Chapter 41: The Rumor-Mill Will Run Itself Ragged

Jiang Mingzhi didn’t rush to find Pei Jinyang. Instead, she finished watching Zhuang Heyang’s race, took a few selfies with Lin Wan, and then squatted by the track to wait for Meng Yuanyuan.

She saw that Meng Yuanyuan was nearing the fourth lap, meaning she had already completed half of the 3000 meters.

Jiang Mingzhi stayed by her side, cheering her on.

“Good job, Meng Yuanyuan! You’ve already beaten 99% of the people!”

“Keep going, Yuanyuan! Tell yourself you’re the master of your own body!”

“Maintain a steady pace, great job! Your fat is burning away, run one more lap, and you’ll lose three pounds!”

Meng Yuanyuan gritted her teeth, with only the sound of the wind and her heavy breathing in her ears. Everything around her blurred, and she could barely make out anything anyone said.

She had been running every day recently—not just before her evening study session but also sneaking out afterward to run. She had indeed lost weight over these past few days.

Her legs moved on their own, and her arms swung mechanically. It was as if her brain and body were in two different states.

Even if her brain sent signals for her to stop, she knew it would be nearly impossible now.

How many laps had she done? She felt like she was about to collapse.

Running with glasses was impossible, and everything around her seemed to swirl. Her soul felt disconnected from her body, as though she was no longer present in her physical form.

Her throat hurt, her lungs ached, even her hips were sore. Was that her great-grandmother ahead waving at her?

The cheers around her seemed loud, but were they all for her?

She heard a familiar voice: “Last 200 meters!”

Out of nowhere, she found a surge of strength and picked up speed, with only one thought in her head: the finish line.

She passed two people in quick succession and crossed the finish line with all her might.

It felt like her body was being dragged forward by multiple hands, pulling her along.

“Keep going, don’t stop.”

“Take a sip of glucose water, just a little.”

“Meng Yuanyuan, you’re amazing! You’re third!”

The glucose water, with a straw, was placed at her lips, and she took a small sip, soothing her dry throat.

She wasn’t sure how many people were holding her up, but after stumbling another few meters, she collapsed onto the plastic track, the sky spinning above her.

Jiang Mingzhi had some of the girls help massage her limbs, relaxing her muscles.

It took a long time for Meng Yuanyuan to recover. After hearing that she had placed, she was so happy she didn’t know what expression to make.

She reached up to touch her bangs, now drenched in sweat, and asked Jiang Mingzhi, “Are my bangs completely out of shape?”

Jiang Mingzhi chuckled, speechless. “What are you worried about, at a time like this?”

“Just wash your hair tonight, blow it dry, and they’ll be fine.”

She gave Meng Yuanyuan a hug. “Yuanyuan, you’re really amazing.”

Meng Yuanyuan hugged her back. “Zhi Zhi, thank you.”

Before the race, Meng Yuanyuan had always said it was more important to participate and that it was okay if she didn’t finish. But once the starting gun went off, she didn’t say a word, only providing encouragement and companionship.

If it weren’t for Jiang Mingzhi being there with her, she wouldn’t have been able to push through.

---

Every day during school felt long and full, starting from 6 or 7 AM. After all the work, it still felt like half the day had only passed.

That’s exactly how Jiang Mingzhi felt now.

During school, time always seemed to drag, and the day felt never-ending. But once you grow up, time slips away without you even noticing.

At 2:30 PM, Jiang Mingzhi and Guan Jinxu reported to the broadcast station.

Two sets of seats were placed at the entrance of the broadcast room, where they were responsible for reviewing the scripts that students had submitted.

Excellent submissions were turned in for broadcasting, and the classes that had more selections could earn extra points.

Jiang Mingzhi took a sip of water to moisten her throat while fiddling with the equipment. She chatted with Guan Jinxu, “How could Liao Jinyi trust the two of us to do the live broadcast? Isn’t he afraid we’ll mess up?”

This was clearly a huge amateur operation.

Guan Jinxu smiled. “Are you lacking confidence in yourself, or do you not trust me?”

“I trust both of us.”

At the broadcast station, reading scripts didn’t require announcer-style delivery. The standards weren’t that high, as long as your tone was pleasant and your Mandarin was standard.

“Younger us, full of confidence, the breath of youth like the rising sun, with energy flowing like sunlight. At this moment, the track is our magnificent stage, and every cheer is…”

As their voices alternated on the broadcast, many students, who usually treated the broadcast as background noise, started listening closely.

“Wow, I never noticed it before, but now they really sound perfect together,” one student commented.

