Forced into a romantic relationship

Chapter 124 New Event Missions
Despite the still hot weather, there were still many boys sweating on the playground, playing basketball back and forth under the twilight, constantly switching between offense and defense, making for a very intense game.

Han Zhou sat on a bench outside the basketball court, watching the game with great interest. He used to enjoy playing basketball in his previous life, but due to physical limitations, he could hardly participate in such a competitive sport in this life. Now he wasn't worried about strenuous exercise, but he wasn't very interested in it anymore.

Besides points, his primary goal now is money. Without money, you can't do anything, and this is a universal truth. With a level 3 status bar and plenty of points at hand, making money is not difficult for him now. What he needs to consider is how to make money as quickly as possible.

As he pondered, a short figure ran past Han Zhou; it was Xiao Xiaoxiao, who was covered in sweat.

This guy was true to his word; after the group finished, he came here to run laps and insisted on having Han Zhou come along to watch her finish so he wouldn't hold a grudge later.

So Han Zhou came to the basketball court not to relive his memories on the court, but to watch Xiao Xiaoxiao run laps.

Watching the girl struggling to move her short legs at the edge of the court, he chuckled to himself. He thought to himself, no wonder she was so eager to make that bet. It turns out that in her mind, running five laps around the track meant running around the basketball court, which was much easier than the 400-meter track. But he didn't really care.

Xiao Xiaoxiao ran very hard, and only after running five laps in one go did she arrive in front of Han Zhou, panting, and said, "Well... how is it? I've run five laps. Now you should tell me your name, right?"

Han Zhou smiled and said, "I don't think I've ever made such an agreement with you, have I? You can run laps only because you lost a bet."

Xiao Xiaoxiao was taken aback, thinking that it seemed to be true. Her face fell instantly, but she quickly regained her composure and sat down next to him. Despite her chest heaving from exhaustion, she said dismissively, "It's okay if you don't tell me. We're classmates anyway, and we'll have to introduce ourselves eventually. Then I'll know your name."

Han Zhou moved to the side and casually said, "You're covered in sweat, stay away from me."

He treated the other person like a miniature guzheng, feeling a sense of familiarity that led to a somewhat casual attitude.

But he quickly realized his slip of the tongue. Xiao Xiaoxiao wasn't a guzheng, and those words were indeed impolite to a stranger. Seeing Xiao Xiaoxiao stand up with an unnatural expression, he took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and changed his words, saying, "What I meant was, remember to wipe your sweat after you finish running."

Perhaps it was because the girl was short and looked like a child, or perhaps it was because she and Guzheng had a similar temperament, but Han Zhou couldn't bear to see the girl looking aggrieved.

That's weird... I feel like I've seen this guy somewhere before?

Han Zhou was suspicious, but he quickly realized he was overthinking it. He had a photographic memory, and if he had ever seen someone, he would never forget them. Besides, this guy's height was very distinctive, and his round head and cute appearance made him the kind of person that was hard to forget after just one look.

Unless he had seen the other person before acquiring the photographic memory skill, and a considerable amount of time had passed since then, which is why he only retained a faint impression...

While Han Zhou was pondering, the tissue in his hand was snatched away, and then something else appeared in his palm—

A lollipop.

Han Zhou was taken aback: "What are you doing?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao tore open a tissue and wiped the sweat from her forehead, saying in a muffled voice, "Your pack of tissues is worth at most 50 cents, and my candy is worth 1 yuan. You're still making a profit."

The implication was clear: she wanted to trade the lollipop for the pack of tissues.

Perhaps hurt by Han Zhou's words, she not only refused to sit down again, but also took a few steps to the side, keeping a sufficient distance from him.

Han Zhou had originally wanted to ask her why she always carried lollipops with her, but seeing this, he felt a little guilty and hesitated before saying, "Um, Xiao Xiaoxiao..."

"Call me Xiaoxiao. I don't like people calling me by my surname," Xiao Xiaoxiao said unhappily.

"Alright, Xiaoxiao, why don't you sit over here?"

"No need, I find you sweaty anyway, and I'm not here to chat with you. I've already finished my five laps, I'm going back."

Xiao Xiaoxiao tossed her ponytail and was about to leave gracefully when she heard a passing boy excitedly say, "Let's go to the playground and take a look. I heard there's a very pretty senior girl playing the guitar over there. Her temperament is amazing."

Upon hearing this, the other person traveling with them lit up and nodded repeatedly. The two then quickened their pace and left.

Xiao Xiaoxiao was struck dumb, and walked back stiffly.

Seeing her return, Han Zhou, who was getting up to leave, asked in surprise, "Why are you back?"

He peeled the lollipop open with one hand and popped it into his mouth. It was orange flavored and quite sweet; no wonder it cost one yuan and was considered a high-end product.

Xiao Xiaoxiao clenched her fists and looked up at him: "Isn't this the playground?"

Han Zhou casually replied, "Of course not, this is a basketball court, the playground is over there."

He pointed in the direction the two people who had just passed by had left.

"Then why didn't you remind me just now?"

"Reminder of what?"

