Chapter 10: The Aftermath of a Bento and a Run in the Sun

“So this is why you were late for PE class?”

After Bai Chen finished explaining, even Old Zhu couldn’t help but furrow his brows.

Over ten minutes into PE class, Bai Chen’s belated arrival naturally piqued the curiosity of several classmates.

“Someone actually tampered with your bento? Was the culprit found?”

“They were found.”

The notorious trio of delinquents in their class already had a lengthy record of misconduct. Following this latest incident, their homeroom teacher, Zheng Yuxin, erupted in a furious rage, personally escorting them straight to the dean of students.

The three, who typically swaggered with arrogance, were not only subjected to a brutal dressing-down but also gleefully ‘received’ a major demerit as a bonus.

Watching the entire spectacle unfold from the sidelines, Bai Chen had never witnessed the dean of students in such a towering rage, leaving him barely daring to breathe.

Ultimately, the incident concluded with the trio offering their apologies to Bai Chen.

“You did good, man. Plenty of people have been fed up with them for ages,” Old Zhu exclaimed, slapping his thigh. “My girlfriend was even harassed by them once. You really are my good brother, aren’t you?”

Having inadvertently helped others vent their frustrations, Bai Chen found his mood considerably brightened.

“But your lunch today… how exactly did you manage that?” Old Zhu suddenly inquired.

“Oh, that? Naturally, I just went to the cafeteria.”

“Don’t give me that nonsense. Someone saw you and Mo Qiu from class sharing a rather intimate ‘love lunch’ together.”

Bai Chen’s eyes widened. “How do you know about this?”

“Oh, we all know. Word gets around,” Old Zhu said with a mischievous grin, poking Bai Chen’s side. “Your relationship seems pretty cozy, all lovey-dovey and everything. But apparently, you even got caught by Teacher Zheng and were called into the office for a lecture.”

Even that got out?

Bai Chen felt so utterly mortified that he was practically considering transferring to another school.

“Mo Qiu and I aren’t really close at all. I only helped her that one time last Friday.”

“So, it’s all just false rumors, then?”

“Exactly! False rumors! If I find out who’s spreading gossip about me, I won’t let them off the hook!”

Bai Chen clenched his fists, trying to conceal his inner panic. While it was true they had eaten lunch together, and it was true they’d been called in for a lecture, the ‘intimacy’ part… that had been entirely one-sided on Mo Qiu’s part.

Fearing Old Zhu would press further, Bai Chen quickly urged him to join a game of basketball. What a perfect time PE class was; it felt truly wonderful not to be stuck in the classroom poring over books.

****

The autumn sun still shone with a fierce intensity, its rays bathing the entire basketball court in light.

The agile youths weaved across the court, passing, dribbling, and dunking with unrestrained vigor, freely shedding their sweat.

Their dazzling figures occasionally elicited cheers from the girls gathered in the shade.

Bai Chen absolutely loved playing basketball. When his focus was entirely absorbed by the game, the scorching sun faded from his awareness, and all the frustrations in his heart seemed to be expelled with his sweat, dissipating into the air.

Once he grew tired, Bai Chen passed the ball to others, stepping off the court to rest.

Just then, a slender figure jogged towards him, a shy girl whose eyes sparkled with starlight. She clutched a bottle of mineral water, its surface beaded with condensation.

“Um, Bai Chen, if you don’t mind, you could drink this.”

“Thank you for your kind offer, but I’m fine with my own water.”

“Oh…”

The girl walked away, a hint of disappointment in her step, while Bai Chen exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Those overly sparkling eyes simply failed to pique his interest.

Speaking of eyes, as Bai Chen drank his water, he didn’t forget to scan the sports ground. Finally, in a shaded corner, he spotted the pair of eyes that perfectly matched his ‘preference’ (TL Note: ‘XP’ here is short for ‘experience points’ but colloquially used in Chinese web novels to mean ‘preference’ or ‘fetish’).

