novelraw Chapter 846 - 827: Running Together on the Track! (Part 1)
Chapter 846 - 827: Running Together on the Track! (Part 1)
Chapter 846: Chapter 827: Running Together on the Track! (Part 1)
You Xinran’s little scheme was quite clear to Pu Sangzhi, being a girl herself. But as a guy, Huo Feng didn’t catch on at all.
Life at Tsinghua continued as usual, with classes during the day and evening self-study still in place.
The end of the semester was approaching, and the Tsinghua students had to start preparing for the mandatory 3000-meter run and swimming tests held every year.
Tsinghua places great emphasis on physical education, so every student has to undergo a 3000-meter run and swimming test each semester.
Compared to the nonstop cramming sessions during exam week, physical exams tend to cause more anxiety among students, requiring them to prepare in advance by building strength and fitness.
No one wants to faint while running the 3000 meters, score a zero on the physical exam, and bring down their final semester grade.
On Monday, Huo Feng and Pu Sangzhi attended classes in different departments.
That morning, the counselors of each department and class shared a message in the group chats, reminding students to start preparing for the end-of-semester 3000-meter run in advance.
For men, 3000 meters in 12 minutes 20 seconds is excellent, 14 minutes 40 seconds is passing; for women, 1500 meters in 6 minutes 40 seconds is excellent, 7 minutes 20 seconds is passing.
After a day’s coursework, they agreed to jog every evening on the playground, preparing their bodies for the 3000-meter run.
Remember, the 3000-meter run is no easy feat.
This means running 7.5 laps around the 400-meter East Playground! It’s truly a challenge for one’s stamina and endurance!
Even 1500 meters means running 3.5 laps at the 400-meter East Playground!
However, neither Pu Sangzhi nor Huo Feng feared this long-distance running exam.
During high school, Pu Sangzhi participated in a 1500-meter long-distance race during the sports meet. So she wasn’t worried about completing the 1500 meters.
Huo Feng wasn’t afraid of running 3000 meters either.
Given that he exercised regularly, his stamina and endurance were up to the task.
Still, it was necessary to start training gradually, allowing the body to adapt progressively.
Around 5:00 PM, Pu Sangzhi and Huo Feng changed into their sports gear and headed to the East Playground together.
As they began warming up at one corner of the track, they realized just how many students were already there running...
In fact, the playgrounds at Tsinghua are always bustling.
Even though there are many playgrounds, East Playground, West Playground, and Purple Field, each is filled with students, and they are busy from dawn till dusk!
This shows that most Tsinghua students take their physical training seriously and are quite disciplined.
"I’m running 1500 meters." Pu Sangzhi said while doing warming-up exercises.
"I’m running 3000 meters." Huo Feng replied beside her.
With that, the two shared a knowing glance and broke into smiles. With just a look and a smile, one could see the harmonious and warm atmosphere between them.
Tsinghua couples, this is probably how they are.
"Do you want to time yourself?" Huo Feng asked Pu Sangzhi.
"I won’t. I haven’t run for a long time; ever since college started, I’ve hardly done any morning runs. Now trying to pick up exercise, I still need to adjust my body a little."
After thinking for a moment, she added, "I’ll set a low goal for myself for the first time; just finishing the 1500 meters is enough."
"Then I won’t time myself either."
Huo Feng chimed in, "Though I’ve been running every morning recently, timing myself on the first 3000-meter run is a bit stressful! Let’s just take it easy and let loose a bit!"
"Okay." Pu Sangzhi nodded.
But after nodding, she thought it was odd, "You’ve been running every morning lately? How come I didn’t know about this? Have you told me?"
"Have I never told you?"
Huo Feng was taken aback too; he really couldn’t recall if he had ever mentioned it to Pu Sangzhi.
But now that he had already said it, he could only add more detail, "It was just recently... the group’s fatty said my singing wasn’t good and wanted to train me privately. So she’d call me to the track to run and practice singing every morning. Just five laps each morning for vocal practice! Just simple vocal practice!"
To avoid making Pu Sangzhi angry, Huo Feng quickly added.
