Chapter 69.1 – Crossing The Finish Line

Sports event.

The speeches from the school leaders came after the flag-raising ceremony. The school’s principal and vice-principal stood at the podium and talked for half an hour.

Complaints could be heard from all directions after standing for a full hour. The teachers coughed, then allowed them to sit down and get some rest.

Class One was in the middle of the pack.

After sitting cross-legged on the lawn, Song Yu tore open the wrapper of a mint candy and popped it into his mouth.

He looked at the pile of small, pink envelopes piled up in front of him, his expression rather surprised, and raised his eyebrows, “What are these?”

Xi Bowen looked at the crowd around them, pursed his lips, then quietly said, “Letters. They’re from your little fangirls. I guess they’re all cheering you on for your afternoon event. Brother Yu, quickly open them up and take a look.”

Ma Xiaoding was counting next to him.

“1, 2, 3… 14, 15, 16—Holy, there’s sixteen letters.” He was sincerely moved by this, “Brother Yu is badass, Brother Yu is invincible, and across the whole of No.1 High, only God Xie can vie with you in terms of popularity.”

Song Yu hadn’t slept well yesterday and was now sleepy. He laughed briefly when he heard this, and combined with the candy that left a cool, mint flavor in his mouth, he felt a little more refreshed.

He pulled out a letter, “Are they all love letters? Don’t, it’s too early in the morning for something so embarrassing.” It was just that he had droopy eyes, a lazy slant to his lips, and his expression seemed to say ‘I’m really tired’, and ‘I want to sleep’. There wasn’t half a hint of embarrassment to be found.

Ma Xiaoding looked left and right, then found a key point. He spoke, his tone making it clear that he was taking pleasure in others’ misfortune, “Brother Yu, look, you refused a love letter last time, and now everyone is smart and didn’t write down any names. You won’t be able to find out who they are, and you can’t give them back even if you want to.”

Song Yu focused his gaze and looked. It turned out that these love letters had all been sent with pseudonyms, and if it wasn’t Beauty, then it was Dreamy, or Shallow Night. They were as perfunctory as could be.

He pursed his lips, and the last bit of sleepiness he felt was chased away.

Song Yu opened up a letter and glanced over it.

Cute little emoticons were drawn on the colored paper and, at the end, there was a line of text that said, “Husband, you can do it! You’re the best today!” He tore open another letter, and it was filled with a lot of literature. The handwriting was beautiful, but the ending was signed with “Your future girlfriend”. Of course, these weren’t the most excessive ones; the ones that came after were each more unique than the last.

“The next No.1 High school flower.”

“Will I get to sleep with Brother Yu today?”

“Big Brother School Bully, look at me!”

“Let’s get our marriage license at eight, husband.”

Song Yu sucked on his candy and felt that some of them were a bit familiar. These were probably their forum IDs. In a sense, they were also using their ‘real names’ to make these confessions.

He analyzed these things in his heart, then smiled and said, “High school girls are really too idle nowadays and will casually call anyone ‘husband’. In order to enforce student conduct and discipline, I’ve decided that I’ll add another criteria for my selection of a spouse in the future: I won’t accept any girl’s confession if their total score is less than 600 points.”

“Hiss.” Ma Xiaoding sucked in a breath of cold air. As a learning scum, he felt like he’d just taken a hit, “Can you put a discount on that? Give me a 50% discount and make it 300 points.”

Xi Bowen burst out laughing, “I’m afraid that when the time comes and the whole grade average comes out, it’ll be ten points higher than before and the headmaster will have to send you a silk banner.”

Song Yu: “Don’t do that. I’m just contributing to the school, and not for the sake of merit or fame.”

At this time, Ma Xiaoding suddenly began to smack the grass on the ground in excitement.

“Brother Yu, Brother Yu, God Xie’s going up on stage.”

The rest of Song Yu’s words stopped at the edge of his lips.

There was a stir in their surroundings, sweeping away the dead and stagnant atmosphere.

The girls pushed at each other and whispered back and forth, unable to hide their excitement.

Song Yu put down the letter in his hand and looked up in the direction of the podium.

This was Xie Sui’s second time coming up on stage to make a speech as a student representative following his last appearance as the freshman representative. The teenager wore his school uniform and stood under the open blue sky. He looked outstanding and dazzling as he read his speech from his notes. It was unknown if it was because he hadn’t slept well, but his voice was a little hoarse, clear and cool, but also stirring.

