After training, Lin Shu got thoroughly trampled by Suyuan and Chuchu Gu. Yang Chao had already teamed up with Hou Fei early today, leaving another male classmate to endure the coach’s infamous stinky foot massage.

Having accompanied Suyuan to snack street for days—switching stalls daily—they finally struck out today. The food was utterly inedible. Blacklisted.

But Lin Shu was starving. Gross or not, he scraped his bowl clean.

Suyuan grimaced after a few bites.

"Just leave it if you can’t stomach it," he said.

"No. No waste. I picked this place. Will you help me finish it?"

"You dumped it in my bowl before I even agreed."

Suyuan pressed her palms together. "Name anything else you want. I’ll buy it as compensation."

"I’m full after this. I’m not a pig."

"Don’t call me a pig. And slow down—I’ll grab something from next door."

Next door was Saturday’s stall. Decent taste.

"Not trying a new place?"

Their nightly dinners existed solely to indulge Suyuan’s "real life" adventures.

"New stalls are for tomorrow—with you. What if it’s awful again? Play it safe."

"I knew you wouldn’t wait. To spare you boredom, I’ll grab yours too. No thanks needed."

"You really want to fatten me up like a pig?"

"Full bellies fuel studying."

"How’d you handle dinners before?" Lin Shu wondered. What lavish feasts would make street food appealing?

"My nanny preps all three meals. I just microwave them. ‘Caring’? More like surveillance. Lately, I gathered courage to ask her to skip dinner—I want hot meals."

"Seriously?"

Nothing like his imagined gourmet spreads. Just reheated leftovers? Pathetic.

"Since I eat alone, the portions are perfect. Curious about my family?"

"Fight with your folks?"

"Ruins the fun when you guess right. Dad remarried. Things are… tense with my stepmom and stepsister."

"Shockingly similar? Though I get along fine with my stepmom."

Auntie Liang was easygoing. Liang Caiyi? Another story.

"Fate, then. That’s why we’re allies."

Dinner left Lin Shu burping, too stuffed to pedal his bike. Suyuan offered to carry him back to campus, but he’d rather be late than nestle against her chest. His suggestion that she ride ahead alone was vetoed. Both arrived late—English reading hour nearly over—as they slipped through the back door.

Lin Shu had jock privileges; Suyuan was the star student. Untouchable. Classmates had grown used to the couple.

That night, Suyuan actually stayed at her desk doing homework. She only checked Lin Shu’s progress between classes, no longer diving into his lap. His heart couldn’t take many more surprises. Yet he still wondered: did fake dating require this much effort? His sister called it mutual exploitation. Suyuan herself said she "didn’t like him." If he misread this and fell for real, he’d be the clown.

At her upscale apartment complex gate, Suyuan turned. "Give me the sports warehouse key. I’ll wait there tomorrow morning. Breakfast spot from now on?"

"Seems unavoidable. Wish we had an empty classroom key."

But empty classrooms were rare—either storage for broken desks or senior study halls.

"I’ll wait inside. Less obvious than us entering together. Pity we’ve got a shadow tagging along."

After hearing Suyuan’s family story, his sister had just sighed, "Knew it."

Chuchu Gu waited on the lawn. When Suyuan didn’t appear, she peeked into the sports warehouse. The padlock was undone. She slipped in.

*If they’re not guarding the lawn, couldn’t I just buy my own breakfast?* But ditching them might complicate things. Lin Shu craved peace. His campus life was stable—for now.

*All I want is to eat with my own hands. Is that a crime?*

Lin Shu pushed open the warehouse door. Less dark today. Voices drifted from the loft—reading aloud. *So disciplined. Terrifying.*

Suyuan and Chuchu sat on a moisture-proof mat spread over a ping-pong table. A camping lantern cast warm yellow light. Atmosphere perfected—undoubtedly Suyuan’s doing. *This loft will get cluttered fast.*

"Keys back. Open up. Ah."

"Don’t forget me, senior!"

Lin Shu felt his waistline expanding.

Twice-weekly PE fell on Tuesday’s second period and Thursday’s last class—perfectly avoiding his training slots. If it were periods three or four, he’d skip PE entirely. No need to be sports rep.

Lin Shu changed into his training gear before the bell. He assembled the class, waiting for the teacher. But the boys were lazier, rowdier. Dating Suyuan made him a campus-wide target.

"Attention! At ease! Right dress! Count off!" Lin Shu’s voice boomed. He spotted Suyuan winking in the crowd.

Girls counted properly. Boys mumbled half-heartedly. Lin Shu tallied heads himself—all present—and reported to the teacher.

"Three slow laps. Go!"

Lin Shu led. First two rows of girls followed, then the boys. Formation dissolved instantly. Slower girls got overtaken; some strolled after half a lap, skipping circles. The teacher occasionally yelled "Pick it up!"—ignored.

Suyuan struggled to match Lin Shu’s pace. Half a lap in, she was gasping, lips pale, arms flailing. Too frail.

"Run your own pace. Don’t chase me."

"I’m just out of practice! I used to be fast." Suyuan pouted.

"Stop talking. Breathe. Match your arm swing."

Lin Shu slowed, letting others pass. Normally, he finished first.

Class rep Tian Peng surged ahead, glancing back with a curled lip. Smug.

Then Suyuan grabbed Lin Shu’s hand. Shoulders aligned, arms swinging in sync—effortless, though slower.

Distracted, Tian Peng veered off-track. *THUD.* His head slammed into a basketball pole. *Ouch.*

After three laps, Lin Shu dripped sweat. Suyuan’s bangs clung to her forehead. Their clasped hands grew slippery. She collapsed toward the floor; Lin Shu dragged her into a cooldown walk. Sweat stung her eyes. She reached to wipe it—Lin Shu caught her wrist, handing her a towel. "Use this."

"Wipe it for me." Suyuan pushed further.

He dabbed her eyes, forehead, cheeks—then draped the towel around his own neck.

"Aren’t you gonna sniff my sweat?"

"I’m not a creep."

"Then I will."

Suyuan tugged his soaked shirt, pressing her face to his chest.

"Can’t you tone it down?"

"We seize every chance to flaunt it in the class rep’s face."

"*Ahem.*"

The teacher’s awkward cough cut in. He barked orders for lining up—but Lin Shu still led the stretches.

Today’s PE was pointless: a few tai chi moves, then free time.

Lin Shu hesitated. Return to class? He’d just come back down for training. Start extra drills now? Exhaustion would kill him later.

As he stood frozen, Tian Peng hurled a basketball at him. Standing under the hoop, he beckoned. "Lin Shu. One-on-one."

Lin Shu caught the ball cleanly. Crossover dribble. *Perfect time-killer.*