Today, Feng Yiman finally realized that Chen Yu was the quintessential bad boy slacker. During class, he either slept or played on his phone. After class, he'd either be glued to his girlfriend or bossing around his lackeys to fetch him things.
She prayed repeatedly for the afternoon to arrive. The homeroom teacher would be rearranging the seating chart then, and she could finally escape sitting near this creep!
Fourth period was PE, and the PE teacher announced a merciless 800-meter run.
Groans erupted from the class. Chen Yu, the class sports representative, held more sway than the teacher. A single cough from him silenced everyone.
The PE teacher spotted Feng Yiman in the crowd. "Why aren't you wearing athletic shoes? Didn't you know we had PE today? And you're wearing jeans?"
All eyes turned to her. Mortified, she started to explain, but Chen Yu jumped in. "She's a transfer student. It's her first day."
The PE teacher relented. "Remember to wear athletic shoes and pants next time."
"Yes, sir," she replied, glancing at Chen Yu, the tallest among the boys. His sharply defined face was expressionless.
"Chen Yu, lead your class in a two-lap warm-up jog, then get ready for the 800-meter run," the PE teacher instructed.
Teachers always favored students like him.
Finally, the PE teacher added a "reminder."
"Ladies, if you're planning on asking me for a period excuse, let me know in advance. This run will count towards your final grade. Run or not, it's up to you."
The school demanded well-rounded students, implementing a performance score. Even with excellent academic grades, a poor performance score could result in a parent-teacher meeting. This score encompassed not just PE, but other aspects as well. This was precisely why so many parents fought to get their children into this school.
Feng Yiman wanted to bang her head against a wall, preferably until she passed out. Could she be any more unlucky? First day, PE class, and her period started. She couldn't bring herself to ask for an exemption.
Sighing, she decided to just go through with it. Her pink and white hoodie, jeans, and shell-toe sneakers made a cute outfit, but weren't exactly ideal for running.
After the 800 meters, she was completely spent. Her lungs burned, and her muscles ached. She longed to collapse on the ground, but her body wouldn't allow it.
Worse, the strenuous exercise had unleashed a torrential flow, far heavier than usual.
Panicked, she leaned against a wall and checked. The dampness confirmed her worst fears. "Oh crap!" she muttered.
This day was officially the most embarrassing of her life. How could she face anyone?
She wanted to die.
The girls ran first, then the boys.
Chen Yu, unsurprisingly, came in first. His long legs propelled him effortlessly, and many girls cheered him on. With a bigger crowd, they could have formed a fan club.
"Excellent! Even faster!" The PE teacher beamed at Chen Yu's time on the stopwatch.
Chen Yu, hands on his hips, caught his breath. He clapped the teacher's shoulder. "Hey, Mr. Liu, finish your sentences. 'Faster time,' not just 'faster.' You can't say that about a guy!"
The PE teacher playfully kicked him. "You little punk, you think you're so smart!?"
The students gathered at the finish line, surrounding either Chen Yu or the PE teacher. No one noticed Feng Yiman.
She sighed repeatedly. What was she going to do? She both craved attention and desperately wanted to avoid being seen in this state.
Then, Chen Yu spotted her. His breathing slowed, and he walked over. "What are you doing here?"
"I, I…" she stammered, wishing he were a girl.
Chen Yu saw her flushed cheeks and followed her gaze to her back pressed against the wall, then lower…
A metallic scent hit him. He understood. A smirk spread across his face. Arms crossed, he tilted his head. "Did you have a miscarriage or something? Why do you smell so strongly of blood?"