Even clad in her sportswear, Mo Qiu sat like a placid doll, an unmistakable aura of ‘do not approach’ emanating from her.

While most people gathered in small groups to socialize and play, her solitary figure seemed to exist in a world entirely her own.

Did she truly have no friends in class?

“What are you looking at?”

Old Zhu and a few others approached, one of them clapping Bai Chen on the shoulder.

“Looking at Mo Qiu? Of course, it’s you.”

Bai Chen shot him a glare, then, as if a thought had suddenly struck him, he asked:

“What’s your impression of Mo Qiu?”

Upon hearing the question, Old Zhu’s expression immediately became troubled. “I’m not even sure how to answer that,” he admitted.

“Do you know her well?”

“No, I don’t think anyone in our class truly understands her,” Old Zhu replied, shaking his head. “I heard she transferred here from out of town this semester. Her grades are decent, but you hardly ever see her actively participating in anything.”

“She’s not your type?”

“Forget it… While her face is certainly pretty, nobody dares to meet her gaze for too long. And someone so expressionless speaks in such a lifeless, dull manner that it’s hard to drum up any interest.”

Bai Chen had always assumed Old Zhu was indiscriminate in his affections, never imagining there was a type of girl he simply couldn’t handle.

Bai Chen then sought the opinions of others, only to find that most of their sentiments were strikingly similar.

“She’s actually quite pretty, but she always keeps her head down and rarely speaks.”

“Her eyes always feel so unsettling; I wouldn’t dare linger near her.”

“I’ve tried talking to her, but it feels like she’s a robot. She barely reacts to anything.”

Those who march to the beat of their own drum invariably draw attention. In the eyes of her classmates, Mo Qiu was an eccentric ‘high-mountain flower’ (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to a beautiful person who is hard to approach), whose outward thorns made her incredibly difficult to get close to.

Yet, this very person had actively softened her thorns, taking the initiative to approach me.

Bai Chen found himself increasingly astonished, and a burgeoning interest sparked within him for this delicate, unapproachable flower.

****

In stark contrast to Bai Chen, who brimmed with enthusiasm for PE class, Mo Qiu found herself utterly devoid of interest in such lessons.

The sun felt scorching. Exercise felt utterly exhausting.

Rather than squander her energy and sweat on the sports field, Mo Qiu much preferred to remain in the classroom, existing as her own ‘little transparent’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term referring to someone who is unnoticed or ignored).

With a resounding clang, a tall student executed a spectacular dunk, eliciting screams from the girls so piercing that Mo Qiu couldn’t help but wince and furrow her brows.

It was so incredibly loud. Even hidden in the deepest shade, she found herself unable to escape the boisterous sports field.

While Bai Chen played, she observed him from her hidden vantage point. The more radiant the smile on his face, the deeper the vortex churned within her own heart.

How did he manage to run so swiftly under the scorching sun? Wasn’t he utterly exhausted?

Mo Qiu had considered joining the ranks of the cheering girls, yet the stubbornness rooted deep within her heart kept her firmly planted on the cool, stone steps.

‘Come to think of it, I suppose I really messed things up, didn’t I?’

Mo Qiu hunched her shoulders, resting her chin upon her knees.

‘Being discovered by the homeroom teacher and summoned to the office for a lecture.’

‘Bai Chen might say he doesn’t blame me, but he must surely still harbor resentment in his heart, mustn’t he?’

She yearned to build a good relationship with him, yet her efforts consistently careened wildly in the opposite direction of her intentions. Perhaps influenced by the changes in her adolescent body, she distinctly felt a growing inner vexation.

‘This simply wouldn’t do. PE class was entirely outside her area of expertise, and she had no desire to stand beneath the blazing sun.’

‘When a deceiver is forced into the harsh glare of sunlight, all their lies find no refuge. Without deception, there was no sense of security for her; the scorching light felt as though it would incinerate her to ashes.’

‘She refused to be exposed, refused to ever again feel the searing heat of a branding iron, or have her hand forced into boiling water to retrieve glass beads.’

