The Wobbly Morning Run and a Shocking Revelation

Having meticulously arranged her plans and actions, and firmly established the guiding principle of “openly repairing the plank road while secretly marching through Chencang” (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning to pretend to do one thing while secretly doing another), Aileen gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and rose to depart.

“Leaving already?”

Xi Yao called out, attempting to detain her. “Won’t you stay a little longer?”

“My duties are pressing,” Aileen replied. “I must take my leave.”

While Aileen spoke these words, she thought, ‘What entertainment could I possibly find in your dorm room? Besides, merely coming here and having two glasses of water already counts as a triumph.’

“I shall trouble you again next time, should the need arise.”

“Very well then,” Xi Yao conceded. “Shall I see you out?”

“No need,” Aileen politely declined.

As Aileen departed, Xi Yao retreated to her bed, her attention immediately claimed by her phone. Jiang Li, after a brief moment of contemplation, settled back into her original seat, resuming her book.

A slight blush crept onto Jiang Li’s cheeks as she scrolled through the posts Aileen had commissioned. ‘To think that’s how I appear in others’ eyes,’ she mused.

‘And was her big-chested roommate truly so remarkable?’

Pondering it deeply, the young woman was surprised to realize that, yes, it was indeed true.

****

Sunday drew to a close in this tranquil atmosphere. Xi Yao, however, still felt remarkably fulfilled, attributing it to the crucial conversation that had transpired earlier that morning.

‘I’ve truly exerted myself,’ she thought. ‘It’s time for an early night.’

Zzzz

****

As the weekend faded, Monday dawned. Despite the absence of a morning study session, Jiang Li awoke exceptionally early, her daily routine a testament to her unwavering discipline.

Typically, she was the sole occupant of the room awake at such an hour, silently engrossed in a book. Today, however, the instant her eyes fluttered open, she beheld her big-chested roommate on the opposite bunk, gracefully stretching and twisting from side to side.

“Hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo,” came the sounds of exertion.

Her contortions were—how to describe them? It was evident she was putting in immense effort, yet Tuantuan (TL Note: A nickname referring to Xi Yao’s chest) appeared to be exerting itself even more vigorously than her body, forcing Xi Yao to expend additional energy merely to maintain her equilibrium.

“Xi Yao,” Jiang Li asked, her gaze filled with bewilderment. “What exactly are you doing?”

“I’m doing flexibility exercises, huff,” Xi Yao replied.

“Warming up, hmph,” Xi Yao explained between movements, “I’m going for a morning run later.”

A morning run?

Jiang Li paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. “But, you’re not quite ready for that yet, are you?” she ventured. “Exercise requires a proper plan, and it’s best to start slowly. Perhaps it would be better to attempt these activities after my sister arrives to advise you.”

‘Mostly, with your figure, Xi Yao, if you go for a morning run, I’m genuinely afraid you’ll just wobble and tumble along the way.’

‘You’d be better off just doing your flexibility exercises on the bed; a few twists and turns should suffice.’

“It’s nothing,” Xi Yao declared, stretching her arms with gusto. “It’s just running; why would I need to wait for an advisor to be in place? I’ll just run one lap and be back. It’s no big deal.”

‘Who doesn’t know how to run? What kind of advisor would I possibly need?’

“But,” Jiang Li began, attempting to interject a few more words of caution, “you don’t even have proper athletic wear…”

Just then, Xi Yao simply pulled on a white T-shirt and a pair of shorts.

“You’re far too particular,” the young woman stated, stepping off the bed. “I’m merely going for a single lap. Are you coming or not?”

After a moment’s consideration, Jiang Li decided to follow along, reasoning that at least she would be there if anything untoward occurred.

****

The girls’ dormitory occupied a specialized zone, situated a considerable distance from both the boys’ dorms and the academic buildings. A wide, verdant pedestrian path encircled the dormitory complex, offering fresh air and an ideal setting for morning runs.

Upon their arrival, Xi Yao observed several girls already engaged in their morning runs, their lithe figures flitting along the path. This sight prompted an involuntary exclamation from her:

“This is youth!”

With that, she lifted her fair legs and commenced her own run.

Jiang Li had been on the verge of offering a few cautionary remarks when, in a blink, she realized Xi Yao had already begun to run, prompting her to hastily follow suit.

“Hmph—huff—”

Xi Yao’s pace was not swift, and just as Jiang Li had anticipated, Tuantuan (TL Note: A nickname referring to Xi Yao’s chest) seemed to gain even more vivacity with every stride she took.

