LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 13
Before the end of school, Old Qin came to the classroom and announced that the provincial marathon competition was about to start in the Nancheng district next month.
"You must have heard about our province's marathon competition that is held every three years. This is a very important event, especially for students taking the physical exam. The trophies are highly coveted."
The students were all unenthused about this competition. They knew they wouldn't get any placements anyway.
But Lu Chi, Zhang Chengyu and a few other school athletics team members had been waiting eagerly for three years. They trained every day, just waiting for this marathon to help them compete for the glory of the trophies.
"Senior Chu, you should sign up!" Lu Chi patted Lin ChuSui on the shoulder. "Most of us are just running along for the ride. For you, you might actually be able to win a prize!"
Xiao Yan glanced at her, his eyes coolly sweeping over her slender shoulders.
Lin ChuSui noticed his gaze and said unhappily, "What are you looking at?"
"You can run a marathon?"
Lu Chi came over and said, "School God, you don't know this, but our Senior Chu not only has a photographic memory, she also has great stamina. In track and field and marathon, she got 5th place in the province three years ago. The mayor even personally awarded her the prize."
He patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and grinned, "She has great stamina, so things will be easier for you in the future. Hehehe."
Xiao Yan disgustedly pushed his hand away and glanced at the girl beside him. She had a slender figure, with wisps of hair hanging over her delicate shoulders.
It was hard to imagine that such a frail body could store so much energy.
Lin ChuSui felt Xiao Yan's burning gaze on her. She reached out and slapped Lu Chi, "Stop talking so much, be careful you drown in your own saliva."
"Our Senior Chu is just being modest."
"It's not about modesty," Lin ChuSui said in a low voice. "Mainly... the School God has already been enchanted by me. If you keep talking, he'll become even more smitten. How will I get rid of him then?!"
Lu Chi said, "You're right, we'd better keep a low profile."
Xiao Yan: "..."
Lin ChuSui had no plans to join the marathon.
She still had vivid memories of the last time she ran a marathon. It was a marathon around the city, from the central park all the way to the southern Huafu City.
That day, there was a fire in a residential building to the west, and her dad was urgently dispatched. She kept worrying about him the whole time she was running.
Unexpectedly, after running halfway through, her dad actually rode over on a bike! He hadn't even had time to take off his helmet, and his face was still smeared with soot from the smoke. He looked quite disheveled.
"Xiao Kuai, keep going! Xiao Kuai, keep going! Xiao Kuai, keep going!"
Lin ChuSui laughed at Old Lin, "Go wash your face first!"
"I'm not going back. If I do, I'll miss our Xiao Kuai's glorious moment of winning first place."
"How embarrassing! Pretend you don't know me."
"Heh," Old Lin laughed heartily, "Luckily no one was hurt or killed in that burning building just now. I happened to rescue an orange stray cat from the chimney and brought it back. I'll give it to you tonight as a marathon gift."
"Ahhh!" Lin ChuSui shrieked excitedly, "I'm not running anymore! I want to play with kitty now!"
"No way, you have to finish the race. I've trained you for so long. Today is the day to reap the rewards. Start running, you have to get a placement!"
Later, Old Lin rode his bike and accompanied Lin ChuSui for the entire marathon.
She did not disappoint Old Lin's training and got an excellent 3rd place in the province. Most importantly, she was the youngest in the top ten.
Afterwards, Lin ChuSui had an orange little cat.
But... after Old Lin passed away, the little orange cat also went missing.
Lin ChuSui did not sign up for the marathon.
In the past two years, whether it was studying or sports, she had slacked off. Other than occasionally shooting some hoops, her life could be said to have sunk into total gloom.
That evening after school, the head teacher contacted Lin ChuSui's parent to come to school to discuss her situation.
Lin ChuSui had come to the office feeling terribly nervous and anxious. But she realized that the person being scolded by Old Qin in the office was not Ms. Fang You Yi, but a strange man.
He was tall and quite handsome, with thick brows and big eyes - a distinguished looking gentleman.
After thinking for a long time, Lin ChuSui finally recognized that this was Ms. Fang You Yi's current husband and Xu Jia Ning's father - Xu Song Bai.
A few months ago, Ms. Fang You Yi had organized a dinner for Lin ChuSui to meet Xu Song Bai.
At the dinner, Lin ChuSui behaved very calmly and did not embarrass Ms. Fang You Yi.
And Uncle Xu Song Bai was also a taciturn man who did not like to speak much or make jokes.
Ms. Fang You Yi's taste clearly had not changed in a hundred years. She just liked this kind of masculine, tough guy type.
Xu Jia Ning bumped hard into Lin ChuSui's shoulder as she walked past her, then turned back and mouthed to her -
"You're doomed."
