Chapter 39 Am I your dog? ...
Sweat dripped from her forehead onto her eyelashes, and Peng Chengyi blinked slowly.
When she opened her eyes again, the swift-as-a-wind boy was already running in front of her.
"..."
Peng Chengyi turned her face away, her throat dry, wanting to ask him why he was suddenly here when he was high jumping.
But his chest felt like it was being burned by fire, and his violent breathing blocked the sound in his throat, unable to squeeze out a single syllable.
Chen Yubai frowned, his gaze quickly sweeping over her pale face and rapidly heaving shoulders.
He silently slowed his pace, keeping pace with her, his voice steady: "Don't look at me, first adjust your breathing, inhale—"
"..."
Peng Chengyi looked away and subconsciously followed his rhythm, taking a deep breath.
Exhale—
He ran and talked, but his voice remained calm and powerful. Peng Chengyi unconsciously took him as a reassurance and let out a deep breath along with him.
After a few breaths, her body, which had been on the verge of its limit, recovered somewhat, and her sluggish steps gradually became steady.
"Keep this pace, don't rush, no one is chasing us for now." Chen Yubai quickened his pace slightly and ran to her diagonally in front, leading the way for her.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves on both sides of the road, casting dappled shadows on his white T-shirt like leaping ripples on water.
Peng Chengyi gripped the relay tape tightly in her hand, gazing at the boy's upright back, and for a moment she felt as if she had returned to the days before the physical education exam for the high school entrance examination.
Back then, he ran ahead of her in the same way.
He led her through one 800-meter race after another.
Two thousand divided by eight hundred equals 2.5.
She only needs to run another 800 meters to reach the finish line.
With this calculation, Peng Chengyi felt a little less pressure.
After rounding the corner of the laboratory building, the spacious playground finally came into view. The track gleamed softly in the sunlight, and the stands were filled with the surging sounds of voices, like the rolling tides of the sea.
Peng Chengyi glanced at Chen Yubai diagonally in front of her, thinking that with so many people watching from the audience, she could run the rest of the way by herself.
But as soon as she opened her mouth, he interrupted her in a low voice: "Don't talk, focus on your breathing, there are people catching up behind us."
"..."
Peng Chengyi immediately pursed her lips and focused all her attention back on her breathing and steps.
"Follow my rhythm, don't panic." Chen Yubai turned his head, his gaze lingering briefly on her pale face.
She nodded gently, and her initially hurried steps, which she had intended to sprint towards, gradually synchronized with his again.
As the two ran onto the playground, the stands predictably became lively again—
"Isn't this a women's relay race? Why are there boys on the track?"
"That boy looks like Chen Yubai."
"Hey? Let me see your binoculars!"
"Really! It looks like he's helping the girls in the class get a head start!"
"Ahhh, I want to run the relay with their class too!"
The noise of people was like waves of heat hitting us.
Upon catching a glimpse of Peng Chengyi's small figure, Zheng Xinyue suddenly stood up, cupped her hands to her mouth, and shouted, "Peng Chengyi! Go for it!!! You're the best!!!"
Under her leadership, the entire stands of Class 7 instantly erupted in cheers.
Everyone stood up and began rhythmically chanting for Peng Chengyi, who had only two hundred meters left: "Peng Chengyi! Go! Peng Chengyi! Go!"
But at that moment, Peng Chengyi couldn't hear anything.
In her world, all that remained was the white figure before her and the red rope fluttering at the finish line.
In the last fifty meters, Chen Yubai suddenly accelerated and shouted back to her, "Sprint!"
Peng Chengyi gritted his teeth, used the last bit of strength, and desperately rushed forward.
Her lungs were burning, and all she could hear was the sound of her own heart pounding.
"Bang!"
The moment she crossed the finish line, cheers from Class 7 echoed throughout the entire playground.
She only got third place.
Yet she was as enthusiastic as if she had won the championship.
Is it really that exaggerated?
Peng Chengyi mentally complained, but couldn't help but smile.
She was panting heavily, her cheeks flushed, and her legs went weak, almost collapsing to the ground.
"Don't sit down." Chen Yubai grabbed her wrist and pulled her firmly. "You need to walk slowly and catch your breath after running."
"No, no... I, I'm going to die..." Her wet bangs stuck to her forehead, her lips were slightly white from lack of oxygen, and she said in a broken voice, "You, you... let me sit down."
Seeing her struggling to fall like a dehydrated fish, Chen Yubai simply grabbed her arm and said, "Since it's so serious, I'll carry you to the infirmary."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Peng Chengyi paused for a moment and immediately stopped struggling.
Being led by him across the finish line was already conspicuous enough.
She didn't want to be any more conspicuous.
She managed to catch her breath and forced a laugh, saying, "Well, I won't die that quickly."
Chen Yubai raised an eyebrow: "You can stand up now?"
