Chapter 19: Morning Training’s Accidental Touch

Morning light filtered through the curtain gaps, scattering tiny patches of brightness across the dormitory floor.

When Luo Xiaoyun woke, the room was silent.

She blinked, adjusting to the light—Xu Xiangyang was lying in bed scrolling through his phone, the video volume turned very low; on the two opposite beds, Cheng Fang and Zhou Yu’an were still deep asleep.

She climbed down quietly, took the black tracksuit from her wardrobe. While changing, her fingertips inadvertently brushed her waist, feeling the soft, slender curve beneath the fabric.

Fixing her silver-white short hair in front of the bathroom mirror, she felt a moment of daze—the face in the mirror still had familiar features, but the unusually fair skin, the gentle line of her jaw, and the subtle curves hinting beneath the tracksuit all silently proclaimed some irreversible change.

As she pushed open the door to leave, Xu Xiangyang glanced up at her but said nothing. The corridor was empty; on a weekend morning, most people were still dreaming.

Just as she reached the stairwell, her phone vibrated.

– Xue: Junior Xiaoyun, have you reached the training room?

– Yun: Not yet, just left the dorm.

– Xue: Have you had breakfast? If not, I’ll bring some for you.

Luo Xiaoyun’s finger hovered over the screen. Reason told her “No need to trouble you,” but her stomach honestly protested. The calories from last night’s hotpot had long been depleted.

– Yun: Okay, thank you, senior.

– Xue: You’re welcome (^ω^)

That lively emoticon made Luo Xiaoyun pause—Su Muxue rarely used emojis in casual chats.

The training room was at the end of the third floor’s east wing.

As she pushed open the door, morning light poured in from the full-length windows.

Su Muxue stood with her back to the door, bathed in light, her light gray tracksuit accentuating her tall, straight posture. Hearing the sound, she turned around, holding a white plastic bag.

“You’re here?” She smiled and handed over the bag. “Eat while it’s hot.”

Luo Xiaoyun took it. Inside the meal box were steamed dumplings, still steaming; the cup of soy milk was warm, and the straw was already inserted.

“Thank you, senior…” she murmured, picked up a dumpling, and put it in her mouth. The skin was thin, the filling tender, the broth delicious. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly stuffed another one in.

Su Muxue watched her puffed cheeks and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Slow down, no one’s competing with you.” She pulled a tissue from her bag and handed it over. “You’re like a little hamster hoarding food.”

Luo Xiaoyun’s cheeks flushed slightly. She took the tissue and wiped the corner of her mouth. The warm sweet soy milk perfectly balanced the greasiness of the dumplings.

She ate quietly, and Su Muxue just stood by, occasionally glancing at her phone or looking out the window, showing no sign of hurry.

“Done?” Su Muxue asked when she saw Luo Xiaoyun tidying up the meal box.

“Mm,” Luo Xiaoyun nodded. “Did you eat, senior?”

“I already did.” Su Muxue pushed open the inner room door. “Come in.”

The training room was more spacious and brighter than expected.

On the left, various fitness machines were neatly arranged, their metal surfaces gleaming coldly in the morning light; on the right was an open area with thick soft mats, complete with yoga balls, balance pads, and boxing sandbags.

“This is the sports department’s exclusive training room, normally not open to others,” Su Muxue said, walking to the window and pulling open the other curtain. “I applied for access permission.”

“Do you often come here to exercise, senior?”

“Rarely.” Su Muxue walked toward the treadmill. “I’m used to outdoor morning runs.” She pressed the start button and adjusted the speed. “Look around and see what you want to practice.”

Luo Xiaoyun thought for a moment, then stepped onto the adjacent treadmill and set the speed to match Su Muxue’s.

The machine started slowly. The first few minutes were easy; she could even keep up with Su Muxue’s pace. But soon, her breathing became rapid, and a strange soreness crept into her calves.

After five minutes, fine beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.

“How do you feel?” Su Muxue turned her head to look at her.

“Still… still okay,” Luo Xiaoyun’s voice was a bit breathless. “Just a little tired.”

“You can slow down for the first time.”

