Chapter 500: Another Pride Broken

On summer nights, the temperature starts to rise. Most people strip down to just a cool mat, especially the boys who don’t even bother with a bedsheet, resulting in a morning awakening to a body traced in enchanting lines.

At this moment, Chao and Ren Ziqiang are standing on chairs, cleaning the blade of a fan before flicking the switch.

“Is there any wind?”

“Feels like it can’t even move a strand of my hair…”

“Ah well, we should be grateful this old fan spins at all.”

Ren Ziqiang jumps down and pulls up a chair to the desk to start a card game with neighbors Zhang Guangfa and Zuo Baiqiang, soon their faces are plastered with strips.

Some say junior year is truly when you can appreciate college life because those who should have girlfriends by now do, and there’s no need to worry too much about the future, plus there’s a bunch of friends.

Card games, love, and bragging make life joyful, leaving no room for sadness.

This saying fits Ren Ziqiang and the others quite well.

After a while, Jiang Qin brings back Fugui’er to room 208, then returns to the dorm, holding something ball-shaped in his right hand while using his left to open the door, looking rather odd.

“Old Jiang, did you hurt your right hand?”

“Mind your own business, billion-dollar boss!”

Cao Guangyu is watching dramas online, and on hearing this, he’s stunned, thinking, ‘Can’t I even show concern without getting snapped at?’

Jiang Qin pulls out a chair and sits, observing his hand with a look of half-dreaming, a tingling sensation spreading in his heart.

What he is holding in his palm is invisible and intangible, yet it feels warmly rounded – a friendship.

As the week progresses, the temperature keeps rising, and the old fan in room 302 strains mightily. There are nightly card games, Zhang Guangfa and Zuo Baiqiang sometimes even bring back cold dishes to accompany their boasts.

Jiang Qin doesn’t join them in cards, mainly because Ren Ziqiang and the others disagree with the ‘loser takes all’ rule; instead, he spends most evenings jogging.

At Linchuan University, the long-distance running club has recently organized a large-scale nightly running event. Jiang Qin has been participating for three days, watching himself grow stronger each day, feeling very grounded.

The wealthy can hire drivers and secretaries to ease their daily lives, but fitness is something that must be done personally, much like urinating.

And since his friendship has evolved, Jiang Qin feels building a strong body will eventually come in handy.

Wondering what for?

No, he doesn’t know, but he senses this iron-like body will prove useful one day.

On Wednesday night, deep in the dark, the sports field plays Yang Peian’s “I Believe” while a bustling crowd circles the tracks, some running continuously, while others take frequent breaks or switch to speed walking.

Jiang Qin just finished a lap, drenched in sweat, when he sees Feng Nanshu and her roommate heading towards the rest area under dim lights, their high ponytails swaying, expressions cool and fierce.

The night running event has been quite popular lately, not just for fitness but for its social aspect.

Some guys, wearing shorts and tank tops, have met dozens of girls since they started participating but haven’t completed a single lap. Such types are surprisingly common.

Wang Haini has been to the field a few times this week. This time, it seems she’s brought along her entire dorm to check out the sporty guys.

“Eh, Feng Nanshu, looks like your beau is here too. I knew we’d see some hotties if we came out!”

“Where’s my hubby?”

The little rich girl flicks her ponytail, her eyes searching wildly.

Wang Haini points towards the rest area near the flagpole: “There, the one drinking water, isn’t it him?”

“Kinda looks like him.”

Feng Nanshu squints and then dashes towards the flagpole, looking at him under the light: “Jiang Qin, good evening.”

Jiang Qin reaches out to flick her ponytail: “You guys running too?”

Wang Haini and Gao Wenhui catch up: “We’re just here for the fun of it, and to check out any hormone-raging sweet young things.”

“Might not find soft youngsters bursting with hormones, but there is a Daniel Wu who can do push-ups for half an hour as easily as drinking water.”

Wang Haini squints her eyes: “Really? Prove it, show me his abs.”

Feng Nanshu immediately pouts: “No abs!”

“Nanshu, you’re so stingy. Just one look. It’s not like he’ll lose one of the six abs.”

Jiang Qin grips his shirt, thinking it over, then gives up: “No can do. My buddy wouldn’t like it.”

Gao Wenhui makes a suggestive face: “Wife-spoiler.”

Jiang Qin: “????”

