As Qin Heng ran past, he didn’t forget to throw a cheeky wink at the crowd, his expression was the perfect mix of arrogant and punchable.
When he crossed the finish line first by a mere hair’s breadth, the entire class erupted. Everyone stood up, cheering and shouting his name in a frenzy of excitement.
Sheng Mian and the other two hurried over to meet him, armed with water and towels.
Qin Heng gave a wicked grin. “Your boy’s pretty good, right? Made it to the semifinals.”
Shen Zhilin gave him a fist bump while Sheng Mian handed him a bottle. He took small sips, reaching for the towel in Yi Chi’s hand to wipe away the sweat. Back at their seats, a group of Alphas swarmed him, some kneading his shoulders while others massaged his legs.
An Omega walked over and tapped Sheng Mian on the shoulder. “Someone’s looking for you.”
Sheng Mian looked past the crowd and saw only the top of a familiar head. She walked over; it was Sheng Yichen. He handed her a bag. “There’s sliced fruit inside. You left in such a rush this morning, Mom asked me to bring it to you.”
Sheng Mian counted the containers, there were five.
Noticing the race number pinned to her shirt, Yichen arched an eyebrow. “You actually signed up for something?”
“You looking down on me?”
Yichen didn’t admit it, but the look in his eyes and the tug at the corner of his mouth gave him away. “Just try not to embarrass yourself.”
“Don’t make me hit you,” Sheng Mian threatened, glaring at him with her big, harmless eyes.
“Bleh!” Yichen made a face and sprinted off.
Sheng Mian distributed a box of fruit to each of her three friends and gave the extra one to Teacher An, who accepted it with a grateful smile.
“Will all Omegas for the 400-meter relay please report to the marshalling area.”
Sheng Mian shed her jacket, feeling a flutter of nerves.
“Don’t be nervous. You’ve got this,” Yi Chi said, patting her back.
Standing on the track, Sheng Mian took deep breaths to steady herself. She had been assigned the final leg. She had never been an endurance runner, but fortunately, it was only 400 meters.
Their first runner pulled ahead, gaining a massive lead, but the second and third legs lost some ground. Sheng Mian swallowed hard, her eyes locked on the approaching baton. She got into position, snatched the baton in full stride, and poured every ounce of strength into her legs.
There were two runners ahead of her, but the gap wasn’t insurmountable. Her mind went blank; there was nothing but the rhythm of her feet hitting the track.
Soon, the cheers of her classmates reached her ears. “Go Sheng Mian! Go!”
A bright red banner caught her eye: “The flowers are dazzling, but today Sheng Mian is the brightest!”
She caught a glimpse of Shen Zhilin watching her intently, her gaze heavy and focused like a spotlight.
Sheng Mian looked back at the track. The brilliant sunlight turned the synthetic surface into a shimmering blur. She was only a few paces behind the leader. Steeling herself, she surged forward, overtaking one runner to take second place.
Her heart was hammering against her ribs now, and her legs were starting to feel like lead.
It’s just 400 meters, she urged herself. With fifty meters to go, she began her final kick. Every eye was locked on her petite figure. Just as the sports coordinator had predicted, she was “moving those legs” with everything she had, her speed increasing with every second.
She crossed the line.
The momentary silence broke into a roar of cheers. Qin Heng couldn’t come to meet her as he was prepping for his semifinal, but Yi Chi and Shen Zhilin ran toward her.
Sheng Mian thought she had finished second—she and the other girl had crossed almost simultaneously, and the other girl seemed to have been leaning further forward. Regardless, she had given it her all. Her legs buckled after a few steps, and she collapsed onto the grass.
A shadow fell over her. She looked up to see Shen Zhilin standing over her, her tall frame blocking the harsh glare of the sun. Yi Chi knelt beside her, using a damp towel to wipe the sweat from Sheng Mian’s flushed face.
“I want water,” Sheng Mian whispered.
Yi Chi handed her an open bottle. “Small sips. Don’t drink too fast.”
Sheng Mian obeyed, taking two small gulps.
“Get up and walk a bit. You can’t sit down right after a sprint,” Yi Chi urged, trying to pull her up.
