Chapter 22

"Athletes participating in the men's 100 meters, please assemble below the podium."

"Athletes participating in the women's long jump, please assemble in the sandpit on the upper left of the playground."

I parted ways with them one by one and walked alone to the sandpit.

There were people doing warm-up exercises. I didn't intend to interfere, but I felt a little awkward standing there, so I just twisted around a bit too.

I was stretching my legs when someone approached me, hesitating to speak: "Excuse me, are you... Sang Yue?"

I nodded.

Then I looked her over. The girl was not tall, a little chubby, seemed to love to laugh, and had very white teeth.

She must have heard of me, because she said sweetly, "You really are wearing a little red string? That's so cute. Can I add you as a friend on WeChat?"

Of course I can. I'll just take out my phone; WeChat friend slots don't cost any money.

I already had a bunch of idiots from Class 5, now I'm adding a girl to raise.

She then asked, "Can I add Wu Qi on my friend list? I heard he's really handsome."

I:"……"

Oh, so it's the little blind man.

However, I couldn't interfere with Wu Qi's social circle, so I gave her Wu Qi's WeChat.

But I think she misunderstood something, so she saved "Strawberry Bunny" as me and "1" as Wu Qi.

Dull-witted.

As more and more athletes gathered, the physical education teacher came over to organize them and had us draw lots to determine the order of the long jump.

I took one out of the box, the first one.

OK.

Good things never come first, but this kind of thing always does.

I was just thinking of finishing my dance as soon as possible when I noticed the little girl next to me looking worried. I asked her what was wrong, and she showed me her picture, saying she was the last one.

I said, "Isn't the last one good enough?"

She said, "The boy I like is about to finish the 100-meter race, and I want to give him the first hug."

Me: "Oh, then it's nothing."

She looked down at the platform and saw a row of boys of varying heights warming up, the sun scorching their bare skin.

I spotted that person in the crowd immediately.

It was clearly already autumn, yet he was still wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, the buttons at the collar seemingly undone and never to be fastened. He seemed a little hot, pulling up his collar to fan himself, and he also had a white wristband tied around his wrist.

What a coincidence, the person I like is also going to run the 100 meters.

But he probably doesn't need my hug.

I swapped my slip with hers so she could finish first and go quickly. She was very grateful, but it wasn't necessary; this moon goddess is always happy to help others.

“That’s wonderful.” She held up my signed note. “He’ll be so surprised.”

I casually remarked, "Didn't he know you were going?"

"Oh dear, what's the point of saying it out loud! Feelings are a two-way street."

"Mutual?"

“Yes!” She looked at the podium with longing and anticipation. “I can’t just let him be infatuated with me. I have to catch him off guard too.”

I was stunned for a moment.

He then looked at her and then looked in the direction she was looking.

Our reverie was broken when the PE teacher directed the athletes to line up in order. The long jump was done in three attempts, and the best result was recorded.

I performed well the first two times. I jumped 3.8 meters the first time and 4.1 meters the second time.

Okay, "I did alright" is a bit of an understatement; I'm way too awesome.

I lined up again for the third time, and the number of people in front of me was getting smaller and smaller. Suddenly, I heard a gunshot.

I glanced at the track, then turned around and the PE teacher told me to get ready to start.

The preparation flag waved down ahead, and I sprinted off, my speed increasing dramatically. Just as I was about to reach the jump point, someone shouted, "Holy crap, Wu Qi seems to have broken the record!"

Did we win?

Generally speaking, this should mean it's number one, right?

Before I could even get distracted for a second, my mortal body decided to trip me up. I tripped over my own feet, and before I could react, I just cursed "Damn it!" and flew through the air.

It's completely different from the long jump where you fly out.

The long jump is a leap, but I'm throwing myself out, and gravity is at play, so I'm plunging headfirst into the sandpit.

In that instant, I thought I saw a land spirit.

The playground erupted into chaos instantly, with cheers from one side mingling with screams from the other. I couldn't quite hear what was going on, and I had a mouthful of sand.

The tinnitus caused by the pain quickly subsided. I propped myself up and opened my eyes, and heard someone comforting me: "Don't worry, don't worry, we've already sent someone over the loudspeaker to call your classmates!"

My classmate?

My mind raced—oh my god, Wu Qi won first place over there, and Sang Yue fell down and pissed herself in embarrassment over here… How humiliating!!!

I raised my hand, but it was too late to stop him.

The announcement blared: "0520 Sang Yue, during the long jump competition, uh, landed headfirst in the sandpit! Her brain may be damaged! The relevant personnel are requested to arrive at the scene immediately!"

...

Then, a group of people turned around and looked at me with concern, as if I might have damaged my brain.

Several people even wanted to laugh at the scene.

Me: Your mom.

-

When Wu Qi ran over across most of the playground, he laughed as he picked me up and shook the sand off me: "You're really something."

Li Guangheng came over too, and it's no wonder he didn't die laughing. He said, "It'll be recorded in the school history! It'll be recorded in the school history!"

"..."

Meng Xiaoqiong is the most heartless. She went to check my results first, then came back and said, "You fell and still managed to jump first place. You're so polarized."

