Bone-Attached Disaster - Chapter 13:

Chapter 13: Long-Distance Running

“I never said I couldn’t play basketball.”

There it is again, that pure and sincere expression.

Fu Jia’an remained very close to Lu Jie, sniffing greedily. It smells so good. If only… I could bury my face in his neck and smell it.

Lu Jie was consumed by fury. He felt played. “Then why were you learning with Ye Mingyan, pretending to be a beginner!?” How strange. Why would someone in their final year of high school be so bored, putting on such a long act just to mess with someone?

If there weren’t other people in the classroom, he would have grabbed the neck of this nonchalant little brat and given him a good lecture.

Of course, he didn’t know that Fu Jia’an was also thinking about his neck at the same time. “I wasn’t acting,” Fu Jia’an said sincerely. “I just wanted to study different shooting techniques. A girl’s technique is also very informative.”

“……”

So everyone else thought Fu Jia’an was learning on the fly, but Fu Jia’an was merely ‘learning without limits’?

Lu Jie quickly thought about the physics competition. The comprehensive science exam?

Does Fu Jia’an really sleep every day? Did he really surpass me, someone who has been working hard for over ten years, in just two weeks?

This thought didn’t make Lu Jie feel more balanced, but it did pique his curiosity about Fu Jia’an. He wanted to know why Fu Jia’an hadn’t been in school for many years, and how he spent those years. He wanted to know… When did Fu Jia’an get so close to me!

Not only was he close, but the mole on Fu Jia’an’s nose was also clearly visible for the first time—a small black mole. The shape of his lips was unique, looking moist and soft. Then he met Fu Jia’an’s eyes, slightly world-weary and downturned, the fold of his double eyelids a shallow crease. His pupils, at this moment, were like a window wiped clear during a thick fog, lighting up with a hint of spirit.

Lu Jie realized he was scrutinizing a man’s… no, a boy’s face, and was suddenly stung by a flutter in his heart. He immediately pulled himself together.

He gently tapped Fu Jia’an’s forehead with his overlapping index and middle fingers, breaking the strange, viscous air between them.

“Don’t stand so close to me.” It sounded more like coaxing than rejection or disgust.

Fu Jia’an nodded, calmly shifting his gaze. “Got it.” The scent was scattered by the wind from the window, leaving almost nothing behind.

The classroom filled up in the blink of an eye. Ye Mingyan stood at the podium and knocked on the blackboard twice.

“I’m announcing a temporary notice: for next week’s sports meet, each senior class is assigned two events. Our class has the relay race and the 3000-meter long-distance run.”

“Huh? Seniors never participate in the sports meet.”

“Is it because of that suicide incident? Maybe the city leaders are inspecting and focusing on the senior students’ morale.”

“Each class only participates in two events, and they’re specified… The whole senior grade is being cobbled together to form a complete sports meet, what a move.”

Ye Mingyan ignored the complaints and continued, “Four girls and four boys for the relay race, and two girls and two boys for the long-distance run. Everyone else will attend class as normal in the classroom.”

“This is too much of a formality!”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I’m really speechless with the school. Why not just cancel it completely?”

Amidst the clamor of doubts, Ye Mingyan first wrote her name in the girls’ long-distance running column on the blackboard.

Then Peng Yuan raised his hand. “I’ll participate in the relay race.”

The class monitor walked to the podium, took the chalk from Ye Mingyan, and wrote ‘Peng’ under the boys’ relay race. Stepping down, he tossed the chalk out. “Jiang Yan, choose one.”

“Alright, alright,” Jiang Yan wasn’t focused on studying, was good at all sports, and since Ye Mingyan was nice, he figured he should show support. He walked to the blackboard and wrote ‘Yan’ under the relay race. Then he turned around and asked Lu Jie, who was sitting in the back row, “Lu Jie, which one are you signing up for?”

“Write my name under the long-distance run.”

“Got it. Go for first place again this year.”

With a few people taking the lead, the rest of the sign-ups went smoothly. Soon, only one spot for the boys’ long-distance run remained blank on the blackboard. As if he had anticipated this outcome, Lu Jie suddenly grabbed Fu Jia’an’s wrist, raised his arm high, and announced rather maliciously, “Fu Jia’an signs up for the long-distance run.”

“Lu Jie,” Ye Mingyan put her hands on the podium, scolding fiercely, “You can’t decide for Fu Jia’an.” Who couldn’t see it? Lu Jie was clearly still holding a grudge from the afternoon’s competition, forcing Fu Jia’an into long-distance running.

Meanwhile, Fu Jia’an’s attention was entirely on his wrist. That strong hand held him, his palm was hot, and their arms were nearly touching, like actors bowing together at the end of a play, standing proudly side-by-side.

So, without a moment’s hesitation, Fu Jia’an stood up and walked to the blackboard.

Fu, Jia, An.

Stroke by stroke, he solemnly wrote his name next to Lu Jie’s.

