"Probably another fishpond player like Gao Yuanqiang."

"Speaking of Gao Yuanqiang, he dumped Geng Xiao," Fang Jun said as casually as if he were discussing what to eat for dinner.

"Saw that coming," Lin Mo replied, even more indifferent.

However, Fang Jun glanced at Lin Mo. "I thought you’d react, considering Qi Tao was trying to flirt with Jiang Yunlu today—though she wasn’t having any of it."

After all, Jiang Yunlu was undeniably beautiful, with a grace most of their peers lacked.

If not for Lin Mo’s intimidating reputation in Class 8, plenty of guys would’ve already tried pursuing her.

A girl that pretty? At least half the boys in class had a crush on her.

But people ought to know their limits.

Even Chu Miaomiao was the same. Everyone knew Lin Mo had ties to her too, so the guys didn’t dare approach her or openly gossip about her.

Who knew if they’d end up beaten up by Lin Mo for it?

The two returned to school.

—System: I still think the host is too timid. If it were me, I’d just slaughter his whole family!—

During evening self-study, Jiang Yunlu left for badminton training.

Lin Jiajun couldn’t help but sigh. "If Jiang Yunlu places in the tournament, she’ll get a direct recommendation for college. But her grades are already solid—do you think she’ll still take the final exams?"

The question was clearly directed at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo nodded.

"She will. The finals are a challenge she wants to face."

Jiang Yunlu had the spirit of an athlete.

And athleticism was all about pushing limits and chasing victory.

Whether in badminton or academics, those were the heights Jiang Yunlu aimed for.

Most importantly, in her past life, she had taken the final exams.

During self-study, everyone was doing homework.

Lin Mo suddenly stood up, drawing the attention of the entire class.

"I’m going for a walk."

With that, he headed for the door.

Ma Ruixiang, sitting at the teacher’s desk, didn’t say a word.

Lin Mo didn’t even need permission to leave.

Top student privileges.

Lin Jiajun kept writing, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He had a good guess where Lin Mo was going.

Acting all indifferent, but deep down, he still cared.

Lin Mo’s "walk" eventually led him to the badminton gym.

He wasn’t here to play, of course—just to stir up trouble.

Climbing to the second floor, he saw plenty of people training.

His spiritual sense had long locked onto Qi Tao.

From the stairwell, Lin Mo spotted Qi Tao "teaching" a girl.

His "teaching" seemed to require close proximity, though the girl didn’t seem to mind.

Meanwhile, a few guys on the opposite court frowned in disapproval.

"Qi Tao’s really crossing the line."

"What do you know? It’s mutual consent. Look at those girls—they’re practically begging for his attention. See Ruan Ting? She’s practically glued to him. Pretty sure she has a boyfriend too, some guy from Class 9, right?"

They all glanced at a boy from Class 9.

The boy chuckled. "Yeah, her racket was a gift from her boyfriend."

"Oooh~"

The group exchanged knowing looks.

Gossip was universal, regardless of gender.

Qi Tao finished his "demonstration" and let go of Ruan Ting’s hand, stepping back with exaggerated politeness.

"Try it yourself now." Then he walked off, grabbing his water bottle near the coach.

"Coach Wang, this batch of students has some real talent."

Wang Yiping grinned. "Absolutely. Especially Jiang Yunlu—she’s in a league of her own right now. If we pair her with Xu Congjun for mixed doubles, we’ve got a real shot at winning."

At the mention of that, Wang Yiping sighed.

"What a shame."

Qi Tao looked at him curiously.

"What’s the shame?"

"There’s an incredible talent who refuses to join the team. With him, we might’ve swept every event."

Qi Tao was skeptical.

"A talent? Better than me?"

He was the provincial singles champion, with a winning record even in training camps.

Wang Yiping sighed again. "A generational talent. Far better than you. But his grades are too good."

All Qi Tao heard was "far better than you."

"Coach Wang, that’s a stretch. How good could he really be?"

His tone had an edge—youthful pride flaring up. Wang Yiping noticed but didn’t soften his words. Instead, he pointed at Xu Congjun practicing nearby.

"You’ve played Xu Congjun. Your win rate against him is about 60-40, right? But this kid? He’d wipe the floor with Xu Congjun. That’s the level we’re talking about."

Qi Tao’s breath hitched.

This guy was that monstrous?

"If he joined the team, he could probably—"

"Make the national team without breaking a sweat."

Wang Yiping had been a national player himself.

But he shook his head.

"Doesn’t matter. He’s not interested."

Just then, Wang Yiping’s gaze sharpened. He spotted Lin Mo at the stairwell and hurried over.

Qi Tao followed, curious about the sudden movement.

Lin Mo’s spiritual sense wandered freely, but his eyes stayed fixed on Jiang Yunlu’s training.

Qi Tao noticed his gaze as he trailed behind Wang Yiping.

Jiang Yunlu’s proportions were flawless—her long legs, accentuated by her sport shorts, were toned and powerful.

Her right arm, honed by years of gripping a racket, had defined yet elegant muscle, radiating healthy vitality.

Clearly, she trained her left arm too.

Most badminton players ended up with a weak left arm and a bulky right. To balance it, Jiang Yunlu practiced with both hands.

Right now, she held the racket in her right hand, knees slightly bent, eyes locked onto the shuttlecock arcing toward her.

Her opponent, a male student, wound up for a smash—the shuttlecock streaked toward her backhand, sharp and low.

Jiang Yunlu didn’t panic. She glided back half a step, body unfurling as she twisted her wrist inward and snapped the racket forward.

The shuttlecock shot back faster, skimming the net.

The boy lunged, scrambling to lift it—

But the shuttlecock clipped the net and dropped softly.

A loud round of applause erupted from the side.

Jiang Yunlu looked up and saw Qi Tao smiling at her.

A wave of irritation rose in her chest.