Chapter 134: Song Chengyi, Congratulations

Luo Yixia handed in her exam paper and came back bouncing to retrieve her stationery. Song Chengyi had no idea what she was so happy about; she had managed to mess up even the simplest paper, getting the most basic multiple-choice questions at the beginning wrong.

He really didn't know what to say about her.

"I'm heading back now, okay?" Luo Yixia whispered to Song Chengyi while bowing her head.

Song Chengyi nodded.

Luo Yixia pulled Gan Yanyan away. Looking at how happy she was, one would have thought she had done well on the exam.

"Did you do great on your math test? Why are you so happy?"

"I think I did really well," Luo Yixia said with a smile.

"It’s rare to hear you say you did well on a math test," Gan Yanyan remarked, her mouth twitching.

Luo Yixia just smiled and said nothing. Song Chengyi had given her the answers, and that was a little secret between the two of them. Haha, she was so happy.

The exams came to a perfect close, and Luo Yixia stretched again, as if everything were over.

The exams were finally finished; the feeling was indescribably refreshing.

"Xiaxia, here’s your contestant number," Xu Jiayu tossed the tag at her.

Luo Yixia’s expression immediately collapsed.

Oh god, she had just climbed out of one abyss only to step into another.

One thousand five hundred meters.

Heaven help her.

"The exams are over, let's go out and relax tonight. How about barbecue?" Lin Ya was scrolling through her phone and hopped over to the group.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Luo Yixia came back to life.

"Why don't you ask your idol if he's going?" Gan Yanyan leaned in to ask.

"I'll try," Luo Yixia said, not entirely sure.

She sent a text, but it took Song Chengyi a long time to reply. He said he had to help grade papers and would have to work overtime that evening.

Her mood plummeted to the bottom once again.

The group ate and drank, but no one dared to touch alcohol, knowing they had to wake up early for the sports meet the next day.

As the broadcast played and the national anthem began, everyone had to crawl out from under their blankets, washing up with sleepy eyes. Finally, they changed into their school uniforms.

Because of the school-wide military training that had taken up so much time previously, followed immediately by the midterms, they hadn't had time to arrange any performances. They just followed the usual routine and went through the motions.

Luo Yixia didn't feel like time had passed very quickly this year. The New Year’s gala was coming up soon, and they would have to rehearse again.

Last year, when no one in the class volunteered, Luo Yixia was pushed onto the stage to perform a folk dance. She actually ended up winning an award. That was the happiest she had ever seen Old Sheng smile at her. He had specifically patted her on the shoulder and said, "Student Luo Yixia, from now on, our class’s New Year’s programs depend on you."

Thinking of this, the memories were always bittersweet. It seemed she would have to get on stage again. She just wanted to quietly be a slacker; why was that so hard?

The weather was quite nice today—or rather, it was the best weather of the month.

The sun was scorching.

Early in the morning, the sun was already climbing high.

Luo Yixia’s class was positioned right in the direct glare of the sun.

Looking at the many other classes, she couldn't even spot where Song Chengyi’s class was located. With so many people, finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

She sat obediently on her stool, eating and drinking.

"Why are you still eating? It’ll be our turn for the girls' relay soon," Lin Ya said, looking at the hopeless Luo Yixia.

"Are we up that soon?" Luo Yixia ate another slice of orange.

"Hurry, hurry!" The sports committee member ran over to urge them, "Go get ready, it's almost your turn."

Luo Yixia pressed her legs down and bent over, doing some stretches to prevent cramps.

"Xiaxia, I asked around for you. Song Chengyi is running the 3000-meter, the 800-meter, and doing high jump," Gan Yanyan told her while warming up.

"When are they?" Luo Yixia asked.

Song Chengyi had been busy these past few days, and she hadn't specifically asked him what he had signed up for.

"The 800-meter is right after ours, starting around ten o'clock. The 3000-meter is this afternoon, and the high jump is tomorrow." Gan Yanyan had asked about everything clearly when she inquired.

"Does he know you're running the relay? How come I don't see him?" Gan Yanyan squinted, looking around.

"He probably doesn't know. I didn't tell him," Luo Yixia said gloomily.

After the preceding events, it was their turn.

Luo Yixia was placed as the third runner, following Xu Jiayu, Gan Yanyan, and finally Lin Ya.

Luo Yixia took several deep breaths; she was genuinely nervous.

The sports committee member was most worried about this group, so he brought quite a few classmates over to cheer for them. This only made them even more nervous.

Luo Yixia didn't really care if Song Chengyi would come to cheer for her, but when she accidentally glanced at the spectator stand, she saw that figure she had fallen for at first sight. He was looking at her too.

He curled his lips into a slight smile at her.

Ah, Luo Yixia felt her heart melt. That smile went straight to her core, scratching at her heart like a kitten's claws. What was she going to do?

With the sound of the starting gun, Xu Jiayu began to run with all her might. Luo Yixia pulled back her gaze and focused intently on what was ahead.

