Contest
On Saturday, the sun was shining brightly, and Liang An arrived at the east gate of the park early to wait for Ling Xiao to appear.
He saw his irrepressible anticipation and joy on the reflective glass wall, and suddenly a sentence came to mind.
"If I'm going to see you, I'll definitely run."
He had been looking forward to today since 3 a.m. On his way to the park, the wind felt sweet, and even the ticking sound in his mind became bearable.
As Liang An was lost in thought, a clear laugh suddenly rang out from above. Ling Xiao's face came closer, and he winked at him with a warm, piercing smile.
Liang An's heart skipped a beat, her ears perked up slightly, a hint of pink on them, and she didn't even notice when the "tick-tock" sound in her mind disappeared.
"What are you thinking about? I saw you from afar, but you were lost in thought. You didn't even notice me when you got closer. It seems I'm not in your eyes..." Ling Xiao said, slightly exaggeratedly.
Liang An opened his mouth, thinking, "You may not be in my eyes, but you are all I can think about."
Clearly, he couldn't bring himself to make such a joke, so he could only purse his lips and look at Ling Xiao.
"Haha, just kidding. Didn't you sleep well last night? Do you still want to practice today?" Ling Xiao asked gently.
“Of course, I’ve been waiting for you here since early this morning…” Liang An blurted out, then regretted his bluntness, “I slept pretty well yesterday.”
Compared to the previous days and nights when I had trouble falling asleep, I slept much better yesterday.
"Hmm, I also feel like I got up really early, but I didn't expect to keep you waiting. I'll definitely come earlier next time," Ling Xiao said with a smile.
Looking at the subtle light in Ling Xiao's eyes, Liang An's smile slowly spread from the corners of his eyes to the corners of his lips. He raised his hand to rub his earlobe and said, "Let's find a place to start practicing."
They arrived at a meadow surrounded by tall sycamore trees. Ling Xiao placed his backpack on a bench, took out a tug-of-war rope from his bag, and led Liang An to the center of the meadow.
"Since there's no one to practice with, we'll each hold one side of the rope and practice 'pulling in' and 'releasing out' according to the commands," Ling Xiao instructed.
"OK."
Each of them held one end of the tug-of-war rope, assumed the correct posture for exerting force, and, following Ling Xiao's commands, continuously tightened the rope and then suddenly released it, gradually forming a fixed rhythm, as tacitly in sync as twins.
Through countless repetitions of practice, their bodies gradually develop muscle memory. The moment their fingertips touch the rope, without any conscious command, the angle of their arms, the tension of their backs, and the force of their legs pushing off the ground automatically and smoothly initiate the movement.
"Shall we take a break?" Ling Xiao wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Liang An, who was slightly out of breath.
"good."
Ling Xiao walked to the bench, took out a sports drink, and handed it to Liang An.
Liang An took the drink, unscrewed the cap, and sipped it into his mouth.
"I'm in pretty good shape today. I think if I keep this up, I'll definitely get a medal at the sports meet," Ling Xiao said.
“I think so too.” Liang An smiled, feeling a sense of relief after exercising.
Do you want to practice again this afternoon?
"Yeah, I feel really good after exercising. How about you? Do you want to keep practicing?" Liang An looked at Ling Xiao and asked expectantly.
"Hmm, I'll think about it."
Liang An's eyes dimmed instantly, as if he had suffered a huge blow; his ears drooped, and he looked listless.
"Just kidding, of course I have to keep practicing." Ling Xiao couldn't help but ruffle Liang An's soft hair.
Actually, he wanted to touch Liang An's ears even more; they were fair, delicate, and lively, as if they could speak. However, rubbing ears between ordinary classmates would be too abrupt and impolite, so he had to forcibly restrain himself.
"Let's have lunch together, then rest for a while before practicing. The sun is shining brightly today; it would be nice to sunbathe on the lawn and take a nap," Ling Xiao suggested.