I looked like I was in a coffin: "I have some ability."

Before Meng Xiaoqiong could speak, Wu Qi said, "Yes, the left foot trips the right foot."

"..."

“I said,” Wu Qi’s expression calmed down a bit, “aren’t you still a little unfamiliar with your own two feet?”

"..."

It's all because of you.

I didn't answer, but instead asked him, "Did you really break the record?"

Wu Qi stared at me for a few seconds, then ruffled my hair and said, "Brother Qi is quite capable too."

"Alright! Quickly take Sang Yue to wash up and check if her legs are scraped!" Li Guangheng grabbed a pack of wet wipes. "Let's go!"

I took the wet wipes, and Wu Qi helped me up. "You guys go and get ready, I'll take her."

The first two events are the men's 100 meters and long jump. So far, only Wu Qi and I have finished. The rest will start soon. Xu Feng and Tian Qingqing are already on the field.

Li Guangheng thought for a moment and said, "Okay, then you guys go quickly and see if it will affect the afternoon's match."

Meng Xiaoqiong also said, "It's okay, if Sang Yue can't run away, I'll take her place."

I couldn't help but mutter to myself, "...I'm fine."

Wu Qi glanced at me.

The two of them went about their own business. Wu Qi took me to the restroom on the first floor of the gymnasium and, without saying a word, put me on the sink. I struggled for a moment, but Wu Qi pressed down on my ankle and pushed me down.

"We'll know if it's good or not once we see it." He pushed up my pants and whispered, "Don't move."

"..."

I had no choice but to sit down obediently.

Comparatively speaking, this sink is probably higher than my legs. Because from this angle, I'm at eye level with Wu Qi.

He only showed me the top of his head, carefully examining my knees, his fingers touching my calves, his fingertips slightly cold.

The tap next to me wasn't turned off properly, and the dripping sound was quite jarring in the quiet environment.

Wu Qi's expression was serious, so I made conversation: "...If only I were a god, I'd just be bumping into things, nothing like a mosquito bite. A mortal body has to absorb the shock, it just makes me..."

"It's a bit scratched," Wu Qi interrupted me.

"ah?"

"But no bones were broken."

Wu Qi is not listening to anything now; he seems to be getting anxious.

Although he was laughing at me with the others just now, he couldn't laugh anymore when he saw my disheveled appearance. He has always been more afraid of me getting hurt than others.

I feel that maybe because my true form is a rabbit, he always treats me differently from other gods, worried that a rabbit like me can't handle my wounds or anything like that.

Actually, there's no difference; we're all cultivating immortality, and I'm no worse than anyone else.

Wu Qi picked me up again and put me on the ground. He turned me around to face the mirror, turned on the tap, and told me to rinse my mouth.

I obediently cupped the water in my hands. The water on the first floor of the gymnasium was a bit cold, chilling me to the roots of my teeth, but I still rinsed my mouth two or three times to spit out the sand.

I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. "Is it better now?"

Wu Qi didn't say anything, but lifted me up and carried me to the sink again.

I'm speechless. I feel like an unlucky doll in a claw machine, being lifted and lowered repeatedly, powerless and at the mercy of others.

I lowered my head, and Wu Qi lifted my chin by pinching it.

He pried open my teeth with his thumb: "Open your mouth."

"..."

He didn't answer a single question of mine the whole time, yet I fulfilled every single one of his requests.

Wu Qi examined my mouth, his fingertips swirling around my sharp teeth, brushing against my palate, and pressing down on my tongue, his fingertips teasing the tip of my tongue, like an ambiguous wet kiss.

My vision gradually blurred, and I remembered what the little girl who did the long jump had said.

"—I can't just let him be infatuated with me, I have to catch him off guard too."

I forced myself to focus through the mist, fixing my gaze on Wu Qi's face.

Wu Qi finally finished the examination and concluded, "There's no sore in her mouth."

I smacked my lips twice, not knowing what to say, and finally just called him "idiot".

Wu Qi finally showed some expression, leaning against the sink and looking at me: "How heartless of you! I was worried sick, and you still scolded me."

I paused, then called out again, "Brother Qi."

Wu Qi froze, a hint of confusion flashing in his usually calm eyes.

Was this something we were caught off guard by?

I added fuel to the fire by shouting "Brother Qi" incessantly.

Sour, soft, presumptuous, unbearable—all these qualities are contained in these two words. I've never said anything like that in my life, and for a moment I didn't know where to look.

He could only stare at Wu Qi, then at the bathroom door sign, then at his throbbing hand, and unconsciously swallowed.

Every pause Wu Qi made felt like confirmation of the phrase "caught off guard," and my heart was pounding.

I noticed that he avoided my gaze.

Then, in a hoarse voice, he said, "Don't call me brother."

He's so strange.

We were all very surprised.

He doesn't allow others to call me A-Yue, but he keeps calling me that himself. Everyone in the world calls him Brother Qi, but he won't let me.

"That's what everyone calls me," I said softly.

It was almost touching his forehead.

I asked again, "Can't I do it?"