Chapter 27: School Sports 04

Chapter 27

Zhou Zhou, unable to keep his composure, smashed the speaker on the spot, apparently placed there by some genius. Then stomped off angrily. Another soap drama scene lost.

Yan Xi lamented deep inside at the missed opportunity for entertainment.

[This is oddly reminiscent of... a CEO's runaway sweetheart.] Pandora mused.

[I have reasonable grounds to suspect you're getting back at Zhou Zhou.]

[How could that be? A pure and kind-hearted young girl like me taking revenge? Just an accident.] Yan Xi replied coquettishly.

After all, she was just a seed player taking on the 800 meters, 400 meters, and the 4 x 100 meter relay.

Hellish training in the afternoon meant no mercy for anyone.

Yan Xi could barely make out what was in front of her.

Breathing in and out rapidly, completely erratic.

Yan Xi's nails dug into her palms.

Yan Xi’s legs felt pumped full of lead. Her breathing grew heavier as she struggled to steady it.

But to no avail.

The disgusting heaviness and clumsiness seemed to replay the nightmare, surging up relentlessly over and over.

Like the stickiest, foulest mire flooding in from the head down.

She still remembered dragging her cumbersome body day after day, madly engaging in high intensity exercise. The suffocation brought on by running seemed ready to end the world.

Ah hahaha.....I can’t...

I can’t...

Can’t what?

Can’t be ugly...!

Why can’t I?

Her mind tore violently as memories buried deep surged wildly, like nauseating muck.

"Don't wear that dress again in the future."

The man turned his head, his eyes deeply restraining his disgust, not showing the slightest bit.

But Luo Manman knew her esteemed father was angry.

No, to be more precise, he could barely contain his revulsion...

She was seated at the piano, head slightly lowered, not daring to defy him.

"Yes, father."

Her tone was neither humble nor imposing, as if she had practiced countless times to achieve that exact modulation.

The girl wore an antique black dress, her long black hair seeming to extinguish all expression, leaving only utmost perfection in obedience and docility.

No amount of effort could change her physique, hideous features, or the necrosis marring her skin, all interwoven with and congealing her ugliness, also crystallizing her original sin.

The dress was custom-fitted, her hair styled just right, even the dress's contours Luo Manman had fiddled with for a long time.

“Ah!” Shen Qiuyi fell sprawling to the ground.

The girls behind swiftly overtook her and within seconds, she had dropped from first to last place.

Observing trackside, Yan Xi seemed to see Shen Qiuyi get knocked over.

Staring at the girl who took first place, the one who’d passed Shen Qiuyi on the left, something about her looked familiar.

A tattoo.

Wearing red shirt and pants, Shen Qiuyi didn’t realize at first that her knee was injured. She only felt momentarily weak-kneed and unable to get up.

Shen Qiuyi tried several times but couldn’t stand. Feeling wetness on her knee, she looked down.

Her hand was covered in blood.

Shen Qiuyi’s face paled tremendously. She began to grasp what happened and struggled to get up. Putting weight on her knee shot waves of agony through her.

The race had long finished and no one paid Shen Qiuyi any attention, everyone from the other classes cheering the victor. Naturally no one noticed Shen Qiuyi. Most of her own classmates had gone to watch Zhou Zhou’s jianzi match this afternoon. So Shen Qiuyi was practically alone.

She had intended to return on her own after the race anyway since she ran the 100 meters solo too. An injury never crossed Shen Qiuyi's mind.

Originally, Dong Yaya said she would accompany Shen Qiuyi but soon as she said it, Dong Yaya went straight to Zhou Zhou’s match, claiming she was saving them seats.

The broadcast sounded: “Female 400 meter runners, please head to registration for check-in.”

"Female 400 meter runners, please head to registration for check-in."

"Female 400 meter runners, please head to registration for check-in."

[I was going to go all out for the 400 meters, the last event too...]

This body truly was weak.

Watching Shen Qiuyi from afar, Yan Xi rhythmically tapped the knuckles of one hand with the fingers of her other, a habitual movement when she thought something through.

Can’t get up...

Still can’t get up...

Just as tears brimmed Shen Qiuyi eyes, a pair of fair hands stretched out before her.

“Are you okay, deskmate?” Yan Xi helped pull Shen Qiuyi to her feet with some effort.

“You seem quite badly hurt. Let me take you to the infirmary.” Seeing how drenched Shen Qiuyi’s pants were with blood staining her whole thigh and dripping onto the track, Yan Xi said.

The wound beneath was already a bloody mess.

“You go on ahead. You still have races left.” Shen Qiuyi spoke despondently with a sobbing tone to her voice. She knew about Yan Xi and Zhou Zhou’s bet and could see neither wanted to lose to the other.

Plus she just heard the announcement for the 400 meter event.

Shen Qiuyi couldn’t even walk right now. Just being pulled up made her feel it wasn’t skin deep. Something in the bone also seemed injured. Every slight movement brought such agony she nearly cried. She and Yan Xi weren’t close enough for her to believe Yan Xi would give up competing for her sake. Shen Qiuyi felt Yan Xi was merely being polite.

“Just message Dong Yaya to come get me. You go on...” Shen Qiuyi said with tears edging her words. She truly hurt a lot.

"Come on, get on," Yan Xi interrupted Shen Qiuyi's words.

Yan Xi turned his back to her and squatted down, signaling that he wanted to give Shen Qiuyi a piggyback ride.

"There's no need..."

"I'm telling you—get on, don't waste time. We might just make it," said Yan Xi, his handsome eyebrows showing some determination, although it didn't quite reach his eyes.