Time flew by like a fleeting horse, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed. By the end of February and the beginning of March, the weather in N City had already begun to warm up slightly. The tender touch of spring gently swept across this modern metropolis. Standing in the morning garden, Chen Xin took in the scene of life awakening all around him, feeling a wave of delight in his heart.
Yawning, Xiao Wan walked over to hug him, rubbing her head against his chest.
Chen Xin lowered his head to kiss the top of her hair and said, "Shouldn't you head to school and check in?"
"I just went last week," Xiao Wan replied with a shake of her head. "Top scorers in small tests are entitled to skip class, you know."
Chen Xin chuckled helplessly. He knew he couldn't outtalk her. After all, her foundation and performance were already above her classmates, and she was even subtly surpassing her teacher. "Alright, then. I'm heading to work. Want to come with me?"
"Sure, sure," Xiao Wan said, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Wait for me; I'll change my clothes!"
The warmer weather meant Xiao Wan could finally dress however she pleased. She picked a pure white OL-style blouse with a bow, paired it with a soft pink pencil skirt, slipped on nude heels, and grabbed her Himalayan handbag. She walked downstairs, linking her arm with Chen Xin's. "Let's go."
Chen Xin couldn't help but say, "Dress warmer. What if you catch a cold?"
"It's fine; I'm pretty healthy. Don't you like me dressed like this?" she teased.
"I do, but I'd prefer if you didn't get sick." He took off his coat, draped it over her shoulders, and held her close as they headed toward the garage.
As the car left the villa, Xiao Wan snuggled into Chen Xin's coat, inhaling deeply. "I don't know why, but your scent seems to get better and better."
Chen Xin chuckled lightly. "Does it? Maybe it means we're a perfect match. I've read before that if two people have highly different immune genes, they'll find each other's scent more appealing. And their kids would end up having stronger immunity."
"Really?" Xiao Wan arched her brow, leaning closer. "Does that mean you find my scent appealing too?"
Chen Xin gazed at her warmly. "Mm, you smell lovely."
As she playfully tugged at his earlobe, she pouted, "Then why—"
"Why don't I let you sleep with me?" Chen Xin smirked. "Sometimes, the longer you wait, the sweeter the reward. Don't you agree?"
Xiao Wan squinted, a glint in her eyes. "I see through your game now."
"Oh? What game?"
"You're playing hard to get with me!" Xiao Wan gave him a playful slap. "Chen Xiaogui, you're actually using this old trick on me? Don't you know I've already mastered it?"
Chen Xin feigned innocence. "I'm not playing any tricks. I just think we should wait until our feelings deepen further."
"Humph, keep making excuses." Xiao Wan pinched his cheek. "Fine, let's see who runs out of patience first, you or me."
Chen Xin felt slightly uneasy. If Xiao Wan really decided to turn this into a battle, he wasn't sure he could outlast her. However, his male pride and desire to conquer wouldn't let him back down. He leaned over, kissed her hand softly, and smiled without responding further.
"Hmph!" Xiao Wan suddenly leaned in and left a lipstick-marked bite on his neck. As Chen Xin yelped in pain, she said dominantly, "Don't you dare wipe it off!"
And so, Chen Xin arrived at work with a noticeable mark on his neck. Harold burst out laughing when he saw him. "Hahaha! What did you do to piss Xiao Wan off this time?"
Chen Xin, too embarrassed to share personal details, changed the topic. "Anything important at the office?"
"Not much. Oh, but the manager of the basketball team you invested in dropped by earlier. He left a few tickets on your desk," Harold said, rubbing his hands together. "Hey, can I have two? My son's a big basketball fan."
"Of course," Chen Xin replied with a smile.
When he entered his office, Xiao Wan was playing with the fish in his tank. The tickets were tucked into a folder, only partially visible. Chen Xin pulled them out and counted six—premium courtside seats for tonight's game. He handed two to Harold.
"Awesome! Thanks, man!" Harold said cheerfully.
