Chapter 6, This sentiment and that intention

Zhong Yue let out a heavy groan, his chest aching painfully, as if his heart were about to shatter. Fortunately, it was soft grass, and he was not injured, just unable to get up for a moment. He Ru Chu had fallen into his arms, so she was naturally fine. She hurriedly got up, brushed off the dirt from her clothes, and upon seeing his grimacing face, her own turned pale as paper in an instant. In a panic, she called out, "Zhong Yue, Zhong Yue, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" Kneeling beside him, one hand supporting his neck while the other fumbled around his chest.

He Ruchu nodded foolishly, her thoughts already drifting somewhere unknown. Lin Danyun was immersed in her own world, remaining silent, when she suddenly said: "He Ruchu, I only confide in you because I consider you a friend, so please don't go telling others about it." She hurriedly replied: "I must be crazy to be a gossip!"

She scoffed and said, "Can you still go hungry and freeze? The wardrobe is overflowing with clothes, and the room is filled with food everywhere, with garbage bags piled up like a mountain"

Upon first hearing her heartfelt confessions in the privacy of her room, I was at a loss for words for quite some time, and finally asked, "So, are you going to tell him?" My tone was tinged with bitterness. I found it strange that upon hearing Lin Danyun say she liked him, I felt somewhat unhappy. My hand brushed over my chest, where there seemed to be a swelling sensation, a feeling that was neither painful nor entirely comfortable. It was a rather peculiar sensation.

Lin Danyun noticed that she was tired, so he said he was going to leave. She waved her hand as a farewell and did not accompany him downstairs

The two people fell quite hard.

Since she had no classes in the afternoon, she invited Lin Danyun to her home to play. When Mother He saw her return with an injury, she scolded her for being so careless. Upon noticing that a band-aid had already been applied, she went to the kitchen to serve the meal. Father He was sitting on the sofa watching the news, and he asked with concern if it hurt, insisting that Mother He immediately apply medicine for her. Mother He, both angry and amused, said: "It's just a scraped skin, what medicine is needed! It's not good to spoil the child like this; a few falls and bumps will help her withstand the storms of life."

Zhou Jianbin pushed up the glasses on his nose and said with a smile: "It is all thanks to Zhong Yue. If he hadn't come in first in the 5,000-meter race, our scores wouldn't have risen so dramatically. We would only be slightly better than the liberal arts key class. However, that is a country of daughters; even if we win, there is not much glory on our faces"

By the time they reached the tenth lap, Zhong Yue had already positioned himself within the top five. His complexion was slightly paler than usual, and his forehead was glistening with fine sweat, yet his overall condition remained quite good. He Ruchu excitedly dashed down from the stands and began to run alongside him outside the track, shouting at him, "Zhong Yue, well done, keep it up, keep it up, keep it up..." as he waved his right elbow in a cheering motion, his voice gradually becoming hoarse.

"So what kind of person do you think he is?" she asked involuntarily

She nodded, looking at Han Zhang with a pout, saying, "I don't want to apply iodine, it has a smell, it's so unpleasant—" Han Zhang scolded her for being ungrateful, like a dog biting Lü Dongbin. While the two were bickering, Zhong Yue had already torn open a piece of adhesive bandage. Lin Danyun, who had been standing at the back of the crowd, pushed through the people, took it from his hand, and applied it for her. Turning back to Zhong Yue, she asked, "Do you want to go to the infirmary to have a look? You might not even realize if you got hurt."

It was already late when she returned to school, and the self-study bell had already rung. Fortunately, the tyrant Xu was not present, and everyone was enthusiastically discussing the sports meeting. She quietly slipped in through the back door, and no one noticed her; it was only Zhong Yue who said, "You are here." She nodded absentmindedly and pulled out a chair to sit down

Lin Danyun exclaimed, "That was bought by me!" She sighed and said, "I want to buy it myself, but my mom won't let me. She says the clothes I like are all bizarre and outlandish, not suitable for students, and refuses to buy them for me." Lin Danyun then suggested, "Why don't you secretly buy it yourself? Don't you have pocket money? You hardly use it anyway."

