Chapter 113
Chapter 113 – Xia Menghuan x Liao Zhenyu VII (Translated and edited by Xing)
After a round of negotiation, Liao Zhenyu and Xia Menghuan ultimately sold the exclusive right to their idea to Dauntless Dragons Club for the sum of 50,000 yuan . Though their proposal was roughly done and still had a way to go from being a proper business proposal, they had covered the potential problems that might arise and had come up with a solution that considered actual constraints, which was seldom encountered . Most university students had no experience of the working world and their work was mainly driven by gusts of passion and flights of fancy . This meant that the proposals they drafted were in the clouds and not practical at all .
The exclusive right was another reason why the Dauntless Dragons Club was willing to fork out the money . In the contract that Liao Zhenyu and Xia Menghuan signed, there was a confidentiality clause that stated that they could not disclose this idea to others from then on . In addition, the proposal and presentation slides that they submitted for the competition would be erased from the competition records and the list of prize-winning entries .
……
Liao Zhenyu finally believed that everything was real only when he received the notification that the money had entered their accounts .
He and Xia Menghuan had accidentally earned a huge sum .
From then on, Liao Zhenyu understood that though life could sometimes be quite unfair, as long as a person was capable enough, he or she would surely be noticed by others .
——
Shortly after they split the money, it was Liao Zhenyu’s birthday . Xia Menghuan’s gift to him was a pair of limited-edition sneakers to make up for the pair that she ripped off from him .
Liao Zhenyu was unable to forget how he felt when he unwrapped it . He was definitely ecstatic and thrilled . At the same time, a featherlight wisp of happiness cocooned him while his heart throbbed lightly .
It was as if something was about to sprout there .
——
After the dust settled for this incident, RCU welcomed the Spring Sports Festival .
For this sports festival, the school required every class to have a minimum number of participants . Liao Zhenyu’s class did not have enough people signing up and they resorted to drawing lots . Liao Zhenyu was unlucky and got selected .
When he told Xia Menghuan that he was going to join the long-distance race, something came over her . In a blink, she went to find her class president and signed up for the long-distance race as well . As someone who failed at even an 800 m race, she very valiantly signed up for the advanced 3000 m race .
Liao Zhenyu took one look at her pale and frail body and blurted bluntly, “Are you daft? 3000 m? After you finish running, you’ll probably have wilted into a human raisin . ”
“I want to challenge myself,” Xia Menghuan replied .
Liao Zhenyu did not approve of how she was challenging herself . However, he respected her decision . He asked, “Do you want to train for it?”
Xia Menghuan weighed the decision and shook her head . “There’s no need . I’m going to save my strength for the crux of the race . ” As she spoke, she clenched her fist in deep conviction .
This was the first time that Liao Zhenyu heard such an absurd thing . He had the impulse to rap her head .
Xia Menghuan was not planning to train and neither was Liao Zhenyu . This was something that he was forced to participate in and merely participating was what he was going to do . He had no aim of ranking at all .
——
On the day of the competition, the sun was blazing bright . For the competition, Xia Menghuan wore a short sleeve shirt with shorts . Her outfit was a pale yellow that reminded Liao Zhenyu of a newly hatched duckling . He felt that it gave her a refreshingly bright and adorable appeal .
Stretching out beneath her shorts were the thin, porcelain-pale legs of a teenage girl . As Xia Menghuan was not tall, her legs weren’t considered long despite her proportionate body . However, her legs were slim and nicely-shaped . When paired with her fair skin, her legs were still rather gorgeous . Liao Zhenyu could not resist taking a few more glances . After doing so, he felt like he was a pervert and shifted his gaze to pretend that he was gazing at the sky .
“Liao Zhenyu . ” Xia Menghuan suddenly called his name .
“Ah?” Liao Zhenyu’s body stiffened, feeling inexplicably guilty .