Luo Xiaoyun lowered the speed and gritted her teeth to finish twenty minutes. When she stopped, she leaned on the handrail, panting slightly. A small dark patch of sweat had already soaked through the back of her tracksuit.

“Take a break.” Su Muxue handed her a towel and water.

Luo Xiaoyun took them and drank big gulps. Sweat dripped from the ends of her hair, leaving dark dots on the light gray floor tiles.

“Come over and do some stretching to relieve muscle tension.”

Su Muxue walked to the mat area and began demonstrating basic stretches. Luo Xiaoyun followed, but her movements were noticeably stiff and awkward.

“Straighten here.” Su Muxue naturally stepped closer, one hand supporting her elbow. “Don’t bend your elbow.”

Through the thin tracksuit fabric, the warmth of the palm pressed against her skin. Luo Xiaoyun’s body stiffened, and her breath hitched.

“Relax,” Su Muxue’s voice was calm and professional. “You’re too tense.”

That hand steadily held her elbow, fingertips occasionally brushing the skin on the inside of her upper arm. Luo Xiaoyun could clearly feel every touch—this area seemed unusually sensitive, tiny tremors spreading from the points of contact.

“Keep breathing, take it slowly.” Su Muxue didn’t let go. “I’ll help you steady.”

For the next few stretches, Su Muxue provided meticulous guidance.

When supporting her waist, the palm rested on her hip; when pressing her shoulder, fingertips lightly touched her shoulder blade; when lifting her leg, the palm cradled the back of her calf.

Every necessary physical contact made Luo Xiaoyun’s body tremble slightly. She remained tense throughout, her cheeks flushed, sweat soaking the hair on her forehead.

“Last move: quad stretch.” Su Muxue stood on one foot, bent her right calf backward, and grasped her right ankle with her right hand, pulling it upward to demonstrate a standard pose. “See?”

“Mm.” Luo Xiaoyun nodded, imitating her by bending her left leg and reaching back with her left hand to hook her left foot.

“Tighten your abs, slowly pull upward—”

At the moment she exerted force, her center of gravity shifted, and Luo Xiaoyun pitched forward.

“Careful!” Su Muxue reacted swiftly, her right hand immediately grabbing her shoulder, and her left hand instinctively reaching forward to brace—

Her palm met a soft curve.

Su Muxue’s movement froze for an instant. The sensation in her palm was particularly good—soft, with warm elasticity, clearly discernible through the thin tracksuit fabric.

But the hesitation lasted less than half a second. She quickly withdrew her left hand and instead supported Luo Xiaoyun’s waist, helping her regain balance.

“Are you okay?” Her voice remained calm, betraying nothing unusual.

Luo Xiaoyun lay tilted in Su Muxue’s arms, the spot that had been touched burning as if branded. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, blood rushing to her cheeks and the tips of her ears. She could even feel her neck heating up.

“I… I’m fine.” Her voice was tight; she lowered her head, not daring to meet Su Muxue’s eyes.

“That’s good.” Su Muxue released her hand from Luo Xiaoyun’s waist and stepped back. “Let’s do some more casual exercise.”

For the next half hour, each did some basic training. Luo Xiaoyun mechanically repeated the movements, but her mind kept replaying that moment.

When it ended, Su Muxue walked to the locker to fetch a towel and water bottle. She handed a clean towel to Luo Xiaoyun, her movements smooth and natural.

Morning light slanted in from the window at the end of the corridor, stretching their shadows long. Luo Xiaoyun watched Su Muxue’s profile outlined by the light—those eyes were clear and calm, showing no extra emotion.

“Remember to hydrate and rest well when you get back,” Su Muxue said with a smile.

She turned and left at the stairwell. Luo Xiaoyun stood there until the light gray figure completely disappeared from sight, then raised a hand to touch her chest—beneath the fabric, that spot of skin was still faintly hot.

Walking slowly back to the dorm, the soreness all over her body began to awaken. But more than the soreness, what troubled her was the lingering memory of that touch.

When she pushed open the dorm door, Xu Xiangyang poked his head out from his bed. “Back? How was training?”

“Not bad…” Luo Xiaoyun answered vaguely, picked up her change of clothes, and headed to the bathroom.

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