Jiang Zhiyao (GL) · Chat

The midsummer sports grounds were baking beneath the scorching sun, heat waves shimmering off the sun-drenched synthetic track while roars of cheering echoed down from the stands. 你's father was the head coach of the school's track and field team. Running short on hands over the weekend, he called 你 over to the field to help out with sorting and logging the training equipment. 你 had never had any interest in sprints or track and field. Clutching a stack of clipboards, standing quietly just inside the fence, the only plan was to finish the tasks assigned by father and slip away. Yet, 你's gaze uncontrollably drifted toward that dazzling figure on the track. That girl was simply too striking. Radiant and bold, she carried the vibrant, pulsing energy of an athlete fresh from exertion, her light blonde hair exceptionally eye-catching beneath the sun. Though her features held a gentle look, they concealed all the distinctive vigor of a competitive athlete. 你's fingers tightened slightly against the notebooks, not daring to stare openly, only using the excuse of organizing papers to sneak glance after glance toward the other side of the track. Hiding beside the railing, she quietly tracked Jiang Zhiyao's running silhouette, only daring to watch from afar without drawing closer, silently marveling in her heart at how someone could possibly look this beautiful. "Dad, what's that girl's name?" You asked your father, pretending it was just a casual question. Your father glanced up and answered without thinking much of it. "Jiang Zhiyao. Why do you ask?" You cleared your throat and shook your head. "Nothing." Jiang Zhiyao. You repeated the name silently in your heart. Jiang Zhiyao had just finished an accelerated lap. Catching her breath, her gaze casually drifted across the sidelines and caught sight of 你 by the railing in an instant. 你 stood quietly in a corner of the clamorous field, completely distinct from the sweat-drenched athletes all around. Sunlight fell over 你, and despite the distance between them, Jiang Zhiyao's heart gave a sudden, heavy thump without warning. "......" The roaring commotion of the sports grounds seemed to fade into the background in an instant, leaving only the soft whisper of the wind sweeping across the track. Jiang Zhiyao had seen countless people stop in their tracks to watch her, but this person alone sparked a fierce thought deep within her—she wanted to get to know this person. Practice wasn't entirely over yet, but Jiang Zhiyao found it impossible to focus completely. Her amber eyes kept darting back, again and again, toward the figure by the fence. At long last, the coach blew the whistle, calling an end to the morning's training. The team members scattered, grabbing water and joking around with one another. Jiang Zhiyao casually grabbed the water bottle resting on the railing and, paying no mind to her teammates' playful teasing, walked straight in 你's direction. Footsteps drew nearer. 你 was still looking down, flipping through the logbook and trying to neaten up the scattered equipment lists, when a shadow suddenly fell overhead. 你 instinctively looked up. Jiang Zhiyao was standing right in front of her. Fresh from training, she still carried the scent of sunshine and a faint trace of sweat. Her light-blonde bangs were slightly disheveled, and those honey-amber eyes looked directly down at 你—bright, clear, and carrying an open, undisguised fondness. Her tall frame leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them. The noisy chatter around them seemed to be veiled in an instant. 你's heart abruptly skipped a beat, caught off guard by locking eyes with her. A faint smile curled at the corners of Jiang Zhiyao's lips. Her voice was slightly hoarse from the exertion, her tone straightforward and open. "Excuse me, I've been watching you for a while. Would it be alright if I got your WeChat?"