Chapter Fifty-One A Hero Rescues a Beauty

The system suddenly chimed in, "I also think this dog is hard to please. Just look at how dumb it looks—hmph, it's not even half as good-looking as I am."

The girl fell silent.

Seeing the brilliant smile on her face, Mu Tingye suddenly felt that this was indeed the right gift.

But it wasn't long before he was seized by the urge to get rid of the dog.

The girl wanted to keep the dog by her side even while sleeping, spending less and less time with him. This was the complete opposite of what he had expected, but he was helpless—after all, the young lady was so fond of it.

****

Today, there was a basketball mixer for the freshmen. Naturally, the girl and Yu Qian, both the faces of the cheerleading squad, were participating.

The two of them had just come out of the campus convenience store.

With an ice cream in one hand and a small spoon in the other, they walked along, scooping bites into their mouths. Their eyes narrowed in delight, and their lips curled into wide smiles as they savored the treat.

The adorable sight of the two girls eating ice cream drew many glances, especially from the boys, who couldn’t help but steal looks at them.

The girl on the left, in overalls, had a sweet face and a lively, straightforward air. She was animatedly telling the girl on the right about something exciting. The girl on the right, exquisitely beautiful and dressed in a pale pink dress, listened with a gentle smile, her dimples deepening, radiating a soft and endearing charm.

"Jiujiu, let’s walk and eat—by the time we’re done, the halftime break will be almost over."

"Mm!"

The girl had just taken another bite of ice cream and let out a contented sigh. She had never allowed herself such a guilty pleasure before, always watching her weight, but today she finally indulged herself, and it felt wonderful.

It was a pity, though, that today’s game was for freshmen—she wouldn’t get to see Cheng Yanran. This was her first time wearing a cheerleader outfit, and she looked so pretty, but he wouldn’t get to see it...

The basketball court was filled with youthful energy. The boys were tall, clad in jerseys, their strong arms on display, hair damp with sweat, faces lit up with exuberant grins.

Finishing her ice cream, the girl prepared to throw away her trash. She turned to Yu Qian, who was nearly done, and said, "Give me your trash—I’ll toss it for you."

"Wow, thank you, Jiujiu!" Yu Qian quickly scraped her cup clean and handed it over, grinning goofily as a bonus.

Ignoring her silliness, the girl strode to the trash can, threw away the wrappers, and turned back. Halfway across the path, something unexpected happened...

A basketball suddenly flew toward her at high speed.

It was too fast for Yu Qian to react—she could only watch, eyes wide with alarm.

The girl calmly watched the ball rush toward her, just about to dodge when the system’s excited voice rang in her mind:

"Jiujiu, Cheng Yanran is running toward you!"

Him? What a coincidence—then I...

The girl feigned shock, standing frozen with her eyes tightly shut, quietly bracing for danger.

In that tense moment, a strong hand wrapped around her slender waist and swiftly pulled her aside, causing the ball to whiz by, missing them by a hair.

It was a close call.

Caught off guard, she was pulled into a warm embrace, a fresh mint scent filling her lungs.

It smelled wonderful.

The ball bounced a few times nearby and came to a stop.

Her hands clung tightly to the front of his shirt, her head buried in his chest, her body trembling lightly—a shiver after a narrow escape.

Cheng Yanran’s handsome face was clouded with anger, his brows furrowed as he looked down at the girl in his arms. The panic and worry in his heart slowly subsided. He dared not imagine—if he hadn’t happened to pass by, she would have been struck by the ball, and then...

Such a delicate girl, as frail as a willow in the wind—how could she withstand such a blow...

The surroundings fell silent.

Everyone stared at the scene before them, momentarily forgetting to react. The two figures pressed close together were so perfectly matched—the boy, tall and striking; the girl, petite and exquisite. Their beauty was breathtaking, as if a scene from a novel: the hero saving the damsel, destined to spend a lifetime together.

"Ah! That’s Cheng Yanran—the campus heartthrob!" someone suddenly shrieked.

"My god, he’s so handsome!"

"Why not me? I want to be rescued by him too..."

The chorus of screams made Cheng Yanran irritable, his brows knitting even tighter.

The girl in his arms seemed to come to her senses, suddenly looking up to find herself in the embrace of a boy—the tall, aloof, and dazzling boy straight out of a novel. Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, like clouds at dusk, and she hastily pulled away from his arms as if escaping.

Biting her moist lower lip, she whispered, "Thank you... thank you for saving me."

Her voice was gentle and sweet, with a delicate softness that slipped unbidden into his ears, making them tingle.

Cheng Yanran’s stern expression softened. Looking at her face, lovelier than a flower, he felt a tremor in his heart. His clear voice rang out softly, "You’re welcome."

Yes, it was the kind of voice that could make your ears fall in love.

Her clear, dewy eyes met his again, their gaze shining with a light that made Cheng Yanran’s heart race—he couldn’t look away.

The two of them gazed at each other, oblivious to the world, a shy and ambiguous current flowing between them, the air growing warmer by the second.

When Mu Tian arrived, this was the scene she walked into: a gentle, lingering tableau, like lovers reunited after a long separation.

The sight infuriated her. She had chased Cheng Yanran for over a year, even joining the student council just for him, running herself ragged every day, yet he had never given her the slightest response. Now he was smiling gently at her most disliked rival.

If her friend hadn’t told her, she wouldn’t have known at all. Trying to get ahead of her? No way.

Fuming, she strode forward, shoved the girl aside, and demanded angrily, "Wei Jiujiu, who do you think you are, trying to seduce Cheng Yanran!"

"Ah!" The girl staggered back from the push, nearly falling.

Cheng Yanran’s expression changed instantly, his eyes narrowing. He pushed Mu Tian aside and steadied the shaken girl.

His gaze brimmed with concern. "Are you all right?"

Her eyes grew moist, a sheen of tears gathering as she shook her head softly, replying in a gentle voice, "I’m fine."

Fragile and helpless, her demeanor was heart-wrenching.

Yu Qian hurried over to support her friend, glaring at Mu Tian. "Senior, aren’t you going too far? Senior Cheng just happened to save Jiujiu. Where do you get off slandering her like that?"

With tears welling up in her starry eyes, the girl looked at Mu Tian in disbelief. "Tian Tian, how could you say that to me?"

Her voice was full of grievance and innocence, her pitiful expression immediately stirring the protective instincts of those around them.