Morning run

Getting a reply from his Fairy Senior instantly lifted Luo Ye's mood.

He soon fell asleep.

Early the next morning, Luo Ye woke up.

His morning class started at eight thirty, but Luo Ye woke at seven. Someone had woken him up.

Li Haoyang had changed into running shoes and looked ready to head out for a morning run.

Luo Ye glanced at Wang Dachui, who was snoring away beside him, and Shen Qiao, who had also been woken up, then couldn't help saying to Li Haoyang, "Coach, you really are disciplined."

"Of course. Want to come along?" Li Haoyang invited them.

He had a great physique, with every muscle he should have, a healthy bronze complexion, and the upright bearing of a military veteran. Lately, they had all taken to calling Li Haoyang their fitness coach.

"I'm in college now. I don't want to do morning exercises anymore." Shen Qiao rolled over, ready to sleep a little longer.

Luo Ye, however, thought of his own occupation.

A webnovel author.

He had heard that people in this line of work developed all sorts of occupational ailments if they didn't exercise regularly.

At that thought, Luo Ye sat straight up.

"Wait for me, Coach!"

The two went downstairs together and headed to the track.

There was another girl there.

It was none other than Liu Bingxin, the petite girl with the long legs.

She was wearing shorts and a tank top, showing off a pair of fair, slender legs that were impossible to miss.

Her fitted tank top also showed off her figure.

The handful of other students out for a morning run couldn't take their eyes off her.

A beauty like her beside the muscular Li Haoyang-honestly, they made quite a pair.

Luo Ye jogged along behind them all by himself.

Li Haoyang seemed to have arranged to run with Liu Bingxin. By joining them, Luo Ye had turned himself into a third wheel.

That bastard Coach. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come.

The two ran side by side, leaving Luo Ye to run alone.

There was another figure on the track, dressed in loose black clothes.

She wore a black baseball cap, with a ponytail hanging out the back and swinging from side to side as she ran.

That figure looked a little familiar...

As he watched her, his mind wandered.

While he was running.

So much so that he tripped and fell.

He was already sleepy from staying up late, and with how rarely he exercised, he had managed to fall flat on perfectly level ground.

His fall drew plenty of attention.

Luo Ye lay on the ground, his face a little red.

How embarrassing. So embarrassing.

He was about to get up when a hand appeared in front of him.

Luo Ye froze.

How could he describe the hand before him?

It was soft as a tender shoot, its skin smooth as cream, with five tapering fingers as delicate and fresh as white lotus root.

What a beautiful hand.

Luo Ye instinctively looked up and found the girl in black with the ponytail standing there.

Wait, isn't this the Fairy Senior?

She looked at Luo Ye without expression and said evenly, "Aren't you getting up?"

At her words, Luo Ye's face grew even redder.

He had embarrassed himself right in front of the Fairy Senior.

He placed his hand in the Fairy Senior's and stood up.

Once on his feet, he quickly withdrew his hand, looking bashful.

Her hand was soft and lovely to touch, but holding on any longer would have been rude.

Even so, that brief contact had sent Luo Ye's heart racing. The fluttering in his chest wouldn't stop.

Su Baizhou paused for a moment.

Then she lowered the brim of her cap.

After all, if people found out that Jiangda's campus belle went running in the mornings, she would probably attract a swarm of admirers and never get to run in peace again.

"Want to run together?" Su Baizhou asked evenly.

Looking closer, Luo Ye realized that the Fairy Senior actually had faint dark circles under her eyes, just like him.

"Sure," Luo Ye said quietly.

Although the others on the track noticed someone who looked a lot like the campus belle, Su Baizhou, they shook their heads as soon as they saw a guy beside her.

It couldn't be Su Baizhou. There was no way she would have a man at her side.

Luo Ye ran beside the Fairy Senior with an expressionless face.

Why was he expressionless?

Because he was pretending. In reality, he was suffering.

This was his first morning run, and he had been tired after just one lap.

But the Fairy Senior wasn't tired yet. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if he was?

No matter how hard he pretended, though, his body couldn't lie.

Su Baizhou noticed the boy beside her breathing faster and faster. She had planned to run six laps, but stopped after only three.

She took a towel from the small bag she carried and wiped the sweat from her face.

While catching his breath, Luo Ye happened to glimpse Su Baizhou.

Sweat had dampened her hair, and little droplets trickled over her delicate collarbones.

Su Baizhou wiped them away with her towel, lifting her chin slightly.

The morning sunlight fell across her profile, and a gentle breeze swept past, lifting her hair.

Luo Ye froze.

So... so beautiful.

He turned away, his face faintly red, not daring to keep looking.

Seeing this, Su Baizhou asked evenly, "Do I look good?"

"Y-yes..."

Why had he started stammering again?

"Then why aren't you looking?" Su Baizhou asked.

At that, Luo Ye stammered, "It... it would be rude."

Hearing his answer, the corners of Su Baizhou's lips rose almost imperceptibly.

Suddenly, she noticed a bleeding scrape on Luo Ye's wrist.

He must have gotten it when he fell earlier.

She took a bandage out of her bag and said, "Hold out your hand."

"Huh?"

"Hold out your hand," Su Baizhou repeated, her tone a little cool, as though she were hiding something.

"O-oh."

Confused, Luo Ye held out his hand and watched as Su Baizhou stuck a bandage decorated with a pink bear onto his wrist.

Only then did he realize he was hurt.

Why put a bandage on such a tiny scrape? Isn't that a bit girly?

Still... since the Fairy Senior put it on...

Luo Ye was secretly delighted. He didn't feel embarrassed at all; he even wanted to tell the whole world that his senior had put a pink bear bandage on him.

But he could only entertain the thought.

After putting it on, Su Baizhou turned and left, heading toward the dining hall.

An indecisive look appeared on Luo Ye's face.

He had three choices now.

Wait for Li Haoyang and have breakfast with him.

Go have breakfast alone.

Catch up with the Fairy Senior and shamelessly tag along for breakfast.

Luo Ye looked toward the track and saw that Li Haoyang was still running with Liu Bingxin. He immediately shook his head.

It looked like the first option was out.

As for the third... wouldn't that be a little too shameless?

He could only choose the second.

Breakfast on my own!

The university had several dining halls. The First Cafeteria was beside the men's dormitory, while the Third Canteen was beside the Women's Dormitory.

Su Baizhou headed toward the Third Canteen.

Luo Ye, meanwhile, walked toward the First Cafeteria.

Su Baizhou looked back and found that Luo Ye wasn't following her. Instead, he was heading in the opposite direction.

She paused. For some reason, she also felt an urge to go to the First Cafeteria.

It really has been a while since I ate at the First Cafeteria.

There's nothing wrong with going once in a while.

Right, the food at the First Cafeteria is better than at the Third Canteen.

The ladies serving food at the First Cafeteria are nicer than the ones at the Third Canteen.

The First Cafeteria is cheaper!

A whole host of reasons popped into Su Baizhou's mind, and going to the First Cafeteria suddenly seemed like the most natural thing to do.

With that thought, she changed direction and headed toward the First Cafeteria too.

Meanwhile, back at the track, Liu Bingxin and Li Haoyang had finished their run.

Liu Bingxin finally couldn't help asking, "Class rep, why was there a girl beside Luo Ye just now?"

Li Haoyang asked in confusion, "Was there? I didn't notice."

All his attention had been on running and Liu Bingxin.

However oblivious he might be, he was still a man.

Liu Bingxin was far too devastating for any man to resist.