After Harold left, Chen Xin turned to Xiao Wan. "Want to go watch an NBA game with me tonight? The team I invested in sent over some tickets."
"Which team?" Xiao Wan asked without looking up.
"N City's very own, the Drones," Chen Xin replied with a grin.
Xiao Wan froze momentarily before flatly saying, "Not interested."
"Are you sure? Everyone's saying they have a strong shot at the championship this year. Tonight's game is against a solid opponent, and their star player, Hayden, is particularly im—"
"I said no!" Xiao Wan interrupted irritably. "A bunch of grown men fighting over a ball—what's so great about that? So childish. Go if you want, but I'm not interested."
"Alright, I won't force you. I'll go on my own," Chen Xin said, resigned.
"Good," Xiao Wan huffed, splashing at the water in frustration.
Later, as work wrapped up, Harold brought his son to the office. Excitedly, he said, "Let's head out!"
"Give me a second to see if Ye Chen's joining us here or coming straight from his office," Chen Xin said.
Out of nowhere, Xiao Wan raised her head. "Chen Xiaogui! You gave a ticket to Ye Chen?"
"Well, there were extra tickets, and he's my best friend. Plus, he loves basketball. Since you weren't coming—"
"Since I'm not going, he gets to badmouth me to you all he wants?" Xiao Wan said, hands on her hips. "Hmph! No way I'm letting him get his way. I'm coming too!"
Chen Xin smiled, pleased. "Thank you for coming with me."
Half an hour later, they arrived outside the arena. Ye Chen stepped out of his car, his arm around a new date, only to spot Xiao Wan climbing out of Chen Xin's car. She was wearing oversized sunglasses that covered half her face.
"I thought you said she wasn't coming?" Ye Chen asked grumpily.
Before Chen Xin could reply, Xiao Wan shot back, "I changed my mind. No way I'm giving you a chance to talk trash about me to Xiaogui!"
"Talk trash? I only ever speak the truth! And by the way, you still owe me for biting me last time!" Ye Chen retorted.
As the two bickered, Harold tried to diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, Ye Chen's date suddenly gasped, staring at Xiao Wan in awe. "Oh my gosh! Are you… 'KittyOnlyDatesRichKids' from Instagram?!"
Xiao Wan glanced at her and said, "Yes, it's me. What about it?"
"I admire you so much!" The girl exclaimed as she rushed toward Xiao Wan, almost as if trying to cling to her legs. "Kitty goddess! How do you manage to make so many rich heirs fall for you so completely? Teach me some of your secrets, please!"
Xiao Wan looked her up and down and said, "First of all, you have to be beautiful. Men are all about looks. You're not bad, though."
"Really? Thank you, Kitty! Besides being beautiful, is there any other secret?"
Xiao Wan pointed at Ye Chen, who was walking ahead of them, and said, "Stay away from men like him."
"Why? President Gu is very nice to me!" the girl asked curiously, clearly still new and naive in this social circle.
Xiao Wan raised her pinky finger and said, "Because he's… small. Don't you think you're losing out being with him?"
"What? Really? I haven't seen it yet… How small are we talking?"
The moment the girl asked, Ye Chen, who was walking ahead, instantly exploded. He turned around furiously and charged toward Xiao Wan. "Lin! Xiao! Wan! If I don't teach you a lesson today, I'll write my name backward!"
Chen Xin quickly stepped in to stop him. "Alright, alright. Let's get inside. The game is about to start! Didn't you say you were excited to see Hayden play?"
Ye Chen grumbled and pointed at the girl. "You, come here! I've been buying you stuff left and right, and you go off fawning over Lin Xiao Wan?"
The girl quickly ran to his side but couldn't help staring suspiciously at Ye Chen's lower half. Being stared at like this made Ye Chen jumpy. He shouted in frustration, "What are you looking at? There's nothing small about me! Don't listen to her nonsense!"
