Chapter 34

The surrounding crowd of spectators was noisy and unrestrained.

Few of them actually participated; most were just there for the spectacle.

Today at the school sports meet, almost all the teachers tacitly turned a blind eye to the students' open use of electronic devices.

They took photos and videos.

Kuroko, who had just finished doing sit-ups and was standing to the side, asked curiously, "What are you doing here?"

Jiang Li, as always, replied lazily, "Something came up."

The girls lay on the foam mats, and their teammates slowly pressed their legs onto them.

Guan Nan remained seated, watching Jiang Li approach, then glancing around at the crowd, a sudden sense of fear rising within her.

But the referee had already waved to urge them on, and was just waiting to wave his whistle again.

Without time to think any further, Guan Nan closed her eyes tightly and lay on the foam mat, feeling her ankles being pressed down.

The world seemed to stand still for a moment.

It only lasted for a moment.

The next second, the referee blew his whistle and waved his flag, signifying the start of the game.

Guan Nan placed her hands behind her head and repeatedly did back crunches, her head hitting her knees.

Time was running out, so Guan Nan gritted her teeth, held her breath, and didn't slack off or stop.

"Wow, that's impressive!" exclaimed a student taking photos with their phone. "They didn't even stop for a moment. Are they students with special talents?"

She ignored all external sounds and signals as she listened to the constant chatter around her.

Ignore the rush of blood to your head and the increasing redness of your face, ignore the pain in your abdomen and ribs, ignore the tension in your leg muscles until they feel weak.

Guan Nan only stopped moving when the final whistle blew.

My vision was blurry, my breath was burning hot, and my head was throbbing.

Jiang Li asked her, "How is it?"

"It's alright." Before she could finish speaking, Guan Nan lowered her hand, her body still a little unsteady, and her head hit the ground straight ahead.

--Bang.

They bumped foreheads together, making a lot of noise.

My head, which was still not fully recovered, was hit hard with a "bang," making me even more dizzy.

Guan Nan could only see his blurry, indistinct outline.

A gentle afternoon breeze softly parted the hair on his forehead, outlining his sculpted features and deep, unfathomable eyes in the hazy light.

The scenery is so picturesque that it captivates the viewer and makes them unable to look away.

Just then, a student who was registering the results came over and asked the student who was doing leg stretches about the count. She was holding a blackboard and a pen.

Guan Nan came to her senses, pursed her lips, and lowered her head.

Immediately, the sound of Jiang Li's head hitting someone was heard.

His voice was distant yet polite: "73, thank you."

"Okay." After registering, the girl continued to ask the next student in line.

The girls on the foam mats gradually got up, and Guan Nan couldn't sit any longer. Just as her aching hands were about to support her on the mats to stand up, she saw Jiang Li bending over and stretching out his hand in front of her.

I've already stretched my legs, so one more won't make a difference.

Guan Nan, with a "what's the use" attitude, didn't hesitate any longer and reached out to grab the weight to stand up.

"Slow down," Jiang Li said in a low voice, "Going too fast will make you dizzy and affect your blood circulation."

Upon hearing this, Guan Nan slowed down a bit, slowly got up, and sat in the corner for a while. "Thank you, Jiang Li."

"Thank you again?"

Guan Nan paused, his tone suggesting, "Are you going to keep thanking me endlessly?"

I didn't dare to look up at his expression.

On the other side of the track, Guan Nan caught her breath and was about to go when she saw Jiang Li pull a crumpled number plate out of his pocket. It had the number 0529 written in red on a white background.

Guan Nan stared blankly at the string of red numbers.

"Put it on." Jiang Li handed it to her, then turned his back to her.

Seeing that she hadn't moved, Jiang Li followed her gaze downwards and stared at the numbers that were swaying in the wind.

"Guan Nan."

"·····"

"Guan Guan."

"·····"

Suddenly, Jiang Li gently tugged at her ponytail, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Guan Nan snapped out of her daze and shook her head, pretending nothing was wrong.

"Hmm?" Jiang Li raised his hand, gesturing for her to take the number plate.

