Run, Dania, Run!
In the afternoon, after school.
As the sun gradually sets, its golden rays continue to illuminate the vibrant playground.
At the starting line of the track and field, Lupa and Xiao Ling had already begun their warm-up exercises.
"Actually, I've been meaning to say this for a while now, partner, your hair really needs a proper makeover," Lupa pointed to Xiao Ling's short hair. "Don't you look much more energetic now?"
"If it weren't for the competition, I wouldn't have planned to cut my hair so soon," Xiao Ling said with a light laugh.
Actually, that's not the case. Hajiling's hair was forcibly cut by Aemeath over the weekend. In Amy's words, Hajiling's hair, which was messier than a bird's nest, completely ruined his appearance.
It has to be said that Little Ai for aesthetics. Now that Xiao Ling has cut off his bangs that were long enough to cover his eyebrows and eyes, that gloomy feeling has vanished instantly. With his sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and his distinct features, he is definitely a melancholic and handsome guy.
Even with the change in image, Xiao Ling's reputation did not improve; at best, it only recovered from being worse than the Guangdong twin ponytails to being on par with it.
"Has the event started yet?" Xiao Ling asked with a smile. "If it has, let's get started!"
"Of course! We can leave anytime!" Lupa said cheerfully, taking small, quick steps as if she couldn't wait.
"Then, three, two--"
Dania was peacefully scrolling through her phone on the playground when a sudden cloud of dust stung her eyes.
Her crescent-shaped eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she rubbed her eyes in a daze, the dust kicking up making her cough twice.
"Training is training, why do I have to suffer..." Dania muttered, looking at the two contestants with little motors attached to their legs with some dissatisfaction.
After running around in a circle, the two of them returned to Dania's side.
"Not bad, partner!" Lupa grinned. "You can actually keep up with my speed."
"Same to you," Xiao Ling said with a smile after catching her breath. "How about we have another competition? This time, let Yaya time us."
"Great idea!" Lupa leaned out and pleaded with Dania, "Xiao Ya, please help me!"
"Ha... you two really don't get tired..."
Dania said this, but she was actually quite curious about how fast those two could run.
"Then I'll begin~" Dania said lazily, her voice rising slightly at the end.
"Ready~ Three~ Two~"
This time, Dania was smarter; she immediately retreated the moment she swung her arm down, avoiding a possible secondary attack from the rising sandstorm.
The stopwatch on her phone kept ticking away. Dania watched intently as Xiao Ling and Lupa returned to her after circling the track, each pressing the stopwatch button to read their numbers.
"Lupa's time is one minute and five seconds, Ling's is one minute and five seconds," Dania showed the results to the two of them.
"Four hundred meters in one minute? That's amazing, Lupa! With a little more training, you'll be able to go toe-to-toe with those track and field students." Xiao Ling didn't hold back her praise.
"Hmm... it's passable, I think there's room for improvement." Lupa smiled, revealing two cute little fangs. "By the way, Xiao Ya, why don't you give it a try? It'll be a lot of fun!"
"Forget it, I'm not good at running." Dania leaned back strategically, politely declining Lupa's invitation.
"Okay, that's a shame~" Lupa was a little disappointed, but she understood. "Then let's take a break and continue."
"I thought you'd do a few more laps," Xiao Ling said with a smile.
"Didn't you tell me not to work so hard?" Little Wolf smirked and tapped Hajiling's head.
"That's true, let's rest for a while then."
After a short rest, Lupa and Xiao Ling resumed their training, this time jogging.
As Dania watched the two figures training on the playground in the setting sun, a sense of crisis began to rise in her heart.
She hadn't forgotten that Lupa wanted to compete fairly with her, and simply standing by and watching was clearly not Dania's style.
"It's just a run... it shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
Dania put away her phone, took off the hair tie from her wrist, tied her waist-length hair into a ponytail, warmed up like Xiao Ling and the others, and then followed Xiao Ling and Lupa as they passed by again.
Xiao Ling glanced at the Honey Peach that had suddenly joined the group beside her and secretly chuckled to herself.
"Relax, Yaya, don't rush to keep up with us, just maintain your own pace," he gently instructed Dania on running techniques.
Running may seem simple, but there are tricks to it. Sprinting tests explosive power, while long-distance running tests endurance and the control and planning of personal rhythm.
If you disrupt your own rhythm in order to keep up with others, then you're putting the cart before the horse.
Dania didn't reply, but silently controlled her breathing rhythm and pace, trying to keep up with their steps.
So the scene became like this: Xiao Ling and Lupa ran side by side in front, while Dania followed closely behind, not wanting to be outdone.
After maintaining this state and completing three laps --
"Ugh... I'm so tired..."
As you know, Dania isn't good at running, but her competitive spirit led her to take on the challenge.
Even so, being able to run three laps of 400 meters is already quite impressive; it just goes to show that Solaris's superhuman physique is like that.
Fine beads of sweat clung tightly to the stray hairs on her forehead, her breathing became unsteady due to exhaustion, and the pain from the soles of her feet spread all the way to her calves; she was now at her last gasp.
She could have easily stopped and walked around to catch her breath and relieve her fatigue, but Dania didn't.
Because Xiao started acting like a jerk again.
"Keep it up, Yaya! You weren't like this when you chased me and bit me on the playground last time!"
Damn it! Bringing up such a shameful thing in public?! Do you have a death wish?!
Dania suddenly felt energized and started running like Xiao Ling, ready to give this inconsiderate guy a rocket headbutt.
Then, as expected, she had just reached Xiao Ling when her legs gave way and she collapsed forward.
"You must be exhausted?" Xiao Ling said with a loving smile after catching the slightly weary Honey Peach.
Click!
Ah, as expected, this girl bit her own arm again.
"It's all because of you!" Dania said reproachfully, with a hint of resentment.
"It's my fault, it's my fault, so aren't you going to get up?"
Hold me.
"Here?"
"Um."
"Alright, Miss Dania."
Xiao Ling didn't hesitate. He immediately scooped up the weak-kneed Dania in his arms in a princess carry, and calmly left the playground with Lupa under the furious stares of the crowd.
"Hey~ I'm so envious of Xiao Ya, when will my partner treat me like this?" Lupa teased from the side.
"If you get injured during training, I'll carry you to the infirmary just the same," Xiao Ling replied, treating everyone equally.
"Forget it, forget it! Just lend a hand, carrying me in a princess carry is too embarrassing." Lupa blushed and quickly waved her hand.
"Ha ha."
Dania didn't participate in the conversation; she had already fallen asleep peacefully in Xiao Ling's arms, a smile playing on her lips, as if his embrace could shield her from the surrounding noise.