Chapter Ninety-Two: The Height Difference

Lu Wenchuan didn’t specify what he couldn’t do, but from the look in his eyes, Sang Yijia could tell he was referring to roller skating.

“Do you know how?” Sang Yijia didn’t wait for Lu Wenchuan to answer and asked him instead.

“No, but I can learn,” Lu Wenchuan replied.

Sang Yijia fell silent for a moment before she finally spoke, “Let’s see how it goes this afternoon.”

“I don’t think it’ll be too difficult.”

The task was about to begin. The staff came over carrying ropes and handed them out to the guests.

“In a moment, you’ll need to run from here to the other side, fifty meters in total, and then come back; whoever returns wins.” Originally, the three-legged race was just about walking straight to the other side, but Director Chen had commented that the physical contact was too brief, so the return option was added.

Sang Yijia glanced at the rope, as thick as a thumb, and then looked across to the other side, estimating the distance. “Fifty meters isn’t very long; it should be quick.”

“Do you want to try now?” Lu Wenchuan shook the rope.

Sang Yijia glanced sideways at Yan Ningsi and Bian He, as well as Shen Jin and Lan Qing, who were already practicing. “Alright.”

“When we start, let’s take it slow at first and get used to it. Once we coordinate, it won’t be hard,” said Lu Wenchuan.

Today, Sang Yijia was wearing sweatpants, having anticipated that the task would involve sports and prepared in advance.

Yan Ningsi, however, was in jeans, and her shoes had hidden lifts—four centimeters high. Outsiders wouldn’t notice, but she could feel it.

Yan Ningsi frowned at the rope. “Let’s take it slow, okay?”

“Hm? Why?” Bian He was puzzled. “Don’t you want to win?”

“Friendship first, participation matters most,” Yan Ningsi replied righteously.

Bian He frowned, scrutinized Yan Ningsi for a moment, then reluctantly agreed. “Fine, but we can’t be too passive. The audience will notice right away.”

[Don’t just notice, we can already hear it.]
[Why not compete seriously?]
[Is something wrong with Si Si?]
[If you’re on the show, you should work hard.]
[Suddenly, I just can’t like this attitude.]

They couldn’t see the barrage of messages in the livestream. Yan Ningsi looked at Bian He’s expression, glanced at the nearby camera, sighed quietly, and pointed to her white sneakers. “My shoes have lifts.”

“There are four centimeters of insoles inside,” Yan Ningsi shrugged. “You’re so tall; if I don’t wear lifts, we’d look totally mismatched.”

Bian He’s height was one meter eighty-eight; Yan Ningsi was only one meter sixty-five. With the shoes and lifts, she reached about one seventy-two, but the difference was still obvious.

Bian He laughed and gestured to show the height gap. “It’s fine; I don’t mind if your legs are short.”

“Get lost!” Yan Ningsi swept her leg at him without mercy. “Take it slow later.”

“Alright, alright,” Bian He replied repeatedly.

On the other side, hearing their conversation, Lu Wenchuan frowned at Sang Yijia. Her height was one seventy-five, and with her shoes—

Lu Wenchuan’s gaze settled on Sang Yijia’s shoes; he couldn’t tell if they had lifts, but overall, she looked to be about one seventy-seven or seventy-eight.

“I’m not wearing shoes with lifts,” Sang Yijia noticed his gaze and explained. “I knew there’d be sports today, so I put on sneakers. The insoles add about one or two centimeters.”

Sang Yijia knew Lu Wenchuan’s height was one eighty-seven; with shoes, he looked nearly one ninety.

People nowadays really were getting taller.

Sang Yijia remembered that before entering the book, she studied in a southern town where the average boy’s height was one seventy, but most were around one sixty. The girls were even shorter, averaging about one fifty.

Before entering the book, Sang Yijia herself was around one sixty; when she went north, she became the short one.

Thinking back, Sang Yijia realized the original owner’s height was satisfactory—not outstanding, but not short.

“We’ll need you to adjust your stride for me later; I might not be able to take big steps,” Sang Yijia said, pulling herself out of her thoughts.

“Alright.”

Lu Wenchuan tied the rope and tried walking.

“Should we shout a slogan?” Sang Yijia asked.

Lu Wenchuan thought for a moment. “Sure, let’s go with ‘one-two-one.’”

The game was about to begin. The three couples stood at the starting line; Director Chen stood beside them, microphone in hand, and called out, “Three, two, one! Start!”

The three couples set off.

Lan Qing and Shen Jin coordinated best, immediately taking the lead, followed by Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan, with Yan Ningsi and Bian He in last place.

“Slow down,” Lu Wenchuan deliberately matched Sang Yijia’s pace. “One-two-one, one-two-one.”

In college, Sang Yijia had seen others play games during events, everyone enjoying themselves, but she had never participated in group activities. Her four years of university were spent either in class, in the library, or on the way to her part-time job.

She hadn’t spent much time on club activities.

Her only group event was volunteering at a nursing home, chatting with the elderly and cleaning up, just to earn volunteer credits.

Now, hearing Lu Wenchuan’s voice and stepping forward together, Sang Yijia felt a strange sense of wonder. Gradually, she found her rhythm and their speed picked up.

[Hey, isn’t Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan’s coordination getting better?]
[They’re about to surpass Shen Jin and Lan Qing!]
[Brother, keep going!!!!]
[Go Qing Qing!!!]

The whole livestream was full of Lan Qing and Shen Jin’s fans cheering.

“How does it feel?” They were about to turn back; Lu Wenchuan slowed down, carefully turned, and took a short break.

“It’s fun.” Sang Yijia’s eyes were bright with a smile, her gaze sparkling.

Lu Wenchuan gave a soft acknowledgment and continued to cooperate with Sang Yijia.

Lan Qing and Shen Jin completed their turn, but seeing the other pair pulling ahead, Lan Qing narrowed her eyes. She was determined to win.

This round, she would win.

Lan Qing didn’t know why, but she was certain Sang Yijia would lose—and lose badly. Yet now, Sang Yijia and Lu Wenchuan were right in front of her!

“Qing Qing, let’s coordinate.” Shen Jin didn’t want to lose to Sang Yijia, and even less wanted to see Sang Yijia walking arm-in-arm with another man, cooperating so well!

“Okay.” Lan Qing glanced at Lu Wenchuan a meter ahead, then at the ground. The crew had thoroughly cleaned it—not even a speck of dust, let alone a stone.

Even if she wanted to obstruct them, she couldn’t. She could only watch as the pair walked faster and faster, finally crossing the finish line in victory.

Bian He: We’re the cutest height difference!

Yan Ningsi swept her leg at him again. “Get lost!”

(End of chapter)