Guan Nan obediently took it.

In the blink of an eye, he turned his back.

It was so hot that his back was damp with sweat, and his school uniform was slightly wet.

He is tall with long legs, broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and the prominent lines of his spine make him look strong and slender but not thin.

Guan Nan held the paperclip, lifted one corner of Jiang Li's shirt, and gently threaded the end of the paperclip through the fabric hole to fasten it.

The other end of the paperclip wasn't fastened securely, and it slipped off the moment she let go.

She reached out to take it, but her palm unexpectedly touched his back, and she could clearly feel him subconsciously tense his back.

At the same time, the hand that had been easily placed beside her pressed down and grabbed her forearm.

"I'm sorry—" Guan Nan tried to pull her hand back.

Almost instinctively, Jiang Li immediately let go and turned around: "Did you prick your hand?"

“No,” Guan Nan clenched her fist, shook her head, looked at the half-stuck number tag, slowly opened her palm, and explained gently, “The needle fell out, and I wanted to pick it up.”

Jiang Li lowered his eyes, his voice rising slightly at the end: "Is your waist nice to touch?"

well......

Guan Nan's expression froze, she pursed her lips and frowned, stammering, "Huh?"

She added, "I didn't mean to."

Jiang Li gave a meaningful "hmm," and with his half-smile and upturned eyes, it was as if he was saying, "Let's see how you try to argue now."

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Neither of them spoke again.

Fortunately, a few seconds later he turned to the side, so that his back was to her.

Guan Nan awkwardly brushed the hair off her cheek, clutched a corner of her school uniform fabric, and carefully fastened a paperclip in her other hand.

The needle was very sharp, and she was afraid of accidentally scratching him.

Both sprints and long-distance races take place on the track, but they don't start from the same location. The 100-200 meter sprints start first, followed by the relay races, and finally the long-distance races.

"Sigh," Liu Yang, who was waiting to warm up for the relay race, saw the two people coming over to check their names and asked curiously, "Where have you two been? Why are you only coming now?"

The relay race had four legs. Liu Yang couldn't find many people to sign up, so he signed up Luo Haoyu and Guo Yuhang, and also pulled in his former deskmate Liu Wentao.

As they were speaking, several people looked over.

Last time, when Class 1 got into a fight, Jiang Li visibly stopped Class 3 and helped Class 1, who was biased towards Jiang Li. Guo Yuhang was quite friendly to Jiang Li, nodding in greeting: "Class monitor, you have a sprint later, right?"

Jiang Li raised his chin, his expression relaxed and cheerful.

“Yes,” Guan Nan nodded, “two hundred meters.”

"It's all about participation," Liu Yang said with a smile, putting his arm around Jiang Li's shoulder. Seeing that Jiang Li didn't push him away, Liu Yang joked, "Let's call the award our class heartthrob."

"What class heartthrob?" Liu Yuhang laughed at him. "He's a well-known heartthrob on the school beauty and heartthrob list at Fuling High School."

Liu Yang said, "That ranking list, that Lin Rui from the science class who doesn't seem very serious, and that bookworm Qi Yang from the senior year, and our class's Jiang Li and Yu Shu have all been on it. That list is unfair. In this school sports meet class competition, our class's Jiang Li is the class heartthrob. What kind of trash ranking list is this? He's the class heartthrob!"

"Shut up, or someone will spit on you and kill you, you idiot."

Jiang Li smirked: "Just a friendly reminder, Lin Rui holds grudges, so don't let him hear this."

"Huh?!" Liu Yang was stunned. He was so caught up in his rambling that he had forgotten about the trio of Jiang Li, Yu Shu, and Lin Rui. Hearing this, he was a little devastated.

Guo Yuhang slapped him on the head: "Are you stupid?"

No sooner said than done, Hei Zi saw Jiang Li gathered over there and walked over. He happened to overhear their conversation and then added with a smile, "Lin Rui's mouth is like poison, so you guys better watch out."

Jiang Li laughed as soon as he heard that.

The others seemed to have heard the legend as well, and they couldn't help but laugh.

