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Summer holidays just started and Ji Xiao Zhuo would be going out every day whether it was to play basketball or going somewhere else. He was the group leader. Without him, the others wouldn’t get excited to go out and play. So the group would come to his house to find him every day. They would leave immediately once they finished eating.
Wei Jia’s home was close to where the Ji family currently lived so she would also come and wait at his house. As time went by, she got very familiar with the Ji family and would occasionally stay at the Ji family for a meal.
Because of the group’s existence, the Ji family’s home suddenly became very lively. But once the meal ended, they all left. Only Tang Tang and Nuo Nuo remained at home. Since the meal last time, Nuo Nuo never went out with them to play again. She had always stayed at home with Tang Tang. Sometimes she would read, sometimes she would help Tang Tang make clothes, but she was always quiet and didn’t speak much.
Tang Tang stroked her head, “How come you’re not going out with your Brother Xiao Zhuo to play recently? Did you two have a disagreement?”
“No.” Nuo Nuo blinked, “I don’t play basketball and neither do I play games. I don’t know what they know.”
Tang Tang could tell Nuo Nuo was somewhat unhappy. But since the child didn’t want to speak, she wouldn’t be forceful. Instead, she just said, “Isn’t it boring to stay at home all the time? Since it’s the summer holidays, it’s good to go out to play and relax. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know those things, you don’t always have to play with them. You can go and find something that you enjoy doing.”
After a long time, Nuo Nuo replied with an “En” sound.
By coincidence, Zhu Zi Xiao’s mother signed him up for a summer camp so he could strengthen his body while losing weight. This made him extremely bitter and he ran over to complain to Nuo Nuo. He didn’t want to go at all.
When Nuo Nuo finished listening, she calmly told him, “You should lose weight.”
Zhu Zi Xiao immediately wilted. He complained about his grievances. “Nuo Nuo, do you also think I’m too fat?”
Nuo Nuo nodded, “Boys don’t look good when overweight.”
Zhu Zi Xiao lowered his head. Honestly, he also knew being overweight didn’t look good. Girls liked tall and thin boys like Brother Zhuo. “Actually, I want to lose weight too, but my resolve isn’t strong enough.”
Nuo Nuo patted his shoulder and suddenly said, “I’ll go with you.”
“Ah?” Zhu Zi Xiao looked up immediately, “What did you say? You want to go and lose weight with me?”
Nuo Nuo nodded, “I’ll go too. We’ll go together but I’m not losing weight. I’m going to strengthen my body and supervise you.”
“Really? You’re not lying to me?”
“I’m not. Anyway, it’s not like I got anything else to do at home.”
Zhu Zi Xiao blinked. Then he suddenly smiled and nodded strongly, “Ok, Nuo Nuo. With you supervising me, I will definitely lose weight successfully!”
In response, Nuo Nuo also smiled.
After Tang Tang knew Nuo Nuo wanted to join the summer camp, she fully supported Nuo Nuo. There was no point in staying at home all day. She might as well go out and exercise. Also, Nuo Nuo’s physique wasn’t great, so it would be good for her to exercise more. As such, Tang Tang signed Nuo Nuo up. On the next day, Nuo Nuo set off with Zhu Zi Xiao.
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Last night, Ji Xiao Zhuo played basketball with Wei Jia and the others. After that, they went to eat barbecue then he sent Wei Jia home. By the time he got home, it was already very late so he accidentally slept in again. When he woke up, it was almost time for lunch.
He looked at his surroundings and didn’t see Nuo Nuo. So he asked Tang Tang, “Mum, where is Nuo Nuo?”
Tang Tang looked at him with annoyance, “You finally remember to ask about Nuo Nuo. You played crazily for so many days and didn’t care about Nuo Nuo at all. You make me so angry!”
“Aiya, mum, it’s Nuo Nuo who doesn’t like coming with me to play. What can I do if she doesn’t want to go.” Ji Xiao Zhuo massaged Tang Tang’s shoulder, “Mum, you still haven’t answered, where is Nuo Nuo?”
“Nuo Nuo joined the summer camp with Zhu Zi Xiao.”
“Summer camp?” Ji Xiao Zhuo immediately paused. He wasn’t calm when he asked, “Why didn’t she tell me?”
