Chapter 85: Triumphant Return

Early Monday morning.

Above the gate of First High School, two red banners hung proudly.

Students entering the campus all looked up, chattering excitedly.

A black Accord sat in the lot across from the main entrance.

Xu Chen and Li Rui stepped out, their eyes fixed on the school gate.

Li Rui had a cigarette dangling from his lips, grinning from ear to ear.

“Bing Ge really knows how to make an entrance!”

Seeing those banners from afar, Xu Chen couldn’t help but laugh.

【Warm congratulations to our school’s Xie Bingran for winning both the 100m dash and 100m hurdles at the City Games!】

【Warm congratulations to our school’s Xie Bingran for breaking the City Games record in the 100m hurdles and earning a spot on the Provincial Team!】

The City Games have been running in the municipal stadium all weekend and are still ongoing.

Xie Bingran’s results must have come out yesterday, yet the school put up the banners first thing this morning.

Clearly, everyone expected Bing Ge to win—no surprise at all.

Li Rui took a drag of his cigarette:

“Chen Ge, if you see Bing Ge today, send my congrats too!”

…

Xu Chen slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed for the gate.

Looking up at the giant name “Xie Bingran,” he felt a swell of emotion.

After all, not long ago she’d been expelled from First High and publicly reprimanded—now she was the school’s pride.

Inside the gate, a large crowd had gathered around the bulletin board on the right.

Xu Chen squeezed to the front and peeked, smiling again.

The new school newspaper was posted there, featuring a big photo of Bing Ge and an article on her victory.

The headline read, “A Star Is Born: A Divine ‘Bing’ Descends,” outrageous but fitting.

Yeah… pretty apt.

From the crowd came a flurry of girls’ squeals:

“Bing Ge is so handsome! I love her even more now!”

“She’s amazing—never picked the wrong idol!”

“She’s going to take the national championship next, right?”

…

Xu Chen laughed inwardly. Bing Ge’s times were more than national championship level.

He left the group and hurried back to the classroom.

At the back row, a cluster of students created a ruckus.

They were all gathered around Chen Dahai.

Xu Chen listened from behind and realized Chen Dahai was bragging about Bing Ge.

Over the weekend Chen Dahai had also competed in high jump at the City Games.

“You guys can’t imagine how stunning Bing Ge looks!”

“A whole squad of varsity athletes—even those who’ve trained at Sports University for years—were blown away by her!”

“The field went silent behind her…”

“Everyone was dumbfounded, thinking, ‘Where did this girl come from?!’”

“No one knew her at first. But after Bing Ge broke the record, the city TV crew rolled right up! She stole the show!”

“A bunch of boys were hunting to find her school; the girls were swooning…”

“First High was languishing outside the top three overall,

but her two titles plus a record and a relay win catapulted them back to first!”

“Our coaches strutted around the field like they owned the place!” …

Xu Chen wedged himself into the crowd with difficulty:

“Beer, soda, water, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge… make way, comrades…”

Everyone turned around:

“Hey, it’s Sister-in-Law! Give her a seat!”

Xu Chen: “…”

The teasing continued until a low cough came from the back door.

It was their bald-h eaded homeroom teacher, Zhang Liqun.

Instantly the students scattered back to their seats.

Xu Chen pulled out his mobile phone and texted Bing Ge:

【Coming back to school today?】

【Yeah.】

【Then I’ll take you out for a meal!】

【I’ll let you treat me.】

【Why?】

【I’ll tell you when you get here.】

…

…

During the break after first period.

Xu Chen sat in class sipping water when noise erupted outside.

Someone shouted down the hallway, “Bing Ge’s here!”

At once a crowd of students poured out.

Xu Chen chuckled and got up to join them.

He looked down the corridor and saw a bus pull into the gate.

Two lines of first-year students stood in formation to welcome them.

A few school leaders stood nearby as well.

The bus doors opened, and athletes in tracksuits filed out.

The assembled students burst into applause.

Chen Dahai peered down enviously:

“They’re the ones who brought honor to our school…”

Seven or eight athletes stepped off, greeted by school officials.

At the end of the line, Xu Chen finally spotted Xie Bingran.

She wore a black tracksuit and those red running shoes.

Shoes Xu Chen had given her.

She still carried that worn, dirty backpack.

Her short hair was slicked back; from a distance her delicate features looked cold and distant.

The moment “Bing Ge” stepped off, cheers erupted from the teaching building.

Xie Bingran looked the same as ever.

But her life had already changed forever…

Also on the bus were the team’s coaches.

Chen Ming, still recovering with his arm in a brace, was among them.

Xie Bingran strode forward, shaking hands with school leaders.

First High topped the City Games rankings, crushing Experimental High and ending years of setbacks.

And the key variable was Xie Bingran.

Her two individual titles and a broken record that had stood for years.

Plus the women’s 4×100 relay championship…

all of which cemented First High’s undisputed top spot.

After the honored athletes finished their reception, they were to head to the administration building.

Xie Bingran paused at the end of the line and glanced up at the teaching building.

As she turned, cheers rose from above.

Students called out “Bing Ge,” both boys and girls.

The girls were fangirls; the boys seemed to be her buddies.

Xie Bingran looked toward classroom 5 in the senior building.

Xu Chen, squeezed in behind the rows of students, knew she was looking for him.

He raised both thumbs high in the air.

Just like that day on the athletic field when, in her red running shoes, she tore through the rain-darkened track…

Xu Chen stood behind the human wall, arms raised, unsure if she’d seen him.

…

…

Morning exercises were canceled.

In their place came a “City Games Champions Ceremony.”

All the teachers and students lined up neatly.

On the podium, school leaders and PE research group teachers took turns praising the Sports Team’s performance at the City Games.

The greatest acclaim went, of course, to “Bing Ge” Xie Bingran.