Chapter 22

Lin ChuSui, your class teacher said that you have already quit the school athletics team," the coach from the athletics team saw Lin ChuSui from afar and said to her, "You don't need to come for training anymore, just focus on preparing for the academic exams."

"Coach, I want to run the marathon," Lin ChuSui stopped in her tracks, breathing unevenly, "Let me join the training, I want to come in first place."

"You think it's so easy to come in first place?!"

"I'm confident I can do it!"

The PE teacher knew that Lin ChuSui was very talented in athletics, especially in endurance events. The bunch of kids on the school team couldn't compare to her.

It's just... if the parents don't support it, no matter how talented, there's nothing that can be done!

The PE teacher walked over and said to her, "Lin ChuSui, if you really love sports that much, you should go home and discuss it properly with your parents and get their support. Only then can I provide you with the maximum help as your teacher."

"My dad was very supportive of me!" Lin ChuSui said, "If he was still alive, he would have been 100% in favor of me participating in the marathon."

Upon hearing this, the PE teacher could probably guess what the situation was. He thought for a moment, then said, "In that case, there's still over ten days before the marathon. You can train with the school team during this time. If your class teacher asks, I'll just say you're training on your own. If you can really get first place in the marathon, I believe your class teacher will also find a way to persuade your family to continue letting you stay on the school team, on the condition that your academic grades improve."

"OK!"

Having obtained the PE teacher's tacit approval, Lin ChuSui continued to stay and train with the school team. Getting first place in the marathon would not only allow her to obtain the physical education exam qualification certificate, but also 50,000 RMB in prize money.

Lin ChuSui wasn't sure if she could do it, but she wanted to give it a try.

Her dad must also want to see her run the marathon from up in heaven.

After school, Lin ChuSui saw Xiao Yan walking towards the sports field and sitting down on the grassy football field.

He was wearing the school's loose blue and white uniform, with a white undershirt inside. The collar of the undershirt was loose, the line of his neck very elegant, his Adam's apple protruding, giving an inexplicably sexy feel.

He took out a small collection of ancient poems and quietly recited from it.

Lin ChuSui slowed her pace several times, secretly glancing at him with the corner of her eyes.

Head lowered looking at his book, he had a serious expression. The evening sun shone into his eyes, clear and bright.

Lin ChuSui noticed that many girls who walked past him also unconsciously slowed their pace, stealing looks at him.

Why did he have to come recite books here on the sports field, attracting a swarm of admirers?

Lin ChuSui saw two other girls next to her whipping out their phones to secretly take pictures of him.

She hurriedly stopped them, "No, you can't just take pictures of him."

"Why not?"

"If you want to take pictures, you have to go to his family's shop and buy at least 50..."

She was halfway through her sentence when a thought suddenly popped into her mind - "None of my business!"

"Nevermind, go ahead and take pictures. The study god belongs to everyone."

He wasn't her family, after all.

Lin ChuSui continued running laps around the track, no longer bothering with other people's business.

She didn't know how long she had been running for when she looked back and saw a female classmate had actually sat down next to Xiao Yan.

The girl had long hair down to her waist. She also had a very slender figure, fair skin, and a pair of large almond eyes - very beautiful.

Lin ChuSui gradually slowed her pace, her gaze fixed intently on the two of them, her brows furrowed.

They seemed to be chatting, in any case she could see the girl's lips moving, she must be talking to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's eyes remained on his book, but his thin lips were also moving.

What were they chatting about?!

The girl's face was blushing red.

From afar, the PE teacher blew his whistle, "Lin ChuSui, why did you stop? I'm timing you!"

Left with no choice, Lin ChuSui could only continue running laps, stealing glances back at them from time to time.

They were still chatting.

How were they still chatting! She saw Zhang Cheng Yu, the gossip king, crouching at the edge of the field drinking soda. She waved to get his attention, "Octopus bro, come here!"

Zhang Cheng Yu bounced over, "Chubs, whatcha doing?"

"Go listen to what the study god and that girl are chatting about."

Zhang Cheng Yu looked back at them, "Why do you care what they're chatting about?"

"Of course I have to know! He's my... seatmate!"

"A mere seatmate, and you dare be so nosy, as if he's your..."

Under the threatening gaze from Lin ChuSui, the word "boyfriend" was forced back down his throat, changed to "dad" instead.

"Less nonsense, go listen quickly."

Zhang Cheng Yu obediently walked over to behind the flower bushes with the soda straw still in his mouth, pricking up his ears to eavesdrop.

"Xiao Yan, hello, my name is Tang Yanni, I'm in class 5 of grade 10. Um, can I add you on WeChat?"

Xiao Yan turned a page of his book, "Do you need something?"

"I'd like to get to know you and be friends."

His eyes remained fixed on the book, he didn't even lift his eyelids, "I'm in grade 12 now, I don't have time to make new friends."

"No, it's because your grades are so good. Our class teacher said if we have questions we don't understand, we should ask the students with good grades for help. I'd like to ask you for help on some questions."

Finally, Xiao Yan lifted his head and looked at her, "50 RMB per question. Transfer the money first, and I'll write out all the solution methods for you. Look through them yourself, and add me on WeChat if you agree. I won't chit chat on a daily basis, and I'll block anyone who harasses me."

"......"

Tang Yanni tightly clutched the hem of her shirt, her fingernails white with pressure. After a long while, she finally mustered her courage, "Xiao Yan, I've liked you since I entered grade 10. That time I saw you in the garden explaining questions to a girl from our class, I really envied her and wanted to be her."

Xiao Yan put down his book and said, "No need to envy her, you can also have that."

Tang Yanni's eyes lit up, her cheeks flushing red, "Really?"