Zhong Yue's heart immediately raced, as she held his hand and shot him a glare, saying irritably: "Stop shouting, I haven't lost my soul yet—" In front of a large crowd, with her hand placed on his chest, although it was a moment of urgency and understandable—still, with so many eyes watching, he simply could not afford to lose face.

Han Zhang said: "Zhong Yue is a patient, and for both emotional and rational reasons, I must send him back." A few people left the medical room and dispersed in different directions

Lin Danyun lay crookedly on the pillow, deep in thought. "At first, when I heard his name associated with the top student of Class Zero, I felt quite resistant. Later, when I met him in person, I realized he was very tall and, although he looked handsome, he was not a frail scholar. When he stood in the middle of the dart field, there was a sense of him being grounded and imposing; just looking at his back made me feel at ease."

Lin Danyun's eyes lit up with excitement: "Really? But I worry that his perspective is different from others— I know that those of you who perform well think differently from us—"

He initially said: "Han and Zhang are not bookworms either"

As the final sprint approached, Zhong Yue suddenly turned back and signaled to her, then flew out like the wind, swiftly surpassing the few people in front, his body being the first to touch the colorful satin ribbon. This unexpected move astonished everyone, followed by a thunderous applause.

The commotion had already attracted the attention of others, and everyone rushed over, asking Zhong Yue if he was alright. He hurriedly replied that it was nothing serious. Han Zhang scolded him irritably, "He Ru Chi, can't you show a bit of progress? Why are you always so reckless? One wonders how you have managed to live this long?"

Lin Danyun shyly smiled and shook her head with a hint of embarrassment, saying: "I don't know. I can't just run up to him and say I like him, can I? Although it's not a big deal these days, it still feels quite awkward. Besides, I don't even know if he likes me."

The last event on the third day is the 5000-meter long run, and after that, there will be the closing ceremony, so those who slipped away midway have all returned. He Ruchu volunteered to be Zhong Yue's cheerleader; her own competition ended the morning of the second day, and it turned out that everyone's predictions were correct, as her best result was second to last. Lin Danyun was still complaining that she had exhausted herself cheering for her, only for her not to even make it to the semifinals, completely losing face.

How to comfort her when she is busy and won't be able to, the whole person is listless, closing her eyes to sleep

Having eaten dinner early, I still had to attend evening self-study. I recalled what Han Zhang said about the large bruise on Zhong Yue's body, which was all due to his own clumsiness. I pondered gloomily why I always seemed to get into trouble, constantly leaving a bad impression on others. After some thought, I took a taxi to the largest pharmacy in the city center, requesting a good medicine for promoting blood circulation and resolving bruises. I pulled out a crumpled roll of banknotes from my backpack to pay.

The plump female doctor glanced at He Ruchu's hand with a neutral expression and said, "No need for medication—just a band-aid will suffice." She pressed on Zhong Yue's chest and asked, "Does it hurt?" Zhong Yue nodded, indicating a little pain. She said, "Take off your clothes so I can take a look." Her commanding tone left no room for refusal.

Upon first hearing her description, it stirred a certain unknown youthful sentiment within me. I stared at her blankly for a while before finally asking: "So, do you like him?"

Lin Danyun took his coat, which was stained with dirt, turned back with a smile, and said: "Let's go, I'll accompany you to the infirmary for a look. We just finished running, so walking slowly is just right—" She opened a bottle of mineral water for him.

Lin Danyun coughed twice, pressing her down with one hand, "I am not talking about you, why are you in such a hurry? Let me finish speaking—originally, I looked down on you for being studious, but that Zhong Yue from your class is different."

Zhong Yue busily mediated, "He Ru, your palm is scraped. Why not apply a band-aid?"

