No. 1 in Women's Singles Badminton at Guangzhou Primary and Secondary Schools

Personality is still quite important.

An introverted person might have one or two close friends,

but such individuals often struggle to make new friends and quickly integrate into a group in unfamiliar environments.

Over time, people stop inviting them to join in.

Of course, if it were Lin Mo, it would depend on whether he was willing to blend into the group.

Chu Miaomiao herself didn’t really think it was her fault.

That mindset was good—she chatted daily with her old friends on QQ,

maintaining strong relationships.

Even if people had gossiped about her body in the past, so what?

At the end of the day, it all boiled down to one thing:

envy.

"Lin Mo is just too impressive," Fang Jun muttered, sipping water as he watched Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao walking side by side, his thumb practically twitching with admiration.

The sight of Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao together wasn’t just noticed by Fang Jun.

Other boys and girls saw it too.

The boys were filled with envy and gritted teeth,

while the girls seethed with jealousy.

At the moment, Lin Mo was the undisputed top male presence in Class 8 of Grade 10.

If Lin Mo wanted to get to know any one of them,

almost no girl would refuse.

Under the shade of a tree, Jiang Yunlu and Wang Qin watched Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao from a distance.

Jiang Yunlu’s mood dimmed again.

She had even paid the "friendship fee" today.

Wang Qin took one look at her new friend’s expression and immediately knew the girl had strong feelings for Lin Mo.

"Aren’t you going over?" she nudged Jiang Yunlu’s shoulder.

"Go over for what? They’re a perfect match—talented guy, beautiful girl."

Wang Qin smirked. "Tsk tsk, listen to you. Anyone would think you’re being generous."

"What generosity? I’m nobody. Why would I act generous?" Jiang Yunlu muttered under her breath.

Wang Qin fanned her nose. "Hmm, the sourness is pretty strong."

With that, she grabbed Jiang Yunlu’s hand and pulled her toward Lin Mo.

Jiang Yunlu pretended to resist but followed along without much protest.

"Hey! Lin Mo, let’s go play badminton!" Wang Qin called out, then glanced at Chu Miaomiao.

"You come too."

Chu Miaomiao immediately shrank back.

"No, I don’t like playing badminton."

But Wang Qin dragged her along anyway,

leaving Jiang Yunlu and Lin Mo standing awkwardly together.

For a moment, Jiang Yunlu didn’t know what to say.

Lin Mo, however, broke the silence. "Actually, you guys could help her."

"Huh?" Jiang Yunlu looked up at him.

"Earlier in the bathroom, some girls in our class were badmouthing her, and she just hid inside, too afraid to speak up. Someone that introverted must really need friends."

Jiang Yunlu followed Lin Mo’s gaze to Chu Miaomiao, who was being pulled along by Wang Qin, her head bowed in shyness.

"So you were just giving her advice?"

"Sort of. Even if she’s mentally tough, saying a bulletproof vest is bulletproof doesn’t mean you should keep shooting it."

Hearing this, Jiang Yunlu was surprised by how perceptive Lin Mo was.

With two sets of rackets in hand,

the four of them started a doubles match.

"You and Jiang Yunlu on one team, me and Chu Miaomiao on the other," Wang Qin declared, pulling Chu Miaomiao to her side.

Lin Mo didn’t mind. He knew how to play badminton—he’d played in elementary and middle school, taught by his father.

But after his father passed away, he’d stopped.

Now, knowing his father would reincarnate, the pain didn’t feel as heavy.

Wang Qin was clearly inexperienced, struggling even with serving.

She barely managed to hit the shuttlecock over.

Lin Mo casually returned it with a high lob—an easy shot to receive.

Chu Miaomiao, however, had some experience. She tilted her head back, tracked the shuttlecock, then leaped up and smashed it toward Lin Mo’s side.

But that jump—

instantly drew the attention of everyone nearby.

The rhythmic bounce of her chest captivated onlookers.

Yet Lin Mo simply turned his head toward Jiang Yunlu and casually returned the shot.

Wang Qin, still unskilled, couldn’t even return a high lob.

"They’re not very good. The three of you should play instead."

Seeing Lin Mo deliberately avoid staring, Jiang Yunlu’s mood brightened.

But after a moment’s thought, she walked over to Chu Miaomiao and Wang Qin.

"How about Miaomiao sits this one out? No need to give these boys a free show. And Wang Qin isn’t great either. Why don’t you two watch me and Lin Mo play?"

Wang Qin nodded eagerly, pulling Chu Miaomiao aside. She leaned in and whispered, "Can you tell me what you eat? I want to be that big too."

Chu Miaomiao’s face flushed red.

"I... I don’t know. I just drink milk every morning. My mom says meat is nutritious—chicken, beef, fish, all good."

Lin Mo glanced over but quickly averted his gaze when Jiang Yunlu challenged him.

"Stop looking! I challenge you to a duel!" Jiang Yunlu brandished the school’s standard-issue metal racket and a worn-out shuttlecock, ready to take him on.

Lin Mo accepted casually.

The next second, Jiang Yunlu executed a perfect net-side backhand serve—

a low, close shot that was hard to smash.

Lin Mo stepped forward, lightly flicking the shuttlecock back to her net area.

Jiang Yunlu had prepared to retreat, but Lin Mo’s skillful return caught her off guard.

Flustered, she lunged forward and sent the shuttlecock soaring high.

"Oh no!"

To anyone who knew the game, a high lob was just an invitation for a smash.

A full-power smash could send the shuttlecock flying at over 300 km/h—

about as fast as a high-speed train.

Of course, a train’s mass meant a collision would be deadly, but a shuttlecock was light.

Even if it hit someone, it wouldn’t hurt much.

Lin Mo aimed for the ground.

By the time the shuttlecock landed, Jiang Yunlu had barely pulled her foot back.

Seeing Lin Mo’s effortless ease, Jiang Yunlu’s competitive spirit flared.

"Congratulations, you’ve got my attention. Standing before you is Jiang Yunlu, the 2011 Guangzhou Primary and Secondary Schools Women’s Singles Badminton Champion."

Lin Mo scoffed.

"And standing before you is Lin Mo, an ordinary men’s singles player who can crush champions."

"Hmph!"

Jiang Yunlu served again.

This time, the angle was even sharper, but Lin Mo returned it with ease.

He deliberately sent another high lob her way.

Seizing the chance, Jiang Yunlu leaped up for a powerful smash.

Her fair skin gleamed under the sunlight as she swung down.

The shuttlecock shot toward the ground at blistering speed—

only for Lin Mo’s racket to intercept it at the last moment,

sending it soaring back up.

Jiang Yunlu glared at the rising shuttlecock, frustration burning.

If one smash didn’t work,

she’d try a second!

Second smash—

Whoosh!