Chapter 5: Slow Down

“Teacher Luo Tianyou, there’s no need to get so close, is there?”

Lin Yi hurriedly pushed her away.

“Eh? Don’t we usually interact like this? Why are you being so distant today?”

Pushed away, Luo Tianyou glared at Lin Yi with some dissatisfaction.

“…Ahem, men and women should maintain a proper distance, after all. It’s better to keep some space.”

Lin Yi coughed a few times.

This beautiful, silver-haired young lady, who looked like she had stepped right out of an anime, was the editorial department’s biggest star.

When Lin Yi first joined the editorial department, she was already a powerhouse whose female-oriented works ranked in the top three of the bestseller list every month, and she hadn’t dropped out of the top three to this day.

Originally, an inconspicuous minor author like him would normally never have had any interaction with such a super author.

But two or three months ago, he had stumbled upon Luo Tianyou collapsed on the restroom floor in pain from her period.
He had taken her to the hospital and, using knowledge from his past life on Earth, successfully alleviated her pain, which made the great author remember him.

They quickly became familiar with each other, and their relationship grew closer and closer.

“Hm? It was fine before, but not now? Did your fiancée at home say something? That’s not necessary, is it? Is your fiancée that petty?”

Luo Tianyou was amused.
She put her hands on her hips and laughed, “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore. It should be fine for the two of us to have lunch together, right?”

Luo Tianyou said with a bright smile.

“Yes.”

Lin Yi nodded, glancing at the time with some surprise.

‘Was it already twelve o’clock?’

‘I was completely immersed in my writing just now, my thoughts flowing like a spring, never stopping. Is this the difference between a level-three author and a level-two author?’

‘Luo Tianyou, what is her writing level?’

‘Great God? Platinum? Or maybe… Legendary?’

Lin Yi followed behind the silver-haired beautiful author, his eyes fixed on her lovely silver hair.

The work she was currently writing was titled “Elf Girl’s Forest of Desire.”

The general plot was that within the elf race, the females were dissatisfied with the skinny and weak bodies of their own male kin.
Instead, they were quite interested in the large, robust bodies of the male orcs who also lived in the forest.
However, the orcs didn’t like the elves’ skinny arms and legs or their pale skin; they preferred robust females.

Thus, most of the female elves launched raids against the orc tribe, specifically kidnapping their males.
One male orc had to deal with seven female elves, which was simply unbearable misery.

The female orcs also began to resist the elves.
If this continued, all the men in their homes would be snatched away!

And the female protagonist in Luo Tianyou’s novel was an outlier among the elves.
She didn’t like the burly bodies of the orcs, preferring a handsome man around 1.7 meters tall, with a sunny and dashing face from the front, and a sharp, defined profile from the side.
Ideally, his name would be two characters long and be a homophone for something else.

Because of this, the female protagonist became an outcast among the elves and was exiled from her clan, only to encounter the orc tribe, who were engaged in a war, on the outside.
And thus the story began.

The premise was quite interesting; even Lin Yi found it fascinating to read.

It never fell out of the top three on the monthly bestseller list and had even held the number one spot for a considerable time.

It seemed the male lead had finally been introduced in her recent chapters.
The female lead fell in love with him at first sight, and they began a long journey of love.

“By the way, Teacher Lin Yi, why don’t we go eat at that new fun restaurant? I heard you have to play some little games to get the delicious food there. It’s supposed to make you appreciate the value of food more.”

They were originally heading to the company cafeteria, but Luo Tianyou took a turn midway, forcefully pulling Lin Yi’s hand and jogging all the way to an exquisitely decorated restaurant not far from the company building.

“Welcome.”

The male waiter at the door smiled, but Luo Tianyou didn’t even spare him a glance, pulling Lin Yi’s hand directly to the counter in the main hall.

“What activity would you like to participate in? Currently, we have treadmills, basketball, swimming, shooting, badminton, and a triathlon.”

The lady at the counter said with a smile.

“Hmm, the treadmill then.”

Luo Tianyou took out her bank card.

“The basic package is one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight. This way, please.”

‘What the hell! What kind of meal costs 1,788? Is it made of gold?’

Before Lin Yi could even look at the menu, he was dragged by the wrist by an enthusiastic Luo Tianyou down an exquisitely decorated corridor and into a large hall.

A sign hanging overhead read “Hall One.”

The space was quite spacious.

There were more than twenty treadmills arranged here, all facing a glass wall where the scorching sunlight converged.
All the ventilation openings were covered with canvas, so not only was there no wind, but it was also completely stuffy.

Running here would probably be no different from being in a sauna.

A sign on the wall detailed the rules.

“One, never act on impulse.”

“Two, persist on the treadmill at a speed of sixteen kilometers per hour for twelve minutes, after which you may enjoy the exquisite delicacies from all the restaurant’s menus, including unlimited Australian lobster and Japanese Wagyu beef.”

“Three, if you fail to achieve this, you may enjoy all the food in Restaurant One.”

‘I see.’

Lin Yi looked at the treadmills.
More than ten participants were already pouring sweat on them, and a complex smell permeated the air.

“Come on, Teacher Lin Yi! Complete the mission and enjoy the feast!”

The silver-haired beauty was still beaming as she got onto a treadmill and began to run with ease.

Her light body leaped on the treadmill like a melody, her fluttering skirt defying Newtonian gravity, never revealing the spring scenery hidden deeper within.

‘Well, since I’m already here.’

Lin Yi didn’t say much and chose a treadmill.

The treadmills were all locked to the set speed.
It started at full speed, giving no time to adapt.

Although he stumbled at first, Lin Yi quickly adapted to the rhythm of the treadmill.

But soon, Lin Yi discovered,

the real problem was the constantly rising temperature.

Sweat poured from his forehead.
Facing the glass was like looking through a magnifying glass for the sun’s heat, constantly gathering the feverish temperature and projecting it onto his skin, making it scalding and uncomfortable.

Even his breathing became dry.

His energy was constantly being drained, and his body began to sway.

“Teacher Lin Yi, your body is a little weak, huh? How come you’re already getting all limp? Not firm at all, your stamina is a bit lacking. Need my help?”

Luo Tianyou’s light voice was laced with laughter.
Her body, leaping on the treadmill, was still graceful, with only a few beads of fragrant sweat on her forehead.

She had clearly gotten on the treadmill before Lin Yi, yet she showed no signs of strain now, as if this speed was like a normal walk for her.

Suddenly.

Lin Yi’s phone, which was hanging on the treadmill’s handlebar, rang.

It was a call from Yayun.

‘Calling at a time like this?’

Lin Yi picked up the phone, answering it while panting,

“Hello, Yayun, what’s up?”

“…Lin Yi, why does your voice sound so strange? Are you panting?”

“Ah, I’m running.”

“Running? At this hour?!”

Luo Tianyou narrowed her eyes, the corner of her lips curling up as she panted out, “Ah, oh~~ Mmm! Mmm, Lin Yi… slow down… Who’s calling?”