Nobody present paid attention to the content of his words. They were all staring at his face.

The autumn wind stirred the white paper placed at his fingertips.

Song Yu could hear the sigh of two girls to his right that were seated behind him.

“God Xie simply shook up my entire high school experience. He’s good-looking, has a good temperament, good grades, and his voice is so nice. My heart falls for him every time I see him.”

“Who doesn’t like the school grass? Next time, we can propose to the school that putting photos of the first in the grade on the results list will definitely stimulate my desire to study. As soon as I think about how I’ll be one step closer to him with every rise in rankings, I instantly want to go and buy a set of test papers.”

“Hahahahahaha, don’t ask. If you ask, then this is the power of love.”

Song Yu sat on the lawn and looked at that excellent young man. He couldn’t keep his lips from curving up.

His deskmate was really great.

Xie Sui stepped off the stage. The entire place was filled with shrill screams that roared like the tide, the crowd in full swing. It made the class teachers who were watching all shake their heads.

Song Yu came back to his senses. He was still holding an unopened letter in his hand, so he continued to bow his head and read these ‘love letters’ that he’d been sent.

The thirteenth letter.

Xi Bowen asked, “Brother Yu, what do you plan to do with the letters after you’ve finished reading them?”

Song Yu’s reply came very naturally, “Throw them away.”

Xi Bowen instantly made an exaggerated ‘wow’ sound, “Brother Yu, you’re really a scum man.”

Ma Xiaoding shook his head and sighed, “You forget—not only is my Brother Yu a troll, but he also has a cool and cold scum man reputation on the forums.”

Song Yu expressed that he didn’t approve of this at all, “This is called being scum?”

Xi Bowen: “This isn’t scum?”

Song Yu sneered out loud, “In that case, let me show you what a real scum man is.”

He grabbed a bunch of letters with his hand and said to Ma Xiaoding, “Guess which letter I’m most satisfied with?”

Ma Xiaoding was stunned and froze. He blinked his eyes, “Which letter?”

Song Yu took off his school coat and set it down beside him, his sitting position careless and casual. His light tea-colored pupils were filled with laughter and his lips were lazy.

“It’s a little hard to choose.”

He took out a letter and put it down on the grass.

“The one I like the most is Wanwan.”

He put down another letter.

“I very much respect Dreamy’s thoughts.”

He put down another letter.

“But I can’t help but be happy when I see Beauty’s letter.”

The fourth letter.

“Interacting with Xiaoxiao is the easiest.”

It was like he was playing cards as he set down one letter after another.

“But if I have to choose one person to be together with? I choose—”

The letter in his hand hadn’t yet been put down—

—When someone sat down beside him. His voice was clear and cool as he asked lightly, “Who do you choose?”

Song Yu froze in the midst of raising his hand to pick up a letter.

It was like the pause button had been pressed on his body and he was suddenly unable to say the name that was written on the letter.

He turned his head.

The person who’d just been so dazzling on the podium had crossed his long legs to sit down next to him. He looked at him with his handsome face, and his lips were curved with a smile, but his eyes were cold and clear.

Song Yu suddenly felt guilty.

He coughed, then completed his words.

“… I choose to study.”

Xi Bowen and Ma Xiaoding had both been sent into a daze by Song Yu’s scum man, school bully remarks just now.

Only now did they react to what had happened.

Ma Xiaoding stared at him with wide eyes, “That’s too scum.”

Xi Bowen pushed up his glasses and stared, dumbfounded, “Oh my god, Brother Yu, did you open a fishpond or a back palace?”

The more they said, the more off-topic they got. Song Yu rolled his eyes.

They weren’t mentioning the lead-up to it at all. This was simply like splashing dirty water on him.

He explained to Xie Sui, “I was only acting for them just now. It’s not what I really think.”

Xie Sui repeated his words in a slow and orderly manner, his tone still light and indifferent, “The one I like the most is Wanwan; I very much respect Dreamy’s thoughts, but I can’t help but be happy when I see Beauty’s letter; interacting with Xiaoxiao is the easiest—”

Public punishment!

Song Yu pounced over in embarrassment and reached out his hand to cover his mouth. He was both amused and angry, “Enough. I like my deskmate the most. Don’t say it anymore. Stop.”

The palm of Song Yu’s hand was very shallow. His skin was delicate and as soft as jade. To Xie Sui, it felt more like a kiss falling on the palm of a hand when it covered his lips.

