Keep My First Kiss Safe For Me - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Oh my god!”

Standing on the scale, Fan Yue let out a wail. She jumped off quickly, then stepped back on stubbornly, staring at the numbers with a face full of disbelief. “Is this scale broken?!”

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Qian asked, covering her mouth as she took medicine for a canker sore from the school nurse. The nurse laughed at Fan Yue’s reaction: “You can’t blame my scale just because you ate too much over the New Year.”

One meal doesn’t make you fat, but the happy winter break days of eating and sleeping had indeed added some weight. Fan Yue pinched the “inner tube” around her waist and squeezed the flesh on her cheeks, asking Xiao Qian in a panic, “Did I get fat?”

Her face did look a bit rounder, but Xiao Qian didn’t have the heart to crush her. The words changed as they left her mouth: “It’s fine. You aren’t fat, right?”

The words of a best friend can’t be trusted. The numbers just now had truly terrified Fan Yue. She reflected on her pain and declared, “I’m going on a diet!”

“Haven’t you been shouting about a diet every day?” Fan Yue had been saying that since high school started, but no one had seen her take any action.

Fan Yue clenched her fists: “This time, I’m serious!”

Xiao Qian wasn’t optimistic. “How? Can you actually control your mouth?”

“If I can’t control my mouth, I’ll move my legs. I’m going to run!” Fan Yue made up her mind. “Starting today, I’m running every night after self-study.”

“Then I wish you success.” Xiao Qian’s mouth hurt too much to open properly; her voice sounded like it was stuck in her throat. Just as she stepped out of the infirmary, she was grabbed. Fan Yue, half-coaxing and half-threatening, dragged her by the arm. “You’re running with me!”

“Me?” Xiao Qian shook her head like a rattle. “No way, I’m not going. My mouth hurts.” She covered her mouth and groaned.

“It’s just a canker sore, your legs are fine! Besides, it’s dangerous for me to run alone at night. Aren’t you worried I’ll be kidnapped?”

Xiao Qian shook her head: “I’m not worried…”

Fan Yue dragged her along, talking to herself: “It’s settled then.”

That night, Fan Yue dragged Xiao Qian along for their first night run. For the next few days, as soon as the bell rang for the end of self-study, the two of them headed straight for the track.

“Slow down.” Xiao Qian’s legs were like lead. Fan Yue, who had run a distance ahead, slowed down and jogged back, lifting her knees in place to tease her: “Can’t move already? Your stamina is so pathetic.”

Xiao Qian rested her hands on her knees and pouted: “I don’t need to lose weight. I have no motivation.”

Fan Yue tsk-tsked: “Think bigger! Running isn’t just for weight loss; it’s for health. With that weak little body, how are you going to build the nation and serve the motherland?”

A boy passing by happened to hear this and couldn’t help but chuckle. Fan Yue glanced over, but the boy had already run off.

Xiao Qian watched him, a bit puzzled: “Why do I feel like I see that boy every day?”

Fan Yue didn’t care. “Are we the only ones allowed to run at night? Hurry up, get moving!” With that, she pulled Xiao Qian and continued running.

The next day, Xiao Qian practically glued herself to her desk and refused to run no matter what. Fan Yue had no choice but to go to the track alone. She wasn’t running fast. As she rounded a bend, a boy caught up from behind and slowed his pace to match hers. Fan Yue glanced at him; he looked somewhat familiar.

The boy spoke first: “Hi!”

Fan Yue gave him a polite nod but gradually increased her speed. The boy also lengthened his stride, introducing himself as they ran: “I’m Yu Mingxuan, from Class 7, Grade 11.”

Class 7? That was a science class downstairs; no wonder she didn’t know him. Fan Yue didn’t understand his intention, so she just gave a polite smile. Just as she was hesitating whether to introduce herself, the boy acted like an old friend: “I know you. Fan Yue, from Class 3, right?”

Fan Yue nodded and took a proper look at him, recognizing him as the boy who had smiled at her that other night. Now that he mentioned it, it seemed she did see him every night during her run.

The two continued talking without stopping. Yu Mingxuan kept a respectful distance, occasionally striking up a conversation.

Over the next few days, he appeared punctually every night to run with her. Fan Yue found him pleasant and well-mannered, with a funny way of talking. He wasn’t a bad partner for a night run.

When Xiao Qian heard she had a running mate, she immediately started gossiping: “Does he like you?”

Fan Yue hit her forehead with a Chinese textbook: “Do you watch too much TV? Just because he talks to me doesn’t mean he likes me! We’re just running partners. It’s safer to have someone with me.”

Xiao Qian recalled the boy’s appearance, resting her chin on her hand as she critiqued: “I’ve seen this Yu Mingxuan. He’s not a ‘love at first sight’ handsome guy, but his features are decent. Height-wise, he’s okay—probably not quite 1.8 meters yet, but he’ll still grow. His personality seems nice…”

Fan Yue interrupted: “Are you picking a boyfriend for yourself?”

“No, I’m vetting him for you.”

“Well, thank you very much!” Fan Yue didn’t take her words to heart.

…

Downstairs at the dorm, a lone Xiao Qian was suddenly blocked by a dark shadow. “Oh mama, you scared me to death!” Once she saw it was Xie Yanyan, she started stuttering: “Wha… what?”

“Why isn’t Fan Yue back with you?” Xie Yanyan hadn’t seen Fan Yue for several nights.

“She’s been night running lately,” Xiao Qian answered.