Several people who liked playing ball didn't know each other, but they were familiar with each other's faces. When they heard the broadcast calling for sprinters, they exchanged brief greetings and went to watch the game.

The sprint track is not long; it's right next to the starting line for the relay race and the long-distance race.

A layer of white ash was sprinkled on the ground to mark the starting line for the sprint. Another referee stood at the other end of the line, with white ash markings for the 100 and 200 meters in between.

The 100-meter dash was incredibly fast; one girl practically flew off her feet, and her bun hairstyle completely fell apart after running a short distance.

She didn't care about anything else, and while trying to create distance between herself and the first person, she shouted, "Ah—"

After the 100-meter sprint results were recorded, it was time for the 200-meter race.

Before she went on the field, Jiang Li told her, "Don't worry, it's okay if you don't get a ranking, just finish the race."

"Yes, we're not here for the rankings," Liu Yang said, feigning nonchalance. "These are all external things, they're not important."

Seeing the female sprinter kneel down halfway through the race, Guo Yuhang stopped joking and said in a serious tone, "Safety first."

Liu Wentao, a man of few words, simply nodded and said "Mmm" in agreement.

Luo Haoyu didn't say anything, just stood aside and watched.

The sprinters were divided into groups of six. Guan Nan was in a ready-to-start position, half-squatting in front of the number 6 marker.

The running laps on the track were made of synthetic material, with naturally growing grass in the middle, its scent fresh and invigorating. Guan Nan closed her eyes, slowly adjusting her breathing, trying to hold her breath and run until she reached the finish line before exhaling.

The referee fired the starting gun at the starting line and shouted, "On your marks—"

Gunshots rang out, and everyone crouched like arrows, firing in seconds.

Guan Nan held his breath and caught up with the lagging group like the wind. He was chased again and sped up once more, like a rocket with wheels of fire, as fast as an arrow or a sword.

"Damn it!" At this moment, Guo Yuhang didn't even call him the friendly class monitor anymore. He stared wide-eyed and called him by his name, "Guan Nan has gone crazy!"

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Taking pictures, you idiot! Where's my phone?!" Liu Yang was as excited as if he had gone mad.

"What the hell are you doing touching me? Do you think my phone is still on me?!"

In the midst of their emotional outburst, Jiang Li had already raised his phone.

On camera, she watched as the second-place finisher pulled away, then the third-place finisher, before catching up to the third-place finisher and holding onto second place, still a bit behind the first-place finisher.

Everyone watching was very satisfied.

At least that's how it seems to us in this class.

Thirty meters, twenty meters, ten meters away from the finish line.

Five meters —

At the critical moment, Guan Nan really went crazy. She gritted her teeth, held her breath, and rushed forward with all her might.

Guan Nan is a very steady person, both in his personal conduct and in his work.

As everyone knows, she is so serene that she doesn't compete or fight for anything, and her quietness is almost frightening.

Very little, almost none, is there any sign of madness or wildness.

But this time, it surprised everyone.

"Holy crap, are all top students this amazing?" The boy in the corner watched in disbelief as she made a comeback.

Even the boy in the same class exclaimed in amazement: "They must have fast-forwarded through the editing!"

Guan Nan is undoubtedly number one.

The scene was noisy, and the well-known model student, who often appeared on the stage throughout the year, broke the usual stereotype.

Only a few people standing in Class One remained silent for several seconds before suddenly letting out a roar, looking like a wild beast that had broken free of its cage, startling everyone who turned around.

"Nan Shen, awesome!" Liu Yang shouted, pressing his hands to his mouth as if making a megaphone shape.

As soon as the race was over, Guan Nan stood at the finish line, supporting herself with her legs bent over, too afraid to sit or squat.

There were still two sprints left, followed by the relay race. They needed to hurry up and arrange their positions. Guo Yuhang watched as Jiang Li strode towards the finish line, grabbed Liu Yang who was about to cross, and cursed, "Screw you, hurry up and arrange the batons!"

After speaking, Guo Yuhang glanced at Luo Haoyu again, who remained expressionless.

