Seven Hundred Yuan

Before long, Liu Hao and Chen Guo had finished checking their tickets and entered the stadium together.

The atmosphere inside the esports stadium was electric. Cheers, and the flashing game images on the big screens created an exhilarating vibe.

The stadium staff were well-organized, standing at various passageways to guide the spectators.

"Liu Hao, my seat is in Section D, Row 21, Seat 17. Where's yours?" Chen Guo asked. She secretly hoped Liu Hao might be sitting next to her, though she knew the chances were slim.

"My seat is in the front row," Liu Hao said.

"The front row? That's the VIP section. Those tickets are not only expensive but also incredibly hard to get. How did you manage to get one?" Chen Guo was surprised and then realized something. "Wait, wait, if your ticket is VIP, why did you queue for the regular check-in? You could have gone through the VIP entrance."

"I just felt it would be lonely by myself, so I accompanied you. It didn't take much time anyway," Liu Hao smiled.

This sentence meant little, but Chen Guo read more into it. Who was lonely? Him? Or her? Was he creating opportunities to be together? Chen Guo felt like she had met her prince charming, thinking her twenty-plus years of single life might finally end. "Actually, I'm okay," Chen Guo said, showing a rare moment of shyness. "Are you going to go now?"

"I'll just switch seats with the person next to you. That way, we can sit together and chat," Liu Hao suggested.

Han Wenqing had given Ye Qiu two consecutive tickets, but to avoid exposing his identity, Liu Hao couldn't sit with him. If a camera recognized him, it could risk revealing his identity.

"Huh? But that's a VIP seat. You're just going to switch?" Chen Guo was surprised.

"I don't really like sitting in the front row. If the match gets boring and I fall asleep, it would be embarrassing if the camera caught it. You know, the front row is always the focus of the cameras," Liu Hao explained.

He just wanted to stay away from Ye Qiu, but Chen Guo misunderstood. He thought Liu Hao might genuinely like her and be willing to give up a front-row VIP seat to sit with her.

Chen Guo's heart fluttered. She had never been in a relationship and had little experience with romantic interactions.

What should she say in this situation? Chen Guo was unsure, so she stayed silent and headed toward her seat.

Liu Hao quickly caught up and soon entered Section C, Row 21. Seats 17 and 18 were right by the aisle. In Seat 18 sat a boy with a backpack, who looked like a high school student, about seventeen or eighteen years old. It was a Friday, so he must have come to watch the match after school.

"Hey kid, can I switch seats with you?" Liu Hao showed his ticket.

The boy looked up at Liu Hao and Chen Guo beside him. He noticed Chen Guo's ticket was for Seat 17.

"Are you two a couple?" the boy asked, frowning.

"No," Liu Hao denied.

"Then why should I switch?" the boy countered.

"Because you're handsome, is that a good enough reason?" Liu Hao complimented him.

"Yeah, yeah, you're really handsome. You must be a very helpful person," Chen Guo chimed in.

Teenage boys love being told they're handsome. When a guy says it, their IQ is halved; when a girl says it, their IQ drops to zero. With Liu Hao and Chen Guo cementing him, the boy's IQ dropped below zero.

"Alright, alright, I'll do a good deed today and reluctantly switch seats with you," the boy said, pleased.

Liu Hao smiled and handed over his ticket.

The boy looked at the ticket and exclaimed, "Section A, Row 1, Seat 9, VIP section? You're trading a VIP ticket for a regular one. What's wrong with you?"

The boy looked at Chen Guo's blushing face and then at the handsome Liu Hao. They weren't a couple...

"Oh~!" The boy felt enlightened: more than friends, but not quite lovers.

A man sitting in Seat 16 called out to Liu Hao, "Hey buddy, how about switching with me? My seat is next to 17, so you and your girlfriend can sit together. I'll even give you an extra five hundred yuan."

"Hey! He agreed to switch with me!" The boy's face turned red, and he was afraid of losing the VIP seat he had just gotten.

"Kid, in the adult world, it's all about benefits," the man in Seat 16 said dismissively. "How about it, buddy? If you don't like it, how about seven hundred yuan?"

Liu Hao shook his head, patting the boy's shoulder. "Sorry, I already promised the kid."

"Thanks, bro, you're the best!" The boy hurriedly took his ticket from his backpack and handed it to Liu Hao, along with a can of cola as a thank-you gift, before running off.

"What an idiot, refusing seven hundred yuan," the man in Seat 16 said angrily.

"Hey, watch your mouth! Why are you insulting people?" Chen Guo snapped, rolling up her sleeves, ready to defend Liu Hao.

"Sister, calm down!" Liu Hao quickly put his arm around Chen Guo's shoulder to calm her. Starting a conflict in such a setting would be embarrassing, but Liu Hao wasn't one to be a pushover either. He usually dealt with grievances immediately.

He vigorously hooked the can of cola and then aimed it at the man in Seat 16, opening it with a loud snap. The brown liquid sprayed all over the man's face.

"Damn! My clothes! Are you crazy?" the man shouted.

"Sorry, sorry. How about I compensate you seven hundred yuan so you can buy a new outfit outside?" Liu Hao mocked.

The surrounding people burst into laughter.

Unable to bear the humiliation, the man got up to punch Liu Hao, but Liu Hao, who had undergone a week of professional fitness training, easily dodged the punch. The man, unlucky as he was, tripped on the steps and fell flat on his face.

The man got up from the floor, his wet clothes now dusted.

"You just wait! I'll remember you!" he shouted before fleeing.

Liu Hao couldn't resist a final jibe, "What an idiot, refusing seven hundred yuan."

Chen Guo and Liu Hao sat down together.

"Thanks for standing up for me," Liu Hao said.

"No problem. You stood up for me first in the cab. Besides, I didn't do much," Chen Guo said sheepishly. You don't think I'm too fierce, do you?"

"Too fierce?"

"I... I yelled at him..."

"Haha, it's fine. I like straightforward girls. It's easier to get along with them," Liu Hao laughed.

"That's good," Chen Guo sighed with relief.

(End of this chapter)