Summer in Your Name - 28

The morning after, when Sheng Xia arrived at the classroom, her bookcase had already been moved to the middle.

Although Zhang Shu hadn’t shown up yet, she couldn’t think of anyone else who would’ve moved her things.

After spending so much time together, she was starting to get a sense of this moody guy’s mind, he was a bit cold on the outside but warm underneath.

Sheng Xia fished a piece of chocolate from her bag and slipped it into his desk as a thank-you.

No lollipops or gummy candies, he should make do with it.

At the afternoon class meeting, Hou Junqi announced the event list for the fun sports event.

Participation was mandatory for everyone, except those with physical limitations. So, everyone got assigned an event.

Sheng Xia saw her name listed under Linked Loops.

She had nine teammates, including Zhang Shu. The ten names were paired up, looking like couples, and her name sat right next to Zhang Shu’s.

What was this?

Other events had names like Ten People, Eleven Feet, Big Windmill, Roll Onward, and Wheels of Splendor…

Everyone else seemed familiar with these, no need for rule explanations, but Sheng Xia was totally clueless.

Wang Wei said, “If anyone wants to switch, talk to Hou Junqi. But unless you’ve got a solid reason, stick to the arrangements. If everyone swaps around, we can’t get anything done. Have some team spirit. The fun sports event is about having a good time, relaxing, and then gearing up for the monthly exams.”

Hou Junqi nodded like a bobblehead. “Exactly. I spent days making this list, factoring in everyone’s physical conditions and friendships. It’s super fair and just, so just put up with it even if you don't like it.”

“Watch your language,” Wang Wei shot him a look.

Hou Junqi bowed dramatically. “Got it!”

Below, Xin Xiaohe whispered to Yang Linyu, “Tch, fair and just, my foot.”

Yang Linyu didn’t catch on. “Huh? Isn’t it fine?”

“Idiot,” Xin Xiaohe huffed. “He paired Sheng Xia with Zhang Shu. That’s despicable.”

Yang Linyu glanced at the list again. “Sneaky.”

Xin Xiaohe’s gaze cut across the classroom to Sheng Xia, who looked utterly lost. “Poor thing, she must've no idea what's coming."

When Hou Junqi came down, Sheng Xia tapped his arm. “Brother Hou, do you have any rules for the events?”

Zhang Shu, hearing her call out, looked up and fixed his eyes on Hou Junqi.

Hou Junqi, feeling the pressure, stammered for a bit before saying, “I’ll explain it to you.”

“Linked Loops is where two people run with a hula hoop, five pairs in a relay race.”

Sheng Xia pictured it. “How do you run with a hula hoop?”

“You both get inside the hoop and hold it up while running. The hoop can’t touch anything but your hands, can’t go over anyone’s head, and can’t hit the ground.”

Sheng Xia frowned. “Running like that sounds tough.”

Two people in one hoop, matching pace, holding the hoop without swinging arms, and still trying to go fast, this…

Hou Junqi grinned. “If it was easy, would it still be a fun sports event? It’s all about teamwork.”

Sheng Xia thought it over and asked, “I’ve never done this before. I’m worried I’ll drag the class down. Are there any simpler ones?”

“The result doesn’t matter, no one cares about that. Just have fun,” Hou Junqi said patiently. “The others are harder. Want to hear about them?”

“Okay.”

“Ten People, Eleven Feet is ten people with their legs tied together, running. Big Windmill has ten people holding a long pole while running. Roll Onward is pushing giant inflatable balls, also in pairs, five groups in a relay. Sounds simple, but it’s not like park games. On the soccer field, those balls crash into each other like bumper cars, you need to handle the dizziness. Wheels of Splendor is a twist to a hurdle race, but instead of hurdles, you crawl through tires, also a relay.”

Hou Junqi glanced at Zhang Shu, who was smirking, then back at a stunned Sheng Xia. “So, which one? This brother will arrange it for you."

Everyone around them rolled their eyes: What happened to ‘just put up with it even if you don't like it’?

Sheng Xia was at a loss. She wasn’t good at any sports, let alone these quirky events. They all sounded hard, and she was bound to hold everyone back.

But…

Her peripheral vision caught Zhang Shu, looking completely unbothered.

