Chapter 26: Morning Run and Conference Beginnings

“Can I join you for a morning run?”

Su Yubai’s gaze seemed to casually sweep over her.
“Why the sudden interest in jogging?”

Jiang Yule asked herself the same, landing on an answer.
“To get in shape.”

“Really?”
Su Yubai glanced at her again.

“Yep!”
Jiang Yule nodded firmly, adding, “My stamina’s weak. Exercise will help.”

“Alright.”
“Can you get up, though?”

She recalled Huang Yuxin’s afternoon talk—Su Yubai mentioned rising at 6 a.m. for runs.

Jiang Yule steeled herself.
As a direct bachelor-to-master student, skipping entrance exams, she hadn’t risen this early in years—7 a.m. at most, school by 8.

Not keeping Su Yubai waiting, she committed.
“I can.”

A faint smile curved Su Yubai’s lips.
“Good.”

At her doorstep, Su Yubai watched her enter the passcode and open the door, placing the water jug on the shoe cabinet.

Freeing her hands, she handed Jiang Yule the dispenser.

“Thanks, Sister Yubai. See you tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”
Su Yubai turned, entering her own code.

Closing her door, she glimpsed Jiang Yule in slippers, the matching bear pair untouched beside her.

Inside, Jiang Yule’s first task was boiling water to sterilize her new cup.

In the kitchen, opening the cabinet for the kettle, she remembered the untouched snack bag from the afternoon.

Opening the snack cabinet, she eyed the colorful packages but felt no appetite.

Probably too full from dinner, she thought.

With an early morning ahead, she headed to the bedroom, seeing the bare mattress and unlaid pale yellow sheets, feeling the reality of being far from home.

Glancing back, her eyes caught the seal on the desk, a faint oolong tea scent in the air—likely her imagination.

She tackled the bedding, fumbling without skill, finishing in 20 minutes.

Something was missing.
She spritzed green tea perfume.

Pleasant, but not quite right.

It was late.
She showered quickly, drank half a glass of water, and slid into bed, determined to sleep fast to avoid oversleeping.

But closing her eyes, she felt Su Yubai’s hand on her head, her breath at her ear.

Then she recalled Si Qing’s offer to set her up with a guy at a gathering, and Aunt Lin mentioning Su Yubai’s overseas boyfriend.

Jiang Yule’s eyes snapped open, patting her cheeks.
Remembering to set alarms, she grabbed her phone from the desk, setting five from 5:30 a.m., five minutes apart.

Checking messages, she replied to the family group, then saw the conference handbook in the academic group.

Flipping through, she found Qiao Anqing in Session 6 and Su Yubai in Session 12, under “Policy Studies,” unrelated to Eastern Economics.

Curious, she searched Su Yubai’s papers on Web of Science, finding her latest works in this field, some co-authored with Huang Yuxin—multiple times.

Jiang Yule closed the site, returning to the handbook, spotting Huang Siheng in Session 32.

No Huang Yuxin.

She set the phone down, lying back.

An hour earlier than her Hangzhou bedtime, insomnia was normal, she reasoned.

Drifting off, she dreamed of Su Yubai and Huang Yuxin running hand-in-hand by the sea, announcing a relationship at the conference.

Su Yubai, the straight woman, bent by Huang Yuxin?

In her dream, Jiang Yule was frustrated and baffled.
How could this happen?

The next morning, alarms jolted her awake, realizing it was a dream.

What a ridiculous dream!

She blinked, processing, as the second alarm rang, snapping her alert.
Remembering the 6 a.m. run, she leapt up, rushing to the bathroom.

Brushing and washing quickly, skipping moisturizer, she threw on workout clothes and opened the door.

The opposite door was shut.
Guessing Su Yubai wouldn’t leave first, she left hers ajar.

After applying sunscreen—

Knock knock.

She hurried out, spotting the familiar watch on the door.

Su Yubai.

“Sister Yubai, you’re ready!”

“Mm.”

Jiang Yule darted to the foyer, swapping for sneakers.

“Let’s go.”
Su Yubai zipped her jacket.