"For offline tutoring, my rates are calculated based on your grades - 3 RMB per minute for above 600 points, 5 RMB per minute for 500-600 points, and 10 RMB per minute below 500 points."

"......"

Forget Tang Yanni, even Zhang Cheng Yu could barely stand to keep listening. This guy, wasn't he going a bit overboard, no wonder a girl cried for two weeks after confessing to him.

"Can you not keep bringing up money? I'm being serious here. Xiao Yan, I like you, I've always liked you."

"Do you want me to give you a discount?" Xiao Yan said, "Sorry, liking me is not a valid reason for a discount."

"No, I don't want a discount from you. I'm asking if you can accept my confession and be with me. I want to be your girlfriend."

Without a second thought, Xiao Yan asked, "Can you run a marathon?"

"Ah, no, I can't..."

"Can you run 3km?"

"I've never tried before. Sports isn't my forte, 800m is already... my limit."

"I see." Xiao Yan's gaze fell back onto his book. "My endurance isn't great. I want to find a girlfriend who's good at sports, it'll make certain matters easier for me in the future."

"......"

Tang Yanni left in anger.

Zhang Cheng Yu spoke in an agitated tone, "He said he wants to find a girlfriend with good stamina! Push him down and make him the bottom! He wants to make his girlfriend be the one who...!"

"Stop, stop!"

Lin ChuSui looked disgusted and speechless, "The study god would say things like that? You must be making it up!"

"If I've fabricated a single word, may I die on the spot!"

Lin ChuSui thought back to Tang Yanni's crestfallen expression as she left, and said in a half believing tone, "You must have embellished it."

"Well, there was some artistic license, I guess." Zhang Cheng Yu swore, "But I absolutely did not change the meaning of his original words. He asked if she could run a marathon, then asked if she could run 3km, and then said he wanted to find a girlfriend with good physical fitness."

Lu Chi laughed and said, "A girl who can run marathons and finish 3km without breaking a sweat or turning red, isn't that exactly our Chubs here?"

"That's right!" Zhang Cheng Yu had a sudden realization, "Chubs, you completely fulfill the study god's standards for a bottom partner!"

"......"

Lin ChuSui chased them away, and continued running by herself. Only by continuing to run could she conceal her face, growing redder and hotter by the second like a branding iron.

She was certain Xiao Yan had a secret crush on her, but she never knew the reason why he liked her.

After all, what was there about her, this lousy good-for-nothing, that could attract the study god?

Now she finally understood. The study god liked her... fit body.

It was an extremely indecent reason, but it still managed to wrinkle the tranquil surface of her heart like a breeze rippling a pool of spring water, leaving her unable to calm down for a long time.

She finally understood why the silly Lin Tian would occasionally let out exclamations of "So embarrassing!"

It really was embarrassing.

It felt as if something was silently breaking through the soil and wildly growing unchecked in her heart.

...

By the time Lin ChuSui ran past Xiao Yan for the fifth time, ostentatiously flicking her hair, Xiao Yan finally lifted his head, his indifferent gaze settling on her. "No matter how much you flip your hair around, it's still drenched in sweat."

Lin ChuSui: "......"

How could this guy's mouth be so venomous!

She stopped in her tracks and sauntered over in front of him, saying, "Hey, what did that girl from earlier come to talk to you about?"

"Didn't your spy already find everything out?"

"My spy's hearing isn't that great, he also loves to embellish things and spout nonsense."

"Why are you standing so far away?"

Lin ChuSui had just been exercising and didn't want to stand too close to him. She said, "What do you mean far, isn't this a normal distance for classmates talking? My hearing's fine, I can hear you talking."

"Did you come over because you need something?"

"I just wanted to ask about that girl from earlier."

"Very concerned about it?"

"Which eye of yours saw that I'm concerned? I'm purely just curious, okay!"

Xiao Yan patted the spot next to him, "Come sit here, I'll tell you about it."

Lin ChuSui hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to him, keeping a distance of about one person between them. Her face was slightly red.

Progress: 12%

"She confessed to me."

"Oh?"

"I rejected her because she's too fragile."

"I see."

Lin ChuSui had a coy smile on her face, hands clasped together fidgeting.

Progress: 13%, 14%...

The progress bar suddenly skyrocketed. Xiao Yan smiled faintly, then took out some tissues from his bag, preparing to wipe off her sweat.

Lin ChuSui's body sensitively moved back as she took the tissue from him and said in fright, "I can do it myself!"

Task progress: 15%.

Lin ChuSui wiped the sweat and asked again, "I heard you're not in good health?"

"I'm very healthy," Xiao Yan emphasized. "Just compared to these guys from the sports teams, I'm somewhat lacking."

"Let me ask you something, don't get angry," Lin ChuSui recalled Zhang Cheng Yu's earlier intel. "I heard you're missing a kidney?"

"..."

Xiao Yan: "It's not a kidney, it's my liver. When I was little, someone cut out part of my liver to save someone else."

"Is it not the same?"

"It's different. The liver has regenerative abilities, so if part of it is removed, it can still grow back. It just affects some of the body's immune functions and makes me prone to illness, and my stamina is a bit lacking, but none of those are major issues." Xiao Yan patiently explained, "Missing one kidney means missing one kidney, and it affects certain functions."

Lin ChuSui was completely ignorant about biology. "What functions?"

"That is..."

Task progress: 16%, 17%, 18%...

Just then, Lin Xiuze's threatening voice came over. "If you try to use flirtatious ways to raise my daughter's progress bar again, don't think I won't take your dorm rights away."

"..."

Lin ChuSui curiously asked, "Classmate, how come you're not saying anything?"

Xiao Yan: "Heaven is watching."