Chapter 43

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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Yu Jia and Lu Lu were browsing in the supermarket when Yu Jia couldn't help but say, "Lu Lu, the way he acted just now, he really deserved a beating. I felt he was staring at you with lust. Did you notice?"

Lu Lu had been feeling uncomfortable all along under Wang Bo's gaze. How could she not notice? "Don't mention him. I said it, I have nothing to do with him anymore." Today, her mood was terrible because Wang Bo had gone back on his word, agreeing to be Qi Jueying's dance partner and even having her good friend vouch for him. It was truly overstepping. So she decided that from now on, she would pretend not to know him and let him go with Qi Jueying.

"Are you really just letting it go like that?" Yu Jia said with a sly smile. "You look really unhappy. Hehe, don't take it to heart. Qi Jueying and he don't really have anything. They just met, why are you so bothered?"

Lu Lu pursed her lips. "I'm not bothered by him dancing with Qi Jueying. What I can't stand is... he says one thing and does another!"

"Right, he says one thing and then agrees to another. He really has no principles," Yu Jia tsked. "I thought even a big beauty like Qi Jueying would slip up, but it turns out Wang Bo is no better. Heroes can't resist the allure of beauty."

Lu Lu stopped and glared at her. Yu Jia had to pat her own mouth. "Okay, I won't say anything more." She turned her head and muttered softly, "You say you're not bothered, but even talking about it makes you this jealous."

"Don't worry, when we volunteer on Sunday, I'll keep an eye on their every move and report back to you!" Yu Jia declared to her friend.

Lu Lu was seriously picking out items and didn't respond. Yu Jia, seeing her loyalty not appreciated, said dejectedly, "Consider it my meddling. I'll stay as far away as possible when the time comes, letting them hand out flyers together."

"Aren't you supposed to be doing the activity together? How can you just split up?" Lu Lu said coolly.

Yu Jia perked up and saluted. "As you wish!" Lu Lu watched her clowning around and shook her head speechlessly.

Wang Bo arrived at Boshiya Garden at seven. The community clubhouse was already filled with residents who had come down for a walk after dinner. Liu Yan and Jin Xiaoli were already in the activity room playing music.

Upon his arrival, he first handed out the tickets to the two girls. Then the two girls happily started practicing with him. They practiced three times, confirming that the movements and music were flawless, enough to handle the party tomorrow night, before ending the practice.

Liu Yan hugged her pipa and said goodbye to them outside the clubhouse. Wang Bo helped Jin Xiaoli carry her guzheng and accompanied her out.

On the way, Jin Xiaoli saw that he was drenched in sweat and took out a tissue to wipe him. "Why are you so sweaty? Did you run here?"

"Yep!" Wang Bo nodded. "Thanks. I ran to my cousin's place to get the tickets, then ran here, and did three sets of boxing. I'm all wet."

"No need to thank me," Jin Xiaoli chuckled. "You got the tickets for me, and I haven't thanked you yet. Are you tired? Do you want me to carry it?"

"It's fine, it's just a short distance," he said nonchalantly. "This thing is pretty heavy. You must have been tired carrying it alone."

"I had the taxi drive directly into the neighborhood," she said carelessly. Jin Xiaoli came from a wealthy family, so taking a taxi was a common thing for her.

After some thought, Wang Bo asked, "Jin Xiaoli, your dad has a lot of connections. Does he know anyone in the district court?"

Today, he had sought advice from his desk mate Qian Ning about the matter with Cha Si. The guy told him that seeking help from the police wouldn't be very useful. Once the matter was out in the open, no one would dare cover it up. The only way was to seek help from the court to get a lighter sentence. But Qian Ning didn't know which classmate had connections to the district court, so he suggested Wang Bo ask around and take his chances.

Jin Xiaoli found it strange that he was asking about this and asked for the reason. Wang Bo explained that a relative of his had been involved in a mass brawl and was in custody, and they were looking for a way to get a lighter sentence.

Seeing his sincerity, she thought for a moment and said, "I do have connections, but not the kind you can just ask for. If we really need to ask for help, the cost might be high. Is your family... determined to save that relative?"

Jin Xiaoli knew that her father had a classmate working in the district court, but he didn't owe her father any favors, so her father wouldn't casually ask for help. If they really needed to ask for help, they would need to show some sincerity. She couldn't say too much, but she knew that Wang Bo's family was probably not well-off, and spending a lot of money to save a distant relative might not be worth it.

