The Athlete’s March—an unchanging tune for the entrance ceremony that’s been played for ages.
Listening to the endlessly repeating Athlete’s March, Zhu Niao curled her lips. “Every time I hear this, my legs go weak and I get sleepy, plus I get this urge to sneakily copy homework while everyone’s left the classroom.”
Sitting next to her, Liu Xie patted Zhu Niao’s shoulder, wearing an expression of deep agreement.
This year’s sports meet entrance wasn’t like last year’s. This time, they had the Guard of Honor, each member with their own special skills, walk past the grandstand.
“Why is it so formal this year? Are there some bigwigs here?” Liu Xie craned his neck to look toward the center of the grandstand at the divided-off platform.
“I heard it’s because this year’s sports meet has sponsors. Didn’t you notice all the equipment is brand new?” Zhu Niao motioned toward the athletes. “Most of the events even have their own uniforms.”
“Who’s so generous?” Liu Xie was stunned for a moment, then rephrased, “Who’s so out of their mind? What’s sponsoring a school sports meet going to get them? That pitiful bit of hype?”
And then Liu Xie saw Liu Anran, seated dead center on the main platform, being treated like an honored guest.
“Probably not out of their mind—just brainless.”
Out of their usual group who always hung out together, only Zhu Niao and Liu Xie were left idling on the stands, so there was a lot of empty space left for them.
The two of them could even lie down across the seats.
Liu Xie’s loose outfit paired with a lightweight sun jacket did a pretty good job of hiding most of his impressive figure.
Zhu Niao, meanwhile, had changed into that long dress with the big black bow at the back of her waist.
With too many clothes to wear them all, Zhu Niao picked out a few pretty ones to cycle through.
Of course, it was also because every time she wore a brand new outfit, Gou Yu would always stare at her, making her feel inexplicably embarrassed.
So some clothes she thought looked great ended up only being worn in her room, just for herself.
“Do you think he knows you’re here?” Zhu Niao also spotted Liu Anran looking every bit the big boss, and nudged Liu Xie with her shoulder.
“He probably knows I’m here, but knowing I’m here is another story.”
“Why is your head so pointy?”
Liu Xie reached over to press down on Zhu Niao’s head, turning her face the other way.
Over on the field were Ye Qingchang and Xiao Yi’an—Xiao Yi’an seemed to be helping Ye Qingchang stretch.
Seeing Ye Qingchang’s pained expression as she was pressed down, Zhu Niao could almost hear her wailing in her mind.
“By the way, has Old Third been hanging out with that guy a lot lately? Feels kind of ambiguous.” Zhu Niao sighed.
“Yeah. She says it’s to make it easier to cut ties by getting closer, but I don’t get the logic.” Liu Xie shrugged. “She calls herself a relationship expert, so let’s just watch.”
Their conversation fell silent for a while, the omnipresent Athlete’s March filling every gap.
“Honestly, I feel like she’s gonna mess this up,” Zhu Niao suddenly blurted out.
“Me too, but she says she’s a relationship master.” Liu Xie agreed.
“Has she even dated before, calling herself a relationship master?”
“None of us in the dorm have dated, right?”
Zhu Niao and Liu Xie exchanged a look. Just as they were about to share a smile, a strange sense of defeat swept over them again.
“Where’s your Gou Yu?” Liu Xie fanned himself with his hand. “Haven’t seen him around.”
“Isn’t he the Physical Committee Member? He has to fill in for every event no one signs up for, that’s what Black Slave said.” Zhu Niao held her hand to her forehead to shield herself from the harsh sun. “What about the Dorm Leader? Haven’t seen him either.”
“Xu Nian apparently has an event, and lured the Dorm Leader over with some fruit candy.”
“If it’s the Dorm Leader, that makes sense.” Zhu Niao nodded.
The two of them chattered away for a while, until Zhu Niao couldn’t take it anymore. She looked up at the scorching sun and covered her eyes.
“Why hasn’t it started yet? Do you have anything to help me cool down? I’m afraid I’ll turn into a mummy sitting here.”
Liu Xie thought for a moment, then opened his phone, tapped a few times, and held it up to Zhu Niao.
“What’s this?” Zhu Niao tilted her head.
“Last time’s group project.”
“Why are you showing me this? Didn’t it already say submitted?”
“Yeah.” Liu Xie replied, “The assignment deadline passed, but I only realized last night that you never joined the group.”
In that instant, it felt like falling into an ice cave.
“Cooled off yet?”
“Freezing.”
Liu Xie was about to gloat over Zhu Niao’s misery when she suddenly turned her head.
A guy with a camera hanging around his neck walked up beside her. “Hey, is this seat taken? I just want to take some pictures of the sports meet, I won’t bother you.”
Liu Xie noticed his slightly awkward expression and his limping gait.
The others probably wouldn’t be back for a while anyway.
“It’s fine, have a seat.”
She made room, squeezing over to sit right next to Zhu Niao.
The opening ceremony seemed to be over. Zhu Niao and Liu Xie both saw the now-empty main platform, and athletes starting to warm up.
And the constant sound of shutters clicking nearby.
Liu Xie turned around to see the camera’s long lens pointed straight at her face.
She froze for a second, and then—another photo was snapped.
“Hey, stop, aren’t you supposed to be photographing the sports meet? Why are you taking pictures of me?” Liu Xie covered the lens with her hand.
“I don’t get sports meets, but I do get cameras. I know which will get more views: you or the sports meet.”
He even sounded quite justified as he said it.
“Wait, no…”
Liu Xie was about to say something when a figure stepped in behind her.
“Hand me the camera.” Liu Anran, dressed in loose black casualwear, reached out to the guy. “Otherwise, I can call someone over right now. In a week, the next time you’ll see me will be in court.”
A stunned Liu Xie, a Zhu Niao watching the drama, and a Liu Anran applying pressure.
The camera, once in hand, had its photos deleted in the blink of an eye. Then Liu Anran pointed at the guy still sitting there, then at the exit of the stands.
Before Liu Xie even realized what was happening, the whole thing was resolved.
“He’s not the school photographer. The school photographers don’t take sneak shots. Next time, pay more attention.”
Liu Anran frowned, then pressed the sun hat in his arms onto Liu Xie’s head.
Liu Xie looked at her good little brother for a moment, then took the sun hat from her own head and put it on Zhu Niao’s.
Then, with a calm expression, Liu Anran opened a sun umbrella and held it over both their heads.