Chapter 51: Basking in Bing Ge’s Spotlight

Xie Bingran stayed silent, glancing at Xu Chen, her mind still swirling with doubts.

Even if he could sneak her into the prelims venue, how could she actually compete…

After all, she wasn’t an athlete and never even registered.

Besides, she’s already been expelled.

Strictly speaking, she doesn’t even have the right to step onto campus.

Xie Bingran turned to Xu Chen and saw him staring at the field with absolute confidence.

Fine…

After all, I owe you one.

This afternoon, Bing Ge’s slot is yours. Do whatever you want.

The class bell rang suddenly, and the students by the field bolted toward the teaching building.

They weren’t rushing to watch the competition so much as to ogle the athletes.

High school sports stars often stood out in looks and drew plenty of admirers.

Chattering, a group of students laughed as they headed back to class—and caught sight of “Bing Ge.”

He’s a campus legend, just expelled this morning, now the hottest topic around.

Spotted back on campus, he immediately drew whispered comments and spiteful stares.

Xie Bingran shoved her hands in her pockets, expression unreadable, completely unfazed.

About ten minutes later, Chen Dahai appeared at the field gate, waving.

Looks like he slipped a few packs of smokes to grease the wheels.

“Let’s go.”

Xu Chen led the way onto the field while Xie Bingran lowered her head and followed swiftly.

Two tables stood at the gate with teachers registering names, keeping “unauthorized” folks out.

Now they’d vanished.

Chen Dahai leaned against the gate with a smug grin:

“Hurry in! Time’s short.”

Xu Chen and Xie Bingran said nothing more and hurried onto the track.

No sooner had they stepped onto the lane than two unfamiliar young teachers returned and sat behind the desk.

Who knows how Chen Dahai pulled that off…

Athletes darted across the field. In each event zone, students competed or warmed up.

Several coaches and teachers oversaw judging and registration.

Chen Dahai pointed to the opposite side of the track:

“The girls’ 100 meters is over there. It won’t start for a while.

Two referees will be handling it.

One’s from Experimental High School, he’ll fire the starting pistol.

The other’s our own Teacher Chen Ming, timing at the finish line.

I’ve already talked to Teacher Chen Ming—no matter who crosses first, he’ll record their time on the stopwatch…”

Xu Chen nodded.

He’d known all along that Teacher Chen Ming is Chen Dahai’s uncle by marriage.

In fact, Chen Dahai’s connections run deeper. Rumor has it a city sports bureau official is also family.

In a sense, he’s from a “sports dynasty”—no wonder he became an athlete.

Of course, all that came from Chen Dahai bragging after a few drinks.

He normally keeps a low profile, but his family is fairly well off.

When Xu Chen thought to pull Xie Bingran onto the track, Chen Dahai was his first call.

Hence today’s special arrangements for the prelims…

Chen Dahai glanced at Xu Chen:

“That’s all I can do.”

Xu Chen patted him on the shoulder:

“Thanks. I’ll buy you smokes tomorrow!”

Chen Dahai laughed happily:

“I’ve got my own meet to run. I’m off!”

He turned to Xie Bingran again:

“Go get ’em, Bing Ge…”

Xie Bingran looked at Chen Dahai and said softly but sincerely, “Thank you.”

Then Chen Dahai dashed off.

He’d help his buddy Xu Chen no matter the risk.

Still, he couldn’t wrap his head around Xu Chen’s plan—it felt downright weird.

Sending Bing Ge to gatecrash a girls’ 100-meter heat?

What’s the point?

She’s not an athlete and never even trained…

…

Xu Chen led Xie Bingran around the track and soon reached the girls’ 100-meter zone.

A dozen or so girls were warming up on and off the lanes.

Clearly they were all here for the prelims.

Besides their bib numbers, each had her school emblem taped to her shoulder.

Xie Bingran trailed Xu Chen in silence at the track’s edge.

She stole a glance at him, unsure what he had planned.

Xu Chen scanned the scene, assessing the situation.

There’s no hurdles event here—and she’s never trained for them anyway.

But a straight sprint is more than enough to showcase her talent.

Raw talent can’t be hidden.

After surveying all sides, Xu Chen turned to Xie Bingran and whispered:

“Each heat has four to five runners—lanes one through five. Lane six is empty.

Just stand in lane six, run on the starter’s pistol, and ignore everything else.”

Xie Bingran: “Ignore everything?”

Xu Chen smiled: “Just run—full tilt to the finish. Don’t worry about anything else.”

Xie Bingran froze, still puzzled, but simply replied, “Okay.”

That was Xu Chen’s blunt, straightforward plan.

All she had to do was run.

Could someone capable of an Asian Games gold not handle a small high school prelim?

To Xu Chen, it was a walk in the park.

Though she hasn’t trained formally, she should still embarrass the competition.

In his past life, Xie Bingran’s performance at a juvenile detention center sports meet drew Provincial and National Team scouts.

Talent like hers can’t stay buried once it’s seen.

He glanced at Xie Bingran and grinned:

“Teacher Chen Ming is at the finish line, ours. The starter’s from Experimental High School.

There are also a couple of referees from Second High here…

I heard from Chen Dahai that today’s prelims include at least two national-level judges and one national-level coach.”

Xie Bingran: “What does that mean?”

Xu Chen offered a mysterious smile and said only:

“Just run. You’ll see once you sprint!”

Xie Bingran looked half in understanding, half confused, and softly said, “Okay.”

The two stood at the track’s edge, waiting quietly.

Meanwhile, Xu Chen noticed several boys on the field watching them.

“Who’s that pretty girl by the track… Which school is she from?”

“Isn’t she from First High? She’s so beautiful! Our girls can’t compare.”

“Anyone know her? Introduce me.”

“Didn’t you see the guy next to her…”

“That’s our First High’s ace, Bing Ge, conquering both hearts and minds—one of the top three school beauties!”

“That’s Xie Bingran? Didn’t she get expelled?”

…