His reaction was a bit over the top, causing Xia Menghuan to be a little puzzled . She said softly, “I, I’ll be heading over to report for the competition . ”
“Mm, I’ll go with you . ”
He accompanied her to the call room . When Xia Menghuan bent over to sign her attendance, Liao Zhenyu noticed a guy in the distance staring at her legs . He frowned and walked to her back to block that guy’s view .
As he did so, he let out a heavy “humph” .
Xia Menghuan did not notice this . After signing, she collected her runner’s bib . It consisted of two pieces; one meant for the front and one meant for the back . Xia Menghuan pinned the front piece on herself . Liao Zhenyu took the other piece and walked behind to help her pin it on . Today, she had tied her hair into a ponytail that hung down her back and blocked his sight . He gently lifted her ponytail and gathered it to the front . The strands of hair were soft and cool in his palm .
Liao Zhenyu liked girls with soft and pliant long hair .
When he grasped her hair, his fingers accidentally brushed against the skin on her neck . The smoothness of her skin was a fleeting touch and an odd feeling swelled in his heart . Things that he should not be thinking about flooded his mind .
Xia Menghuan felt his movements and her face reddened subconsciously . She looked down in silence and tugged the runner’s bib in front of her chest .
After he was done pinning the bib, Liao Zhenyu raised his head and saw a pinkish tinge on the originally fair skin on the back of her head . Her ears were also red and her entire person seemed to be covered in a bright, rosy hue .
Liao Zhenyu startled . Then, he gave a gentle chuckle . “Why is your face red?”
“I’m a little nervous,” Xia Menghuan explained .
“Oh . ” Liao Zhenyu comforted her, “What are you nervous about? You can’t possibly be hoping to rank?”
Xia Menghuan felt that Liao Zhenyu’s backward way of comforting people was indeed unique .
She sucked in a deep breath and walked towards the track with the rest of the contestants . Standing behind her, Liao Zhenyu instructed, “Don’t overexert yourself at the start or you won’t have enough energy at the end . The position of first from the back is guaranteed to be yours no matter what, so just run slowly . It’s all good as long as you complete the race . ”
There was a female Student Union sports representative there . This senior was an acquaintance of Liao Zhenyu . As she stood there and watched them, she giggled and teased, “Who in the world speaks to his girlfriend like you do?”
Liao Zhenyu spluttered . He looked at the senior, opened his mouth and faltered . He said in a low voice, “Don’t talk nonsense . ”
The senior was tickled . “The way you’re saying this is encouraging me to talk even more nonsense . ”
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On the other side, Xia Menghuan stood at her designated lane . She got into the starting position like the other contestants and dashed out with everyone else at the sound of the gun . The speed differences were apparent from the start . If everyone else were missiles, then Xia Menghuan was like a yoyo .
Liao Zhenyu was satisfied . He felt that Xia Menghuan had taken his advice .
If he knew that Xia Menghuan was currently running with all her might, he would probably be so exasperated that he would puke blood .
After running merely half a round, Xia Menghuan was exhausted . Her speed slowed noticeably . When she passed by Liao Zhenyu after a full round, he saw that her breathing was ragged and her eyes were unfocused . It seemed as if she was about to pass out at any moment . He could not help jogging over and following alongside her . He called her name, “Xia Menghuan?”
“Ah?” Xia Menghuan replied . This chapter is a labour of love that should not be found outside of teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com .
“Adjust your breathing . Do what I do… breathe in, breathe in, breathe out, breathe out…”
Although still tired, Xia Menghuan felt slightly better after following his instructions to breathe . Liao Zhenyu was still worried and accompanied along by running beside her . She ran on the red track while he ran on the green grass . Though they were on distinctively different paths, they were travelling side by side on the same journey .
Slowly, Xia Menghuan began to feel drained beyond her limit . Her legs felt as heavy as lead and she was so exhausted that her brain was unable to think . Her senses felt numbed and she powered on by the mere mechanical movements of her legs . She was unable to remember the details of the run . That day, what stood out in her mind was the unceasing voice beside her ear that guided her with tireless patience . She was completely worn out and her every single cell was braying for her to stop due to the pain… She felt as if she was about to die . But when she heard his voice, her heart retained one last bit of breath that pushed her along and made her hung onto the journey . Though she was slow, her steps never ceased .
