16 – Signing Up for the 3000 Meters
National Day soon came to an end. On the first morning back at school, many students in the classroom were frantically catching up on homework.
This was a common sight in every class, and the advanced class was no exception.
Xin Jushang had just set down her backpack when Xu Zhiyan turned around with a pitiful look, begging for her homework.
Unable to resist the girl’s pleading, Xin Jushang handed over all her assignments to Xu Zhiyan, not forgetting to add, “Don’t copy everything word for word—remember to change some parts.”
Xu Zhiyan happily hugged Xin Jushang’s homework and began copying away, sprawled over her desk.
The first class of the morning was Old Hu’s math lesson. Near the end of class, Old Hu announced that the school would hold a sports meet in a couple of days and instructed the class sports committee member to handle sign-ups.
Before Old Hu had even left the classroom, the class erupted in excitement.
Compared to regular classes, the advanced class faced a heavier and more intense academic workload. So this sudden sports meet felt like a perfect opportunity for everyone to unwind.
Seizing the moment, the sports committee member hurriedly grabbed the sign-up sheet and bounced around the classroom, inviting classmates to fill it out.
“We still need one more person for the girls’ 4×400 relay! And the women’s 3000-meter race! Anyone interested?”
The sports committee member waved the sign-up sheet as he called out, but no girls responded.
Since there were already few girls in the science track classes, it was hard enough to fill the slots for other events, let alone something as grueling as the 3000-meter race.
At that moment, the sports committee member walked toward the back of the classroom and headed straight for Xin Jushang.
“Top student, how about signing up for the 4×400 relay?” he asked cautiously, offering the sign-up sheet to Xin Jushang.
Xin Jushang set down her pen, glanced at the sheet, and nodded.
“Then… top student, what about the 3000-meter race…”
Before the poor sports committee member could finish, Zhou Yuchuan, sitting nearby, stomped hard on his foot.
“Don’t push your luck,” Zhou Yuchuan said coldly, his expression unfriendly.
The sports committee member whimpered and was about to take back the sign-up sheet from Xin Jushang’s desk when he heard a clear reply—
“Sign me up for the 3000-meter race too. You can fill it in for me.”
Hearing Xin Jushang’s angelic response, the sports committee member felt like a parched traveler in the desert finally stumbling upon an oasis. He nearly hugged her leg in joy.
“Thank you, top student! You’re amazing!”
The sports committee member happily left with the sign-up sheet, leaving only Zhou Yuchuan still scowling.
“Xin Jushang,” he said earnestly, looking at her with a pained expression. “Do you have to push yourself like this all the time? Do you know what running 3000 meters means for someone with your physique?”
Xin Jushang paused, then tentatively asked, “Like carrying a bucket of water up five flights of stairs?”
Zhou Yuchuan was momentarily speechless.
Soon, the day of the sports meet arrived. The sun was bright, and the sky was clear and cloudless.
The spectator areas around the Hengmu sports field were packed. Each class waved its own flag, and whenever their athletes took the stage, the crowd below cheered themselves hoarse for their classmates.
Seating was open, so Xin Jushang and Xu Zhiyan sat together.
To Xin Jushang’s curiosity, she hadn’t seen Zhou Yuchuan anywhere.
If she remembered correctly, Zhou Yuchuan had signed up for several events by himself.
In the morning, Xin Jushang had already run the 4×400-meter relay. However, due to the other three girls in her class being far too slow, she couldn’t single-handedly turn the tide. In the end, their relay team only managed to place fourth.
Now, the only event Xin Jushang still held hope for was the 3000-meter race in the afternoon.
As she was preparing to enter the field, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the spectator stands—Zhou Yuchuan.
Behind Zhou Yuchuan were several boys who clearly weren’t from their class. Together, they were carrying a large board wrapped in black cloth, moving it around in the stands.
Xin Jushang didn’t have the energy to guess what trick Zhou Yuchuan was up to. After entering the field, she began her warm-up.
Among the participants in this 3000-meter race were several girls from the sports class, whose strength couldn’t be underestimated.
With a loud “bang,” the referee’s starting gun fired, and dozens of girls took off from the starting line simultaneously.
In the first lap, Xin Jushang stayed at the very back of the pack, neither rushing nor slowing down. This made the students from Class Three in the stands extremely anxious—
“What’s wrong with Xin Jushang? If she can’t run, she shouldn’t have signed up! Isn’t she just embarrassing our class?”
“Shut up! At least the top student volunteered. You’re just standing there talking without feeling any pressure.”
“Oh, so Xin Jushang already has little fans in our class?”
“Does Xin Jushang think that just because her grades are good, she’s also strong in sports?”
“It’s only the first lap. Why are you all so impatient?”
…
In the second lap, Xin Jushang moved from the back of the pack to the middle. However, she still maintained a steady pace, showing no signs of overtaking anyone.
At that moment, an enormous and blindingly bright light-up sign suddenly appeared in the Class Three spectator section.
Following that, several boys who weren’t from their class stood in a row, each holding a large megaphone, shouting in unison: “Go, Xin Jushang! Xin Jushang will win!”
As they shouted, they waved the massive light-up sign in their hands. The words “Class Three’s Xin Jushang is the best!” on the sign nearly blinded the surrounding students.
The material of this sign was the same as those used by fan girls at concerts, so its impact was easy to imagine.
The mastermind behind all this, Zhou Yuchuan, sat calmly in the back row, legs crossed, looking quite satisfied with his masterpiece.
“Brothers, shout louder. Let your cheers echo across the entire field.”
He leisurely added, “Whoever shouts the loudest, I’ll cover their game recharge for this month.”
As soon as he said this, Zhou Yuchuan’s friends from No. 1 Middle School shouted even more desperately and frantically. Anyone who didn’t know better would have thought they were Xin Jushang’s fanatical fans.
On the track, Xin Jushang also noticed this scene. She recognized one of the boys holding the sign—Jiang Mi, who had previously come to deliver a cake to Zhou Yuchuan.
Putting this aside, Xin Jushang began the final two laps, entering her overtaking phase.
Adjusting her breathing, she overtook one girl after another, securing third place.
By now, she had already left the fourth-place runner nearly half a lap behind.
Only thirty meters remained to the finish line.
The first and second-place runners were neck and neck, with Xin Jushang trailing them by about ten meters.
Suddenly, the girl who was originally in second place tripped the girl in first place. As a result, the girl who had been leading fell heavily to the ground.
The entire crowd gasped.
Seeing that Xin Jushang was about to catch up to her, the girl who had now taken the lead hurriedly pushed herself even harder toward the finish line.
But to everyone’s surprise, when Xin Jushang passed by the injured girl, she chose to stop and help her up.
Just like that, she supported the girl who had been tripped, and the two of them slowly walked toward the finish line together.
They tied for second place.