"Hahaha!" Xiao Wan laughed so hard she clutched her stomach. Meanwhile, Harold, standing nearby, shivered a little and thought to himself, Good thing Xiao Wan and I are on good terms now. Otherwise, the one being utterly humiliated by her right now might have been me.
After entering and taking their seats, Xiao Wan lowered her head and started playing a mobile game. Chen Xin asked, "Aren't you going to take off your sunglasses?"
"Nope. The lights here are too bright, and I don't want them to damage my delicate skin," Xiao Wan said, shaking her head.
Chen Xin chuckled softly and kissed her cheek. "Alright, as you wish."
A few minutes later, as the audience gradually filled their seats, the lights in the arena dimmed slightly, leaving only a few spotlights shining on the players' entrance. It was time for the athletes to make their entrance.
Accompanied by stirring music, the home team players were introduced one by one, with the star players saved for last. With each player's entrance, the audience's cheers grew louder and louder.
Finally, the most dazzling star of the Drone team, one of the team's key players, small forward Hayden Sean, entered amidst deafening cheers. Hayden was a 23-year-old white player—a rarity in the NBA, which was dominated by Black athletes. Standing 1.98 meters tall, with auburn, shoulder-length hair and a charismatic smile, he had defied expectations with his physicality and skill. Last year, in his rookie season, he had stunned fans and helped lead the previously overlooked Drone team to the playoffs. Although they didn't win the championship, this year, they were considered strong contenders.
Walking confidently onto the court, Hayden exchanged fist bumps with his teammates before turning to the stands and making his signature heart gesture toward fans wearing his jersey. The audience erupted with cheers, and Hayden responded with a sunny smile, tying his hair into a playful ponytail before starting his warm-up.
In the stands, Harold and his son cheered excitedly for Hayden, shouting, "MVP! Hayden, MVP!" Their faces were flushed with enthusiasm.
Even Ye Chen was thrilled. He patted Chen Xin on the shoulder and said, "Dude, you've got a great eye. Did you know the team's stock price has gone up nearly 15% since you invested?"
Chen Xin smiled and said, "I told you to buy their stock back then. Regret it now?"
Ye Chen shrugged. "I didn't believe a white guy could play this well at the time. Hey, can you get me a few signed jerseys from him? I want to save them to show my future son. Haha!"
"No problem. I'll message their manager and have some sent over after the game," Chen Xin said.
Hearing this, Harold and his son immediately raised their hands and shouted, "We want some too!"
Chen Xin ruffled Harold's son's hair and said, "Alright."
When the game officially began, the atmosphere became even more electrifying. Hayden lived up to his reputation as a top scorer, executing precise and decisive plays while also creating scoring opportunities for his teammates. Within the first three minutes of the game, he had already scored ten points and made several impressive assists.
"He's not a lone wolf on the court; he's got real leadership qualities. Mark my words—this guy is going to be one of the brightest stars in the NBA!" Harold exclaimed in excitement.
Chen Xin nodded in agreement but was more concerned about Xiao Wan. Ever since the game started, she hadn't glanced at the court once, completely absorbed in her phone game.
Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, "Are you bored? If you don't want to stay, I can give you my card, and you can go shopping nearby. The game will last a while."
"It's fine," Xiao Wan replied, yawning. "I'm just a little sleepy. I'll nap for a bit."
With that, she took off her sunglasses, lay down on Chen Xin's lap, and covered her face with his suit jacket. Chen Xin gently stroked her hair and adjusted his hand to support her head more comfortably.
By the end of the first half, thanks to Hayden's stellar performance, the Drone team was leading 67-45. The fans were ecstatic, convinced of their impending victory. During the halftime break, while most players returned to the locker room for instructions, Hayden stayed on the court to chat with a few teammates.
At that moment, the most dramatic and humorous interactive entertainment of NBA games, the "Kiss Cam," began. As the name suggests, this segment involves kissing. Typically, the organizers randomly focus the camera on two fans in the audience, projecting their faces onto the stadium's central big screen. Once on camera, fans are expected to kiss the person next to them, even if they don't know them.