“How can she? You’re always out pretty much for the whole day and you’re practically dead in the mornings. Also, why does she need to tell you? You can go and play with others. Can’t Nuo Nuo do the same?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo scratched his head and fidgeted. He picked up his phone to call Nuo Nuo but it was indicated that her phone was switched off.
Upon seeing this, Tang Tang said, “Nuo Nuo didn’t take her phone when she went.”
“What!” Ji Xiao Zhuo’s expression sank. After a long time, he asked, “Where is her location?”
Tang Tang found it amusing. This brat had neglected Nuo Nuo recently and now he was getting anxious. “The location isn’t fixed. They move around a lot.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo felt terribly stifled. He felt difficulty in breathing, but he didn’t know why. He could only expel those feelings on the basketball court. Everyone was tragically oppressed.
“You’ve gone crazy, Ji Xiao Zhuo. Have you taken the wrong medicine today?” Wei Jia was covered with sweat. Her sportswear was soaked with sweat which stuck to her body like a second skin and clung to her curves. She looked pretty which attracted the opposite sex.
But Ji Xiao Zhuo wasn’t in the mood to look at her. He flung his head to get rid of the sweat but he still felt uncomfortable so he simply poured a bottle of water over his head to cool down.
Wei Jia took a towel and wanted to dry him but got pushed away. He wiped his face and left.
Everyone stared at each other, “What’s wrong with Lao Da today? Has he taken explosives?”
“Don’t know. He seems to be in a bad mood.”
“I think Lao Da is very jittery today. Something must have happened.”
Wei Jia watched his back. She bit her lips and hurried to catch up. She pulled on Ji Xiao Zhuo’s arm from behind, “What’s wrong with you today, Ji Xiao Zhuo? Why are you unhappy?”
Ji Xiao Zhuo shook her hand off rapidly, “It’s nothing. I just don’t want to play. I’m going home. Don’t follow me.”
Feeling humiliated from being brushed aside by him twice, Wei Jia stopped following him. She went home unhappily.
From a young age, Ji Xiao Zhuo had never been separated from Nuo Nuo for such a long time. He didn’t feel good and felt very jittery. He wanted to vent, but no matter what he did, he couldn’t raise his energy up.
It must be that he was not used to not seeing Nuo Nuo. It would be fine once Nuo Nuo returns.
Every day, Ji Xiao Zhuo would stare and wait for Nuo Nuo’s return. He waited like this for the entire summer holiday. Nuo Nuo only returned three days before junior high school started.
When Ji Xiao Zhuo heard Nuo Nuo was back, he abandoned the group of people and ran home. He was sweating and gasping for breaths when he got back. Before he even wiped his sweat, he rushed over and held Nuo Nuo in his embrace. He loudly expressed his discontentment, “You bad girl, you’re finally back. Who allowed you to disappear without taking your phone! If you dare to do it again, I will break your legs!”
“If you dare to break Nuo Nuo’s legs, I will break yours first.” Ji Yan, who was at home as he happened to have a day off, passed a chestnut to him. Ji Xiao Zhuo grimaced. Nuo Nuo took the opportunity to leave his embrace and smiled at him.
Ji Xiao Zhuo observed her carefully. Without seeing her for the entire summer holiday, he noticed her hair had grown longer. She had grown taller too. The baby fat on her face had disappeared. It was like she had grown up.
Ji Xiao Zhuo blanked.
Nuo Nuo took a little box out from her bag and passed it to him, “Here, a present.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo returned to his senses. He accepted the box and opened it to take a look. It was a figure keychain. The figure was a cartoon version of Ji Xiao Zhuo.
“Nuo Nuo, you made it yourself?”
Nuo Nuo nodded.
Ji Xiao Zhuo smiled and immediately attached the key chain onto his key. When he was about to rub her head, Nuo Nuo dodged away. He froze. When he came back to his senses, Nuo Nuo was already busy with something else.
Ji Xiao Zhuo felt something was not right but he couldn’t pinpoint it either. He could only conclude that he was thinking too much into it.
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Two days later, the city’s first middle school started. Ji Xiao Zhuo and Nuo Nuo got in with full marks on the entrance exam. Naturally, they were placed in class one. Zhu Zi Xiao’s results were pretty good and were put in the same class. By coincidence, Wei Jia was also placed in the same class as them.