Liao Zhenyu saw that she was soaked in sweat and her initially rosy face was now white . He felt his heart ached and prompted gently, “How about let’s stop running?”
Xie Menghuan clenched her teeth and shook her head . She continued jogging ahead, appearing even more like a duckling as her steps swayed .
Liao Zhenyu regretted not stopping her that very moment .
When she reached the end, her face was completely ashen . Liao Zhenyu watched her crossed the finishing line, planning to clap and cheer for her . However, he then saw her staggered before lurching towards the ground . Shocked, he quickly stretched out to grab hold of her .
Xia Menghuan lay limply in his arms, still and motionless with her eyes shut .
An overwhelming panic surged up in Liao Zhenyu’s heart . He swept her up and dashed maniacally towards the school clinic .
According to eyewitnesses, while carrying a live human that weighed several dozen kilograms, Liao Zhenyu managed to sprint along and leave everything in the dust . His speed was at least 30 km per hour, which was an extraordinary feat .
However, Liao Zhenyu never did again manage to accomplish this incredible feat .
……
Xia Menghuan merely fainted after exercising . She woke up after lying in the school clinic for a while . When she woke, she moved her body and found her limbs heavy and aching . Though she only ran 3000 m, her body felt like she had run three thousand rounds around Earth .
She opened her eyes and glanced around . She saw Liao Zhenyu sitting by the side of the bed . They stared at each other in silence for a while . Then, Liao Zhenyu suddenly spoke, “How do you feel now?”
“I feel like…” Xia Menghuan thought about it for a moment and described, “Someone who died of excessive ejaculation . ”
“You…!” Liao Zhenyu felt both embarrassed and frustrated . “Are you daft? Aren’t you clear how frail you are? Why did you push so hard for? Is there a pile of gold at the finishing line[1]?”
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The way he was utterly exasperated and furious seemed a little intimidating . Xia Menghuan shrunk back . She tugged on a corner of the blanket and looked at him with a hurt face . “You yelled at me . I’m going to tell my king . ”
“I…” Liao Zhenyu inhaled deeply . He was mad and yet unable to lash out . At a loss of what he could do, he raised one hand and rubbed his temple . He gentled his tone and asked her, “Why must you run the 3000 m?”
Why did she run the 3000 m?
The reason couldn’t be simpler .
In the process of liking someone, we’ll somehow seek out courage and strength subconsciously . By putting our hearts into what seems to be an absurd task, it gives us the emotional strength to soothe the feelings of anxiety and inferiority that comes from liking that person .
Do you understand this feeling?
Xia Menghuan scanned his eyes, her lips pressed shut and not saying a word .
Liao Zhenyu watched the clear sheen of her pupils and took in the pallor of her face . After some time passed like this, he spoke suddenly, “What are you looking at, silly?”
Xia Menghuan did not acknowledge his words . She turned away and gazed out of the window . Her face was melancholic as she lamented, “Sometimes, I’m quite envious of my king . ”
Her dejected appearance made his heart twinge again . Liao Zhenyu said, “Let me teach you how to skate . ”
……
Ice skating was a good sport that allowed people to exercise without being boring .
Thus, after working part-time at the ice rink for so long, Xia Menghuan finally got to enjoy the perk of skating for free .
Being her first time ice skating, she arrived on the ice fully suited up . Her body was stone-stiff and she dared not move at all . Liao Zhenyu could summarize her reaction with one phrase—stunned like a wooden chicken[2] .
The way she held herself was hilarious . Liao Zhenyu crossed his arms and chuckled for a good moment before stretching out his arm and grabbing her hand without saying a word .
“I’ve got your back . Relax and skate . Just follow my instructions and you won’t fall . I’m here,” Liao Zhenyu encouraged .
