Chapter 39: The Reason to Run with Everything

Unlike the instant explosion of a hundred meters or the gritted-teeth sprint of a thousand meters, the core of five thousand meters was the precise allocation of stamina.

If you burned too much in the first half of a thousand meters, you might still rely on will to make it to the finish.

But if you exhausted your stamina in the first half of five thousand meters, most of the time it only meant—you were done for!

Perhaps some people could rely on will to endure the entire distance at their limit, but this was a match, not ordinary training!

Getting pulled far behind in order to conserve stamina was still a loss!

So there was only one method for victory: run these five kilometers at the highest even speed you could maintain all the way within your own limits!

Ti Yusheng understood this principle deeply.

But…

Why was she already close to the limit she could maintain, yet why did he still look so calm and light?

His breathing was very steady and rhythmic.

His stride was also very sharp.

The sheen of his calf muscles flashing under the sunlight was a little too dazzling.

His jawline was beautiful, just like the fake girl in her dreams.

He hadn’t even shed more than a few drops of sweat…

And what was the deal with this inexplicable scent?

She hadn’t smelled it just now…

Weren’t they saying that boys’ body scent was actually just the smell of shampoo?

Why did she feel he was getting more and more fragrant…

So this was what a boy’s sweat was like?

“Classmate Yusheng, is there something on me?”

The boy only one body-length beside her suddenly spoke, yanking Ti Yusheng from her focus on certain things back to reality.

She somewhat flusteredly wanted to explain, but immediately realized that speaking at a time like this would disrupt her breathing rhythm.

No!

Classmate Siji just now… spoke?

During a five-kilometer duel with her he casually struck up a conversation?

No no no!

It was impossible for there to be no effect.

He must be bluffing her, wanting to break her “perfect harmony” and disrupt her rhythm.

She couldn’t let him interfere.

As long as she observed carefully she would definitely find some trace…

Classmate Siji’s neck was so beautiful.

Slender and upright.

It really made a person want to lick it a couple times…

Wait, no!

What was she thinking!

Was a boy’s collar that tempting?

How could I, Ti Yusheng, be someone so addicted to male beauty?

I get it!

This is the legendary pretty-boy scheme!

Keeping this close a distance to me is for this!

Looking at long-term stamina planning, this speed shouldn’t be one Classmate Siji can maintain.

Straining to stay close to me and pretending to be calm and light is to strike at my heart and thereby disrupt my rhythm!

As expected of Classmate Siji!

Is he trying to tell me this isn’t just a simple stamina contest?

But even so!

My, Ti Yusheng’s, heart that wants to win will not waver in the slightest!

Absolutely!

The belief that she must win made Ti Yusheng grit her teeth and pull her gaze back from Zhong Siji’s collar.

She let out a breath, as if she had completed some great feat.

On the other side, Zhong Siji also let out a breath when he saw Ti Yusheng stop staring at him.

What was with this girl?

She had been staring at him the whole time, like there was a bug or something on him.

He couldn’t feel it when he touched.

He couldn’t see it when he looked.

He asked her if there was something, and she wouldn’t say!

Eh, she just looked, looked until he felt uncomfortable all over.

Good that she wasn’t looking now.

The bug must have flown away.

Zhong Siji slightly adjusted the breathing that had gotten a little disordered from speaking just now.

Although there was still a stretch to the finish, his stamina was still abundant.

It was time to gradually pick up speed.

……

……

……

As they say, those in the game are lost while bystanders see clearly.

Zhong Siji thought Ti Yusheng had been staring because there was a bug on him, but everyone in the stands could see it very clearly.

This damn person had had her eyes glued to Zhong Siji from the moment they started running.

The boys’ reactions need not be said.

The girls also one after another began to suspect Ti Yusheng’s motives.

“Damn it, this Ti Yusheng wouldn’t be doing it on purpose, right? Changing jump rope to five kilometers just to watch Classmate Siji up close all sweaty and panting… I can do that kind of thing too!”

“You’re making it sound too awful, aren’t you?”

“Don’t tell me you dare say you don’t want to?”

“Uh… I mean don’t say it so loud.”

“Talking about representing the girls and saving face. I think it’s all to satisfy her own X-desires!”

“I think I remember she said her fetish is fake girls.”

“I knew it! Fell for her scheme! This creep using public duty for private lust!”

The girls’ opinions flew in all directions.

In just a few seconds, Ti Yusheng’s image went from a teammate worth looking up to and worshiping who had stepped up for all the girls to a towering great pervert using public duty for private lust.

“Don’t you people think you’re going too far!” A shout cut off the girls’ continued nailing of Ti Yusheng to the pillar of shame.

It was Yu Liulin.

That good-natured homebody girl who never got angry and never spoke loudly to people.

That Yu Liulin who would only smile it off even if people called her a gloomy shut-in.

At this moment there was none of her usual good nature in her eyes.

There was only a resolute anger.

Everyone who had never seen her this angry was cowed by her just like that.

“You don’t understand that Yusheng at all!” Her voice was ringing and powerful, with none of her usual weakness to be heard. “Do you know why she chose running to settle things with Classmate Siji?”

“When she was little she saw that running figure on TV and for some reason couldn’t take her eyes off it. She asked her mom how she could get close to him. Mom said you just have to start running. So she started running too, only to get close to that figure in her heart.”

“That’s what that person said! To her, running is getting close to her athlete idol. How can you insult her determination like this? Yusheng, she! Is fighting for us! Don’t you feel sorry toward her!”

The girls all lowered their heads in shame.

“Come to think of it, that person did say she liked running.”

“She also said you can judge someone’s current state by observing their running form.”

“We really went too far. Sorry, Liulin. We know we were wrong.”

Yu Liulin nodded in gratification.

It was at this moment that someone suddenly cried out, “Look quick! Classmate Siji started accelerating!”

“Yusheng followed too, but she seems a little unable to keep up!”

“Everyone! No matter the result! Cheer for Yusheng, the hero of us Class 5 girls!”

In this moment the girls all sincerely began cheering for Ti Yusheng in unison.

“Yusheng! Go! Yusheng! Go!”

When the boys heard it they naturally refused to be outdone.

“Siji! Go! Siji! Go!”

……

……

……

Was he still accelerating?

So it had all been her talking to herself.

Although she really wanted to follow, her body already wouldn’t listen.

Every breath made her lungs burn with spicy pain.

Every step made both legs so sore they shook.

Was it over here?

In a daze, Ti Yusheng looked at the figure gradually pulling away from her and it was like seeing the past again.

“Mom, what is that person?”

“Ah, that’s… ah.”

“I, how can I get close?”

“Mm, you just have to start running, right?”

In the memory, Mom’s expression seemed very gratified. 

“You really are Mom’s child. You’re exactly the same as Mom.”

Mm, you’re right, Mom!

The gentle memories of the past reawakened Ti Yusheng’s fighting spirit.

At this moment there was only firmness in her eyes.

I, Ti Yusheng, from childhood to now… have always liked… fake girls after all!!!!!

To catch up to the fetish I’ve had from childhood to now!!!

Ti Yusheng exploded with everything she had!!!