Lin ChuSui stumbled forward from her shove. She picked up a rock from the ground and threw it at Xu Jia Ning, but she dodged it.
Soon, Xu Song Bai walked out of the office. Lin ChuSui blandly bid him hello.
She was polite but distant with unfamiliar people. Especially since Xu Song Bai's status was sensitive now, she should be extra careful around him.
At the very least, she couldn't make him her enemy.
Xu Song Bai glanced at her but didn't say anything. He was holding her report card and walked towards the school gate.
Lin ChuSui couldn't figure out his intentions, so she followed behind him.
Exiting the school gate, Xu Song Bai's car was parked under a chinaberry tree. He didn't get in right away, but instead turned back and waved the report card at her -
"9 points in math, what's going on?"
Hearing his tone of settling accounts after autumn's harvest, Lin ChuSui thought he was quite convincing as a parent. Not nearly as polite as when they first met.
She muttered, "Don't know how to do it."
"Your mom told me your grades used to be very good before high school. Then they plummeted, is that right?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lin ChuSui felt a spark of anger rise in her heart from his aggressive questioning. "Why are you asking me? Ask my mom!"
"In our family, the young cannot speak to elders in this tone. A child's academic performance also absolutely cannot be below the top 50 in their grade. That is my requirement for Xu Jia Ning, and the same goes for you."
Lin ChuSui looked at this solemn man in surprise.
So this was why Xu Jia Ning had said she was doomed.
This man was a bit too XXXX!
"What if I can't test into the top 50?"
"If you can't get it, then do your best to get it. Since your grades used to be good, it means you're not stupid, just not hardworking enough."
Xu Song Bai said, "The head teacher said you're on the school athletics team and plan to take the sports exam in the future. Our family will not allow any sports students. On this point, your mother and I are in agreement. So for your last year, focus your mind on studying and test into a good university. I will supervise you throughout."
"Pfft." Lin ChuSui's mouth curled. "Who are you, uncle?"
"I'm your legal father."
"I'm not Xu Jia Ning. And definitely not your daughter. You can't control me."
Xu Song Bai grabbed the back of Lin ChuSui's collar. "Your mother is soft-hearted and can't discipline you. But I'm telling you, from now on, whatever Xu Jia Ning experiences, you will too. Know your place at home, and be polite outside."
A small flame of anger in Lin ChuSui's heart was instantly ignited into a towering inferno. She forcefully shook off Xu Song Bai. "No way!"
Of course Xu Song Bai would not let this little girl off so easily. He grabbed her shoulder again, "I don't want to discipline you in public, especially not in front of so many classmates. Keep some dignity and get in the car."
"What, are you going to hit me?" "However I discipline Xu Jia Ning, I can do the same to you. No one dares to say otherwise."
"I'm very curious how you 'educate' Xu Jia Ning to become this hypocritical two-faced gentleman."
Xu Song Bai seized Lin ChuSui's collar, trying to forcibly shove her into the car.
Lin ChuSui clamped his wrist with one hand, gave it a sharp twist, then nimbly somersaulted out from under his armpit, causing him to almost smash his forehead on the car.
Old Lin had always worried she would be bullied by bad boys, so when training her physically, he taught her grappling techniques.
Lin ChuSui had never used this move on the boys at school. She didn't expect the first time she fought back would be against this "stepfather".
Xu Song Bai was caught off guard and looked at her in surprise.
He clearly didn't expect this petite girl to be so skilled.
Anger flared in his eyes.
At least Xu Jia Ning had never resisted his XXXX "rule" like this before.
Whenever Ms. Fang You Yi talked about her daughter, she would sigh endlessly about how rebellious she was and impossible to discipline.
In Xu Song Bai's opinion, there were no undisciplined children, only indulgent parents.
The stick breeds filial offspring.
After all, wasn't Xu Jia Ning beaten obedient by him? He never dared resist, and grew up proper and refined entirely thanks to his upbringing.
For the first time, Xu Song Bai's paternal authority was confronted on all fronts by this little girl Lin ChuSui.
Xu Song Bai refused to back down and moved to grab Lin ChuSui again.
Lin ChuSui repeated her earlier maneuver, causing him to grasp at air once more.
"I really don't want to get physical with you and give others the chance to say I bullied a girl. But you should also know when to stop. If you really piss me off, I won't be polite."
Xu Jia Ning watched them from under the tree.
She had been waiting to enjoy Lin ChuSui's misery from being beaten by her "demon stepfather".
But unexpectedly, it seemed the "demon stepfather" was still no match for her!
Having endured his harsh "rule" for so many years, the corners of Xu Jia Ning's eyes lifted slightly. She felt strangely...
thrilled.
Xu Jia Ning casually took out her phone and recorded this historic moment.