From their previous classmates, only four of them were in the same class. There were other people who also got into the same school, but they were assigned to a different class.
Wei Jia smiled and said, “Since the four of us are in the same class again, then let’s sit together. Why don’t Nuo Nuo and I sit together and you two boys sit together.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo was the first to oppose, “I don’t want to sit with Fatty.”
Instantly, Zhu Zi Xiao jumped up and said, “Don’t call me fatty. I’m not fat anymore.”
After dieting through the summer holidays and under Nuo Nuo’s strict supervision, Zhu Zi Xiao had lost weight. The result was remarkable. He lost 15kg in two months. He wasn’t a little fat kid anymore. He now had a regular build for a boy. Unexpectedly, student Zhu Zi Xiao’s appearance was not bad now.
Ji Xiao Zhuo didn’t pay attention to him, “Even if you’re not fat anymore, I still don’t want to sit with you. I have always been sitting with Nuo Nuo.”
Wei Jia’s expression turned bad. She bit her lips. She looked somewhat reluctant as she said, “Then I’ll sit with classmate Zhu Zi Xiao, but we’re not familiar.”
Zhu Zi Xiao rolled his eyes when he heard this and replied, “Do you think I want to sit with you? I’m not familiar with you either.”
Wei Jia spread her hands out towards Ji Xiao Zhuo.
Ji Xiao Zhuo was planning to let her resolve it herself but who knew Nuo Nuo simply sat beside Zhu Zi Xiao while carrying her school bag, “I’ll sit with Zi Xiao.”
Wei Jia smiled at once while Ji Xiao Zhuo’s face darkened. Displeasure spread across his body. When he was going to pull Nuo Nuo back, Wei Jia quickly sat down and obstructed Ji Xiao Zhuo’s movement, “Alright, alright, anything is fine now. It’s just a row behind or in front. Since Nuo Nuo wants to sit with classmate Zhu Zi Xiao, then you as the big brother shouldn’t force others, right Nuo Nuo?”
Nuo Nuo ignored her. Naturally, she also ignored Ji Xiao Zhuo.
Nuo Nuo’s attitude made Ji Xiao Zhuo feel uncomfortable, but he couldn’t say the words of telling her to come back and sit with him. For the entire day, he did not show a happy expression, and neither did he speak. Simply, he was in a bad mood.
Class ended, a few brothers from their previous school came over and called Ji Xiao Zhuo and Wei Jia to play basketball. Wei Jia agreed instantly but Ji Xiao Zhuo didn’t speak. Instead, he looked towards Nuo Nuo and said, “Nuo Nuo, come with me to play basketball.” He wanted Nuo Nuo to do the same as before; wait for him at the side and pass him water and a towel.
Who knew Nuo Nuo would shake her head after taking a glance at Wei Jia, “No, I’ll go home and do my homework. You can go and play.”
After she finished speaking, Nuo Nuo carried her school bag and left. Upon seeing this, Zhu Zi Xiao also quickly packed his bag to catch up with her.
The other people didn’t say anything but they were shocked by Zhu Zi Xiao’s current appearance. They all said in the lines of, “Haven’t seen Zhu Zi Xiao for a summer, how come he had lost so much weight? He looks quite handsome. I reckon he will attract the girls now.”
Ji Xiao Zhuo grabbed his school bag from his desk and said, “I don’t want to play today. You go by yourselves.” Then he left without looking back. The remaining people looked at each other in dismay.
By the time Ji Xiao Zhuo rushed to the school entrance, he was already too late. He could only watch Zhu Zi Xiao cycling in the distance with Nuo Nuo.
“****!” Ji Xiao Zhuo couldn’t help but swear. He rubbed his hair, annoyed. The fishy feeling he felt got stronger. Why was Nuo Nuo recently unwilling to follow him and play but kept being with Zhu Zi Xiao instead? Could it be now that Zhu Zi Xiao wasn’t fat anymore, she had fallen for him?
Ji Xiao Zhuo immediately rejected the idea. It was impossible. Even though Zhu Zi Xiao had slimmed down, could he be more handsome than him? Nuo Nuo had said before that he was the most handsome.