Zhong Yue patted He Ruchu's shoulder and said, "You should come with us to the infirmary to get some medicine; the wound might get infected." She found it troublesome and was somewhat reluctant. Han Zhang gave her a light tap on the head and said, "It's just getting some medicine, not like it's going to cost you your life. Hurry up, let's go."

Lin Danyun said enviously: "Look how well your mother treats you, getting so anxious over such a small injury! My mother is busy all day and hardly ever seen; sometimes she doesn't even have time to cook, and I have to endure hunger and cold."

She said, "What is there for me to envy? It's just studying, studying, and more studying, until one becomes foolish—" Lin Danyun laughed and suddenly turned to the side, saying, "Actually, I look down on all of you from the zero class. You are just a bunch of studying machines, foolishly self-righteous, arrogant, and utterly disgusting—"

The results of the sports meeting have been announced. Class Zero ranked twenty-sixth among twenty-eight regular classes, two science-focused classes, one liberal arts-focused class, and six remedial classes in the senior year group. This is far better than they had anticipated, and their performance can be considered remarkable. They are grateful not to have come in last and, surprisingly, they even surpassed seven classes, which is truly an unexpected joy

As soon as He Ru heard it, he hurriedly sat up and asked, "Why is it different?"

In a moment of unrestrained excitement, she rushed forward, intending to support him. However, her momentum was too great to stop in time, and by sheer coincidence, she collided into his embrace. After a long run, he was already weak and light on his feet, and he could not withstand such an impact from her. Without any warning, he tilted his head back and fell onto the grass behind him.

He Ruchu was momentarily stunned, unable to respond, and retorted, "He? Which he?" Lin Danyun punched her lightly and said, "What are you daydreaming about? What are you thinking! Of course, it's Zhong Yue!"

She lowered her eyes and remained silent, turning her head away from him. Han Zhang tapped her forehead and asked, "Where did you bump into?" She took a few steps away. Zhong Yue noticed a few faint bloodstains on the front of her white sportswear and hurriedly looked at her hand; the palm of her right hand was scraped. He turned to ask if she had any band-aids.

During the warm-up, she followed closely behind Zhong Yue, occasionally asking if he wanted some water and then if he needed a break. Zhong Yue smiled and patted her shoulder, his fingers inadvertently brushing against her hair, which was cool and smooth. He paused for a moment, quickly withdrew his hand, and nervously tucked it into his pocket, his fingertips instantly warming up as if they had been branded with an indelible mark. This secretive feeling filled the young and naive him with shame. Taking a deep breath, he immediately entered competition mode, waving his hand as he stepped onto the pristine white track. This secretive feeling filled the young and naive him with shame. Taking a deep breath, he immediately entered competition mode, waving his hand as he stepped onto the pristine white track

She lay on the bed with her arm as a pillow, saying, "Sigh—what's the use of buying it if I can't wear it?" Lin Danyun imitated her posture and lay down beside her, saying, "He Ruochu, my mom compares me to you all day long, it's driving me crazy. I actually wish you were her daughter."

She let out a few "ohs," mustering her spirits, "You are so beautiful, you can sing, dance, and play the piano, and so many boys at school are pursuing you, he—he—should be able to do it, right—" She buried her head in the pillow, feeling a bit insecure

Lin Danyun grasped her hand and said with some excitement: "You have no idea, this morning when he sprinted, I was watching closely from the front. His lips were tightly pressed, his gaze was sharp, and his expression was focused, as if the people in the stands did not exist at all, completely oblivious. The veins on his forehead were bulging—at that moment, I realized I had fallen for him. No wonder people say that serious men are the most appealing to women. Unlike the other boys in our school, who are always fighting with girls for seats, it's childish and ridiculous.