Then, he looked at Pu Sangzhi nervously and awkwardly, glancing at her several times...
However, Pu Sangzhi was staring at him intently, looking completely disbelieving...
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Huo Feng glanced at her again and, to ease the awkwardness, he could only smile embarrassingly, "Anyhow, it was just running and singing, practicing the voice. Wasn’t I supposed to perform ’Butterfly Lovers’ on stage? She thought my singing wasn’t good, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of you, so I practiced for a while. After the performance of ’Butterfly Lovers’, I didn’t join her for morning runs anymore."
Hmm...
Is this explanation okay?
It’s the truth anyway.
He’s definitely not arguing!
But why did it still feel like he had a guilty conscience? He didn’t even dare to meet her eyes...
After a long pause, Pu Sangzhi finally withdrew her gaze from him and, after a long time, squeezed out a sentence, "So, you don’t tell me everything, do you?"
"I intended to tell you!"
Huo Feng hurriedly explained, feeling flustered, "I must’ve forgotten! You see, if I didn’t want to tell you, I wouldn’t have brought it up just now. I must’ve forgotten! Please don’t be angry..."
At this moment, Huo Feng was genuinely worried that she would be upset, and naturally felt regret, realizing he had indeed made a mistake.
The morning runs weren’t a big deal; the issue was that he forgot to tell her!
However, Pu Sangzhi didn’t react much.
She just blinked and sighed lightly, "Let it go; it’s not a big deal, not worth arguing over."
Huo Feng was pleasantly surprised, "Really?"
Pu Sangzhi eyed him sideways, "Do you want me to argue with you?"
"No, no, no..."
Huo Feng quickly shook his head, like a rattle drum, "I just want my wife and me to be fine, not angry at me, not jealous. That would be perfect~ My wife is broad-minded, unlike me, so narrow-minded~"
As he spoke, Huo Feng wrapped an arm around Pu Sangzhi’s shoulder, giving her a grin and revealing a set of pearly white teeth.
Pu Sangzhi shrugged his shoulder off and simply said, "Alright, let’s run. After running, let’s go back, shower, and then come out to self-study!"
"Okay!" Huo Feng nodded.
After that, they stood on the same starting line and started running at the same time.
Huo Feng ran 3000 meters.
Pu Sangzhi ran 1500 meters.
Without timing, the two ran at the same pace.
Huo Feng ran alongside on the track next to Pu Sangzhi, occasionally turning to look at her, chatting with her, "Come on, wife!"
"Don’t talk while running, or you’ll throw off your rhythm."
As a result, he was scolded by Pu Sangzhi.
Huo Feng could only mumble, "Oh..."
While they ran, some familiar figures also began to arrive at the East Playground.
In a corner of the field, Yong Mu and the twins, dressed in sportswear, started warming up.
The 3000 meters is mandatory for every male student, meaning all male students except those with leg disabilities have to take the 3000-meter test.
The twins are not very skilled in sports, so their counselor named them, urging them to start working on their endurance, or they’d have to retake the test if they didn’t meet the passing line!
Hearing "retake" almost broke the twins’ spirits!
So despite not liking exercise, they still came to the playground.
Yong Mu just came along with them...
Originally, Yong Mu intended to invite Mu Mu for a run.
He carefully sent Mu Mu a message on WeChat, but was refused.
Yong Mu thought about what happened yesterday at the school gate when his sister came and could understand why Mu Mu didn’t want to see him now, so he didn’t force it.
Thus, he joined the twins at the East Playground.
The playground was crowded with students, and the twins squinted at the throngs of hard-running students...
Gu Erhao couldn’t help but sigh deeply, "Why do I feel so out of place here..."
Gu Yihao added, "As if I blend in any better... I hate the smell of sweat, I hate exercise... sigh..."
Then Gu Erhao suggested, "Bro, why don’t you break my leg? Just let me rest a month first..."
Gu Yihao replied, "Why not you break mine?"
Yong Mu, beside them, couldn’t stand their gloomy duo...
However, Yong Mu spotted Huo Feng!
"Hey, that’s Brother Feng!" Yong Mu exclaimed.