Punishment!

Su Yu looked up at the others still persevering in the distance, then at the redness around Ning Rongrong's eyes, and said gently:

"Hold on a little longer, okay? There are only five laps left. Older brother will stay with you. We'll run slowly. If you really can't manage it, older brother can carry you?"

"No..." Ning Rongrong shook her head and bit her lower lip.

"Rongrong isn't a delicate little princess... I'm just... just a little tired..."

As she spoke, she raised a hand to wipe away her sweat and tried to straighten up, but she still staggered.

Su Yu hurriedly supported her, smiling helplessly and tenderly.

"Okay, you're not a delicate little princess. Then let's rest for half a minute, and afterward, we'll slowly follow behind them, all right?"

Ning Rongrong nodded, leaning against Su Yu as she took deep breaths of the scorching air.

Seeing her like this, Su Yu walked in front of her and crouched down.

"Rongrong, get on. Older brother will carry you while we run!"

Looking at Su Yu's broad back, Ning Rongrong's eyes began to sting again.

She bit her lip and muttered softly, "But... Older brother will get tired like this!"

"What does this little bit of weight amount to?" Su Yu smiled and quickened his pace slightly to catch up with the main group.

"Didn't older brother carry you into the Star Dou Great Forest before? Get on. If you help older brother wipe off his sweat, older brother won't get tired."

There was a gentle firmness in Su Yu's voice that brooked no argument. Looking at his broad back, Ning Rongrong finally climbed onto it softly.

Su Yu rose steadily, his palms supporting the backs of her knees. His pace was a little slower than before, but still solid.

Ning Rongrong lightly wrapped her small arms around Su Yu's neck. Her palm touched the clothing over his chest, and she could still feel his calm, powerful heartbeat.

She pulled a clean handkerchief from her sleeve pouch and carefully wiped away the beads of sweat rolling down from his forehead, her movements so gentle as though she were afraid of hurting him.

"Brother, slow down. You don't need to hurry to catch up with them."

She gently rested her chin on his shoulder, her voice soft and carrying a faint nasal tone.

Su Yu's steps were as steady as a rock. Hearing her words, he smiled.

"Don't worry. Your brother has plenty of stamina. You, on the other hand, hold on tight. Don't fall."

The hand beneath her knees tightened slightly, letting her lean against him more securely.

The sunlight was still merciless, and the heat rising from the ground left people dizzy.

Lying on Su Yu's back, Ning Rongrong was surrounded by that reassuring scent and did not find it quite so hard to endure.

From time to time, she wiped away his sweat and spoke quietly to him, telling him amusing things she had seen while running earlier.

Her voice was fine and soft, like a gentle thread winding their breaths tightly together.

On the other side, Xiao Wu and Zhu Qing watched this scene, a trace of envy rising in their hearts.

Dai Mubai and Tang San gritted their teeth as they looked at the two of them. Was he some kind of workhorse?

He had someone on his back, yet he was still running faster than them.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun were already so exhausted that their faces had gone blank.

The two of them were now hanging on solely thanks to Oscar's sausages.

Afternoon arrived quickly.

The group soon finished the twenty laps. Just as Xiao Wu and Zhu Qing wanted to lie down on the grass, Su Yu grabbed them both.

"Su Yu, what is it? I'm exhausted! I want to lie down and rest for a while!"

Su Yu handed each of them a bottle of lightly salted water and said:

"This is lightly salted water. Drink only a little. It's best not to stop immediately after running. Walk for a while before resting, or it'll hurt your body!"

Xiao Wu took the lightly salted water. When she twisted open the cap, it made a soft pop. She tipped her head back and took two sips, smacking her lips.

"Mmm, it's a little salty."

Though she said that, she did not put the bottle down and slowly walked forward under Su Yu's pull.

Zhu Qing also took two small sips of the salt water. Her cold features softened slightly. She said nothing and simply followed along in silence.

The muscles that had been tense during the run gradually loosened as they walked slowly, and even the soreness in their calves seemed to ease.

"If you lie down right after running, blood will pool in your lower limbs, and you'll cramp easily." Su Yu walked between them, his voice low but clear.

"Walk slowly for five minutes. Rest after your breathing has settled."

Not far away, Tang San was helping support Ma Hongjun, who was nearly collapsing.

Oscar, meanwhile, had plopped down on the ground and weakly fanned himself.

Xiao Wu shook the bottle of salt water in her hand and winked at Su Yu.

"Got it, Steward Su."

As she spoke, she deliberately squeezed closer to him, bumping her shoulder against his arm.

"I really envy Rongrong. She has such a good older brother. You carried Rongrong while running, yet you were actually faster than us!"

Xiao Wu's teasing made Su Yu's ears heat up slightly. Just as he was about to say something, a warm sensation suddenly touched his neck.

Ning Rongrong buried her face against him, her hair brushing his skin and making it itch.

He subconsciously raised a hand and patted the back of hers, as though soothing a startled little rabbit.

"Don't tease her."

Su Yu looked at Xiao Wu helplessly, though there was a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

"It's Rongrong's first time running this far today. Making it through fifteen laps was already very impressive."

Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Zhu Qing softly say, "Thank you."

The girl's voice was light, like a feather falling upon the heart. There was an almost imperceptible softness in her cool features.

Just then, Flender's figure appeared at the edge of the square.

His wide robes stirred slightly in the afternoon breeze, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone.

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong hurriedly jumped down from Su Yu's back. Her legs were still a little weak, and she instinctively moved closer to Su Yu, lightly leaning her arm against his as though she had found support.

"Very good, Little Monsters."

Flender's voice carried its usual authority as his gaze moved across every face.

"I have seen all of your performance today."

Then his tone abruptly changed, and his eyes fell on Ning Rongrong with a scrutinizing look.

"Ning Rongrong, did you finish those twenty laps?"

Ning Rongrong pressed her lips together and was just about to speak when Su Yu gently pressed a hand against her arm.

He stepped forward, shielding Ning Rongrong behind him. Raising his head to meet Flender's gaze, he spoke calmly yet firmly.

"Dean Flender, Rongrong only ran fifteen laps. For the last five, I insisted on carrying her. If there is to be punishment, punish me alone."

Sunlight fell upon Su Yu's straight back. He stood slightly sideways, just enough to protect Ning Rongrong behind him, without the slightest trace of retreat in his expression.

Ning Rongrong bit her lip and peeked half her face out from behind his arm. Looking at Su Yu's back, her eyes quietly grew hot.

"Very good, Su Yu. Since you want to protect Ning Rongrong so badly, then I'll punish you."

Flender's voice suddenly turned severe, his gaze like ice.

"Your last five laps don't count. You want to bear her burden for her, do you? Fine. Then your punishment is to carry Ning Rongrong and run another ten laps!"

The moment his words fell, gasps rose from around the field.

Ning Rongrong clutched his sleeve, panic turning her eyes red.

"No! I can run by myself..."

"Silence!" Flender barked, his gaze sweeping over the two of them.

"Either accept the punishment, or the two of you will each receive an additional twenty laps. Choose."