Chapter 245: So, It Was an Acquaintance (Part I)

As Xiang Ri stepped through the gates of the university, a delicate-looking girl in a baseball cap was already waiting for him. Upon seeing him, she hurried over, her tone laced with reproach. "Why are you so late? Boss An has already urged me several times." 

"Sorry, something held me up," Xiang Ri replied awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. He recognized the girl before him—it was the same baseball cap girl who had tricked him during his first visit to the university, pretending to take him to meet Boss An while leading him into a trap. 

"Let's go; otherwise, Boss An will scold me again," she said, taking the lead. Noticing the embarrassed look on his face, she decided not to press the matter further. 

"By the way, I still don't know your name," Xiang Ri ventured, attempting to make conversation as he followed. 

"Zhao Lin," she replied without turning her head. Suddenly, she added, "And you? Your name is An... something?" 

"Huh?" Xiang Ri was taken aback. "Why do you ask that? Why are you so sure my surname is An?" 

Zhao Lin turned to look at him. "Aren't you Boss An's younger brother? If you're not surnamed An, what else could it be?" 

"Younger brother?" Xiang Ri froze momentarily, recalling the clumsy excuse he had once used to approach Boss An. He had claimed to be her brother, though he was certain they hadn't believed it at the time. Why now... 

It dawned on him instantly—this was undoubtedly Boss An's doing. No one else could have concocted such a story. 

Zhao Lin chimed in, "Of course! You said so yourself last time, and Boss An confirmed it." 

Xiang Ri couldn't help but smile wryly. It was just as he suspected—Boss An was behind this. However, he decided to set the record straight, entirely disregarding the possible consequences of his honesty. "I'm not her brother; I'm her boyfriend." 

"What?!" Zhao Lin shrieked, as if she had just encountered something utterly scandalous. Her exclamation drew curious glances from students strolling around the campus. 

Realizing the commotion she had caused, she quickly covered her mouth, her face filled with disbelief. Even when she spoke again in a hushed voice, her words trembled. "You're saying Boss An... Boss An is your girlfriend?" 

"Absolutely," Xiang Ri confirmed with a nod, inwardly scoffing at her reaction. Was it really that unbelievable? 

"Oh my God!" Zhao Lin exclaimed again. Though her voice was quieter this time, it was enough to reignite the curiosity of nearby onlookers. 

"You're really Boss An's boyfriend?" she asked once more, as if seeking absolute confirmation. Her expression mirrored that of someone seeing a prehistoric creature materialize before her eyes. 

"As true as pearls," Xiang Ri replied with an earnest, serious face. 

"Well…" Zhao Lin stammered, failing to form a coherent sentence despite several attempts. Finally, she gave him another glance and muttered, "You're really Boss An's boyfriend?" 

"Why so much nonsense?" Xiang Ri muttered to himself, resisting the urge to throttle her. Her incredulous gaze irritated him, as though she deemed him unworthy of Boss An. 

She had no idea that Boss An had been the one to confess to him first. Although there were certain unique circumstances involved, he had still been the one pursued. 

Of course, there was no way he could explain all this to Zhao Lin, who seemed a bit scatterbrained. Unwilling to dwell on the subject, he changed the topic. "So, where are you taking me, anyway?" 

"The basketball gym," Zhao Lin replied, her composure now restored. Though Xiang Ri's revelation had deeply shocked her, she had seen him holding hands with Boss An before. After two rounds of astonishment, she finally managed to control her emotions. 

"The basketball gym?" Xiang Ri murmured under his breath. A sense of foreboding crept over him.

From afar, before even nearing the basketball gym, Xiang Ri could hear the rhythmic thudding of basketballs hitting the polished floor. 

Before he could confirm if they had arrived, the girl in the baseball cap preemptively said, "Alright, the gym is just ahead. You're on your own now." She pointed toward the tall, imposing structure in the distance. 

Lingering hesitation gripped Xiang Ri. He couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that the girl might be leading him into another peculiar situation. "You're not coming?" he asked, fixing his gaze on her, searching for any sign of deceit. 

However, the girl didn't betray any suspicious behavior. "I have other things to attend to, so I won't be going in with you. You're on your own!" With that, she turned and skipped away before Xiang Ri could react. 

He proceeded cautiously toward the gym, his suspicions mounting. If she had waited for him at the campus gates, it was almost certainly at the behest of Boss An—how else would she have known he was coming? 

And since this was orchestrated by Boss An, Xiang Ri knew he would likely have no choice but to walk into the trap, even if he saw it coming. 

Moreover, the vibrant sounds emanating from the gym didn't seem like the setup for a nefarious scheme. 

The gym doors were wide open. Perhaps because school had just let out, the place was bustling with players. One court stood out—a match was in progress between two teams of tall, athletic men, clearly far more skilled than the casual players on the adjacent courts. 

This court also attracted the largest crowd, dominated overwhelmingly by women. 

Xiang Ri's eyes were quickly drawn to Boss An, who was impossible to miss. She was surrounded by a group of girls, most scantily dressed, evidently cheerleaders. 

It was no surprise that the cheerleaders, handpicked for their looks, were a sight to behold, especially at Hai University, famed for its beautiful students. Their long, fair legs naturally drew attention, particularly from unwelcome admirers. 

Of course, Xiang Ri's attention wasn't solely due to their alluring appearance. Among the cheerleaders, he recognized several familiar faces—girls who had tried to make him their personal janitor not too long ago. Among them was the bold, short-haired girl who had led the charge. 

Yet, what truly shocked Xiang Ri wasn't the cheerleaders. It was Boss An herself. She was lounging casually on a bench, holding a bespectacled beauty in her arms, her hands wandering unabashedly over the woman, a look of utter contentment on her face. 

And that beauty was none other than someone Xiang Ri knew well—the aloof and distant ice queen. 

Xiang Ri's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the scene of Boss An and the ice queen, locked in an intimate embrace. A strange feeling stirred within him. 

It was only natural. Anyone would feel uncomfortable seeing their significant other cozying up to a former lover. But Xiang Ri's case was unique—the "former lover" was a woman. 

Shaking his head, Xiang Ri dismissed the odd feeling and began walking toward Boss An. 

His movement drew attention, though he failed to notice the glaringly obvious reason. Among the throng of cheerleaders, not a single man could be seen. To be precise, there wasn't a single male presence within the vicinity. 

This made Xiang Ri's approach all the more conspicuous. Onlookers noticed him almost immediately, though they didn't bother to warn him about the unspoken "no-men zone." Instead, they watched with gleeful anticipation, waiting to see what would unfold. 

The cheerleaders also noticed him. Initially, they assumed he was just another clueless guy trying to hit on them. Some were already preparing to teach this unwelcome intruder a lesson. 

But then they recognized him. Though not well-acquainted, they remembered him as the man who had dared to hold Boss An's hand last time. The lack of resistance from Boss An back then had made it abundantly clear—this man shared a close relationship with her. 

Their attitudes shifted almost instantly. The cheerleaders abandoned their hostile stance and even offered him polite smiles. A few clever ones thought about alerting Boss An, but Xiang Ri quickly stopped them. 

His reasons were simple—he wanted to see Boss An's reaction when she realized he had caught her "red-handed." 

The cheerleaders obeyed his silent request, though their compliance baffled the onlookers. The sight of these typically aloof girls listening to this unfamiliar man left them wide-eyed in disbelief. 

"Who is this strange man with his hand wrapped in thick bandages?" the spectators wondered. "And what is his connection to Boss An? Is he really a man?" 

Their musings were abruptly interrupted by a far more shocking sight—one that almost stopped their hearts.