"Remind me this isn't a playground!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao was furious. "This isn't a playground at all! Did I just run for nothing? Come with me!"

"Where to?" Han Zhou asked, looking confused.

"Of course we'll go to the track. We agreed to run five laps around the track, so I'll run all five laps. You watch me finish."

Han Zhou was both amused and exasperated: "There's no need for that. There's not much difference between a basketball court and a playground. Haven't you already run all of them?"

"No! There's a difference!" Xiao Xiaoxiao said firmly and impatiently, "Stop talking nonsense and take me there quickly. I need to go back after we finish running. I haven't even made my bed yet."

Han Zhou felt helpless; it was the first time he had ever seen himself suffer for his own sake. Unable to refuse, he had no choice but to lead the way for her.

It was 8:30 p.m., and dusk was falling, but there were still many students coming and going on the road.

Halfway there, Han Zhou suddenly asked in bewilderment, "You know there's a difference between the playground and the basketball court, so why did you go to the wrong place in the first place?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao remained silent for a moment, her expression hidden in the darkness under the lamplight.

Once there were no more passersby around, she said in a muffled voice, "Because the playground at my old school was just like that, and it wasn't that big. I thought all school playgrounds were the same."

Han Zhou was taken aback.

There isn't even a proper playground. Could this girl have come from a school in a poor mountainous area?
His heart softened a little, and he cautiously probed, "Can you tell me where your hometown is?"

"do not know."

Xiao Xiaoxiao fell silent again, and after a long while, she added, "I don't know where my hometown is."

do not know?
Han Zhou frowned slightly and continued to ask, "So where do you live now?"

"I don't have a home."

"If you don't have a home, where will you live?"

“An apartment.” Xiao Xiaoxiao quietly clenched her fist. “It’s quite big.”

Noticing that she was in a bad mood, Han Zhou comforted her, "It's okay. So what if it's an apartment? Home is where your family is. Focus on your studies now, and when you earn money in the future, you can buy your own big house where your whole family can live."

He sighed inwardly, "Study hard," "Make money in the future"—he never imagined he'd be the one offering empty platitudes to others...

Xiao Xiaoxiao gave him a complicated look, remained silent for a long time, and then said with a serious face:
“I am an orphan, I have no family.”

Han Zhou was stunned.

He suddenly realized that all his questions had been like stabbing the girl in the heart...

No, this is too tragic!
His heart was heavy, and a sense of guilt welled up within him. He quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I..." "What's there to be sorry about? Do you look down on orphans?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao glared at him unhappily and interrupted, "Don't look at me like that. I hate it because I don't like talking to others about my things. It's so annoying."

She touched the silver rose earring on her ear with feigned disdain, as if trying to tell the world that she was an adult.

Han Zhou hesitated for a moment, then asked in confusion, "Then why did you tell me?"

The girl in front of me is clearly a very strong-willed person. She is not willing to tell me about her background to gain sympathy. So what is her reason?

Xiao Xiaoxiao hesitated for a moment, but didn't intend to hide it. She pouted and said, "Because I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."

Han Zhou was stunned for a moment, then asked in surprise, "You feel that way too?"

"Huh? You mean you have it too?" Xiao Xiaoxiao asked in shock.

"Hmm." Han Zhou nodded and pondered, "Since we both have this feeling, it means we may have actually met before, but it must have been a long time ago."

“You’re right,” Xiao Xiaoxiao agreed. “With your bean sprout-like figure and skin whiter than many girls, you’re definitely sickly. If I had seen you before, I would never forget you. If I can’t remember, it means it’s been a long time.”

Han Zhou smiled faintly and said, "Your petite figure is also quite unforgettable. I know a girl who is about the same height as you. She just started junior high school and is already almost 1.5 meters tall. You might not have been as tall as her when you were in junior high school."

The two appeared to be analyzing something, but were actually exchanging sarcastic remarks.

"You...you...you...you're being so insolent!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao was so anxious that her face turned red, and she almost swore, "You're the little bean sprout! I was already 1.5 meters tall in junior high!"

"1.5 meters? You seem to be about the same height now, so you haven't grown at all."

"I'm 1.52 meters tall now, and I've grown two centimeters!"

"Is two centimeters higher than your shoe insole?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao shrank back to avoid being seen in her platform shoes, and sneered, "How much taller do you think you are than me?"

Han Zhou thought about it seriously and smiled modestly: "It really isn't that much taller, maybe fifteen two-centimeter increments at most."

As he spoke, he even used his index finger and thumb to indicate a length of about two centimeters. His smug and self-satisfied manner seemed utterly despicable to Xiao Xiaoxiao.

She was so angry she gritted her teeth: "I must be mistaken. I couldn't possibly have met you before, otherwise I would never forget such a despicable and hateful person like you!"

Someone like you, who stopped growing in middle school, is someone I'll probably never forget...

Just as Han Zhou was about to speak, he suddenly saw a familiar figure appear not far away; it was Gu Zheng.

"Han Zhou!"

