"Oof!"
Mark's right hand didn't get to touch Julia's shoulder. Lu Ke had intercepted it before it got close, grabbing Mark's wrist with a faint smile on his face. "This gentleman, please don't get handsy so easily. It's a basic gentleman's etiquette." As he spoke, he gently, gently twisted his wrist back.
It was clear that Mark hadn't anticipated this turn of events, nor had he expected Lu Ke's wrist strength to be so great. The ridicule and mockery of a "gentleman" rang in his ears, and a sharp and intense pain shot through his wrist. He was suffering a double blow to his mind and body. Before his brain could even process what was happening, a cry of pain escaped his lips.
Then, Lu Ke let go of his hand and put on a "I didn't use any force" expression, showing his friendliness.
Mark could catch the playful look in Lu Ke's eyes, and a sense of humiliation welled up, making him feel flustered and embarrassed. At that moment, he felt the stares from all directions, and he quickly gritted his teeth, swallowing all the groans that were about to come out.
"You!" Mark squeezed out a sound from between his teeth, looking at Lu Ke in disbelief.
He had black hair and yellow skin, handsome eyebrows, and bright eyes. He had the bookish air of a studious nerd. He didn't look threatening at all. But what was with the wrist strength just now?
The thought flashed through his mind, and before Mark could think more, he said, "You'd better not meddle in other people's business!" Then he looked past Lu Ke at the figure standing next to him. "Julia, are you crazy? Even if you can't find a date, you shouldn't just bring some random meathead. It's so embarrassing..."
But the rest of his words were cut off in his throat.
Because Lu Ke took a step forward, his tall and strong figure loomed over him. At that moment, Mark noticed that the other person was definitely not the kind of person who was thin and tall and could be knocked over by a gust of wind. The pressure from his strong physique was overwhelming, and every detail showed that this was not an ordinary person.
As the point guard of the school's basketball team, Mark's build was not very muscular, and he was a good half head shorter than Lu Ke. Although his physique was slightly stronger, the muscle mass and explosive energy were noticeably different.
However, for an athlete, physical confrontation was never something to be afraid of. The initial daze and shock were mainly due to a difference in impression. After a brief moment of panic, Mark also stepped forward, raising his chin and raising his voice without showing any weakness. "What, you want to have a showdown with me? Ha, don't you know I'm on the school basketball team? Taking care of a show-off like you is as simple as it gets."
"Giraffe, you definitely don't want to challenge Mark," Jenny also stepped forward at this moment, puffing out her chest and saying proudly. "With just a light twist, your arms and legs will probably be fractured. Then, Julia will have to drag you home."
Lu Ke completely ignored such low-level and childish provocations. The other party was just a high school student. It looked like an adult arguing with a child. If Lu Ke really fought back, he felt that he would be bullying a child, which was an unfair victory and a loss of dignity.
Not only was Lu Ke not angry, but the corners of his mouth also turned up. However, he pretended to be serious, frowned, and suddenly took a step forward. With the advantage of his height and build, along with his fierce and sharp gaze, it was as if he was back on the football field in an instant. The powerful momentum was pressing and sharp.
Jenny's words were abruptly cut off, and she subconsciously took half a step back, her steps messy, and her center of gravity unsteady. Mark was even more startled. His shoulders subconsciously shrank inward, and his head was pressed against his chest. The timid and fearful retreat was a huge letdown and incredibly cowardly.
"Haha!" The people in the line behind them burst into laughter. Jenny and Mark were in a complete state of disarray, at a loss for what to do. They were so ashamed that they wanted to crawl into a hole.
However, that was just a bluff. Bullying kids and scaring kids made Lu Ke feel a deep sense of guilt. Even hurting plants and flowers was a bad thing. "Then I guess we should say goodbye now. I can't control my strength, and if I'm not careful, things might get out of hand."
Lu Ke was mocking Mark for being so fragile, but his words were a little convoluted. In their panic, Mark and Jenny thought Lu Ke was scared and worried that he couldn't beat Mark, so he chose to retreat and avoid the fight.
Mark straightened his back, puffed out his chest exaggeratedly, and laughed awkwardly. "Yes, yes, you'd better leave quickly before you actually do anything! Otherwise, um... things will get out of hand!"
Mark's resentment had no real power, and his guilt was completely unconcealed. Jenny bumped Mark with her shoulder, then stepped forward and said to Julia, "Your taste is... so bad. To choose such a... such an unknown person as a backup, and a useless pretty boy at that. Julia, how did you fall to this level?"
