Chapter 54: Black Lightning on the Track

Teacher Chen Ming deliberately ignored Tian Chaorui and turned to the runners on the track.

“Each athlete must stay in their own lane—stepping on the line means disqualification.”

“Students training in lane six, please stay clear of the competition.”

He glanced over at Chen Dahai standing off to the side.

Chen Dahai let his arms hang casually, then discreetly gave Chen Ming a thumbs-up.

Xu Chen exhaled in relief.

That sudden hiccup had been handled.

After so many twists and turns, he’d finally gotten Xie Bingran onto the track.

He was thrilled.

He leaned toward Chen Dahai and whispered,

“I’ll buy you two packs of cigarettes tomorrow!”

His gratitude was genuine.

That kid always seemed unreliable, joking around all the time—but when it counted, he came through.

Chen Dahai chuckled and smirked with satisfaction.

Tian Chaorui planted her hands on her hips, acne-scarred face twitching, and called out to Xie Bingran from the staging area:

“Xie Bingran, I’m in heat two—don’t tell me you’re too scared to face me!”

Maybe she still resented being pushed down by “Bing Ge” earlier.

Now that they were on the track, she felt an urge to crush Xie Bingran.

Tian Chaorui was the city’s top female 100-meter sprinter, and she was supremely confident…

But Xie Bingran only glanced at Tian Chaorui and gave no reply.

Tian Chaorui snorted in disdain, her already-dark face twisting with contempt.

…

“Runners, take your marks!”

Referee Lu Qiang pulled a starter pistol from his kit bag.

Teacher Chen Ming, stopwatch around his neck and record book in hand, moved to the finish line.

The athletes stretched, then dropped into their starting positions.

On your marks—

The crowd of onlookers swelled.

Besides the race itself, Xie Bingran’s unexpected appearance had sparked endless speculation.

No one understood why “Bing Ge,” expelled just that morning, was suddenly back—and why he was running with the team…

Lu Qiang, starter pistol in hand, took his place by the track and blew a whistle as a pre-race warning.

Xie Bingran crouched and glanced at Xu Chen by the track.

Xu Chen smiled and raised his voice a notch:

“Bing Ge, take it easy on them—give the track athletes some face!”

“…”

The runners in the other lanes shot Xu Chen a glare, displeased.

Inside, though, they couldn’t help feeling disdain.

Sure, you can’t mess with “Bing Ge,” but this is the track—respect the pros’ ability, right?

Whispers rippled through the spectators again.

Chen Dahai scratched his head, utterly confused.

What on earth is Xu up to…

Everyone’s eyes fixed on Xie Bingran in lane six—no one truly expected her to win.

They’d come to see Bing Ge out of curiosity and confusion.

Tian Chaorui crossed her arms, sneered at Xie Bingran, looking even more like a thug.

…

“Women’s 100m prelims, heat one!”

“Set…”

“Go!”

Bang!

With the gunshot’s crack,

several figures shot forward off the blocks!

Chen Dahai muttered,

“Too slow…”

Xie Bingran, clad in all-black training gear, had indeed reacted a step behind.

She started half a body length back.

Xu Chen held his breath, eyes locked on the track.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Four seconds…

Suddenly Xu Chen burst into laughter and sank to the ground, propping himself up on his arms.

He laughed, every muscle finally relaxing after days of tension.

All around him—the two judges, Wang Liang, Tian Chaorui, Chen Dahai—stood stunned.

Because that dark figure, trailing by half a length, had in an instant surged to the lead!

She wore no professional spikes and non-track pants…

Yet she moved like a streak of black lightning, red tarmac burning beneath her feet.

She seemed to appear from nowhere.

Effortlessly…

She tore through the deep-red track, leaving everyone else in the dust.

Before raw talent, all effort seemed futile…

In that moment, on this modest high school field, at this unassuming city meet preliminary,

the future “Asia’s Female Flash,”

the “Queen of Women’s Hurdles,” the continent’s shining hope…

revealed her astonishing gift to the world for the first time.

On the track, she was queen.

…

…

Black lightning crossed the finish line.

Xie Bingran slowed to a stop, her chest heaving.

This afternoon belonged to Xu Chen.

He’d asked her for a favor, so she’d obeyed.

“Just run your race—give it your all, don’t worry about anything else,”

he’d told her.

So she did, sprinting nonstop to the finish.

She had no idea what her run would achieve; Xu Chen told her to do it, and she did.

It was a debt she owed him.

…

Xie Bingran caught her breath and suddenly noticed how quiet it had grown.

The usual racket on the field had fallen away; she could even hear her heart pounding.

She turned, bewildered.

Everyone was staring at her, eyes wide.

It made her uneasy.

In truth, since she was very young she’d hated being watched.

She felt those looks held disgust, scorn, contempt, ridicule…

Teacher Chen Ming hurried over, stunned, eyes fixed on Xie Bingran, speechless.

After a moment he asked,

“Who… are you?”

Clearly, the young PE teacher didn’t know “Bing Ge” Xie Bingran.

He’d only helped his nephew Chen Dahai out.

Xie Bingran frowned, unsure how to answer.

Referee Lu Qiang also hurried over.

His beer belly jiggled, starter pistol still in hand.

He panted as he crossed the 100m track.

Lu Qiang glared and demanded,

“What was the time?!”

Chen Ming said nothing, instead showing Lu Qiang the stopwatch.

Lu Qiang gasped when he saw the numbers.

The other coaches and PE teachers raced over to check the time too.

…

Silence lingered on the field, but beyond the fence a roar erupted.

Shouts rang out:

“Bing Ge!”

Xie Bingran looked up and saw her crew.

Zhao Feng, Fang Tao, Liu Ao, Li Xing, Cheng Yong…

thirty or forty of Bing Ge’s brothers had gathered outside the field.

They were held back by barriers and staff at the gate.

All they could do was shout her name from afar.

Word spread that Bing Ge, expelled that morning, had returned and showed up on the field.

Worried for her, they’d broken free and rushed here.

They, too, had witnessed that incredible display.

A wave of excitement and pride ignited among these “bad kids.”

They didn’t know how to show it, so they cheered from behind the fence.

“Wolf Dog Xie Bingran!”

Those same boys were once mocked as feral dogs.

Now they barked with excitement,

because their wolf dog had stolen the spotlight.