Chapter 67

Between the third period in the afternoon and the twenty-minute self-study break, there was a five-minute restroom break.

It was an unwritten rule, not listed in the Gao San schedule, but mutually acknowledged by teachers and students.

If you're not caught within five minutes, whether you get caught after depends on the mood of the academic affairs teacher.

Jiang Nian usually went past the five-minute mark and headed straight to the cafeteria for meals. If caught, Old Liu would warn him; if not caught, he scored a chicken leg rice meal—either way, he didn't lose.

Whether he went upstairs or not right at the five-minute mark depended entirely on Jiang Nian's mood.

What? Demotion?

Demote my ass! Old Liu owes me! Say thank you to Brother Jiang right now!

Yu Tongjie had already contributed his last bit of warmth; Jiang Nian now didn't want Yu Tongjie demoted, because he could... use Yu the Turtle to pressure Old Liu!

Old Liu, I'll eat this entire Gao San to keep your secret.

Suddenly, ten or so students from Olympiad Class Three spilled out of their classroom, laughing and chatting. Any academic affairs teacher who wasn't deaf would come out to ask what was going on.

Li Qingrong walked at the front, expressionless, talking to the academic affairs teacher. Jiang Nian trailed at the end of the group, planning to go downstairs, circle around, and head to the cafeteria.

Suddenly, he spotted Yu Tongjie emerging from the group, walking beside Li Qingrong, apparently offering to explain something?

Jiang Nian rubbed his chin, thinking: Where did this Class Three's hidden master come from?

Li Qingrong is a leaf bathed in daylight; you, Yu Tongjie, are the root lurking in the darkness of Class Three? Please, just say it: I'm the monitor!

But he was just here for entertainment—he didn't care enough to intervene.

Eating was the priority.

Just as he reached the bottom of the stairs and was about to slip away, he felt a prickling sensation on his back.

Huh?? Locked in?

He turned around and saw Li Qingrong standing not far off, staring at him intently.

Jiang Nian reacted quickly, crouching down to untie his shoelaces, muttering to himself.

"Man, these laces are so loose, I can't even run properly."

Emergency evasion mode: fully activated.

He was waiting... waiting for the others to leave first. If they didn't leave, he'd untie his right shoelace too, then adjust his left one after finishing the right.

Don't ask. If you ask, he's in deep reflection.

As he kept untying, he finally heard the scattered footsteps of his classmates fading away. Just as he was about to retie his laces and make a sudden dash in the opposite direction—

A pair of white athletic shoes appeared in his line of sight.

Jiang Nian looked up and saw Li Qingrong's face.

"Ha... small world, Monitor, you haven't left yet?"

Outside the sports field, passing students turned to stare at the pair—one standing, one crouching. Mostly because Li Qingrong's aura was too outstanding, drawing excessive attention.

"Let's go," she said.

Jiang Nian reluctantly followed her into the sports field, feeling only one thing.

Damp and hot.

"Should I slow my pace a bit?" Li Qingrong asked.

"Whatever."

Jiang Nian smiled weakly, thinking: Baby, can you just let me go eat at the cafeteria? When I run, I'll hit max speed.

After complaining, he still had to keep up with Li Qingrong.

Running came as naturally to Jiang Nian as breathing—he caught up to her rhythm within a hundred meters and began studying her. His gaze landed on a beautiful face.

Her expression was blank, but not coldly detached. He could sense she had emotions—just didn't show them clearly.

Tall and slender, around 167 cm, yet perfectly proportioned.

Huh? Why doesn't her body jiggle when she runs? Probably because of a sports bra. Li Qingrong clearly exercised often—she carried heavy burdens.

On the other side, Yu Tongjie had already completed one lap, drenched in sweat.

He hadn't expected such weird weather—by the end of one lap, he already smelled sour. But thinking of tomorrow's sports meet, he regained motivation.

He didn't bother elaborating on his goal—then he turned his head and saw a sight that nearly made his legs buckle onto the track.

Half a soccer field away.

Yu Tongjie saw Li Qingrong running side by side with Jiang Nian, their heights nearly identical, movements almost synchronized—as if they were glued together.

Yu the Turtle's analogy was truly insane: glued together on the track.

Do you think this is some third-rate university?

In total, from shock to anger to resignation, it took him only three seconds.

Li Qingrong was the monitor—helping classmates was perfectly normal. Her personality was just like that: rigid, probably never considered the impression it gave.

It was all his own fault for running too fast. Everything was Jiang Nian's fault—he had to stop and tie his shoelaces.

Otherwise, the person running beside Li Qingrong should've been him!

But then he reconsidered—the time was still early.

Li Qingrong would only run a few laps with Jiang Nian, and as monitor, she'd surely prioritize helping students who needed it more, right?

Letting Jiang Nian run a few laps was fine—after all, they had nothing to talk about.

Only equals shared common ground, spoke the same language. What could Jiang Nian possibly talk about with her? Studies? Sports? Ha, childish.

Li Qingrong's future path was clearly to enter East China University of Political Science and Law, then join the system as a bureaucrat.

Yu Tongjie wasn't arrogant—he just felt he'd been exposed since childhood to... things that gave him more topics than Jiang Nian, at least enough to keep Li Qingrong from getting bored.

"Monitor, this headband you're wearing today is really pretty—did you switch it on purpose for running?" Jiang Nian, bored from running, started chatting with Li Qingrong.

"No, I just picked it randomly," Li Qingrong replied, breathing steadily, speaking easily while running.

"Oh, okay," Jiang Nian thought—she'd find me annoying and leave me alone. "Monitor, you're amazing at running—totally crushing it."

Li Qingrong paused. "Th... thank you."

"Strong?"

The highest praise for long-distance running.

Jiang Nian had said it offhandedly. He'd originally meant to say "badass," but the words reached his lips and he swapped in a more civilized term. By now his mind was already wandering to what to eat later.

"Class monitor, your skin is really nice — is it from running?"

"Class monitor, that windbreaker suits you pretty well."

"Class monitor, want to go help out someone else?"

Holy crap, Jiang Nian was about to spit blood. It was already the fourth lap — how was she still not letting him off the hook? He shouldn't be here right now; he should be in the cafeteria auntie's palm.

On the other side, Yu Tongjie was also about to spit blood.

Holy shit, it's already the fourth lap — why is she still not paying attention to me?

At the start, Yu Tongjie had deliberately slowed his pace, squinted his eyes, and put on a very tired look on the track, idling at low speed waiting for Li Qingrong to come pace him.

And the result — it's already the damn fourth lap, huh?

No way — she's still pacing Jiang Nian?

That guy's mouth hasn't stopped blabbering the whole time — he clearly doesn't look like someone who needs a running partner! Is there still no justice!

Yu Tongjie staggered, his breathing ragged, his steps heavy.

As if heaven had heard his prayer — on the fifth lap, he suddenly saw Li Qingrong leaning over. Before he could stop and say anything, she spoke first.

"You don't have to force yourself to match someone else's pace for the sports meet. Your body comes first — if you can't hold on midway, you can forfeit."

Yu Tongjie's legs instantly went weak.