“…Yes.” She nodded obediently.
“Let’s go back to the stands then.” He took her arm and strode off.
"You don't need to support me anymore, I can walk by myself." Peng Chengyi weakly shook off his hand.
Chen Yubai chuckled casually, his grip remaining firm: "We'll talk when you have the strength to shake me off."
Peng Chengyi: "..."
Helpless, she could only bury her head low, pretending not to see the various gazes coming from all around her.
Back in the stands, Zheng Xinyue was the first to rush over and excitedly hug her: "Chengcheng, you're amazing! You actually managed to run the 2000 meters and even won a place!"
"I didn't want to be this awesome either." Peng Chengyi smiled bitterly, thinking that if she had known it would turn out this way, she would have preferred to sign up for an easier event like long jump or shot put from the beginning.
“However…” Zheng Xinyue suddenly lowered her voice and glanced at the boy behind her, “Someone really cares about you. He just finished his high jump competition, and as soon as he heard that you went to run the relay race, he came to find you without even having a sip of water.”
Peng Chengyi calmly said, "He knows how bad I am, he's probably worried that I'll die halfway through the journey, which would have a bad impact."
"..." Zheng Xinyue paused, speechless, and released her arms from holding her.
Peng Chengyi bent down to pick up the school uniform draped over her backpack, turned around and handed it to Chen Yubai: "Here's your jacket."
Chen Yubai took the clothes, shook them out, and glanced at her thin short-sleeved shirt: "Where's your coat?"
“I gave it to the sports committee member before the run…” Peng Chengyi looked around, “but I don’t know where he is now.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Yubai frowned slightly and tossed the school uniform back into her arms: "Then you can wear mine first, so you won't get cold after the sweat dries."
"...Aren't you cold?" Peng Chengyi hurriedly caught the clothes.
"I'm so hot." Chen Yubai casually put his hands into his pockets and sat back down on the steps behind her.
Seeing the beads of sweat still clinging to his forehead, glistening in the sunlight, Peng Chengyi stopped being polite and pulled her school uniform back over her head.
The familiar scent of soapberry mixed with the smell of sunshine instantly enveloped her.
Peng Chengyi couldn't help but take a deep breath before picking up the potato chips and continuing her leisurely time.
It wasn't until all the events of the sports meet had ended and the winning students from each class were preparing to go to the podium to receive their awards that Peng Chengyi remembered to ask Chen Yubai, who was walking down the steps with her, "Wait, you also won a prize in the high jump?"
The boy, backlit by the setting sun, smiled languidly: "Of course."
"Which number?" She paused slightly, looking up at him.
Chen Yubai raised an eyebrow slightly: "Guess?"
Seeing his carefree demeanor, Peng Chengyi slowly said, "He won't be number one, will he..."
Chen Yubai's smile deepened: "Congratulations on finally having a brain."
"...My brain has always been working, okay!" Peng Chengyi pouted.
Chen Yubai smiled lazily: "Really? I didn't notice at all."
Peng Chengyi snorted: "That just means you're brainless."
Chen Yubai: "..."
The two bickered all the way to the podium before joining their respective award-receiving lines.
After receiving the notebook set printed with the school motto of No. 1 Middle School, Peng Chengyi glanced at the smart bracelet in Chen Yubai's hand and couldn't help but say sourly, "The difference between the first and third place prizes is too big. Look at my poor notebook."
"There's even a pen included, so it's not too shabby," Chen Yubai chuckled.
“…Thank you.” Peng Chengyi forced a smile, then looked at his smart bracelet again. “What functions does your bracelet have? Can I take a look?”
"You want it?" Chen Yubai raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Who cares? I was just curious. If you don't want me to see, fine." Peng Chengyi firmly withdrew her gaze and pretended not to care as she looked down at her notebook.
Chen Yubai glanced at her long, drooping eyelashes and handed her the smart bracelet box: "Here you go."
Peng Chengyi paused for two seconds, then said coldly, "...I'm not interested in watching anymore."
"Who said I showed it to you? I gave it to you." Chen Yubai said, stuffing the box into her arms.
Peng Chengyi was taken aback, then looked up at the box and asked, "Why are you suddenly being so kind?"
Chen Yubai casually put his hands back in his pockets: "I don't need them and I don't like wearing these things. Consider this a reward for not leaving your body exposed on the way today."
Peng Chengyi: "..."
He definitely overheard her conversation with Zheng Xinyue.
However, considering the smart bracelet, she decided not to argue with him: "Are you sure you don't want it?"
"No," Chen Yubai said calmly.
Peng Chengyi: "Then you can't ask for it back in the future, or use it to order me around."
Chen Yubai scoffed: "Do you take me for someone like you?"
