Chapter 58: A Fateful Reunion at the Sports Meet

Lin Duo’s mind was a chaotic swirl of thoughts, her emotions a tangled mess. Ultimately, she reluctantly settled on a decision: she would observe Cai Jingyao for a while longer.

If he truly maintained his courteous demeanor and remained steadfast, then considering a relationship might not be out of the question, for every girl yearned for the feeling of being in love.

On the second day, during the school sports meet, Lin Duo furtively observed Cai Jingyao. She noticed he wasn’t just popular within their class; he had many friends in other classes too.

He moved through the grounds like an inspecting leader, constantly greeting people in every direction.

Moreover, his popularity with girls was equally impressive. Fu Xueqin, their classmate, frequently sought him out, inventing various excuses to strike up conversations.

Witnessing the pair laughing and chatting, Lin Duo felt a faint pang of jealousy. She wished she could transform into a tiny bug, crawl over, and eavesdrop on their exact conversation.

The high jump competition was scheduled for 11 AM. A considerable crowd had already gathered near the bar.

Lin Duo, pulling Shen Jing’an along, managed to squeeze only into the third row. Her view was completely obstructed by the tall boys in front.

Even her strenuous attempts to jump for a better view proved futile, stirring a sudden resentment for her short stature. She wondered if she ought to buy a pair of height-increasing insoles.

Round after round of competition passed, and one by one, contestants were eliminated. Eventually, only Cai Jingyao and a second-year high school student remained on the field.

Both were set to challenge a height of 173 centimeters. The second-year student went first, failing his initial attempt.

Then, it was Cai Jingyao’s turn to compete.

It was evident that Cai Jingyao was incredibly nervous at that moment, as successfully clearing the bar would virtually guarantee his championship.

He didn’t rush his approach. Instead, he meticulously tied his shoelaces, performed various stretches, then took a deep breath, and stepped onto the starting line.

At that critical moment, a sharp, clear female voice suddenly pierced through the murmuring crowd.

“Cai Jingyao! You can do it!”

Cai Jingyao instantly recognized the owner of the voice. He turned his head to look, spotting a fair, delicate hand vigorously waving above some boy’s head.

It was Lin Duo, who, unable to push through the crowd and too short to see, was desperately waving on her tiptoes to reveal her location.

This sight significantly eased Cai Jingyao’s tension. A slight smile touched his lips as he began his run-up.

Miraculously, he cleared the bar on his very first attempt.

“The champion of this competition is Cai Jingyao from Class 5, First Year High School, earning 5 points for his class on the leaderboard.”

After the referee teacher’s brief announcement, he moved on to supervise other events, and the spectators gradually began to disperse.

Finally, Lin Duo was able to approach Cai Jingyao. She handed him a towel.

“You worked so hard! That jump just now was truly amazing!”

After a quick wipe of his face, Cai Jingyao returned the towel. “That was all thanks to you; you helped me relax.

“Do you know, you looked particularly adorable, anxiously standing on your tiptoes?”

“Hmph, it’s not like I *want* to be this short!”

In truth, Lin Duo’s current height was merely average among the girls in her class, not particularly short. Yet, she suddenly recalled that Fu Xueqin boasted a genuine model’s height of 170 cm.

An inexplicable surge of jealousy welled up within her. “Hey, do you prefer tall girls?”

“Height doesn’t really matter to me; cute is good enough.”

Having said that, Cai Jingyao’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Why do I feel like you’re hinting at something?”

“Don’t flatter yourself!” Lin Duo’s cheeks began to warm again.

“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault,” Cai Jingyao conceded, reaching out to pat Lin Duo’s head.

Normally, Lin Duo would have deftly dodged his hand. But for some reason today, she felt a sense of security from the tall boy before her.

Closing her eyes like a small kitten, she allowed his large hand to gently rub her head.

Seeing that the moment was ripe, Cai Jingyao renewed his offensive.

“Lin Duo, won’t you reconsider what we discussed last night?”

“Mmm… well…” Lin Duo bit her finger, not immediately refusing him.

Just then, an oblivious boy ran over. “Cai Jingyao, what are you waiting for? The awards ceremony starts in ten minutes; you should go prepare.”

Only after Cai Jingyao had left did Shen Jing’an reappear beside Lin Duo, her face etched with a mocking expression.

“At the start of the semester, I thought you were some ethereal fairy, untouched by worldly desires. I never expected you’d be getting ‘spring fever’ so quickly.”

“I am not!” Lin Duo stamped her foot in indignation.

“Hmph, hmph, you know perfectly well yourself!” Shen Jing’an declared, adopting the air of an omniscient prophet.

“It’s just a pity, really. He clearly has the potential to be a lively *seme*!”

Around two in the afternoon, all the events of the school sports meet concluded. After all, Nanli Affiliated High School was just a secondary school.

The junior high division was located on a different campus, meaning Lin Duo’s campus housed only the senior high. It was already quite an achievement to organize so many competitive events.

Next came the announcement of the class rankings. There were a total of twenty classes across the first and second years of high school.

Different placements in the competitions corresponded to varying points, and the three classes with the highest total scores would receive honorary certificates from the principal.

Class 5 of the first year didn’t have many athletic students, so they naturally didn’t make it onto the leaderboard. However, the sports meet was primarily for entertainment; having fun was what truly mattered.

After the certificates were awarded, the principal delivered a brief speech, essentially encouraging everyone not to neglect physical exercise while studying, and to remember the principle that ‘a strong body fosters a strong mind.’

By just before 4 PM, the sports meet concluded, and the students began to disperse.

Because their homeroom teacher had made prior arrangements, the students of Class 5 didn’t leave immediately. Instead, they returned to their familiar classroom and took their seats.

Teacher Lu stood smiling at the podium. “Our guests today are all your seniors. Some are still in their first year of university, while others are on the verge of graduation.

“However, in the classes I taught previously, they either achieved outstanding grades or made rapid progress. I’ve invited them here today to chat with you, hoping they can offer some guidance for your future studies and lives.”

Before long, four young men and women entered the classroom, standing in a line beside the podium to introduce themselves one by one.

The last to introduce himself was a slightly tall man with a gentle smile. “Hello, junior schoolmates! Actually, my grades weren’t particularly outstanding, at least not compared to the three before me.

“But perhaps it’s because I was once an athlete, captain of the school football team, that Teacher Lu remembered to call me here?”

At this point, the homeroom teacher interjected. “Of course, that’s not it. I remember your grades improved by leaps and bounds during your third year of high school.

“Your rank in the grade jumped by almost a hundred places. In fact, I’ve always been curious how you managed that.”

During this time, however, some girls in the audience began to whisper amongst themselves.

“Look, look! This senior is so handsome!”

“Doesn’t he look especially like Lee Hyun-bin from that recent K-drama?”

“Eh? He really does!”

Lin Duo, too, was momentarily stunned, gazing blankly at the newcomer.

She never imagined the world was so small, that two people could repeatedly encounter each other in such peculiar circumstances.