Before, she could have been indifferent, but now that Song Chengyi was watching her, she couldn't lose face. Even if it meant running until her legs broke, she had to prove herself today.

As long as Song Chengyi was happy, she would give her life for it.

Indeed, beauty is a blade.

Seeing that Gan Yanyan had already received the baton and was sprinting toward her with the same speed she used to rush to the cafeteria, Luo Yixia started jogging in place, waiting to receive the baton.

Once she successfully took it, Luo Yixia took off. At that moment, she couldn't hear a thing; there was only the sound of the wind in her ears and Song Chengyi’s smiling face floating before her eyes.

Luo Yixia ran with all her might. Just ten meters left, five, three, one—she successfully passed it to Lin Ya.

Luo Yixia grabbed her legs, gasping for air.

She looked up to check the situation. They were already doing well, but thanks to Luo Yixia’s extraordinary performance, she had even overtaken someone. Lin Ya’s athletic talent was so well-developed that Luo Yixia just watched her fly off like the wind.

And then... they took first place.

The sports committee member was the first to react, then cheers erupted.

Luo Yixia was still a bit dazed. Just like that... they won?

Surrounded by classmates from her class, Luo Yixia twisted and turned, searching for that figure in the stands.

But he was already gone. He must have returned to his own class; he had his 800-meter race coming up.

Lin Ya walked over and smiled at Luo Yixia, "Not bad. I’ve known you for so long, and I’ve never seen you run this fast, not even when racing to the cafeteria after class."

Luo Yixia just smiled and said nothing. The power of love—what would you single people know about it?

Luo Yixia squeezed through the crowd, looking for the track for the boys' 800-meter. It was packed with people, and she couldn't even squeeze in.

Moreover, girls all around were constantly cheering, shouting Song Chengyi’s name to encourage him.

Luo Yixia stood on her tiptoes to look, but she couldn't see a trace of Song Chengyi.

Forget it, she couldn't see the start, so she would go squeeze into the finish line.

Luo Yixia started running toward the finish.

Accompanied by the sound of the gun, the boys' 800-meter began. There were many people at the finish line, but at least Luo Yixia managed to squeeze to the front.

The screams and cheers around her drowned out the sound of the broadcast.

Song Chengyi had so many little fans.

Luo Yixia stared intently.

Until that figure kept running toward the finish line, and toward Luo Yixia as well.

He took first place without any suspense. However, Song Chengyi probably hadn't seen her. Luo Yixia watched as countless people squeezed past her to offer congratulations, water, and towels, while she could only stand where she was, blocked by the crowd, unable to see even a corner of his clothes.

At that moment, she clearly understood what loneliness tasted like. Her eyes turned red in silence.

She seemed too far away from him, so far that she didn't even dare to step forward and say, "Congratulations on taking first place."

"Congratulations, Song Chengyi," Luo Yixia said silently in her heart.

She turned and left, the tears in the corners of her eyes falling as she turned.

Luo Yixia returned to her class’s spot and sat at the back, quietly watching the cheers and screams on the field.

These things seemed to have nothing to do with her.

Gan Yanyan and the others didn't know where they had gone.

Luo Yixia sighed softly.

"Why are you here by yourself?" A voice came from beside her.

Luo Yixia turned and glanced at him briefly.

"Just finished my race, resting for a bit," Luo Yixia answered with her head down.

"I have long jump and shot put coming up soon. Do you want to come and cheer for me?" He Zhen asked, looking at her.

"Huh?" Luo Yixia looked at him.

"It’s okay, if you don't want to go, forget it," He Zhen smiled.

"Alright then." Luo Yixia looked at him, as he had been speaking to her with a smile the whole time. They were classmates, after all, and she couldn't keep rejecting his kindness.

Although she wasn't happy right now, she might as well go and distract herself.

The two walked to the sand pit area together.

He Zhen was quite popular, and sure enough, wherever Luo Yixia squeezed, there were many people.

He Zhen didn't say anything more and went to prepare for his competition.

Luo Yixia watched the jostling crowd. In contrast, the girls' side was much more miserable.

She was still lost in thought.

Until Gan Yanyan found her.

"Where did you go just now? Did you see Song Chengyi’s race? We couldn't find you. We all went to cheer for your idol, Song. He was amazing and lived up to expectations, taking first place."

Hearing Gan Yanyan say this, Luo Yixia felt her nose sting again.

Gan Yanyan sensed her emotions: "What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?"

Luo Yixia shook her head.

"It's nothing, I might just be a little tired."

Gan Yanyan bit her lip: "Tired? Then let's go back and rest."

"It's okay, I'll just stand here for a while and watch them compete."

"Okay, let's go over there, there's no sun," Gan Yanyan pulled her under a tree.

They could see the competition from there too.

"Where are the others?" Luo Yixia asked.

"Lin Ya is in a race, I think. She rushed off to compete right after watching the 800-meter, and Jiayu went with her." Gan Yanyan was trying to comfort her.

For a long time, Luo Yixia said nothing, and Gan Yanyan asked cautiously again: "What's wrong?"