As the Kiss Cam segment began, bursts of laughter echoed through the crowd. Many initially hesitated upon seeing themselves on screen but usually ended up laughing and giving in. After filming a few pairs of fans, the camera suddenly turned to Chen Xin and Xiao Wan in their seats.
At this moment, Xiao Wan was still lying on Chen Xin's lap, asleep. Their posture looked incredibly intimate on the big screen, causing the crowd to whistle and cheer. Some even shouted, "Hey buddy, she's kissing the wrong spot! Go for the lips!"
Feeling helpless, Chen Xin gently patted Xiao Wan's back. "Xiao Wan, wake up. We're on camera. This pose looks… odd."
Still groggy, Xiao Wan swatted him away irritably, signaling she wasn't getting up. The crowd's cheers grew even louder.
With no other choice, Chen Xin, blushing, firmly grasped her shoulders and gently sat her upright. His suit jacket slipped off her head as she groggily protested, "What are you doing?"
Pointing at the big screen, Chen Xin explained, "We're on Kiss Cam."
Nearby, Harold and his son chanted enthusiastically, "Kiss! Kiss!"
The moment Xiao Wan noticed her face on the screen, her eyes widened in shock. "Damn it," she cursed under her breath, standing abruptly in an attempt to evade the camera, but it was already too late.
Not far away, Haydn Shawn, who had been seated on the bench, was initially stunned as he stared at Xiao Wan's face on the screen. Then, as if snapped out of a trance, he stood up and strode toward her.
The teammates Haydn had been chatting with noticed his sudden departure and looked up at the screen. Seeing Xiao Wan's face displayed there, they froze in shock.
"Holy crap! Isn't that Kitty?" they exclaimed, immediately recognizing her.
Knowing Haydn's reaction to Kitty, the group tried to intercept him, but it was too late. Haydn had already reached Xiao Wan, grabbing her arm with excitement.
"Xiao Wan! Why are you here? Did you come to watch me play? Does this mean you've finally forgiven me?" he blurted out, ignoring the astonished stares of everyone around them, including Chen Xin.
Surrounded by cameras and reporters, and with the Kiss Cam still focused on them, Xiao Wan wanted to avoid making a scene. She lowered her voice and said, "Let go of me first. If you have anything to say, wait until the game is over."
But Haydn refused to release her. Ever since their breakup, he hadn't seen her for over six months, and those months had been pure agony. Basketball was the only thing keeping him going; without it, he might have given up entirely.
"I won't let go," Haydn said, his voice trembling. "I haven't seen you in so long. If I let you go now, I might never find you again." His voice broke, and his eyes reddened as tears threatened to fall.
Gritting her teeth in frustration, Xiao Wan hissed, "Haydn! If you dare cry in front of all these reporters, just try it! Do you want to ruin your career?"
Haydn obediently held back his tears, forcing a smile. "You still care about me, Xiao Wan. I can tell! Otherwise, you wouldn't worry about my career, right?"
Before Xiao Wan could respond, Chen Xin stood up, pulling her into his arms. He addressed Haydn politely but firmly, "Mr. Shawn, I admire your talent on the court. However, with so many eyes watching, I don't want you to put my girlfriend under unnecessary media scrutiny. Please return to your training; she's here to watch the game with me."
Haydn froze for a moment, then panicked. Pointing at Chen Xin, he asked Xiao Wan, "You have a new boyfriend? How could you? You know I still—"
"I don't know anything," Xiao Wan cut him off coldly. "I only know what you did to betray me. If you want me to air your dirty laundry in front of the media, keep talking. If not, go back and focus on your game!"
Still unwilling to give up, Haydn reached for her hand again, but his teammates quickly intervened, pulling him away and escorting him back to the locker room.
Before being dragged away, Haydn glared at Chen Xin, pointing to his eyes and then at him as if to say, "I'm watching you. You won't get away with this."
The fans, unaware of the backstory, saw