yournovel Chapter 53 Sports Meet
Chapter 53 Sports Meet
For Song Huan, the days passed by one by one in their runs after school with Xiao Yunqing.
Thursday arrived in the blink of an eye, the day the school sports meet began.
When the "Athletes' March" played, the entire playground felt like a pot of boiling water.
The colorful flags flapped loudly in the wind, and someone was testing the sound through the loudspeaker. After three "hello, hello, feed" sounds, a piercing electrical hum swept across the entire venue, causing the students to cover their ears and curse.
Students from each class poured out of the teaching building carrying chairs, their blue and white school uniforms mixed together, making a noisy scene like a market.
Song Huan stood below the podium, clutching the manuscript in her hand, still somewhat nervous.
"Next, please welcome Song Huan, the student representative from the first year of junior high school, to the stage to give a speech," the host's voice rang out.
Song Huan looked up at the stage. The principal was sitting there, surrounded by several school leaders. Gao Xiao stood to the side and winked at him, meaning "It's time to go up."
He sighed and walked onto the stage.
The microphone was a bit high, so Song Huan awkwardly pressed it down and cleared her throat.
"Hello everyone, teachers and classmates. I am Song Huan from Class 1, Grade 7."
The noise on the playground lessened a bit, but it didn't completely disappear.
He looked down at the manuscript and read it slowly, as if he were completing a task that he had to complete.
"In the golden autumn of October, with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms filling the air, we welcome the 23rd Autumn Sports Meet of Yucai No.1 Middle School..."
When he read the part about the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, he cursed inwardly, "I wonder who wrote this draft, it's so cheesy."
Below the stage, Xiao Yunqing stood at the front of the class line, looking up at him.
Sunlight shone on her face, making her eyes bright and her lips curl up, as if the person standing on the stage was not a student representative, but some great figure.
Zhou Tiantian, who was next to her, nudged her and whispered, "Your eyes are practically glued to his face."
Xiao Yunqing blushed, glared at her, and turned back to continue reading.
At the end of the line, Lin Yue stood in the very last row.
She wasn't very tall, and the people in front of her blocked most of her view, so she could only see the upper body of the person on stage.
White school uniform, blue school pants, hair blowing a little in the wind.
She listened to the voice; it wasn't pleasant, a little hoarse, but very steady.
When he read out "Friendship first, competition second," he seemed to smile slightly, and a very soft whisper came through the microphone. No one else noticed, but she heard it.
The text was short, lasting a little over three minutes.
After reading the last word, Song Huan folded the manuscript twice, stuffed it into her pocket, and turned to leave the stage.
The applause was sparse, but he didn't care.
As he walked to the side of the class line, Xiao Yunqing had already made room for him.
"You read it well," she said casually, but a proud smile played on her lips.
"It's alright." Song Huan walked over, and a sharp starting gun rang out from the loudspeaker.
The sports meet has officially begun!
The playground instantly erupted in cheers.
On the track, someone was crossing the finish line; by the sandpit, someone was measuring distances; and the mats in the high jump area were softened by the sun.
Each class's base camp was lined up along the track, with chairs, tables, class flags, and water buckets arranged in a seemingly chaotic yet orderly fashion.
Class One's seats were directly opposite the podium, a prime location that Gao Xiao had reserved in advance.
Squad leader Yi Fan took this opportunity to show off his skills, standing with his hands on his hips and directing everyone to move water and snacks, his voice so loud that it could be heard across half the track.
However, one person's treatment was different from the others.
Song Huan sat in a chair with her legs stretched out, leaning against the back of the chair, squinting as she basked in the sun.
Xiao Yunqing stood beside him, massaging his legs.
The little fist pounded on the thigh repeatedly, not with much force, but with a steady rhythm.
A boy passing by was stunned and almost dropped the bucket on his foot.
However, upon closer inspection, Xiao Yunqing's expression seemed a bit off.
He clenched his teeth, puffed out his cheeks, and exerted force in his hands, but his eyes were fixed on Song Huan's face, his gaze almost like someone hammering a nail.
"Focus on the left side." Song Huan said casually with her eyes closed. "Yes, yes, that's it. Oh dear, your technique is terrible. If I can't run later, it'll all be your fault."
Xiao Yunqing stopped.
Before Song Huan could react, "slap!" she slapped him on the neck.
It's not heavy, but the sound is quite crisp.
Song Huan opened her eyes, clutching her neck, and saw her squatting beside her, arms crossed, face turned to the side.
"Xiao Yunqing?"
"snort."
Are you angry?
"snort."
Song Huan touched his neck and leaned closer with a grin.
"I was wrong. You did an excellent job. The pressure was just right, and the location was precise. You're even more professional than a professional masseur."
Xiao Yunqing glanced at him sideways, her lips twitched, but she held back her words. "Really?"
"Really, really." Song Huan nodded vigorously.