As if sensing something, Gu Zheng turned her head and saw Han Zhou over there. She ran over excitedly and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Han Zhou laughed and said, "I'm planning to go check out the playground. What are you doing here?"

"Our dorm is right here. I just came downstairs to buy something," Gu Zheng said, puzzled. "But your hand is injured. Why aren't you going back to rest? What are you doing on the playground?"

She looked at Xiao Xiaoxiao next to Han Zhou, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she exclaimed in surprise, "This girl is so cute, do you know her?"

"This is my classmate from university. I went to the track to watch her run laps."

Han Zhou explained what had happened to Gu Zheng in a low voice. When Gu Zheng learned that Han Zhou thought the girl looked like her, she was immediately annoyed. She thought to herself that she would never be so stupid as to lose a bet and be forced to run laps on the playground.

Han Zhou continued, "I feel like I've seen this girl before, but I can't remember when I first met her."

Gu Zheng was taken aback, glanced at Xiao Xiaoxiao a few times, and said strangely, "Now that you mention it, I feel like I've seen her somewhere before... but it must be my imagination."

Do you also remember the guzheng?

Han Zhou was somewhat surprised, then turned to look at Xiao Xiaoxiao, who was examining the guzheng, and pointed at it, asking, "Xiao Xiaoxiao, do you remember her?"

"I don't remember. Also, I told you not to add your last name when you call me, it's so annoying."

Xiao Xiaoxiao shook her head, then her eyes darted around, and she said smugly, "By the way, I've guessed your last name now. Don't you believe me? If you don't, let's make a bet. If I guess right, you'll run five laps around the track; otherwise, I'll run five more laps around the track."

Han Zhou looked at her in shock: "Do you think I look like an idiot?"

Didn't Guzheng already call out his name when he ran over? Why does this guy have to guess?
Xiao Xiaoxiao scoffed and stopped talking.

However, Han Zhou was a little confused. Judging from the current situation, he had obviously met Xiao Xiaoxiao before, and Gu Zheng might have even met her, but the problem was that he really couldn't remember when it was.

So when exactly did they meet?
……

The next morning, on the playground.

The sun was high in the sky, and the sweltering heat was gradually fading away. Although the temperature was not scorching, it was still a test for the freshmen wearing military training uniforms.

The entire playground was silent. Standing at attention under the sun was not a pleasant experience. The freshmen, standing in a row, were soon drenched in sweat and their feet ached. The thought that this kind of life would last for two weeks made them feel miserable.

At times like these, those relaxed individuals who don't have to participate in military training often stand out conspicuously, such as the guy with a bandage wrapped around his arm under the shade of a tree.

Damn it, his hand is broken, not his foot. Why doesn't this guy come and stand at attention with us?

Han Zhou was unaware that many people felt envious and jealous of him. He was staying here with Ouyang Lianyu's permission, and apart from not being able to run around, he was relatively free.

Of course, it's absolutely forbidden to drink milk tea and eat iced watermelon in front of others, and you can't play on your phone either.

He had just tried to find the guzheng in the crowd, but the playground was full of people, and it was not easy to find her, so he simply gave up.

His attention was now completely focused on the task at hand.

[The event quest has begun. Some first encounters should not be forgotten. Please help Xiao Xiaoxiao regain her lost memories and recall one of your past meetings. After completing the quest, you can randomly draw an enhanced skill from her and gain the right to instantly refresh a random status.]

This event task appeared last night. Although the status bar upgrade mentioned the ability to obtain tasks from unlocked characters, this was the first time Han Zhou had seen this situation. He actually obtained an event task from a newly acquainted unlocked character, and the task reward looked pretty good.

This is the second event task that Han Zhou has encountered. So far, it seems that the event task will not give points, and the task requirements are relatively broad, with no clear time limit, which means that it can be carried out slowly.

Han Zhou was somewhat concerned about the mission description. He didn't know if the so-called "lost memory" meant the literal meaning or something else. Could it be that the girl named Xiao Xiaoxiao had lost her memory?
It shouldn't be that dramatic, right...?

In any case, this task prompt confirms one thing: he really did see Xiao Xiaoxiao before, and he obtained the status bar when he was in his second year of high school. So, could this have happened sometime after his second year of high school?
Why not do the activity tasks? They're not difficult at all. Besides, Han Zhou was also curious about when he had met Xiao Xiaoxiao and planned to ask her about it when he had time.

Speaking of which, that guy ignored all the advice and ran so many laps last night, is he still able to stand steadily now...?

Just then, Han Zhou's phone vibrated in his pocket, and sure enough, it was a call from Ouyang Lianyu.

He was reluctant to answer, since that guy had said before that he wouldn't be able to relax during military training, and this call was probably meant to give him something to do.

Unfortunately, the other party was now his counselor, so he had no choice but to answer the call.

Just a heads-up, the following chapters up to chapter 131 are considered by many readers to be weak and a failed attempt at plot development. For details on the thought process, please see the comments in the suggestion section of the book review. If you don't like it, you can skip it without affecting the plot's coherence... The Mo Yixia storyline that some readers want to see is in chapter 132.

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(End of this chapter)