The sports teacher blew the whistle, and the two classes quickly assembled. After delivering a speech about "friendship first, competition second," he announced the start of the mixed-gender 800-meter relay race. Han Xiaoye and Ye Chen were in the last group. The previous two rounds had been intense, with each class winning once. In the final group, it became the decisive match for victory or defeat.
Han Xiaoye was doing warm-up exercises in a corner when unexpectedly, Ye Chen approached her.
"Hey, foolish girl, remember not to pull me back," he said.
"..."
Han Xiaoye ignored him and continued her warm-up exercises, pressing her legs.
When was Ye Chen ever ignored like this? His handsome face showed a hint of anger. "Just remember, if we lose, I won't help you with English grading anymore."
"I got it, I got it."
Thanks to someone, she had scored only 18 points in English that day. If Fu Zhiyan found out... Han Xiaoye shuddered.
The warm-up quickly concluded, and Han Xiaoye stood on the track. Su Rui handed her a bottle of mineral water and encouraged her not to be nervous. Han Xiaoye humorously comforted Su Rui, who seemed even more nervous than her.
She would run the first 400 meters, and Ye Chen would run the last 400 meters. Han Xiaoye twisted her ankle, poised and knelt on the track.
"Xiaoye, go for it! I'll be waiting for you at the finish line!"
Han Xiaoye made a thumbs-up gesture and gazed ahead with determination.
Finally, the referee blew the whistle...
Han Xiaoye shot forward like an arrow, charging out aggressively. After over two years of training, her physical fitness had improved significantly. But her opponent was strong too and quickly caught up. At the first curve, both of them tried to grab the innermost lane of the track. Just as they were about to reach the closest distance, suddenly, someone tripped her from behind, and Han Xiaoye crashed to the ground!
She crashed forcefully onto the hard synthetic track and an intense pain struck her.
Her knee immediately grazed against the ground, breaking the skin and causing blood to trickle out.
The entire crowd erupted in a murmur of surprise.
However, due to the close proximity between the two just moments ago, nobody noticed the subtle maneuver made by the other person. They all assumed it was an accidental fall on her part.
"D*mn it!"
Han Xiaoye cast a glance at the person who had swiftly distanced herself by a good 50 meters and clenched her teeth as she struggled to get back on her feet.
Her knee throbbed with a sharp, tearing pain, yet she gritted her teeth and mustered the strength to stand up once again, determined to catch up with the opponent.
"Xiaoye..." Su Rui's face turned pale, tears streaming down as she looked at her friend's horrifying knee.
The more it reached the end, the sharper the pain in her knee became. Han Xiaoye didn't slow down. Instead, she quickened her pace. By the time she reached the handover point with Ye Chen, she had closed the gap to 30 meters.
Ye Chen took the baton from her hand but, instead of rushing out, he expressed an unprecedented concern. "Are you... are you okay?"
She was far from okay! But he should be the last one to care! Han Xiaoye was in so much pain that she almost cursed, but she stared at Ye Chen and managed to squeeze out a few words between her teeth. "Just run, F*ck it!"
As the 20-meter gap she had painstakingly closed was about to disappear, Han Xiaoye summoned strength from somewhere and kicked the hesitant person in front of her.
She was almost shouting, "Run! Don't forget our deal!"
She wanted to improve her grades! It was painful for an underachiever like her to improve her grade!
Watching the spirited boy finally start running, Han Xiaoye collapsed on the ground, exhausted.
At the same time, the school board members were leading Fu Zhiyan on a tour of the school, nodding and bowing obsequiously. As they arrived at the sports field, they heard the resounding cheers.
The chubby principal wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief and fawningly boasted about the school. "In recent years, our school has not only produced many top-performing students but also paid great attention to students' physical health, regularly organizing positive and beneficial sports competitions. There might be a class competition today. Mr. Fu, would you like to have a look?"
"Alright."
The man, who had been expressionless and silent, actually agreed.
The board members almost cheered.
It was not that they are too subservient; it was just that this person's presence was too strong, so strong that they found it difficult to breathe. Coupled with the fact that his anger was never revealed, they were extremely uncertain.
Led by the principal, the school officials anxiously led the way to the playground. Unexpectedly, the man surrounded in the middle suddenly changed his expression and walked forward with big strides...
"This... Mr. Fu?"
The principal couldn't comprehend and had to take short steps, running to catch up. A group of school board members naturally followed the principal's pace, creating a particularly funny scene.
The physical education teacher was directing the students to prepare to take the injured Han Xiaoye to the medical room. Unexpectedly, in a moment, he turned around and saw a group of school leaders rushing over. He was greatly surprised, "Principal, why are you here?"
Principal Wang, with a pained expression, supported his waist and gasped for breath. Faced with the physical education teacher's question, he didn't know how to respond.
Why did he come here? Wasn't it because he followed someone he couldn't afford to provoke?
But why did Mr. Fu come here?
In the puzzled gazes of the principal and the group of school board members, Fu Zhiyan bent down and lifted the astonished girl into his arms.
"Fu Zhiyan, what are you...?" Here she was.
"Shut up!" A studious student? He shouldn't believe this little liar who was full of lies!
"..."
Han Xiaoye shrunk her neck and closed her mouth.
Fu Zhiyan rarely lost his temper, and he had never shown his emotions before, but at this moment, everyone present could feel it. He was angry!
The principal and others unconsciously looked at the person being held in Fu Zhiyan's arms, extremely astonished.
"How did you get injured?"
"..." Han Xiaoye didn't say a word.
"I'm asking you how you got injured?" Fu Zhiyan asked again, even more fiercely than before.
B*stard, she was already injured like this, and he was still so harsh! Han Xiaoye pursed her lips. She wasn't feeling aggrieved initially, but now, she couldn't help feeling aggrieved, "Someone tripped me."
Fu Zhiyan's cold aura intensified, and everyone felt a chilling sensation in their necks. The principal awkwardly broke the tense atmosphere with a forced smile, "Ahem, it must be a misunderstanding. In a competition, minor collisions are inevitable. The students in our school are of good character, excellent students, and would never intentionally harm their classmates. Mr. Fu..."
Fu Zhiyan didn't want to listen to his pompous nonsense and directly interrupted him, "I don't want to know the details. I only want a satisfactory outcome."
"Understood, understood. Mr. Fu, rest assured, the school will provide the fastest results." The principal wiped the cold sweat and made assurances.
Fu Zhiyan withdrew his oppressive gaze. When his fingers touched Han Xiaoye's injured knee, his brows furrowed, and the pressure decreased even further. "Remember, I want a satisfactory answer. Principal Wang, don't disappoint me."
Principal Wang trembled and instinctively glanced at the person being protected in Fu Zhiyan's embrace, and the sweat on his forehead flowed faster.
"Rest assured, Mr. Fu."
"I have something else to attend to. I'll leave first."
Principal Wang and others anxiously escorted them outside the car, and the driver opened the door. The cold-faced man placed Han Xiaoye in the car and then got in himself without even looking at the group of school board members surrounding them. "Drive."
"Yes."
The driver didn't dare to delay for a moment, and the Bentley disappeared in a flash...