A Happy Ending with my Fiancée's Arch-enemy - Chapter 26

“Just put it here, thanks.” Yu Ning pointed to her class’s area and thanked Su Yien.

The classmate from Class 2 who had helped her placed the equipment down as instructed.

Su Yien glanced at the curious Class 1 students staring at her and Yu Ning and sneered, “Is there no one left in your class? Or is someone abusing their power for personal reasons?”

Yu Ning didn’t find Su Yien’s remark inappropriate and even chimed in, “Who knows?”

Listening to their back-and-forth, the curious onlookers shifted their gaze to Lin Yanqing, who had remained silent all along.

She was staring at Su Yien, her expression cold, seemingly unaffected by Su Yien’s words.

“Class 1, assemble.” Lin Yanqing ignored Su Yien’s comment and began organizing her classmates to line up.

Shortly after, the PE teacher emerged from the office, instructing both classes to count off. After checking the numbers, he announced:

“Turn right, run three laps around the track, and then the class monitor or PE representative will lead stretching exercises.”

Upon hearing this, both classes let out simultaneous groans.

Three laps around the track meant 1,200 meters. Sun Yiyi, who had just run back from the classroom, turned pale and couldn’t help complaining, “I should’ve just stayed in the classroom.”

She had been delayed in the classroom because she hadn’t finished her homework, only to run to the track and hear such “bad news.”

“We usually only run two laps. Why three all of a sudden? I’ll be dead after this.”

Sun Yiyi continued to complain. The last time she ran 1,200 meters was two months ago when she accompanied Yu Ning from the school plaza to the track, but she had taken several breaks along the way.

“It’s fine, I’ll pull you along.” Yu Ning, standing beside her, comforted her.

During the first lap, Yu Ning and Sun Yiyi were in the second row of the line. Gradually, Sun Yiyi began to lose stamina, and Yu Ning slowed down to stay with her, gradually falling behind.

Whether it was because she hadn’t run in a while or due to differentiation, Yu Ning also felt her strength waning.

Class 2 followed behind Class 1. To avoid mixing up, Class 2 had deliberately started running half a minute after Class 1.

“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore. I need a break.” Sun Yiyi gasped for breath. “What kind of teacher is this? I can’t run anymore.”

Yu Ning glanced back and saw Class 2 about to catch up to them. She tugged at Sun Yiyi, “Just one and a half laps left. Hang in there. We’re about to fall into Class 2’s line.”

Sun Yiyi looked back, feeling both exhausted and annoyed, but she listened to Yu Ning and started jogging again.

Soon, Yu Ning and Sun Yiyi were overtaken by Class 2. They heard Su Yien’s teasing voice:

“Do you need me to pull you along, little Yu Ning?”

Yu Ning turned her head to look at her, meeting her clear eyes and bright smile. The striking blue-and-white headband on her forehead and a few loose strands of hair fluttered in the wind, making her appear spirited, warm, and radiant.

“No, I can manage.” Yu Ning turned back and replied.

“I’m the one who can’t run. Can’t you show some concern for Yu Ning’s friend?” Sun Yiyi sighed, displeased that Su Yien had ignored her again.

“Oh, so it’s you who can’t run? Isn’t she pulling you along? Me pulling her doesn’t conflict with that, right?” Su Yien replied with a smile.

Sun Yiyi thought about it and realized it made sense. Su Yien wasn’t so bad after all.

There was still one lap left to the finish line.

Initially, Su Yien had been running quite fast, but now she was jogging alongside them.

Yu Ning wondered, “Why are you following us?”

“I think your pace is quite healthy. I’ve never tried it before, and it feels pretty good.”

“…”

Was she implying they were running too slowly?

Not just Su Yien, but the entire Class 2 had slowed down, leisurely trailing behind them.

“Have we betrayed our class?” Sun Yiyi whispered to Yu Ning.

Yu Ning glanced back at the Class 2 students. Su Yien hadn’t said a word to her classmates behind her the entire time.

Suddenly, Yu Ning remembered how Su Yien had asked her classmates to help her carry equipment earlier, and none of them had complained, obediently following her instructions. She also recalled how, when Su Yien was punished to clean the school plaza, someone had willingly helped her.

Whenever she was around, Su Yien always had plenty of friends. It seemed she was quite popular and had strong influence?

It certainly didn’t match what she had heard.

By the time Yu Ning and Sun Yiyi finished their three laps, all the Class 1 students had been waiting for them in line for a while.

After stretching, the PE teacher announced that everyone was free to do as they pleased.

Yu Ning and Sun Yiyi took a mat and sat back-to-back on it, enjoying the scenery while waiting for the bell to ring.

“Yu Ning, want to play tennis? Doubles. You and Sun Yiyi can be a team.”

Yu Ning looked up. The speaker was an Alpha from her class whom she hadn’t interacted with much. Wondering why she was suddenly being invited, she spotted Lin Yanqing holding a tennis racket not far away.

Without hesitation, she declined, “I don’t feel like moving. You guys go ahead.”

Sun Yiyi watched this scene unfold, feeling a mix of emotions. She knew how much Yu Ning had once hoped to play doubles with Lin Yanqing and how she had always wanted to spend PE class with her.

Unfortunately, Lin Yanqing had never given her the chance.

Sun Yiyi recalled how, not long ago, Yu Ning had been so upset after being asked not to speak to Lin Yanqing for three days. Now, Lin Yanqing was finding ways to talk to Yu Ning. The change was simply too drastic.