Xiao Yunqing snorted and was about to say something when the loudspeaker rang.
"Athletes in the men's 1000m preliminary and final rounds, please proceed to the check-in area."
Song Huan quickly stood up, patted her pants, and said, "I'm going now."
"etc!"
Xiao Yunqing immediately turned around and called out, but Song Huan had already run far away to get a number plate from the side of the stage.
She stood there, watching his retreating figure, and pouted.
Why are you running so fast? I haven't finished speaking yet.
On the track, eight runners stood behind the starting line, warming up.
Some were stretching their legs, others were jumping, and their expressions were all increasingly serious.
Song Huan stood on the outermost side, pinning her number tag to her chest: number 107.
He looked up and glanced at the crowd of onlookers around the track; they were all unfamiliar faces, and he didn't recognize a single one of them.
Class 1's camp was on the opposite side, separated by half a track, so it wasn't very clear.
He felt a little disappointed, as if no one had seen that he had gotten a high score on the exam.
"Song Huan! Go Song Huan!"
But suddenly, a voice came from the other side.
The sharp sound pierced through the noise of voices and music, stabbing into his ears.
He looked up sharply and saw Xiao Yunqing standing on a chair in Class 1, holding the class flag in one hand and waving it frantically with the other.
Zhou Tiantian and several other girls were standing nearby, also shouting.
But Xiao Yunqing's voice was the loudest, loud enough to be heard throughout the entire track.
Song Huan smiled and waved in that direction. Xiao Yunqing waved even more enthusiastically, and the class flag rattled loudly in her hands.
Standing on the track next to him was a dark-skinned, muscular guy with thighs almost as thick as his waist and well-defined calf muscles; he was clearly a trained athlete.
He had number 309 pinned to his chest and was doing high leg raises in place, his knee hitting his chest, his movements as nimble as a spring.
He saw Xiao Yunqing cheering for Song Huan, and then he looked at Song Huan with a hint of something in his eyes.
Envy, jealousy, and a little resentment.
The heartfelt words of No. 309 drifted over, heavy and poignant.
[Is that pretty boy in seventh grade named Song Huan? His girlfriend is so beautiful.]
[I'll give him a good beating later, let him know what a marathon is all about.]
[If I come in first, that girl will definitely notice me.]
Song Huan glanced at him but didn't say anything.
I thought to myself, "Brother, you're overthinking it."
The starter raised his gun.
"On your marks, get set..."
"Bang!"
Eight people rushed out at the same time.
The dark-skinned PE student shot out like a cannonball, taking long strides and moving at a fast pace, leaving the others behind in just over ten meters.
The rubber track sizzled under the spikes, and his figure receded into the distance, like a wild horse running free.
Song Huan ran at a steady pace, her steps firm and her breathing even.
Seventh in the first 100 meters.
Two hundred meters, sixth.
When he reached the front of Class One's base camp, Xiao Yunqing jumped off the chair and ran alongside him along the edge of the track.
"Go Song Huan! Go Song Huan!"
She didn't run fast, but she kept up very closely.
Wherever Song Huan went, she followed.
Her ponytail swung behind her, her face was flushed, and she was panting, but she kept talking.
Zhou Tiantian stood by the base camp, watching this scene with her mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg.
She turned to the girl next to her and asked, "Did she forget that she has to run 800 meters later?"
The girl next to him shrugged and didn't answer.
300 meters, fifth place.
Four hundred meters, fourth place.
Song Huan's rhythm remained unchanged, each step landing on the same spot, her breathing light and unhurried.
The PE student in front was already almost fifty meters ahead. He glanced back, a smirk playing on his lips, his expression saying, "That's it?"
Then they continued to accelerate, taking bigger steps and swinging their arms more forcefully, trying to widen the gap even further.
But when they reached the 500-meter mark, the athletes' speed suddenly slowed down.
It wasn't that he wanted to slow down, it was that his legs wouldn't obey him.
I rushed too hard at the beginning, and the lactic acid piled up, making my thighs feel like they were filled with lead, and every step felt heavy.
He gritted his teeth and tried to hold on, but his speed continued to drop.
Song Huan followed closely behind, her breathing perfectly steady.
The PE student stared wide-eyed at the number 107 who was relentlessly chasing after him.
How is that possible?
He was just at the very back! What kind of stamina does this kid have?
He was panting with his mouth open, trying to speed up, but his legs wouldn't obey him.
Song Huan herself didn't expect it.
After being reborn, this body seemed to have been secretly enhanced, with its cardiopulmonary function becoming ridiculously good. It could run 800 meters without even panting.
In his past life, he would collapse after running 400 meters, but now he can actually arm wrestle with a physical education student.
However, he knew that while he had endurance, his explosive power was still lacking.
The athletes have undergone proper training; their foundation is there.
In the final 200 meters, Song Huan began to accelerate.