“Who’s on the broadcast? Their voice sounds so familiar.”

“It’s Guan Jinxu and Jiang Mingzhi.”

“Mingzhi’s voice is so soft, the southern girls are all so gentle~”

“Don’t you think Guan Jinxu is starting to speak more like Jiang Mingzhi?”

Catchphrases are contagious, especially when one person is secretly in love with another. They unconsciously pick up each other’s catchphrases and little habits.

Chen Zhanbei instinctively glanced at Pei Jinyang, who, as expected, had a dark expression on his face.

In the broadcast room, Jiang Mingzhi turned off the microphone while Guan Jinxu played a pre-prepared song. The two worked in perfect harmony.

From 2:30 to 4:00, the one-and-a-half-hour slot couldn’t just be spent reading scripts. There would be songs and announcements of lost-and-found items interspersed.

During the sports meet, a lot of things could be found on the track, from textbooks and notebooks to phones and keychains.

Guan Jinxu took a box of cookies out of his backpack and placed it in front of her. “Want to try? My grandma made these cookies herself.”

Since his grandma retired in Beijing, she often mentioned Jiang Mingzhi. When she found out snacks could be brought to the sports meet, she not only packed a whole backpack full of snacks but even made butter cookies herself.

She even made them in the shape of little bears. “Little girls love things like this.”

Jiang Mingzhi picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, the buttery taste filling her senses.

“It’s delicious. Your grandma is amazing.”

At exactly 4:00, Jiang Mingzhi left the broadcast room on time. She and Guan Jinxu went downstairs together. Her mind wandered to the rumor that had branded her as a thief, and she didn’t notice that Guan Jinxu had been glancing at her several times.

Before they reached the track, Jiang Mingzhi said, “I still have something to do. I need to go to the classroom for a bit.”

Guan Jinxu looked at her, feeling like there was a storm brewing.

“Do you need me to go with you?”

“No need,” Jiang Mingzhi waved her hand, turning toward the teaching building.

She had been wondering where Pei Jinyang was.

In her past life, whenever he wasn’t in a competition, he would stay in the classroom playing games.

So, she decided to check the classroom first.

She was going to find Pei Jinyang and settle the score.

Why should he slander her, accusing her of stealing his bookmark without any evidence?

---

Guan Jinxu walked along the tree-lined path toward the track, which was surrounded by iron railings.

Wei Daiqing and He Yuegui had been standing by the entrance of the track, observing the people coming and going. When they saw Guan Jinxu, Wei Daiqing adjusted her bangs and tugged at her skirt.

When Guan Jinxu walked closer, they pretended to casually bump into him.

“Hey, Guan Jinxu, you’re here. Have you seen Jiang Mingzhi?”

Guan Jinxu replied, “She just went to the classroom.”

Wei Daiqing dramatically covered her mouth with one hand, pretending to be surprised. “What? Did she go alone?”

Guan Jinxu frowned slightly. “Do you need to talk to her about something?”

Wei Daiqing said, “It’s not really anything big. I just wanted to confirm something with her.”

He Yuegui, who was holding her arm, exaggeratedly gasped, “Daiqing! She went alone, could it be…”

Wei Daiqing made a worried expression. “Huh? Really?”

Guan Jinxu, unable to tolerate more cryptic remarks from these two dramatic girls, said impatiently, “Just say it directly.”

Wei Daiqing hesitated, then said, “Actually, it’s not a big deal. I just wanted to remind you to stay away from her.”

He Yuegui nodded. “Yeah, otherwise, if something goes missing, you wouldn’t even know. She went alone to the classroom, and who knows, she could be going to steal something. After all, I heard that thieves get addicted to stealing…”

Guan Jinxu’s frown deepened. “You’re saying she’s a thief?”

Wei Daiqing nodded. “I heard from someone that she stole Pei Jinyang’s golden bookmark to sell it, and…”

Before she could finish, Guan Jinxu impatiently interrupted, “You believe in these rumors? What’s wrong with you two?”

After being so bluntly scolded, the two girls’ expressions soured.

He Yuegui indignantly said, “Pei Jinyang himself admitted it. He said she took his book the first day she moved into the Pei family’s house, and then when she returned the book, the bookmark was gone. This rumor even reached the international department. It’s embarrassing for our department!!!”

Wei Daiqing added, “That’s why we wanted to ask her directly.”

He Yuegui said, “What’s the point of asking? A thief would never admit to being one. By the way, is anyone in the class right now? Should we go check? Just in case…”

In case they could catch her red-handed. She didn’t believe that Guan Jinxu would still be friends with a thief.