Running Exercises and Buying Books

The sharp bell signaling the end of the second class tore through the noise of the break, followed by emotionless instructions from the broadcast.

"All first-year classes, gather on the sports field, prepare for running exercises." The classroom erupted instantly. For these new students, most of whom had just moved up from middle school and had only heard of the "Hengzhong Model," the words "running exercises" were filled with a fresh yet slightly unsettling curiosity.

"Brother Yun, this thing... are we really running?"

Zhou Da pinched his round belly, a worried frown on his face. "With my weight, I'm afraid I'll perform a 'rolling gourd' on the spot?"

Ling Yun pulled his school uniform zipper all the way down and laughed, "What's the rush? It's just a bit faster than walking. The key is shouting the slogans loudly; as long as your legs can move, that's enough."

Despite his words, as he followed the crowd towards the field and saw the seniors from the second and third years already formed into neat, tofu-block-like formations, solemnly holding up books or notes, the lightness he felt faded a bit.

The air was filled with an invisible pressure, named "discipline."

As soon as the lines were set on the rubber track, the harsh broadcast voice sounded again.

"First-year students, pay attention! Today is your first running exercise, no recitation required. However, starting tomorrow, during the waiting time before running exercises, you must bring study materials and effectively utilize every minute! No wasting time!"

The cold command landed, and the novelty on the faces of many first-year students instantly froze, then collapsed. The imagined "relaxing jog to clear your mind" bubble burst with a "pop."

"Students—raise your right hand—and swear with me!"

A female voice came through the loudspeaker, carrying an undeniable authority that spread across the field.

The second and third-year students, like well-trained soldiers, raised their right arms in unison with a "swish."

The first-year students looked at each other, and under the invisible pressure of the surrounding gazes, they hesitantly and unevenly raised their hands.

"I am a student of Ning City No. 1 High School, and I hereby swear..."

The long and impassioned oath sounded particularly hollow amplified by the loudspeaker.

Ling Yun mechanically followed along, his eyes fixed on the back of the student in front of him, feeling his cheeks grow slightly warm.

Beside him, Zhou Da's lips moved, his voice as muffled as if he had a hot piece of tofu in his mouth, his eyes darting around, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to disappear into.

Above the entire first-year formation, a thin mist called "awkwardness" seemed to float. But as the last syllable of "I will definitely succeed!" faded, it was replaced by the rhythmic running exercise music.

"One! Two! Three! Four!"

The slogans rang out sporadically, far less resonant than during the military training assembly.

Without the gaze of inspecting leaders, most classes tacitly chose the "energy-saving mode," shouting slogans perfunctorily.

Footsteps landed haphazardly on the track, and the formation quickly twisted from neat squares into a winding curve.

Sweat began to bead on Ling Yun's forehead, and his breathing grew heavy. He adjusted his pace, finding it manageable.

Zhou Da, however, was already panting, like an overloaded old bellows, his round face flushed red.

"Hoo... hoo... Brother... Brother Yun..."

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The running exercise ended. Zhou Da leaned on his knees, his whole body almost collapsing like melted mochi. "You call... call this 'a bit faster than walking'? You almost... almost made these two hundred jin... give up right here!"

Ling Yun laughed and patted his thick back, stirring up a layer of fine dust.

"Da Zi, it's not the running exercise's fault. It's your 'chassis' that needs maintenance and weight loss! Eat less oily food at the cafeteria, run a couple more laps?"

"Lose weight for what!"

Zhou Da finally straightened up, his face a mask of grief and indignation. "With our cafeteria's 'diet meals,' do I need to deliberately save? I clean my plate every meal, and when I weigh myself at home, hey, I still lose weight! My mom insists on asking if I'm starving at school! Heaven knows, I eat more than a pig! But it's no use..."

He lowered his voice, his expression miserable. "...after eating, it's just... just... 'a thousand miles a day'! Who can handle that?" Ling Yun was amused by his exaggerated expression and was about to tease him further.

"Brother Ling Yun!"

A crisp voice interrupted him.

Jiang Yingqing jogged over, her ponytail bouncing in the sunlight, a fine sheen of sweat still on her forehead from the running exercises. "Class doesn't start for a while, want to go check out the bookstore on the third floor? I want to see the new magazines."

Ling Yun nodded. "Sure, it'll be nice to get some air conditioning too."

"I'm going too, I'm going too!" Zhou Da's spirits immediately lifted, his previous weariness vanishing. "Perfect timing! I was just worrying about the afternoon physics class putting me to sleep. I need to buy something 'hard currency' to calm my nerves!"

The three of them followed the crowd to the third floor of the teaching building. Pushing open the glass door of the bookstore, a unique aroma, a mixture of ink, paper, and a faint scent of dust, greeted them.

The bookstore wasn't large, with rows of bookshelves packed with various supplementary materials and classics. However, in an inconspicuous corner, a considerable number of online novels with flashy covers were piled up.

Despite being strictly forbidden by the school, these books were openly displayed on the shelves, coexisting peacefully with "Five Years of College Entrance Examination, Three Years of Mock Exams," forming a peculiar scene of tacit understanding.

Zhou Da had a clear objective. Like a nimble fathead fish, he swam directly towards that corner. Ling Yun and Jiang Yingqing browsed casually in the magazine section and among the literature shelves.

A moment later, Zhou Da emerged, clutching a book, a satisfied and mysterious smile of "finding a treasure" on his face.

"Da Zi, what 'hard currency' did you find? Something that can withstand the physics teacher's mental attacks?" Ling Yun asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zhou Da chuckled and, like presenting a treasure, handed the book over. The cover bore several bold, heavily inked characters: Entangled by Mother.

Ling Yun took the book and casually flipped through the synopsis. His expression became a little strange, and he suppressed a laugh. "Whoa! This title... is quite unique, Da Zi. 'Entangled by Mother'? It sounds a bit... chilling?"

"Tsk, you don't understand!"

Zhou Da snatched the book back as if it were precious, stuffing it into his loose school uniform, creating a noticeable bulge. "My buddy highly recommended it! He said it's about a protagonist named Little Scum who defies fate, cheats his way through everything, and eventually becomes a god. It's packed with satisfying moments! The key thing is..."

He leaned closer to Ling Yun, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of the excitement boys share when revealing secrets, "...I heard there's a 'Deceased Wife' setting inside, it's really cool, they call it 'Deceased Wife Douluo'! I have to savor it properly!"

Ling Yun finally couldn't help but let out a "pfft" and a laugh, shaking his head.

"Alright, alright, 'Deceased Wife Douluo'... your taste is getting weirder and weirder. Hurry up and put it away before the homeroom teacher catches you."

Amidst Ling Yun's ambiguous laughter and Jiang Yingqing's confused gaze, Zhou Da clutched his "mental nourishment" protectively, wearing a satisfied expression that said, "You guys don't understand the profoundness of it," and followed them out of the bookstore into the cool air.

They rejoined the noisy crowd in the teaching building, heading towards the classroom where the bell was about to ring.