Xia Menghuan’s entire attention was on their joined hands . She wore gloves but Liao Zhenyu did not . Though there was a layer of fabric between their hands, she seemed to feel the heat of his palm . Her heart raced restlessly .
They held hands and skated leisurely around the ice rink for a while . Liao Zhenyu suddenly let go of her hand . He thought that Xia Menghuan would not notice and continue skating without knowing . Who knew that the very moment he let go, she was immediately startled . She started fumbling in panic while her body continued moving due to inertia .
“Ah!” With a shriek, Xia Menghuan found herself on the ice .
Thankfully, it was not a painful fall due to her protective gear .
When Liao Zhenyu saw her fall before she could even accomplish skating on her own, he held his laughter in and went over to help her up .
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“Didn’t you say that you won’t let me fall?” Xia Menghuan grumbled .
“I just want you to know that a man’s words cannot be trusted . ” Liao Zhenyu kept a straight face while uttering his nonsense .
“Oh . ” Xia Menghuan remarked neutrally . She raised her head and looked at his eyes . Then, she tilted her head to one side, her gaze shining with innocence and adoration . “Liao Zhenyu, I like you . ”
Bang—
Liao Zhenyu felt as if a rainbow had exploded in his mind, creating a splendour that he could not face head-on . His heart seemed to have stopped and he could only stare at her blankly . “You, you, I, I…”
Xia Menghuan’s eyes creased into crescents and the corners of her lips curved up slowly . A dazzling smile blossomed on her face .
“I just want you to know that a woman’s words cannot be trusted . ” As she said this, she turned and skated off dashingly with one push of her ice blade .
Leaving Liao Zhenyu rooted behind, still in a daze .
The way Xia Menghuan turned was indeed suave . Alas, she made it barely more than a metre away when she stumbled and fell onto the ice with a loud thump . After falling, she seemed a bit embarrassed in getting help to stand up and wanted to get onto her feet by herself . However, ice was different from normal ground . The friction between the ice blades and the ice was minute and if one was not careful, it was easy to slip back down again . In addition to being inexperienced, Xia Menghuan was nervous as well . No matter how she fumbled or tried to climb to her feet, she just could not stand up .
Liao Zhenyu was speechless as he watched her battle with the ice . At the same time, he was miffed at being tricked by her . To retaliate, he decided that he would help her only when she asked him to . Humph .
The ice rink was huge and he was not the only one around to help . When the rink guard on duty saw that Xia Menghuan was unable to get up, he skated over like a gust of wind . When Liao Zhenyu saw him, he quickly went over to chase him off .
Then, Liao Zhenyu stood in front of Xia Menghuan . Bent over and both hands on his knees, he gazed at her quietly .
Xia Menghuan sat on the ice, her face docile as she looked up at him . “Hey handsome, care to help?” She was meek as a lamb .
Liao Zhenyu snorted in amusement at her attitude . Truly, why was he getting so worked up with this little drama queen? Thus he pulled her up immediately without further reservations .
The two of them ‘buried the hatchet’ just like that . They took a break before continuing to skate . When they headed back onto the ice, Xia Menghuan had taken her gloves off surreptitiously at an unknown timing . She stretched out her small, clean and pale hand and waited for Liao Zhenyu to grab it .
When Liao Zhenyu extended his hand, she felt her heart pounded with furious and heavy beats . When their fingers were about to touch, Liao Zhenyu froze and questioned, “Where’s your glove?”
“Ah? I… feel a bit warm, so I took off my gloves . ”
“Put it back on . ” Liao Zhenyu frowned, sounding a little stern . “How are you so bold when it’s your first time skating and you don’t know a single thing? You might break something if you fall… Put it back on, put it back on!”
Xia Menghuan put her gloves back on with a stoic face . She really wanted to give him a banner that proclaimed “single for life and deserves it” .
In the midst of wearing her gloves, she heard Liao Zhenyu said, “You can take it off when you know how to skate . ”