“Didn’t you know? Since the campus beauty contest, everyone knows about Feng Nanshu being the boss’s lady. The forums even say you’re a wife-spoiler, Jiang Qin. She tells you not to go to gatherings, and you don’t.”

“That’s all just wild guesses by clueless people. They’re gullible enough to believe rumors, but you know we’re just good friends. How could you fall for rumors?”

Gao Wenhui chuckles: “I’m not arguing, whatever you say.”

Feng Nanshu looks up at him: “A straight shadow flinches not at slanting sun; Jiang Qin, you spoil your good friend.”

Jiang Qin smiles: “See, even the person herself says so.”

Gao Wenhui shows agreement but can’t help but mutter: “Like coaxing a fool…”

Jiang Qin’s brow furrows immediately, his face stern as he turns to Gao. He might call the little rich girl a fool, but he won’t allow others to.

“Wenhui, don’t say that again.”

Gao Wenhui, seeing Jiang Qin is a bit upset, mutters, “Just kidding, okay? You’re not foolish, but I am. A billionaire gets upset over being called foolish?!”

Jiang Qin hears this and grows more annoyed: “Hold on, who exactly were you calling a fool just now?”

Feng Nanshu also narrows her eyes: “She’s just spouting nonsense. You’re not foolish, brother.”

“??????”

Wang Haini is at the sports field to check out good-looking men. Just then, a vest-wearing guy jogs by and practically sweeps her off her feet.

She immediately grabs Gao Wenhui and heads to the running field like a beautiful butterfly, mingling with the sweat-drenched crowd, familiar or not, chatting up everyone.

Jiang Qin watches the nighttime scene, thinking how healthy Wang Haini’s boyfriend must be, damn, all organic every day.

“Jiang Qin.”

“Hmm?”

“I think my left is a bit bigger than my right.”

“?”

Jiang Qin pauses on hearing Feng Nanshu’s voice, taking a moment to understand, then turns to find her looking down at her chest and then gazing up at him, somewhat foolishly.

“How did you notice?” His voice trembles slightly.

“Saw it while showering.”

“How could that be?”

Feng Nanshu pauses: “Maybe it’s from your kneading.”

Jiang Qin swallows, feeling his throat go dry: “I wasn’t that rough, was I?”

“You were.”

“So… what do we do?”

“Don’t just bully the left from now on.”

Jiang Qin observes Feng Nanshu’s serious expression, hesitates, then nods. He thinks he hears a snap—if nothing unexpected happens, another pride is probably broken.

He’s a yearly subscriber to a video site and can even access restricted images on Zhihu. One would think his excitement threshold should be high.

But somehow, Feng Nanshu can make his blood boil with a single sentence. The worst part? She’s not even flirting, just sincerely suggesting.

Death by temptation…

Meanwhile, Wang Haini twirls around the field and returns feeling like her face will freeze from pretending cuteness: “Damn, acting cute is exhausting.”

Gao Wenhui looks at her: “If I had a crush on you, I’d have a brain hemorrhage by now. You’re too flirty, not pure love at all.”

“I didn’t ask for their QQ numbers, just feasting my eyes—you know, just playing the part. Hey, where’s Nanshu?”

“No idea, is that them up ahead?”

Gao Wenhui casually points and spots a couple sneaking into the grove.

Wang Haini can’t help but smirk: “Must be kissing again.”

“Probably.”

“All that talk of getting burned by hot soup, I suspected as much. I’m too flirty; no one can fool me.”

Later, as the night run winds down and the residential halls begin their curfew, Jiang Qin casually escorts Feng Nanshu back, handing her over to Gao Wenhui.

The little rich girl’s cheeks are flushed, her eyes moist and glued to Jiang Qin—an obvious sign of lengthy cooing with her ‘hubby,’ not aloof at all.

Gao Wenhui finds it puzzling why it didn’t end as red as last time; you can’t even tell.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin turns to leave the field, solemnly raising his left hand as he returns to the dorm, leaving Cao Guangyu puzzled.

What’s with Old Jiang? One moment it’s his left hand, then his right, always babbling on about something.

“Jiang bro, I just met a journalism junior.”

“That’s good, keep it up.”

Zhou Chao comes over: “Her sister admires you a lot and wants to add you on QQ.”

Jiang Qin shakes his head: “No need.”

“She says just being friends is fine.”

Jiang Qin lies on the desk, looking at his left hand: “In this life, I’ll only have one friend.”