Chapter 139

The moment Ying Chanxi and the others started running, loud cheers and shouts erupted from the stands.

Probably because of Ying Chanxi's presence, and because among the girls in the first group, no other student from the elite class had yet appeared besides her.

So much so that students from classes two, three, and four were even cheering for Ying Chanxi.

When Ying Chanxi crossed the finish line as the first in her group, Class One erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

When Yan Zhusheng stepped onto the track, guided by the teacher, and took her position on the third lane to wait.

Not only Class Eight, not only Gao Er, but even sharp-eyed Gao Er students pointed toward Yan Zhusheng and asked, "Isn't that the girl who sang just now? She signed up for the 100 meters too?"

This drew a crowd to the stands, and some even moved closer to Gao Er to watch up close.

At this very moment.

Yan Zhusheng's popularity on campus, thanks to the rock club's brilliant performance, suddenly surpassed Ying Chanxi's.

Before this, although many Gao Er students knew there was a girl who sang incredibly well—she had belted out songs during the military training nights—

Not everyone was interested enough to go all the way to Class Eight just to ask about her.

Most people didn't even know Yan Zhusheng's name.

The same logic could be applied to Ying Chanxi.

In comparison, the elite classes, more focused on academic rankings, knew about the "demon queen" in Class One due to the summer prep classes—and that she was extremely cute and beautiful.

But students from other parallel classes might occasionally catch a glimpse of Ying Chanxi in the hallway or elsewhere on campus, leaving only a fleeting impression in their minds.

Yet unless they actively asked or inquired, they might spend all three years of high school without ever learning her name or which class she was from.

They'd only remember there was a girl they couldn't forget—and she'd remain forever in memory, with no chance to ever seek her out again.

"Give me your work badge," Ying Chanxi said, having walked back from the finish line, under the gaze of many eyes, toward Li Luo.

"Oh." Li Luo took Ying Chanxi's badge off his own neck and, seeing her lower her head, casually slipped it over her head.

"I'm so jealous…" Xie Shuchen muttered enviously, watching this scene. "I wish I were Ying Chanxi's cousin."

"Then you'd have zero chance," Liu Shaowen said. "I don't need to be Ying Chanxi's cousin—just be good friends with her cousin."

"That makes some sense," Xie Shuchen nodded thoughtfully, then chuckled. "But I've got it easier—I'm in the same club as Li Luo."

"Isn't that right?" Liu Shaowen sneered. "I'm even his pen pal in the literature club."

"I've performed on stage with him too!"

"I've had meals with Li Luo several times—have you?"

"We've trained together in the activity room every day this past while—we're together morning and night—have you?"

For some reason, as they argued, the tone of their conversation shifted oddly.

And below, on the track.

As Yan Zhusheng stretched on the third lane, Ying Chanxi stood beside Li Luo and asked casually, "Have you played your song 'Chasing the Light' for anyone else besides me?"

"Only you and Yan Zhusheng."

"So it wasn't just for me?"

"New songs need recording, right?" Li Luo smiled. "I still need to rely on her for that."

"Hmm… I suppose so." Ying Chanxi reluctantly accepted Li Luo's excuse. "If you go to Zhusheng's house to record again, remember to bring me—I want to listen too."

"Got it. I won't forget you."

After getting the answer she wanted, Ying Chanxi walked to the edge of the track and waved at Yan Zhusheng: "Zhusheng, go for it! Let's both make it to the finals!"

Even winning first in the group didn't guarantee a finals spot—but it was almost certain.

The preliminaries ranked runners strictly by time, regardless of which group they were in.

If one group was exceptionally strong, all eight runners could advance to the finals, while the others from the remaining three groups got eliminated.

But the PE teacher had records of everyone's usual running times, so the four groups were roughly balanced—no bizarre scenarios like that would happen.

Hearing Ying Chanxi's cheer, Yan Zhusheng turned her head and saw Li Luo behind her giving a thumbs-up—she waved back in response.

"Ready," the supervising teacher stood at the track's starting line, raised a small flag, then shouted, "On your marks, set—go!"

The moment he spoke, a tall figure surged ahead, leaving the others far behind, and shot across the finish line in barely over ten seconds.

Unlike the earlier loud cheers, this time many stood with mouths agape, still stunned.

"She's good at singing, but now she's fast at running too? Is she a sports student?"

"She's from Gao Er Class Eight—I haven't heard she's a sports student."

"You found that out so fast?"

"Haha, I know Niu Qingling from the rock club—I asked her, and apparently Yan Zhusheng's just a last-minute replacement vocalist. Amazing."

"Oh, the original vocalist was Wei Duo from the next class—I remember her. I wondered why she wasn't singing."

Wei Duo from Gao Er Class Three sat on the stands, her expression grim, clearly upset.

If Yan Zhusheng had made a mistake during her performance—or hadn't been so dazzling—it would've been easier to accept.

But now, it was clear she'd completely overshadowed Wei Duo—how could Wei Duo feel anything but bitter?

After all, she'd once believed the rock club couldn't survive without her—now it seemed she was the one most easily replaceable.

Especially seeing Yan Zhusheng's swift figure streaking across the 100-meter track made Wei Duo's discomfort even worse.

But Wei Duo's discomfort meant nothing to Yan Zhusheng.

She hadn't even considered such things—after finishing the 100 meters, she wandered over to the starting line.

Ying Chanxi had already left, heading to the gymnasium to guide the next competitors.

Li Luo had finished his duties and had no other tasks for the entire morning, so he waited here for Yan Zhusheng to return.

"Here." Li Luo pulled out his harmonica and handed it to Yan Zhusheng.

But Yan Zhusheng only shook her head: "There's the 200-meter prelims around noon—just keep it with you for now."

"Alright then."

Li Luo's 3000-meter event doesn't start until tomorrow afternoon.

Aside from that, there are only about two guidance duties per day.

The student council has nearly a hundred members total, so the workload per person is relatively light.

After the two eighth-grade athletes finished their 100-meter preliminary race, Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng walked together toward the eighth-grade bleachers.

"Here."

Yan Zhusheng sat down beside Xu Yinghuan, then picked up his school uniform jacket and patted the empty spot beside him.

"Thanks for saving me a seat," Li Luo said, plopping down and pulling out his harmonica, playing with it in his hand as he watched the ongoing competition below.

Yan Zhusheng glanced over and asked, "You wanna try playing it?"

"Uh…" Li Luo looked down at the harmonica in his hand, as if it still bore the imprint of Yan Zhusheng's lips, "Nah, I'm not good at this."

"I can teach you."

"... You really teach everything, don't you?" Li Luo said, dumbfounded, quickly shoving the harmonica into Yan Zhusheng's hands, "How about you cheer for the boys' 100-meter race first? Play a few tunes, then give it back to me when it's your turn for the 200-meter."

"Oh." Yan Zhusheng took the harmonica, saw he had no intention of learning, and didn't press further—only brought it to his lips and began to play softly.

"Huh?" Xu Yinghuan, beside them, heard the music and asked curiously, "Zhusheng, you play so well—what song is this?"

"'Chasing the Light,' a song Li Luo wrote himself."

"Wait, the monitor has this talent too?"