“I’m so tired, let me rest a little longer.”
“Rest back at the stands.”
“Carry me back then,” Sheng Mian teased, playing the spoiled child.
She meant it as a joke, but the shadow in front of her shifted. Shen Zhilin turned around and crouched down.
Sheng Mian froze. Zhilin prompted her: “Didn’t you want a lift? Get on.”
“I was just joking!” Sheng Mian stammered, waving her hands in protest. She couldn’t possibly let Shen Zhilin carry her! She was covered in sweat.
Zhilin looked over her shoulder, her brow furrowed with a touch of impatience. Yi Chi glanced between them and gave Sheng Mian a little shove. “Go on. It’s fine.”
Half-pushed by Yi Chi, Sheng Mian finally climbed onto Zhilin’s back. Zhilin’s forearms hooked securely under her knees, carrying her with effortless ease. Yi Chi followed behind with the water and towels, a faint smile on her face.
Sheng Mian tried her best not to press her face against Zhilin’s back, conscious of her own sweat. Being this close, the scent from Zhilin was even more noticeable.
“What perfume are you wearing? It smells so good.”
Shen Zhilin’s body stiffened for a split second. She kept her pheromones under tight control; how could Sheng Mian smell them?
“I’m not wearing any,” Zhilin replied curtly.
Sheng Mian, unsatisfied, leaned in closer to the crook of Zhilin’s neck, taking an extra sniff. Even when she was finally set down back at their seats, she felt a lingering attachment to that scent.
A few Alphas and Omegas who weren’t competing had formed a makeshift “support department,” massaging the legs of returning athletes. As Sheng Mian was getting her massage, Qin Heng returned.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“Made the finals!” Qin Heng wiped his brow, looking at her with genuine surprise. “I didn’t expect that from you. You overtook two people in that last leg.”
“Two? Wasn’t I second?”
Qin Heng winked and made a tiny gesture with his fingers. “You crossed the line just a fraction of a second before her. You took first.”
“Yes!”
As the afternoon sun intensified, the air on the crowded field became stifling. Almost everyone was wielding a handheld fan. Suddenly, a commotion broke out behind Class 3. A tall Alpha was being helped to a seat, limping heavily. The sports coordinator was pacing in circles, looking anxious.
“What happened to Li Xing?” Teacher An pushed through the crowd. Li Xing’s knee was badly scraped, a large gash oozing bright red blood.
“He just took a spill during the relay race.”
Someone brought over a medical kit, and Teacher An performed initial disinfection before calling over two students. “The two of you help Li Xing to the infirmary.”
“Teacher, Li Xing has the 3000-meter heat coming up soon,” the sports coordinator interjected, looking for guidance.
“See if anyone can fill in. If not, we’ll just forfeit,” Teacher An replied. She wasn’t particularly concerned about the overall class points.
The coordinator went row by row, asking for volunteers. The 3000-meter was an event almost everyone dreaded; even the coordinator himself had only signed up because he felt he had to.
He walked over to Qin Heng and asked sheepishly, “Qin Heng, do you think you can run another one?”
“You don’t even have to really ‘run’ it. You can just walk the rest of the way if you get tired.”
Qin Heng looked torn. He had the 1000-meter finals the next day and needed to stay in peak condition. Besides, even if the coordinator said walking was fine, he couldn’t actually do that, it would be too embarrassing.
Just as Qin Heng was about to grit his teeth and agree, the Alpha beside him spoke up.
“I’ll do it,” Shen Zhilin said.
The coordinator looked at her with a mix of shock and delight. Since the start of the semester, most people had barely interacted with Zhilin; at most, she was a “nodding acquaintance.” He hadn’t even dared to nag her about signing up.
“That’s amazing! Thanks for the save! I’ll go tell the marshalling area right now.”
Sheng Mian whispered to her, “Are you sure? Three thousand meters is a long way.”
Sheng Mian was exhausted after just 400 meters; she figured a 3000-meter run would practically be the end of her.
“Didn’t they say I could walk if I can’t finish?” Zhilin said indifferently.
Sheng Mian quickly ordered a cooling patch and some liquid herbal medicine via delivery; it was currently the hottest part of the day.
