"Who are you looking down on?!"
Lin Yang was not a timid person; since Hu Qian wanted to participate in the event to get the discount, he agreed.
Hu Qian then took Lin Yang's hand and walked onto the stage.
Besides them, there were more than a dozen other couples on the stage.
They waited on the stage for a while, and then the staff brought up a few more couples.
After gathering 20 couples, the host, holding a microphone and beaming, began to explain the rules of the Hugging Contest:
"Alright, we have 20 couples now. Our competition rules are: once the competition begins, boyfriends can hold their girlfriends in any posture, but the girlfriend's feet must not touch the ground throughout. Once they touch the ground, the competition ends. The couple who lasts the longest wins and will receive the grand prize—an 88% discount on all store purchases!"
"Alright, all participating couples, please get ready. Boyfriends, please pick up your girlfriends!"
Lin Yang took a deep breath and slowly extended his hands, one hand carefully supporting Hu Qian's knees, and the other gently embracing her back.
His movements were stiff and unnatural, his arms trembling slightly, as if he was afraid of hurting Hu Qian, or as if he was trying his best to control his inner nervousness.
Hu Qian's face also flushed slightly. She turned her head away, not daring to look directly into Lin Yang's eyes, and instinctively gripped Lin Yang's shoulders, her fingers slightly curled from tension.
An awkward atmosphere, stemming from their unfamiliarity, permeated between the two, making even the surrounding air feel viscous.
Seeing that everyone was in position, the host shouted loudly:
"Contestants, get ready! Three, two, one, start!"
With this command, the entire venue instantly fell silent, leaving only the heavy breathing of the contestants.
Less than a minute after the competition began, one couple was defeated.
The boy's face was flushed, his arms trembling violently, and he lost his balance, causing the girl's feet to touch the ground.
The girl's face immediately fell, and she complained:
"How useless are you? You couldn't even last a minute!"
"Isn't it because you're too fat? Look how slim other girls are!"
"Hmph, then go find a slim girlfriend!"
...
As time passed, people continued to fail, and fewer and fewer couples remained on stage.
Lin Yang's ability to last so long was thanks to his experience as a technician in a factory.
He often moved parts, and had good strength and endurance from his muscles.
Additionally, Hu Qian was slender and light, so while holding her wasn't easy for Lin Yang, he could manage.
In this way, they successfully lasted until only the last three couples remained.
Hu Qian looked at the sweating Lin Yang and said,
"Can you still hold on? If not, let's just give up!"
Lin Yang shook his head:
"We've lasted this long; giving up now would be a waste."
Hu Qian nodded slightly. Looking at Lin Yang's focused and determined eyes, her heart couldn't help but beat a little faster.
After a while, one of the other couples also couldn't hold on.
The boy's strength seemed to have reached its limit; his legs began to tremble, and the arms holding the girl slowly lowered. Finally, the girl's feet touched the ground.
Now, only Lin Yang, Hu Qian, and one other couple remained on stage.
That couple also seemed to have excellent chemistry; although the boy's face was full of exhaustion, his eyes revealed determination, and the girl tightly wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, her feet crossed around his waist to help him save energy.
Hu Qian glanced at the other couple and knew that if she didn't do something soon, they might not get the discount.
At this moment, beads of sweat rolled down Lin Yang's forehead, and his hands trembled slightly, clearly nearing his limit.
She bit her lower lip, making a silent decision.
Hu Qian tilted her head slightly, slowly wrapped her arms around Lin Yang's neck, and gently rested her fingers on his shoulders.
Her action instantly brought them closer, almost face to face, nose to nose.
Lin Yang's breath gently brushed Hu Qian's cheek, carrying a hint of warmth.
Hu Qian was somewhat flustered by his sudden closeness, and her body instantly tensed up.
She instinctively hugged Lin Yang tightly, afraid she might fall.
At this moment, everything around them seemed to quiet down. The usually bustling and noisy mall, in their ears, was now filled only with their rapid breathing and pounding heartbeats.
The warm yellow lights gently fell upon them, as if coating them in a dreamy golden glow.
The cheers and shouts of the surrounding audience also became blurred, as if the entire world consisted only of the two of them.
Hu Qian's face instantly flushed crimson, from her earlobes all the way down to her neck.
Her heart pounded like thunder, as if it would leap out of her throat.
She slightly turned her head, not daring to meet Lin Yang's gaze directly.
But Lin Yang's close proximity made it impossible for her eyes to escape.
Lin Yang's face was also flushed, like a ripe apple.
His eyes flickered with shyness and nervousness, yet also held a unique tenderness.
The two of them held each other tightly, their body temperatures intermingling, and an indescribable ambiguous atmosphere filled the air.
In this tense and ambiguous atmosphere, time seemed to stretch indefinitely.
Finally, the other couple couldn't hold on any longer.
The boy's legs trembled violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and his face was etched with exhaustion and unwillingness.
As the girl's feet touched the ground, a sigh of regret erupted from the audience.
When only Lin Yang and Hu Qian remained on stage, the host walked over to them and excitedly announced:
"The competition is over! Congratulations to the two winners!"
"Wow, we won! Lin Yang, you're amazing!"
Hu Qian hugged Lin Yang's head, so happy she almost kissed him.
The audience immediately burst into warm applause and cheers, praising their persistence and chemistry.
Lin Yang then slowly lowered Hu Qian, her hands still tightly clasped around Lin Yang's neck, as if she was still immersed in the intense competition.
"Can you let go now?"
Hu Qian immediately withdrew her hands:
"I was so happy, I forgot for a moment."
Lin Yang smiled and said nothing more.
After the two of them finished, the host stepped forward and handed the victory discount coupon to Lin Yang and Hu Qian, smiling and saying,
"Congratulations! It's clear that your chemistry and trust are truly admirable; this 88% discount is well deserved!"
Lin Yang accepted the coupon and thanked the host, while Hu Qian stood beside him, her face beaming with a happy smile.
The female audience members below the stage began to whisper.
"Wow, that guy is so handsome! I didn't expect him to not only be good-looking but also so strong. His girlfriend is so lucky."
"Yes, yes, I just saw him hold his girlfriend for so long; he gives such a sense of security."
These compliments drifted into Hu Qian's ears, and a unique feeling surged within her.
She secretly glanced at Lin Yang beside her, seeing his handsome face still streaked with sweat, and the light shining on him, outlining his muscular physique.
Hu Qian's heart couldn't help but quicken a few beats, and she quickly took a few deep breaths to hide her inner turmoil.