“Great! I know a good restaurant nearby with a great reputation; the locals often go there,” Liang An agreed.
As the sun rose in the east and set in the west, they spent pleasant days together in countless practice sessions.
As the sun set, their shadows stretched long, and the light began to dim.
"The sports meet starts next Monday. Should we continue practicing tomorrow, or take a day off?" Ling Xiao asked.
Liang An opened his large, clear eyes, a silent longing in them, "Can we continue practicing tomorrow?"
"Of course." Ling Xiao looked at Liang An and sighed silently to himself. He had originally only planned to practice one day on Saturday, with other arrangements for Sunday, but the words that came out of his mouth turned into a question. Facing Liang An's pure, big eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
After they parted ways, Liang An walked home alone, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the black bracelet on his wrist.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock," the background sound that had been stagnant in my mind all day returned.
Liang An rubbed his temples, and thinking of Ling Xiao, the corners of his mouth still couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
Although the road ahead was dark and damp, and he couldn't see the direction, he still looked forward to tomorrow.
Sunday was another sunny day. As Liang An left home, he thought that even the weather was perfect on his way to see Ling Xiao.
Time slipped away quietly amidst the repetitive practice. This weekend was a wonderful memory for Liang An; everything was just right, and he and Ling Xiao had become even more familiar and attuned to each other. Life felt like it had returned to when his parents were still alive—no rebirth, no death, everything was as beautiful as a fairy tale.
But the story bracelet on his wrist was like the clock striking twelve; once night fell, it took back his pumpkin carriage and glass slippers.
I wish I could live with Ling Xiao.
-----------------
On Monday morning, the fog dissipated, and the sun shone brightly on the earth once more.
The annual sports meet of Haicheng No.1 Middle School is in full swing. Colorful flags flutter in the air on the playground, and cheers from each class rise and fall.
After the opening ceremony, the various competitions began one after another.
Liang An and Ling Xiao arrived at the double tug-of-war competition area wearing matching sportswear.
"The competition is divided into two groups, A and B. You need to draw lots to determine which group you are in. The champion will be determined by a match between the first place winners of Group A and Group B." Ling Xiao shared the competition rules he had heard with Liang An.
"Go draw lots, I think you have better luck," Liang An said.
“Okay, it’s too chaotic and crowded. You can wait for me on the side,” Ling Xiao replied.
Ling Xiao drew Group A. He went to Liang An's side and said, "It's Group A. Let's go to the left side of the field and wait in line. Are you nervous?"
"It's alright," Liang An shook his head and replied.
Ling Xiao squeezed Liang An's hand; his palm was a little cold. He didn't let go of Liang An's hand and led him directly to the left-hand competition area.
Liang An stared at their clasped hands and quietly followed Ling Xiao.
Actually, when Ling Xiao went to draw lots, he saw Wen Zhi. At that moment, a wave of dizziness hit him, and the bracelet was also restless, seemingly trying to move forward a bit. Just then, Ling Xiao returned to his side, and everything returned to normal, and the bracelet went dormant again.
The Group A matches went relatively smoothly.
Liang An and Ling Xiao worked together seamlessly, defeating three pairs of competitors in a row, securing the top score and ultimately winning first place in Group A.
"The group stage of the two-person tug-of-war has ended. Next, the first place in Group A will face the first place in Group B to compete for the championship of the two-person tug-of-war competition in this sports meet!" The excited voice of the host came over the loudspeaker.
As the announcement came on, the crowd gradually moved toward the tug-of-war area.
Liang An's heart raced. He looked across at the other side, where a tall figure was high-fiving his partner, encouraging each other. It was Wen Zhi; he and his partner were the first place winners in Group B.
The bracelet on my wrist suddenly became hot and then cooled down rapidly. The dark golden plot cursor seemed to be eager to move forward and quickly spread, but it was as if it was being hindered by some invisible force.
Liang An felt his body being pulled apart, as if an invisible force was trying to drain his life force through a protective shield. It seemed powerless, yet it did not want to give up.