Mo Qiu buried her head between her knees, her dark strands of hair trembling faintly, like a helpless, small animal.

“Mo Qiu?”

‘That voice…’

Mo Qiu lifted her head, her gaze meeting Bai Chen’s. His figure, silhouetted against the sun, appeared tall and reassuring. A few beads of sweat dotted his face, and his expression held a hint of concern.

“Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sitting all alone here, don’t you feel bored?”

“No,” Mo Qiu replied, her tone distinctly flat, refusing even to meet his gaze.

Seeing her reaction, Bai Chen scratched his head. Then, as if reaching a sudden decision, he extended his hand and firmly grasped her wrist.

“What are you doing?”

The girl, forcibly pulled into the sunlight, displayed a look of utter terror. She tried to shake off his hand, but found herself powerless.

“Ah, my apologies. Did I hurt you?”

“No.”

Mo Qiu quickly reverted to her usual indifferent expression, but that fleeting look of terror had already left a profound impression on Bai Chen’s mind.

‘So you do have other expressions after all; a little bit cute, even,’ Bai Chen mused. With that thought, he led her to the starting line of the rubber track, his smile radiant:

“Come run two laps with me.”

His smile was a little dazzling, preventing Mo Qiu from looking directly at him.

“Why?”

“Running is an excellent way to vent frustration.”

“There’s no need.”

“Huh?” Bai Chen’s expression fell. “Are you leaving?”

‘Leave… why would I leave? Wasn’t this a prime opportunity to get closer to him?’

Mo Qiu wouldn’t give up such a golden opportunity. She glanced down at the vivid red track, then positioned herself parallel to him.

Seeing this, Bai Chen’s smile brightened even further.

After completing their warm-up stretches, he didn’t forget to add:

“Do you want me to go easy on you?”

His words struck a chord deep within Mo Qiu. Without even looking at him, she retorted:

“There’s no need for that.”

‘Go easy on me? What a joke!’

‘I might dislike exercise, but a healthy body is essential capital for a deceiver’s activities. Even in my previous life, I forced myself to train.’

Mo Qiu suddenly yearned to see the expression on Bai Chen’s face if he lost. After suppressing herself for so long, a little self-indulgence wouldn’t hurt.

“Ready—go!”

After that, Mo Qiu couldn’t recall much.

Having completed two laps, her mind held only the image of Bai Chen’s earlier sprint, a speed so absurdly fast that he had left her far behind.

Finally returning to her dark, secluded corner, Mo Qiu’s legs still trembled uncontrollably, and her breathing refused to stabilize.

‘So tired, I’ve sweated so much. Am I going to die?’

Her dark hair clung to her cheeks, and her sportswear was drenched in sweat. This felt even more exhausting than being chased by armed men through several streets.

‘Has my physical endurance declined? No, I need water. If I don’t drink soon, I’ll die right here.’

Fortunately, Bai Chen caught up just in time, offering her the water he hadn’t finished.

‘How could he run such a long distance without even a single pant? Is he even human?’

“That felt good, didn’t it?”

Mo Qiu initially wanted to deny it, but ultimately spoke her true feelings: “I feel much better.”

“Next time you’re troubled, go for a run. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself, understand?”

“I only want to repay your kindness.”

“You’ve already repaid it, haven’t you?” Bai Chen patiently explained. “If you insist on giving me something, here.”

It was his uniform, stained with familiar yellowish-brown marks.

“Your chicken leg stained my clothes. Take them home and wash them for me.”

“Then you…”

Bai Chen tugged at his collar. “See? I have a spare.”

“Alright.”

Mo Qiu accepted, holding his uniform in her arms. After a moment’s thought, she did something astonishing right in front of him:

She buried her face in the clothes and inhaled deeply.

Aside from the smell of chicken leg rice, there was also sweat. It didn’t smell good at all.

However, seeing Bai Chen’s mouth gape wide enough to fit an entire egg, she knew her objective had been achieved.