“You can fill in your award experiences from those off-campus media competitions here. Self-media is a growing trend right now. Having skills in this area is a plus, and we value it quite a lot.”
Li Bai bent slightly, patiently guiding a female student as she filled out the application form.
At that moment, a sudden commotion erupted among the crowd gathered around the Dawan Mall booth.
What happened?
Li Bai straightened up and looked over, only to see the crowd parting into two sides.
His boss, CEO Sun Lincheng, was walking over with a bright smile, leading a group who clearly looked like senior officials here for inspection.
However, they weren’t what Li Bai was focused on.
His gaze swept past the crowd and landed on Liang Manjun.
She kept a low profile, yet her presence simply refused to let her remain unnoticed.
Standing close to 1.7 meters tall, she stood out even among a group of men.
And then there was her face—cold, refined, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Too beautiful!
The boys around her didn’t dare meet her gaze directly, yet they couldn’t stop themselves from sneaking glances at her again and again.
When Liang Manjun saw Li Bai, her icy expression shifted ever so slightly.
She hadn’t expected to see him here, and a trace of surprise flickered in her heart.
However, her emotions rarely showed on her face.
No one else could tell.
Only when Li Bai met her gaze did he notice the faint nod she gave him.
Was that a greeting?
Li Bai smiled slightly in return.
During Dean Hong Xueyi’s inspection, Liang Manjun wasn’t the main focus.
It was Sun Lincheng who handled the introductions, while Li Bai simply stood to the side, quietly playing the role of a background figure.
Even until the inspection team left, the two of them didn’t exchange a single word.
It was as if they were complete strangers.
However, before leaving, Liang Manjun’s gaze lingered briefly near Li Bai’s feet.
When she turned away, there was a thoughtful look on her face.
…
The recruitment fair continued until 5:00 p.m., and only then did the number of students in the gymnasium gradually decrease.
“Xiao Li, you worked hard today. I’m having dinner with Dean Hong Xueyi from Ocean University’s School of Management later. Why don’t you join us?” Sun Lincheng said with a smile after Li Bai finished packing up.
“No, CEO Sun Lincheng, I’m going for a run.”
Li Bai bent down and picked up the running backpack by his feet, which contained his running gear.
Shoes, socks, clothes—everything was inside.
Of course, he would need to find a restroom to change.
Sun Lincheng looked completely confused. “Running? You’re not taking my car back?”
Ocean University was quite far from their place, over ten kilometers away, even crossing a development zone.
“I’ll run back.”
“Ah?”
Sun Lincheng’s expression shifted from surprise to disbelief.
It was practically written on his face: “Are you out of your mind?”
At that moment, another commotion broke out in the gymnasium.
Sun Lincheng turned his head, and joy immediately spread across his face.
Bathed in the orange-red glow of the setting sun streaming through the windows and doors, a tall and graceful beauty walked in with elegant steps.
It was actually that beautiful assistant to the dean!
She was no longer wearing her sharp black business suit from before.
Instead, she had changed into a sports T-shirt that Sun Lincheng couldn’t quite recognize.
And what he assumed were yoga pants were actually compression running shorts.
“Too beautiful!”
Sun Lincheng stared blankly at Liang Manjun’s slender, smooth calves and her well-shaped, toned thighs, his expression practically drooling.
And he wasn’t the only one reacting like that.
The entire gymnasium buzzed with excitement—countless men were captivated by her graceful, eye-catching outfit.
Liang Manjun’s figure wasn’t particularly voluptuous; she leaned toward a slender build.
But her face was stunning, her confidence unmistakable, and her long legs were real—no filters, no illusions.
Who needed exaggerated curves?
The moment she appeared in the gymnasium, the same question flashed through every man’s mind.
Who had she come for?
“Me, me!”
Sun Lincheng’s heart pounded with excitement as he unconsciously stood up from his chair, his eyes fixed on Liang Manjun as she walked toward their booth.
However, Liang Manjun completely ignored him.
After walking over, her gaze locked directly onto Li Bai.
“Going for a run?” she asked, her tone calm, neither warm nor cold.
“Ah, yes,” Li Bai replied, bracing himself.
At that moment, he had already become the center of attention in the entire gymnasium.
Even CEO Sun Lincheng was staring at him in shock.
What kind of luck did this kid have?
But Liang Manjun didn’t care about anyone else’s gaze.
“Together?”
She casually extended an invitation that made every man who heard it feel like they were losing their minds.
How could this be?
Why would she suddenly invite this ordinary-looking guy to run with her?
“Alright, let me change first.”
Li Bai picked up his sports backpack.
“Let’s go.”
And just like that, under the hostile stares of countless men in the gymnasium, Li Bai followed behind Liang Manjun as they left.
Sun Lincheng stood there in a daze for a long time before finally snapping back to reality.
“How did Xiao Li end up getting invited by a beauty?”
“Is running really that attractive?”
“No, wait… if she’s going running, why am I still going to dinner with some old man?”
…
Li Bai’s plan to run straight home changed because of Liang Manjun’s appearance.
However, it wasn’t a big issue.
They decided to run along the outer ring of the university town.
Liang Manjun matched his pace, and today’s session was an 18-kilometer lactate threshold run.
A lactate threshold run meant that during the run, there would be a long segment at half-marathon pace.
In their 18-kilometer run, 9 kilometers had to be run at a fast pace.
This kind of training effectively improved the lactate threshold and strengthened aerobic endurance.
There were quite a few students in the university town who enjoyed running.
Even though it wasn’t peak night-running time yet, there were still runners scattered along the outer ring.
Some were even track and field students wearing professional athletic gear.
When Liang Manjun’s graceful running figure appeared on the outer ring, it was impossible not to attract attention from these energetic college students.
Perhaps when she wore formal attire and looked like a mature teacher, they would feel intimidated and keep their distance.
But now, she was dressed in running gear, her hair tied up, a baseball cap snug on her head.
She looked youthful and fresh, like a college student herself.
How could she possibly look like a teacher?
At most, she seemed like a beautiful senior student.
As they ran, some male students began to approach her, trying to strike up a conversation.
“Hey, want to run together?” one of them called out.
The guy who approached was a student from Jiang City Sports University.
Clearly confident in his physique, he was running shirtless, showing off his well-built, dark-toned muscles.
His athletic shorts, printed with the name of Jiang City Sports University, were so short they almost resembled boxer briefs.
The definition of his thigh muscles, combined with sweat glistening under the sunlight, gave off an intense, masculine energy.
It had to be said—he looked quite appealing, overflowing with raw vitality.
But Liang Manjun ignored him completely.
No matter how he tried to strike up a conversation, she didn’t say a single word, nor did she even spare him a glance.