“Alone?”

Xiao Qian shook her head: “No.”

Xie Yanyan frowned: “With who?”

“A ‘Night Run Knight’,” Xiao Qian jerked her chin toward the track. “She has someone to accompany her every night now.”

“A guy?” Xie Yanyan’s voice dropped.

“Yeah, named Yu… Hey! Why did you run off?” Before she could finish, Xie Yanyan had vanished.

As the weather warmed up, the track became crowded at night. Some people walked, others chatted in groups. Xie Yanyan scanned the area several times before spotting Fan Yue running on the track, and indeed, there was a boy beside her.

Seeing the two of them laughing and talking as they ran, a sudden spark of inexplicable anger surged from the soles of her feet. Xie Yanyan stood on the track with a cold face, waiting. Fan Yue soon reached her and was surprised to see her: “What are you doing here?”

She stopped, and Yu Mingxuan stopped as well.

Xie Yanyan didn’t answer her. She glanced at the boy out of the corner of her eye. Yu Mingxuan looked slightly nervous and offered a smile.

The “Ice Beauty” naturally ignored him. Xie Yanyan grabbed Fan Yue’s wrist and yanked her aside.

“What are you doing?” Fan Yue was completely confused. She turned back to wave at Yu Mingxuan. “You go ahead, don’t wait for me.”

Yu Mingxuan nodded and ran off. Xie Yanyan spoke: “Who is he?”

“His name is Yu Mingxuan, he’s in Grade 11…” Fan Yue began to introduce him.

Xie Yanyan interrupted: “I didn’t ask that. I asked, what is he to you?”

“What is he? He’s nothing?” Fan Yue felt even more baffled. “We’re just running partners.”

“Just that?” Xie Yanyan’s tone softened slightly.

“What else would it be?” Seeing that she had nothing left to say, Fan Yue returned to the track. Xie Yanyan started running too. Fan Yue asked, “What are you doing?”

Xie Yanyan said expressionlessly: “Running.”

“Why are you running?”

“Why are you running?” Xie Yanyan countered.

Fan Yue was speechless. “I’m trying to lose weight.”

“Why lose weight? You’re cuter with a bit of meat on you,” Xie Yanyan said very softly.

“What did you say?” Fan Yue didn’t hear clearly, but Xie Yanyan had already run ahead.

From then on, the duo became a trio. Fan Yue ran with Yu Mingxuan, with Xie Yanyan added to the side. Whenever Yu Mingxuan opened his mouth to speak, Xie Yanyan would glare at him until he shut up.

“You brought two bodyguards for your night run, huh?” Xiao Qian and Fan Yue were jumping rope together during P.E. class.

Xiao Qian preferred quiet to movement; she only jumped a few times before sneaking under the shade of a tree to slack off. Fan Yue continued jumping intermittently, her tone quite helpless: “It would be so much better if you ran with me. Running with those two is so awkward.”

Xiao Qian certainly didn’t want to. She looked at Fan Yue to change the subject: “Your night running is really effective. How many pounds have you lost?”

“Really?” Fan Yue touched her waist. “I haven’t dared to weigh myself lately, but I think I have thinned down.”

“Not bad, not bad.” Xiao Qian seized the opportunity to gossip. “I think Yu Mingxuan likes you. Why else would he run with you every day? But your sister… I understand her less and less. How is your relationship now, anyway?”

“It’s okay, better than before. I don’t really get her either.” Fan Yue was truly troubled. If you said their relationship was good, Xie Yanyan was always frosty and silent. If you said it was bad, she had cooked for her and given her the red string bracelet. Thinking of this, Fan Yue instinctively rubbed the moon bracelet hidden under her sleeve.

“Hi!”

Yu Mingxuan walked over from the other side of the track, waving to the two of them. He handed over two bottles of drinks. Fan Yue and Xiao Qian both politely waved them off, but Yu Mingxuan smiled awkwardly: “Give me some face. If you reject me directly, those guys will laugh at me until I die.”

He pointed behind him. Not far away, several boys were stretching their necks to watch. Yu Mingxuan scratched his head. “Those are my buddies. They’re making a scene.”

Since he put it that way, they accepted the drinks. Xiao Qian could see that Yu Mingxuan had come specifically for Fan Yue. For the sake of her best friend’s happiness, she tactfully slapped her forehead. “Oh no, I forgot I have something to do! Fan Yue, stay here, I’ll be right back.” And then she vanished.

“What could you possibly have to do?” Fan Yue watched helplessly as Xiao Qian disappeared. To avoid an awkward silence, she had to find something to say to Yu Mingxuan: “Do you have P.E. now too?”

“No,” Yu Mingxuan replied, stepping a bit closer. “We were just passing by after moving materials for a teacher. I saw you and wanted to say hi.”

Fan Yue nodded with an “Oh.”

“Um, can I add you on WeChat?” Yu Mingxuan took his phone out of his pocket. At this gesture, the boys in the distance started cheering again, and someone even whistled. Fan Yue felt embarrassed but didn’t want him to lose face in front of his friends, so she just said, “I don’t have my phone on me.”

“It’s okay, just tell me your number. I’ll add you.”

After Fan Yue gave her number, Yu Mingxuan dialed it, let it ring for a few seconds, then hung up. He put the phone back in his pocket with a smile in his eyes. “That’s my number. If you need anything, you can call me anytime.”

“Not just during night runs,” he added. He then said goodbye. “I’m off.”

“Okay,” Fan Yue waved her hand.