Not far from the playground, Liam Harris had both hands braced on the track, his whole body half-crouched, ready to sprint. At the sound of the starting gun, he shot out, even faster than that night when he rushed out to confront Class Rep.

"Beautiful! First place!" Logan Wright's face was flushed as he spread his arms and said, "Danny, I want to give you a loving hug!"

Liam Harris was usually extremely shy, so much so that it had become a social obstacle. After the event, he smiled awkwardly, "No, no, that's not necessary."

He wiped his sweat, and as he walked over, Henry Howard also gave him a couple of compliments. Ethan Young felt that if he didn't say anything, he'd seem too cold, so he casually added, "David Harris, not bad."

""

"Liam Harris," Henry Howard patted Ethan Young's head and reminded him in a low voice, "His name is 亮华, when will you finally remember?"

Old Thompson was sitting on the side, holding a pot of goji berry tea, and had even brought homework to grade. He looked like an old man basking in the sun to get some calcium, and as soon as he opened his mouth, it was, "Youth is wonderful," his eyes full of nostalgia for those youthful years.

Class Rep was holding a book, watching the competition while memorizing English vocabulary.

Soon it was time for push-ups.

Coincidentally, the referee was their class's PE teacher. Now, whenever the students of Class 3 saw him, they all felt a bit physically uncomfortable.

The PE teacher held a record sheet and said, "You guys, do your best. I gave you special training, so if you don't make it into the top eight, that's not acceptable. Come on, get ready, one minute on the clock."

Ethan Young had taken off his sweatshirt before coming, leaving only a white short-sleeved shirt underneath.

Henry Howard looked at him and mused, "Wearing less makes it easier to move? Old Young, you're quite calculating."

Ethan Young thought to himself, it's just because it's hot.

But before he could say anything, Henry Howard had already started to undress on the spot, quickly taking off his sweatshirt. As he did, the undershirt underneath rolled up, exposing half his waist and abdomen.

A few people around let out an "ah"—a low, sharp squeal.

"It really does seem a bit more flexible," Henry Howard tried a few push-ups, noticed Ethan Young wasn't reacting, and turned to ask, "What's wrong?"

Ethan Young said, "I think you shouldn't be called Bro Henry anymore."

Henry Howard didn't quite get it: "Huh? Then what should I be called?"

Ethan Young braced his hands on the ground and said coolly, "Flirty Bro."

Henry Howard pondered for a while and figured that was probably a derogatory term.

The one-minute timer started, and for the first half, Henry Howard and Ethan Young were doing push-ups at about the same pace.

The onlookers were all whispering. Ethan Young vaguely heard someone, voice suppressed but excited, saying, "School forum sightseeing group? Ah, I'm also a member of the head-pressing squad."

"Reporting to Mr. Thompson, good news, good news! Henry Howard and Ethan Young have taken first and second place in the push-ups!" Logan Wright stood in front of Thomas Thompson and gave a mock military salute, reporting, "Except for those two, the other six all failed."

Thomas Thompson nodded, reached into a cardboard box beside him, and pulled out eight bottles of water, playing along: "Everyone gets a reward, a heavy reward."

Ethan Young took the water handed over by PE Captain, thanked him, and then looked around at those running freely on the playground, and those cheering for their classmates.

Suddenly, he couldn't quite remember how he spent last year's sports day.

It seemed he hadn't gone to the playground at all, with earplugs in, hiding in the music room sleeping.

Henry Howard was biting a piece of candy, and even reached out to hand one to him, not caring whether he wanted it or not, just put it directly into Ethan Young's palm. Then he smiled and called out to Luke Carter, who happened to be running past their class: "Ratty, go for it!"

Luke Carter raised his arm to them and shouted back, "Class 3 forever! I'm the best!"

Henry Howard leaned back in his chair, still smiling.

Ethan Young didn't really like candy, found it too sweet and cloying. He looked down at the wrapper for a while, but in the end, still unwrapped it with his fingers.

Then Ethan Young stared at those white lines on the track, thinking: it really is cloying.

Orange flavor, with a bit of sourness.

"Want to go out for a meal after school?" In the afternoon, as the sports day was about to end, Sean Parker slipped over from Class 8 and said, "Big Young said he'd treat us, right? No time like the present."

Sean Parker and Henry Howard had both treated once before, and Ethan Young didn't want to owe anyone, so he'd said he'd do it next time, any day was fine.

