One week before the Math League.
Comrade Chang Shuping, who was far away in Yongchuan, also sent them a message of encouragement and congratulations.
The call was made to Lao Lin's office and Pei Zhi answered the phone.
Lao Zhang was whispering to Pei Zhi on the other end of the phone for a long time. Lin Chaoxi was lying on the table observing Pei Zhi's expression. The boy didn't say anything special except "yeah", "okay" and "I will".
Pei Zhi hung up the phone. Lin Zhaoxi pointed at himself and then at the phone: "Didn't Lao Zhang want to say a few words to me?"
"He asked you to prepare well for the exam."
"No more?"
“No more.”
"Old Zhang is biased." Lin Chaoxi yelled.
"He came to confirm that I would definitely take part in the league exam." Pei Zhi said.
"Will you participate?" Lin Zhaoxi suddenly remembered his rank assessment and asked tentatively, "Have you thought of a strategy for... that thing with Auntie?"
"I will participate, but I haven't thought about it yet. I will just act on it."
——
When Pei Zhi said to act according to circumstances, Lin Chaoxi was actually relieved.
That night, Pei Zhi and Lao Lin chatted until very late.
Lin Chaoxi knew that Pei Zhi had to go home after ten o'clock, so when it was past twenty after nine, she couldn't help but remind them.
"Well, are you going home?" Lao Lin looked at the clock and quickly came out of his contemplative state. "It's a bit late now. Can I take you home on my bike?"
"No need." Pei Zhi refused bluntly, "I can catch the last bus and get home before ten o'clock.
Pei Zhi started packing his things and put on his schoolbag.
Lao Lin put down what he was holding, stood up, hooked his arm around Pei Zhi's shoulder, and led him out: "Let's go, Master will take you to the station."
Pei Zhi clearly wanted to refuse, but in the end he couldn't persuade Lao Lin and was personally sent to the bus by Lao Lin.
"Send me a message when you get home." Lao Lin said while looking up.
Lao Lin looks very rough, but is actually very delicate.
He went back to his office to finish up, then packed his things, rode his bicycle, and took her home.
When Lao Lin stopped his bike at the door of his house, the first thing he said was, "Pei Zhi should be home by now."
It's easy for people to lose track of time late at night. Lin Chaoxi exclaimed, "Ah!" "Do you know where Pei's family lives?"
"I said he should be home soon, give him a call," said Lao Lin.
Lin Chaoxi took out his cell phone as he was told, feeling a little inexplicably nervous.
Pei Zhi didn't answer the phone immediately. The long "beep" and "beep" sounds made people inexplicably panic.
Finally, the call was connected, and a slightly rapid breathing sound was heard. Pei Zhi seemed to have just finished running and was trying hard to control his breathing.
"Have you arrived?" Lin Chaoxi asked.
"Not yet."
"Comrade Lao Lin said that you should be here soon. He was so anxious that he urged me to call you."
Pei Zhi paused for a moment and said, "I just got off the car and am running home."
"Oh, then send me a text message when you get there."
"I'm already home, don't worry." Pei Zhi said and hung up the phone.
Lao Lin stood beside him and listened to their entire conversation with a thoughtful expression.
"You are too impatient. Pei Zhi just got home."
"I'm not in a hurry, it's him who's out of time."
"Maybe there were red lights on the road, or it took him a long time to walk home after getting off the bus?"
Lao Lin looked at her and said, "I'm sorry, I estimated it based on the maximum value of the interval."
Lin Zhaoxi: “…”
——
Just like Lu Zhihao said "you don't understand", Lin Chaoxi thought that she had lived two lifetimes and should know more than these little brats, but in reality it seemed that this was not the case.
Towards the end of autumn, the school finally remembered that there was a school sports meet, so on the Friday before the math league exam, the athletes had a rehearsal at Anning Experimental High School.
Even the senior high school students were dragged down to bask in the sun, and these special students who had to prepare for exams were certainly not immune.
Various cheering speeches addressed to classmates were being read out over the loudspeakers, and the playground was in an uproar.
There is also a lively small market on the east side of the school basketball court. In conjunction with the school sports meet, there are various opportunities to exchange your ranking for snacks and small gifts.
Lin Chaoxi sat in the square formation of Class 1. Their class teacher, Ms. Mei, wanted to win the Best Class Award in this year's sports meet, so she didn't let them make any noise. Instead, they were very quiet.
The sports committee member took the form and reported his name.
Long before the sports meet, everyone was forced to be assigned tasks.
"Lin Chaoxi, there's still half an hour left for your 3,000-meter race."
"Here!" Lin Chaoxi raised his hand to show that he understood.
She originally wanted to throw the lead ball, but the sports committee member insisted on assigning someone to run the 3,000 meters. At that time, no one in the class was willing to go, and they almost made a fuss and forced someone to go. Lin Chaoxi had no choice but to bravely participate.
Lin Chaoxi stood up and jumped on the stands.
At the far side of the track, Lu Zhihao was distributing milk bread to the athletes. Lin Zhaoxi ran over, took his share, and was then called.
"Wait, what are you joining?"
Lu Zhihao grabbed the bread in her hand and asked doubtfully.
"Am I the kind of person who would cheat and lie? I want to run 3,000 meters."
"3000?" Lu Zhihao was shocked. "You are not going to participate in the math league tomorrow? You will not be able to recover after the intense exercise, which will affect your performance in the exam tomorrow."
Lin Chaoxi pointed at the quiet stands of their class and said, "If I sit there for a day, it will affect my performance on tomorrow's exam~"
She wanted to warm up after she finished speaking, but Lu Zhihao didn't let go: "Have you told Pei Zhi?"