‘I like my deskmate the most’. These words went into his heart like sweet spring water.

He suppressed the desire in his heart.

Xie Sui held his wrist and moved it away, laughing lightly and slowly asking, “Don’t you like studying?”

“There’s no contradiction there.” Song Yu purposely shifted the topic away, “Don’t mention that anymore. I’ll show you what they sign their letters with—they’re really bold and there’s all sorts of names.”

He opened up the folded piece of paper in his hand.

The content of the letter was filled with crazy praise for him, calling him ‘husband’, and all sorts of other rainbow farts.

But the inscription at the bottom was—

“… God Xie, you were really great last night?”

Song Yu: “……”

Xie Sui: “……”

Ma Xiaoding: “Hahahahahahahahaha!”

Xi Bowen also choked and laughed, “This one is stepping on two boats at the same time.”

Song Yu silently folded the letter back up.

Beside him, Xie Sui was stunned for a moment, then laughed quietly, “You were pretty good last night, too.”

Song Yu: “……!!”

He tried to drag the conversation back, “I’m even better today. This afternoon will be my home court.”

Xie Sui’s eyes curved, “Okay. I’m looking forward to it.”

Chapter 69.2 – Crossing The Finish Line

Classmates naturally had to cheer each other on for this sports event.

In any case, Song Yu was in high spirits as he watched.

Someone stuffed a small flag into his hands. He felt that it was novel and interesting, so he followed suit and waved it around randomly.

The cheers from around him swept by like the tide.

The sounds of ‘you can do it’ ringing out were very exciting.

He joined in and enjoyed playing together with them.

Lin Shuangqiu was the announcer, her voice spreading throughout the field.

“Once you go beyond the white starting line, you’ll be like a golden lightning bolt. On this autumn day, there is unlimited youth. Charge ahead, athletes, take off like eagles and conquer your battlefield!”

Afternoon, the boys’ 1500 meter long distance race.

When Song Yu came out after changing his clothes, there was a group of girls nearby giggling and playing around as they took photos with their cell phones and sighed emotionally, “Why is Brother Yu so handsome.”

Jiang Chunian was holding a small electric fan, which she attentively held out towards him, “Brother Yu’s going to fight hard for the glory of our class.”

Song Yu laughed briefly.

A boy beside him cajoled, “Brother Yu, some people from the other classes are looking down on you, and people on the forums are taking bets again. I refused to accept it and bet my virgin body! You have to get first place, hey, my first night is now in your hands.”

His roommate was dumbfounded, “You f*cking sent out your first night again?! Didn’t you already send that out last time?”

The boy, “Sigh, it’s a long story.”

Song Yu drank a mouthful of water, smiling as he set the water bottle on the table. He said carelessly, “Don’t worry. My goal in participating in this long-distance race is to prove something to everyone. A person who is born handsome can simultaneously also run very fast.”

Jiang Chunian: “???”

She turned the fan up to the highest speed, “666.”

Song Yu walked onto the track.

There was another round of “Ahhhhhh, too damned handsome” from the field and the sports stands.

A boy with a cap held up his selfie stick in his direction, speaking passionately, “Hello, it’s me again, your good friend Big K. My love for Song Yu is f*cking deep, and I like to record any damned thing that’s related to him. See that cool brother over there? Although he can’t come over and talk to us, we can interact with him in our hearts. My roommate isn’t sending out a Maserati this time, he’s starting to send out Rolls Royces. He’ll send one out if Song Yu gets first place, and Big K will tack on a friendly 8 yuan discount voucher for it.”

Ma Xiaoding and his group of followers were all armed up again with whistles, clappers, and neon sticks, holding them up in their hands.

Xi Bowen had snatched away the screaming chicken to avoid getting embarrassed.

Ma Xiaoding waved his arms and whistled shrilly, “Go, Brother Yu!”

Song Yu was now on track number three and was the most eye-catching one there.

There was a boy with tanned skin beside him, who glanced at him and smiled, “Brother Yu, how do you plan to do in the race?”

Song Yu: “Is this something I can decide? You should take a look at how much responsibility I’m carrying.”

Countless people’s first times, countless luxury cars.

The bronze-skinned boy: “Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.”

The sound of a gunshot rang out.

The race began.

The good-looking youths rushed out from the white starting line like bolts of lightning, charging forward.

“Ahhhhhh!”

There was another round of shrill screams from the audience.

Jiang Chunian was so nervous that she was about to pinch her deskmate’s hand until it turned green.