But running with him would feel awkward.

Seeing her silence, Hou Junqi winked. “Didn’t I pick the best one for you? No crawling or rolling, how great is that?”

Sheng Xia pressed her lips together, neither nodding or shaking her head, unable to come up with a counterargument.

Hou Junqi continued, “This is really the best fit. Wheels of Splendor needs small builds, Roll Onward can’t have anyone too heavy, so by the time we get to Linked Loops, there aren’t many slim folks left. Scheduling was a nightmare!”

With him putting it like that, arguing felt wrong. Sheng Xia nodded.

A classmate nearby piped up, “Brother Hou, what happened to fair and just? Why’s she getting special treatment?”

“Buzz off!” Hou Junqi brushed it off. “Can’t I give the goddess a break? Got the skills to be the class mascot? Go be the signboard goddess if you can.”

The guy shut up, and the room burst into laughter.

Fair point, Sheng Xia was their sign-bearer, so crawling or rolling was out of the question. She was the face of the class.

Someone muttered, “Didn’t you assign Zhou Xuanxuan to Roll Onward last year?”

Hou Junqi heard this, shrugged, and spread his hands with a look that said, What are you gonna do about it?

Zhang Shu called out to him, “Let's go to the snack shop?”

Hou Junqi checked the time. “Now? Lunch is soon.”

Zhang Shu: “My treat.”

“What?!” Hou Junqi jumped up. “You’re treating? For real? What good deed did I do today? Let’s go, let’s go!”

The two slipped out through the back door down the small corridor. As they passed Sheng Xia’s window, she caught Hou Junqi asking, “Hey, A-Shu, that person who sent you snacks before—still at it?”

 

Zhang Shu chuckled. “Switched to chocolate.”

“Tch, tch,” Hou Junqi patted Zhang Shu’s shoulder. “Too persistent.”

Sheng Xia: …

Over the next two days, Sheng Xia realized Linked Loops was indeed a good pick. It didn’t need much practice, unlike Ten People, Eleven Feet or Big Windmill, which required ten people to train together.

Xin Xiaohe was the Big Windmill team leader. As soon as school ended, she’d grab the soft pole and rally her teammates to practice.

Lu Youze was in the Wheels of Splendor group. After the first day of practice, when they headed home together, Sheng Xia noticed his elbows were bruised purple and blue, worse than the others. Lu Youze laughed at himself, “No athletic talent. Never played these as a kid.”

“Me neither,” Sheng Xia could only offer comfort.

“Have you practiced with Zhang Shu for your event?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

Lu Youze: “I did Linked Loops last year. Sounds simple, but it’s kinda tricky. And…”

Sheng Xia slowed her bike, listening closely.

“There might be some physical contact.” Lu Youze said, glancing at her.

Sheng Xia had considered this. Since the hoop couldn’t touch their bodies, they’d have to stand close. But compared to Ten People, Eleven Feet, where you had to wrap arms around waists, or Roll Onward, where you might tumble into teammates, Linked Loops seemed tame.

“It’s just sports,” Sheng Xia said.

Lu Youze paused, then nodded in the dark.

---

Words were easier said than done. When Zhang Shu grabbed a hula hoop during PE and came to find her, Sheng Xia’s palms were sweating from nerves.

Zhang Shu, on the other hand, looked calm, and sounded almost casual. “Sheng Xia, let’s practice.”

“Oh.” She dropped the basketball and followed him to the soccer field.

In case of falls, Linked Loops was held on the grassy field.

When Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu arrived, the other Linked Loops pairs from their class were already there, and their arrival completed the group. One pair was familiar—Zhou Xuanxuan and Qi Xiulei.

Qi Xiulei, the group leader, had set the order: Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu were the fourth leg, while Zhou Xuanxuan and he took the final sprint leg.

“Practice in your pairs first. We’ll work on handoffs near the end of class,” Qi Xiulei said.

Zhang Shu’s eyes asked, “Where are we practicing?”

Sheng Xia looked around. “Far edge?”

Zhang Shu raised a brow and nodded slightly. “Let’s go.” With that, he dropped the hula hoop over her head. It landed around her waist, and with a tug, he started pulling her forward.

“What are you doing!”

He pulled the hoop from the front, dragging her along as she shuffled to keep up.