“Besides being able to play basketball, he can run long distances? He’s a true all-rounder.”

“Now I’m a little skeptical. I’m not looking down on Fu Jia’an, but with his physique, what if he breaks down from running…”

“Didn’t a lot of people doubt him before he shot the basket too?”

“True. Maybe there’s a trick to long-distance running too. Don’t underestimate him! I felt the same way today watching Fu Jia’an shoot—you really can’t judge a book by its cover. Sports are about mind power, not just physical strength.”

Let alone the other students, even Lu Jie was starting to feel uncertain. He had initially intended to win a point back. If Fu Jia’an had backed down and said he couldn’t run, Lu Jie would have dropped it. But seeing Fu Jia’an’s confident, unhesitating look… if Fu Jia’an was also good at long-distance running, wouldn’t that just give the guy another opportunity to show off?

Damn it! Miscalculated!

Why is this person like an egg without a seam? Wait, he wasn’t a fly. Lu Jie felt he had been rash and disorganized lately, acting so restlessly after so long. Seriously.

That evening, when Fu Jia’an got home, Shen Rufēi was just about to leave for his shift at the hospital.

Shen Rufēi asked, “Did you have evening self-study today?”

“No, I just stayed a little longer to hear an announcement.” Fu Jia’an’s expression was normal. He bent down to find his slippers on the shoe rack and put them on.

Shen Rufēi’s gaze lingered on his back. “What was the announcement?”

“It was about the monthly exam rankings,” Fu Jia’an stood up and said naturally. “Oh, by the way, Brother, I got 19th place in the grade this monthly exam.”

“Not bad,” Shen Rufēi smiled and reached out to pat Fu Jia’an’s head. “When are you planning to get first place?”

“You talk as if getting first place is something I can control.” Fu Jia’an said.

“It’s up to you,” Shen Rufēi didn’t call him out, his face holding a gentle, indulgent smile. He turned and opened the door. “Well, I’m off to my shift.”

“Mhm.”

The door closed, and Fu Jia’an sighed. The one thing in the world he couldn’t predict was his brother’s thoughts, and the thing he feared most was his brother’s discipline. However, he probably didn’t know that he had signed up for the long-distance run, did he?

Otherwise, he would definitely have been pulled away from the basketball team with a grim face, just like in middle school.

When he was 12, he really wanted to go to school, really wanted to interact with peers. He was even scouted by the basketball club at the time because of his talent for shooting. He and Shen Rufēi had their only major argument over whether he should stay in the club, but later events proved Shen Rufēi right.

Fu Jia’an collapsed due to exhaustion during the second official basketball club practice. He went home with a fever, took medicine, and needed almost a month to recover. That illness nearly depleted all the reserves he had built up from years of being taken care of at home. Soon after, he took another break from school.

…

Signing up for the long-distance run wasn’t because he was confident he could get first place. It was because Lu Jie wanted to challenge him, and he would do it without hesitation. Whether he won or lost, he just wanted to stand next to Lu Jie.

The next morning, Dai Xin called Lu Jie to his office. The conversation was direct. “I heard Fu Jia’an is participating in the sports meet? And the long-distance run?”

Lu Jie hadn’t expected Dai Xin to bring this up. “Yes, that’s right. Is something wrong?”

Dai Xin frowned. “I wasn’t at school last night, but a teacher who passed by Class 1 told me that you suggested Fu Jia’an run the long-distance race?”

Lu Jie finally understood. His uncle was here to admonish him on behalf of his precious genius nephew. Anger flared up in his chest. “I didn’t force him. It was his own decision, and he wrote his name himself. He can back out anytime. Is anyone going to drag him onto the track?”

“He refuses to cancel his registration,” Dai Xin looked troubled. “I spoke to Fu Jia’an this morning.”

Lu Jie gave a slight tug at the corner of his mouth. “Then that’s his problem. Why are you coming to me about it?”

“Why can’t you listen to adults!” Dai Xin spoke with the earnest exasperation of an uncle. “I know Fu Jia’an is on the verge of surpassing you in grades, but can you please not use this method to make things difficult for him?”

On the verge.

Will surpass.

So, first place was pre-determined. When Fu Jia’an arrived, everyone else had to step aside, or it was against the natural order.

“…What do you mean?” Lu Jie smiled. “Do you think I’m jealous and deliberately bullying him? Yes, I admit I’m jealous of him. So what?”

Dai Xin shook his head repeatedly. “Lu Jie, Lu Jie, when did you become like this? You’ve always been a generous and composed child since you were small. You’re acting so… so immature now!”

The office door was open, and outside was a wide corridor. The rain started falling again. Lu Jie was standing inside, yet he felt cold all over, as if the rain outside was pouring directly on him, the chill spreading to his heart.

The more he listened, the calmer he became.

“You’re right. Everything you say is right.”

“Haven’t you heard? Jealousy makes people unrecognizable.”