His steps became longer, his arm swings quickened, but his breathing remained steady.
When he overtook the second-place runner, that person was already exhausted, swinging his arms like a windmill, but his speed was almost the same as walking.
The finish line was right ahead, all white and dazzling in the sun.
The physical education students were the first to cross the finish line.
He stumbled as he crossed the finish line, almost falling. He braced himself on his knees, panting heavily, sweat dripping onto the track and forming dark dots.
Seven or eight seconds later, Song Huan crossed the finish line.
His results weren't amazing, but they weren't bad either; they were above average, which was quite good for someone who doesn't practice much.
The cheers that erupted from the sidelines were even louder than when the champion crossed the finish line.
"Song Huan! Song Huan! Song Huan!"
Xiao Yunqing was the first to rush over, his forehead covered in sweat, holding a bottle of water in his hand, and he unscrewed the cap and poured it into his mouth.
Song Huan was forced to drink a large mouthful of water, which spilled from the corner of her mouth and dripped down her chin onto the track.
He pushed the bottle away, "Alright, alright, I'm choking."
Xiao Yunqing ignored him, took out a pack of tissues, pulled one out and wiped his face.
The movements weren't gentle; they were even a bit rough. He rubbed his forehead, cheeks, and chin back and forth, like wiping a table.
Song Huan grimaced as she was being scrubbed, "Ouch, ouch, be gentle! My face is going to break!"
Xiao Yunqing stopped what she was doing, glared at him, and said, "You're complaining even though I'm wiping your sweat."
Zhou Tiantian, who rushed over from the side, handed over a wet towel, which Xiao Yunqing snatched and continued wiping.
This time I was a little gentler, wiping from the forehead to the chin, and from the chin to the neck, my movements were as careful as if I were wiping a fragile item.
The PE student stood by the finish line, hunched over, panting, watching this scene.
He came in first place and was exhausted, like a dog. No one brought him water, no one wiped his sweat, and not even a tissue was handed to him.
Only one physical education teacher walked over with a stopwatch, patted him on the shoulder and said "not bad", and then left.
He straightened up and watched as the pretty boy was surrounded by a group of girls, who were offering him water and wiping his sweat, their cheers even louder than his own.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.
He looked down at the number 309 on his chest, tore off the number tag, folded it twice, and stuffed it into his pocket.
The people on the track gradually dispersed.
Song Huan was pulled by Xiao Yunqing towards the base camp. As they walked, they were given water, and her face was still covered in sweat that glistened in the sunlight.
"Did you hear me cheering you on when you were running?" Xiao Yunqing asked.
"I heard you."
"real?"
"Seriously, you're the loudest person on the whole track. You could sell vegetables at the market someday."
Xiao Yunqing curled the corners of her lips, pretending to be indifferent, "Of course, I have a loud voice."
Upon hearing the next sentence, Xiao Yunqing realized something was wrong, immediately glared angrily, and slapped him on the back, almost knocking him to the ground.
While rubbing his back, Song Huan said with a wry smile, "You've run half a lap with me, aren't you tired? You still have to run 800 meters later."
Xiao Yunqing was stunned for a moment, then her expression changed. "Oh no, I forgot!"
She looked down at her legs. She hadn't felt anything while running, but now that she had stopped, her calves were starting to ache and her thighs felt a little weak.
She looked up and glared at Song Huan.
"It's all your fault!"
Song Huan raised her hands. "What does this have to do with me?"
"It's all your fault!" Xiao Yunqing stomped her foot angrily, then turned and left. "I'm going to warm up! If you dare to slack off and not cheer me on while I'm running, you're dead!"
After saying that, she swung her ponytail and hit him in the face again.
Song Huan wiped her face, feeling helpless.
At the base camp, Lin Yue sat on a chair in the corner, clutching a bottle of water in her hand.
She had been holding the bottle since Song Huan stepped onto the track; the bottle was warmed by her palms, and the label was wrinkled from being squeezed.
She watched him start running, watched him surrounded by cheers, and watched Xiao Yunqing rush over to wipe his sweat and feed him water.
She held the water bottle in her hand and didn't hand it over.
The sunlight shone down from above, and her shadow shrank into a small ball, huddled under the chair.
After sitting for a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and quietly left.
Across the track, Xiao Yunqing stood on the starting line of the 800-meter race, stretching her legs.
She glanced back towards the headquarters, spotted Song Huan, and glared at him.
His eyes seemed to say, "Watch closely, I'm better than you."
Song Huan smiled, stood up, and walked to the edge of the track.
The starting gun fired.
Xiao Yunqing rushed out, her ponytail whipping out in a straight line behind her.
The sunlight shone on the track, on her, and into her bright, sparkling eyes.
Song Huan stood by the track, watching her run into the distance, and called out to her.
"Xiao Yunqing! Keep it up!"
She didn't turn around, but she quickened her pace.