Yu Ning rubbed her calves and noticed Sun Yiyi staring at her. She asked, “Do you want to play tennis with them?”

“Of course not.” Sun Yiyi wasn’t foolish. She had already spotted Lin Yanqing nearby. She had always been firmly “anti-Lin” and wished Yu Ning would stay as far away from Lin Yanqing as possible.

There were still fifteen minutes left before the end of class. Every class on the track was engaged in free activities. The sounds of basketballs bouncing on the ground, cheers and groans from games, and laughter from gossip all reached Yu Ning’s ears.

These were things she had never paid attention to before. In the past, her attention and hearing had always been focused on Lin Yanqing.

The late autumn, early winter sunlight wasn’t scorching. It felt warm and comfortable on her skin.

Yu Ning tilted her head back, squinting slightly as she gazed at the white clouds in the sky.

A moment later, she felt someone blocking her view and heard a voice say, “Looking at the sun like that will hurt your eyes.”

Yu Ning lowered her gaze, unwilling to acknowledge Lin Yanqing.

Beside her, Sun Yiyi was stunned. She hadn’t expected Lin Yanqing to suddenly approach Yu Ning.

Not just Sun Yiyi, even Yu Ning couldn’t understand what Lin Yanqing was doing.

But after a moment’s thought, it became clear. Perhaps Lin Yanqing thought she could still be of use?

Yu Ning was too tired to scold her. Her attitude had been clear enough.

Lin Yanqing had already done everything she shouldn’t have. It was hard to understand how she had the nerve to bother her now.

“Jiang Shuangshuang and I… it’s only because I owe her a favor, so I helped her.”

Lin Yanqing pursed her lips. Although she didn’t understand why Yu Ning had changed so much, she felt it must have something to do with Jiang Shuangshuang.

When Jiang Shuangshuang first transferred, Lin Yanqing accidentally learned that she had saved a little girl when she was seven or eight years old. That day, after accompanying Jiang Shuangshuang home from Sun Yiyi’s house, Jiang Shuangshuang twisted her ankle. Lin Yanqing accidentally saw the scar on her ankle, and Jiang Shuangshuang explained it was from saving someone in the water when she was young.

Only then did Lin Yanqing realize that Jiang Shuangshuang was the girl she had been searching for the one who had saved her.

But what did that have to do with Yu Ning? She was just an ordinary girl waiting for class to end.

“Yu Ning!”

Yu Ning turned toward the voice and saw Su Yien waving a tennis racket at her.

“Come over here and be my doubles partner!”

Whether it was because Su Yien was facing the light, Yu Ning felt she looked exceptionally beautiful today.

Especially now, as she smiled at her, she seemed to radiate brilliance from head to toe.

Yu Ning didn’t reply but stood up from the mat and patted Sun Yiyi. “Let’s go together.”

Sun Yiyi had a good impression of Su Yien. She recognized those who genuinely cared for Yu Ning.

Lin Yanqing watched the two walk away without hearing a single word from Yu Ning.

It seemed Yu Ning had grown so disgusted with her that even speaking to her was a waste of life.

But why?

“Let’s play tennis together? Doubles. Sun Yiyi and I will be a team, and you…”

“What exercises did you do today? Let me…”

It seemed she never let Yu Ning finish her sentences.

But she distinctly remembered Yu Ning saying, “It’s okay. I’ll try harder. There’s no one else by your side, so you’ll definitely fall for me eventually.”

That afternoon, she had almost been swayed by those words and agreed.

But now, looking back, she regretted not nodding. Perhaps if she had, everything would have been different.

When did it all start? It must have been when Su Yien appeared.

Lin Yanqing coldly stared at Su Yien, who was talking to Yu Ning.

All of this was observed by Jiang Shuangshuang, who found this side of Lin Yanqing unfamiliar.

Yet it also felt familiar. It seemed this had started earlier than she had imagined.

“Yanqing, let’s play tennis together.” Jiang Shuangshuang walked up to her, gazing at her gently as she waited for a response.

Lin Yanqing thought she had made herself clear, but Jiang Shuangshuang acted as if she hadn’t heard, still behaving as though they were close.

Lin Yanqing ignored her and walked past.

“Do you think if I stood up now and told everyone that the cold, aloof Alpha they admire barged into a room and marked me for no reason, what would they say about you?”

Recent rumors had been about Lin Yanqing’s messy Alpha-Omega relationships, but no one knew exactly with whom.

These rumors had spread widely, but many didn’t believe them. After all, Lin Yanqing was usually too cold and aloof, and some found it hard to believe such a narrative fit her.

Lin Yanqing stopped and looked at Jiang Shuangshuang. Gone were the usual timidity and gentleness in her eyes, replaced with mockery and malice.

For a moment, Lin Yanqing was stunned. She had once wished Yu Ning could be more like Jiang Shuangshuang.

But now she realized Jiang Shuangshuang’s timidity and gentleness had all been an act.

“Lin Yanqing, want to play tennis together?” Jiang Shuangshuang smiled at her, confident Lin Yanqing would agree.

To her surprise, Lin Yanqing only replied with a cold sneer, “Do you need me to arrange a school broadcast for you?”

Jiang Shuangshuang was taken aback. Too much time had passed, and she had forgotten that Lin Yanqing wasn’t one to yield to threats.