Her legs moved, and her heart pulsed with them.

Thankfully, she managed to slow her pace in time, somewhat regaining control of her center of gravity, thus preventing a complete loss of balance.

“Xi Yao, slow down,” Jiang Li pleaded, running alongside her. “A little slower; this pace is still too quick for you.”

“I can’t slow down now, huff,” Xi Yao replied, shaking her head lightly. She then encapsulated her predicament with a single question: “Jiang Li, have you ever ridden a bicycle?”

This was precisely her current state: she had achieved a precarious dynamic equilibrium with Tuantuan (TL Note: A nickname referring to Xi Yao’s chest). Should she attempt to decrease her speed now, the sudden change would inevitably cause her to lose her balance due to inertia.

Jiang Li’s concern instantly spiked. “Then stop at once!” she urged. “I’ll catch you from ahead!”

Given her athletic prowess, accomplishing such a feat wouldn’t be particularly challenging, though it might entail a minor tumble for herself.

“No, don’t,” Xi Yao asserted with confidence. “It’s too dangerous. I’ll get accustomed to it after running for a little while longer. Now, Jiang Li, refrain from speaking while we run, or this will turn into anaerobic exercise.”

A flicker of indignation stirred within the young woman. She mused on how, just a few months prior, she had been an iron-willed man capable of running several kilometers. Now, transformed into a big-chested girl, was she truly incapable of even a few hundred meters of slow jogging?

“Alright then,” Jiang Li conceded, her voice laced with concern. “If you feel anything amiss, you must tell me immediately.”

Xi Yao simply nodded, her attention now solely fixed on her running.

And so, the wobbly morning run commenced.

****

The girls’ dormitory was just stirring to life in the early morning. From the buildings flanking the path, windows occasionally opened, and the soft patter of girls’ footsteps in the corridors and on the paths drifted through the air like hazy murmurs.

As Xi Yao ran, her consciousness gradually blurred, and she felt as if she were sinking into the serene expanse of this tranquil world.

The young woman ran in the sunset… no, in the morning glow. ‘Perhaps this is my youth, lost and now regained,’ she mused.

Thump.

“Xi Yao!”

Jiang Li had sensed something was amiss the moment she saw Xi Yao’s eyes begin to droop. Then, she watched as the young woman toppled sideways. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jiang Li swiftly moved to the trajectory of Xi Yao’s fall, bracing herself to catch the girl with her own body.

The momentum-laden Tuantuan (TL Note: A nickname referring to Xi Yao’s chest) collided with Jiang Li’s chest, but she paid it no heed. Discovering Xi Yao unconscious, she swiftly hoisted her onto her back and sprinted towards the infirmary.

Running with Xi Yao on her back, Jiang Li’s pace was several times faster than her earlier morning jog; she even managed to overtake the school bus.

“Sis! Sis!”

Bursting into the infirmary, Jiang Li immediately cried out in a desperate plea: “Come quickly and help! She fainted while running!”

Jiang Wan had only just arrived at the infirmary, well before her official working hours, and was about to settle down for breakfast when her sister’s frantic voice pierced the quiet.

“Don’t rush, Xiao Li, don’t worry,” the beautiful older sister in the white coat said gently, her voice soothing. “First, lay her down, and then tell me exactly what happened.”

Jiang Li gently laid Xi Yao onto the infirmary bed, barely pausing to catch her breath. “She suddenly fainted during her morning run,” she gasped. “This morning, my roommate suddenly wanted to go for a run, so we headed downstairs. Everything was fine when we first started, but after running for a little while, she just collapsed like this.”

“Don’t worry,” Jiang Wan began, “if there’s no history of heart disease, a sudden syncope during a run might be…” Her voice trailed off as a slight pause, then a flicker of realization crossed her face. “Wait a minute, who did you just say it was?”

“My roommate,” Jiang Li panted, taking two deep breaths. “Please, quickly take a look at her.”

Jiang Wan’s delicate hand, holding the stethoscope, trembled slightly. She slowly stood up, looking towards the bed in front of her sister. From this angle, she couldn’t see the person’s face, but the graceful curves visible from the side were unmistakable.

Taking two steps forward for a closer look, she saw a cute, delicate, and petite face, just like that of a middle schooler—identical to the girl enshrined in Jiang Wan’s heart. It was her, Xi Yao!

“Perhaps it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s,” Jiang Wan stammered, her words suddenly incoherent. “Does, does, does she have a history of heart disease?!”