Led by the coordinator, the entire class cheered as Zhilin stepped up as the last-minute substitute. Even Teacher An came over to remind her, “If you can’t finish, just stop. Your health comes first.”
Teacher An watched her with a worried frown. Zhilin was pale and slender, with a quiet demeanor that didn’t exactly scream “elite athlete.”
The whistle blew, and the pack set off at a steady, moderate pace.
While they were running, the “logistics team” had somehow sourced two large pieces of red cardstock. On them, the name SHEN ZHILIN was neatly written in white watercolor pen. Though it was a rush job, the letters were pasted onto the class banner so well that you couldn’t tell they were added late from a distance.
Every time Zhilin ran past their section, nearly everyone stood up to cheer. The sound was deafening. It was the first time she had ever felt this much attention and support.
Zhilin felt a bit out of her element, but a surge of warmth rushed through her, reaching her very fingertips and fueling her with a fresh burst of energy.
By the two-thirds mark, the pace quickened. Zhilin’s breathing began to feel labored. With runners clustered all around her, she had completely lost track of her position.
“What place is Shen Zhilin in?” “I can’t tell, it’s too crowded!” the students speculated.
“Fifth,” Sheng Mian murmured, her eyes glued to the track. “She’s in fifth right now.”
“She’s in fifth!” the coordinator yelled, having kept a strict count. Suddenly, his voice rose in excitement. “She just passed two people! She’s in third! One lap to go!”
As Zhilin sprinted past the class, the coordinator ran alongside her on the inner grass. “Keep your breathing steady! You’re in third! Final lap!”
Sheng Mian, Yi Chi, and Qin Heng all ran to the edge of the track as well.
“Go! Go Shen Zhilin!” Sheng Mian cheered, jogging a few steps with her.
“Overtake them! When this is over, I’ll introduce you to the prettiest Omega in school!” Qin Heng shouted, egging her on.
Zhilin was speechless, her lips twitching slightly. “Gee, thanks.”
Sheng Mian swatted Qin Heng’s arm and went back to cheering.
Zhilin began her final sprint. The other runners did the same, everyone pouring their remaining strength into the finish.
As she crossed the line, Zhilin doubled over, hands on her thighs, gasping for air as beads of sweat rolled off her forehead.
Sheng Mian hurried over to shield her with an umbrella while waving a fan. Qin Heng and the coordinator supported her on both sides, walking her around to cool down and prevent her leg muscles from seizing.
Sweat dripped into Zhilin’s eyes, and she blinked rapidly against the salty sting. She forced her eyes open, they were remarkably bright. “What place?”
Qin Heng hung his head, his voice dripping with faux disappointment. “Man, what a shame.” Then he instantly lit up. “First! You’re a beast, Shen Zhilin! I thought you were just a ‘skinny-tall’ type, but you can really move!”
Hearing she got first, Zhilin managed a small smile. She lifted the hem of her shirt slightly to fan herself.
Sheng Mian was quick on the draw, pointing her small handheld fan directly at Zhilin’s midriff.
Her abdomen was pale, but far from frail; there was the faint, clear definition of a beautiful six-pack.
Qin Heng hooted in excitement. “I totally underestimated you! Nice physique, you’re so covered up usually I thought you were a weakling.”
Having implicitly proven her fitness, Zhilin pulled her shirt back down.
After a few cool-down laps, they returned to their seats. As soon as Zhilin sat, Sheng Mian handed her the cooling patch and a few bananas.
“It’s good to eat bananas after a workout.”
Zhilin blinked. “Thank you.”
“And if you feel dizzy or anything, drink this,” Sheng Mian added, pressing the herbal medicine into Zhilin’s hands.
Then came Yi Chi, who exceeded everyone’s expectations. Usually the quiet, studious Omega who blushed when she spoke, she was like a feather on the high jump. She cleared every height increase with effortless grace.
Though she clipped the bar several times in the final round, she successfully secured second place.
When Yi Chi walked back with a bright, radiant smile, Sheng Mian thought she looked stunningly beautiful. She rushed forward and pulled Yi Chi into a massive hug.