Chapter 89: He Is in Charge of Looking Beautiful

“Did you take your antibiotics?” Suddenly, Song Chengyi spoke.

Everyone at the table, as well as those nearby, paused in surprise; Song Chengyi was rarely one to speak.

“I… I forgot…” Luo Yixia truly had forgotten—she’d only taken them that morning when she woke up.

“Take them when you get back,” Song Chengyi said, his tone leaving no room for refusal.

“All right.” Luo Yixia nodded obediently at once.

Gan Yanyan shot a provocative glance at Yu Bin.

Yu Bin still couldn’t quite believe it—was this really Song Chengyi? He actually cared about someone else.

“Well… Senior Song saw I was injured yesterday, so he gave me some antibiotics,” Luo Yixia explained.

No one said a word. Luo Yixia lowered her head and continued eating.

“Instructor Song said we’d get some rest tonight. That’s wonderful,” Gan Yanyan quickly changed the subject.

There was no helping it—knowing more meant bearing a heavier responsibility.

“I can finally get a good night’s sleep,” Yu Bin stretched lazily.

“But are you joining the training tomorrow, Junior Luo?” Yu Bin asked, since they’d gotten along well that day.

“We’ll see. I should be fine by tomorrow,” Luo Yixia smiled, unconcerned.

When they finished eating, Gan Yanyan and Luo Yixia got ready to head back. But unexpectedly, someone spoke up again, “Do you need me to walk you back?”

Yu Bin glanced at Luo Yixia, then at Song Chengyi, recalling how serious her leg injury seemed, and chimed in as well.

“Yeah, we can walk you back.”

Luo Yixia shook her head vigorously. “It’s fine, really. I’m much better. Yanyan and I can go back ourselves.”

She then pulled Yanyan away, almost fleeing.

Song Chengyi watched Luo Yixia’s retreating figure, lost in thought for a long time.

Yu Bin noticed it all.

Arms crossed, one hand stroking his chin, he tutted, “Ah, such a reluctant, longing gaze…”

Song Chengyi shot him a glance, then strode off toward the boys’ dormitory.

Yu Bin hurried after him. “Am I imagining things, or is there something unusual in the air? Is our great Song finally experiencing springtime feelings?”

“Yes.”

“…?” Yu Bin blinked, thinking he’d misheard.

“No, I think I had a ringing in my ears just now. I didn’t catch that. What did you say?” Yu Bin pressed on, not letting go.

Song Chengyi only curled his lips into a slight smile and said nothing.

But there was something odd about that smile…

Was that an admission?

Yu Bin began to doubt the amount of insider information he possessed.

Could Song Chengyi really have fallen for Luo Yixia?

That didn’t seem right—they’d only cooked together for a few days. Could feelings really develop so quickly?

But Luo Yixia didn’t seem the least bit interested in him; she barely even wanted to talk.

Yu Bin shook his head. He must have been imagining things.

Meanwhile, Luo Yixia and Gan Yanyan walked together toward the dormitory.

Evening was gradually falling.

Gan Yanyan finally couldn’t help but ask, “Why do I feel like Song Chengyi treats you especially well?”

“Does he? We just happened to be assigned to the same group, so maybe he feels obliged to show some concern,” Luo Yixia replied, sounding a little guilty.

“Really? But yesterday when he came looking for you, he seemed really anxious,” Gan Yanyan laughed.

“Come on, Yanyan, are you getting as gossipy as everyone else now?” Luo Yixia stopped walking.

“I’ve always been gossipy,” Gan Yanyan accepted with a tilt of her head.

“Enough already. Song Chengyi… he’s on a whole different level. How could someone like me ever be worthy of him…” Luo Yixia murmured softly, her expression dejected and downcast.

Gan Yanyan paused, realizing that Xiaxia liked him and felt inferior because of it.

Gan Yanyan grew serious. “Xiaxia, love isn’t about status. If you like Song Chengyi, then go after him. I actually think you two make a great pair—talented and beautiful, a perfect match. You just keep being beautiful, and let Song Chengyi worry about earning the living.”

Luo Yixia burst out laughing. “If anyone is beautiful, it’s Song Chengyi.”

Seeing Luo Yixia smile, Gan Yanyan breathed a sigh of relief.

“If you win over the campus star, then let him be the beautiful one,” she teased.

The two girls stood beneath the falling night, bantering and laughing.

Many years later, Luo Yixia would think that being able to enjoy such happiness with Song Chengyi was probably all thanks to Yanyan.

The next morning, as military training resumed, Luo Yixia was already dressed and ready. She moved her leg a bit—it didn’t hurt unless she made any sudden movement, so walking wasn’t a problem.

The instructors blew their whistles early for assembly outside.

Luo Yixia followed the others down to line up.

Gan Yanyan tried several times to persuade her to rest, but she shook her head, insisting she was fine.

Song Chengyi had even messaged her the night before, urging her to rest one more day if necessary. He hadn’t expected her to show up so early.

Song Chengyi almost spoke out, but held back in the end.