Liang Yingying couldn’t bear it anymore, “You’re not sending out your first night, what are you nervous for!”

Jiang Chunian: “Ahhhhh, I’m giving it out, I’m giving it out, if Brother Yu wins, I’ll give him my first kiss!”

Liang Yingying: “… You’re trying to get beaten up.”

Song Yu’s physical strength wasn’t bad, but at the end of the day, he’d only trained for a week. Compared with the students who specialized in long-distance running, he was still a bit lacking. During the first two laps, he was shoulder to shoulder with another tall boy and far ahead of the crowd, but neither party was able to get half a step ahead of the other.

However, when it came to the last round of the track, his disadvantages made themselves known. He didn’t have enough explosive power, and he grew increasingly tired at the final sprint stage. It was like his body was filled with lead, and his pace gradually slowed down.

“Brother Yu—you can do it!”

Almost everyone was nervous along with him, cupping their hands around their mouths and shouting loudly.

Ma Xiaoding shook the plastic clapper in his hand, each of his whistles higher than the last.

“Go, Brother Yu!”

The last lap.

As he watched the finish line get closer and closer, the other person started to pull ahead from Song Yu.

The audience burst into howls that tore through their lungs.

“Brother Yu!! My first night ahhhhhh, you have to take responsibility for it ahhhhh!”

The audience: “…… ???”

The shouting and roaring seemed to have been struck back by a landmine.

With that person in the lead, the cheering after that changed as well. Everyone became more and more excited as they got closer to the end.

“Brother Yu! The phantom of a Rolls Royce! Do you see it! It’s waiting for you at the finish line!”

“Brother Yu! A seascape apartment is right in front of you!”

“Who has a recording of the sound of barking dogs? I think that bad idea is feasible.”

“What kind of dog barking do you need? —Brother Yu! Quickly look at God Xie! There’s such a handsome boyfriend waiting for you at the finish line, do you see him?”

Everyone at the edge of the tracks were neatly cheering him on.

Song Yu could only hear the sound of the wind, and the air was stuck in his chest, making it difficult to breathe. His line of sight was locked in on a certain point.

At that time.

It was time to sprint.

At this moment, he suddenly burst out. It was like his entire body had been filled with a new round of energy. He gritted his teeth, going as fast as a gust of wind.

Sprinting forward like lightning.

“Woaaaaaaah—!”

The audience all stood up in excitement.

In the studio, Lin Shuangqiu took out a new cheering draft and read it softly into the microphone.

“Screams, excitement, joy, this is us at the moment. Chasing, pounding hearts, perseverance, victory and defeat determined in only a moment, this is your battlefield. Vying for the throne, this is the spring of youth that belongs to us, which won’t scatter with the golden autumn.”

Almost there.

Song Yu looked at the figure of the person in front of him, his heart feeling like it was about to jump out of his chest. A strong competitive spirit suddenly rose up, and there was only one idea in his mind.

Overtake him!

She switched to the next draft.

Lin Shuangqiu stared at it in a daze.

Then, she burst out laughing.

Her voice suddenly slowed down.

Her sweet voice held traces of a smile as it drifted over.

“Your sweat sprinkles on the track, like pouring into my thoughts. Your eyes look towards the finishing point, so sharp they pierce through my soul.”

Almost there, almost there.

Song Yu gritted his back teeth.

His entire soul felt like it was on fire.

“There are many beautiful words that I can’t say on ordinary days, and can only say quietly behind the cries of this moment.”

“You are the thousands of stars in the galaxy, the flow of grass and trees, you are all the beauty I can think of.”

He could hear his own heavy breathing with every step. His throat was dry, and his heart and lungs were burning.

“Thank you for appearing in my life, embellishing all the ordinary and boring years. Let the peppermint flavored midsummer wind hang on the tail of my youth.”

“Ah, kind, lovely, smart, my husband Brother Yu.”

In those last few seconds, Song Yu’s brain was blank. He didn’t know if he’d overtaken that person or not, and was only focused on the end.

Xie Sui was standing there.

“A bit faster.”

The sound of a whistle rang out.

The moment he crossed the finish line, it was like the last string holding him up broke. Exhaustion and disorientation swept through his entire body.

“Even faster.”

There was a lot of noise around him, shrill screams from all directions.

He couldn’t see anything and was about to fall to his knees when he fell into a powerful and cool embrace.

“Crossing the finish line, and arriving at my heart.”