Henry Howard looked at Ethan Young, and since his deskmate had no objections, he agreed, "Sure, what should we eat?"

"Anyway, I don't want to eat at Honor Roll again," Sean Parker found an empty seat behind them and sat down, thinking seriously, "We've tried all the places near school, and Valedictorian Hall is expensive and tastes bad. Why don't we help some small restaurants on other streets with their business?"

So after school, they walked around three blocks before finally deciding on a place to eat.

Sean Parker looked up at the restaurant's name, a bit confused, feeling like they hadn't just circled the street, but half the world, only to end up back at the starting point: "Uh, why do the naming styles here feel just like our school?"

"Right next door is Electrotech." Ethan Young, walking at the back, reminded them.

Electrotech, full name Electronic Technology, is the closest vocational school to Westlake High.

Usually, when school lets out early on Fridays, some from Electrotech would hang around the gate of Westlake High. If Westlake High students had conflicts or wanted to settle things, sometimes they'd call people from Electrotech to back them up—a single call could bring a whole carload.

But Westlake High was strict, so if there was going to be a fight, it had to be far from school.

There were already a few tables of people in the small restaurant. Henry Howard pushed the door open: "Let's eat here. If we keep wandering, evening study will be over, and I haven't finished copying my homework."

Ethan Young walked in as if no one else was there, found a seat, and carefully wiped the bowls and chopsticks with a napkin.

Henry Howard raised his hand, "Boss, menu please."

The people at a few tables inside didn't look familiar. Sean Parker's right eyelid started twitching uncontrollably.

He followed them in, subconsciously checking his pocket—yep, wallet was still there.

------------

41. Chapter Forty-One

The people from Electrotech Academy all wore gray sportswear with a blue vertical stripe on the sleeve. Their uniform was their symbol, and when Westlake High students saw them near school, they'd take a detour to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Sean Parker kept his hand over his pocket the whole time, secretly sizing up the restaurant and the people at the other tables.

Just as Henry Howard was flipping through the menu, someone at the next table knocked a wine glass on the table and said aggressively, "Another case of beer!"

Sean Parker turned his attention back to his own table and saw that his Bro Henry was also looking at the drinks. Henry Howard pointed at the menu, "How about some mung bean soup?"

Ethan Young's fingertip landed just below Henry Howard's, less than half an inch away: "This one."

"Mineral water again," Henry Howard said, "Your life is really too bland."

Sean Parker just watched as the two of them decided on drinks and started picking dishes. He felt like an invisible man. After a while, he spoke up, "Is no one going to ask me? What do I want to drink?"

"Order whatever you want to eat or drink," Henry Howard didn't even look up, then turned to ask Ethan Young, "Want this one?"

Damn, I shouldn't have come to this meal. You two just eat by yourselves.

Sean Parker gripped his chopsticks, feeling complicated.

The next table was rowdy, the sound of beer bottles being opened kept coming over, and there was even a girl among them, wearing a super short skirt, a row of piercings in her ear, big hoop earrings, and a loud voice.

"Sis-in-law, when is Trash Bro coming? Hurry up, call him and tell him to get over here," a drunken guy said, shaking his beer bottle, "We've already drunk almost two rounds, if he doesn't come soon, we're done for."

The girl with the big hoop earrings picked up her phone from the table and said cheerfully, "Okay, I'll call him."

Sean Parker wasn't picky about food, but the two across from him were just too much. Henry Howard ordered a bowl of noodles and specifically said no cilantro. Sean Parker couldn't help but ask, "Why not?"

He regretted it as soon as he said it.

Because Henry Howard said, "The kid doesn't eat it."

Sean Parker: "" I'm full, I'm full, I haven't even eaten and I'm already full.

And Ethan Young's long list of food avoidances—who could remember them all?

Ethan Young didn't have much of an appetite. After sitting in the sun all day, he only ate a few bites of vegetables and half a bowl of noodles. When he finished, he put down his chopsticks and went to the front to pay.

As soon as he stood up, someone else came into the small restaurant.

Ethan Young caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye, but didn't pay much attention. He looked down at his phone to scan the code: "One hundred and twenty?"

The boss lady tapped the calculator against the order again, double-checking to make sure she didn't undercharge, then nodded and said, "Yes, that's right."