Then, Jenny shook her head in disgust. "What kind of costume is this? A witch and... Shakespeare? My God, this is a disaster. If he puts on a wig, can he become a lawyer? Wait, or a judge?" As she spoke, Jenny fell into self-doubt and turned to Mark. "Is it a lawyer or a judge? The ones who have to wear a wig every time they go to court?"
Looking at the confused and smug Jenny, the corners of Julia's mouth twitched. It wasn't because she was sad or angry, but because it was so funny. The scene was genuinely hilarious. If she didn't control herself, Julia would burst out laughing right there.
An unknown person? Lu Ke? A wig? A lawyer?
The homecoming dance tonight had already been worth the price of admission.
With her lips pursed, Julia looked up at Lu Ke. "An unknown person?"
Lu Ke shrugged. "What she said is true. I am indeed an unknown person. At least, I don't know their names, and they don't know mine. There's nothing wrong with that statement." Even though that wasn't what she meant, he had twisted it into that, which was truly a love-hate situation. "Well, unknown people, we'll be going first. I hope you can become the King and Queen of the dance tonight. That kingdom should be quite interesting."
The land of fools. It was worth the trip.
"Wait, Julia, which do your schoolmates prefer, the basketball team or the quarterback?" Lu Ke asked with a curious expression.
Others didn't understand and thought he was just asking which was more popular, football or basketball. But Julia understood the deeper meaning behind his words. She barely managed to hold back her smile and said seriously before she burst into laughter, "I'm not sure. Personally, I prefer the quarterback."
Lu Ke looked back at Mark and nodded seriously. "Then, good luck! You have a strong competitor for King! I'll vote for you!"
"You'd better, you loser!" Mark shouted again, trying to sound tough, but... the effect seemed to be a little off.
Julia ignored him, linked her arm with Lu Ke's, and quickly turned to leave.
It wasn't because she was scared or angry, but because if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to hold it in anymore. After entering the venue, Julia finally couldn't hold it in and burst into a hearty laugh, a belly laugh that was already making her abs ache.
Lu Ke laughed helplessly and shook his head. "Little girl, be honest, what's going on? How did you end up with him? If Logan knew, he would beat that kid up and teach him a lesson about not touching a girl who is out of his league."
"Haha." Julia laughed happily, then thought seriously for a moment. "I don't know. Maybe it was a high school girl's silly moment. When I saw his eyes, it was like there were stars in them..."
As she spoke, Julia noticed Lu Ke's incredulous expression, and she couldn't help but laugh herself. Her words became more and more broken. "I'm serious, his eyes..." This time, she couldn't continue. Julia also surrendered. "Okay, okay, I give up."
Lu Ke and Julia exchanged glances, and both of them burst into laughter.
"Hey, you two!" A fierce shout came from behind them. They looked over and saw a menacing group of... high school students. More than a dozen people were standing together, coming toward them with great momentum, pressing down on them with such force that everyone around them silently started to back away, clearing an open space. It seemed as if the air itself was starting to freeze.
Standing at the very front was Mark.
"What are you looking at!" Mark raised his chin high, straightened his back, and said with full confidence. "You're a complete nobody! You're so stupid! What, are you scared now? You were so arrogant just now, acting all high and mighty. What's wrong now? Oh, oh, oh, I'm so scared, I'm about to pee my pants..."
Mark started to imitate Lu Ke's scared expression vividly, but he was not a good actor.
The atmosphere at the scene was already becoming awkward. Lu Ke and Julia looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh, especially when they recalled Julia's words, "There were stars in his eyes." Now, when they compared the two, the humorous irony was even more overwhelming. In this situation, it was really difficult to control their laughter.
Not only Lu Ke and Julia but also the other kids behind Mark could feel the thick, awkward atmosphere and could barely watch. But Mark was still clueless and continued to imitate. "Let me tell you, this is my turf! You'd better..."
"Lu Ke?" A shocked voice came from behind, interrupting Mark's words. This made Mark hold his breath in his chest, unable to swallow or spit it out. For a moment, he froze in place, not knowing what to do or what was happening.
Then, a young man walked out of the crowd with an excited look on his face. "Lu Ke?" As he got closer, the young man confirmed his guess, and then his whole body jumped up. He literally jumped three feet high. "Lu Ke! Guys, this is Lu Ke! My God! The San Francisco 49ers' quarterback, Lu Ke!"
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