Chapter 401: Punishment Run
After a command to turn right, everyone’s body mechanically shifted without anyone making a mistake.
Mr. Liu chuckled but didn’t continue to give further commands. He just let everyone stand there like that.
"Hmm, I think turning slower is also good. This way, you all get a more even tan. After the training, you’ll all be completely tanned."
Mr. Liu’s words made everyone dislike him a bit more, including the boys.
It’s not just the girls who are afraid of getting a tan; the boys are too, because being too dark makes the girls not even look at you.
"Turn right!"
Suddenly came another command. After completing the move, Lin Tian was now facing Liou Qingcheng’s profile.
What’s this girl thinking? Why hasn’t she turned yet?
At this moment, Liou Qingcheng had her head down, staring at the ground. Everyone else had already turned, but she remained motionless.
Seizing the moment before the instructor noticed, Lin Tian swiftly tapped Liou Qingcheng on the shoulder, whispering a reminder: "Turn quickly."
Liou Qingcheng, absent-minded with her head down, suddenly felt someone tapping her. When she turned her head to look, she saw that annoying yet inescapable face.
Liou Qingcheng’s eyes reddened more, and upon seeing Lin Tian, her mind went blank, yet she felt extremely aggrieved.
"Don’t touch me!"
It was a roar with anger, a reproach directed at Lin Tian, but also an outburst of a girl heartbroken beyond endurance, disregarding everything around her.
With that, Liou Qingcheng’s tears finally betrayed her and rolled down.
Instantly, all eyes turned toward them, not only from their class 42 peers and instructor. Others on the field also turned to watch.
However, other classes were quickly reprimanded by their instructors and resumed standing in military posture, though their thoughts lingered on Lin Tian and Liou Qingcheng.
Mr. Liu walked to the back of the line, his gaze lingering on Liou Qingcheng and Lin Tian for a moment, then said, "You two, step out."
By now, Liou Qingcheng had come to her senses, realizing what she had done earlier. She gave Lin Tian an apologetic glance, then began to feel regretful inside. Why do I feel sorry for him?
The two walked to the front of the line, facing their classmates, with all eyes focused intently on them.
Lin Tian even saw Sisi and Meng Nan winking at him.
"What happened?" Mr. Liu asked.
"I was distracted; he was just reminding me. It’s not his fault," Liou Qingcheng said, her red eyes carrying a trace of apology as she glanced at Lin Tian. Then inside, she regretted again, Why do I feel sorry for him?
Mr. Liu laughed, curiously scrutinizing the two and asked, "Just now, I saw you having quite a temper and crying so sadly. Was it this boy who bullied you?"
Liou Qingcheng lowered her head, uncertain how to explain the matter, as her heart and mind were a chaotic mess.
"Sir, this has nothing to do with her. If punishment is needed, just punish me," Lin Tian replied with a straight posture, answering loudly.
Mr. Liu glanced at Liou Qingcheng’s teary look, finding Lin Tian’s words reasonable.
"This female student, you can go over there to rest. Continue the training in the afternoon," Mr. Liu said.
His words were met with approval from the classmates, after all, with Liou Qingcheng crying her face full of tears, the one at fault must be Lin Tian. Moreover, with Liou Qingcheng’s endearing look, who else but her deserved a rest?
Mr. Liu then turned to Lin Tian, saying: "As for this male student, you can run twenty laps around the field."
The moment he said this, not only did the classmates exclaim, but other classes nearby also started whispering, though their eyes conveyed a hint of schadenfreude.
The track is 400 meters for one lap; twenty laps are 8,000 meters. In many eyes, this number is daunting because they themselves wouldn’t be able to endure it.
Liou Qingcheng wiped away her tears and stubbornly said, "Clearly, I was the one who broke the discipline, so why does he get punished while I rest?"
Mr. Liu was taken aback, then said, "If someone breaks the discipline, someone has to be punished. There can’t be no consequence for both of you, right?"
"So he should be punished?" Liou Qingcheng argued, "Instructor, I was the one who broke the discipline. You tell me how I should be punished."
"Sigh," Mr. Liu sighed somewhat resignedly and then said to Lin Tian, "You can rejoin the group for now."
At that moment, everyone’s eyes were tensely fixed on Lin Tian. If he really rejoined now, he might be looked down upon by many, right?
Lin Tian didn’t move but instead looked at Liou Qingcheng with her teary face, "Instructor, I’ll go back once I see she’s alright."
"This is defiance of orders; you must also be punished," Mr. Liu said expressionlessly.
Lin Tian nodded, "Then punish me."
"Twenty laps around the field."
"Alright."
"Why aren’t you moving then?"
"I’ll go when she’s fine."
"I’ll add five more laps later."
"Okay."
"You’re a real man," the instructor chuckled, then turned to Liou Qingcheng, "Female student, sing a song first, then rejoin the group."
"Instructor, I choose to run," Liou Qingcheng said.
Saying that, without looking back, Liou Qingcheng started running toward the field.
Liou Qingcheng ran slowly, knowing Lin Tian would catch up, but internally fearful—what if he doesn’t come?
After a short distance, hearing no footsteps behind, she started getting anxious, glancing back to find Lin Tian already catching up, soon to overtake her.
"Why does this guy run without making a sound?"
She felt a bit annoyed inside, mostly filled with a warm feeling, warmer than this scorching sun.
Suddenly, Liou Qingcheng realized she couldn’t let him catch up, so she quickened her pace. After a while, she glanced back again, realizing that rascal seemed closer than before, speeding up once more.
Throughout the athletic field, all classes stood in military posture until suddenly two impeccable figures, a stunning beauty and a handsome guy, appeared on the track, playing a chase game.
Instantly, the monotonous military training became interesting, and everyone was silently counting the laps the two were running. Yet, they couldn’t constantly stare, and a momentary distraction would make them forget.
But Mr. Liu wouldn’t forget. He was a disciplined soldier, though he thought highly of Lin Tian deep inside, he couldn’t let him sneak off or slack.
Initially, Liou Qingcheng didn’t want Lin Tian to catch up, so she didn’t conserve her strength. One lap, two laps, she managed fine, but by the third lap, she clearly felt her energy waning, slowing down her pace.
At the same time, turning back, Liou Qingcheng expected Lin Tian to be some distance away, only to find him right behind her, so close that stopping could make them collide immediately.
Seeing Liou Qingcheng turning back again, Lin Tian grinned, revealing a handsome smile, "The instructor just said, female students can either sing a song or run two laps, then you can rejoin the group."
"I won’t," Liou Qingcheng said, lifting her proud head again and quickening her pace.