This guy! What kind of twisted fun was this?

Zhang Shu glanced back with a grin, catching her annoyed expression. He switched to walking backward, hands on the hoop, his playful eyes teasing.

No way Sheng Xia was letting him drag her like a puppy! She sped up, her waist pulling away from the hoop. It nearly fell, but Zhang Shu tugged it back, speeding up too. The hoop pressed against her waist again. She walked faster; he walked faster.

The cycle continues.

Zhang Shu’s mischievous laughter echoed across the soccer field.

The other pairs watched, dumbfounded, as the two of them played tug-and-chase.

Qi Xiulei was speechless. “Didn’t they get enough flirting as deskmates? Now they’re out here abusing us single dogs?”

His partner, Zhou Xuanxuan, shot him a look. “What are you blabbing about? Zhang Shu just loves teasing people. Hurry up and practice!”

Qi Xiulei rubbed his nose and shut up.

Sheng Xia got dragged to the field’s edge, ready to complain, but before she could, Zhang Shu ducked under and slipped into the hoop.

His sudden closeness caught her off guard. She stepped back instinctively but was trapped by the hoop. His chest was inches away, his breath grazing her hair. Sheng Xia froze.

Her head reached his chin, her eyes level with his throat…

His Adam’s apple bobbed, sharp like a blade grazing thin skin, ready to break through any second. It was almost startling to watch.

Sheng Xia’s gaze locked, her heart pounding like a drum.

What was in that throat of his? It was… so big…

“What, is there a map on me?” His voice came from above. “Look ahead.”

Sheng Xia snapped out of it, leaning back slightly and slowly raised her eyes. Their gazes met. Zhang Shu tilted his head, lowering his eyes. “Too handsome?”

Sheng Xia glared, turned her head, and spun to stand in front of him, keeping half a body’s distance.

Zhang Shu let out a chuckle.

He got why Hou Junqi was so hyped that day. When she glared, it was… oddly amusing.

Being in one hoop wasn’t easy to move in. Hou Junqi wasn’t wrong about picking slim people.

Both Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu were lean, so there was enough space.

But, “How do we run?” Sheng Xia muttered.

She glanced at the other pairs. Most had the girl in front, guy behind, the girl barely touching the hoop, the guy holding it up.

To balance, the guy left half the hoop’s space empty behind, crowding the front.

“Let’s go back-to-back,” Zhang Shu said.

Sheng Xia turned. “Hm?”

“Turn around, each hold the hoop in front. No rule says we have to face forward,” Zhang Shu said, stepping back to give her space. “We’ll run sideways.”

Sheng Xia got it. This way, they wouldn’t interfere or touch each other. As long as their steps and rhythm synced, it’d be fast.

Except… the running pose wasn’t exactly graceful.

She suddenly smiled. “Smart idea!”

The afternoon sun, bright and warm, spilled over her smiling face, catching Zhang Shu off guard. He coughed lightly and looked away. “Got it?” His tone was a bit forced.

Sheng Xia nodded. “Got it.”

It was definitely faster this way. Other pairs noticed and copied them. In less than half a class, everyone was nearly set. Then they practiced the relay.

The relay was simple, just pass the hoop to the next pair.

By the end of class, there was none of the ‘physical contact’ Lu Youze mentioned, all thanks to Zhang Shu’s clever idea. Back in the classroom, when Xin Xiaohe asked about practice, Sheng Xia told her everything.

Xin Xiaohe was surprised. “Zhang Shu’s that considerate?”

Considerate? Maybe that was the word.

Guys usually didn’t mind physical contact in sports, some even enjoyed it. Bumps were normal in games.

But he’d found a workaround, actively avoiding it. Maybe because he had a girl he liked and was keeping his distance from other girls.

Though sometimes the things he said to her were…

Sheng Xia couldn’t quite pin it down. On closer thought, it wasn’t much. Probably just her overthinking it.

On this matter, his approach was commendable.

Sheng Xia nodded slightly.

“Doesn’t seem like him…” Xin Xiaohe mumbled. “Is he just all talk?”

Sheng Xia didn’t follow. “Huh?”

“Enjoy the sports festival! Heehee!” Xin Xiaohe grinned.

---

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