Glancing at her watch, Jiang Yule saw it was 6:01 a.m.

Su Yubai was punctual—never late, never early.
But she’d made her wait a minute.

Feeling bad, Jiang Yule said, “I was ready at 5:50, but didn’t see you, so I did skincare and sunscreen.”

“No problem.”

They jogged downstairs, Jiang Yule trailing slowly.

Rarely exercising beyond school fitness tests, she doubted she’d keep up.

Surprisingly, she matched Su Yubai’s pace.

Hong Kong’s summer morning breeze was refreshing, lifting her mood.

At the seaside, the cool, fresh air—ignoring a faint fishy smell—felt invigorating.

But her stamina soon faltered, steps growing heavy.

“You okay?”
Su Yubai slowed to match her, running alongside.

Biting her lip, Jiang Yule said, “Yes.”

“But I’m slow, Sister Yubai. Run your pace, don’t mind me.”

Still catching her breath, a high-pitched voice cut in—

“Senior Su! I actually ran into you! And Yule!”

Turning, Jiang Yule saw Huang Yuxin catching up.

She soon ran beside them.

Su Yubai, unflinching, nodded.
“Morning.”

“Yule needs more exercise, huh?”

Jiang Yule smiled faintly.

Huang Yuxin moved ahead.

Su Yubai stayed with Jiang Yule, matching her pace.
“Want me to stay?”

Seeing their light steps, Jiang Yule smiled.
“No, run your speed.”

Su Yubai gave her a deep look.
“I’ll wait ahead.”

Her words clear, a breeze passed, and she was gone.

Jiang Yule watched their figures ahead, their strides nearly identical.

Her own pace quickened unconsciously.

Soon, Su Yubai looped back, seeing her heavy steps.
“Head back?”

Meaning to run back together.

Jiang Yule shook her head.
“I’m fine, I’ll run a bit more.”
She pressed forward.

Passing Huang Yuxin, she noticed her struggling too.

Huang Yuxin didn’t look at her, eyes fixed on Su Yubai’s back.

Jiang Yule felt a small balance—she couldn’t keep up either.

Not far ahead, she turned back.

Near the residential area, Su Yubai and Huang Yuxin waited at the corner.

Jiang Yule kept a steady pace, reaching them, nearly collapsing.

Su Yubai handed her water and tissues.
“What for breakfast?”

Panting, Jiang Yule took them.
“Anything’s fine.”
Twisting the cap, she found it loosened—Su Yubai had opened it.

Huang Yuxin smiled.
“I know a great breakfast place nearby. I can take Yule to try it.”

Her tone was familiar, as if eager to treat her.

Jiang Yule nearly choked, swallowing and looking up.
“Sounds good, thanks, Senior Huang.”

Su Yubai had no objections.

Following Huang Yuxin, they reached the shop, where she enthusiastically recommended specialties.

They ordered a lot.

Jiang Yule was mildly shocked.

“Enough?” Su Yubai asked calmly.

“Alright, as you say, Senior,” Huang Yuxin replied, saying something in Cantonese to the waiter, who left.

She started talking.
“Senior, you’re in Room 12 today, right?”

“Mm.”
“I’ll come listen.”

Jiang Yule listened quietly—she was making her move again.

“Your research aligns, so it’s worth hearing,” Su Yubai said, as if missing her intent.

“It’s been ages since I heard your talk. I’m here for yours, Senior.”

So direct.
Jiang Yule blinked, glancing at Su Yubai, curious for her response.

Su Yubai’s gaze flicked to Jiang Yule, then settled on Huang Yuxin.
“I’m not focused on this field. The talk’s value is limited.”
“Other talks are worth hearing.”

“Got it, I’ll follow your lead.”

Huang Yuxin turned to Jiang Yule.
“Yule, you’re attending Professor Qiao’s talk, right?”

Su Yubai looked too.

Jiang Yule nodded—an obvious choice.

“And the summer course after?”

Another nod.
Huang Yuxin glanced at Su Yubai, dropping the topic.

She kept the conversation flowing, preventing awkward silences.

After breakfast, Huang Yuxin suggested driving to HKU.

