A Story Disguised as an Accident

After lunch, the students would enter the longest break of their day.

During this time, everyone had their own ways to unwind.

Some, dissatisfied with the cafeteria food, would head to the school store to buy snacks for a little extra treat.

Others would return to the classroom, flopping onto their desks to catch up on sleep lost to late-night phone scrolling.

A few, overcome by their nicotine cravings, would sneak into the bathroom for a covert smoke.

They were even more cautious than students secretly dating, terrified of being caught and reprimanded by the stern dean—

Dragged out and reprimanded!

But most students strolled, wandered, or played sports on the field, soaking in the most beautiful springtime of the year.

By the stone path near the field, two boys stood on either side of a ping-pong table, swinging their paddles with wild abandon, sweat dripping. Another boy stood watching, silently grinning—flashing a row of big teeth—whenever one of them made an especially clumsy or ridiculous shot.

At some point, a cool, aloof-looking boy with his hands in his pockets appeared beside the spectator, joining him in watching the match.

But the boy’s eyes were dull, clearly preoccupied with something far more important.

The chubby kid on the left side of the table noticed him first. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, he extended his paddle toward the newcomer and called out:

"Hey, boss, wanna join?"

Xia Yueshan shook his head absentmindedly.

"Nah, you guys keep playing."

With that, he turned and walked away at a sluggish pace.

The chubby boy exchanged a glance with his darker-skinned friend across the table. Sensing something off, the two quickly packed up their paddles and ball, then motioned for the tall spectator to follow. The trio hurried after Xia Yueshan’s retreating figure.

Xia Yueshan settled under the dappled shade of the trees, choosing a sunny, clean spot. He watched the students milling about on the field, the worry between his brows unchanged.

The trio—Blackie, Chubby, and Tallie—caught up and plopped down beside him like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Chubby spoke first, concern in his voice:

"Boss, what’s up?"

"You good?"

Xia Yueshan sighed, his expression miserable. After a pause, he suddenly turned to them and asked:

"Hypothetically… if a girl wants to win over a guy who likes her a little but prefers someone else, what should she do?"

The three exchanged baffled looks. It took them a while to untangle the meaning behind his words.

After some thought, Blackie was the first to speak:

"Just go for it."

"Girls chasing guys is easy, right?"

"Don’t they say ‘men chase women over mountains, women chase men through a sheet’?"

Xia Yueshan closed his eyes and shook his head, exhaling heavily.

"It’s not that simple."

"The guy really likes the other girl."

"And I—" He caught himself. "She… the girl in question has thin skin. Too shy to chase him outright."

Blackie scrunched up his sun-darkened face and shrugged helplessly.

"Then I got nothing."

"If she’s not his first choice and won’t put in the effort, who can help her?"

"No no no no no!" Chubby wagged his finger, shaking his head so hard his cheeks wobbled.

"There is a way."

Xia Yueshan’s eyes lit up. He turned to Chubby intently.

"What way?"

"Cook the raw rice."

Chubby narrowed his eyes, swaying his head like a wise old scholar as he delivered this "brilliant" strategy.

Xia Yueshan immediately bristled.

"Are you insane?"

"I’m talking about a girl chasing a guy!"

"Not the other way around!"

"How the hell does she ‘cook the rice’?"

"That’s just handing him a free meal!"

"No no no no no!" Chubby shook his head again, his chubby face jiggling.

"This works both ways."

"My sister used it to snag my brother-in-law."

He leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially.

"My brother-in-law was this amazing guy—hardworking, handsome. My sister liked him, but he only saw her as a good friend."

"Then he got transferred to another city. Once he left, he might never come back."

"So my sister panicked."

"Before he left, she invited him out for drinks—said it was a farewell gathering."

Xia Yueshan couldn’t resist cutting in:

"So she got him drunk and… cooked the rice?"

Chubby rolled his eyes at Xia Yueshan’s naivety.

"Of course not."

"They just had a few drinks that night."

He paused dramatically, huddling closer before continuing in a hushed tone:

"But in the last drink… my sister slipped him something."

Xia Yueshan’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Chubby went on:

"After that last drink, my sister asked him to take her home."

"They called a ride. By the time they reached her place, the drug kicked in."

"My sister acted all concerned, saying his face was red, and invited him up for water."

"At that point, he couldn’t refuse. He just followed her inside."

"Once they were home, she played coy… and boom. Rice cooked."

He leaned back, smug.

"Here’s the thing—my sister’s usually this quiet, gentle girl. Never raises her voice."

"My brother-in-law had no idea she’d set him up. He really thought he’d just had too much to drink."

"And since it was her first time too, he felt guilty. Started treating her right, committed to her."

"Now they’re married with kids. Super happy."

Chubby glanced at their stunned faces and added:

"Of course, my brother-in-law’s a good guy—responsible, polite, kind."

"This trick only works on someone like him."

"Try it on the wrong guy, and you’re screwed."