"As long as there's a way," Wang Bo said firmly, "money is not a problem. My family just can't find a way to help."

"Then I'll ask for you," Jin Xiaoli nodded and agreed. Regardless of the outcome, Wang Bo thanked her.

"Don't get your hopes up. I still need to ask my dad and see what he thinks, but I'll do my best to help you," she added, implying that she would try her best to ask her father for help.

Wang Bo returned home and received a call from Jin Xiaoli around ten o'clock. The voice on the other end wasn't very energetic, and it seemed things weren't going well. "Wang Bo, my dad asked his classmate. He knows about the case, but it's not under his jurisdiction. He asked around, and they said it would cost twenty figures to get a three-year sentence. Any less than that, and they won't take the case."

This was the result of not having connections. When faced with a problem, you could only let the other party set the price, with no room for negotiation. He was still a bit confused. "Twenty figures? You mean... 200,000 yuan?"

Jin Xiaoli awkwardly nodded. She had genuinely wanted to help, but this result was definitely beyond what Wang Bo's family could afford. It was several years' income for an average family.

"Okay, I understand," Wang Bo said, though he found it a bit expensive, he could still easily afford it. "I can get the money ready, but who should I give it to?"

Jin Xiaoli paused. Wang Bo's willingness to act without hesitation surprised her. It seemed he and Cha Si were really close. "Wait a moment, I'll call you back." She had thought the cost would make Wang Bo's family back down, but his quick agreement made her need to ask her father about the next steps.

Jin Xiaoli's father indicated that the other party wouldn't directly contact the family. He and his classmate would act as intermediaries. If Wang Bo was willing, he could give the money to Jin Xiaoli, and she would pass it on.

Jin Xiaoli's father also wanted to see if Wang Bo was sincere. If he provided the money, he would definitely help with the matter.

Actually, the reason this matter could be resolved so smoothly was that Jin Xiaoli's father and his classmate hadn't been in touch for a long time. This was a good opportunity to reconnect. Neither of them would benefit from this, but it was a good chance to act as intermediaries and catch up.

So, Jin Xiaoli called Wang Bo again and explained the situation. Wang Bo didn't doubt her. "Okay, I'll give you the money on the weekend. Thank you for your help."

Later, when the case was announced, Cha Si received a three-year sentence. The mastermind, a big thug from the other side, received an eight-year sentence and was loudly protesting his innocence in court. Even Cha Si himself didn't know how he had gotten such a light sentence.

After handling this matter, Wang Bo went to bed. He didn't think about telling Cha Si that he had helped him. In his view, he was just repaying the favor for when Cha Si had helped him deal with Ah Bing.

After falling asleep, he entered the dream system again. He saw that the task deadline was 13 days away, and the midterm exams were next Tuesday. He needed to hurry. He now had 30 points and decided to save them. He then looked at the entry-level dancer skill, which cost 40 points. The effect was to gain entry-level dancer skills, equivalent to the skills of an excellent graduate from a regular dance school, and it would also improve his flexibility and balance. He estimated that this skill would be more than enough to handle the dance choreographed by Qi Jueying.

Then Wang Bo entered the school gate. Today's challenge was the extreme jump. Last week, he had earned 10 points and adapted to the challenge. This time, with improved leg strength, he aimed to earn 10 points and then try the next level.

However, when he jumped, he found the gap was larger than he expected. He was just five centimeters short of grabbing the edge of the platform. His body began to fall. "Oh no," he thought, and let out a scream as he fell into the mist.

A flash of white light enveloped him, and he found himself back in the white room, secretly relieved: "Thank goodness, the system really won't endanger my life."

However, he didn't plan to try further until he improved his jumping ability. He went to the display screen and saw his points had increased to 40. Since he would eventually need to exchange them, and the dancer skill would also improve his physical condition, he decided to exchange it immediately.

He chose the entry-level dancer skill and confirmed the exchange. A familiar strong light enveloped his body. After a few minutes, Wang Bo felt that his brain had gained many dance moves, but not a complete routine. It seemed he had gained the skills but not the experience, similar to a player gaining ball skills but not the experience of specific matches.

He spent the remaining time in the white room trying various dance moves to get a feel for them, then practiced the routine Qi Jueying had demonstrated to him based on his memory.

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**End of Chapter**