Chapter 45 – The Demoralized Coach
1212 Words
“I don’t buy it.”
After hearing his three roommates’ story, Li Haoyang scratched his head, “Bing Xin is gorgeous—how could she possibly be a sea queen?”
“No way.”
Wang Dachi flashed a sly grin, glanced at Shen Qiao, and said to Li Haoyang, “Remember that time at the mall when Bing Xin asked you to bring Shen Qiao next time? Want to let a male star test the waters?”
Li Haoyang turned to Shen Qiao, fell silent, pulled out his phone, and messaged Liu Bing Xin, asking if she wanted to hit the track later.
She replied, “Sleepy.”
Then Li Haoyang added, “Shen Qiao’s coming too.”
Soon after, Liu Bing Xin typed that Tang Enqi showed interest and they were already about to head out.
Seeing the message, Li Haoyang looked at Luo Ye and asked, “Brother Luo Ye, you know Tang Enqi—do you think she’d be into Shen Qiao?”
Luo Ye thought a moment, then said, “Maybe… but she wouldn’t be that blunt about it, so…”
“So it’s probably just Liu Bing Xin’s own idea.”
Li Haoyang gritted his teeth and said, “Let’s move.”
The four of them dressed in their sharpest outfits, strutting like runway models, and headed straight for the track.
Evening at the track was bustling: clubs singing and dancing, some groups playing games, many students running laps to lose weight. Others set up stalls, selling handmade crafts to earn pocket money.
Luo Ye, Li Haoyang, Shen Qiao, and Wang Dachi walked side‑by‑side in sleek black clothes and sunglasses, a striking sight on the field.
“Too cool!”
“So stylish!”
“My god, is this the freshman campus heartthrob?”
A group of girls rushed over, swarmed Shen Qiao, and quickly pushed him aside.
Only the three of them were left alone, staring at Shen Qiao a short distance away, surrounded like a moon surrounded by stars. Their faces showed a mixture of bewilderment and resignation.
A male star, after all, draws attention wherever he goes.
The three took off their sunglasses—without a male star to back them up, they looked as blind as the rest.
Luo Ye was handsome, but not as eye‑catching as Shen Qiao, whose looks could be spotted instantly in a crowd.
Li Haoyang, a muscular guy, wore his shades with a different kind of confidence, giving off a sense of security.
Wang Dachi was downright sleazy.
Soon, two familiar figures strode onto the track: long‑legged lolita Liu Bing Xin and freshman campus beauty Tang Enqi.
Their arrival turned even more heads, especially among the boys jogging on the track, who started to pick up the pace.
Beside Tang Enqi walked another guy—a well‑known freshman named Gao Yuming, the rich‑kid who flaunted his wealth in the freshman chat, owned a villa in downtown Jiang City, and was blunt to a fault.
Now the three “big‑name” freshmen—Shen Qiao, Tang Enqi, and Gao Yuming—were all together.
Luo Ye, Li Haoyang, and Wang Dachi became tiny shrimp in the crowd, completely unnoticed.
Li Haoyang waved at Liu Bing Xin, who walked over and asked, “Haoyang, where’s Shen Qiao?”
“Over there.”
Li Haoyang pointed a short distance away.
Shen Qiao was being surrounded by seven or eight girls, all vying for his attention.
Meanwhile, Gao Yuming, standing next to Tang Enqi, glanced at the three boys but said nothing; his eyes were locked on Tang Enqi.
“No wonder the campus heartthrob is so popular,” Liu Bing Xin sighed.
Li Haoyang’s heart sank. Remembering Luo Ye’s words from their dorm, he felt his girlfriend had become a stranger.
Even though they’d only known each other barely a month, he wondered if he truly liked Liu Bing Xin. She was beautiful, well‑built, and Li Haoyang had never dated anyone before; his emotional intelligence was a one‑track mind.
If a 90‑plus‑score beauty showed interest, how could he possibly turn her down? Still, his gut felt uneasy. After all, Liu Bing Xin was practically his first love.
“Haoyang, what’s up?” Liu Bing Xin asked, curious.
“Nothing.”
Li Haoyang’s mood stayed low. He exhaled and said to Wang Dachi and Luo Ye, “I’m going back to sleep.”
The two watched their coach’s dejected silhouette and fell silent.
“What does that mean?” Liu Bing Xin frowned slightly.
“Probably just a bad mood,” Tang Enqi said beside her.
Luo Ye and Wang Dachi exchanged knowing looks but didn’t expose Liu Bing Xin.
Not far away, Shen Qiao finally broke free from the crowd, marched over, and glared, “We all came together, and you guys can’t even help me?”
“Is being popular such a crime?” Wang Dachi retorted with a smirk.
Seeing the two girls nearby, Shen Qiao’s expression softened, and he began to act polite.
“Shen Qiao, nice to meet you. We’re your classmates— I’m Liu Bing Xin, and this is Tang Enqi.” Liu Bing Xin extended her hand.
“I’m Shen Qiao.”
Shen Qiao shook Liu Bing Xin’s delicate, smooth hand briefly—no lingering contact. While most boys would linger a second, Shen Qiao simply withdrew his hand instantly.
Liu Bing Xin seemed more intrigued by Shen Qiao now, especially since Li Haoyang was out of the picture, so she loosened up even more.
Before she could say another word, Shen Qiao turned and left with Luo Ye.
Only Wang Dachi remained. Though he’d enjoy strolling the track with two beauties, when it came to choosing between the girls and his roommates, he didn’t hesitate to side with the latter.
After the 515 room emptied, Tang Enqi asked, “Bing Xin, isn’t Li Haoyang your boyfriend? Why are you still into Shen Qiao?”
“Liking a hot guy isn’t weird. My boyfriend’s Haoyang now, but that could change later.”
Tang Enqi stammered, unsure how to retort.
Gao Yuming, standing behind, widened his eyes and could only mutter, “Epic.”
A moment later, Tang Enqi sighed, “Bing Xin, you really live carefree.”
“Kiki, in this era, loving someone seriously just sets you up for a brutal loss.”
Liu Bing Xin’s face turned nostalgic.
Li Haoyang wasn’t her first boyfriend; she’d once loved a guy who toyed with her heart. Since then, romance had become cheap in her eyes.
“Kiki, let me treat you to dinner,” Gao Yuming suddenly offered.
“It’s late…” Tang Enqi hesitated.
But she was also hungry; Gao Yuming’s meals were a level most couldn’t afford.
It was already 8 p.m., the seventh day of the mini‑break. Although roll‑call had started, the semester hadn’t officially begun, so there were no gate restrictions.
“Come on, a free feast isn’t going to eat itself.”
Liu Bing Xin grabbed Tang Enqi’s hand, and the two walked ahead, while Gao Yuming followed with a playful grin.
- Writer
