The Love Score || Zhuo Zhi

24: Whose Side Are You On?

I moved into the seat opposite Zhuo Zhi at a separate table. "Don't mind if I sit here, Senior Zhuo Zhi?"

"Go ahead," Zhuo Zhi answered with a casual smile.

"Where's Qiao Chen, Bai Yang and Si Yang?" Da Chi questioned Zhi Ming, settling down into the space beside Jia Le.

"Si Yang went to check up on his arm," Zhi Ming responded, while the inner voice in my head screamed indignantly, he didn't tell me! "Qiao Chen and Bai Yang... they haven't arrived yet, but there is an 87 per cent chance that they would still come--"

Before Zhi Ming could finish his sentence, a flurry of two figures hurled through the gate, racing towards the patio. Qiao Chen and Bai Yang were panting and breathless as they collapsed into the spaces at mine and Zhuo Zhi's table, sitting opposite each other.

"What the hell, guys?" I questioned, my tone laced with curiosity. "Did you two...?"

Qiao Chen gulped some air, stuttering while trying to regain his breath, "We... competition... raced here..."

I shook my head, exchanging an exasperated grin with Zhuo Zhi. Zhuo Zhi spoke up, "You two fools know that was a really stupid idea, right?"

"Keep... quiet, Senior," Bai Yang and Qiao Chen muttered at the same time through uneven breaths.

I laughed at Zhuo Zhi as he raised his hands in surrender, saying nonchalantly, "I'm just stating facts, you guys,"

"No matter what," a stern tone uttered above our heads. "You guys should be here revising now,"

I looked up and saw Yan Zhi Ming staring down at our group. I raised my hand in salute, answering in a dull tone, "Yes, sir!" which, to my disappointment, had gotten no reaction from him. I sighed in defeat, taking my stationery and biology worksheet out from my bag, starting my homework.

"Hello, kids," a vaguely familiar and friendly voice sounded from the side, coming from the house. I raised my head to see Lu Xiang Qian, Lu Xia's father, with a wide grin on his face as he carried out a tray of drinks for us. My eyes brightened. I remembered Uncle Lu from Lu Xia's past competitions when he had come to watch them, and Uncle Lu knew me too. I was also a fan of the past Lu Xiang Qian, who had been a phenomenal tennis player, and my biggest inspiration.

"Uncle Lu!" I called out happily as Lu Xiang Qian walked out onto the patio, carrying out glasses of drinks on a single tray. Oddly, every glass had a... crayfish? perched on its rim. That's new, I thought but pushed the insignificance of this strangeness out of my mind

Uncle Lu squinted in my direction for a few seconds, studying me in confusion. Then his eyes lit up as he recognised me. "Mu Yue En? That's you?" He asked in shock.

"It's nice to see you again," I waved at him as he placed a few drinks at my table.

"She transferred here too, Dad," Lu Xia said, still looking down at his textbook without batting an eyelid.

"Ah," Uncle Lu nodded, understanding. "I'm glad you're here too, Yue En. I'll leave you all to your studies now, yes?" He said to us, chuckling to himself as he went back indoors.

"You've met Lu Xiang Qian before, huh?" Qiao Chen asked, putting his pen down.

I nodded. "During Lu Xia's competitions, Uncle Lu would fly overseas from China to go watch them. So naturally, I would get to know him too,"