Father He said: "It's not like she's a boy, what does it matter about falling or not! Girls are inherently delicate, what if she ends up with a scar on her hand? Hurry up and disinfect it for her." Upon hearing this, Mother He became somewhat concerned about the wound getting infected, so she personally went upstairs to disinfect it and wrapped it with a light gauze.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and someone exclaimed: "Zhong Yue is indeed Zhong Yue; his endurance is exceptional. You see, when he ran the 100 meters earlier, his performance was just mediocre, barely securing seventh place. However, when it came to the test of resilience, he left everyone else behind. Even professional athletes were caught off guard and lost the championship to him, and now they are lamenting, saying they have lost face."

Lin Danyun poked her and hesitantly asked, "Do you think he... might like me?"

Han Zhang said fiercely: "You still have the face to speak, it turned blue all over!" Zhong Yue hurriedly replied: "It's nothing, just go back and apply some blood-activating and bruise-dissolving medicinal wine and it will be fine." Even Lin Dan Yun pushed her a little. She lowered her head in guilt and remained silent all the way.

Han Zhang saw this and hurried back to grab a first aid kit. He took out iodine and cotton wool, intending to clean her up. Zhong Yue stood there watching, silent and unmoving. Suddenly, someone let out a strange whistle. She turned around and glared at that person, angrily saying: "What are you making a fuss about? Is it not chaotic enough here? If you have the ability, why don't you run 5,000 meters too? Then I will respect you!" The person stuck out his tongue and shrank behind Zhong Yue, mouthing the words "shrew" with exaggerated expressions. She turned back and glared at that person again, repeating her earlier words with the same anger.

Zhong Yue then felt a dull ache in his chest that was somewhat painful

Zhong Yue felt somewhat embarrassed, while He Ruchu and Lin Danyun quickly stepped outside to chat on a bench. Before long, Zhong Yue and Han Zhang came out, and He Ruchu hurriedly stood up, repeatedly asking Zhong Yue if he was alright. After all, it was her fault, and she felt uneasy.

As the gunshot rang out, dozens of people surged forward. Since it was a long-distance race, no lanes were set up, and everyone gave their all. On the standard 400-meter dark red circular track, the distance between the runners was not apparent during the first lap, but as the race progressed, the gap widened. Some runners reached the middle of the race and could no longer persevere, their faces turning pale, and they had no choice but to withdraw from the competition; others struggled to keep up at the back of the pack. The cheers and encouragements were continuous, with phrases like "Perseverance is victory" echoing throughout.

How could I still joke when I first saw him? The tears that had welled up in fear flowed back again. With a soft laugh, I wiped the corners of my eyes, pouted my lips, and dejectedly said: "As long as you are fine—" I extended my hand to him, "Get up, let's walk slowly along the track for two laps."

Someone concluded: "Zhong Yue is a person who is dedicated and persistent in both character and work. With his determination and perseverance in running five thousand meters, there is nothing he cannot accomplish! He is bound to have a bright future. Everyone should take this opportunity to build a good relationship with him while we are still classmates; who knows, he might end up on the cover of a magazine in the future, and we could boast about it." This remark caused everyone to burst into laughter.

As she turned over and got up, she grabbed her by the neck and shouted: "You are so arrogant, saying such things about our class Zero right in front of me. I will strangle you, strangle you—"

At this moment, Zhong Yue, no matter how unfortunate, should at least be able to get up; there is no need for her to pull him up. However, as thoughts raced through his mind, he lay half on the ground, gazing at her face, hesitating.

Lin Danyun disdainfully said: "That Han Zhang is just a rogue. It's a shame he is the principal's son, always grinning and talking without restraint. Zhong Yue is not that kind of person"

Thus, the four individuals went to the school infirmary

She opened her eyes to look at the ceiling and said with certainty: "In any case, he is different, unlike other boys. I know he was first in the last joint examination of the nine schools, but he is not that kind of bookworm"

She urged him repeatedly, "Hurry up and get up, you can't sit down right after running, it's not good for your health—" pulling on his arm to drag him up, and he reluctantly complied, standing up with her force.