Didn’t Let Go of My Sleeve

“Classmates, class is now over. Respected teacher, you have worked hard…”

The school replaced the simple bell with a long string of gratitude, which in the students’ view was a disguised way of shortening their half-minute break.

The English teacher on the podium was a very open-minded young female teacher. She didn’t drag out the class, signaling everyone to hurry out—senior year students still had to participate in group running laps after the first class. The school’s explanation was to protect the students’ health.

To be honest, many senior year students actually disliked the running activity. Compared to running, they preferred staying in the classroom to work on problems or chat. Naturally, they would skip the run and simply not go down.

If this were the first or second year, the homeroom teacher would definitely go upstairs to catch and drag them down for the run, as it concerned whether the school was implementing educational policies. But for senior year, most teachers would choose to turn a blind eye.

After all, whether physical health or academic performance is more important is indeed a question with many answers.

Pei Du was not among those who disliked running. He neatly tidied his desk and followed the main group downstairs for the run. Zhao Yu didn’t come down with him, saying he would use the running time to continue catching up on homework.

Regarding the trade-off between physical health and academic performance, Pei Du’s answer was always that health was paramount.

If your body is good, there will always be opportunities to learn knowledge; if your body is not well, there will be plenty of chances to cry when you get older.

Zhao Yu, ah Zhao Yu, the thirty-year-old you—no, the twenty-five-year-old you—will regret not coming down to run with me. Thinking this, Pei Du reaffirmed his determination to take good care of his body.

“Host, may we begin selecting your first perfect life partner?”

Just as he reached the corner of the stairs leading down, the system couldn’t wait to showcase its “screening function” to Pei Du.

After all, it was his golden finger; he had to give it some attention. This time, Pei Du didn’t say to wait again and readily agreed to let the system select this so-called first perfect life partner.

He was also quite curious to know if this system could truly find a perfect life partner that matched his standards.

Before he had even descended two more steps, news of success had arrived from the system, which presumptuously popped up the blue panel on its own.

Quite efficient.

Just as Pei Du was about to look at the photo on the popped-up panel to witness the function of his golden finger, he suddenly felt something like a steel plate wrapped in soft mud slam into his back. Immediately afterward, he felt a pair of hands encircle his waist, pulling him downward.

Pei Du, who had just taken a step down the stairs, momentarily lost his balance and control of his body, abruptly sliding down one step. Fortunately, his physical fitness and sense of balance were good. Relying on the crowded environment for support, he barely managed to steady himself from falling forward.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was bumped into and lost my balance just now.”

The hands encircling his waist quickly retracted, but a young girl’s flustered voice rang out beside him.

Not from behind but from the right?

Pei Du realized it was the girl who had just crashed into his back. After steadying himself, she must have immediately moved to his side to apologize.

Seeing the girl reach out as if to support him, Pei Du quickly waved his hands, indicating it was nothing.

“It’s okay. Be careful when walking.”

The other party didn’t seem to be doing it on purpose, and her attitude in admitting fault was quite positive. Since he wasn’t injured, naturally, it was best to let major issues dissolve into minor ones and minor ones into nothing.

He recalled that indeed, a few girls had been hurrying downstairs just now, almost squeezing past people from the left as they rushed down. They might have accidentally bumped into her, causing her to lose balance and fall.

Pei Du looked at the girl beside him, whose height reached just below his chest and whose figure appeared quite slim even in her school jacket. He believed she wasn’t doing it on purpose; this was truly a body that looked like it could be blown away by the wind.

And it was also fortunate that such a light, paper-like body hadn’t been able to knock him down.

“Classmate Pei, should we still go to the infirmary?”

The girl’s voice was very pleasant, with a clear, transparent quality like a flowing spring. There were no trailing tones; it was very penetrating.

The two of them continued downstairs while talking, maintaining a tacit understanding not to block the flow.

“So, do we go this way?”

“Really, there’s no need.”

Unknowingly, they had reached the first floor. He Chengxi seemed to still be intent on taking him to the infirmary. Pei Du genuinely felt it was unnecessary and simply wanted to head straight for the running track, thinking He Chengxi would likely take this as a cue to let the matter drop.

Pei Du took a step towards the playground.

Soul-searching aside, he somewhat enjoyed He Chengxi’s “solicitous care.” However, maintaining his health through daily running was also very important.

He was determined to become a man who could confidently declare “I can do it!” to any sport at twenty-five. How could he casually give up precious exercise time?

Of course, Pei Du wasn’t being stubborn or putting on a macho act. His refusal to go to the infirmary was based on his body not sending strong signals of pain or discomfort, coupled with a tiny bit of pride not wanting to appear fragile in front of the girl.

He had only taken one step forward when a slender little hand gently grasped his sleeve. The grip was light—he could have easily broken free by simply walking on—yet it held him firmly in place.

“This way.”

He Chengxi pulled Pei Du towards the school infirmary at the back.

It was less of a pull and more of Pei Du adjusting his pace to match the girl’s.

He Chengxi’s hands were truly beautiful. Each finger was distinct and perfectly proportioned. Her petite hands, due to their ideal proportions, appeared long and slender. Her nails were not grown out, clean and tidy, with pink nail beds that looked like they were coated in a jelly-colored polish.

The thin sunlight streamed down, draping her entire being in a layer of sacred, glowing gauze.

Pei Du wasn’t a hand enthusiast. It was just that when recalling that scene later, the clearest memory was of the girl’s fair, small palm—so small he could probably envelop it entirely with one hand.

Nothing else remained.