Life force was constantly being drained from his body and then withdrawn, leaving him feeling weak. He staggered and was supported by Ling Xiao.
"What's wrong with you?" Ling Xiao frowned, his eyes full of worry.
"It's nothing, I might just have low blood sugar." Liang An quickly steadied himself, taking control of his body and trying his best to block out the influence of the bracelet.
He looked in Wen Zhi's direction, and the other seemed to have noticed him as well. Their eyes met briefly in the air.
Wen Zhi raised an eyebrow at him and smiled, a silent provocation.
Despite trying her best to avoid Wen Zhi, she still couldn't avoid having any contact with him.
Liang An lowered his head indifferently and took a deep breath to compose himself.
“If it doesn’t work, we can abstain,” Ling Xiao said earnestly, looking at Liang An’s pale face.
Liang An shook his head: "I can do it. I'm so close to the championship, how can I give up?"
At that moment, the whistle blew, announcing, "The championship battle is now beginning! Please have both players enter the arena."
Cheers erupted as Liang An and Ling Xiao walked to the center of the field. Across from them, Wen Zhi and his partner also approached.
Wen Zhi's gaze kept drifting towards Liang An, carrying a calm confidence. His partner was also a strong-looking young man, exuding power.
"I heard you guys work together very well," Wen Zhi said with a smile, adding provocatively, "I look forward to the match against you."
"Why don't you try and see?" Ling Xiao said, with a nonchalant disdain.
Liang An did not respond. He walked to his standing position and silently pulled the tug-of-war rope.
Ling Xiao quickly came up behind him and cooperated with him, getting into a power-generating posture.
Lingxiao's aura enveloped Liang An, giving him a great sense of security. He ignored the influence of the bracelet and focused intently on the tug-of-war.
"Prepare--"
Both of them gripped the rope tightly and leaned back.
"start!"
Instantly, the rope tightened. Liang An gritted his teeth and exerted force, but his strength was clearly less than usual. Ling Xiao sensed something was wrong and increased his output, barely maintaining his balance.
Wen Zhi's force was strong and sustained, gradually pulling the red cloth in the center of the rope towards them.
The cheers around him were deafening, but Liang An felt that the sounds were getting farther and farther away, and his vision seemed to be getting blurry.
"Liang An!" Ling Xiao's voice pulled him back to reality, "Hold on!"
Looking at Wen Zhi opposite him, Liang An saw a confident air of certainty on his face. At that moment, a surge of resentment welled up in his heart—why should his and Ling Xiao's efforts and cooperation be lost to Wen Zhi and the inexplicable consciousness of the main god?
No.
Liang An bit his lip until it bled; the taste of blood and the pain brought him to his senses. He pulled back with all his might. The bracelet was burning hot, but Liang An ignored it, focusing only on the rope in his hands.
"The time has come, release... retract!" Ling Xiao's voice rang in his ears, and Liang An's body automatically followed Ling Xiao's command to exert force, which was the result of countless practices.
Wen Zhi and his partner briefly lost their balance amidst their opponent's attacks, their footwork becoming chaotic. Liang An and Ling Xiao seized the opportunity, simultaneously exerting force in perfect unison, and the red ribbon suddenly moved towards them.
"We won!" the referee blew his whistle.
Cheers erupted instantly.
Liang An loosened the rope and leaned against Ling Xiao to relieve the feeling of exhaustion.
Wen Zhi stood there, looking at his hands, then looked up at Liang An. His eyes held surprise, curiosity, and a hint of contemplation.
"Congratulations." Wen Zhi walked over and extended his hand. "It was a wonderful match."
Ling Xiao embraced Liang An and reached out to grasp Wen Zhi's outstretched hand. "Likewise, strong opponents can inspire our potential. A great match belongs to both of us."
Wen Zhi released Ling Xiao's hand, glanced at Liang An, nodded, and turned to walk away.
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