"...What did I do?" Peng Chengyi pursed her lips guiltily and quickly shoved the notebook in her hand into his hand. "Then I'll give you this! So you won't lose any prizes. See, I'm pretty good to you, aren't I?"
Chen Yubai paused, glanced down at the notebook she had shoved at him, and scoffed, "Hmm, it's quite nice of you to give me such a shabby notebook."
Peng Chengyi gave an awkward laugh: "Didn't it come with a pen? It's not too shabby."
Chen Yubai: "..."
-
After the sports meet, everyone returned to their intensive studies.
The countdown board for the end of the semester on the back wall of the classroom is diligently updated by the students on duty every day. The chalk numbers get smaller and smaller each day, like the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads.
Aside from the three days when the exam room was cleared for senior high school students, Peng Chengyi didn't go home again. She spent her weekends preparing for the exam with the other students in her dormitory.
Not only boarding students, but day students in the class also started to come to the classroom to study on weekends. The review materials piled up on their desks almost blocked their figures as they hunched over their desks.
Time seemed to be accelerated; the white mist exhaled during morning reading had not yet dissipated when the moonlight of evening self-study had already climbed onto the window frame.
It felt like only a blink of an eye before the final exams, which would determine the fate of the class, arrived.
On the day the results were released, the entire Class 7 was shrouded in an atmosphere even more tense than before the exam. It wasn't until Chen Peifu went up to the podium to announce that they ranked fifth from the bottom in the total score, although they only moved up one place, the class was saved.
A wave of relief and cheers erupted in the classroom, with several boys even throwing their textbooks towards the ceiling.
Chen Peifu suppressed a smile and tapped the blackboard eraser on the podium: "Alright, it's not like the college entrance exam is over yet. Everyone should continue to work hard and maintain the momentum from the first two months to improve their grades!"
"oh……"
"good……"
"knew……"
A few scattered responses came from below, and everyone was clearly immersed in the relaxed atmosphere of saving the class and the upcoming summer vacation.
Chen Peifu shook his head helplessly, gave some instructions on summer vacation precautions and the time of the parent-teacher meeting, and then walked out of the classroom with his hands behind his back.
Zheng Xinyue poked Peng Chengyi in the back and asked her what her plans were for the summer vacation.
"I'll just practice the piano and do my homework. What else could I be planning?" Peng Chengyi said with a smile as she tidied up her desk.
Zheng Xinyue: "Huh? Doesn't the band have any activities?"
Peng Chengyi shrugged helplessly: "Without performance opportunities, how can the band operate?"
“That’s true…” Zheng Xinyue pouted in disappointment, then suddenly remembered and said, “By the way! My community holds a summer evening party every year, would you be interested in participating?”
"A summer evening party?" Peng Chengyi paused in his work.
The Binzhou Medical University Family Compound is pitifully small, without even a decent square, let alone any kind of party, so she was a little unfamiliar with the term.
"Yes, usually community residents sign up voluntarily. There are all kinds of performances, including singing, dancing, and crosstalk. They are usually held after the beginning of autumn in August," Zheng Xinyue explained.
Peng Chengyi's eyes lit up: "That sounds interesting."
“It’s really interesting!” Zheng Xinyue smiled and continued to recommend it, “I go to see it with my parents every summer, and our neighborhood is big with lots of people, so it’s sure to be a hit!”
Upon hearing this, Peng Chengyi immediately nudged Chen Wei's arm with her elbow: "Weiwei, did you hear that? Should our band sign up?"
Chen Wei turned around and asked Zheng Xinyue, "Where do you live?"
"Over in Jiangwan New City."
"That's not far from my home." Chen Wei pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I can go."
"Great!" Peng Chengyi's eyes lit up, and he beckoned to Chen Yubai, who was tidying up the exam papers in the back row.
Chen Yubai paused slightly, lazily lifted his eyelids, and asked a silent question with his eyes.
Too far away to call out, Peng Chengyi beckoned to him again.
Chen Yubai chuckled and lowered his eyes.
Seeing that he didn't respond to her calls at all, Peng Chengyi helplessly lowered her hand, quietly took out her phone from under the desk, and patted his profile picture: "Didn't you understand that I was calling you over?"
Chen Yubai: "I understand."
Peng Chengyi: "Then why don't you come over?"
Chen Yubai: "You think I'll come running just because you beckon? Am I your dog?"
Unexpectedly, he was arguing with her about this. Peng Chengyi paused for a few seconds before replying speechlessly, "Don't be so sensitive. We were a bit far apart, so it wasn't convenient to call out to you. That's why I waved for you to come over."
Chen Yubai: "Am I being sensitive?"
Chen Yubai: "You use the same gesture when you call that Border Collie upstairs."
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Author's Note: Peng Chengyi: Ah
Thanks to Leventseleve for the torrent, and to Sunshine and uoow for the nutrient solution! [heart emoji]
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