Song Zeming came over to ask after her as well, but Luo Yixia only shook her head.

Soon, training began—fifty sit-ups for the girls, a hundred for the boys.

Luo Yixia had thought they’d just be standing at attention or running laps, but the drills were far more intense than expected.

She ended up paired with Gan Yanyan, who asked Luo Yixia to hold her legs.

One sit-up after another.

Gan Yanyan, naturally lively, wasn’t as exhausted as Luo Yixia, but the girls’ stamina was generally poor; it took ages, with frequent breaks, to finish.

Luo Yixia gritted her teeth and lay down.

Gan Yanyan worried, asking her several times, “Xiaxia, if you can’t go on, don’t force it. It’s not worth getting hurt again.”

“I’m fine. If I can’t, I’ll stop,” Luo Yixia insisted stubbornly.

Gan Yanyan sighed, squatted down, and gently pressed her legs.

She didn’t dare use much force, but after a few sit-ups, Luo Yixia asked her to press harder.

Gan Yanyan was genuinely concerned, but after a few tries, Luo Yixia found she could manage—it didn’t feel too bad.

Meanwhile, Song Chengyi finished early, holding down Yu Bin’s legs absentmindedly while scanning the crowd for Luo Yixia. Seeing her helping Gan Yanyan with sit-ups, he relaxed.

He thought, Surely she’s not so stubborn as to try all fifty herself.

But when he glanced back later, he found that the girl who’d been crouching was now on her back, doing sit-ups one after another.

He immediately let go of Yu Bin’s legs. Yu Bin, caught mid-exercise, suddenly lost support and jolted upright, only to see Song Chengyi walk away.

“Song Chengyi, where are you going?” he called out, just as Song Chengyi approached Luo Yixia and crouched beside her.

“Is your leg all right?” Song Chengyi’s face was cold, expressionless.

All around, girls paused their sit-ups to look over, puzzled.

“I’m fine,” Luo Yixia replied, sweat streaming down her forehead.

“How many has she done?” Song Chengyi asked Gan Yanyan.

“Eighteen,” Gan Yanyan replied, having counted carefully.

“Stop at twenty-five,” he said, and walked away.

Luo Yixia watched his departing back, glanced at Gan Yanyan, and chose to continue training.

When she reached twenty-five, Gan Yanyan let go.

“I’m not done yet,” Luo Yixia protested.

“If Song says twenty-five, twenty-five it is. You’ve done enough, and your leg isn’t healed yet,” Gan Yanyan said, standing up.

“It’s fine, don’t mind him. I know my own limits,” Luo Yixia retorted.

“Other people would love an excuse to slack off, but you’re just rushing to suffer,” Gan Yanyan said, helping her up.

But Luo Yixia’s legs buckled, weak and aching, and she struggled to stand.

“Are you all right?” Gan Yanyan asked, worried.

“I’ll be fine after a rest,” Luo Yixia said, sitting for a while, stretching her legs, and finally standing with some effort.

Song Chengyi watched everything quietly.

“Hey, man, what count are we at? Where are you looking?” Yu Bin noticed that Song Chengyi wasn’t counting at all.

“Fifty-five,” Song Chengyi answered without thinking.

“Why do I feel like the numbers are going down the more I do?” Yu Bin muttered, puzzled, then kept going.

At last, everyone finished.

Song Zeming started checking the numbers, seeing if anyone had passed in time.

He’d just come back from a meeting. When he checked and saw that Luo Yixia had done her sit-ups, he frowned.

“You’re still injured—why are you pushing yourself? Are you feeling any discomfort now?”

Luo Yixia shook her head.

“Wait a moment. Song Chengyi, come with me to the principal’s office,” Song Zeming called over.

“All right.” Luo Yixia knew full well why she and Song Chengyi were being called in.

There was no helping it; they had to go.

After the checkups, Song Zeming took his files over to the boys’ group.

Seeing Song Chengyi’s results, he casually praised him, “Good job.”

But when he saw Yu Bin’s, he looked troubled. “Boys should exercise more—you’re almost at the bottom of the class.”

Yu Bin felt embarrassed. He was usually quite active; how had his results ended up so poor? Seeing his number nearly triple Song Chengyi’s, he was stunned.

He suspected Song Chengyi had miscounted; it seemed like he’d heard “fifty-five” several times.

Later, during free time, Song Zeming took the two of them to the office.

Luo Yixia was sure she’d get a stern talking-to for causing everyone so much trouble.

Sure enough, Mr. Sheng had hurried in from home. As soon as he’d heard a student from his class had gone missing, he’d been beside himself with worry.

Now, seeing Luo Yixia standing safe and sound, he was relieved.

He offered a symbolic criticism, especially with the principal present.

After hearing Luo Yixia recount what had happened, and learning she was injured, Mr. Sheng felt even more sympathetic.

Aside from not studying hard, Luo Yixia was a good kid in every other way.

After her turn, it was Song Chengyi’s. Even though he’d left to help a classmate, leaving without informing an instructor was against the rules. Such behavior was considered reckless.