Su Yubai didn’t reply immediately, eyeing Jiang Yule’s tired face, then nodded.

They grabbed their bags.
Huang Yuxin’s car was already downstairs.

She stood by it, glancing at the driver’s seat.
“Senior, want to drive?”

Su Yubai nodded.
“I’ll drive.”
She stepped to the driver’s side.

Jiang Yule opened the back door, sitting behind Huang Yuxin, catching Su Yubai’s profile in the mirror.

Su Yubai drove with focus, and Huang Yuxin, knowing this, stayed quiet.

Jiang Yule felt uneasy.
Why did Huang Yuxin ask her to drive, and why did Su Yubai agree so naturally?

It hit her—she hadn’t been part of Su Yubai’s overseas years.
She knew nothing of that time.

All she’d heard was Su Yubai rejecting Aunt Lin’s matchmaking, citing an overseas boyfriend.

Su Yubai navigated HKU with ease, parking at the conference center.

The three got out.

Before the conference started, experts mingled in the main hall.

Noticing Su Yubai, several turned.

“Professor Su, long time.”

“Long time,” Su Yubai replied, nodding lightly, her expression cool.

Huang Yuxin joined the chatter naturally.

Jiang Yule stood beside Su Yubai, listening quietly, until Su Yubai tapped her shoulder, introducing, “This is Jiang Yule, daughter of Jiang Huazhen, editor-in-chief of Huaxia Economics. Please guide her.”

“This is Li Zhiyi, vice dean of HKU’s School of Economics.”

Jiang Yule was stunned, then smiled, shaking hands.
“Dean Li, I’m Jiang Yule. Please guide me.”

Huang Yuxin glanced at Su Yubai, then her, surprise clear—whether at her lineage or Su Yubai’s rare socializing.

Su Yubai kept it brief, not lingering with Li Zhiyi, then met others.

Jiang Yule didn’t know them, though they seemed familiar.

Su Yubai only nodded, avoiding small talk—she disliked inefficient socializing.

The opening ceremony neared, and everyone took their seats.

“Yule!”

Turning, Jiang Yule saw Ji Zizhen behind her.
“Join us at Room 6 for the tech progress session?”
She gestured to Qiao Anqing nearby.

Su Yubai nodded distantly to Qiao, then focused on Jiang Yule.

Meeting her gaze, Jiang Yule said, “Prof… Su, I’m heading to Professor Qiao’s with Senior.”

“Mm.”

Su Yubai’s eyes flicked to Ji Zizhen’s hand on Jiang Yule’s shoulder, a strange emotion passing through.

The conference mirrored mainland ones.

Qiao Anqing, as host representative, opened the ceremony.

Ji Zizhen snapped photos, posting them to the group, where absent peers showered praise.
Jiang Yule joined in.

After the opening, experts sat for main hall talks, with session-specific ones in the afternoon.

Jiang Yule sat with peers in the PhD section, scanning the crowd, unable to pick out faces.

She knew few people.

Su Yubai didn’t present, as unfamiliar overseas experts shared cutting-edge research and econometric methods.

Ji Zizhen pointed out professors and their contributions.

Jiang Yule nodded, asking occasional questions, taking diligent notes.

At lunch, she ate with peers at the cafeteria, surprised by mainland cuisine options.

She got boiled pork slices, recalling a Wuzhou Sichuan restaurant.

Glancing around, she didn’t spot Su Yubai—expected.

The afternoon sessions began.
Jiang Yule followed Ji Zizhen to Room 6 for Qiao’s “Tech Progress” session.

Qiao was the second speaker.
Jiang Yule photographed slides, taking notes.

After the second talk, she thought of Session 12’s “Policy Studies”—Su Yubai was third.

In Room 12, Su Yubai awaited her introduction.

“Let’s welcome Professor Su Yubai!”

Applause erupted.
Su Yubai stepped up, scanning the room, ready to look away when Huang Yuxin waved.

She nodded lightly, then her peripheral caught a familiar figure—

Jiang Yule stood at the back door, glancing at her, then shifting to Huang Yuxin below.