No one had high hopes for Guan Nan's athletic ability, or perhaps they subconsciously thought she was too delicate and frail to stand out, leading everyone to believe that she would just go through the motions.

The reason they didn't leave was to comfort Guan Nan, who was at the bottom of the rankings.

In hindsight, by a twist of fate, the girl with the strongest explosive power was brought online for the battle.

This explosive power is just like her rapidly growing and solidifying achievements.

The first place is locked in.

"Stand still." Just a few seconds after she squatted down, Jiang Li came over and supported her elbows.

Guan Nan's legs were numb, and her mind was filled with the whooshing sound of the wind rushing in. She could still clearly hear his voice: "Why are you still here?"

Jiang Li paused, took the water handed to him, and lifted his eyelids, "If I'm not here, who is?"

Guan Nan was speechless.

"Look down," Jiang Li unscrewed the bottle cap, patted some water on her forehead, and then slowly poured half a bottle of water onto her arms. "If you still feel uncomfortable, just say so."

After being splashed with cool water, Guan Nan felt much refreshed. She pursed her lips and said, "Thank you."

"You're too kind," Jiang Li said, handing her the water.

Following his instructions, Guan Nan poured some water into her palm, patted the back of her neck, and waited for the energy to rush up.

"Is it your turn?" Guan Nan asked a little awkwardly after taking a few sips of water.

Jiang Li frowned slightly. "It's still early. Do you want to go back to the classroom?"

The sprint was over, and all the relay runners were in position. The loudspeaker was calling out their names. Guan Nan looked up at him and shook her head: "No."

She said, "I want to cheer you on."

"How do I add it?" Jiang Li asked with amusement, his lips curling into a lazy, drawn-out tone.

Guan Nan thought for a moment and asked, "Are you going to be a runner-up?"

"..." Jiang Li's eyelids twitched, as if he found it absurd, and he said incredulously, "You're going to be my runner-up?"

"OK."

"Okay—"

fart.

Jiang Li remained expressionless.

"Well," Guan Nan saw that he didn't seem very happy about being a runner-up, scratched his head, looked at him blankly, and asked, "How do I add it?"

Jiang Li glanced at her and said casually, "I do know a little bit about it."

His smile had a slightly sinister quality.

"What?" Guan Nan had a bad feeling.

“You just stand here and wait for me to run over. I’ll run around once and shout once,” Jiang Li said with a slight smirk. “Jiang Li, hey, you’re awesome.”

"·····"

You're insane!

That's really great, we should just call it "True Knowledge Stick"!

Jiang Li said unhurriedly, "It would be even more fitting if there were a flag for you to wave."

"Just write on it, 'World's Number One, Unrivaled in the Universe—'"

Guan Nan muttered under her breath, "That's really something."

"Handsome." Jiang Li glanced at her and then said, "To Jiang Li, presented by Guan Nan."

"..." Guan Nan's eyes widened, feeling that he was really going too far!

Just imagining that scene made Guan Nan's emotions shift from shame to being the center of attention, and she was on the verge of collapse.

Her expression was blank and her face was flushed, which made Jiang Li speechless and amused.

Just then, Liu Yang ran towards them from the running track, waving his big hand as if he were saying something or calling someone's name.

It was too noisy on the playground; I couldn't hear anything.

"Just kidding." Jiang Li tugged at her ponytail again.

The atmosphere eased slightly only when Liu Yang arrived, and then Liu Yang said, "Jiang Li, I need your help in an emergency!"

Jiang Li: "?"

Guan Nan: "?"

The two of them, unaware of what had happened, looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"Your glasses were just knocked off, and now you're completely blind and can't see anything. Can you hold on for a while?" Liu Yang asked anxiously, sweat pouring down his face.

“But he still has a 3,000-meter stretch to go later,” Guan Nan said hesitantly, “I’ll go with you.”

The first name that came to Liu Yang's mind was Guan Nan, but Guan Nan had just finished running and hadn't recovered yet. He felt bad about leaving Guan Nan to run alone, and considering that Jiang Li was running the 3,000 meters later, he had no choice but to ask Jiang Li: "Are you alright?"

