"All right, stop and rest a while. Otherwise, you won't finish the last two laps."
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing stubbornly push herself on, Jiang Lin reached out with his right hand. Before she could react, he lifted the Bamboo Basket off her back.
With the weight gone, a trace of color returned to Zhu Zhuqing's deathly pale face. She took the chance to sit down nearby.
"Here, have some water."
"Th-thank you."
Zhu Zhuqing was surprised that Jiang Lin had approached her, but she felt no aversion to him.
The way he looked at her was nothing like the way others did. There was only simple appreciation in his eyes, and nothing improper.
"Can you still carry it? Want me to take some of the weight?"
Jiang Lin glanced at her shoulders, marked with sweat and chafed by the straps.
"Thank you, but I can manage."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head and declined. She still had that last bit of resolve and stubborn pride.
Jiang Lin wasn't surprised. He had only offered in passing. If she didn't want his help, that made things easier for him.
After resting a few more minutes, they stood up together. Jiang Lin gave her one last glance, then suddenly picked up speed and vanished from sight.
"Huff—"
Come on. I can do this!
Zhu Zhuqing hoisted the Bamboo Basket onto her back again and gritted her teeth as she kept walking.
A dozen or so minutes later, Jiang Lin came upon another person: the petite Ning Rongrong.
Zhu Zhuqing had already finished three laps, but Ning Rongrong had only just completed her first. She was far behind them.
Even so, she was gasping for breath. Pampered since childhood, she had clearly never endured anything like this. She had thrown her Bamboo Basket aside and sat