"What did I say to Pei Zhi?"
"Like he reported that you were going to run 3000 meters, shouldn't you tell your boyfriend about this?"
Lin Chaoxi was amused and said seriously: "It's like this, in my family, my boyfriend listens to me."
——
Plastic track, in front of the starting line.
More than 20 runners participating in the 3000-meter race crowded on the track, waiting for the starting gun to sound.
The grass beside the starting line was crowded with students who came to cheer.
Lin Chaoxi took a quick look and didn't see anyone from their class. Instead, behind the crowd, he saw classmate Pei Zhi wearing a school uniform with a red ribbon.
It was estimated that Lu Zhihao informed on someone, so Brother Pei, who was dragged there to be a mascot, came here specially.
Lin Chaoxi waved at Pei Zhi and smiled awkwardly.
Brother Pei nodded "coldly".
"Bang!"
At this moment, the starting gun sounded.
Lin Chaoxi shuddered, adrenaline secreted rapidly, and he began to run wildly following the large group.
His footsteps rolled over the plastic track, and the cheers from the radio filled the sky. With just a few hundred meters to spare, Lin Zhaoxi's mind went blank and he just kept running.
It wasn't until she took a breath that her chest felt tight and she realized she was tired from running.
Because of her recent run, she was now in the first group of the long-distance running team. In front of her were three girls who looked very good at running, and behind her were about a dozen people scattered around.
Lin Chaoxi focused on his task and started to proceed at his own pace, trying his best to stay in the first echelon without being led off track.
In the second lap, she ran past Pei Zhi again.
On the grass and near the starting line, the cheering crowd had dispersed a lot, and there were sporadic students who were running with the athletes chasing after them and giving them water.
Lin Chaoxi didn't ask for water, but just gave him a 2 when he ran past Pei Zhi.
She didn't even have time to see the expression on the boy's face before she took a big step forward and continued her long march.
In the third lap, the decline in physical strength was very obvious.
Lin Chaoxi's steps were heavy and his breathing was slow. It seemed as if he was using up all his strength every time he took a breath. He ran until everything in front of him turned white. This was probably what it looked like before he ran out of energy.
When she looked up again, she found Pei Zhi was still in the same position. Lin Chaoxi nodded to Pei Zhi with difficulty and started the fourth lap.
For girls, the 3,000-meter race requires running 7.5 laps around the playground, so she still needs to persist for another 4 and a half laps.
It was only when the race was halfway through and one’s physical strength reached a certain limit that one began to have such thoughts – why the hell did I have to suffer this? Can’t I just sit in the stands for the day?
Lin Chaoxi cursed himself in his heart, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. It seemed that after taking out his anger on himself, he could squeeze out some strength and continue running.
Lap 5.
He could no longer move his arms, and his chest felt like it was stuffed with something like a lump of lead. His breathing was quick and heavy, as if fire was about to burst out of his chest.
One after another, students dropped out of the competition and were forced to walk around the court with the help of their classmates.
Lin Chaoxi did think about stopping, but when she looked up and saw the boy standing on the lawn, she felt that she had to hold on a little longer.
Behind Pei Zhi was the blue autumn sky. He was like a benchmark, standing tall and straight, unbroken by the wind, and remaining motionless from beginning to end.
Although she didn't take any action, Lin Chaoxi always felt that Pei Zhi was watching her and encouraging her.
Time started from the moment he stood on the sidelines, and it seemed like even longer ago, Pei Zhidu had been watching her silently...
In the sixth cycle, the brain is completely on strike.
Lin Zhaoxi was confused. She didn't know what she was thinking just now, and why she always felt that Pei Zhi was staring at her.
The cheers from the playground were very loud, as if the rostrum was leading the encouragement, but the whole space became extremely quiet.
She felt like she was wrapped in a hot, translucent bubble and could only hear her own heavy breathing.
She didn't know how fast she was moving forward, she just knew she had to persevere to the end, although this persistence seemed inexplicable.
All the experiences flowed through her mind at the speed of light.
Perhaps it is because I have really reached the moment of death, and my thoughts are out of control.
Lin Chaoxi heard Lao Lin tell her in the noodle shop, "It's no big deal," and saw Pei Zhi turning around in the corridor of the teaching building.
The scene seemed so devastating that her eyes went dark and she couldn't breathe. She quickly forced herself to adjust her thoughts.
She remembered the way Lao Lin ate watermelon with her in the yard at home, or the way Pei Zhi and she sat at the bus stop reading. But she couldn't help but think of the countless times she and Pei Zhi had met on this campus a long time ago.
Pei Zhi from high school walked towards her, they passed each other, she turned around - glanced at him, and then she was in a good mood all day.
These images are fragmented and cut like a montage, frame by frame, and she looks at herself like a bystander.
I didn't understand it at all before, but now it seems that her eyes were full of desire at that time.
It's not that I want to be the girl standing next to her, but that I want to be someone like him.
Finally, Lin Chaoxi took a step forward, and when she looked up, she saw Pei Zhi now.
The boy still stood under the blue sky, on the green grass, beside the bright red runway, as eye-catching as a benchmark, always reminding her.
"The last 200 meters." His voice rang out. It wasn't particularly loud, but it was unusually steady and real.
Lin Chaoxi nodded vigorously at him. Although Pei Zhi did not say any words of encouragement, it seemed like the best answer to Lu Zhihao's question.
No matter what decision she makes, Pei Zhi should support her. Even if it is a meaningless thing, even if it is something that requires all efforts but may not produce results.
A red line was drawn at the end of the runway in the distance, symbolizing the finish line, and the girl in front of her started to sprint.
Lin Zhaoxi plucked up his courage and started running recklessly.
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