Chapter 57 – The Only Shortcut Is Persistence
970 Words
When Luo Ye left, Qin Yuwen turned her gaze toward Su Baizhou, staring at her as if she were a stranger.
“Baizhou, that freshman clearly likes you.”
Su Baizhou’s expression stayed flat. “Aren’t there plenty of people who like me?”
“That’s not the point!” Qin Yuwen exclaimed. “Out of all the admirers, you never pushed this freshman away!”
“It’s because he’s Professor Gu’s brother. Gu asked me to look after him,” Su Baizhou explained, her tone even. The explanation was airtight.
Qin Yuwen furrowed her brows. “And why did you make it look like you were buddies with him?”
“He’s shy; I didn’t want my enthusiasm to scare him.”
Qin Yuwen: …
In short, she wanted Luo Ye to meet Qin Yuwen beforehand so there wouldn’t be an awkward first encounter later, where Qin Yuwen might blurt out the truth like a clueless kid.
“Baizhou, be honest—are you treating him specially just because of the Gu connection? Or do you actually like him?” Qin Yuwen pressed, eyes serious.
Su Baizhou didn’t answer at first; her lips twitched, then she whispered the two words that made Qin Yuwen lose it:
“Guess.”
“Ah‑ah‑ah‑ah, Baizhou, I’ll bite you!”
Back in the dorm, Luo Ye rushed to the track. On either side of him stood Li Haoyang and Wang Dachi. The three struck heroic poses at the starting line, as if ancient masters were about to duel atop a mountain. Passers muttered, “Show‑off.”
Li Haoyang’s voice was low and serious. “Brother Luo, aiming for a top‑three finish in the 3 km run within two weeks is unrealistic. You’ll have to take a shortcut.”
“What shortcut?” Luo Ye asked, brows furrowed.
“The shortcut is persistence—just keep running without quitting, and you’ll win.”
He glanced at Wang Dachi, who lingered behind. “Why are you hanging around?”
“Where there’s drama, there’s Wang Dachi.”
Wang Dachi threw a taunting look at Li Haoyang. “Coach, it’s just a run. I don’t believe I can’t beat you.”
Fitness and distance running are different beasts. Wang Dachi had been nicknamed “the rabbit” since elementary school for his lightning speed, and in high school he was famed as the ultimate foodie who sprinted to the cafeteria first.
Li Haoyang shook his head. “I’m not here to compete with you, Dachi; I’m only here for Brother Luo.”
Dachi sneered, “Are you scared of the coach?”
A silent electric tension crackled between them. Luo Ye, sandwiched in the middle, felt the odd stares and muttered, “Stop the act, you two. Everyone sees you looking like idiots.”
Both Dachi and Li Haoyang turned crimson with embarrassment.
“Brother Luo, words won’t help—let’s start.”
“Ready!”
Luo Ye counted silently, poised to sprint.
Suddenly, Li Haoyang and Dachi, somehow in sync, launched themselves forward. By the time Luo Ye realized, they were already dozens of meters ahead.
“Damn, what the—” Luo Ye growled, immediately spurring into a full sprint, chasing them regardless of the fact that this was supposed to be a long‑run exercise.
Running alone felt ridiculous, but three of them made it feel like a game. Spectators, though few, watched the trio dash like heartbroken lovers fleeing a breakup.
Li Haoyang led with reckless abandon. Not far away, a petite figure watched him with concern in her eyes. Xu Xiao Jia had been watching from a hidden corner, unnoticed by the coach.
The first lap passed, then the second, each breathier than the last. By the third lap, both Li Haoyang and Dachi were exhausted, their pace slowing to a walk.
Luo Ye, meanwhile, kept pounding the track, sweat soaking his shirt, refusing to stop.
Dachi and Li Haoyang collapsed on the grass, panting.
“How many laps has he done?” Dachi asked.
“Six, I think.”
Li Haoyang nodded in reluctant admiration. The six laps he’d just ran were no ordinary jog—Luo Ye had sprinted with them at the start, draining his energy, yet he kept going for five more laps.
It seemed Luo Ye had taken Li Haoyang’s words to heart: the only shortcut in distance running is persistence. Only by constantly pushing his limits could he build stamina.
A small, lively girl hopped onto the track and playfully asked Li Haoyang, “Class monitor, want a Gatorade?”
Wang Dachi’s eyes widened at the sight of Xu Xiao Jia. “Girl, what are you doing here? This is a university, not middle school.”
“You’re the middle‑schooler; your whole family is middle‑schoolers.” Xu Xiao Jia retorted, furious.
Li Haoyang stared at the Gatorade bottle, then shook his head. “No thanks. I’m done with Gatorade.”
He remembered meeting Liu Bing Xin because of that drink.
Seeing Li Haoyang decline, Xu Xiao Jia glanced at the bottle of mineral water in her other hand—she’d bought it for Luo Ye. Since Li Haoyang refused, she offered it to him instead.
Wang Dachi, spotting the extra bottle, grabbed at it. “Hey, little sis, that’s mine, right?”
“Who are you? This is for Luo Ye.”
“What? We’re all training together—why am I the only one without a drink?”
“Then who are you?” Xu Xiao Jia demanded, clearly bewildered.
Wang Dachi, realizing his joke fell flat, muttered, “We’re classmates, I’m Wang Dachi, the so‑called legend—do I really have no luck with girls?”
- Writer