“No need,” Jiang Li handed the phone to Guan Nan. “I’ll go with you. What number is he?”

"Hang is first, you are second, Haozi is third, and I'll be last."

"Understood." The two said as they walked, hurrying towards the relay point.

Guan Nan followed behind the two, and perhaps because she was holding Jiang Li's phone, Liu Yang placed her in the third runner's waiting area.

Luo Haoyu was also in the waiting area, his head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Suddenly, a Snickers bar was handed to me.

Guan Nan was stunned. "Should I help you carry it?"

"Here you go." Luo Haoyu maintained his expressionless demeanor.

"Huh?" Guan Nan blinked, looking a little flustered. Seeing that he hadn't taken it back, she accepted it. "Thank you."

This time, his expression changed slightly, and he hummed in agreement before walking away.

The match started shortly afterward.

As the referee's gun fired, Guan Nan kept her eyes fixed on the group from Class 1. Guo Yuhang, the first swimmer, got off to a great start, showcasing all his advantages. With his long arms and legs, he was almost thrown out of the water.

The wind made his face look ferocious.

They secured first place with an absolute advantage, and the next baton was smoothly passed to Jiang Li.

Jiang Li took the baton and immediately dashed out like the wind, taking the lead again and again. When he rushed out, the second-place runner had not yet passed the baton, making the boy next to him blush with anxiety.

Guan Nan stared intently at the young man soaring on the field.

This emergency aid truly lived up to its name, providing immediate relief without hindering the process in the slightest.

However, the second-place finisher was unwilling to give up. Jiang Li, who was alone behind him, sensed someone catching up and pulled him away.

The boy was clearly unwilling to give up and kept clinging to him.

Jiang Li accelerated again in one breath, and handed out the bat directly. When he was still six or seven meters away from Luo Haoyu, he stretched out his hand.

Fortunately, their advantage remained intact, and the baton was passed to Luo Haoyu.

The baton was passed out, and before the person could even stand up properly, the second person next to him pushed straight up towards him. The baton had already been passed out, and that person didn't care at all.

Jiang Li felt his force and slid off the track without warning. He muttered something under his breath, and then, as Luo Haoyu turned around, he growled in a low voice, "Keep running!"

Jiang Li rolled from the track onto the green grass, with a conspicuous red scratch on his arm, showing that the person who hit him had hit him hard.

"Sorry, bro," the guy said insincerely.

Jiang Li looked up and recognized him. He was the same person who had bumped into Guan Nan on Huangjue Road last time and almost got into a fight with him.

Whether it was intentional or not is no longer important.

Liu Yang has secured first place for Class 1 with an absolute advantage.

Seeing that Jiang Li ignored him, the boy realized he was being frivolous and walked away, though his expression was one of disdain.

"Jiang Li," Guan Nan jogged over after he had run several meters. She saw several messy scratches on his arm, bleeding and with small pebbles stuck to them. She didn't dare to help him up. "Are you alright?"

Seeing her anxiety, Jiang Li smiled and stood up: "It's nothing."

"You're bleeding, how can you be alright?" Guan Nan stared at the still bleeding skin, her voice trembling with anxiety.

Jiang Li comforted her, his tone light: "It's just bleeding, it's not cut off."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

"Okay, I won't say."

Guan Nan's eyes were a little red. She wanted to ask him to go to the infirmary to clean his wound, but she was worried that there were still 3,000 meters to run. If they left, they would leave a mess and cause trouble for Liu Yang.

She stayed with him until he finished the 3,000-meter run, remaining vigilant throughout.

There are concerns that the pushing and shoving incident may occur again.

"It hurts a bit, just bear with it." Guan Nan frowned and, following the school doctor's instructions, helped him stretch his hand under the tap and rinsed the small pieces of stone on the wound with clean water from head to toe.

Jiang Li bent down, accompanying her movements and letting her do as she pleased: "Okay."

She hissed softly, which made Jiang Li laugh.

"Why are you hissing?" Jiang Li asked her.